Spring Pizza

Hello new readers! Welcome to my blog. I am currently working on another blog through a web hoster, and until I finish that I will probably post a few more things on here.

Today I want to share with you a recipe that is one of our family favorites – Homemade pizza. Every week I do a meal plan and every week pizza, with a green salad, is on the menu. We don’t get tired of it, because pizza can be one of your most creative nights in the kitchen. Sometimes its barbecue chicken pizza, plain pepperoni and cheese, margarita, ham and pineapple, and I have even done a taco pizza. It is a super easy meal. You just have to get the dough made a little ahead of time and within an hour you have homemade pizza! Your family will love it, I promise. Currently I don’t have a pizza stone or anything, but I do think it is fun to bake pizza on pizza sheets. It makes it feel so much more authentic.

Honestly, my pizza dough turns out different every week. Half the time I try new recipes and half the time I don’t follow the recipe exactly. Somehow it always turns out. This week we made two pizzas. The first one had prosciutto, some small peppers sliced really thin, sliced Roma tomatoes, fresh chives, and mozzarella cheese. The second had prosciutto, pineapples, chives, and cheese.  Prosciutto is a little bit more expensive than regular sliced ham from the deli and I only get it once in a great while to make something special. Because of the cost, I generally tell the deli to cut their ham SUPER thin, and use that instead. Sir Knight likes the ham better than the prosciutto anyways. ( I think he can taste when something costs a little more. 😉 )

Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

• 1 cup warm milk (i put it in the microwave for ~45 seconds, don’t make it hot or it will kill the yeast)
• 1 TBLS yeast
• 3 TBLS olive oil
• 3 TBLS honey
• 3/4 TBLS salt
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat white flour
• 1 cup white flour

Instructions: Place yeast in a large mixing bowl. Pour warm milk into bowl. Stir for a few seconds, then cover the bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to allow for the yeast to activate. Then add olive oil, honey, salt and stir. Now add the flour. I use a wooden spoon to mix the dough. The dough is probably still sticky. If so, add 1/4 cup white flour and mix a little more. If dough is still too sticky and not able to knead, add 1/8 to 1/4 cup white flour. Once the dough is a good dough consistency (not to hard, but not too sticky) I roll it into a ball and place it back in the mixing bowl.  I set the timer for 10-20 minutes, depending on how much of a hurry you are in. Now would be a good time to preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the timer goes off, i cut the dough into two halves and I sprinkle some flour on the counter. Finally, I knead the dough into a good ball and then I roll it out. After rolling them out, place them on oiled pizza sheets. You can finally decorate your pizzas. I lay the toppings in this order: generous pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and then the toppings. Then I place one pizza in the oven at a time for 6-8 minutes depending on your oven. Ours right now is very old and I think it gets pretty hot so 6 minutes is sufficient.

Good luck and PLEASE let me know how this one went at your house.

Warming up here

Utah is getting so warm already. Talk about a strange year. I have been busy getting us ready to move and soaking up time with loved ones. Lincoln and I go on a walk or run every morning. I try to let him stop and see the horses and play at the park. Two old men were walking by while Lincoln was looking at the horses and the one said, “You’re raising a cowboy ..” I agree. This handsome prince LOVES horses. He loves animals. He can’t stop pointing at them. He also just started saying, “WOOF” when he sees a dog. No one told me being a parent just keeps getting better and better.

Yes, we went on a walk in pajamas. As we were walking back to the trail a lady called Lincoln a she. He gets that a lot. He must be really cute. Riiight?

I don’t know if I have mentioned it, but I have a goal to lose 6 more pounds before moving. I’d like to share what I am doing. I strive to eat about 1500 calories a day. Tracking calories IS the magic wand. I also try to walk or jog every day (except Sunday) while also doing strength exercises daily.

Strength exercises are really stabilization + strength. Because of being inactive for as long as I was and going through pregnancy, I have some muscular imbalances and poor posture (which is much better since doing a few exercises every day.)

Daily I try to do

1. 20 pushups
2. 20 squats with weights
3. 20 lunges while doing bicep curls
4. 1 minute of floor bridges
5. 20-30 reps of an abdominal exercise (I’m trying to fix my diastasis recti so I have to modify these exercises)
6. Prone cobra for a minute
7. Iso-abs (planks)
8. Static stretches for various parts of my body

Some days I do 3 sets of these, some days I go for stretching and one set of these. I listen to my body and sometimes I try new exercises. The important thing is to keep moving and give those muscles a reason to grow and strengthen.

