In The Kitchen With Noah.

Family home evening can definitely be a benefit to do every week because it will teach your kids to have the desire to bake, and by the time they are ten they will have learned how to bake on their own without any guidance!! No joke! Every week the kids always want to bake or make something that's sweet, and since our kitchen is always stocked with flour and sugar, and chocolate chips I don't see why not! 

love them sopapillas!

This past summer one of my girls favorite things to do was staying up late to do a little late night baking, and experimenting with recipes that they found on Pinterest. Luckily for me I bought this awesome cookbook, and it was worth every penny! I heard these women both speak at a time out for women last year, and they were so down to earth with a great sense of humor. And boy do they have some amazing recipes!! 

I never documented this specific night, and because I'm missing Sierra's sopapillas I've decided to put it on the blog. Maybe some of you may want the recipe for this delicious Mexican dessert, and decide to try it. 

This is definitely not a food blog, oh no! I'm only sharing because I am missing my daughter and her delicious baking. Lexie took a huge role in it because she mixed the dough, and Sierra was fierce with the rolling pin in making the perfect squares.

I'm not one to bake, but I do know how to make cupcakes! Hey...just because I'm mexican doesn't mean that I can bake everything under the mexican sun! Luckily my daughters take an interest in cooking and baking because of their abuela, and their dad. My gringo of a husband loves to cook! 

Here is the recipe for the sopapillas in case you don't want to buy the Best Bites cookbook!

4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking pwder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons shortening
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 quart of oil for frying

1. In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and shorting. Mix in water until smooth. Cover and let stand 30-40 minutes. 

2. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 3-inch squares. Heat oil to 375 degrees F. and fry until golden brown. Serve with cinnamon sugar or honey.

Delicious & enjoy!!!

Cherishing the olympics in 2012.

When Salt Lake City hosted the Olympics back in 2002 it seemed as if the whole valley didn't sleep for those two weeks! It truly was a party, and for most Utahns I honestly believe that some of them have never experienced such craziness filled with nightlife! It wasn't Vegas, but it certaintly was a party having a band playing almost every single night in the city. My in laws can definitely attest to that since they were volunteers for some of the events.

I remember a few of my friends telling me how they were going through withdrawal when it was over, and me being the party girl that I used to be way back in the day it did feel different. Salt Lake was back to normal when everything ended, and I'm especially grateful for the Olympics coming to a state that no one thought would ever succeed. We mormons do know how to have fun, and put on a party!

How nice it would be today if we were all in London as a family sitting in on one of the event's. That would be nice, but watching the Olympics on the telly sitting on our couch has been just fine.

It's been a little hard though watching the Olympics for the past two weeks especially when they air late in the evening, but we have managed to set some time aside to watch a few of our favorite events. There have been so many inspiring moments, and my hope for "world peace" increases when I see actions of unity, and love airing on television.

I remember when the Olympics were held in Sarajevo. I was about 13, and Mary Lou Retton was my favorite. I admit I shed tears when she landed perfectly from the vault on this video. It was a beautiful moment for her. I always wondered how such a petite girl could run so fast, and bounce so high while doing somersaults.  My favorite part of watching the Olympics are the emotions that come with it. It'll be bittersweet to see the finale when all the athletes express their emotions knowing that they have accomplished a fulfillment that they have been working towards since they were in preschool years!

One of Sierra's favorite sport is beach volleyball, and unfortunately missed all the action last night when these two lovely ladies won the gold. She is at a youth conference for church until Saturday so sadly she'll be missing the events for the rest of the week. We've enjoyed all the events from swimming to gymnastics, and Lexie's favorite... rowing.

As we near the final stages of the Olympics we've decided to have a little Olympic party, and made these crafts.

Since Chelsea is learning how to bake she wanted to help me make cupcakes and add froot loops on top as Olympic rings! I really have to thank those on Pinterest who share their creativity for all the world to see!

Our olympic cupcakes!

I love the Olympics, and I always want to keep a positive outlook no matter how harsh the media can get. I always cherish the happy moments it brings, and as each generation changes so does the world. I want our kids to watch the Olympics in a positive manner in hopes that they can accomplish their own goals just as all these athletes are doing.