Casa de Memmott

Here at the Casa de Memmott, we've been pretty busy the last couples months.

In February, we moved out of our basement apartment into a duplex, which allowed us to get our first dog, Mo (see post here). After a few weeks, we decided to get Mo a little friend. So we found Bear. And oh boy, they became fast friends!

And sometimes, Mo is a little mean to Bear...

Mo likes to be the big dog in charge. She is very dominating when it comes to Bear. She tries to be dominating to John and myself, but we don't allow that. She doesn't like to listen. At all. And she drives us crazy sometimes. She rarely comes to us when we call, unless we have peanut butter. She doesn't sit when we tell her to, she will just continually jump against your leg trying to get your attention. Whenever we train her to sit and behave, she'll eventually listen. But that ends up in one ear and out the other when the treats go away. She loves to cuddle and be held. She also LOVES her bones. She will devour that so quickly. And as you can see from above, she loves to get a little too close to Bear.

Bear loves to play!! He will play with anything, even your pant legs. Unlike his sister, he listens!! He knows that if he wants to get up on the couch with us he has to sit. He knows that so well that he will nudge you a little, then just sit, waiting for you to pick him up. We don't even have to tell him to sit! If we call him to come inside, he will come running to us. Bear loves his toys, and has grown to love bones. But I don't think any dog likes bones as much as Mo.

They both have grown so much, and I hope the growing stops soon! They both don't like baths, or getting their nails trimmed. They love to sleep next to each other. If we take one outside and leave the other inside, when they reunite inside, it's like they haven't seen each other for years! They are so happy to see each other and play together! We don't have very many accidents inside anymore. So that is a big plus. Mo and Bear LOVE to give kisses. Even right after they lick their butts. We...don't really enjoy that very much..

All in all, our lives have changed so much since we got our little pups, and we wouldn't change it for the world! Unfortunately, taking care of them kind of takes away from other things. Since I work all day, I like to come home and relax and unwind. They are so excited to see me and all they want to do is play. I know at the beginning of the year I said I was going to do a crock pot meal once a week. Yeah, that kinda went out the door right when it came in. Yes, cooking in the crock pot is nice and all because you set it and forget it. But I kind of like cooking the old fashioned way a lot more. I've picked up baking my own bread! And since I don't have a Kitchen Aid or a Bosch, I have to knead the dough by hand. I love it! It gets rid of some of my anxiety and frustration from the day. It's actually quite relaxing. And if I can get awesome looking arms for doing this for a while, then why not?! ;)

John still works at the Spanish Fork Clinic doing x-ray, and loves it! He has recently picked up more hours while a coworker is on maternity leave, and while the extra money is nice, I miss seeing my husband! He works every night until around 9-930, sometimes even 10 and all day Saturday. It's nice having Sunday together, but I do miss him. Also, John turned 31 on Tuesday!!! Since he was working, we decided to celebrate the previous Saturday by going out to dinner and going to see Oblivion (which, if you haven't seen it, I would HIGHLY recommend it!). Also, tonight we are celebrating again by going to see Iron Man 3 :) I will brag about the movie theaters here in Utah for a little bit. We now can reserve our seats when we purchase the tickets! And since I like to plan ahead, I will purchase my tickets in advance and select the perfect seats. That way, we can show up to the movie theater 2 minutes before the movie starts and not have to worry about getting a good seat! No more sitting in those uncomfortable movie theater seats and twiddling your thumbs waiting for the previews to start. I bought the tickets for Iron Man 3 last week when we were at the movies and tonight, we don't have to show up super super early to stand in line, since it is Saturday of the opening week. So if you don't have a reason to move up to Utah, let that be your reason! ;)

In the past few weeks, John and I have gone from 2 working cars, to 1 working car, 1 not so working car, and 2 bikes. Since we live just a little over a mile from John's work, he bikes to and from work every day. He does look pretty hot in that bike helmet ;)

Yesterday was our 9 month anniversary. Say whaaaaa?! Where the heck has time gone??? At the end of the day, I love my husband and how our lives have grown in these short 9 months. And I am beyond excited to see what the future has in store for us!

