Orange Cream Cheese Filled Pull Apart Rolls

On Sunday our ward split:( Our family was put into a ward where we know about 3 families. And I was released from being YW Pres. All my friends are still in the same ward. Now. having said all that...it was an emotional day for me (mostly because I just had a baby and we all know how that is). When I get sad or stressed out, I bake. I baked alot on Sunday. So I'm going to gradually post all the yumminess that I made:)
I got this reciped off a blog called Life Should be Delicious. It was so yummy! I liked the cream cheese middle, but next time I might not put as much cream cheese in the middle or I might make it more of a cheese cake mixture and add some powdered sugar and vanilla...now that would be delicious!!

Orange Cream Cheese Filled Pull Apart Rolls

3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. pecans (opt.)
2 tsp. orange zest
2 cans Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
1 8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbs. orange juice

Combine the sugar and zest in a small bowl and set aside. Cut cream cheese into equal number of squares as biscuits. Place one square on cream cheese into the center of biscuit and fold over into a half moon shape and pinch the edges. Dip in melted butter and dredge in sugar/zest mixture. Place in a greased bundt pan with the curve side down in a single layer, do not stack and try not to have any gaps. Drizzle with remaining butter and sugar mixture. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Invert onto a platter. Mix together powdered sugar and orange juice and drizzle over hot rolls. Serve warm.

Oreo Cookies

I know that everyone has some variation of this yummy cookie. But I just had to post it because they are so good and its a good reminder to you to make them!!

Oreo Cookies

1 pkg. Chocolate cake mix

2/3 c. shortening

2 eggs

In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Roll into 1" balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

After cookies cool, frost with buttercream frosting between the chocolate cookies. I like to add crushed Oreos to the frosting.

Chicken Spaghetti

This is a favorite of mine...love all the chicken, all the cheese...yummy. This recipe came from one of my fabulous Aunts...either Aunt Dotti or Aunt Caryn. Who wants to claim it?? This makes a TON...so you can either half it, freeze it or share it:)

Chicken Spaghetti

6 chicken breasts

1 lb. spaghetti

1/2 stalk celery

1 onion

2 green peppers

1 lb. Velvetta cheese

1 lg. jar pimentos (opt.)

1 stick margarine

2 cans cream of mushroom soup (or cr. of chicken)

Cook and dice chicken. Let sit. Cook spaghetti in broth (add water if needed). In skillet put margarine, chopped peppers, chopped onion, celery and pimentos. Cook until tender and season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Cube cheese and put in spaghetti and broth. Ad everything else and mix. Bakes 2 (9x13") pans. Bake at 350 degrees fro 30-45 minutes.

Horseback Riding

Last week my sweet in-laws took the boys for the whole week. It was so nice...I was able to try and get things "back to normal" and get a schedule down with Connor. One day they all went Horseback Riding!! They went with their cousins, Molly and Will, Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Wendy and Uncle Jon. A huge thanks to Wendy for taking all the pictures and letting me steal them from her blog;)

I guess Caden and Noah loved being on the horse! I thought they would have been scared out of their mind and went kicking and screaming! Not so! Way to go boys!
Here is Grandpa leading Caden and Noah's horse










All the Cowboys and Cowgirls. Looks like they had a blast! The boys had such a fun time! They are still talking about riding on the horse!

Connor at 2 weeks

Connor is now 2 weeks old! I can't believe how quickly it is already going by!

He went for his 2 week check up yesterday and here are the stats:

Weight: 8 lbs. 5 oz. (50th%)

Height: 21" (50th%)

Head: 14" (25th%)

Who Does Connor Look Like?

Caden

Noah

Connor

The Bassinet

This bassinet is a family heirloom. I believe Ben's, Mom's, Dad made it and Ben and all of his 5 brothers used it. Now that their are grandkids, all the grandkids have used it. Connor makes grandbaby #7 and Ben's mom wanted to make some new bedding. We went to JoAnn's and had to pick some fabric that could go boy or girl. This is what we came up with. I am totally in love with it! She did such an AMAZING job on it! Thanks so much!

