Christmas Time!!!

Finals are done, and now we can finally celebrate!!!! I probably spent a little too much time decorating for Christmas, time I should have been studying for finals. Since Jared and I are staying in Utah for Christmas this year we had to make the house feel festive. I actually snagged some extra tree stumps from work that they had trimmed off peoples trees for the candle holders, and some branches that were just laying around for the door swag. I was designing on a budget. Our home feels so warm and cozy. I love being able to spend time at home with Jared and Rosie curled up on the couch with the glowing Christmas tree in the corner. I love the Holidays. Merry Christmas!




There isn't anything festive about bagels, but I wanted to try and make some. They came out pretty good...slug slime and all!! I have had a dream of having a little bagels shop/cafe. After making the bagels by hand by myself it squashed my dream a little. It was a lot of work and time consuming boiling all of them. It was easy though, anyone could make them!

O Christmas Tree

Thanksgiving kick started the holidays, and I couldn't be more excited! Jared and I went ahead and got our Christmas tree. We sell Christmas trees as Sun River Gardens and so as I was setting up tree after tree I found this one! It was perfect. I'm so excited to to have a fresh tree. Growing up we always had a fresh tree and so this one brings back memories. Jared let me go out and buy some Christmas ornaments and I just think about how we will have them for year to come. Our kids someday will ask where we got these old ornaments and I can tell them that we got them our second Christmas together. I love making memories with Jared and day dreaming about our future. On a lighter note, Rosie loves the snow. She is so adorable frolicking through the snow. Despite what you may think Rosie is a great dog. Although you all never get to see that when you come over because her excitement overcomes her. Jared and I love her very much and she bring a lot of joy to our lives. More Christmas pictures to come. I have to finish my stockings.

Blizzard Of 2010....Not

Watch out everyone it's the blizzard of 2010.....O wait that was a few days ago when we got 0" of snow. We got all these warning about a blizzard a few days ago and then nothing happened. Last night there was a mention of a winter storm and we got a foot. Thats a little more like it. These weather people are crazy. Rosie loves the snow, she runs around really fast in it and then eats it, its funny. We got out Christmas tree and having snow outside makes it really feel like Christmas. I will post pictures of our tree soon.

Rosie Happens

There is never a dull moment with Rosie. Whether she is snuggling and being so cute I cant even stand it or making me so mad because she broke something or chewed something she wasn't suppose to. We have had a hard time finding a toy that she wont destroy within the first 5 minutes. As you can see this fox squeaky toy didn't quite make it. We found a racquetball under out dresser and to our amazement Rosie loved it and cant chew into it. The racquetball is still going strong. These are just her puppy days right?

Sara Bareilles: Girls Night Out

GIRLS NIGHT OUT! Sarah, Hannah, Katie and I went to the Sara Bareilles concert and it was so much fun. It made me feel like a kid again lol.....o wait I'm only 23 I guess I am a kid. Its amazing the fun that can be had when us girls get together, and oh the conversations we have. What happens in the mini van stays in the mini van! Sara Bareilles put on an amazing show, and I somehow feel a connection to her since she is from Eureka, and sang in "The Limited". I would just like to add that I have so much love for my sisters in law. You are all so amazing and I feel like a have a special connection with each and every one of you. Rachel, Sarah, Hannah, you all have a bit of a wild side as do I. Katie your sense of humor and well we just have a lot in common. Miriam you and I can have some amazing conversations, I love to just sit and talk with you. Naomi and Bethany, your both so crafty and so am I. I love you all:)

Rustic-No Knead Bread

Okay So I have a new love......its this bread. Seriously it is so so good, and SO easy! You have to try this so... I will give you the recipe. I got the recipe from a girl at work and finally got to make it last week. This is the second loaf I have made. I dont know if this picture really does it justice. Lets just say its kinda like french bread, and has a crunchy/chewy crust mmmmmm. Okay here it is:

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 to 2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp yeast

1 1/2 cups water

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast, and salt. Mix ingredients to distribute evenly. Add water. Stir until incorporated; dough will be saggy and sticky. Cover bowl and let rest for........(here is the kicker).....12 hours. When surface is dotted with bubbles dough is ready.

2. Place dough on well floured work surface then gently press dough being careful not to pop any bubbles then sprinkle dough with flour. Fold dough.

- you can leave the bread plain or add whatever spices you want

- I added oregano, basil, and garlic powder = amazing

3. Place dough seam side down in bowl. Cover and let rise until more than double in size, about 2 hours.

4. After about 1 1/2 hours. Place in 6 to 8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron dutch over, pyrex casserole dish) in over and preheat oven to 450 degrees. When dough has fully risen, carefully remove hot pot from over. Turn dough over into hot pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for additional 5-10 minutes. until golden brown, cool on wire rack.

You can whip this dough up at night and it will be ready to bake in the morning, Perfect!!

Enjoy:)

Sewing Projects

So I haven't done too many sewing projects since I got my sewing machine in September. I have completed an apron, and just recently a table topper and a hanging dish towel. I had to get them done before Thanksgiving since it was thanksgiving fabric. My mom always makes table toppers for holidays at home so I want to start too. My sewing machine works well for the most part. For whatever reason it jams up every once in a while and it makes me really really mad. I usually have to get up and walk away from my project before I take my aggression out on the machine. Besides having a few mishaps my first few projects came out really well. Next project Christmas stockings!!! I will post more pictures when there done.

