Miracles

We have news!!!  Can I get a "finally!!" ?

David got into 2 dental schools and it took us a good week (with a clerical error, we were only given a week) to decide which one.  Some definite stress and lots of weighing options as well as praying... and we have it figured out and know where we're supposed to be.  Yay!

From 2013 - 2017 David will be attending the University of Utah dental school!  He will be in the first class, with 20 students.  It is an amazing feat that he got in. (So proud of you sweetie!)  And we have felt like we now know why he didn't get into a school last year, because they had to start one in Utah first!  He has worked at the U of U dental clinic previously for 3 years and with that employment he met many of the now head honchos that have started this new dental school for Utah.  We know we'll be guinea pigs, but we're ready for some of the bumps because it will work out in the end.

We feel so blessed to be staying in Utah even though it was a hard decision between 2 great places, AZ or UT.  And just a basic look, it was like choosing between our families.  Or choosing so hot or so cold.  I'm not so thrilled about the cold, but now that January is over and we're out of the worst, I feel a more positive self coming along already.  For those of you in UT or AZ, we're glad we have you as family and friends.  We would have picked both places if we could and when it came down to it, it was just that deep feeling we got that led us to pick the U.  We know we are going to be here for a reason, we may just not find out for many years, and thats okay.  So for all our AZ peeps, please come visit us still :)


And we have more news... (we've got to go out with a bang right?)

We are very excited to witness this miracle and add to our family.  It really is a miracle and there's nothing we can say except we are VERY excited.  And we think the worst (morning sickness) is over, so that just makes it much more exciting :)  More to come on this 9 month adventure (actually 6 months now!) soon.

Ramsay thoughts

Has anyone watched Kitchen Nightmares, Master Chef, Hotel Hell or really any Gordon Ramsay shows?  (about Gordon, here)

I have to confess that I really love these reality shows!

Master Chef is easy to like because D & I like cooking and we love watching the creations and pressure to make something new and amazing with what Gordon Ramsay and the two others require.  One of our favorites to watch when it's on, I think it shows in Spring/Summer?

This summer we got into Kitchen Nightmares.  I was fascinated by how bad some restaurants are and when we go out to eat I start to think, can I see fresh food in the back and how are they preparing this stuff?  Because I had no idea how many places froze their food.  Or for how long.  It gets me sick.  And then Ramsay comes in and BAM he gets the staff to tell him whats wrong and he gives suggestions and there may be some resistance but in a 60 min show he's got the restaurant flipped around!  Miracle!

And I just found Hotel Hell on hulu.  We saw the previews for it and I just thought, oh no, another place for me to freak out about dirty or yucky stuff.  Well this week I think I've realized why I like these shows....

I wish I could be like Ramsay!  Is that bad?!  I want to go somewhere and just give people my honest opinions if it would help them.  Does it ever seem like we are in a world where people just FAKE being nice and saying good things when in reality it just makes a lot of issues behind the scenes or gossiping and lying and just plain ugliness?!  How come we can't all be a little more honest and maybe help get a family to talk to each other and be supportive or get parents to realize some issues they don't see... or besides family, tell managers at work what could really help or who really doesn't work when they are getting paid, etc.?  I honestly hate having to hold any real stuff inside of me, but that's just how it is today where I am.  I'm told I'd create more of a mess by bringing up something that has been avoided.  David calls me the "hulk" sometimes because I guess sometimes I get this look like I want to burst, or I feel like I do :)  So,... I want to be Ramsay!  He comes in and says it all and even if people give him crap, he tells them how it is but then he still does it with kindness and he usually gets to see a softer side after he breaks them down a bit.  He's not just rude though, he does it for a good reason and because he cares. 

Couldn't that work for those covered up problems that I see all around me?!  David reminded me that these shows are "shows" and these people are calling Ramsay to help them even if they are resistant.  So, here's my idea - want some honesty?  Call me and maybe I'll get good at this too!  Until then, I'll just remain "hulk" like and contemplate other ways of helping those covered up issues around me.

Side note - I'd recommend watching MasterChef at least, but the others above are where he really gets honest.  You can find a few episodes on hulu.com at least.  I do have to say, he cusses A LOT, the stations bleep it, but still, it may not be for everyone.  Don't judge me please :)

Merry Christmas!!!

I know I'm always behind, but here's a little ditty on Christmas 2012.

We....

• Slept in and got ready late
• Opened presents at home just the two of us
• Stayed in Utah for the holiday - first time! we usually have been traveling
• Took a detour to the airport to pick up my Mom and drop her off
• Got to see Elder Nathan Speirs on skype at Steph's, lookin good!
• Went to the Clark's Christmas party and spent like 7 hours there
• Played with the kids toys - David loved the flying helicopter Daniel got and I think it's on his Christmas list for next year :)
• Ate, or really "grazed" all day
• Came home and relaxed and watched a Christmas movie together
• Dreaded going to work the next day, oh that was just an "I" thing
• After Christmas we spent every evening with mom/the Evans/Speirs and went to see several movies in the theatre, reaching a theatre quota for us!  Les Mis was the best :)

Here are just a few pictures from the day.

And for New Years we just stayed home to celebrate with Sparkling Cider and Italian Cake, here are a few pics too...

It's COLD!

This winter has been the worst because it is freezing and it just never lets up!

In case you didn't know it, I'm not a fan of the COLD.  And I'm not a fan of the HOT either.  And I've seemed to live in both for these 28 years - either hot AZ or cold UT.  Why?????

