Got my Sparkle Back!

Wednesday, July 31, 2013
So maybe you've noticed that I haven't been wearing my engagement ring the last 4 months? Or maybe you haven't...

Somehow I knocked my diamond just right on the corner to cause a fracture to propagate through the stone. I'm not a geologist here, but up until this point I had thought nothing could hurt a diamond. I mean come on, "Diamonds are Forever", right?

Well the saying "he went to Jared's" actually has merit. Because once it was determined that my ring was only a couple weeks out of the warranty (it has to get inspected every 6 months or the warranty is voided) Jared's completely replaced my diamond, free of charge. 

I'll take it. 

And now I'm married again... I'm sure Ross is relieved. ha.  :)



Bling!

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Watermelon Feta Salad

Tuesday, July 30, 2013
You know those recipes where you throw a bunch of ingredients together and the whole time you're wondering, "Is this going to work?"

Enter this "perfect for summer" Watermelon Feta Salad:


Watermelon, feta, cucumber, mint, basil, onion, cilantro, lime juice, olives, bell pepper, jalapeno... What?? But somehow, all together it tastes so good!

Give it a try!


Recipe from therightrecipe

Herbed Watermelon Salad
For the salad:
4 cups cubed seedless watermelon (small bite-sized pieces)
2 cups cubed baby cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red or yellow pepper
1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
1/4 cup finely minces red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup diced feta cheese
For the vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
zest of one lime
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
sea salt and pepper to taste
Place watermelon, cucumber, sweet pepper, olives, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, mint and basil in a large bowl. (you will add the feta cheese later)
For the vinaigrette:  whisk together lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, and honey in a small bowl,  Season with salt to taste and set aside.
Just before serving, drain excess liquid from watermelon mixture, then add vinaigrette and feta to the salad and toss lightly to coat. Taste and correct seasonings if needed.  Serves 6
note:  Can be made 1-2 hours ahead but keep in mind that the watermelon and the cucumber will start to release their juices and will water down the salad.  If you make it ahead, you will want to drain some of the juices before serving.
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Seward: Fish, Hike, & Camp

Monday, July 29, 2013
We went down to Seward for a long weekend (gotta love no work Fridays!) and Captain Erik & First Mate Liz took us out on their new ocean boat...

Ross & Captain Erik (& Roma's head)

Man & Pup, very focused.

"Omg, omg, omg. Do I fetch the bobber?"

On Day 2, I opted out of fishing and went to Exit Glacier with Jolin and Baby B. The gentlemen tried their hand at more fish.


Bronson's happy face.

Exit Glacier.



Now THIS is camping in style! Check out the Honas's camper. Bring your eye mask and your ear plugs and sleeping with a 1 year old ain't no big thang!

Play time.

Hmm baby toys look a lot like puppy toys. These two entertained each other.

4 years ago: Wine perhaps?
3 years ago: Thai Basil Chicken
1 year ago: Dad & Jeff Go to London
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Slay'in Silvers

Sunday, July 28, 2013
Where did the weekend go, right?

A couple weeks ago, Erik and Liz Van Patten to Ross and I out on their ocean boat to fish for Silvers aka Coho Salmon. We left out of Seward and could not have picked more perfect weather. (perfect weather, in seward, seriously?). It was good to have a nice weather day because the last time I went out (last year) I'm pretty sure there were 8 ft waves, sheets of rain, and half the group sick over the side of the boat... Not this time my friends. The ocean was smooth like glass. Hallelujah!

Captain Erik showing Ross how to tie the knots. It was fairly complicated.

Roma was a bit of a diva on this trip. She didn't want to be outside on our trip out to the "spot" because the breeze made her cold. So she kept trying to convince me that she should sit in my lap.



Nellie was so calm on the boat. We found out later she was a sick puppy :(

We found Chris Stone and his dad near the spot. We call the Stone's the Fish Whisperers. Best fishermen we've ever met. 


Do you see the grey head? Roma was so excited about the fish! Nom Nom Nom.


Catching fish is fun. 

More to come!
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Chicken Enchiladas

Wednesday, July 24, 2013
I'm really not a fan of enchiladas, but I came across this recipe and I wanted to try it. It's a great weeknight meal because you throw most of the ingredients in the slow cooker the night before: chicken, salsa, corn, beans, and some spices. When you get home from work you assemble: roll up the filling in the tortillas, shred the cheese and sprinkle over the top. Then, pop in the oven and quickly take your dog to play fetch down the street and prep the other ingredients (creme sauce, avocado, and cilantro) during the baking. You could easily make this for a simple dinner party to impress the ladies (hint hint, brother :) ).

I'd also recommend serving with salsa of your choice. I used a blended tortilla, made of corn and flour. I do like corn tortillas but it can be tricky to get them to hold together.

Hope you enjoy!