Happy Wednesday!

My grandfather’s interactions with the Prophet Joseph

I have been LOVING doing family history. I feel so close to these ancestors as I study their stories. I’ve been having so many amazing things happen, I wish I could just spill them all out, but Im going to have to write one at a time. I want to share these stories for my family to see. I hope we remember what great sacrifices our ancestors made to have the gospel. They wanted the gospel and they wanted us, their posterity, to be blessed by the gospel. I have found the greatest stories of faith in my own ancestors.

One of my 5th Great grandfather’s name is Alvah Alexander. He was a member of one of the 1st quorums of the seventy. I was reading his bio today and came across this piece he wrote about his interactions with the prophet Joseph Smith.

“I came to Nauvoo in the fall of 1842. At this time I met the Prophet Joseph Smith, and knew him from then till the time of his death. I was only a boy of eleven when I first knew him, but I always loved him, and no amusements or games were as interesting to me as to hear him talk.

I remember one day I was at his home playing with his children, when he came home and brought two men. These men had been arrested for abusing Joseph. He brought them in and treated them as he would one who had never done him a wrong; gave them dinner before he would allow them to depart. Just before they sat down to dinner he brought his children up and introduced them. Pointing to me he said: ‘This is a neighbor’s little boy’.

When the officers were taking Joseph to Carthage, at the time of his assassination, my father and I met them. We stepped to one side of the road to allow them to pass.

Captain Dunem, who was with Joseph, stopped and told my father that Joseph said he never expected to return. And he never did, for he was foully assassinated at the Carthage Jail.

When they returned with the body, I was among those who went to meet them. I saw him lying in state at the Mansion House. I was deeply affected, as my love for the Prophet was great. As a boy, my testimony that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet was as strong as it is now as a man; and I verily testify that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of the living God.”

I also know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. I am so grateful for this wise grandfather writing down his experiences so that they may bless our lives.

Family – this is (grandma Isabella’s mother) Lacy Bell Hatch’s great grandfather. 

Like a child

Monday I went outside to go running and my jogging stroller had a flat tire. I turned around and almost went inside when my little prince saw his little car he likes to ride in. So instead we went on a two mile walk and I did a “playground” workout.

I did 30 tricep dips, 100 lunges and 100 side squats. It is Wednesday and I am still VERY sore on my quads. Wowza. I think I will be switching up my workout routine more because apparently I need it!

Anyways, while walking to the park we had several vehicles drive by. Each time, little prince, would do this…

Cutest thing ever right? Why are children unbiased in who they are kind to? Why are they so much more christlike than us?

The track I walk on sometimes is right by the elementary school. While jogging or walking recess is often going on at the school. I ALWAYS hear children shout at the top of their lungs, “HIII!!” “HELLOO!” And Lincoln and I kindly wave. I want to be more like them.

Happy Thursday!

What e’er thou art act well thy part

Sir Knight and I don’t have many weekends left till we move across the country so we are taking every chance we can to attend the temple. Its our favorite place to go on a date. Its amazing how going to this place increases my love for Caleb. I remember when we got sealed in the Draper temple, the man who sealed us told Caleb that by taking me to the temple he is telling me he still wants me forever. I love that.

Sunday we went to church and I left Lincoln alone in nursery for the first time. Caleb came out of Elder’s quorum (a church meeting for men) and said, “How was relief society (relief society is a meeting for women) today? I bet it was nice without Lincoln.”  I said, “I missed him.” Caleb laughed. But really, one day when I no longer have babies to hold at church, or a little one to pace around the halls with, I am going to miss it terribly. I love this stage of my life. I looked forward to it since I was a little girl. I know right after Lincoln was born, and I was super tired, it was difficult at times. But I do feel like I am good at enjoying the stage that I am in. My days are not crazy with several children, like I hope they will be one day. It is just Lincoln and I playing, learning, eating, napping, reading, cooking, and cleaning together. It is heavenly. It is what I came here to do and be – a mother.

One day while I was nursing Lincoln in the mothers room at church I saw a sign someone had placed above the door it said, “What e’re thou art act well thy part.” It reminded me of this talk. I reread it when I got home and decided to share a paragraph from it on instagram (@paigerchickybaby).

As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters—because we matter. Our daily contributions of nurturing, teaching, and caring for others may seem mundane, diminished, difficult, and demeaning at times, and yet as we remember that first line in the Young Women theme—“We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us”—it will make all the difference in our relationships and our responses.

