Oh the JOY!!!

Can you believe Christmas has come and gone already? Man December is just flying! And speaking of flying....the snow just keeps coming down! When I went into work this morning the roads were just fine and dry, but a couple hours later it was snowing and yucky outside. Luckily I've only got 2 more days to drive to American Fork, then I'll be back up at Gateway and riding the traxs. Though the trax take a couple minutes longer than driving, we get to save on gas, not put as many miles on the car, and plus I get to read 1/2 hr each way (it's an easy way to get your scripture study in).

So this last week has been full of getting ready for Christmas. We decided to make cookies and give them to our neighbors and those who we home teach. I tried some new recipes, and based on how fast Steve and Zack ate them, I guess they turned out pretty good. :) I made snicker-doodles, chocolate cookies w/ white chocolate chips and coconut shavings, and peanut butter cookies w/ recess in the middle.

For Christmas Eve, Steve and I went over to Steve's grandma LuDean's. We met his parents there, along w/ Carrie and Aunt Diane. Jeff and baby Cameron also stopped by for a couple minutes. We had pizza for dinner and watched one of my family's favorite, "Seasons of the Heart." We then made graham cracker houses and decorated them. Steve and I then headed home to pack and get ready to head to Idaho. Since we were getting up early, we decided to open our Christmas gifts from each other. We wanted our first Christmas to be simple yet special, so we got just a couple gifts for each other and tried to focus on others more. I got Steve some slippers from Cabelas, along w/ a hat and pocket knife. He got me a really cool game, Blokus 3D. I love Blokus, so 3D was a slam! We took it to Idaho w/ us and everyone just loved it. He also got me a yoga mat and an oil vile key chain (so I'll always be ready or just in case he's not w/ me). By the time we went to bed it was midnight.


The next morning we got up at 7 so we could get the car loaded and get out the door by 9 so we could have lunch w/ my parents, grandma and aunt/uncle. I made one of Steve's favorite breakfasts, eggs, toast, sausage and orange juice. We then hurried, packed up, and left. We made good time. The road were dry and not many were driving that early, so we made good time; just in time for lunch! It was good to visit and to just be "home." That night we over to my brother Daron's house to play visit and play games w/ him and his family.

On Saturday, Steve went hunting coyotes w/ my dad and brothers, and I helped my mom make pizza. My little brother Dexter just got home from Afghanistan earlier this
week, so we were all glad to see him. He has just a couple more months of service, then he's done w/ the Marines. After lunch we all went down to Grandma's house for our Hegerhorst Christmas Party. We had our program of singing and story telling, then opened white elephant gifts, and had dinner. Riley fell asleep during the program on my dad's lap (so cute). After dessert, we went for a quick walk to see the cows, and Charlotte just loved it! Gotta love the cows ;)

On Sunday, we went to church and enjoyed more time w/ everyone...playing games, visiting, movies, eating, etc. Unfortunately dad wasn't feeling good the whole day. The night before his stomach started to hurt and by the next evening it still hadn't gone away. Steve and Chris gave him a blessing, but by the description he was giving us, we all felt we'd better take him to the hospital. We were all worried it would be his appendix, so we didn't want to chance it. By the time we decided this (since there wasn't any change by the time we were going to bed), it was after 11 pm. My Mom, Steve and I then jumped in the Tahoe and drove my dad to the ER in Boise (1 1/2 hrs away). They got us right in, took his blood, got an IV started, and took his vitals. Not his favorite thing in the world to have done, mine neither, but he survived. He made the best of the situation and were laughing all night (morning I guess it was technically). Dad got a little cold from the IV, so I put his beany on his head and got him all cuddled up ;)The Dr thought if it wasn't his appendix that it was his colon, and it was. He had developed a hole in his colon, which had been irritating him, obviously. It's called diverticulitis. The Dr gave him some antibiotics, but also recommended him going to his Dr a couple weeks later. I'm so thankful that we stayed an extra day and were able to take my dad to the hospital. Both Steve and I had the feeling to stay that night, and who knows if they would have gone in had we not been there. By the time we got home it was after 4 am, so needless to say, we were all a little tired the next day...any maybe still are.

I'm so thankful for this time of year, especially to give us an extra reason to reflect and think of Christ. I love my family and and so grateful to spend time w/ them. I know it is through the Atonement of Christ that we can return to our Heavenly Father and live w/ our families as well!

We are done!!!!!

