Update about Alex

Here's an update from Chrissy's online journal regarding Alex's bone marrow transplant:

"we just were told zack (Alex's big brother) is not a match for alex for a bone marrow transplant,  so they will start looking monday.  they have no idea how long that will take."  Keep Alex in your thoughts and prayers that they'll find a match for Alex soon."

Thank you for all of your help.

Hope for Alex

To the few of you who read my blog, 

I'm asking for help.  

Last month my sweet nephew Alex was diagnosed with Leukemia.  He is 14 months old. As you can imagine this experience has been very trying for Alex and his family.  Alex is being treated at Doernbecher Children's Hospital and is going through chemo therapy.  He is taking it like a champ and is lucky to have a loving mom and dad that is always by his side as he battles cancer.

Mike and I have started a facebook group for Alex.  The purpose of the group page is to inform others of Alex's condition and to show everyone how they can help.  Click here to check out our group page.  You don't have to have a facebook account to check it out.

Right now we need help creating a sterile environment for Alex to come home to after he gets out of the hospital.  His family is in need of new house items as they create that safe environment. We created a registry of what is needed. We're trying to get these items to them by the end of June, for their new apartment. By clicking here you can go directly to their registry.

Another way of helping is posting something about little Alex on your own blog to see if any of your readers would like to contribute.  Any help is really appreciated.

To read more about Alex from Chrissy's own journal go here. 

The Rose Garden

One of my favorite placed in Portland is the Rose Garden. We went up there the last day of the Rose Festival to see it.  The fun thing about seeing the roses is reading the clever names people have made up for the roses.  One was called Black Magic, another Flirty, and I've even seen Dolly Parton in the past.

 

Field Trip

Last week we took a day trip up to Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood.  

It was the first weekend I wasn't stressed about school or worried about getting an assignment done.  

I was happy to get out for a little field trip.

(Does the lodge look familiar? Its the same one from The Shining...I'm too scared to see the movie though.)

"Lots of people go to school for 7 years!" "Yeah, they're called doctors..."

At last, my degree has come along. This last month I finally graduated from BYU. Even though I have been going up to school at WSU, I was able to get my degree from the place where I spent most of my time, tears, and fun. I made the trip and walked in Utah. I was really fortunate to have a lot of my family there.  They were so supportive and I had a blast.

Here's Some Photos of the highly anticipated day:

My little sister is also graduating this year from good ole' MHS:

While I was in the area I was able to see my mom's cabin (she's a woman of many projects).  They looked great!  She is a busy lady.

(i put in this last photo because it is awesome of me and my mom - what a photogenic pair!)

FOOOOOD!

So my friend Lindsey and I were talking about cooking and how it is soooo hard to decide what to make for dinner each night. Its soooo hard to try new recipes, for fear you'll get the "maybe we should order pizza" from the husband.  And its sooo hard to find recipes that aren't made of a billion unfamiliar items.  I like a recipe with as few ingrediants as possible and that taste good, of course. Well, after talking about this we decided we would share a couple of the recipes we always rely on.  That way we could get some new ideas of what to make. I've decided to post mine on here for you readers (the few of you) in case you find yourself in the same dilemma.  Here's the catch...you should do the same thing on your blog or in a comment on here. I that way we can all benefit and get some great ideas.  So I tag you to post your favorite recipes that you find yourself making often.


Here are some of my favorites and they're husband approved, ps you'll need a crock pot:


Pork Roast
Pork Roast
1 cup water
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 onion halved and chopped
1/2 cup + 2 T. soy sauce
2-3 T brown sugar


Combine all ingredients except brown sugar in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Add brown sugar just before serving (I added some into the mixture about an hour before taking it out of the crock pot).
*I used this meat to make enchiladas the next night and it worked really well; it reminded me a little of Cafe Rio which I miss so much.  Just mix shredded meat with 1 can black beans (drained), 1 cup cheese, 1 lg can green enchilada sauce, and 1 cup rice. Wrap mixture up in tortilla and lay in pan.  Cover enchiladas with 1 small can green enchilada sauce and more cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes in 325 (I just guesstimated the temp and time - just get the cheese melted).


French Dip Sandwich
1 lean beef roast
1 can beef consomme (ok, I know its unfamiliar but its just in the soup section and its like beef broth)
1 can water (use the beef consomme can)
1 pkg French au jus sauce mix (where the gravy mixes are)
1 pkg Italian dressing mix
Hoagie or French sourdough buns


In a slow cooker, combine consomme, water, sauce mix, and dressing mix.  Place roast in cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Meat will come apart easily when done.  Remove meat and place on buns. Pour juice in serving bowls; dip in juice.


Peanut Chicken
1 pound of chicken (cooked and chopped) or 1 can chicken (drained)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
2 T soy sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 T corn starch (mix in 1/4 cup water separately)
2 tsp ground ginger
2 dashes of hot sauce (opt)
4 chopped green onions
4 garlic cloves or 2 T garlic chopped
Rice/Ramen Noodles/Spaghetti (cooked)


In a large pan, stir broth, honey, soy sauce, peanut butter, corn starch, ginger, and hot sauce together over medium heat until thick and smooth.  Add green onions and garlic.  Cook 2 minutes on medium heat. Add in chicken and heat for two minutes.  Serve over rice or noodles.
    
Russian Chicken
4 Chicken Breasts
1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 small jar apricot jam
2/3 small bottle Russian Dressing
Rice


Mix soup mix, apricot jam, and dressing together in a bowl.  Pour over chicken breasts in a baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees for about and hour or until chicken is done in center.  Serve over rice.  This can also be make in the slow cooker.


Last one...


Waikiki Meatballs
Frozen Meatballs (I got mine from Costco - so good to have on hand)
2 T corn starch
1/2 cup brown sugar
L can pineapple
1/3 cup vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/3 chopped green pepper
Rice


Heat up meatballs according to directions. Mix corn starch and brown sugar in bowl. Add pineapple juice, vinegar, and soy sauce then place in skillet. Stir constantly on medium heat until it starts to thicken. Add meatballs and peppers.  Once peppers are tender, add pineapple.  Serve over rice. 

K, I'm counting on you to share your little secrets with me so I can expand my menu a bit.

What's with the Doppelganger Week?

On Facebook everyone is going crazy of Doppelganger week. Look the word up on Wikipedia (I had to).  Basically people post their profile picture as someone people they have said they look like, often the person is famous. I think some people pick them on their own, but whatever. Either way it is sort of amusing.  Well Mike and I made some decisions on who would be our parent's doppelgangers.  I think their pretty good.

Famous or not, we love our folks.