Nichols Family

Baby's Heartbeat & We finally bought me a new Ride!

2009-09-02T14:13:00.006-04:00

Well, Monday afternoon went to the doctor as scheduled, and we got to hear the baby's heartbeat! It was at 160 bpm. Which the doctor said was perfect! We find out if we are having a boy or girl on Friday, October 23! So excited!

I've started to be less tired and get more cleaning done around the house! So that is a plus, but my dishes and laudary still aren't caught up to where I would like them to be - BUT I'll get here! I've really missed scrapbooking and crafting but will hopefully get back to it soon too!

Oh, other great news AJ and I finally bought me a new car! Well it's a 2006 Honda CR-V. Which I LOVE! It's have leather heated seats, a sunroof, lots of room, a 6-disc CD changer and it's 4 wheel drive! Plus, lots of cup holders for everyone! LOL I'll post pictures of it soon!

Have a Great Day Everyone!

AJ & Shannon are Expecting!

2009-08-21T12:36:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited, and nervous at the same time!
Everything is looking good!
I am due the day before AJ's birthday - March 13, 2010!

What everything is...

Pictures....

2009-03-06T15:27:00.002-05:00

pics...

2008-11-20T12:21:00.000-05:00

Just some pics....

2008-10-07T08:58:00.002-04:00

Just some recent pics.....

2008-07-11T15:35:00.003-04:00

Just some Pics...

2008-04-07T15:13:00.000-04:00

St. Patricks Day Goodies!!!

2008-03-13T10:02:00.004-04:00

Ingrid Hoffmann’s St. Patrick’s Day Popcorn

No need to be green with envy.

There’s enough St. Patrick’s Day popcorn for everyone!

What you'll need:
2 cups green M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate and/or Peanut Chocolate Candies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for coating bowl and hands
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon green food coloring, optional
9 cups prepared popcorn (approximately 1/18 of them uncooked)
1 cup mini marshmallows
Candy thermometer
2 quarts heavy bottom pot
Wooden spoon or spatula
Large pot
Waxed or parchment paper
Cookie sheet
Cellophane (optional)

What to do:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, water and salt. Stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking without stirring for another 10 minutes, or until the syrup reaches the hard-crack stage—300ºF on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat, add vanilla extract and food coloring and mix well.
In a large greased pot, combine popped popcorn with syrup, stirring constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon until completely coated. Stir in M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate and/or Peanut Chocolate Candies and marshmallows. Once mixture is cool enough to handle, coat hands with butter and form 3-inch balls. Place on tray lined with either wax or parchment paper until ready to serve, or, wrap in cellophane.

Makes 12 3-inch balls.

Leprechaun Hats

A taste of these green treats are sure to bring you a bunch of luck!

What you'll need:
1 bag 3 MUSKETEERS® Brand Minis
1 large bag M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies
1 box (18.25-oz.) chocolate devil’s food cake
24 large chocolate cookies
2 (16-oz. each) vanilla frosting
Green food coloring
2 12-cup cupcake pans
Wire rack
Cookie sheet

What to do:

Prepare cake mix according to package instructions. Fold in 2 cups of chopped 3 MUSKETEERS® Brand Minis before dividing batter between cupcake paper lined pans.
Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for approximately 19-22 minutes, remove and cool completely.

Remove paper liners from cupcakes and place them upside-down on chocolate cookies. Attach with frosting. Place ?hats? on a wire rack that is set over a cookie sheet.
Tint frosting bright green. Warm in microwave for several seconds until it is thin enough to pour. Pour frosting over ?hats? to cover. Reheat overflow frosting as needed.
Arrange M&M'S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies around hat's brim as band and buckle.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Emily's 2nd Birthday Party Pictures!!

2008-01-30T10:42:00.001-05:00

Emily had so much fun at her party, here's some pictures!!

Just some old Pictures....

2008-01-04T15:14:00.000-05:00

Here's AJ. Emily.
I have no idea, what they are doing... but if you look close Alfred has a beard!!
Joey and Andrew..
AJ, Matt and DJ!!! Hmm, bet ya can't guess what we did to them... huh?

Some Christmas Pictures!