So first things first.....Steve and I are officially done with school....well at least until January! We have been sooooo busy w/ school, especially these past three weeks or so trying to keep up on homework assignments and tests. We both finished up all our classes by Thursday last week. It is such a relief! All our grades have been posted now and we both did great! Steve worked really hard this semester and his work has definitely paid off. We're now enjoying our time together to just relax and be with one another.

Next announcement, we got new WINDOWS!!! Our condo was soooo cold before, so we figured it would be a good investment to purchase new windows. We got one for each room and of course our huge sliding glass door. It took them a little longer than expected, but they got it done and they look great! It's quite warmer now that's for sure. We should also be able to get tax credits and some utility rebates as well...double bonus!


Friday I had the day off; it was great! Steve and I got to do some errands, and also went to support Ethan in his preschool Christmas program. We went and ate at "Noodles and Company" first; it was actually pretty good. They were so cute signing. That night Steve surprised me by taking me to "Zoo Lights." I didn't know that the Zoo was open in the winter, let alone that they decorated w/ lights. It was a lot of fun! We got to walk around the zoo and look at the animals, especially the cats were out (Tigers, mountain lions, links, etc), and we also got to enjoy some creative Christmas lights (in the form of animals). There was a good amount of people there, but we still had a blast. On the way back we picked up some hot chocolate at 7-Eleven yummm! Thanks for the great date night honey! ;)

Saturday we had a pretty busy day. In the morning I went over to the church for choir practice while Steve worked on our water heater. The boards were old and moldy, so Steve decided to replaced them. When I got back, I made some pizza dough and got ready for Zach and Rob to come over. They came over around 12:30 pm we could play Wii. As I put together the pizzas, they played games. We played bowling, a board game, boxing, etc. Carrie and Elvis even came over for a bit to play; it was a lot of fun...even if I'm not so good. That night we went over to the McGrath Christmas party. They have it every year at the Best Western hotel in Sandy. It was great to see everyone and catch up a little. I'm still trying to get the "family tree" down, but it's coming.

On Sunday, we had the Verhagen Family over. They are a family from Vancouver, Steve's mission. They drove down from Canada and decided to stop by and visit while they were on their way to Vegas and Disneyland. We took them to church w/ us. It was our branch Christmas program, which was really good. After church, we showed them around our condo, then Steve took them up Little Cottonwood canyon to see the quary, while I went and helped Dave and Joann get lunch ready. They then came back and we had lunch. We then watched the movie, "Only a Stone cutter" which is about the pioneer who carved the words "Holiness to the Lord" on the SLC Temple. It's a great story. We then went up to Temple Square to look at the lights and visitor information. We met Steve's old companion, Hunter Heaton, and his wife. Ironically they served together in the city We were able to catch a tour of the Conference Center, which was awesome! It always amazes me the more I learn about that building. It really is a modern miracle. We then went to the visitor's centers and walked around looking at the lights. Though it was Sunday, there were a LOT of people at Temple Square. It was rather cold as well, so we tried to go quickly. After we got back, we ate some sandwiches for dinner and played "Apples to Apples." It was great spending time w/ them. It's always fun to be w/ people from your mission.

On Monday, Steve took them up to "This is the Place" monument and then over to the distribution center. They had a blast shopping I hear; stayed there for 3 hours or so. They then had lunch and headed to Vegas. It's been snowing today, so good thing they left. That night after work, Steve and I watched "The Christmas Carol" on tv. We then went and drove around the neighborhood and looked at the Christmas lights. It was a lot of fun!

We're getting pretty excited for Christmas! We're planning to spend Christmas Eve w/ Dave and Joann, then spend Christmas w/ my parents. My little brother Dexter is supposed to be getting back this week from the Marines (he was over in Afghanistan for several months). We're excited to see him and all the relatives this weekend!

BRRRR......

Wow, it is cold outside! It's been in the teens all this week as we're going to work and school, and barely getting above freezing during the day! We got hit with a bunch of snow this weekend, and it's still coming down. The commute wasn't too bad, just had to go slowly. Luckily I left early enough so I was still on time.

Well, a lot has happened since I last blogged, so I'll try to give you a quick update. It's been pretty busy around here with school and work. We've got finals next weeks, so there's been a lot of preparation for them. Steve has been rocking his classes too! He's really enjoying the work he's doing, and recently he's decided he'd like to become a Physicians Assistant. He also met w/ a counselor this week and found out he can finish up with Medical Assistant Degree and associates by next fall. He's pretty excited! He also took a CPR class on Saturday and passed w/ a 100%.