I've taken a look at the past few months and years, and have noticed how much Facebook has taken over my life. Needless to say, I am addicted. I spend way too much time looking over my news feed seeing what other people are doing. It was like going to the fridge late at night looking for a snack, realizing nothing is there. Then off you go to the pantry, looking for something to eat. Still, nothing. And back you go to the fridge. I kept going to Facebook expecting a new update, but would still find all the same boutiques displaying clothes I can't buy, a band announcing a concert I won't go to, and so many posts of food that I probably will never make. If you really think about it, what did people do before Facebook? Well first off, they MySpace'd, which died before it even started. But before that, you wrote letters or talked on the phone. You spent quality time with each other. And if people are really concerned with what's going on in your lives, then they will call or stop by. So I've decided to take a step away from Facebook and my social media life and focus on my real life. I'll be posting on here a lot more, but not as frequent as every status on Facebook. The day to day mundane activities aren't really relevant to anyone. But a birthday, or a family trip, or news of binkies and diapers and cribs are! So stay tuned for more updates on what is going on in the Casa de Memmott :)

Fool-Proof Bread

This really is the easiest bread you will ever make.

Since I can remember, I've loved to cook. I'm no professional and make some not so desirable meals sometimes, but I still try and enjoy trying. Since I've been married, I've started to make things from scratch, namely macaroni and cheese. I can make a larger batch, that tastes better than that waxy Kraft junk, for a LOT cheaper.

After receiving a cookbook from my mom and sister from The Food Nanny, I decided to give a try at making bread. And I thought my first batch was pretty awesome! After posting some pictures on Instagram and Facebook, my manager and a coworker told me about a little secret.

Soy Lecithin

What is this Soy Lecithin??

According to Fooducate, "Lecithins are oily substances that occur naturally in plants (soybeans) and animals (egg yolks).

Some people use it as a supplement because it’s high choline content. Choline is a micronutrient that is good for heart health and brain development.

But that’s not the reason soy lecithin is used as an additive in foods. It possesses emulsification properties. This means it can keep a candy bar “together” by making sure that the cocoa and the cocoa butter don’t separate. It is also used in bakery items to keep the dough from sticking and to improve its ability to rise."

Really what it does, is cut down the rise time from 1-2 hours, to simply 25 minutes; you only have to let it rise once.

My first batch of bread was made in roughly 2 hours.

This new batch of bread was made in 50 minutes.

And is 100 times better.

This recipe yields 4 loaves of bread.

(The italic text is if you want to halve the recipe)

Ingredients:

10 1/2 (5 1/2) cups white bread flour (do NOT use all-purpose flour)

1/2 (1/4) cups sugar

1 (1/2) T. salt

3 (1 1/2) rounded T. instant yeast

3 quarter size circles liquid lecithin

4 (2) cups hot water

First off, what is the difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour? Bread flour has more gluten in it. Do I use bread flour?

No.

I use all-purpose flour.

But, I turn it into bread flour by adding the following.

Vital Wheat Gluten turns regular flour into bread flour. You can find it at WalMart or any kitchen supply store.

So how do you make this amazing bread?

Mix all dry ingredients. Add lecithin ad water. Mix for 1 minute and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add more water. Dough should be very sticky. Mix for 7 minutes in a stand mixer. (If you don't have a stand mixer like myself, you can knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes. Do NOT add more flour. If you are going to knead it by hand, spray the counter with cooking spray.) Spray pans with PAM. Shape loaves and cover with a dish towel. 

Let rise for 25 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

You'll see a HUGE difference in my first attempt at bread without the lecithin. My first attempt is on the right.

Using lecithin has completely changed how I will ever bake again. Not only is it used in bread, but you can use it for cakes to keep it more moist. The bread was fluffier, more moist, and tasted TONS better.

So what are you waiting for?! Go make some bread!! ;)

The Other Side of the Atonement

More often than not, when people think of the Atonement, we ponder on how the Savior atoned for our sins. We think of how he bled from every pore, suffering for all of the wrong of the world. We relate it to being forgiven and becoming clean again. But one thing we forget, is the peace that the Atonement brings and the wholeness that it provides when we have been wronged by others.

This past week, for some reason, I have been thinking about the innocent people that have been wronged in one way or another. My mind keeps going back to Columbine, Sandy Hook, and even the Holocaust. 

Why does the Lord allow awful things to happen to good people?

"And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming  in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.

But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgment which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day." Alma 14: 10-11

"For the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God." Alma 60:13

Bad things happen to good people so that the Lord can judge justly and correctly. He lets people make these horrible decisions and effect innocent people's lives so that he can judge accurately the wickedness of their hearts because they chose to do those things of their own free will.

This is where the beauty of the Atonement comes in. Not just for the sinner who is wanting to correct the wrong they have done. But for the broken spirited, for the suffering of a loved one, for the hurt we feel from being wronged. When Christ was in Gethsemane, he suffered all the pains of this world; the sadness, the depression, the heartache, and the loss, along with the wickedness and destruction of hope and happiness. 

When we are in our darkest nights, not knowing if there will be a dawn, He knows what we are going through.

