Christmas!

We both the day off! What a surprise:) We REALLY missed family but began in starting our own traditions. On Christmas Eve night we decided to have an untraditional meal so we ordered in chicken wings and exchanged ornaments. We slept in Christmas morning and awoke to open our stockings and each other's gifts. Jen got Mike Monopoly and a guitar, just to name a few and Mike got Jen and Coach purse and leather gloves among other things. We played Monopoly and enjoyed cinnamon rolls. Later we made pasta and ravioli from scratch and a home made sauce. Yummy! After dinner we opened all the other wonderful gifts that family sent to us. It was a great day.

Shopping in Raliegh

It's an outdoor mall most comparable to Victoria Gardens in CA but a little more up scale. Ruth Chris Steak house was there and we wanted to try but not dressed for the occasion so next time.

bye friend

This is Jarrod. He was my preceptor/clinical coach during my orientation process at work. Attended a Going Away party for him at a local restaurant. He's moving to Minnesota, back home. Going to miss him!

Christmas in the South

Went to go look at Christmas lights following our church's x-mas program. We brought Rus along and got hot chocolate and donuts. Take a look at how people down here decorate their homes.

Christmas Program at Church

We decided to go to our church's x-mas program. It was cute...had a lot of the kiddies singing and acting. It was followed a potluck. We brought green bean casserole.

Christmas at the Kiemeney house

Here's what our house looks like this year for x-mas. Ran out of colored lights to finish the tree :( and haven't been able to find them anywhere. Mike lucked out with not putting lights up on the eves of the house. Apparently that's not how they do it in the South. People here put candle sticks in their windows and light them at night. Haven't figured out why yet. If anybody knows holler, please.

Random Pics of Rus

So cute!

Happy Thanksgiving

Mike and I both had to work on Thanksgiving day so we celebrated a day early. I made turkey and all the trimmings! I even did hors-de-ores (persimmon salsa, cheese and crackers with apple slices and a beget with balsamic and olive oil). Yummy! Mike did the honors of carving the turkey:)

White Chicken Chili

Here's the recipe if interested....

1 32oz box of chicken stock

3 cans of white beans (leave undrained)

5 cups of cooked chicken

1 16oz jar of salsa

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 8oz block of pepper jack cheese

2 cloves of garlic minced

pepper to taste

sour cream on top (if you like)

Place all ingredients into pot except last one on stove on medium heat until cheese is melted and then serve!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Here's the recipe if interested...

2/3 c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove minced
1 Tblspn olive oil
1 1/2 lbs of boneless chicken cut into cubes
3 celery ribs chopped
1/2 tspn of dried savory
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3/4 salt
1/8 tbsp pepper
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/4 c. cheddar cheese shredded
8 oz egg noodles cooked and drained

Saute onion & garlic in oil. Add chicken and cook through. Add broth, carrots, celery & savory. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until veggies tender.

In a sauce pan melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Pour over chicken and add noodles.

Bake on 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Going back to Cali

Mike had 2 weeks off and I was able to manipulate my schedule to have 8 days off in a row. So we went back to Cali to visit friends and family. Played bocci balls in Mike's grandparents backyard and hung out at my parents and watched these two goof balls, well be goofy. There are actually 2 dogs in one of the pictures but Oakley, a chocolate lab, kinda blends in with the couch:)

Sleepy Heads

I walked into our bedroom and found Rusty and Mike cuddled up with one another in bed. Awhhh how precious is this!?! Mike was wagging his tail and Rusty was snoring:)

ECU Football 2

Jen's co-worker graciously gave up his Homecoming tickets (because he had to work) so that we could go to the ECU football game. Super fun and REALLY cold! Blow out game with lots of touchdowns made for lots of "first down Pirates...Arghhh!" Get your keys ready for jingling at kick offs.

Membership Transfer

Today was the first reading of our membership transfer into the Greenville church from La Sierra. We have officially moved.

Corn Maze

During the Fall the farmers turn their dried up corn fields into mazes. There are those you can navigate in the dark by way of flash light (this is what we did) or during the day by sunlight or if you are daring enough then through a "haunted" maze. This particular maze's theme was Pirates, go figure. The black lines on the picture above were the pathways...so hard. There were 12 markers to find within the maze. At each marker we hole punched our card to be entered in a drawing for free gas. Mike was an excellent navigator...seriously he could work as a GPS...if only he could drive as well on the road as he does navigating through a corn maze. Afterward we warmed up with hot chocolate by the bonfire the farmers had lit. And that's how we do Fall in the South. Bam!

It's beginning to feel like Fall

I broke out the Fall decorations tonight while Mike was at work. Some might say it's a bit over the top but I say there could always be more. Hehe.

Pumpkin Patch

We decided to ring in Fall with a trip to our local pumpkin patch. Lots to choose from! Lots of fun! (see the next post for how the pumpkin display turned out)