On Saturday evening, we got together w/ the Snow College Ambassadors that I served with back in 2002-2004. We got together for dinner at Johnny Carinos. It was fun to see everyone and catch up over the years. I can't believe how fast time goes by.

For Thanksgiving we went down to Highland to be w/ my mom's side of the family. We helped get set up and make potatoes. After dinner, we hurried back up to Steve's parents place for an honor dinner. This is something they do every year to honor someone in the family, this year it was their grandma LuDean. We went around the circle and said why we appreciate her and gave her a little something that reminded us of her. My dad also came up w/ us and as soon as we were done, Steve, his dad and my dad left to the cabin to go fishing. Steve wanted to go fishing for his birthday, and since my dad was down here, he decided to take him.


They had a BLAST fishing I hear. They slept overnight at the cabin, then went out the next morning and stayed until the afternoon. I heard my dad had a blast, though it took him a while to get the hang of rowing the pontoon boat and fishing at the same time. They all caught something, and even caught a couple BIG ones too!!!!! My dad thought it was going to be too cold to fish, but from the sounds of it, they had to pull him out of the water to leave! ;)

Steve's 24th birthday was the 29th. I made Steve crepes for breakfast and gave him a couple gifts. He already got his BBQ 2 months ago, but since he needed them....I got him a new wallet and some shorts (he won't sleep in pants though it's freezer). We then went out to Rose/Jared's for Sophia's baby blessing. Since it wasn't fast Sunday the Bishop didn't want it to be done in the church, so it was done at their home. Afterwards we ate, talked, and played games. I made Steve a chocolate cake w/ carmel in the middle and whip cream and chocolate shavings on the top; we sung Steve Happy Birthday We then went over to Steve's parents to play games too; Zach and Rob came over to play as well.


The night before I made Steve one of his favorite dinners, Shepherd's Pie. We then took the trax downtown to look at the lights at Temple Square. It was the first day the lights were on, so there were a lot of people there. The lights were beautiful and fun to see.

Last Saturday we had Carrie over. We made stuffed peppers and watched "Hitch." It was good to spend some time w/ her; it seems we haven't seen her in a while. Also, this Friday we had Zach and Rob over. We made fajitas on the grill (soooo good) and watched "Angels and Demons." We then went to the hot tub to warm up. We love having the hot tub...it's huge like 12x8!

Well, we hope all is well. It's Christmas time soon. Steve and I have been married 11 months now, almost a full year. Crazy I know!

Love ya :)

Update....

I just wanted to give a quick update on what Steve and I have been up to these days, besides just loving life ;) For the most part, we have both been fairly busy w/ school and me at work. Steve is on the downward slope for his classed this fall. He's got another three weeks then he's done. Needless to say he's getting pretty excited to be done. He'll then have one more full semester of classes, then his intern per say and he can start working as a Medical Assistant!

I've been pretty busy at work. We've been in a campaign the past 8 weeks, so I've been working extra hard to do well. If we're in the top 30% nationally we qualify to receive gift cards of $500-$1500; pretty motivating eh? There's also a trip we could win and other "perk points" which we can use to buy stuff. We just got our last results in yesterday and I'm definitely in the top 30%, what spot exactly I won't know until Friday though. It's always nice to have your hard work pay off. Last campaign I used the gift cards to pay for gas, and we also went to a couple restaurants. Gotta love not have to pay it yourself.

I've also been busy w/ school. We're at our midterms this week. So far so good, I just need to keep pushing through and get them done. I should finish up the second week of December, so just after Steve, which will be nice for the Holidays.

We also bought a space heater recently. Our place gets pretty cold on the bottom floor, but we don't want to heat up the whole place when we're only in one room. We had Dave and Joann over last week for pizza and a movie and Joann got pretty cold, sorry Bojam (We watched the movie "Up" so cute!). We also had a guy come bid us on our windows this week. We need to replace them also since they're letting warm air out and cold air in; that will help w/ heating cost too. Another bonus is our hot tub. We just love it! It's huge too. We think it's 12 feet long and 8 feet wide, almost like a warm swimming pool. We go there every couple days to warm up and it's good for Steve's knee.

Oh, and on Sunday Steve and I gave talks in church. We talked about the Book of Mormon. We didn't have too much time to talk since they were putting in a new counselor in our branch presidency, but what can you do? Everyone said they enjoyed our thoughts at least and we got to study the Book of Mormon more intensely and deepen our testimony of it. We love that book!