When we are broken hearted, thinking no one will ever love us, He knows how we feel.

When we have a hole in our heart too big to repair from losing a loved one, He knows how bad that pain feels.

No matter what the circumstance, He has suffered just as we are suffering. And He is there for us, to lift us up, to fill that empty void inside, to make us feel whole again.

He lives! To silence all my fears

He lives! To wipe away my tears

He lives! To calm my troubled heart

He lives! With blessings to impart

I don't think, at least for myself, we give Him enough credit for everything He went through in His last days. It is beyond my comprehension how much He suffered. I cannot fathom the hurt He experienced to save His brothers and sisters. Not to mention, He did it all willingly. What love He must have for all of us!

As I reflect back on what Easter means to me, chocolates and marshmallow Peeps don't come to mind, but instead the selfless gift of our Savior and His love for us. How our Father in Heaven gave His only son so that we could one day return to Him. Oh what a wonderful reunion that must have been! I can only imagine the love our Father has for His son and our brother, Jesus, when He returned. And how proud He must have been, knowing that He willingly suffered more than anyone should so that His children could return and live with them once more. 

Christ is the best gift that I could have received. 

Knowing His plan and where I fit in, and knowing that I can be made whole again is the best gift I could have received. 

Feeling His love around me constantly is the best gift I could have received.

I know my Redeemer lives!

(Here is a song the Brianne (Howard) Kirkland sang while I played the piano in church one Easter. Yes, my grandpa recorded it with his hidden camera inside his scripture case...Please forgive the crying child at the end.)

I'm LDS, and I Think Gay Marriage Should be Legal

Now before I go any further, I would like to provide you with The Proclamation to the Family. I stand firm with these teachings and believe that marriage is between a man and a woman and I do not condone or support gay marriage. On that same note, I don't condone drinking, or drugs either. But who am I to say that someone can not choose to do what they wish freely? If someone chooses to do something that I believe is wrong, they will have the Lord to answer to in the next life, and I have no right to prevent someone from making those decisions.

I have been on the fence about this issue for quite some time. One day I support it. The next, I change my mind. I understand both sides.

Side A.

"Gay marriage is wrong."

"It will ruin the sanctity of marraige."

"Marriage is between a man and a woman."

"God defines marriage."

Etc.

Side 2.

"Gays and lesbians are people too, and deserve the same rights that you receive."

"The government does not have the right to deny you marriage."

"If you love someone, you should be able to marry and provide equally."

Etc.

I didn't quite fully accept this until I saw a video discussion the other day. One person said "I do not think gays should be allowed to marry, marriage is a religious thing. BUT I do however believe they should have a legal binding like a marriage a "civil union" that has all the benefits of marriage but doesn't have the name. That way crazy religious people are happy and so are the gays. They can choose to celebrate this civil union anyway they desire."

The rebuttal: "Okay separate-but-equal. That's the same thing as saying 'You still can have a water fountain. You just have to use THAT one over there and you can't be at the water fountain that the white people use. And you should still be happy because you're still getting your water.'"

Made me think a little. By denying someone marriage, you are saying "You are not equal. You are different, so you deserve less." I believe that everyone should have the same opportunities here on earth, whether it be in line with what I believe and feel is right, or the complete opposite. I know what the end game is, and what side wins.

I'm going to remind you that I do think gay marriage is a sin and I do not condone it. But again, who I am to say someone can not choose freely.

I do think that religious institutions should choose whether they perform a marriage or not. For me and my religion, I do not believe that a gay couple should be allowed to enter into the temple. The temple is a sacred place, and you cannot enter if you have sin. And according to the LDS religion, being gay is a sin. Having same-sex attraction is not a sin. But acting upon it is. I personally believe that Heavenly Father gave people same-sex attraction as a challenge and a trial in this life, just like He gave other people other trials and challenges that they will have to deal with and overcome. Take Josh Weed for example. He has same-sex urges, but chooses to ignore those urges and married a woman and now has a wonderful family because he knows of the promises that our Heavenly Father promised us for the afterlife, IF he chooses to follow the commandments and teachings of the prophets. 

People against gay marriage say that it is going to ruin lives and destroy families. Frankly, it will not effect my family any more that alcohol or drugs will effect my family. I will raise my children, to the best of my ability, teaching them right from wrong. Gay marriage will be one of those things that I teach is wrong, right along side with drinking, drugs, pre-marital sex, etc.

