The Wife Life

1 month old

2012-02-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe my little man is already a whole month old!

This past month has gone by so fast and is such a blur. Parenthood is incredible.... quite the roller coaster of exhaustion, madness, happiness and pure joy all at the same time.

XOXO-

HE'S HERE!

2012-01-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

Luke Mark Steele

Born on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

at 3:20PM

7lbs, 10oz

18.25 inches long

We are so in love!

More details and pictures to come!

XOXO-

38 weeks 3 days

2012-01-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

Still pregnant! I have 11 days until my due date though so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.... I am just getting so anxious to meet this little guy.

Some pregnancy stats:

Current weight gain: About 26 pounds... right on track! It feels great considering I had trouble gaining weight the first and second trimesters.

Currently craving: pickles, pizza (with lots of meat!), orange juice, milk &

cheerios

Feeling: Pretty good, all things considered! I can't sleep for more than 2-3 hours at a time. I figure it will just make for an easy transition into motherhood and all those nighttime feedings. I'm tired. I've started waddling. My nose is always stuffy. I have been experiencing some pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome (who knew!). Nerves are often being pinched by this big ol' baby in my belly. Not to mention my poor bladder getting squished... I pee every 5 minutes. That is not an exaggeration.

But these are all small things I can deal with and are very well worth it to me. I'm healthy. Baby's healthy. That's really all that matters.

Plus, I have yet to receive a single stretch mark yet (knock on wood)! Yippie! Keeping my fingers crossed that I won't get any before baby boy comes.

Labor Progress: A few weeks ago I was dilated to a two. At my next appointment I was still dilated to a two and felt a little dissappointed. I decided not to ask my doctor to check me at my most recent appointment because it just made me too anxious... he'll come when he's good and ready and I just need to have patience! Plus, the longer he stays in, the more cute fat he'll accumulate and the stronger his lungs, etc. will be. Other then feeling a lot of pressure on my pelvis/hips and feeling sore, I haven't really had any obvious signs of impending labor. I'm actually excited for labor and feeling really positive about the whole experience. We'll see if I still feel that way when I am actually in labor. =)

Baby Stats: Apparently baby boy is now the size of a watermelon!! I thought that whole "pushing a watermelon out of your hoohaw" thing was a joke, but I guess not! He weighs anywhere from 6.2 tho 9.2 pounds and measures 18.9 to 20.9 inches long! I keep daydreaming about what he'll look like.

A little about Daddy: Tommy has been working like a mad-man finishing up projects for work before the baby comes. He worked so much over-time this month, but luckily he works from home so I still got to see him alllll day. =) We celebrated his 26th birthday yesterday (New Years Eve baby) by ringing in the new year half asleep in bed. P

arty animals! At least I woke him up at midnight to steal a quick New Years kiss! 2011 was a great year and I am ready for 2012!

Other news: My sister (who is due almost exactly 4 months after me) finds out tomorrow if she is having a boy or a girl! I can't wait to see if we'll add another boy to the family (she has two boys already) or if we'll get our first baby girl!

^38 weeks. I'll be 39 weeks on Friday, which means I'm due NEXT WEEK!

XOXO-

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T23:47:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful Christmas this year.

I did not bake any Christmas cookies (though I did make a Christmas treat for the sisters I visit teach at church).

The tree was hardly decorated....but there was a tree!

No Christmas lights were hung.

Tommy and I stayed home from going to my sisters 2 hours away on the 23rd with the rest of the family... so I didn't get to see her and her family (including my two cute nephews) for Christmas. Which turned out to actually be a good thing because they all got the flu! I did miss them though!

I decided to just take it easy and focus on all that really mattered anyway... the birth of Jesus Christ! We had a low key, relaxed Christmas with family and friends and it was perfect.

There was also something else I really enjoyed.

There was something very special about being pregnant during the Christmas season. And being just about full-term with a baby boy, much like Mary was right at this time.

I kept thinking about the young Mary and how she must have felt; carrying this baby boy in her belly, knowing he would be the savior of the world, but also her sweet son.

I felt so blessed to be carrying a sweet baby boy in my belly. Though he won't be the savior of the world, he is a child of God and among His most special creations. I hope he always remembers how loved he is by his parents and by his Heavenly Father.

Merry Christmas and enjoy the New Year!

XOXO-

P.S. Tommy wanted me to make sure everyone knew what an awesome husband and gift-giver he is for getting me my own Macbook for Christmas. Thanks booboo! =)

36 weeks

2011-12-14T00:04:00.000-08:00

Well, this is what a looked like at 29 weeks:

Here I am at 31 weeks:

and here I am now at 36 weeks!Look at that belly! I swear there's really a baby in there and not just a basketball. :)

By the way, in case you didn't know... 36 weeks = 9 months! :)
I am at the beginning of my 9th month and my son could come any time in the next 4 weeks (hopefully no longer than that... mama is starting to get uncomfortable)! I went to the doctor's on Thursday, and got some great news: the baby is no longer breech... he flipped on his own and is now in the head down position ready to make his debut! And I'm also 2 centimeters dilated, which doesn't necessarily mean anything exciting is going to happen soon, but it feels good to know my body is preparing for birth and doing what it's supposed to. Yippie!

We finally painted the nursery, are getting closer to agreeing on a name, I have had all of my showers (FOUR of them...I feel so loved and spoiled), had my last day of work back in November, and are pretty much ready to rock and roll! I seriously can't wait to meet my son. I have been dreaming of this day since I was a little girl. I am so happy to know that my children will have such a great father... can't wait for Tommy to be a dad!

I'll post pictures of the nursery once its all finished.

In the mean time, here is a funny picture for your entertainment. After I took the picture of me at 29 weeks, my brother found this picture of me when I was little pretending to be pregnant (I told you I have been dreaming of this forever!) and put the two pictures together with the caption. Same color shirt and everything.

Dreams really do come true.

haha.

XOXO-

I did it!

2011-12-13T23:31:00.001-08:00

It took me long enough, but I finally did it... I finally finished reading the entire Book of Mormon all the way through!

Never a day has gone by that I regret the time spent reading from this book of scripture. It is such a powerful testament of Jesus Christ and has been such a blessing in my life. I know that this book of scripture was specifically written for us to learn from in these latter days, and I do feel that I learned something every time I read and studied them.

It took me a long time to finish reading the whole thing from start to finish, but I really wanted to take the time to study and learn from it. I think quality is better than quantity. Though some days I may have only read one chapter, I feel that I benefited greatly from it. I also used a Book of Mormon study manual to accompany my reading, which helped me to more fully understand and meditate upon the things I read.

I can honestly say that I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true. Since the day I became a baptized member of the LDS church (a little over 4 years ago!), I always believed that the Book of Mormon was the true word of God, but now I know with a surety that it is. It has helped me become a better person. It has brought comfort and strength to me when I've needed it. It has brought me closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I'm thankful to have this book, along with the Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, to serve as a source of light and guidance in my life.

XOXO-

P.S. Please feel free to visit mormon.org if you want to learn more about the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for yourself! :)

I'm Alive!

2011-10-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

And doing well! General Conference was this weekend and I'm feeling rejuvenated and uplifted. The last week or so I've been feeling a little anxious and uncertain about the future.
Will we be good parents? Will our son make good choices as he grows up? Will we have the nursery done before he comes? And even....will we have a name picked out for him before he gets here??

All of these thoughts and fears (big and small) dissolved after watching conference. I know that, as we do our best to follow the gospel, emulate the Savior, and obey His commandments, we will be just fine. =)

I had fun watching conference because the baby was moving around like crazy the whole time! He must have been as excited as me to hear the Prophet and apostles speak!

I also had a reassuring moment last night around 3:30AM. I woke up to the sound of our puppy hurling on our bed.
Tommy let him lick his plate after he was finished eating earlier that night, and apparently the food did not agree with little Rocky's tummy. Disgusting, right?

Well, Tommy and I sprung into action, taking care of puppy and cleaning up the mess. The smell and sight of the puke was quite awful and I was tired, but there was something special about that moment- husband and wife, side by side, taking care of business.

Gross, I know, but it was just another affirmation that we'll make good, loving parents and Tommy will make a great dad.

I can't wait for our son to be here! Now that my morning sickness is completely gone (can I get a what what!?), I've really been enjoying the pregnancy. I gave my boss my letter of resignation at work. We decided my last day will be earlier than expected....November 17th! For the last 2 years I've had to work on every major holiday (yes, Christmas day!) and all the days surrounding them. So finally, this year I will be able to enjoy the holidays with my family and friends and really get into the spirit of the season (expect lots of treats and crafts to be made)... plus I will have lots of time to practice my cooking skills (this area needs some work, haha) and get everything ready for "baby boy" before he gets here.

Yes, he doesn't have a name yet. But I promise he will have one before we leave the hospital. My top three so far are Mason, Liam, and Noah (middle name Thomas, after daddy), but so far Tommy isn't into any of them (or anything I've suggested really... I've found out this seems to be common with a lot of other people's husbands as well? Must be a guy thing). We had some girl names picked out before we knew the sex of the baby, but somehow boy names seem harder to pick! Suggestions are welcome. =)

Well, I'm off to enjoy the rest of the day with the hubs... I've always been a happy person, but lately it feels like nothing can bring me down! I'm so grateful for the life I have and I feel like I'm right where I need to be.

XOXO-

Ham and Cheese Crescent Wraps

2011-09-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

Made THESE for lunch today for me and the hubs. Yummmm. Easy and delicious...two of my favorite things.
Follow the link for the recipe!

XOXO-

20 weeks

2011-08-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

For all our friends and far away family, here is a picture of our baby boy at 20 weeks. :)

XOXO-

It's a......

2011-08-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

Is it a BOY or a GIRL?

Cutting in to see if it will be blue or pink....

BLUE!!

It's a BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!
YAY!!! =] =] =]

We finally found out that we are having a sweet, precious baby....

BOY!!!!!!!!

I am so thrilled to be having a son. I can't stop saying that word. Son. MY son. I'm just so happy and excited.

XOXO-

19 weeks

2011-08-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of our little squirt at 12 weeks. Can you see the face and even the hand and spine? So cute:

And here I am currently at 19 weeks (I'll be 20 weeks on Friday!!)....

I feel HUGE already. =] I haven't really gained any weight yet but the baby is healthy and growing and my doctor isn't worried. I was having a pretty tough time with fatigue and morning sickness, but I am finally starting to feel better. I couldn't be more happy about that.

More importantly, I felt the baby MOVE! At 16 weeks, I had been thinking I was feeling movement for a week or so, but really wasn't sure. Then, that Wednesday, I knew without a doubt I felt the baby! It kept "kicking" pretty hard in the same spot. Once I felt it, I knew. And now I have been feeling the baby move since then. It is quite an amazing feeling. I feel so connected to my baby. Even Tommy has been able to feel the baby move! I love it.

A big thank you to all the awesome people in my life who have been taking such good care of me and spoiling me rotten! It's like the second someone finds out I'm pregnant -BAM- they wait on me hand and foot, bring (and often times make) me food, make sure I don't lift anything heavy (or anything at all it really), and always seem to genuinely want to know how I'm doing and feeling. Not that I expect people to cater to my every need, I am just really thankful for all of their efforts. Friends have made me food, brought me books, even offered to clean my {{nasty}} shower which I have been neglecting pretty much since I found out I was pregnant. You just don't realize what an impact even the smallest acts of kindness can have on a person!