We also had tithing settlement right after, and that night we went over to our neighbors (a couple in the branch) and played games. It was really fun to get to know others in the branch and relate to other young married couples. :)

I love the Gospel !!!!

So yesterday Steve picked up 2 copies of "Preach My Gospel" for us to study. We figured that since we have been called as branch missionaries, we should be reading it. Since both of our copies had markings from our missions, we decided to get new ones and remark them w/ different insights and thoughts.

Ironically, earlier that day during class, Steve actually had a missionary opportunity. One of his teachers didn't show up, so a couple of the students decided to stay and work on homework or something. While there, a couple of them started to talk about the "Mormons" and had questions. Since they knew Steve served a mission, they started asking him about the Church. Most of them were just trying to pick on the Church, but one girl was actually listening to Steve's responses and wanted to know more. Eventually the other students left and it was just Steve and the other girl. She then started to ask Steve about our beliefs on the after life; apparently her mother had recently passed away and she was curious to know what would happen. Steve then went on to explain about the plan of salvation, and basically taught a second lesson from "Preach My Gospel." They ended up talking for quite a while. After they were done, she thanked him for his time and being so willing to answer her personal questions. She said never before had her ever felt anyone had actually took the time to answer her questions and that she wanted to know more. Steve of course said he'd love to talk to her about the Gospel whenever she wanted. Right after they were done Steve sent me a text to tell me about it; we were both soooo excited for the opportunity he had to share the Gospel!

We are looking forward to our new callings as branch missionaries and can't wait to be sharing the Gospel again. We almost forgot how much we love being missionaries and sharing this amazing message w/ others. You can't help but be happy when you're doing it!!!

Winter is here!!!

Brrrr it's cold outside!!! It's been snowing all day practically, and I hate to admit it but I think Winter is finally here. This morning it was hard to get out of bed. It was cold outside and nice and warm in our bed, but we had signed up to help clean the church, so we forced ourselves out. We hurried and got dressed, then walked over to the church to help clean. There were 2 other couples that came, so we got done in a hour or so luckily.



Afterwards, Steve went to help his dad put the tracks on the ATV's and some other things, while I stayed home to do laundry and stuff. Lately I've been looking for some more crockpot recipes, so I printed some off of the Internet. While I was putting them in my recipe book, I found this recipe I got back in college from our bishop's wife, called Taco Soup. Since it was cold outside and warm soup sounded good, I decided to make it. It's sooooo easy and yummy! I just make taco meat like normal, then dumped everything in the crockpot on high for 1-2 hrs and vwala, you're done! Here's the recipe:


Taco Soup

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Medium Onion
1 Pkg Taco Seasoning
1 16 oz can corn w/ juice (I used frozen corn)
2 16 oz can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I used 14 oz diced tomatoes)
1 8 oz tomato sauce (I used my mom's homemade tomato soup)
1 8 oz green chiles
(I also added 1 can of black beans)

Top w/ cheese and serve w/ tortilla chips. Enjoy! It's soooo easy, anyone can make it!

Weekend Fun!

This has been a fun weekend, full of events. Friday night we invited Eve and Aaron over to make pizza and play games. I made the dough Thursday night after class, then just put it in the fridge overnight. After work on Friday, Steve got the dough out and we let it rise for a while, then put the pizzas together. We made a Canadian bacon w/ pineapple one, and one w/ pepperoni. I also had some red peppers, so we added them to half of each. We also put string cheese in the crust to make a cheese crust, which was so yummy as well. We then ate the pizza and watched "Enchanted." We also had brownies and ice cream, so good ! When the movie was over we went to our hot tub and relaxed for a while. It was our first time going to our new hot tub, and let me tell you what....it's great! It's rather large actually and very cozy; we could fit our whole family in it. After a while, we then went back to our condo and played a couple games...Blokus and pig pile. We were having so much fun and actually ended up staying up pretty late.

The next morning, Steve woke up at 7 a.m. to go w/ his dad to the cabin to get the pontoon boats. Steve decided this week that for his birthday he wants to go fishing, imagine that. So he invited my dad and his dad to go the day after Thanksgiving. My parents are coming down for Thanksgiving this year, so it'll work out just great. Needless to say Steve is rather excited to go.