Mini Chocolate Mint Brownies

I have been wanting to make these little cuties for quite sometime now and finally made them for a friend. I got this really cute mini cheesecake pan from William-Sonoma and I must say...worth every penny:) This is the BYU chocolate mint brownie recipe that has been passed around for as long as I can remember. But, if you need a short-cut, just use box brownies, using the cakier brownie instead of fudgy (basically add one extra egg). I found the idea on a blog called Satisfying My Sweet Tooth.
Chocolate Mint Brownies

1 C sugar
1 1/2 C butter, softened and divided
4 eggs
16 oz canned chocolate syrup
1 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 C powdered sugar
1 T milk
1 tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops green food coloring
6 oz chocolate chips

Combine sugar and 1/2 C butter; blend in eggs, chocolate syrup, flour, and baking powder. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan or jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Place in refrigerator until cool. Blend in another 1/2 C butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Add milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring. Mix well and spread over chocolate brownie layer. Refrigerate until firm. Melt chocolate chips and remaining 1/2 C butter and stir until well mixed. Pour over mint layer and refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares and keep in fridge until served.

Our 1st Week with Connor

I just wanted to share a few pictures of Connor's first week of being home. My mom was amazing and stayed with us for a little over a week helping me with the boys. I am forever grateful for her help! Hopefully she's not too sleep deprived!!

First Day home from the hospital...Grandma and Grandpa Thatcher were waiting for us!
Grandma with Connor.

Here is Connor...3 days old.
The boys want to be by him every second of every day.
Mimi and Connor.
Connor's first bath.
Noah just loves on Connor all the time. The second he wakes up he wants to hold him. He also wants a picture with Connor every time he holds him.
Diane and Weldon (family friends for as long as I can remember) came for a visit and brought gifts and some amazing sugar cookies and thumbprint cookies...we couldn't get enough of them!
My Dad and Connor...such a sweet picture. My Dad came to visit at the hospital and to drop my Mom off to help me. Then he came back on Friday (July 3) morning and stayed thru Sunday. We had so much fun.
Connor at 12 days old. All my boys have done this cute little "O" with their mouth...I just love it! It's also our tribute to Michael Jackson...we are sporting the one glove thing.
What a BIG yawn!!

4th of July

I love the 4th of July! I love being with family and friends and having a nice big BBQ. The past few years we have gone to a Texas Rangers Baseball game and watch the fireworks after the game. This year we went over to our friends, the Wilde's, home and had a big party there...swimming, BBQ and fireworks. So much fun. The best part is we got to do some fireworks! The boys have never done any before...they loved every second of it! Thanks Wildes for a great time!

Caden, doing sparklers for the first time.
All the kids mesmorized watching the "snakes" grow bigger and bigger...so gross.
Noah shooting off some fireworks.
Mommy and Connor...he was such a good sport. He just slept through the whole thing.
Ben and I...Connor is in the backpack.
Caden, Noah and Popie.
Noah with the sparklers. It worries me a bit that there was absolutely NO FEAR of all the fire and loud noises;)

Big Brother, Little Brother

I found these adorable shirts for the boys (Big Brother and Little Brother) and I had to have a little photo shoot of them before Connor got too big for his onesie! My Dad brought up his amazing camera and we put some sheets up in the garage and just snapped away! Connor just slept the whole time:) Caden made up most of the poses and Noah fought them the whole time. At least I was able to get these pictures!! No judging on the pictures...totally new at this!!

Connor's 5-Day Old Photo Shoot

I just had to post the link to see Connor's photo shoot! My friend Ambyr took them and she did an AMAZING job! I have to keep going back to look at them! Let me know what you think!! Thanks Ambyr!

Ambyr Porter Photography