As yucky as I've been feeling, it helps so much just to know that there are people there who are offering and showing their love and support to me (and Tommy too!). I'm lucky to have so many friends, co-workers, and my wonderful big sis (and my mommy of course) who have been pregnant before and are such good examples to me. I know I can go to them when I'm seeking some good advice or words of comfort. Although, there is the occasional unwanted, (and always "fun") unsolicited advice (not from any of YOU, of course). I just have to take it with a grain of salt I suppose. =] Even my friends who don't have children yet have been so supportive and it's fun to share in the excitement with them. I remember talking about when we would have kids someday back when we were in high school... and now one of us is!

Everyone keeps telling me to just enjoy my time being pregnant, but I really just want my little baby to be here in my arms! I can't wait for January 13th! Did I mention that's a Friday? ;0)

We find out the gender THIS week (August 26th... save the date!). So far most people seem to think I'm going to have a little girl. My co-workers and even my mom call the baby "she" already. What do you think? Take the poll at the top of my blog and cast your vote now! ;0) I've been going back and forth myself. A few weeks ago I would have said girl...as of now, I have no idea. I guess we'll have to wait and see in a few days! Until then...

XOXO-

4 years

2011-08-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the 4 year anniversary of being married to my best friend.

After I got off work, we decided to go to Lake Washington for dinner at Ivar's. Lake Washington will always hold a special place in my heart. It was fun to go back and see the place where Tommy got down on one knee to ask me to be his bride, and to see the spot where we stood and were joined together as husband and wife for the very first time (Just thought I should point out that Tommy cried on both occasions...yes, I love him). It was fun to go back to this place where we started our life together, but this time instead of the two of us, we brought along our first "son" Rocky, and our little one on the way in my belly.

I just have to brag a little and say how amazing my husband is. My life would not be the way it is now if it weren't for him. When I was younger I always wondered how my life would turn out, but I never could have imagined it would be this good... and it's really all because of him! He is the reason I smile. I love my hubby and the life we've created together.

Happy Anniversary!

XOXO-

A very special Mother's Day for me!!!

2011-05-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

On the Friday before Mother's Day, I went to the store to buy these:

Two Mother's Day cards for my mom and mother-in-law.....
and I also got a {home pregnancy test}.

After taking the pregnancy test, I had to go back to the store to buy THESE cards for my mom and mother-in-law instead:

YES, I am saying that we are finally PREGNANT!!!! We are going to be parents and couldn't be more excited! Life is good. :)

XOXO-

Chipotle Pork Tacos

2011-05-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Mmmm mmmm! Tonight I made a dinner that actually turned out GOOD. I love the feeling of sweet success!
I made Chipotle Pork Tacos from one of my favorite food sites, Our Best Bites. Check them out, you won't be disappointed you did. Click the link HERE to see the recipe. I pretty much followed it word for word, including buying the same tortillas that were suggested. I am lame and could not get a picture of the finished product to post, but here is a picture after the hubs and I destroyed our dinner... a testament to it's deliciousness! Yummm.
Do you see what I see? A cute little puppy. =]

XOXO-

To my future children

2011-04-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

I saw this on my friend's blog (The Forever Endeavor). I wanted to copy her and do one of my own. :) Anyone that knows me, knows that I simply cannot wait to be a mommy. I think about it every day. I have had some good days in my life, but I think that meeting my children for the first time will surpass them all.

Dear Future Children,

I think about you all the time. You are always on my mind, every day. I haven't met you yet, but I know that I will fall in love with you the instant we meet. In fact, I think I love you already. I want you so bad. I may only be 23, but I have been waiting for you for so long.

When will I get to meet you? Are you with Heavenly Father, anxiously awaiting to meet me, too? I have faith in Heavenly Father, that He will let me have you when the time is right.

I love to dream about you. What will you look like? Will you have my big, dark blue eyes? Or Daddy's squinty, light blue ones? Maybe you won't even be ours biologically, but ours just the same.

And what will you be like? Will you be ambitious and witty like Daddy? Will you be outgoing and kind like mommy? Probably crazy like the both of us. :)

I can' wait to spend quiet moments with you asleep in my arms. I know I'll love to rock you to sleep at night, to soothe you will a sweet lullaby. I dream about singing you my favorite Primary songs. Maybe you'll have some favorites of your own.

I wonder what funny things Daddy and I will do to make you laugh. I can't wait to see your sweet smile and hear your precious laugh.

I can't wait to teach you how to pray; how to read and tie your shoes; how to make art and clean up your messes; how to share and be kind to others; to love and be like Christ.

I want you to be happy. I want the best for you. I pray every day that Daddy and I will be the best parents for you. Will we screw up? Probably. I hope that you will forgive us when we do.

I hope that you will love life. I hope that you will love the gospel as much as we do. I hope that you will be a good person and a hard worker. I know that we will try to teach you these things, I can only hope that we will do it well.

I promise to love you unconditionally. And to love Daddy just the same. I promise to be a happy mommy for you. Because you, little one- more than anything in the world- will make me happy.

Waiting for you,

Mommy

Good Practice

2011-04-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

Poor Little Rocky.

He threw up.... all over our bed.

On the bright side, by the time we have kids, we will be pros at this kind of "fun" stuff. It's good practice for us.

XOXO-

Febreze Plug-In

2011-04-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say how much I love LOVE love my Febreze Scented Plug-In!
I plugged it in MONTHS ago and I can still smell it every day. It switches between two different scents, so I never get tired of it. I have never used a plug-in that has lasted this long.
Febreze did not put me up to this, I am just so impressed and wanted to share with all of you! Glade has wonderful scents, but they usually last for about 2 days for me! Febreze seems to last FOREVER!
I love walking into a home that smells fresh and clean, especially when it's my home. =]

XOXO-

Thankful Thursday

2011-03-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

THANKFUL THURSDAY:

1. My husband who changed my life for the better. Tommy's mom always tells me how lucky she is to have had such a wonderful woman come into her son's life, but I feel like I'm the lucky one. I would not be where I am today or even half as happy if it were not for this awesome guy.
2. The holy scriptures from which I learn so much from every day.
3. Cute blogs that help me get my creative juices flowing.
4. My new work schedule. Working Monday-Thursday with Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. It's wonderful.
4. A sewing machine to make my first quilt with.
5. The happiness and contentment that I have been seeming to feel each day for no particular reason at all.

Philippians 4:11-

"...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content."

XOXO-

My First Time

2011-03-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

I just purchased the fabric that I will use to make my first ever QUILT. My MIL is helping me do the Turning Twenty quilt. I'm excited! And a little nervous... luckily, my MIL is a quilting EXPERT! She's no joke!

Here is the fabric:

Isn't it adorable? Shhhh, I cheated a little and bought a Fat Quarter Bundle. But I'm just a beginner for Heaven's sake! I'm allowed to cheat on my first one (at least, I think that's cheating...don't most people usually pick out and cut up all of the fabric on their own? Pshh, I really don't have a clue... I'm such a quilting newbie.).

I got the aforementioned Fat Quarter Bundle at The Fat Quarter Shop. It took me a few days to finally make my final fabric decision because they have the cutest selection of Fat Quarter Bundles! You can also get fabric by the yard, jelly rolls, charm packs, etc. (Don't I sound like I know what I'm talking about? I just copied what I saw on the website....I don't actually know what a "jelly roll" is.).

Anyway, I can't wait for the fabric to arrive on my doorstep soon so I can get started on my very own quilt.

XOXO-

P.S. A big thank you to my sweet MIL for helping me with this quilt!

Such a bummer!

2011-03-29T11:51:00.001-07:00

If you haven't heard yet,

the hubs and I will NOT be going to Hawaii anymore.

The training class that he was going to take in Honolulu was canceled due to a lack of people signing up for the course, however the course offered in New Mexico had enough people, so he will be going there instead.

What a bummer, huh!?

I was sad when Tommy first told me....mostly just because we had already planned everything out, bought our plane tickets, booked the hotel... I even ordered a bathing suit online!

But it's really no big deal now.

How can I even begin to complain when I am blessed in so many other aspects of my life?

Plus, I figure I can look at it this way:

Now I have a cute bathing suit to wear during the summer, and a plane ticket credit to use in June when we go to Tommy's cousin's wedding in Southern California! We decided we will stay a few extra days after the wedding to visit the beach and go to DISNEYLAND, since we aren't going to Hawaii anymore!

I am such a little kid at heart and Disneyland would just be a dream come true for me. Haha Seriously though. =]

XOXO-

Coupon Codes!

2011-03-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

After my Lime Ricki coupon code post yesterday, my friend told me about a wonderful website called RetailMeNot.com (thanks Miriam!!). (It's actually where I got the Lime Ricki coupon from, I just didn't take the time to look at the rest of the awesome website after I got the code... so silly.)

I'm not exaggerating when I say it is amazing.

There are so many coupon codes for online purchases for pretty much any place you can think of!

Click the logo above and check it out for yourself. Have fun!

XOXO

Lime Ricki Coupon Code

2011-03-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

I love Google.

I Googled "Lime Ricki Coupon Code"
and found a coupon code that was over a year old, but supposedly got you 10% off your entire purchase at Lime Ricki.
I tried it out
and it worked!

If you liked any of the suits from Lime Ricki on my swimsuit post, simply type in JENSWIM at checkout and save 10% on your total purchase! :)

XOXO

Jell-O

2011-03-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

Lunges?
Check.
Squats?
Check
Leg lifts?
Check.

... now my legs feel like Jell-O! (they sorta jiggle like Jell-O, too....hmmm.)

I had a couple of close calls where I almost fell over after my leg work out today, because my legs almost gave out on me. Haha Don't worry, I didn't kill myself working out or anything like that.... I'm just a tad out of shape. :)

BUT I'm trying to get my butt into gear because we're going to Hawaii in
ONE month!

Any healthy recipes or work out tips? Send 'em my way! :)

XOXO-

The Worst Thing Ever.

2011-03-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

With Spring just around the corner and Summer fast approaching (and a trip to Hawaii in the works...yippie!), I have been thinking a lot about the dreaded task of....

SWIMSUIT SHOPPING.

Dun, dun, dun.

Maybe I'm being a bit over-dramatic.

It's not hard to find a swimsuit.

But it can be hard to find a swimsuit that is:

cute

proper fit

affordable

and most importantly MODEST.

I don't want to wear a bathing suit and feel uncomfortable wearing it out in public, no matter how cute it is. The only guy I want oggling me is my hubby, thank you! But, yes, I still want to look good in my bathing suit!

So I have been talking to friends and doing some research on the internet, and I have found some pretty good websites with adorable and modest bathing suits...ones I would actually feel comfortable wearing. I'm very pleased with what I found....the only downside about purchasing online is that you obviously can't try them on before you buy one. Poop. Luckily, most websites let you easily return and exchange items.

A few of my favorite sites:

*Rey Swimwear*

Here's one of my favs:

*Lime Ricki*

They also have new suits (including a men's, children, and maternity line) coming THIS April....I can't wait to see what they come up with! Lime Ricki is also very affordable! Which makes me AND hubby happy. :) Here's a few of their current swimsuits....LOVE the pink and gray one:

*Land's End*

*I couldn't figure out how to copy a picture of one of the suits I liked off of the Land's End website....but, trust me, there are some cute ones! :)

*Mod Cloth*

I Googled "retro swimsuits" and a lot of sites came up....Mod Cloth was one that had some fairly modest one-pieces and tankinis.