While Steve was out playing, I was home tiddying up and then went to Stacie's baby shower. It was really fun to see everyone there and especially for Stacie and Phill, I think they're getting pretty excited to have their baby girl come soon. On the way to the shower my "check engine" light came on, but since I was running a little late, I just called Steve and kept going. After the shower I went to Dave/Joann's where Steve was so they could look at my car. I popped the hood and we immediately noticed that the oil cap hadn't been put on properly. It was actually just sitting on top of the oil resevoir, and oil was all over. We then went and took it to Big O'Tires to have them look at it since they were the ones who serviced it a couple weeks ago. While they were looking at things, they also found that when I filled up the day before I hadn't fully tightenend the gas cap, so that would cause the light to come on too. Luckily both were easy fixes and they didn't cause any damage. It was such a relief to me.

A couple hours later, Dave/Joann picked us up and we went to the temple. We met everyone there to do a session. We decided this year for Christmas we wouldn't do gifts, but instead just do service, temple service. After we all got there we went in for the session. It was a really neat session and it was neat to have everyone in the family there together, in the Temple.

Today at church, I lead the music in sacrament meeting again. Then after the 2nd hour, Steve and I went to a rehabilitation hospital where Steve helped bless the sacrament and also gave short talk. Our branch goes over every week to help their even smaller branch. The sacrament meeting only lasted a half hour, but it was still neat to experience. We then went w/ another guy and took the sacrament to those who were in rooms that couldn't attend. We both enjoyed the opportunity to serve and help others experience the blessing of taking the sacrament.

Well, it was an eventful week and this week will be the same. We've actually got talk assignments in our branch this week and of course the normal stuff.....school and work. I'm really enjoying my schedule and spending more time at home w/ Steve. Love ya :)

Beautiful Weather!!!

Wow! Can you believe the beautiful weather we've been having this week? Me neither! So this week I ironically switched my schedule to 5 8 hour shifts, instead of the 4 10 hour shifts. Steve and I decided that we just haven't been seeing each other enough nor do we have much time to do anything but homework, so I decided to change my shift. I started taking 2 night classes last week, so I'd get home at 9:30 or 10 pm on Tuesday and Thursday, and the other nights I wouldn't get home until 7:30pm. So w/ the new switch, I get off at 4:30 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so I'm actually home by 5 pm! I still have classes on Tuesday/Thursday, but at least this way the other 3 nights we get to spend more time together.

So, today after I got home from work we went for a walk. With the time change and getting home a LOT earlier it was actually still light outside. We went on a walk to a couple stores and just enjoyed the evening! We then had dinner together (before 8 pm, crazy I know), did laundry, homework, etc. On Monday, we also had dinner together, rented the new Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs (sooo cute!), went to a bookstore, and had time to study our scriptures. There is just soooo much time to do things I can't believe it. We've also been making more of an effort to study our scriptures, more than just a verse, but actual study....and now we have more time for that too! We've already been seeing the blessing by making more time for spiritual matters. We are slower to anger and get frustrated w/ each other, and their is a stronger Spirit in our home. I am so thankful for the blessing we have and also now being able to spend more time together and have some "dates" too. ;)

Fajitas

So last weekend Steve and I decided to make Fajitas on the grill. They were sooooo good! I found this recipe on the Internet and then modified it according to what ingredients we had.

For the marinara sauce we just used the cumin, lemon juice, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and let it soak for about 4 hrs until I got home from work. Then Steve grilled them on the bbq. I also cut up red peppers and onions, put them in tin foil, and grilled them too. While Steve was grilling I made some rice and put black beans in it, along w/ refried bean. I put the rice and beans on the side, but Steve just put it all together. The chicken was soooooo good and moist, you'll have to try it. Here's the official recipe. Enjoy!!!


Bubba s Fajitas

Ingredients:
1 pound beef skirt steak
1 centiliter garlic -- chopped
juice from 1 large lime
1 teaspoon cumin
1 medium yellow onion -- sliced in rings
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
pepper to taste
green and yellow peppers
guacamole
refried beans
Mexican rice
warm flour tortillas