Happy Monday!

Low Calorie Lunch

Hey friends, today’s post is about creating a low calorie lunch that will keep you full till dinner time. If you are like me, you don’t get a lot of time to prepare lunch. Nor do I want to spend a lot of time on each meal every day. But for some reason, if my food doesn’t taste great, I don’t feel satisfied. Basically, I don’t stop eating until my taste buds are happy too. To please my taste buds and to keep my calories low I try to go for three parts to every meal.

1) Protein: Whether that is quickly opening a can of tuna to throwing a tilapia filet on the stove, I make sure I get protein. Not only will protein help to keep you full longer, but protein contains the building blocks of our bodies. Your body needs protein to rebuild damaged or old tissue.

2) Vegetables: Ideally this is green or leafy most days. I sometimes reheat a vegetable from the evening before like green beans or carrots. Or I cook up some  fresh zucchini or yellow squash. Other times I will simply cut up a cucumber, cauliflower or whatever else I have on hand. Just make sure you get a vegetable on your plate. I have noticed that I eat smaller portions and stay fuller longer when I am eating vegetables with every meal. Besides being loaded with vitamins and minerals, even the highest calorie vegetables are still a fraction of the number of calories found in other foods. Vegetables fill us up while helping us to maintain a healthy weight!

3) A complex Carbohydrate: Complex carbs are found in whole grains and vegetables. They provide your body with fuel and needed energy. This is my favorite part of every meal. Carbohydrates are not bad. Eating anything out of moderation is bad.

If I am still hungry after eating a meal with these three parts, I go for a clementine, strawberries over fat free greek yogurt, apples with some peanut butter, or just a banana. Fruits are a great way to top of meals that leave you wanting more. Fruits can help curb your desire for sugar while still giving you lots of nutrients.

Here is an example of a typical lunch with these three parts. Tilapia, cooked carrots, and homemade Mexican sticky brown rice. I will share the recipe for the Mexican rice in an upcoming post. Good luck on making healthy lunches at your house!

Skinny Creamy White Chicken Chili

When I married Caleb 3.5 years ago I was introduced to this recipe. His family always makes it in the winter months for family get togethers. Sir Knight says it is his favorite. I did not really like it the first couple times I had it because it was too spicy. So I calmed it down a tad and made it a little bit healthier and Caleb says he likes it even more. (Win win!)

Our favorite time to eat this recipe is when its cold outside and this morning we woke up to several inches of snow. We love to eat pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for dessert with this meal.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it went and what your little critics at your house thought. Hope you enjoy!

Welcome March

I  love how Utah can have completely different weather each month. February this year surprised us by being mild and warm. This winter season it snowed on Christmas, but we haven’t got snow at our house since. Yesterday we were asked by our local Authority to fast and pray for moisture. So hopefully, March will be a wet month.

Last year, after I graduated, I was officially a stay at home mom. The adjustment was a little overwhelming. Going from working full time, going to school full time, being a young woman leader, to “just staying home” came with its challenges. I would sit on our chase lounge and nurse my baby boy most of the day. I watched Downton Abbey, Larkrise to Candleford, and a bunch of Disney movies. I loved holding my sweet baby after he ate and cuddling him in my arms as he slept, but I felt quite unproductive. I decided to start to do my family history.  I started to do it out of obligation because I knew I should, but then i grew excited to work on it every day. I felt like I was sincerely getting to know these family members. This weekend I reflected on how finding and learning about my ancestors has blessed my life.

There is so much confusion and sadness going on in the world. There are those who are abandoning their faith and losing hope. This time last year I found my personal faith being attacked.  I had sick feelings about all that was going on. It was around that time that I began doing family history. Again and again I came upon ancestors of mine who gave everything to come to Zion and follow the Prophet Joseph Smith. Those ancestors left their homes, countries, and families to come to America and join with the saints. Some lost children while crossing the plaines to Utah. As I learned about these ancestors my faith was strengthened and I knew that they did it so their posterity would be able to be partakers of the gospel. They had a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and they reminded me of that same testimony which I have. The way has never been easy for followers of Christ, and it never will, but we can be sure that Christ will never leave or abandon us. If we follow Him and stay in the Old Ship Zion, we will safely return home to our Father in Heaven.