I really want a purple bathing suit like this one!:

*Hapari*

Hapari has some pretty cute tankinis, like these three:

Show all (too bad I don't look like this model!)

*DownEast Basics*

*They don't have any swimsuits available at the moment, but the website says "Coming Soon", and I remember them having really cute suits last year.....I'll keep checking back to see when the new suits arrive for 2011!

Even Nordstrom and Macy's have some cute one-pieces and tankinis....they can be tricky though; even the one pieces can sometimes be too revealing.

I love this one (comes with straps not shown in the picture) from Nordstrom, though it still seems a little skimpy. I just might have to make a trip to the mall to try it on and see what it looks like in real life!:

So which one of these was your favorite? Do you have a favorite spot to get cute, modest suits at? LET ME KNOW! :)

Tomorrow I will be on a mission for a swimsuit! I'll let you know what I end up with! I'm also on the lookout for some cute board shorts and cover-ups. I love buying new clothes (OK, not buying, so much as having), but I dread shopping...especially if it entails going to a crowded mall (barf).

Well.....wish me luck!

XOXO-

Exciting!

2011-03-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

I have some very important news.......

Me and the hubs are .....

........

going to beautiful HAWAII!!

(bet you thought I was going to say "pregnant", huh?)

I couldn't be more excited!

This may not seem like a huge deal, but I'm thrilled because the hubs and I have NEVER (ever!) been on a vacation together, alone. Not even a honeymoon! We were so young and poor when we got married, we decided to save what money we did have and, instead, just spend two nights in a fancy hotel.

Also, I have NEVER been to Hawaii before.

My boss is actually allowing me to take my full paid vacation all at once and I don't have to worry about finding someone to cover the days that I will be gone from work. I gotta say, my boss and coworkers (who offered to help pitch in while I am gone) are pretty awesome. :)

But the best part of all? Tommy's work is sending him to Honolulu for some training and I'm just tagging along....meaning: hotel, rental car, and his airfare will all be paid for......SWEET DEAL.

I feel really grateful and excited for this opportunity.

Plane tickets have been purchased. Hotel room booked.

Now I just need to find myself a bathing suit!

XOXO-

The Easiest Recipe EVER!

2011-03-10T19:09:00.000-08:00

Seriously, this is the easiest recipe...and it tastes like Heaven. Yes, heaven.

One of my best friend's mom made this for us the other night when we were all over at her house. It was AMAZING! And the best part? You only need 3 ingredients to make it! Now that's MY kind of recipe!! :)

Mama Higgins' Apple Cobbler

(this is the name I gave it)

2 cans of pie filling, apple or cherry (you could probably use any pie filling you can find at the store)

1 stick of butter, slice and mix with pie filling, spread in bottom of cake pan

1 box white or yellow cake mix, sprinkle of top, add one more stick of butter, sliced, spread evenly

Cook for about 35 minutes at 350, until light golden brown.

Serve warm with icecream

EASY. PEASY.

ENJOY!

XOXO-

An Anniversary and a Homecoming

2011-02-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was mine and Tommy's

two-year temple anniversary.

We got married in August of 2007. Shortly after that I became a baptized and confirmed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then, after having to wait a full year of being a member, Tommy and I were able to take the temple prep classes with our amazing bishop at the time, and FINALLY, after waiting for what felt like forever, we were able to be sealed to one another as husband and wife for time and all eternity in the Seattle, Washington temple on February 21st, 2009.

It was a special day, and though our families were not able to be in the temple with us, it meant so much to us that they were able to still be a part of the special day and show their love and support to us.

I am so thankful that Heavenly Father has prepared a way for us to be able to be families, not only during our time on Earth, but for eternity.

And I am so thankful that I get to spend eternity with my husband, Thomas John Steele. :)

To me, the temple is a place where I can go to find refuge. It is a place set apart from the rest of the world, where I can go to focus on things with an eternal and spirtual perspective, rather than a worldy one. It is a place where I can feel closer to my Heavenly Father, and feel the peace and joy that can come only through Him and His son, Jesus Christ. I feel very blessed that I live so close to one of the Lord's holy temples and can go there anytime I choose. It helps me to live my life the way that I know God wants me to, so that I can be worthy each and every day to enter in to the sacred house of the Lord.

**************************

I also got to celebrate something else very special yesterday....

My little brother came home yesterday from his second YWAM trip to Africa!!!

He has also been to many other amazing places (Switzerland and Egypt, to name a few). I missed him so much, but I am so proud of him and the young man he is becoming. :)

(He made an awesome video/slideshow of his time in Africa, but I can't figure out how to upload it to my blog. If I can stop being lame and figure it out, I will share it as soon as possible.)

As a big sister, I have seen my young brother grow from a hyperactive little dare-devil, to a sweet, caring, hilarious, and Christlike young man. I just know he is going to make a wonderful husband and father some day.

^Back when he was just a little tike. Awww . :)

^All grown up. Yes, ladies, he is single.

Love you, Buddy!

XOXO-

Thankful Thursday

2011-02-17T15:48:00.000-08:00

I'm going to make this one quick, since we all know how busy my Thursday nights after work are (especially now that American Idol has started.....more on that later)! ;0)

Today, I am so thankful for sleep, for a soft, cozy bed, and for someone to share it with.

I slept horribly last night. Thus, making me wake up late for work today because I simply could not get up when my alarm clock wanted me to. Once I finally rolled out of bed, I got ready in 15 minutes, drank a Diet Dr. Pepper for breakfast on my way to work, and just barely made it in time for our daily morning meeting. Rockstar status.

Too bad I look disgusting (good thing I have a cute, girly headband I can throw on with my hair pulled black into a bun and try to look halfway decent). I feel disgusting. I am so tired right now.

I can't wait until I get to be in my BED and SLEEP! I'm getting giddy just thinking about it. I just might have to DVR all my shows tonight and watch them some other time so I can sleep instead.

It's sounding better and better every second I keep talking about it....

Zzzz...

XOXO-

My Valentine's Day Recap

2011-02-15T22:55:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day this year was aaaawesome.

(wish you could hear how I'm singing the word "awesome" right now)

Tommy couldn't wait until Monday to play with the present he got

me, so he gave it to me early on Saturday after I got home from work...

It was a Kinect for our Xbox along with the game Dance Central!

So. Freaking. Happy.

!!!!!

We spent the night dancing our groovy little hearts out. Seriously. We stayed up past 4AM. It is seriously that fun! We played it at our neighbors/friends' house the night before and we totally copied them and bought one too because it is THAT fun. Feel free to come play with us any time. We will dance battle you any day.

Then came actual Valentine's Day...

I had the day off from work.

We slept in. Even little Rocky did, too. It was glorious.

I mailed out Valentines to my daddy, grandparents, niece, and nephew.

I tucked fun love notes for the hubs all over the house in special places I knew he would go throughout the day: in the kitchen cupboard where we keep the cups (I knew he would get a glass of water sometime after he woke up), in the pantry on a loaf of bread,

in his work laptop, on his desk, on the fridge, in the coffee table drawer where we keep the TV remote control, and wrote a little

note on the bathroom mirror with lipstick (original I know!).

Before Tommy awoke from his slumber, I hurried off to go have some Valentine's Day fun with my mom and MIL.

I brought flowers and chocolates to the school my mom works at and had the office ladies deliver it to her class as a special surprise from her "secret admirer" (I gave her a hint, so she knew it was me). =]

Then, after she got off work, the two of us met my mother-in-law for lunch at BJ's. She also receive flowers from yours truly. =]

It was great. I got chocolate, cards, and pink tulips from them. (Thanks ladies!)

I came home to find a beautiful bouquet of red roses from the hubs, along with a teddy bear!

This may not seem like much, but it meant so much to me. It wasn't just that he got me flowers (and a teddy bear!), it was that he got me flowers- even though he thinks buying someone flowers is stupid- just because he knew it would make me happy. =] I smile every time I come into the room and see them!

Then, it was finally my turn to spoil the hubs!

(^My card to the hubs. =] )

I made a "Choose Your Own Adventure" poster board for Tommy to choose whatever HE wanted to do for the evening. Did you ever read those Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid? If you didn't, then you missed out my friend!

He made some great choices. =]

We ended the night by going to Fry's Electronics (oh, the romance!) to return something and then picked up a new movie to watch and Tommy let me get the Harry Potter game for the Kinect! Wow, seriously!? This guy knows me too well! I was so happy! I played the game today and I felt like a real wizard! (Well, I guess I should say witch, since I am a girl...?) (No, I am not asking if I am a girl. Just if I should refer to myself as a witch instead of a wizard....) (....if Harry Potter were real...) (...wait, what?!..)

And, for the grande finale...

We stopped by Mickey D's on the way home from Fry's (crispy chicken sandwiches and french fries!), watched The Town (good movie....did not like the excessive use of the F-Bomb though) and ate chocolate covered strawberries and Girl Scout cookies. If that doesn't say "romantic", then I don't know what does.

I felt so loved. I showed some love. I could not have asked for a better day.

Hope you all had a wonderful day and took a moment to say "I LOVE YOU" to those special people in your life!

XOXO-

Washington State

2011-02-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

Oh, how I love thee. Believe it or not, I am actually a fan of your constant rain and dreary days. I do, however, genuinely appreciate your clear, sunny days when they happen.

It's been pretty beautiful around here this week.

Crisp, clear days. Let's keep it up. =]

^Outside my window at work.

^Sunset outside my window at home.

XOXO-

P.S. I am REALLY excited for Valentine's Day this year. Monday will be all about the hubs. I'll also be spreading the love to some very special ladies in my life. Oh, and we can't forget little Rocky, too. Can't wait!

Strawberry Jello Popcorn

2011-02-09T19:48:00.000-08:00

Yes, I really had popcorn for dinner last night. To be fair, I had a late lunch, so it was really like dessert (...right?). Luckily Tommy was out for the evening anyway, so I didn't feel like such a horrible wife. ;0)

I recently got called to be on the Relief Society Activity Committee at church (click the link if you have no clue what I'm talking about!). We had an activity last night and each of the committee members was asked to bring a different kind of homemade popcorn. There was root beer flavored popcorn (me likey....a lot!), chocolate, white chocolate and toffee, kettle corn, chile lime, and I was asked to bring "fruity" flavored popcorn.

I was a little nervous to try to make this recipe, as I had a bad experience with homemade popcorn when I tried to make Moose Munch one year for Christmas. Let's just say it didn't turn out so well. I was scarred forever. Tommy still likes to tease me about it. =] haha Anyway, I was given a recipe from another woman on the committee. It looked easy enough so I decided to give it a shot!

It was as easy as it looked and it was fun to make. Oh yeah, and it tasted pretty darn good too! My mouth is starting to hurt from all the popcorn eating going up in here.

Strawberry Jello Popcorn

Ingredients:
10 cups already popped popcorn- plain/unsalted (to make popcorn, put 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels in a brown paper lunch sack, fold opening of bag over twice, tape down, gently push extra air out of bag until flat, microwave for 2-3 minutes, depending on your microwave and that's it....so hard, I know!)