Instructions:
Serves 4 regular people or two hungry Texans. Trim fat from steak. Pound lightly to tenderize. Place meat in non-metallic container. Top with onion rings. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over meat and onions. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (At this point he says to go out and just party, party, party -- just forget about these tasty fajitas 'til tomorrow.) Next day - or whenever you find your way back home, remove the meat and onions, reserving the marinade. Separate the meat and onions. Place meat on grill, basting often with the marinade and turning often to prevent charring. You gotta do this on a grill - it's not the same in a broiler. Meanwhile, sauté'' the onions in butter with some green and maybe some yellow peppers sliced into strips. When the meat's done, slice it into thin strips, cutting across the grain. Serve with homemade refried beans, Mexican rice, guacamole, picante sauce or salsa, sour cream, grated cheddar, your sauté''ed veggies and of course, warm flour tortillas to hold it all together. Bubba uses handmade tortillas he gets from a nearby restaurant. They're much better than store bought. Hint: I think this recipe is even better with chicken, but don't tell Bubba I said that, 'cause he thinks real men eat beef, and only sissies eat chicken! Thanks again Bill, Bubba and Billy Joe.

Our First Snow!!!

October 27, 2009

It's snowing! Winter is officially here, well at least the weather is. It's been snowing ALL day and it's rather cold, brrrr! I made some bacon potato soup to warm us up. I'm starting 2 classes this week. I finished up my last class last Tuesday and did great, thankfully. Steve is still
working hard in his classes.

Last night we surprised Dave, Steve's dad, for his birthday. We invited them over to look at our new daybed, but secretly it was just a trick to get him over. We invited Rob over too, then waited for him to come inside w/ the lights off. As he walked in we all yelled "Surprise, Happy Birthday!" We made a chocolate cake w/ Swedish fish as a trim, since Dave loves to fish. We had ice cream and sparkling cider w/ the cake; it was great! Jeff came over just in time to sing to him, but had to leave shortly. We then played a couple games of Pig Pile, our new favorite game.

More condo updates....

Well, I've been busy all day cleaning and organizing our place. We got a daybed on Tueday, so we've put it together Wednesday after I got home from work. We also went and picked up a desk at Steve's parents. Then today we've been working on putting the guest bedroom/study room together. We've put up pictures and have been putting things away. We also just got some cute purple drapes, at Savers for $3 bucks each ....love it! Here are some pics.

Blessings of Temple Worship

Just thought I'd share this! Yesterday after work, Steve met me at the temple to do initiatories. We had to wait 30-45 minutes to get in, but it was definitely worth it. I picked up the scriptures and started to read where it opened up to, which was in the book of Abraham. I was reading in chapter 3 about Kolob and then turned the page to the facsimile no. 2. I usually just skip this part and keep reading, but I decided to read it for some reason. As I was reading it, I really started to understand it's message. All of those diagrams and symbols are basically talking about the temple. As I was sitting in the temple it really hit me of its symbolism; it was like my own little epiphany of the temple while is was in the Temple! http://scriptures.lds.org/en/abr/fac_2

I then went and did the initiatories. I had a name, Maria Diaz, which was from Spain from 1555! Talk about waiting a long time to get your work done! I also had one from South Africa, which was a first for me as well. It was pretty busy so we went kinda slow getting done, but it was nice taking our time and enjoying the Spirit in the Temple. Steve and I got done at about the same time so it was ok.

We then went home. Steve worked on some homework and I got caught up on emails. We then had our scripture study together and talked about what I read in the temple. We had a really good discussion again. Man I love the scriptures and the Temple!

Lagoon!!!!!

October 18, 2009

Yesterday we went to Lagoon w/ Steve's family. We decided to go there to celebrate October birthdays...Stacie, Diane, and Dave. We didn't get up there until 3:30pm or so. Steve and Dave were trimming the bushes in LuDean's yard and I was working on my paper.

When we got there we met up w/ everyone and hit up some rides. Since it's October they decorated for Halloween and called it Frightmare. They've added a lot of new rides since we were last there. Steve and I actually had our first official date at Lagoon...it kindof took us back in time just over a year ago, June 2008. We reminisced at the good times we had last year and how we just couldn't stop talking (surprisingly weird for a first date I know).

We stayed until 10 pm. We went on plenty of rides and watched the Hypnotist show; it was really funny! It took us a 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot though, which was a little frustrating. After ward we stopped by to see Stacie/Phil's new townhouse. It looked great! Overall it was a great day and I think everyone had a lot of fun. The weather was great, the company was great, what more could you ask for?