Skinny Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe from PinchofYum

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 16 oz. fresh salsa
  • 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • ¼ cup water (optional)
  • 12 small corn tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • ¼ cup crema (see notes)
  • fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese for topping

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Put the first 6 ingredients in a crockpot. If your salsa is not very saucy, be sure to include the ¼ cup water or more if necessary. Cook on high for about 3 hours (or longer on the low setting) until chicken is cooked through. You can also cut the chicken breasts into halves to help them cook faster. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken and mix everything together.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Soften the corn tortillas in the microwave, 3 at a time, for about 25 seconds. Fill them with a few tablespoons of filling, roll once, and place seam-side down in a large baking dish (I did 2 smaller baking dishes). Continue until all tortillas have been filled, rolled and placed in dish. Be sure to pack them in tightly next to each other so that they don’t come apart.
  3. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and everything is heated through.
  4. Remove from oven and drizzle with crema. Sprinkle with avocado pieces, fresh cilantro, and Cotija cheese crumbles.
NOTES
The corn tortillas will start to break apart on the top during baking if you don’t warm them up enough prior to baking. For the crema, I just made a fake-out version with about 3 tbs. sour cream and 2 tbs. cream. I whisked it together until it was smooth, creamy, and drizzle-able. 

4 years ago: Ranch Story Update
2 years ago: Reds
1 year ago: Anchorage Food Scene
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Dad Huebel's Journey

Tuesday, July 23, 2013
It can be hard to write a jovial blog post, when there's a whole lotta seriousness going on in real life.

Dad Huebel had been battling lymphoma for the last 10 months or so. It's definitely been an emotional rollercoaster, with highs and lows along the way.

Today Dad H was re-admitted to the hospital because of a concerning x-ray of his lungs. It is still too early to know much of anything, but I ask you to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Just a reminder, here's a link to Lee's Caring Bridge Website:
Lee Huebel Caring Bridge


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4th Blog-i-versary!!!

Monday, July 22, 2013
Happy 4 year Blog-i-ver-sary!!!

I started the Huebel Hammock 4 years ago after getting some inspiration from my friend Stephanie (thanks Steph!!) It's hard to believe all the things that have happened in that time frame, but thankfully we have a photo diary of it all! There's definitely been a fair share of food, grey pup, traveling, family, fishing, hiking, photography tips, holidays, movie reviews, baking, the ranch, the lakehouse, killing animals, & friends featured on the blog. Other milestones include birthdays, newborns, surgeries, home renovations, a big move, hurricanes, baby showers, parties, weddings, half marathons, the death of a grandparent, surprise date nights, brother graduating, brother in med school...

Life is good.

Take a minute to find an old blog post or type something of interest into the search box! What's your favorite blog subject? :)

Looking back at the "1 year ago post" (below), I notice that I treated myself to a blog-i-versary present- a new Vitamix blender. Maybe I should gift myself again this year? I know Ross will suggest a new fishing rod (mine broke last weekend), but I feel like it needs to be something more fun than a pole. I'll have to think on this...

4 years ago: Girl Weekend
3 years ago: Spicy Shrimp
2 years ago: So this is Love
1 year ago: Blogiversary
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Master Bath Remodel

Sunday, July 21, 2013
From my post last week, you might know that we've been renovating our master bathroom and it's FINISHED!!

When we moved to Alaska and purchased a 29 year old home, we knew we were going to have to do some updating. Our renovation list included the kitchen, guest bathroom, and the master bathroom. I am happy to report that 2.5 years later, these 3 big projects are complete. YES!!!


Before - Pictures taken when we originally bought the house:

Low sinks, light fixtures look like they're from a 1970's movie marquee

Yucky cabinets, but they are real wood

Wooden tolit seat? do they still make those?

Lime green tub, with black scum in jacuzzi jets, brown tile with floral tile accent. The worst? The shower head was about a foot too low for Ross.


After- not the best lighting for pictures, but hopefully you get the idea!

New everything! High counters, dual sinks, quartz counter top, white cabinets

We added a much needed second electrical outlet beside Ross's sink.

Installed additional cabinet tower for extra storage.


Whole wall/ large window was replaced, in favor of only a small window for the light. Rain shower head, raised up extra high. 

The new potty has 2 flush styles: normal and extra powerful :) The new flooring (tile that looks like wood) may be my favorite feature. 

The color is a little off in the picture, but the accent tile has an icy blue color in it, the same as the shower curtain. This color is going to help me start my day with some extra "calm".

Roma is looking forward to her first bath in the new bathroom!

No more big projects planned for awhile!

4 years ago: Relaxing Weekend
2 years ago: Quintessential Alaska
1 year ago: Six Mile Raft Trip

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Alyeska: Huebel Family Pictures

Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Here's the "Ross and Liz" pictures from Kaity and Hunter's wedding, on a scenic balcony at the Alyeska hotel.





Any big plans this weekend?
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Alyeska Family Pictures

Tuesday, July 16, 2013
At Kaity's wedding a couple weeks ago, there may have been a slight photo op on the scenic balcony outside of the reception :)

Mitch, Kim & Owen (aka ring bearer):





Tom, Emily, (& baby Crew, born 2 weeks after this picture!):



Sierra and Conner:





Everyone looked so pretty!

I'll post the pics of Ross & I later this week...
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HBD to Claire and Ross!

Such a fun birthday weekend for two of my favorites! Claire turned 8 and Ross turned… more than 8 :)  Date night picture--