1/2 cup of butter (that's one stick)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 package (3oz) fruit flavored jello (I chose strawberry, but you can use whatever kind you like! Also, I couldn't find the 3oz size, so I just bought a 6oz one and divided it in half)

1/4 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Melt butter, sugar, corn syrup and jello on medium heat. Stir well until it comes to a boil. Take of heat and add baking soda. It's hard to tell from the picture, but it WILL foam up. Don't be alarmed, this is supposed to happen. It was kind of like a fun science experiment. =]

2. Pour mixture over popped popcorn and stir until it is all coated.

3. You can either place it flat on some parchment/wax paper to cool OR (for a crunchy popcorn) bake in the oven (on a cookie sheet lined with parchment/wax paper) for 5-10 minutes at 300 degrees.

4. Give it to a friend...or save it for yourself. ;0)

XOXO-

P.S. If you have a different/better recipe for jello popcorn or another flavor you like to use, please feel free to share!

A Perfectly Acceptable Dinner

2011-02-08T21:01:00.000-08:00

Strawberry Jello Popcorn for dinner???

Don't mind if I do.

XOXO-

P.S. More on that later.

Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2011-02-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

I came across this cute blog the other day. Once I saw the Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Cookie recipe, I knew I had to try it. The only problem? I could not find Cinnamon Chips anywhere (or at least at the two stores I looked at....)! So I adapted the recipe a bit; took out the raisins and used butterscotch chips instead of cinnamon chips. I thought they turned out pretty tasty. =] I'm not very picky though. Pretty much anything with delicious ingredients like butter and sugar, you can guarantee I will probably like it!

Tommy said they were "good", but he's not a fan of butterscotch, so I know he didn't really like them that much.

My friend Heather and her mom came over to watch The Bachelor with me last night and she thought they were great....so THERE Tommy (*sticks tongue out*)! Haha just kidding....you can't win 'em all. She even took one home to have in her lunch for today. =]

Follow this link to get the recipe: Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Cookies.

Here's how mine turned out:

I'm still on the prowl for those cinnamon chips, though! If you happen to come across them at the store, pretty please let me know? As soon as I can find them, I am making these cookies the right way! I can't wait, yummm!

XOXO-

Terrible Twos

2011-02-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

I think Rocky has hit the dreaded "terrible twos" of puppyhood. He is just as cute and sweet as always, but he seems to be getting into lots of trouble lately. Usually it is just funny...OK almost all of the time it is funny. But I'm trying to be a good "mom" and teach him how to be respectful of his human friends and of our house. OK, reading that sentence again, I know I sound like a freak. We're talking about a DOG here. But my sweet Rocky is my baby right now and I love him more than I thought I could love an animal. So YEAH, I'm going to be that girl that blogs about her dog, OK!? ;0)

We found out this morning that he has been trying to dig a big hole in the backyard! OK, so it really isn't that HUGE, but it's pretty big for him. I mean, he is only 14lbs...my 6month old nephew weighs more than him!

Last night, after we let him out to go to the bathroom, he came charging back inside the house covered in mud and tracked it all over the living room floor! I snatched him up just in time to save the couch from his muddy puppy paw prints! Tommy quickly cleaned up the carpet, while I gave him a bath. Luckily it all cleaned up really easily. And luckily he did not have a chance to get it on the couch. Pheww, crisis averted.

Here he is after his bath...

Look at that guilty face.^

Naughty puppy!^

What a little punk. =]

XOXO-

Thankful Thursday- A little late

2011-02-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

Image

So many Thurdays have come and gone since the last time I did a Thankful Thursday, but it doesn't mean that I haven't been thankful...just tired after work, not to mention all of our "shows" are on Thursday nights (The Big Bang Theory, The Office, Community, Parks and Recreation....I could go on) so I've been pretty busy with that. ;0) So now it's Sunday, and technically I'm not allowed to do a Thankful THURSDAY today. But I never was one to follow the rules anyway, so here it is.

I am so so so so SO thankful for my wonderful husband. I will spare the personal details, but I found out that a supervisor of my mine at work unexpectedly lost her husband in a car accident this week. He was the only person not wearing a seatbelt in the car. Everyone else in the car was wearing a seatbelt and were fine. He was not, and he didn't make it. My heart is breaking for her and her family right now. I can't imagine how you recover from losing someone you love....let alone your husband; your lover; your partner; your other half.

What would I do if I lost my Tommy? I think I would die of a broken heart. How could I go on living each day without him? The only thing I would take comfort in was knowing that I would be able to be with him again someday after I died, too.

But he is not gone. He is here with me now; to hug me just because; to make me laugh, even when I don't want to; to take care of me when I'm not feeling well; to laugh at my silly jokes; to join in with me when I'm being weird; to go to church with me every Sunday and help me teach Sunday school to seven crazy 5-year-olds; to make up funny songs with me; to teach me new things about myself; to go to work every day to take care of our family and prepare for our future family; to motivate me to be better; to share inside jokes with; to know and understand everything about me; to pray with every night; to share a future with; to hug, and kiss, and love; to, for reasons I still can't figure out, love me too; to just be there and be all mine. And for that, I am so thankful.

XOXO-

Lasagna Recipe

2011-01-31T19:35:00.000-08:00

I made something pretty delicious the other day. I'm so proud of how it turned out, I must share it with you!

I made my first homemade lasagna! Homemade lasagna always seemed like such a daunting meal to make to me. I recently found out that it is quite the opposite! It was so easy and turned out pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

Here's what you do:

1. Go to the grocery store.

2. Get a box of Barilla Lasagna Noodles (the no boiling required kind!)

3. Follow the directions on the back of the box (tip: you might want to get a little extra sauce and cheese then what the recipe calls for)

4. Eat.

Pretty complicated stuff, huh?! =]

XOXO-

UPDATE!

2011-01-31T07:26:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that Holden the puppy found a great home and family to join.

XOXO-

FREE PUPPY to a good home!

2011-01-19T14:50:00.000-08:00

NO, I haven't decided to give MY puppy away...We're still pretty fond of him, actually. =]

But let me introduce you to Holden...

"HI! My name is Holden. I am looking for a new family to love me and give me a good home. I am a brindle pitbull-german shepard mix, 14 weeks old, and have had all of my shots. I am crate trained and even come with my own crate. I am sweet and loving, play well with other animals, and I am pretty smart, too! (I already know how to sit, shake hands, and spin in a circle!).
Did I mention I am FREE? I hope to find good owners who will love me and let me join their family."

Isn't he adorable? Holden and his brothers and sisters were abandoned, but someone was kind enough to bring them into the animal hospital that my friend's wife works at. Her and her co-workers each took one puppy home to foster until they can find homes for them. My friend and his wife have said they are already falling in love with Holden but have TWO other dogs already, and want to find him a home before they get more attached!

Please let me know if you or any of your friends might be interested in giving this little guy a place to call home. =]

XOXO-

The Holidays

2011-01-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

Here is my obligatory Christmas post. I know you are all dying to know what exciting things I did over the holidays (right?), but I suppose this post is mostly written for relatives.

I worked on Christmas Eve...and Christmas Day....and New Year's Eve (which is also Tommy's birthday...the big 2-5!)...and New Year's Day, but I did manage to squeeze as much holiday fun and family time in as possible!

We spent Christmas Eve over at Tommy's mom's house (after I got off work) and my mom came over too....we got to open all of our presents from Laurinda (the MIL) that night. I made out like a bandit! She got me boots from Nordstrom, a beautiful purple scarf, and tickets to the Harry Potter Exhibit in Seattle! She also stocked my stuffing full of lots of fun stuff. =]

My dad was able to make it over to our place all the way from Montana on Christmas day! My mom came over that night and we all spent time together (the hubs was there too, of course) after I got home from work and played games! It was actually really fun and relaxing. =] Then Sunday was the big day! My mom, MIL, sister and her family (hubs and three kids + 2 dogs), and my dad all came over for presents and dinner at our house! It was fun. =]

Here's some pictures of the day. Rocky was so busy playing with his "cousins" (my sisters two dogs) all day and finally tuckered out and fell asleep at the end of the day. Boy, that puppy has a lot of energy! Let me tell ya!

New Year's Eve/Tommy's birthday was spent partying the night away! And by partying the night away, I mean staying home and watching a movie with our friend and barely making it to midnight without falling alseep. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Some of the best moment in my life so far have been spent at home in the arms of my loving husband. =]

Hope you all had a great holiday season this year! Bring it on 2011!!

XOXO-

The Thanksgiving Post

2010-12-10T18:39:00.001-08:00

I know this post is a little late but I've been busy and then I was sick (for the first time in almost two years!) this last week!

So here is my Thanksgiving post.

Since I had to work on Thanksgiving day, I had my family over the Sunday after and we celebrated at our place. It was the second Thanksgiving for everybody there, except for me, but I still wanted to go all out. =] It was fun...but a lot of work. Luckily my mom and MIL helped out a lot! Here are some pictures of the day:

(My nephews, Dylan and Lincoln)

(Me and Linc)

(Dylan and Tommy being weirdos)

(My pretty table)

(We made Tommy hold Lincoln so he could "practice" for the future, lol...aren't they cute?)

(And here's one of the "baby", of course. Doesn't Rocky look distinguished? ;0) Oh, and did I mention we finally picked out a name???)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

XOXO-

Thankful Thursday

2010-11-25T12:38:00.000-08:00

Well, on this most Thankful of Thursdays, here is what I'm thankful for:

1. My sweet puppy. I know all I have been talking/posting about is my new puppy. It's probably annoying, but I just love him. I feel like a new momma. I guess I am in a way. He is so fun and really feels like part of the family already. We have been having so much fun just playing with him and cuddling with him and just watching all of the funny things he does. We've had him for exactly one week today, and still no name. What kind of parents are we? Poor guy. lol Don't worry, we should be deciding within the next day or two. =]
(He loves to try to eat my hair. Look his little tongue. =])

(High Five!)

2. My new dining room table. I shouldn't say my NEW dining room table, because we never had and OLD dining room table to begin with. Yes, that's right. In all three years that we have been married, we never had a dining room table! We didn't have a good place for one in our old apartment so we decided to wait to get a nice one when we moved into a house. I love it. I can't wait to finally eat at a table instead of at the couch. Mabe we'll watch less TV now....maybe.

3. My husband (and my father-in-law, too!). They both picked up the table yesterday (even with all the snowy roads) from JC Penney's, and put the whole thing together last night. Tommy's dad took all of the boxes and trash that the table came in, along with a mattress set, and got rid of all of it for us too. It was nice to not have to worry about it!

4. Thanksgiving (even though I'm working today!). I love Thanksgiving. It makes people stop and think of all of the things they are thankful for. There isn't a lot of hype surrounding it. As soon as Halloween was over, retailers seemed to have skipped right over Thanksgiving and gone straight to Christmas. It's crazy! I think it's important to stop and take a look around at all of the good things in your life every now and then (if not every day!). Oh, and I do love spending time with family on Thanksgiving...and how about all that yummy food? ;0)

5. My sister and her family! I am sooo excited because my sister and her family (her hubby, my niece and two nephews!) told me yesterday that they are FOR SURE going to be able to make it for my "Thanksgiving" this Sunday!! I am seriously so happy. On the down side, it doesn't look like my Daddy is going to be able to make it over from Montana. And I'll miss my brother who is in Switzerland right now, but I know he's having a blast and making a difference in people's lives. Love you guys. =]

And just for fun...