BBQ Crockpot Chicken

So while writing my paper I decided to make some BBQ Chicken. I didn't have chicken broth, so I just added a little water, and instead of cayene pepper I put in pepper spices, which gave it a little "zing." It actually turned out really yummy. I just cooked up some rice and poured it over it, along w/ some veggies as a side dish. I put the chicken in frozen on high for like 3 hrs and then shredded it right before eating it. Also.....I used what I had, which was only 2 chicken breasts, 1 can of tomatoes, 3/4 bottle of bbq sauce, and just spices. Check it out!



BBQ Crockpot Chicken Recipe


Ingredients
* 3 large chicken breasts (I use frozen)
* 1 bottle barbecue sauce
* 2 cans of tomatoes ( oregano basil garlic flavor)
* 1 large onion chopped
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp cayenne pepper
* chicken broth to cover chicken

Directions
1. put all ingredients in crockpot on low and cook for 8 hours
2. uncover for last hour to let sauce reduce and thicken

Changes....

October 12, 2009

What a week this has been! It's been busy but good to get things done. I think I'm starting to get this blog thing down, kinda ;) So, here's the week update.

Tuesday, I had the entire day off! I usually have class on my day off, but we switched to Wednesday since our teacher was out of town. So, Steve and I decided to get some errands done after he got home from school. We went over to the DMV and got his license renewed and mine officially changed to Utah, I know finally! I had to take a written test, but luckily it was open book. We then went on the other side of the building to switch my plates. While doing this we switched the title to my married name, took my dad off and put Steve on. It only cost us over $200 but we got it done!

Wednesday I got off work early in order to get to class in time. We actually got done w/ class early too, so Steve and I got to spend some time together. My class is just about over, I basically need to finish my paper and do the final next week. Steve's classes are also going well. He's been getting bogged down w/ one class in particular, so we decided it would be best to w/drawl from it. This way he can keep up w/ his other classes and not affect his gpa. The class isn't a prereq for other classes, so he can pick it up next semester no problem.

On Thursday after work, I went w/ Eve to Institute again and then volleyball. It was a lot of fun, like normal and we won. Steve invited Rob over and cooked up some steaks on his new BBQ.

Friday after work Steve surprised me w/ dinner. He had bbq'd chicken and made rice and corn; it was really good. We had dinner, then watched our favorite show, "Medium." We then headed over to Home Depot and got new locks for our main door and door knobs for our pantry, utility closet and laundry room. They look sooooooo much better! We also picked up a coat hanger, which we hung up by the front door.

On Saturday, Steve went up w/ Rob to the cabin to help chop wood. It's getting rather cold up at the cabin, so we're getting ready to winterize it. While he was gone, I worked on more research for my paper. After several hours I was done, so I went and picked up some groceries. When Steve got home we hurried and changed and made our way over to the temple to do initiatories.

On Sunday we walked over to church, just around the corner. It was our first time at our branch for the full block, though we didn't attend Sunday School. After sacrament meeting we have Relief Society/Priesthood, which was great. We then went to a new member meeting where they explained more on how things work. Steve and I will now be home/visiting teaching partners!!! Since our branch is so small and most are just married couples, they decided to do it this way. So we will be going together to visit 2-3 other couples. We then went to talk to the branch pres and ended up talking to him for about an hour. He also extended a call to us to be Branch Missionaries together! We are excited for this new call. Steve and I will not only be able to spend time w/ others in the branch, but w/ each other as well!

After church we made lunch, then went on a drive up to Guardsman's Pass where we got engaged 1 year ago. It was a beautiful drive full of fall colors and winter snow! The further up we went the cooler it got and the more snow we saw. We stopped by the spot where we got engaged, took a couple pictures, then got back inside since it was really cold! We then drove back down and took some more pics. We saw a moose w/ her baby and a snowman that someone had made.

We then stopped at Dave/Joann's. While we were there we invited them over for dinner, then hurried home to make dinner. We cooked up some steaks, baked potatoes and some fresh veggies. After dinner we had cookies and ice cream, then played some games. It was fun to have them over and for them to see our new updates. Earlier this week Steve put up our cupboard in the bathroom and coverings for our lights in the kitchen, both look great! Later that night I was feeling pretty sick to my stomach. Ironically Steve felt the same the night before. We're both feeling better now.

This morning I got stuck in traffic due to an accident on I-15 so I was late by 1/2 hr. Then Steve hurt his knee while at school. He somehow twisted it and pulled it out of socket. He had dislocated it 2 yrs ago and has been doing pretty good since then, but this morning really hurt, so we're going to get him into a doctor to look at.

Well, I hope all is well. Thanks for all your love and support. Love ya lots!