Someday I'm going to get it right and I think Cali or Hawaii is really the best place for me.  Not too hot, not too cold.  I just don't want to spend another 50 years in weather that makes me grumpy, so hopefully at least in 10-15 years I can find a way to get us to these places of heaven :)

It has gotten to -2 or even lower some nights here!  And a high was once like 12 degrees.  And waking up to 0 and having to drive to work is bad because that cold I'm just surprised my car works and then that my hands work after being in the cold for 20 seconds even.  I know there are colder states and I'm sure they'd laugh at me for being so wimpy, but I'm a wimp and I'm okay with it!  My perfect temperature is pretty narrow: About 65 - 75 degrees.  And if you know me well, I'm complaining if it's 0, 25, 45, 90, 105... my poor family/friends get to hear me complain a lot about the weather, sorry guys.  You'd think I'd get used to this, it comes every year, but man this year it seems extra shocking-ly cold.

What have we done since the cold set in a couple weeks ago?  Just stay home really.  So when I was trying to think what to write about for January, I realized, we don't have much to write!  I don't have too many fun pictures because we just sit around and chat or have got sucked into a few TV shows as well (oh yes of course!)... and have eaten a lot of ice cream and hot chocolate, yum.

So here's to a winter that ENDS soon or at least gets to 30 degrees please!  Pretty please?!

27 years!

So right before Christmas (Dec 23 as usual) we celebrated D's birthday!  It fell on a Sunday so we s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d it out a bit to Dec 24.

He opened presents after church and then we headed to his parents for his birthday dinner.  I took a leap and actually bought tools for his birthday - doing this all by myself.  I owned a few tools but nothing like a power drill so I had told David a few times he'd have to pick it out.  But I happened across the one below while getting the other tools he had casually mentioned months ago.  So, I think I did pretty well, plus it's red - his favorite color :)  And it's just a starter, but it's good.  Well, he liked it, so that's all that matters.

Below is taken while he was opening presents with his siblings.

Dark Knight Rises

Lego Wii game

Game - Where's Waldo

And his cake...

And his photographer/siblings in the back

We had a quiet evening at home, he picked the movie - but he picked one of those Christmas movies on TV that I love and he "puts up with" - so nice of him :)  Then on Dec 24th we slept in and headed out to Benihana for his birthday meal and then to a movie, The Hobbit, by his request.  Also it seemed very fitting because here it was Christmas Eve and a huge snow storm hit and we were driving all over that day.  D loves the snow, especially a White Christmas, so what a nice extra gift for his birthday!  Happy Birthday David, so happy you're getting older like me, haha!

Chestnuts Roasting for Reals!

So does everyone know that you can really Roast Chestnuts on an Open Fire!?!?!  Yeah I didn't, but it's not just a song!  I told my Dad what we were going to do and he said, well, isn't that just a song!?

David was a pro since they do this all the time in Italy.  He said on cold days they have those round trash can like metal cans outside, start a fire inside and on top they roast the chestnuts!  So he'd walk around and see them and I think even join in and eat some :)

Well, since it was quite snowy here, we didn't venture outside but we decided to have our first attempt with our great friend Shayla, and she had a fireplace that works (ours doesn't ) so she fed us dinner (yum!) and then we started the chestnuts.

1) First you can either slice a hole in the chestnuts so they can expand, or leave them as is and they will "pop" open during cooking.  We decided to slice most of them because who knew how far they'd fly and we were indoors...
2) Then David said we should have a grate type tray to put over the fire, but we didn't have so we just cut holes in foil and put on top of a baking sheet.

3) Turn on fire and place them over the fire.  Well, incase anyone tries this, baking sheets over fire aren't the best!  Especially if the fire is so close and hot like this one!  

4) If you then have smoke and gas smell and the fire alarm going off - FAN the fire alarm like David is, and run around opening all the doors and windows like Shayla did.  And she also turned off the fire while pulling out the CRISPY baking sheet (oops!)

5) Oh, and if you're me (which I totally did this) then go grab your big coat and find blankets to pile on (D did that) while your friends run around freezing you out!  I didn't want to have to wander outside w/out my coat so I was just preparing like they were right?  Yeah I know where my priorities are...
Besides not helping, I also ran around continually singing "Chestnuts burning on an open fire" and making up a better song to go along with our freezing fire-y night :)

6) Don't give up, but try again w/out the baking sheet and put all the fireproof logs back on the fire and put the chestnuts on top of that!  Don't worry that some of the chestnuts were already burnt because of the baking sheet incident....

7) Wait about 20 min or until popping sounds and then take them off the fire.  For us since we had lots of burning, we didn't have to wait that long.  But while waiting we enjoyed some yummy cranberry orange cider that Shayla just gave the recipe to me, yum!  (No, I still hadn't moved from this spot)

8) After the chestnuts are out, you can crack/pry them open with your hands when they cool off.  Find the soft inside and enjoy!  D & Shayla enjoyed them, me not so much, but it was the "experience" for me.  Everyone should try it, maybe outside next time since we were that cold anyway and almost died or had the gas/fire alarm ringing at least 4x that night.  Thanks Shayla for holding the experiment in your home!  Next time, we'll be pros :)

So, now you know that it's not just a song!!!

Sugar Cookies & Roomies

We had a Christmas party with the ol' roomies...  We did pizza, sang songs, and then made sugar cookies - and frosted them, of course!  If only we could have parties like this more often.  It's always fun to think about some fun days and then still keep up with the now days together.

Thanks Megan & Court for the fun evening!  And really, we should thank Elliot for the entertainment, since he really was a blast to watch and play with!  We wore him out.

Saturday December 15, 2012