XOXO-

Snow Day

2010-11-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

We had our first snow of the year here in Washington this Sunday. It didn't stick much that first day, but it didn't give up and now this is what it looks outside today:
It sure is beautiful, but I hope I can get to work tomorrow and I hope my family is going to be able to make it over to my place on Sunday for Thanksgiving (I have to work on Thursday, so we're doing another Thanksgiving on Sunday at our place). *crossing my fingers*

And, just for fun, here are some cute pictures of the puppers playing in the snow. =]

XOXO-

A Special Surprise

2010-11-21T20:06:00.001-08:00

After my awesome Harry Potter party on Thursday night, I came home to find this cute little guy in my living room! Tommy surprised me with the sweetest, most adorable little Boston Terrier puppy!! I'm so happy!!

He is about 10 weeks old and has such a sweet and playful demeanor. He has been sleeping through the night with us in our bed, is almost potty trained (we just have to set him outside every couple of hours or so to let him go...he did go a few times in the house though, oops), and I just love him to pieces already!! Bostons are supposed to be good family dogs and so far, he seems to be doing great with us. He hasn't even barked once and has only whimpered a couple times. Tommy and I had been talking about getting a puppy for a while. Almost everyone I talked to about it told us not to get one, to wait, that they were so much work. But we knew we wanted a dog to join our family and I'm feeling really grateful for this little guy right now because he's basically been a breeze so far (*knock on wood*).

The only problem is that we still haven't named him yet! We can't agree on a name or think of any good ones that seem to fit him. What do you guys think? I kind of like Maximus (Max for short) or Dexter (Dex for short?), or something that ends in a Y or IE, like Sammy or Buddy. Tommy seems fond of Rocky, Scout, and Bash. Tommy used to have a dog name Bowzer before we met. I love that name but would it be weird to use the name again??

Hmmmm...well, give us your best puppy names and maybe we'll end up choosing it for him! =]

XOXO-

Thankful Thursday

2010-11-18T17:46:00.000-08:00

1. My job. Yes, I have to work every Saturday. And yes, I had to work Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve (which is also Tommy's birthday), the 4th of July and basically every other major holiday last year; And yes, will have to work them again this year...but I'm still thankful that I have a job I like. I'm thankful that I am a part of something that makes a difference in the lives of people every day and take pride in representing a wonderful community that offers retirement, assisted living, and memory care (sound like a sales pitch? lol). I am also very thankful that I feel like I am doing an adequate job and that I am needed. I even got nominated for employee of the month for November! Woo hoo, go me!

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. I can't wait to see it!! I'm lame and I'm not going to the midnight showing though. I know, I know. But my friends from when I worked at Bank of America saw it with me last year and we're going again on Saturday together this year. But (almost) more importantly, I am super stoked for the Deathly Hallows Feast that some of my friends from my old ward are throwing! I get to see lots of friends, eat good food (including non-alcoholic "butterbeer" lol) AND enjoy all things Harry Potter! What more could I ask for???

3. My mom's new place. She has been looking for a new place for a while and she finally found a cute little place in Kent...much closer that Milton where she was living before. It is so cute and perfect for her. I just love my mommy and want her to have the best. She certainly deserves it.

4. Diet Dr. Pepper. "Sweet chocolate candy marshmellow jelly bean...that is good!". Yes, I must agree with you Easter Bunny! (Don't know what I'm talking about? Watch this commercial here.) I'm not much of a soda drinker. Remember in this post when I said my favorite drink was water? Well, it still is. But every now and then I love a good Diet Dr. Pepper. I almost like the diet better than the regular. I know it's horrible for my body, BUT sometimes I just gotta have one. It's all Tommy's fault for getting me hooked on the stuff. ;0)

5. A WELCOME mat. Is it silly that I'm thankful for the new welcome mat I just bought from Target last night? Maybe. But I love it. We had just had a square piece of carpet at our front door (ghetto?) and I finally got around to buying a welcome mat to put in front of the door. It's going to be so nice to be able to come home from a long day at work and find my house "welcoming" me home. I feel like it's officially a real home now! =]

XOXO-

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

2010-11-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

As promised, here is the recipe for the awesome cinnamon rolls I made last week. I'm not going to lie and pretend like this recipe was easy. It took a little bit of time, but it's one of the easier recipes I found and it was definitely something I will make again...and soooo worth it. Mmmmm.

I think it's something that will get easier each time I make it. I found the recipe on one of my favorite food sites ever, Our Best Bites. If you haven't clicked on the link yet to see all of their mouthwatering recipes, you might want to do so now. I posted the recipe below, but you should also check out the original post on OBB to get all of Sara's personal tips and tricks! When it comes to baking, I prefer things to be spelled out step-by-step for me. =] I'm still learning, and it helps to have those extra tips so I'm not always second guessing myself.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Dough

1 cup milk

4 Tbs butter, cut into chunks

3 1/4 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

Filling

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

Icing
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 T melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbs milk

Dough: Place milk and 4 Tbs butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute 30 seconds. Butter should be at least partially melted. Stir and set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 C flour, yeast, white sugar, and salt. When milk mixture has cooled to warm (not hot) add it to the flour mixture along with the egg while the beater (paddle attachment for those using a stand mixer) is running. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. (Switch to the dough hook now) Add remaining flour only until dough barely leaves the sides of the bowl. It should be very soft and slightly sticky. Continue to let the dough knead for 5 minutes. If you are not using a stand mixer, turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes by hand. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and let rest for about 10 minutes while you make the filling.

Filling: make sure butter is softened well. Mix with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Assembly: Roll dough into a rectangle about 12 x 14 inches. Spread brown sugar mixture (it will be slightly thick, you might have to "crumble" it) over the surface and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to gently spread around. Roll up from the longer side of the rectangle and pinch edges closed. Score the roll into 12 equal pieces and then cut into rolls. Place in a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover pan with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. In the mean time, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

When rolls have finished rising bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. If desired spread with icing while still warm. Makes 12 rolls.

Do I hear angels singing? Because these cinnamon rolls were heavenly. Yummm!

XOXO-

Thankful Thursday: A little late

2010-11-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

I know Thursday was TWO DAYS AGO, but better late than never, right? =]

This week I have A LOT to be thankful for....

1. Number one being my LIFE. I got into my first car accident on my way home from work last Friday. It was a hit and run (though I think I may have been slightly at fault). The other car smashed right into the front driver's side of my car and proceeded to speed off. Needless to say, my car is totaled. However, I am so very thankful that my Heavenly Father protected me that night and all I walked away with was a bruise on my leg and a bump on my head. Throughout the whole process I was blessed with a clear mind and felt calm and collected. Even as the other car was crashing into me, I remember this feeling of peace, that everything would be OK. I didn't cry until later that night when I realized I probably ruined our new car that we've barely had for a year. I'm just feeling very thankful that I wasn't hurt. Also, I have to give a shout out to our insurance company. Geico took great care of us through the whole process and we had great customer service from everyone we talked to.

RIP Subaru Impreza Outback Sport.

You will be missed. =[

2. Being a smart adult. Darn it. After trying to decide whether to finance new car, or to just buy a used car, we settled on what I think is a very smart decision on our part. We are now the proud owners of a 1995 VW Jetta. It is in great condition and I can't tell you what a great feeling it is to not have to worry about a car payment anymore. We can always finance a car down the road if we really want to, but, hey, we now have a mortgage to pay so why not get rid of another bill? Exactly. =]

3. Our new ward. Our first day in our new ward at church was also this last weekend, and I think it went wonderfully. We met so many people. We found out a lot of the people in our ward also live in the same neighborhood as us. We have already had visitors from the Elder's Quorum over, are having a visitor from Relief Society over on Sunday, got invited over for dinner on Sunday and gotten other various calls from people in the new ward. I love my friends, but I also love making new friends. I think we will fit in well at the new ward. =]

4. HOMEMADE cinnamon rolls....made by yours truly. I am seriously so thankful that I made something from scratch (yeast and all!) that actually turned out good...really good! I'm so proud of myself. I was a little worried it would turn out a horrible mess (like most things I try to bake/cook...), but they were delicious....just ask my husband. =] I made them on Sunday and we both single-handedly ate all 12 of them by Tuesday morning. They were THAT good. But don't you fret now, I promise I'll post a recipe soon. =]

Here's a little preview...

(Nommm.)

XOXO-

TAG! You're it!

2010-11-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

My cute friend, Amanda, over at The Forever Endeavor (go check out her blog!) recently tagged me in one of her posts! Since, I've been tagged, I am now required to answer a slew of questions from the lovely Miss Amanda. Here goes. =]

1. What is your ALL time favorite song and why? None of this "well I like everything". If you had to pick one, which would it be? Aww man, you know I can't pick just ONE. I have so many, but right now I'm going to say "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas"....because, well...it's really beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I love it!

2. What was the most memorable part of your wedding day and or first date if you aren't married yet. ;) Walking down the "isle" to Tommy. We got married outside and most of our guests were standing, so they formed an "isle" for me to walk down. Just looking at Tommy, seeing him cry, crying myself, hearing "our" song as I walked to him (I Love Your Existence by Goot)...it all felt so right and I was so excited to be marrying such an awesome stud.

Also, we were married on Lake Washington on a gorgeous August evening, and were lucky enough to be blessed with a beautiful sunset over the lake.

3. What do you want to be when you grow up? Haha I love this question. Well, all I've ever wanted to be since I was a kid, was a mommy. =] I think I loved my doll growing up even more than I love chocolate now. I still have my doll in storage actually. =] I would make up my fake family- always with me as the mom- and even take my doll with me when I would run errands with my mom (complete with front carrier and real diapers/baby clothes). When I was a little older, my neighbor and best friend at the time, Jamie, and I would play with our dolls alllll the time. We didn't want anyone to find out we were playing with our dolls because we were embarrassed, so we made up a code name for them.

"Hey Jamie, do you want to go play with our radios now??"

haha yeah, our brothers caught on to that one real quick and told everybody we still played with dolls. I was mortified...but I loved my little dolly. =]

Anyway, what I'm getting at is, it sure would be fun to be a physical therapist (specializing in geriatrics), or maybe a 3rd/4th grade teacher, maybe even an entrepreneur of some sort...but all I really want is to have children with the man I love and complete our family. Being a parent is the hardest, most important, and most rewarding job anyone can have (so I've heard ;0) ). I believe families are so important to our life here on earth, and can't wait to experience parenthood for myself.

4. Why do you blog? I started out blogging because my friend Ashley told me about her blog. Then she finally convinced me to start my own blog. I mostly did it just so I wouldn't feel like a total creep reading other people's blogs and not having one of my own. After a while, I realized how fun it could be! I still don't blog as much as I want to. When something happens to me or I have a sudden stroke of genius, I think "oh, I should put that on my blog!", but then I rarely ever do.

5. What is your favorite attribute about yourself and why? I know who I am and I stand up for what I believe in. I have my own standards, and they don't falter. I don't shove my opinions on other people and I hate confrontation, but if someone wants to know, I will tell them what I stand for (in a nice way, of course!). I think this is my favorite attribute about myself because I used to be a push-over. I had my opinions, but I don't know that I really stuck to them. After I met Tommy (and especially after I became LDS) I gained a lot of sense-of-self, confidence and self-respect. I don't know why I never had it before. I supposed I was trying to find myself in this world. I feel like I finally have. It's a good feeling.