Penny and Steve ;)

Coupons!

I love coupons! I just went to Alibes and got all this for $35, which was a total savings of $115! It's great when you add coupons to store deals. This is what I got:

-2 Aunt Jennie Pancake Syrup
-4 Nestle cookie dough
-2 Welch's Juice
-1 Potato finisher
-1 Salad finisher
-4 boxes Pop Secret popcorn
-2-Aunt Jennie pancake mixes
-2 Sugars
-1 box Zataran rice
-4 boxes of pasta
-2 boxes Life cereal
-14 boxes Quaker chewy bars
-1 box glad cling wrap
-2 bags chocolate chips
-1 5lb bag of potatoes

Condo Updates

So we've be en making some updates on our condo lately, so Ithough t I'd share some pics w/ you.Here is the living room before we painted. This room and the second bedroom were the only rooms w/out the ugly peanut butter paint.

I wanted to add some color but nothing drastic so we did a light tan and a slightly darker tan for an accent wall behind the couches. This is the accent wall. We exchanged some of our wedding gifts to get these pictures.

The Kitchen, before and after......painted

green

Fall is Here

October 5, 2009

Well, I finally decided to start a blog. I figure this would be easier for all to not only hear what's happening in our lives, but also to see pictures as well. I hope this will be the best way to stay in contact, especially since everyone doesn't use Facebook ;)

As you can all tell, the weather is definitely changing. We are offically into fall! It has been quit cold these past couple days, even Steven has mentioned it's cold. Despite the colder weather, we've been staying busy with school and work. I had my midterm last week, which went really well luckily, and now only have 2 more weeks left. I need to get going on my huge paper that's due at the end. Steve has been staying busy as well, tests and tons of homework. He's still liking this semester better than last, but the amount of homework he gets isn't his favorite.

Steve had Thursday and Friday off from school, so I decided to switch my day off and have Friday off with him. Though it would have been nice to just relax, we had a lot of errands to run so we did that instead. We had to get both of our vehicles' oil changed, then I had my emission and inspection test done, along w/ putting on winter tires. We also went and took care of a cd that matured, and getting a signature guarantee in order to change my investment accounts to my married name (yes, I'm still working on that). We also went and picked up my title for my car in order to change my plates to Utah and get the title in my new name, put Steve on and take my dad off. I'm also going to finally switch my drivers license to Utah w/ my married name as well......big changes!

After that we hurried home to change and go to my mission reunion in Pleasant Grove. We left around 6 pm but didn't get there until around 8 pm. There was a football game going on at BYU vs Utah State so there was LOTS of traffic, which stunk. The reunion was really great though. There were a lot of missionaries I served with; it was great to see everyone and chat. We stayed a couple hours and chatted while we could, until we got kicked out ;)

On Saturday we slept in, and then watched conference. In the afternoon we were actually able to attend conference at the Conference Center. We luckily got tickets from our Branch President. We just rode the trax down to Temple Square, which made travelling a lot easier. It was a great session and neat to be so close to the Apostles. When we got back, we ate some soup that I had put in the crockpot (broccoli potato soup, yumm!). Steve then went to Priesthood w/ his dad, brother Jeff, and friend Rob while I stayed home and cleaned up. Afterwards, they showed up and I made popcorn while we watched Harry Potter on cable.

On Sunday, we watched conference again of course. It was nice to listen to the prophet's word and just feel the Spirit. My cousin Corinne and Jarom showed up in between sessions and we visited for a while. They had been here for the weekend from Boise for family events and were just on their way back home. After the second session of conference, we had my old companion, Sister Britney McPherron Graham and her husband Joe come over for dinner and games. Since Steve just got his BBQ a couple weeks ago, we decided to do a BBQ. Steve cooked up some hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken. I also put together a vegetable tray w/ dip. After dinner, we frosted sugar cookies w/ orange flavored frosting and put candy corn on top. It's a traditional activity my family has done since I was little (I love it!). We then played some games and chatted. It was really fun to have them over and catch up.

Steve and I have also been trying to put some finishing touches on our condo. We put up pictures, finally, in the living room and in our room as well. We also put up drapes in the living room. On Thursday I also went w/ Eve to Institute and then played volleyball w/ her single's ward. Since I'm not in the ward I had to get permission by our Branch Pres to play. It's definitely worth it though; I love volleyball. :)

Well, I hope all is well. Keep us posted. Love ya lots ;)