2007-12-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

Christmas Mice

2007-12-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

1 package milk chocolate chips
1 package Chocolate kisses
2 jars cherries with stems
1 tablespoon paraffin
as needed red colored gel icing
as needed almond slivers

Melt chocolate chips on log in non-stick pot. Add paraffin until melted. Drain cherries. Dip cherry into melted chocolate and lay sideways on cookie sheet so stem will look like the tail. Using a Chocolate kiss with a little melted chocolate on the bottom, attach to front of the cherry (towards the bottom). It should look like a mouse's nose. Use almond slices for ears and red gel for eyes. Refrigerate. Kids love these !!

My Mother-In-Law made these, Aren't they cute!!

Pictures...

2007-12-14T14:27:00.001-05:00

Here's Pattie with Baby Austin...

Here's Alfred with Baby Austin...
and here's Austin sleeping...

Christmas Popcorn.... Yummmm

2007-12-06T12:38:00.000-05:00

Christmas Caramel Popcorn

Grab a handful—it goes great with hot chocolate or spicy holiday punch!

What you'll need:
1 bag M&M'S® Brand Milk or Peanut Chocolate Candies for the Holidays
6 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla

What to do:
In saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for five minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla and baking soda. In large roasting pan, combine popcorn, M&M'S® Brand Milk or Peanut Chocolate Candies for the Holidays and sauce mixture. Toss until completely coated.

Place in a 200 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then stir gently.

Remove from oven and let cool completely on baking sheets.
Makes 12 servings.

For more great ideas..... http://www.brightideas.com/christmas/recipes/

Just a couple pics

2007-11-29T09:34:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T14:40:00.001-05:00

I'll be back on Monday, with lots of pictures from Thanksgiving!!

See ya soon!

Chocolate Pumpkin Roll...

2007-11-15T15:12:00.000-05:00

Boy, this looks good... here's the recipe...
What you'll need:

For the roulade:
1 bag DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar
Jelly roll pan
Waxed paper
Clean kitchen towel

For filling:
2 cups pumpkin pie mix
2 cups whipped cream or whipped topping
For the DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate glaze
1/2 cup heavy cream or whipped topping
1 cup DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Optional:
Whipped cream or whipped topping
DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate

What to do:

For the roulade:
Melt 10 DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate, set aside. Sift flour and cocoa powder together, set aside. Beat egg yolks with 1/4 cup of sugar until thick and yellow. Stir in melted DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate and stir until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture.
Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time until egg whites are stiff and shiny. Fold egg whites into yolkchocolate mixture, one third at a time until just blended. Spread mixture evenly into greased and waxed paper-lined prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until cake is springy to the touch. While cake is cooling, spread a clean kitchen towel onto your work surface. Generously sprinkle towel with confectioners’ sugar. Invert cake onto towel and peel off waxed paper. Roll cake up lengthwise with towel and cool completely.

Unroll cake and spread pumpkin filling on top, leaving a 1" border all around. Reroll cake, using the towel to help. Transfer to a serving platter, seam-side down. Spoon chocolate glaze over top, letting it drip down the sides. Top with dollops of whipped cream and DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate if desired.

For the filling:
Drain pumpkin pie mix in a sieve placed over a bowl. Refrigerate for two hours while making roulade. Fold whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture just before filling roulade.
For the glaze:

Bring cream to a boil, remove from heat and stir in DOVE® Brand Miniatures Dark Chocolate and corn syrup. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth.

TIP: The glaze can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated. Just before preparing, heat in microwave for 10 to 20 seconds.Makes 12 servings

Violet's Baby Shower Pictures!!

2007-11-07T12:34:00.001-05:00

Emily & Tyler

Emily trying to give Tyler a kiss...
Cindy, LeDawna & Anna
The Kids..
A game we played and everyone was pregnant.
A game.
A mean game! LOL
Everyone together... well at least everyone.
3 REAL pregnany ladies..

The NEW family member!

2007-11-05T14:50:00.000-05:00

Austin Levi Nichols is here!

(proud parents Amanda & Enoch Nichols and Big sister Emily)

Great Grandma Linda
Aunt Vena

Updates...

2007-11-02T13:23:00.000-04:00

will be coming soon!!