6. What's on your Christmas list this year? I hate making "wish lists" because I always feel like I'm being greedy when I do, but I won't say I don't already have a mental list in my head. =] And since you asked..... some things I'm realling digging right now:

-Anything for the house (ie: Home Depot gift card!!, Bed, Bath and Beyong gift card, Target gift card, picture frames, pictures, etc.)

-Lotion, body spray, candles, or scented plug-ins from Bath and Body Works. Brown Sugar and Fig is my favorite scent. =]

- A stainless steel, step trash can like THIS one from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. (Maybe not this exact one, because I would hate to pay $100 just for a trash can!)

-A STEAM MOP!!!! I want one so bad. I would kill for one. Not really...but I will probably end up begging Tommy for one until he gives in.

-Tickets to go see the Canucks in Vancouver for Tommy and I. I'm pretty sure Tommy would approve of this idea. =]

7. What is your "signature drink"? It could be homemade, your daily Starbucks drink, or what you always order when you go out. If it is homemade, will you include the recipe? :) My answer is going to make me sound like such a lame-o. Also the fact that I just used the word "lame-o" might have some contributing factor in making me sound like a lame-o. Either way, my all time favorite drink EVER is...WATER. I love it. Aside from being so good for you (we kinda need it to survive, ya know?), water tastes so delicious to me. I'm always really thirsty, and water is really the only drink that can quench my thirst. I drink a ton of water. It's probably why I pee so much. =]

And on that lovely note, HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

To see if anyone really reads my blog anymore ;0), I'm tagging:

Kayla @ http://www.kaylaandmattcollins.blogspot.com/ (she also has another cute blog all you mommies at there might want to check out, http://www.newmom2newmom.blogspot.com/ )

Shannon @ http://www.shannonesadler.blogspot.com/

Brittney @ http://www.brittneyelysse.blogspot.com/

Kortni @ http://www.qwertney.blogspot.com/

Same questions for you guys! =]

There are a lot of you who I wanted to tag, but I'll just leave it at that. If you want to answer the questions even if you weren't tagged, please do so. It would be fun to see everyone's answers!

XOXO-

Thankful Thursday

2010-11-04T17:38:00.001-07:00

1. My wonderful "moms" (my mom and mother-in-law). They both helped us so much with the move this Saturday. My mom packed up our ENTIRE kitchen (including the pantry and fridge!) at the old apartment the night before we moved. And Tommy's mom UNPACKED our kitchen in the new house when I had to leave at 2:00PM on Saturday to go to work. It was so awesome to come home from work and have it all be unpacked. It gave me time to unpacked the rest of our stuff (which isn't much) that same night, so I could just relax on Sunday. These ladies truly are angels to me! xoxo

2. My Beehives and the awesome Young Women's leaders I was priviledged to serve with at church for the last year or so. Our last day in the Crestwood Ward was on Sunday. It was my last day teaching the Beehives. I am so thankful for the examples and role-models that they were to me. They have no idea the impact that they, along with the other YW leaders, have had on my life. Love you ladies! =]

3. Again, my wonderful mother-in-law. OK, I know I already talked about my MIL, but I'm feeling extra thankful for her this week! My Hyundai broke down Tuesday afternoon. Right in the middle of the street. Cars lined up behind me, waiting for me to go, getting angrier by the minute. There was one split second where panic overcame me. I always wondered what I would do if this exact situation happened to me. I guess it was time to find out! Luckily the panic went away and I waved the man behind me to go around, as he was obviously perplexed as to why I was just sitting there and not driving my car foward.

Anyway, the man in the car behind me got out right away, told me to put on my emergency blinkers, got another man from the car behind him, and helped me push my car to the side of the rode. They both left. RIGHT THEN, who do you think drives by?? My mommy-in-law! She immediately did a u-turn and came to my rescue! She told me what to do, helped me talk to Tommy (who was at work in Belluvue...he usually works from home) and explain what happened, got a friend to help push the car into a church parking lot so I didn't have to leave my car on the side of the road, took me to Waltz where her mechanic friend works, took me to her house to have a sandwhich since I had to wait for Tommy to get there, and so many other little things. She helped me stay calm, kept me company, fed me...what more could I have asked for? Thanks for helping me out! Oh and by the way, the car IS repairable and we should be getting it back from the shop today (that's another thing to be thankful for!). =]

4. Tommy. For not killing me. Even though I should have pulled over when the check engine light came on, instead of continuing to drive and having the car breakdown in the middle of 256th. =]

5. My new commute. Before we moved this weekend, we lived about 5 minutes from my work....2 minutes if there is no traffic and you don't get stuck at any lights. Now that we live out in Maple Valley, I have an actual "commute" to work. And I am loving it so far. =] I thought I would hate it, but turns out, I don't! I don't have to take any main roads and there is never any traffic because of how my work schedule is (I leave after rush hour in the morning and at night). It's like my own "me time", where I can listen to music (or not), unwind from work (or prepare for it, if I'm on my way there) and just....drive. Ya know? It's just kind of nice. =]

XOXO-

It's official!

2010-10-27T23:05:00.000-07:00

We are OFFICIALLY, 100%

HOME OWNERS!!

We got our keys to the house this morning and we'll be moving in THIS Saturday! We have lots to do.

I think I waited to long to pack...oops. These next couple of days will be a whirlwind! But, we get to spend our first holiday together in our new house....HALLOWEEN! I can't wait for trick-or-treaters. =]

Thanks for all of your support guys! We can't wait to move. =]

*Pictures coming soon.

Chicken and Dumplings

2010-10-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

It has been a cold, rainy, windy mess around Washington these last couple of days (not that I'm complaining...I love this weather). Such occasions as this call for cuddling up with a comfy blankie (or your hunny), a crackling fire, and, of course, some comfort food. Mmm mmm!

So for Sunday dinner yesterday, I decided to try my hand at some good ol' Chicken and Dumplings.

It was my first time making it, and I think it turned out pretty well! =]

Here's what I did:

Ingredients:

Boneless skinless chicken thighs (however much you prefer...just make sure its thigh, not breast. I think it gives more flavor.)
1 small onion (chopped)
2 celery stalks (chopped)
Some frozen peas or carrots (or both)
2-3 cans of chicken broth
1 Bay leaf
Seasoning (I used some salt, fresh ground pepper, and garlic powder...thyme would be good with this recipe too, but I was all out)

For dumplings:
1 cup of Original Bisquick Mix
1/3 cup of milk

Directions:

1. Cook onion and celery in frying pan with a little chicken broth until soft. Add seasoning to taste, along with bay leaf. Add chicken and cook until outside is no longer pink.

2.Add the rest of the chicken broth and let simmer until all the chicken is cooked and the flavors have blended in the broth. Add a little water to taste, to tone down the chicken broth, if desired.

3. To make dumplings, mix Bisquick with milk and stir until dough forms. Make small dough balls and gently drop into soup. Cook until dumplings are done. (I'm not really sure how long I cooked them for, I just kept my eye on them until they seemed done.)

4. You can also add a can of cream of chicken soup and some milk to the soup to make it thicker and creamier. Tommy and I like it better when its more brothy and soupy, than thick and creamy, so I didn't do that part.

Well that's basically it! I adapted my own recipe from various recipes I found online, so I don't really know the EXACT recipe. Just use your own judgment and make everything to taste and you'll be fine. Trust me, if I can make it, so can you. =]

*THIS RECIPE IS HUSBAND APPROVED.

XOXO-

HP

2010-10-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jamie, just recently announced that she will indeed be having a

HARRY POTTER PARTY (*squeals in delight*)

for the premier of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in November,

and I couldn't be more excited

!!!

I'm definitely going to have to dress up for that.

SERIOUS QUESTION:

Which character should I dress up as???

XOXO-

Did I really do that?

2010-10-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes I did.

Here's the story.

I went to see The Music Man with my mom on Thursday night.

My church is performing it this week and I know a ton of people in it. Included in that "ton" were many people in my current ward, whom I love and adore. One of my Beehives (the 12-13yo girls) I teach every Sunday in Young Women's (12-18yo) was in it as well, along with many other of the young women I have had the opportunity to get to know and love in other Sunday school classes.

I was so excited to see it. I love plays and musicals! I always wanted to be in drama in high school or try out for one of the plays, but the drama department at my high school was a-maz-ing and I knew I could never measure up to all that incredible talent. I actually wanted to be in this church play, but I knew I wouldn't be able to make the practices with my work schedule right now.

Anyway, as soon as The Music Man started, and all of the "townspeople" started singing and dancing and all of that fun stuff, I couldn't help but tear up as I watched all of these wonderful people who I care so much about.

Luckily, I don't think anyone around me noticed. Phew.

I don't know what came over me. Oh wait, yes I do. I'm a big cry baby who tears up at things like the end of Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeaquel (which isn't even a sad ending, by the way)! Yes, that really happened.

You have no idea how dorky I felt sitting there watching my church play, crying. I'm really going to miss these people! Especially my Beehives!

I am so grateful for the time that we have spent in the Crestwood Ward and look forward to the many friendships we will make in the Rock Creek Ward. I know that moving is a necessary step in our live's right now, and it is the right one for us. I just have to keep trusting in the Lord and try to follow His path for us!

XOXO-

P.S. The play was soooo good! Everyone who had a hand in it's production did an amazing job! =]

Thankful Thursday

2010-10-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a Thankful Thursday in quite some time, but I've been thinking a lot lately about having an "attitude of gratitude". It's very easy to look at your life and notice all of the things that you don't have; to pick out all of the negatives. But what about the many positive things?

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues"
-President Thomas S. Monson

I feel like I have so much to be thankful for (we all do!):

1. Our new house (duh!)...I really can't wait to move in.

2. The fact that we'll soon have a two-car garage (complete with garage door opener..ahhh the little things in life), a backyard, a third bedroom (like we have anything to put in it, ha), a washing machine that doesn't make weird noises every time you use it, toilets that don't get clogged every time you use it (even if you just go #1!), I could go on. Sorry, I'm just really excited!

3. The beautiful, rainy day we had in Washington today.

4. A good man who keeps me grounded (AKA hubby).

5. People who care about me.

6. My sweet Grandpa Pop who turned 85 today. Happy Birthday Grandpa!

7. Getting really into a good book. (I should be getting my copy of The Scorch Trials soon!) Wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket and settling down with a good book goes quite well with our lovely Washington weather. =]

8. The fact that I had MULTIPLE dinner successes this week. (Yes, you should be very proud of me).

9. My new sweater from Target. (I was NOT so thankful when I found out it was hand-washable though...darn!)

10. My crock pot. Seriously. Thank you to the Higgins Family for one of our favorite wedding presents ever. Usually the only meals I make that turn out good are from the crock pot.

11. And my Heavenly Father, who loves me and knows me and just what I need when I can't figure it out for myself. =]

XOXO-

To all my LDS friends

2010-10-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

To all my LDS friends who read my blog, I'm in need of your ideas.

As a small family of two, we rarely (and by rarely I mean like twice a year) have Family Home Evening together. We already spend a lot of time together and sometimes don't see the point in it. But I know that it is something that our Prophet and General Authorities have counseled us to do. I know it has a divine purpose and it is something we really should be doing.

My problem is, I never know what to do! Of course, we will do it when we have children. But right now, when its just the two of us, I just don't know what to do for FHE.

So I'm asking for HELP!