Else Kathrine Andersen Christensen (1847-1923)

This is my Great Great Great Grandmother (My mother’s, mother’s, mother’s, Mother) I have felt a special connection with her since I have learned more about her life. I thought I was the only person in my family who likes medical stuff. This lady was one of the first Midwives in Utah. She delivered over a thousand babies. She was born and raised in Denmark. When she was a young woman she secretly allowed LDS missionaries to teach her about the restored gospel and the Book of Mormon. When it was discovered that she had been baptized she was kicked out of her home and her family disowned her. She never saw her parents again. She met and fell in love with her eternal sweetheart Lauritz Mathias Christensen. Together they came to America, traveled with the pioneers to Utah, and Laurs kept his promise to build her a nice home and raise a family. They were the parents to 10 biological children and 2 foster children. Else lost her family and two of her children passed away while on their way to Utah. She gave up her precious Denmark to come to America and gather in Zion. She is one of many of my ancestors who had tremendous faith in a very difficult time. I will forever honor and be grateful for this Matriarch of mine!

Sweet surprise and weighing ourselves

After finishing my blog post yesterday, I weighed myself and I have in fact still lost weight this month. Only 2 pounds, but 2 pounds is 7000 calories. Let’s talk about that for a minute.

7,000 Calories =

• Running approximately 70 miles
• 53 1/2 of my chocolate chip cookies
• burning or consuming 233.33 calories LESS a day than my body burned.

  Does that surprise you? Have you ever been disappointed because you only lost “a couple pounds”? Once you realize how difficult it is to lose one pound I hope you can be proud of yourself.

Also, lets talk about weighing ourselves for a minute. How often should someone who is trying to lose weight weigh him/herself? I don’t think there is one right answer for everyone. You should find what motivates you and works for you, but there is one rule I have about weighing myself. I do it at the SAME time every day and without clothes on. I have found this is the best way to learn about how your body fluctuates with water weight and gives me the most accurate idea of how much true weight I have lost. You don’t have to do it in the morning or without clothes, but I suggest picking the same time and wearing the same clothes for each time you weigh yourself. Secondly, the number on the scale should not have power over you. If you find that it ruins your mood, dampens your motivation, or upsets you in any way, PLEASE take a week or two off weighing yourself. Track your calories. Still try to stay motivated. But just give yourself a break from the scale.

Sometimes I would be doing so well with my eating and exercising and I would get on the scale and it would be up a couple pounds. I would be so upset and discouraged that I would eat terrible all day and tell myself, “Well if i don’t lose weight being good, why should I try?” (VERY BAD ATTITUDE THAT ONLY HOLDS YOU BACK) Eventually I learned that several things can cause your body to suddenly gain a couple pounds. Testosterone is increased in women just before the beginning of their menstrual cycle. (Which can increase acne too) Testosterone causes the kidney’s to retain salt and thus water (water follows salt). These hormonal changes cause water retention that fluctuate all month long. Eating more carbohydrates one day can cause water retention. Being dehydrated… etc. There are a lot of reasons why the number on the scale can be deceiving. So be patient. This is what my weight loss has looked like over the past year.

Be patient. Don’t get discouraged or give up.

Cousins

This last week Caleb and I stayed at his sisters house and tended their children. Going from 1 to 4 children that fast was sure enlightening. I think my sister-in-law is a super hero and I love her kids even more. Her house is surrounded by fields and Lincoln loved exploring outside with his cousins. He also enjoyed telling them to push him in the tractor, to turn on the fan, and to drag him around on the house on a blanket.

If you have been following my other blog, I have been trying to share my weightless journey. Due to not having a computer until just recently, I have not been able to blog very much. I will resume sharing how it all is going. To update you, I have lost 7 pounds since Christmas. The last month Ive stayed about the same. I have learned that my eating habits are closely tied with my emotions. I had  to deal with a few heartbreaking things this last month and it made eating good and exercising very difficult. I go into survival mode and don’t want to worry about watching what I eat. Luckily, I didn’t gain any weight, but today I am starting to track my calories again. I gave myself a pep talk and I am ready to lose the last 10 pounds! I found this old picture of myself last night and I almost cried.

I miss that body. I know it is still here. It is amazing and has been through a lot (creating a child namely) and it can do hard things. What makes me sad is how I have treated it the last couple of years. I am resolved to always take care of this gift God has given me. I want to exercise to keep it strong, feed it foods that will help it maintain its proper functions, and give it adequate rest. Being a full time student and pregnant, I just thought I would be healthy when I graduated and within a month or so the weight would come off. Don’t ever lie to yourself and tell yourself it will be easier tomorrow. I love the quote, “Don’t put off twice tomorrow what you didn’t do once today!”