And when they say that it will ruin the sanctity of marriage, how has Brittany Spears, or Kim Kardashian NOT ruined the sanctity of marriage? "About 1% of the total number of currently-married or registered same-sex couples get divorced each year, in comparison to about 2% of the total number of married straight couples." Huffington Post

When it comes down to it, let people make their own choices. Even if it against what you believe and you feel to be right, everyone has their own free agency.

And that is the beauty of this country.

(And if in the end I am COMPLETELY wrong and out of line about treating others the same as I would like to be treated and giving everyone a fair chance, then I will answer to the Lord. But at least I tried standing up for everyone having an equal chance at happiness.)

Crock Pot Week 5: Italian Chicken

So as you can see from my lack of crock pot posts, I am not very good at keeping a New Year's resolution. But I sure am trying!

It hasn't helped that we have been extremely busy the past couple of weeks. We went sledding with my company two weeks ago and I was completely beat after, and last weekend we moved into a new place and got our precious little Mo Memmott, which again, I was completely beat. (If you didn't get a chance to read my last post with pictures of our princess, here you go!)

Anywho, this week I wasn't going to do a crock pot meal because I hadn't gone shopping for stuff to make anything in particular, and was just feeling really lazy. I mustered up enough energy to look on Pinterest for a recipe, hoping I would find one that we had all the ingredients to. Luckily I found a recipe that we had all the ingredients for, and I didn't have to do much prep work before heading off to church. I DID remember to use one of my crock pot liners, which was a huge help afterwards.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

1 packet dry Italian dressing

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1-2 cans cream of chicken soup (depending how cream cheesy you want it)

Instructions

Place the chicken in a crockpot and sprinkle Italian dressing over it. Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in a small pot over low heat and pour over chicken. Cook on low for at least 4 hours.

If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little milk. Serve over pasta or rice.

I would say that this recipe was quite delicious! I used frozen chicken, and it was done in a little less than 4 hours on low. I let it cook a little longer with the lid off to help thicken it up, since I used 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. I also used 2 packets of the Italian dressing, which was a slight mistake. I didn't season it at all, but it still came out rather salty due to the dressing. I boiled some bow-tie pasta, shredded the chicken, and poured the sauce and chicken over the pasta. It was delicious! And with only 5 ingredients in the whole dish, and SUPER easy to make, I will definitely be making this dish again :)

Happy cooking!

WE HAVE A BAB....errr puppy :)

Hello wonderful friends of Blogger and Facebook and any other random website you might have seen this post from. John and I are pleased to announce the newest member to our family :

Meet Mo Memmott

:)

(Be prepared for lots of pictures)

 (She LOVES to climb up on your shoulder and hang out.)

We seriously love this little pup SOOOO much already! She is the sweetest little dog anyone could have asked for. And training has gone somewhat well. She doesn't have very many accidents inside. But getting her to come when you call or getting her to stop chewing at your feet when you are trying to walk is pretty much nonexistant.

I wish she could just sleep with us each night because I feel like a horrible human being when we put her in her kennel so we can go to bed. I hate hearing her whine and cry and bark. But I know that she needs to be kennel trained for when we leave the house.

I'm hoping that she will be trained for the most part when we go to California. We are staying with John's brother and his family while we are out there and maybe, just maybe, we can bring her with ;)

One of my favorite things that she does is sleep in my jacket. On Sunday we had some family over and she slept in my jacket pretty much the whole night. She will crawl up my side and sometime even stick her face, or half her body, in my sleeve. So while I look like I have some weird, gross growth on my arm, she is nice and warm, dreaming of running through fields catching a ball (not that a ball would actually fit in her mouth).

Another thing that I think is absolutely adorable is when she runs. She is so tiny and so light weight that she like pounces around. And sometimes when she REALLY runs, her hind legs go a little too fast and she'll do a somersault with her hind legs flying above her. It really is the cutest thing ever.

Mo was the runt of the litter, and the parents weren't more than 4 or 5 pounds, so we expect that she will stay really small, which I'm super happy about. I love this little dog like my own child, and love having someone super excited to see me when I get home from work. Life is just awesome :)

Until next time!!

Crock Pot Week 4: Cilantro Lime Chicken

This week's meal was by far my favorite. It has pretty much every one of my favorite ingredients for anything.

Cilantro

Lime

Chicken

Corn

Black beans

Add some onion and garlic and a little bit of spice, and you have delicious chicken tacos ready to go! And it was by far the easiest to make, too.

Ingredients

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 thick chicken breasts

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

Juice from 3 limes

1 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Put all the ingredients in the crock pot and stir so everything is mixed well.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
3. When chicken is cooked through, shred with a fork in the crock pot.
4. Serve on tortillas with your favorite toppings. So good toppings are cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or salsa.
5. Enjoy!