What did you do for FHE before you had kids? Something that the hubs would actually be interested in doing. =]

We have a book all about FHE for newlyweds. But its full of things we will probably never do (ie: scavenger hunts).

So, please give me some ideas ladies!

Thanks. =]

"Family home evening is for everyone. It is for families with parents and children, for families with just one parent, and for parents who have no children at home. It is for home evening groups of single adults and for those who live alone or with roommates. . . . Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellow men, and trust in our Father in heaven."
(Family Home Evening, 1976 — Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, and Marion G. Romney)

XOXO-

Out of Shape

2010-10-08T14:57:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning, I worked up a sweat just doing my hair before work.

Is that bad?

XOXO-

Some Big News!

2010-10-06T04:33:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not pregnant! Well, now that we got that out of the way....
I have some good news and some bad.

The good news?

Tommy and I are taking the next big step in our marital journey together and....

We're buying a
HOUSE!!!!

We've been living in an apartment for the past three years (after living with Tommy's mom for a month and a good family friend's for a couple more months when we were first married....yeah, try living with your mother-in-law and sleeping on a twin bed with your husband as newlyweds...fun stuff... haha)

But we've been saving our money diligently and waiting for the right time to come along... and it finally did. So, sometime before the end of October we will have our first home together!

I couldn't be happier. =]

Oh, but I did mention some bad news, didn't I?

Well, in my church (click the link to find out more about what I believe), each congregation, if you will, is called a Stake. Within the Stake are different wards (or smaller congregations). The wards are determined by geographical location. So that way, no matter where you live or move to, you will always know where you are supposed to go to church, no ward will be too over-crowded, and you will live close to all of the people in your ward.

Since I became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have been in the same ward. So has Tommy. We love our ward. I don't think I could ask for a better ward "family".

So, the bad news is...our new house is in a new city, which means we'll be in a NEW ward (actually, we'll be in a new Stake all-together)! =(

So that's my news:

We're buying a house (yippie!). And moving out of our wonderful ward (boooo.).

Here is the front of our cute new home:

And here's our cute backyard:

We feel very blessed, excited, and proud of ourselves. We also feel very grateful to all the people who have helped us along the way. I guess the next step is to start having babies, right? ;0) Hehe, only joking, sorry guys.

XOXO-

Sunday Pot Roast

2010-10-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Before I got married, I pictured myself being the perfect wife. Dinner on the table every night; Perfect clean, organized home; Pies, cookies, and other treats always baking in the oven.

Boy, was I delusional!

I'm lucky if I make dinner even three nights out of the week. Working four ten hour shifts limits my time, so I typically only make dinner on my days off. And when I do, it usually turns out dry, overcooked, weird, etc. (I'm terrified of under-cooking my meat!)

But every now and then I do have a successful dinner or two!

One of them being the easiest pot roast you will ever make! Anything with less than five main ingredients? I'll take it! Here's the recipe:

Sunday Pot Roast

Ingredients:
3 1/2 pound (or however much you want) boneless beef pot roast (I prefer chuck roast)
1 to 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 packet Lipton's Onion Soup Mix
Potatoes (however much you want...I prefer white potatoes)
Carrots (again, however much you can shove into your crockpot)
Roughly 1 cup of water
Your choice of spices

Directions:
1. Brown the roast in a frying pan with a little oil and any spices you might want to use (rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic or onion powder, etc.)
2. Cut up potatoes and carrots to desired size and place in crock pot.
3. Place roast in the crock pot with potatoes and carrots.
4. In a separate bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup, Lipton's Onion Soup Mix, and can of water (you can use one or two cans of the soup, depending on your preference).
5. Pour mixture over roast and vegetables.
6. Cook on low for 8 hours or so.
7. ENJOY! =]

Pretty easy stuff, huh? And it's delicious too! Perfect for Sunday dinner!

XOXO-

Sweet Grandma Dixie

2010-09-30T17:47:00.001-07:00

In my last post I mentioned that I was going out of town with my sister and nephew this weekend.

We went to Las Vegas for my grandmother's funeral.

My sweet Grandma Dixie passed away on Tuesday the 14th.

I cried when my mom first told me. I wasn't sad that my grandma had passed away. I was sad only for my mom...that her mom wasn't on this earth anymore and that she was sad.

That might sound awful, but let me explain.

I wasn't sad for my grandmother, because I know that she isn't sad right now. I take comfort in knowing that death is not the end, but rather a new beginning. Our Heavenly Father has big plans for us, and the time we spend on earth is but a small moment in the grand scheme of things.

1 Corinthians 15:22-

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive".

Because of Adam's transgressions in the Garden of Eden, we are all subject to mortality and a mortal death. But because of Jesus Christ and his resurrection after his atoning sacrifice, we are all given the opportunity to be reserrected again as well. It's so comforting to know this! I loved my grandmother very much and I'm so thankful for the influence she had on so many lives. She raised a wonderful daughter who I call Mom and I will forever be grateful to her for that.

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother"
-Abraham Lincoln

XOXO-

P.S. I think I should note that I have a wonderful father as well...didn't want to leave you out, Dad!

Cutie Patootie

2010-09-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

It was such a nice surprise to be able to wake up to THIS cute face yesterday:

(my nephew, Lincoln!)

OK, so I didn't actually get to wake up to him in person...but I did get to wake up to this picture on a text from my sister! What a way to start my morning! =] I love this little guy and I get to see him in about 5 days, along with my sister, when we fly out of town together on Sunday! Can't wait!

XOXO-

A Day at Work

2010-09-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Work, work, work.

This week has been so busy for me at work. I hardly had enough time to take the following pictures for your viewing pleasure. LAME. What's even more lame is that everybody thinks it's no big deal to pawn all of the work they don't want to do on to me.

Thanks guys! (*big sarcastic smile*)

They did surprise me with a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin from Starbucks yesterday, however. So can I complain really? There I was, eating my good ol' carrot sticks (which I actually really enjoy eating),

when I was surprised by this yummy treat:

(^ Can you see where I took a bite out of it?)

Anyway, enough about food already (this seems to be a common theme among my posts...).

This is what my desk looked like around 4:30PM yesterday:

This is what it looked like around 5:30PM:

And here's what it looked like around 7:00PM before I headed out the door for the night:

Ahhh nice and clean. (Just don't look in the drawers!)

Granted, there was still a {crap}load of tasks I needed to work on, but I'll get to those today (Right?). =]

Oh, and it was "Sports Day" at work yesterday, too! So at least I got to wear my Patriots jersey. Hey, if I had a Seahawks jersey, I would have worn it! Tommy's dad is from Boston and got us both jerseys when he was there this year. So, naturally, I had to take a picture for my blog.

(I just want everyone to please take a moment and look at my hand. lol I was going for a "thumbs up", but my hand wouldn't quite cooperate with me. That's the best I could do. What a weirdo.)

Well, happy Friday everyone! (OK, I know it's really Saturday, but, because of my work schedule, it's my Friday.) Have a great weekend!

XOXO-

2010-09-11T12:25:00.001-07:00

Well I was planning on going to the gym after work last night...

but instead, the hubs and I decided to get Mexican for dinner and then settle in at home for the night with a nice slice of cheesecake each. =]

(^ Actual picture of our cheesecake...I'm sure you can understand now how I couldn't turn it down.)

My excuse (there's always an excuse) was that I already exercised Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, aaaand Wednesday. I think the cheesecake was well deserved, don't you?

XoXo-

Sin City!

2010-07-30T23:57:00.001-07:00

Well, the hubs left yesterday for Las Vegas baby!

He'll be gone until Monday. He "had" to go for a hacking convention called Def Con for work. That's his excuse at least. hehe JK ;0) Actually, he told me today that it's been pretty boring. Not to mention its 105 degrees in Vegas and my husband pretty much hates the sun.

Kinda lame, but I miss him already! I watched a sad movie and now I'm depressed. And I miss my husband. AND I'm about to get a visit from my Aunt Flow soon.

Man, I need some chocolate!

*Hope you're having fun in Vegas, boo boo!*

Berry Cream Dessert

2010-07-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

Berry Cream Dessert

I got this recipe from a wonderful little blog called See Jane in the Kitchen. I absolutely love her blog. I want to try all of her recipes!

I tried out her Blueberry Cream Dessert recipe the other day. I made it for a BBQ my mom and I threw for people to come see my sister and my new nephew, Lincoln! The whole thing was gone by the end of the BBQ. Probably because I ate about half of it myself...

Anyway, I followed the recipe exactly, except I used fresh fruit instead of blueberry pie filling (what the recipe calls for). Hence the name Berry Cream Dessert instead of Blueberry Cream Dessert. I tried it with the blueberry pie filling too, a few weeks before...I liked it with the fresh fruit much more!

It was deeeelish. Most importantly, however...it was super easy to make! That is definitely a must in my kitchen. =]

Here is the recipe right from See Jane in the Kitchen:

Crust:

1 package graham crackers (8 large crackers)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 TBS butter, melted
1/2 tsp cinammon

Combine all ingredients and press into a pie pan. (or double and press into a 9 x 13)

Pie filling:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1cup powdered sugar
1 can blueberry pie filling

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Pour on top of graham cracker crust. Top with blueberry pie filling. This doubles perfectly for a 9 X 13 pan.

Sometimes

2010-07-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes....

I like to shove a towel under my shirt and pretend like I'm pregnant. Just to see what it would look like.

I got a pocketful of sunshine.

2010-07-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

"The sun is on my side and takes me for a ride.

I smile up to the sky, I know I'll be alright."

Here in the beautiful state of Washington, we've finally been showered with some sunshine, rather than our usual rain. Who knew it could be so gorgeous in rainy old Seattle? Oh right, I did. That's why I looooove living here. When it's nice outside, its nice. (though we did have a couple days of 90 degree weather, in which everyone thought they were going to die of heat....and then it rained the next week, go figure.) I celebrated our long-awaited sunshine last Sunday (one of my days off) by going to the local park with my mom and 5-year old nephew. We spent our time playing lots and lots of tag. It was the best.

I love you Washington.

Thanks for being so unpredictable and always keeping us on our toes. And thanks for being so pretty when you want to be.

Hungry Girl and My Fitness Pal

2010-07-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gents, I've discovered the trick to healthy weight loss!

All you need to do to melt those pounds away is try this!! :

Burn more calories than you consume! Eat right and exercise!

Oh wait...that's not a new discovery, you say??

Hmmmm, well, darn it.

With that said, I have discovered two weight loss tools that I wanted to share with all the women out there who weren't blessed with a fast metabolism. To those of you who were....we can't be friends anymore. I prefer to be friends with people who are fatter than me, therefore making myself seem slimmer when I'm with them. Its worked most of my life, thus far....=]. hehe of course I'm kidding!

But in all seriousness, I am not happy with my body or my energy level lately. I don't think I've ever really been "happy" with my body. Obviousy, I'm not over-weight. Actually, my BMI is right in the middle of the "healthy" range.

But I don't want to be healthy....I want to be smoking hott, gosh darn it!! ;0)

I want to feel comfortable in my own skin.

I wanted to wear something and not feel self-conscious about it.

I want to be able to keep up with my children when Mr. T and I decided to start having kids sometime in the (hopefully near) future!

My husband deserves a wife who is confident and happy with herself.