Tired

I have been trying to figure out why in the world I am so tired during the week. I guess there isn't anything wrong with taking naps, right? My dad has always been a napper, just 15-30 minutes really does the trick. But is it possible that I could actually get through my day without a nap? I started to think about my mom, I remember growing up how she was busy all day, always alert, bustling around the house, how did she do it? Then I remember the smell of coffee that came from the kitchen every morning and the 5 cups she would drink. Dang it I guess I'm out of luck. O well. I will try to keep my eyes open as a study away. I am just preparing myself for children right?

Apricots

Once again this blog post is long overdue. Sorry family its just hard to find the time. So I thought you would all enjoy seeing my apricot canning adventures. Our landlord has an apricot tree in his back yard, I knew he wasn't going to can them so I did. I always remember my mom canning all sorts of stuff in our kitchen. I made apricot jam and it is delicious, and how could it not with so much sugar added ha.

My Man

Jared continues to amaze me. He is an amazing photographer and has so much talent. He works so so hard for our little family and I am so grateful for such a wonderful man. I love going on photo shoots with him an watching him in his element. I love watching him stare into a vast expanse or at a wall. Most people would think he is staring at nothing but hes just envisioning a shot or thinking about the lighting. His mind is continuously working. Thanks for being a wonderful husband and for just being you!!!!

Summer Trips

At Ross's wedding in Las Vegas

Ready to go out on the town in VEGAS.....vegas is gross lol

Jared and I rode the famous Big Dipper with my friends Katirna and Beau, cant go to the boardwalk and not ride the Dipper

Jared in the carousel. There are rings you can get when you ride the carousel if you sit on the outside, you get a ring and try and throw it in a clowns mouth...anyways. When I met Jared he had a ring on his key chain, and I said"is that from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk?" and he said yes and I was in love...jk but it was cool! I mean look at this man, how could you not love that?

I know, I know, its been forever since we have posted anything, but hey we are busy busy. Jared and I were able to take a couple of trips this summer. We went home to Salinas for my birthday and my moms birthday. It was so fun, we took Rosie and she was very well behaved, and did surprisingly well in the car for 12-14 hours. We hung around my house, and went to the boardwalk for my birthday. We also drove to Vegas the weekend before school started to go to my brother Ross's wedding. It was alot of fun, Jared and I saw some really cool photo galleries and were reminded why we hate Vegas. All in all is was a good time, it was crazy to see my brother getting married but I couldnt be more happy for him.

Finding a Home in the Gospel

I swear this is my last post for the day. So I was reading a story in the Ensign last night and it really got me thinking. It was titled "Finding a Home in the Gospel" It was the story of a convert and maybe its the same story most converts have but it sounded so similar to my conversion. The boy in the story was raised in a different faith, but learned about Jesus Christ at a young age. Later when he was introduced to the gospel, he already had a foundation and a belief in Christ and he found all the other missing pieces. This is exactly the way I felt when I was introduced to the gospel. I guess thats why it was such an easy decision for me because I already had the belief in Christ and everything else just made so much sense. The boy in the story goes on to face opposition when his family doesn't accept his decision and then is faced with the decision to marry in the temple. Um Hello....this is the story of the last few years of my life! I faced the same opposition from my family and was able to get through it and found so much strength in the gospel and through prayer and especially from people around me. The story of the boy concludes with him later in life raising his children in the gospel and one of his children comes to him and thanks him for choosing the gospel so many years before. He realizes that the gospel will not only bless his life but his children as well. I know that the decision I made almost three year ago what the right one. It has made my life better and it lead me to my husband who is the most wonderful blessing in my life. Some day we will get to have children and raise them in the gospel and share those blessing with them. This story really touched me and I wanted to share it :)

Miriams Baby Shower

Katie and I threw Miriam a baby shower this last week, and it went really well. We had a few different salads, fruit, chips and ladybug cupcakes....so cute! It was really fun and even Naomi surprised us and drove down from Rexburg. It was so great to have almost all the sisters there. I have realized with new baby Matilda and Miriam being pregnant that I have BABY FEVER! Yes thats right Im pretty sure the only prescription for that is having a baby. HAHA I have to keep telling myself that I just need to finish school....which is only a year and a half away. I can do that, I can wait, easy....right? But seriously I know it will be worth the wait.

New Projects

Our home is a work in progress. We are always finding way to make it better or new pieces of furniture to add. Our latest project was this cute bench. We found it at the DI for $25. It was bright pink so we sanded and painted it and added the wood detail on the front. Jared and I had been looking for a bench for this spot and we totally lucked out and found it at DI. Its absolutely perfect and I love it! I also mod podged our coffee table. I was so excited that we found an old Child Craft book at the DI and so I used some of the book pages. The book was exactly the look I was going for so I was excited to find it. Plus Jared and I both grew up reading those books so it has some meaning behind it. I think it turned out great!

Oh Rosie

This is what happens when you have a puppy and leave the bathroom door open. Rosie is about 4 months old now, and we cant believe how big she had gotten. Now dont think she does stuff like this all the time. For the most part she is pretty good, she is listening better and we are trying to teach her some new commands. We are taking her with us on our 12 hour car ride to Salinas, so that should be interesting..... Jared and I are hoping she behaves herself at my parents house. We love having her and she is so popular. Every time we take her walking it never fails that someone stops and asks what kind of dog she is and tells us how beautiful she is :) She is beautiful isnt she. Oh Rosie your a joy to have.