project 365 {15-21}

I open up a fortune cookie and read this. This totally made me laugh- I am pretty sure this would not lower my stress!!!

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Tyler headed back to college to after a month home for Christmas break.

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Reading this.

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A place where we spend many, many hours a week.

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Wednesday: Is a picture of google map of our neighborhood.

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Jake was in net and won his first Varsity game. The coach gave him the game puck and also got the hardest worker hat for the game.
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Brrr!! Coldest weather of the season!

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project 365 (8-14)

Saturday

Winter shadows.

Sunday

We see deer in our back yard daily, but usually there are 2 to 4 at any given time. On this day there were 10! Given the angle from the window- I couldn't get a picture with all 10- this was the best I could get.

Monday

Anticipating sand and warm weather.

Tuesday

Tired doggie.

Wednesday

New paper for an album I am working on with my project 365 pictures.

Thursday

Jake started his first Varsity hockey game {one of the biggest games of the year...North vs South}.

Friday

love

wordless Wednesday

As I look out my window I see winter shadows.

These cold and snowy winter days

have me looking ahead

with much anticipation and excitement for....

warmth and sunshine!

project 365 {1-7}

This year one of my goals is to try and take a picture a day—every day.

This year I want to use my camera more.

This year I want to improve my photography.

This year I want to see and experience new things.

This year I want to look more closely and appreciate all of the little moments that are important to me.

Here are my  pictures from the first week of project 365.

Saturday

I received some money for Christmas that I wanted to use for a new winter coat. I went out and hit the after Christmas sales and was able to purchase 2 coats for the price I was thinking that I would spend on one! I love good deals and I love my new winter coats!!

Sunday

Jake has desperately needed a new hockey chest protector as his old one is falling apart. As he is a goalie- this is a pretty important piece of equipment. :)

Monday

I used my new Polar HRM at the gym and was so surprised to see how many calories that I burned!

Tuesday

Jake looking good in his new warm-ups for his High School Hockey team.

Wednesday

I was making dinner and I looked out the kitchen window and saw all of these ducks out in our neighbors yard. There were probably double the amount that was in this picture, but many had flown away by the time I grabbed my camera. Must be some good food in that bird feeder. :)

Thursday

Jake had Districts for DECA at a hotel in St. Paul. This was a competition he competed in through his Business and Marketing class and he took 3rd place which qualifies him for STATE!
(He did have a suit on but had to change at school before he went to hockey practice.)

Friday

I finally got my Christmas trees taken down and most of Christmas put away. This picture is of the boys ornaments right before I got them wrapped and boxed up.

White Chili recipe

I made this white chili with chicken that the other day- it tasted so good and was also really pretty healthy... unless of course you add the cheese and sour cream. :) This is the first time I have made this recipe, but based on the reactions from my family, I will definitely be making this again- and soon!


White Chili


3 jalapeno chili peppers
3 poblano chili peppers
3 Anaheim chili peppers
2 onions
1 1/2 -2 lbs cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
2 T olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T cumin
1 1/2 t coriander
1 t oregano
2- 15oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup minced cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
3 T lime juice

Stem and seed all of the peppers. Mince the jalapenos and coarsely chop other peppers and onions. Put vegis in food processor and pulse about 12 times so vegis are the consistency of chunky salsa.
Heat oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add vegis, garlic, and spices to pot. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegis are softened.

Take one cup of vegis, 1 cup broth, 1 cup beans and process until smooth. Pour into pot and add the rest of the broth, beans and chicken and cook until heated through. Add cilantro, lime juice, green onions.
Can serve with tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

wordless Wednesday

There is something kind of magical and peaceful about an outside hockey rink in the evening when it is snowing.

my word for 2011

I have been thinking and pondering about my word for the year of 2011. This is the scond year I have chosen a word that sums up what I want to focus and be part of my life throughout the year.

The word that finally came to me was experience.

I want to experience life and everything it has to offer me. I want to move beyond my comfort zone, to live with purpose, and to fully enjoy all things (big and small) around me.

2010 in pictures

reflections from 2010

At the end of each year I like to look back and reflect on the memories and events that made up our year. Here are some of the highlights from 2010:

January:

Tyler went on his last high school band trip to Florida and played in the Citrus Parade.

We had 3 hockey tournaments between Drew and Jake's teams. We spent weekends in St.Cloud, Breezy Point, and Roseau.

February:

Pete and I celebrated our 20th Anniversary with ghost stories and snowmobiling.

March:

Our family took a cruise over Spring Break visiting Grand Cayman, Honduras, Cozumel, and the Bahamas.

April:

Tyler went to Sadies.

Jake spent his 15th birthday at Notre Dame with a friend.

Jake got his Driver's Permit!

May:

May 1st was college decision day and Tyler finally chose which school he wanted to go to.

Travel baseball started for the summer for Drew.

Our first Twins game at the new stadium.

Tyler's senior prom.

June:

Brought the last day of High School for Tyler, Jake finished Freshman year, and Drew finished his first year at Middle School.

Tyler graduated from High School.

We celebrated graduation by having an open house.

July:

Drew and I went on our yearly excursion of blueberry picking.

Tyler enjoyed his Ultimate Frisbee season.

We spent a long weekend in Chicago taking in a Cubs game and attending a family reunion.

August:

A week at the cabin with family.

We moved Tyler into his dorm at school.

Tyler made the College soccer team.

September:

Spent a day at the State Fair.

Enjoyed watching Tyler's soccer games.

A new school year began. Jake started his Sophmore year and Drew started 7th grade.

October:

We had a great time at Family Weekend at Tyler's school.

Yearly apple orchard trip.

Our first Halloween with no one trick-or-treating.

Hockey started for Drew.

November:

Birthday Weekend. Tyler turned 19, Drew turned 13--all my kids are teenagers.

We bought Jake his first ever suit for a business competition he was participating in through school.

Jake made the High School hockey team.

December:

Tyler finished his first semester of college and is now officially a Sophmore. He is home for a month before next semester starts mid-January. So nice to have him home!!

We had a very snowy winter including a blizzard with almost 20 inches of snow.

Christmas

Out of town hockey tournament for Jake with his High School hockey team in Hibbing.

2010 had many blessings and I am so thankful!