And, quite frankly, I'm just sick of people asking me if I'm pregnant. My legs and arms aren't very big....I hold most of my weight in my mid-section...so apparently people sometimes mistake my pooch to be a growing fetus. Trust me, you will know when I'm pregnant....I will shout it from the mountain tops for all the world to hear!

So, instead of complaining about how "fat" I am and sulking in the corner while over-indulging myself with Oreos while my husband tries to figure out what the H is wrong with me and if it's something he did to upset me (like I usually do)....I'm going to do something about it!

Like I said, I found some pretty awesome tools to help me on my way.

The first one being ....

This website -------------------->

http://www.hungry-girl.com/

I love their slogan: Tips & Tricks...For Hungry Chicks!

Because, let's face it...I am one hungry chick! Anyone that knows me, knows that I loooove food, I'm always hungry (really....even an hour after I've eaten, I feel like I'm starving already!) and you can usually find me eating at work. But like I said in my last post....I'm pretty sure my co-workers are trying to make me fat. So you can see how it's not really my fault.

Anyway, I love love love Hungry Girl! If you join the website you gain access to all kinds of helpful tools, including daily/weekly e-mails with tips, recipes, and swaps (low-calorie versions of your favorite dishes). I haven't tried anything yet, but now that I'm serious about losing weight and toning up, I want to try some of HG's swaps. I'll share them on The Wife Life, of course!

Here's one that I want to try:

HG's Orea Cheesecake Attack!

It's a swap for the Oreo Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory. The original cheesecake is 869 calories for one slice. HG's swap is only 174 calories!

In a recent e-mail I got from HG, they hooked me up with some cool websites that act as electronic food/fitness journal/calorie counters. Which brings me to my next tool....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

My Fitness Pal is an online "journal", which allows me to set a goal and track my progess, along with my daily caloric inake and exercise. Another helpful site to use is ...

http://www.calorieking.com/

Ideally, I'd like to lose about 10-15 pounds, but more importantly, I want to be toned and energetic! I will share recipes, exercise tips, and all the ups and downs of my progress each week. My goal is to motivate myself and others who want to live a healthy lifestyle and feel good, too! Can I get a what what???!

xoxo- Jackie

No wonder I can't lose weight

2010-07-14T15:04:00.001-07:00

My co-workers are trying to make me fat.

Seriously. They always bring me desserts and treats. Look at this cake they brought me the other day for a birthday party at work. How could I say no to this morsel of deliciousness??----->

They tried to pull the same thing on me the next day, but I managed to muster up enough self control to say no.

Go me!

(But then I had a gigantic piece of cake a couple days later at a work baby shower. And when I came into work this morning there was a huge bag of chocolate with my name on it from the other receptionist. Dang it!)

Green Eggs and Ham?

2010-07-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

More like green HASHBROWNS!

I cooked up this beauty the other day. Doesn't it look appetizing??

haha.

I don't know what I did wrong. Tommy really had a hankering for hashbrowns the other morning, so I shredded some potatoes, put some oil and seasoning in a frying pan, and (unsuccessfully) tried to fry those puppies up.

Someone please tell me why the yummy, crispy hashbrowns I had envisioned, turned into a yucky, gooey, green mess?!

My poor husband.

My poor future children!

My husband knew what he was getting himself into when he married me. But my future children....well they won't get a choice in having to eat burnt, overcooked, awful food for the rest of their lives...at least while they're living at home, that is. Poor things. I'm trying, I really am; I just haven't got the hang of it yet. You'd think after three years you would have a pretty good grip on things in the kitchen, but NOPE! Not me!

Good thing I'm just so lovable, or my husband might not have stuck around this long. =] Thanks boo boo.

Welcome Baby Lincoln!

2010-07-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

Remember this post about the baby blanket I made for my sister? Well, she'll finally get to use it because....

HE'S HERE!

Born at 2:13AM this morning; weighing in at 6lbs, 12oz, and 20 inches long....

Welcome to the world, Lincoln Shane Sadler!

Even though we haven't met yet, I already love you to pieces! I can't wait to see you in person soon!

xoxo- Auntie Jackie (and Uncle Tommy too!)

I'm Switching Teams

2010-07-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

No I don't mean that.

I mean, after seeing Eclipse (at the midnight showing of course!), I think I can safely say that I am now ...

TEAM JASPER.

Oh Yeah!

I can't wait until I have my own.

2010-06-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

While in a dressing room at Target today, this is what I heard in the dressing room next to me:

Little boy (probably about 3 or 4): "Mom, why can't girls have penises?"

Mom: "Well, because that's just the way God made us. If we were all the same that wouldn't be very fun, now would it?"

Little boy: *giggles* "Nooo."

I must agree. It wouldn't be nearly as much fun to be married to Tommy if we both had the same parts. ;0)

I love kids. They are so blunt and soooo funny.

I can't wait until I have my own someday. =]

B is for BOY

2010-06-07T18:20:00.001-07:00

My older sister is having a BABY BOY (!!) in July and I couldn't be more excited!

( Shannon at one of her baby showers. We thought it would be funny to get a picture with all of our hands on her belly. =] And yes, she's a blondie and I'm brunette! Weird, huh?)

To show my enthusiasm, I decided to make my sissy-pants and her soon-to-be baby one of those flannel rag baby quilts. I'm sure you've all seen them given at a baby shower at one time or another (or atleast I have...probably because I have been to about a gazillion baby showers over the last year).

Well, I it turned out great and it was fairly easy for me to make (which really means it would be a cinch for anyone else). I was going to do a tutorial for the quilt but I forgot to take pictures of all of the steps....and what's a tutorial without pictures?

So, I found THIS awesome tutorial over at Green Apple Orchar d (it's made exactly the same way I made my quilt), just in case any of you wanted to make one...because you should. I'm sure you know at least one person who is pregnant that you could make this as a gift for. It's so soft and comfy; perfect for baby.....or yourself. ;0)

Luckily, I did manage to get a couple pictures of the completed project before I gave it to my sister! I think I'll need to get more pictures of it later with the baby when he gets here. =]

Before I sewed it all together. Don't you love the polka dots? I do! -------->

<----- ^ This was right after I washed it so there are some fuzzies still stuck on it. You can just ignore those, thanks.

<------- My new baby, hard at work. =]

Party Animal

2010-06-06T23:51:00.001-07:00

Saturday night Tommy went to the movies with some of his buds.
I decided to stay in and spend some quality time with my good friend; someone I haven't paid much attention to lately.

ME. =]

So I went to good 'ol Freddie's and did me some grocery shopping. Gosh, I love shopping late at night when there are no lines and hardly anyone is there.... don't you? =]

Along with my groceries, I got a Seventeen Magazine (no Cosmo for me...I don't need any sex tips, thank you very much), some almonds, a chick flick (naturally), and a pack of sweet/sour Starbursts and planned out my Girls Night In....with myself. haha

Here's my stash...

Before:

After:

Like my nail polish?

Every now and then I like to throw some spice into my life and paint my nails a fun, bright color (I like to live life on the edge)! ;0) I tried out this "teal" color. I say "teal" because it didn't quite turn out as teal-y as I thought.

Now every time I look down at my hands I see my silly fingernails and smile. =]

So that was my crazy Saturday night.

Oh, and I also picked up a little something else for myself while I was at the grocery store....

Thoughts of pretty blue crafts are dancing in my head. =]

Sew Crazy

2010-05-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised by the gift of a brand-spanking new sewing machine from Dad for Christmas this year and I love it sewwwww much! ha I also love the play on words I can do with so and sew. =] And I will keep doing it to my heart's content!

Isn't she a beaut? =]

Anyway, since I got the sewing machine I have been working on a slew of various projects and, duh, I want to share them with all of YOU!

My first project was an apron. It came as a kit (all of the pieces of fabric in one kit, I got it at Joann Fabrics)so it was probably the easiest thing ever to make ... or so I thought. It was a little harder than I intended it to be, but the most important thing was that I did it all on my own. Yup,all the way down to the last stitch. =]

I made Tommy take a picture of me wearing it. =]

Next Post: A baby blanket for my nephew who is due to arrive on July 7th! Yippie!

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Christmas Stockings!

2008-11-15T18:50:00.001-08:00

OK so I just finished making Christmas stockings (with the help of my amazingly crafty and talented mother-in-law) for Tommy and I. I must say, I'm quite proud of myself (even though Tommy's mom basically held my hand through the entire process, but who has to know? Except those of you who I told just now...)! They were fairly easy to make. You just cut out a basic stocking shape and cut out rectangles for the cuff and hooks and pretty much just sew it all together! I also did a lining of wool on the inside of the stockings to make them stiffer and fatter. I only wish I had made the toe of the stockings just a smidge bigger. They look too skinny to me, but I still like them. And, as I said in my normal blog, I went to Carriage Country Quilts and I highly recommend them to anyone who needs fabric/quilting/etc. supplies. Not only is the place just adorable, but the staff is so sweet and helpful. I'm so excited and eager for Christmas now. I want to start decorating so I can show off my cool new stockings that I made all by my self (well, for the most part)!

The final product:

Tommy's stocking:

My stocking:
Sorry about the pictures...I never knew how badly I sucked at photography. Not to mention I look like a total dork in them.

I want to make stockings that look like this for my kids. I decided it looked looked a little too advanced for my current skill level:

I can't wait until after Thanksgiving so I can finally start decorating for Christmas and get to put my homemade stockings up on the mantle for all to see! =)

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2008-11-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

I made these back in October. I thought they looked delicious and seemed very fitting for the time of season. I got the recipe from Becky Higgins (again!) and it seemed very easy.

Well, I don't know what I did wrong but my muffins did not turn out well. I thought I followed the recipe but I must have done SOMETHING wrong because they tasted so weird!

Except me and Tommy ended up eating up all of them in less than two days and both got really bad heart burn from them! haha weirrrdddd. I'm a little disappointed I don't have anything better to share with you. I even took pictures of my pathetic muffins before I tried them. Just for the fun of it, here they are:

^Me enjoying my strange, lumpy, heartburn muffin.

P.S. Please excuse my poor photography skills.

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Chicken Pillows

2008-11-11T22:54:00.001-08:00

A while back I was having problems coming up with ideas for dinner. It seemed like dinner was a never-ending cycle of pasta or pizza, and a very vicious cycle I might add. So on my normal blog I asked everybody if they had any suggestions or favorite recipes they would like to share with me. I got lots of responses and found a couple of really great websites, most of which had super easy recipes (always a plus)!

So a couple of nights ago I decided to use one of the recipes. I decided on making "chicken pillows" from BeckyHiggins.com, this awesome website that my friend Ashley told me about. I found chicken pillows on the site and thought it looked fairly easy and very yummy...and it was! I can't say that it was kid approved (since I don't have any), but I can definitely say it was husband approved! Tommy thought they were delicious and so did I.

However, in my haste, I accidentally did part of the recipe wrong. I was supposed to coat the "pillows" in unprepared stuffing mix (meaning no water or anything has been added to it), but for some reason I thought I had to make the stuffing mix first. So after I made the stuffing I finally realized that I wasn't supposed to prepare the stuffing. DANG IT!

So the flavor was fine, everything tasted great, it just looked really odd and lumpy. haha I decided not to post any pictures so as not to completely humiliate myself. The pictures on the website do it much better justice than I ever could have with my ancient digital camera anyway.

So, all in all, if you want an easy, yummy, comfort food kind of dinner (who doesn't?) then I suggest you try it out for yourself!

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