Peach Blueberry Jam

Want me to share my latest recipe? If I can make it then you know you can. This is the most simple freezer jam recipe and it can be made with any sort of fruit combo that you can imagine. Here is the recipe:

2 cups crushed fruit ( I used 1 1/2 cups peach, 1/2 blueberry)
2 cups suger (I used between 1 and 1 1/2 cups)

Bring to a boil and then add:

1 3 oz. package of jello (I used peach)

Dissolve jello and remove from heat. Let cool and pour into containers and freeze.

Super simple, huh?

Double it, triple it and it still comes out the same. I love the purple-ish color that the blueberries add to the peachy-ness. 

Those Summer Days...

Where did they go? It is hard to believe that we are already past the half way mark in September. We had a fun summer full of lots of little adventures and first's. Here is your Riquelme Family recap:

July started out with the Campbell Reunion in Idaho Falls. Pablo learned how to dutch oven cook and assisted my dad with some delish Jambalaya. Nice cooking Pablo!

We then spent the 4th of July with my family doing our traditional things--a movie, picnic and fireworks. It was Pablo's first Independence Day here in the US and it was our first without my Aunt Sandy to celebrate with. The 4th is also my brother Tim's birthday so we decided to make him some patriotic red, white and blue cupcakes.

Sometime in July we ended up buying a new car which was a fun thing to do with Pablo. After researching and test driving we fell in love with this Pontiac and added him to the family!

Pablo's 29th birthday came around the end of July. Man, he is old! His work celebrated with a giant soccer cake (Thanks Homeseekers!) and we spent the weekend in Island Park and West Yellowstone camping. We had a great time with my parents cooking yummy food, breaking in all of our camping gear and we got to see the play Joseph at the Playmill in West Yellowstone.

Chicken Cordon Bleu w/ Potatoes Dutch Oven Style Yum!

Our Summer Days ended with the Eastern Idaho State Fair. Pablo had been here a WHOLE year and so this was his first second....his second time to go to the Fair. We had a good time and even worked a shift at the Aberdeen Education Foundation's Trout Booth!

Pablo and Boston at the Fair Parade (it was Bo's naptime...)

 

 

 

 

 

3 for Thurs...I mean, Friday?

This was supposed to be 3 for Thursday but I obviously didn't get the memo. I took the prompts from my cousin Katy's blog, The House of Estrogen. It's the ins and outs of raising 4 girls--and it's pretty entertaining! Check her out by clicking HERE.

1. Three things I accomplished this week
1. Slept in on Monday until like 8:23.
2. Deep cleaned half of our apartment. (Hey I have the rest of the summer to do the other part...)
3. Mowed my grandpa's lawn.


2. Three things I want to do this summer
1. Go camping!
2. Go swimming at Lava Hot Springs (anyone wanna come?)
3. Exercise, exercise, exercise!

3. Three colors used at my wedding
1. Eggplant purple
2. Lime
3. Spring Green


4. Three things I find repulsive
1. Puke. Ewww.
2. Moldy food in the fridge.
3. Spiders--icky!


5. Three chores I make my husband do
1. Take the garbage out.
2. Make the bed.
3. I don't make him but he always does the dishes after I cook.

6. Three recipes
1. Baked Ziti
2. Baked Jambalaya from Betty Crocker
3. Anything from A Busy Nest


7. Three pictures
Due to a lack of time to upload pictures from my camera you will have to settle for a few of my favorites that my friend Emily took of me. Check out her work HERE.

OK GO

Have you heard of this group? I thoroughly enjoy their music but I mainly enjoy their videos. AND they are never edited--one shot only. Can you imagine the patience and redundancy of filming a perfect music video.

I saw this one last week and thought I would share--it still amazes me how it all worked out in one shot. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w

Day 14--Almost half way there!

I just spent the afternoon with these guys and it was pretty great! Blake (the older of the two) has recently informed me that he is MY nephew while Boston (his younger brother) is Pablo's nephew. Blake and I have had some pretty great times together throughout the years.

My oldest nephew was born while I was on my mission so I didn't get to have a special new born moment with him. But I will never forget when Blake was born. I had gone on a blind date that night, doubling with my now sister-in-law Abby. (She wasn't with my brother though! haha) I waited and waited for the phone call to know that Blake was born. I then drove to my parents house in Blackfoot and got there a little after midnight. It was so hard to sleep knowing that my new little nephew was just miles away. Finally at like 4:30 in the morning my sister Laura sent me a text telling me that she and Blake were awake if I wanted to come meet him. I threw on the nearest clothes and raced to the Birthing Center to meet him.



The moment I met him I feel in love! I had never seen a baby so tiny and so special. The tears came to my eyes and I knew that I would love this guy forever! And now, four and half years later I still love this guy. He never forgets to tell me thank you, he remembers every gift I have ever given him, his hugs are unlimited and so is his love. We have such a grown up relationship sometimes that I forget how young he really is.



Now, don't get me wrong--I have some PRETTY cute nephews and one adorable niece. I love them all so much and they have been wonderful fillers since I don't have any children. They each are special and unique to me in their own way. In just a few days I get to spend some time with my PA nephews and that is a trip I look forward to every year. Being an aunt gives me a small taste of the love that my Aunt Sandy felt for me and my siblings. It really is something special.

5 Fav's

5 Fav's to start off my summer just right...



Have you had Spicy Nacho popcorn? It is super yummy and spicy!



Did you see the FREE coupon in Parade magazine a few weeks ago for one of these? Yum. I could have one every day that the sun comes out.



We bought a grill a few weeks ago and let me just tell you--best investment ever.



We are Wii-less so no Netflix but we are pretty grateful for the next best thing--Redbox. What was life like without it? Does it get any better than online reserving your $1 rental and picking it up at your convenience?!



Phineas and Ferb = Summer Vacation.

4th Year Relay-er

If you have ever read my blog you have read about Relay for Life. This year I was so busy and stressed that I didn't have time to come up with a personal fundraiser. So, in a last minute (or last week) attempt I wanted to talk about luminarias. These are white bags that give you something back for your donation to the American Cancer Society.



Here is the idea: You donate $10 to Relay for Life. You get a white paper bag to decorate (or I can do it for you) to put in memory of someone who is or has suffered from cancer. On the night of Relay we will put a candle in every bag and walk a lap of silence for those people. It is one of the main reasons why I go back every year to Relay--for those names on those bags.



If you are at all interested in buying a luminaria, please let me know! This is a great way to make a small donation and honor someone you know and love!