This New Year's celebration was a very different experience for me. There was no grand party or big loud noises with lots of people around, but I wouldn't want to bring in this New Year in any other way!
I didn't have to work but since our store was moving locations I went in to help pack things up. I brought along a new friend, Thomas, to help. (Thomas just finished his mission and was coming to BYU to go to school, he stayed at our house for a some time while he got his apartment ready and things at school and work lined up.) I talked him into coming and helping too. I spent most of the morning packing up boxes and trying to get things ready for the new office. I got home and ate lunch with Thomas. Elijah came home from work about the time we sat down to eat. Elijah had already eaten so he sat down and started playing Skyrim. We finished eating lunch and Thomas, who had other New Year's plans to attend left. I was still tired from from all the packing and moving so I curled up on the couch next to Elijah and took a little nap.
Well Elijah and I stayed in that same position (Me laying on the couch and Elijah playing Skyrim) for the rest of the evening with a brief break for dinner (Elijah made mac and cheese because I didn't want to move). We brought in the New Year with Skyrim. It was kind of like watching one of those choose your own adventure books, it was actually a lot of fun! At 12:00 I told him to pause the game so he could kiss me and I could kiss him. After the Good Luck 12:00 kiss we played/watched Skyrim for another hour before we decided to call it quits and go to bed.
I guess others would call it a boring evening, but I brought in the new year with my new husband and best friend. Doing "nothing" with him is everything to me!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Trying to Play Catch Up!
Christmas
Christmas was wonderful we were able to celebrate three times all in the same day!! We got to spend Christmas Eve and part of Christmas morning with my Aunt Kasi and her family. So we got to see all of my cousins which was so much fun. Kasi and Rich were great they involved us in their Christmas Eve traditions of new pajama's, an ornament and a book. Of course there was gaming, getting to know one another again, and great food but that is how the Johnson's were raised, so that is how their kids are too. (Of course that is how we will be raising our children as well....there is always time for games and food!) We stole Kaitlyn's bed for the night which was an amazingly comfortable bed. Stayed up late but got a good nights sleep. We finally got out of bed around 7:00 and went down to enjoy the beautiful Christmas tree and watch Kasi's family open all of their presents. Well Kasi and Rich were so wonderful we had presents waiting for us too! We felt so loved and blessed that morning. Kasi got us Ticket to Ride the Nordic Countries that has been perfect for the two of us.
We love it! After presents and all of those fun pictures and moments it was time for breakfast. So breakfast was a combination of cinnamon rolls and salmon jerky (which isn't as nasty as it sounds...it was actually really good) and the cinnamon rolls were the biggest cinnamon rolls I have ever seen so tasty too!!
We had to leave soon after breakfast and we were heading to Cammy (Elijah's sister) and Ray's house to spend the late morning with them and their two amazing kids Jayden and Savanna. I spent most of our time there trying to play Wii Mario Brothers with Jayden, it is good that he is a patient child or he would have kicked
me out of the game really fast!
We skyped with Elijah's family in Georgia! It was so much fun to see them and pretend we were all in the same room! We attempted to do a puzzle but ran out of time because Cammy agreed to do Family Christmas lunch/dinner so she had to get busy getting ready for the Hipwell family to come over. It is so much fun spending time with my in-laws, I just wish more of them lived closer!
me out of the game really fast!
The drive back to Provo went by relatively quickly, we got home and unloaded the car and got ready for our own little Christmas. Our parents were wonderful and helped fill out under our tree. We managed to fill each others stockings with nothing but candy this year. We both tried to surprise each other with candy! Well needless to say we both went a little overboard with the candy. So if you would like to satisfy your sweet tooth and happen to be near our house please stop by and visit our candy box....yes it is a box!
Elijah found me an amazing cream colored peacoat. I was in love with it, unfortunately it was a little on the big size so we went and exchanged it for a smaller one that is beautiful! I love wearing it, I am just waiting for it to be cold enough for it to be needed. I got him exactly what he wanted, he just didn't know it till he finally found it in the box I wrapped for him. He asked for and received Skyrim, it is an Xbox game. If I wrapped it as it was he was going to know what I got him, and what's the fun in that? So I took a bigger box and filled the bottom with diced tomatoes (to give it weight) put the game in there and stuffed the rest with some kitchen towels. He was so confused when he opened that box to find kitchen towels and tomatoes!! But he finally found his gift and I think it was worth all the confusion!
We also got to Skype with my brother Val who is serving a mission in Salt Lake City. It was so good to see and talk with him! What a treat! I can't wait for him to get home so we can talk him into coming to school out here! we also got to Skype with my family and I got to see our new little nephew Ezra! Such a little cutie, he looked like he had red hair but I was told otherwise. I can't wait for this summer so I can go and see him and hold him myself!
This was my first Christmas away from home and it was a wonderful success! I loved every minute of it!
Elijah found me an amazing cream colored peacoat. I was in love with it, unfortunately it was a little on the big size so we went and exchanged it for a smaller one that is beautiful! I love wearing it, I am just waiting for it to be cold enough for it to be needed. I got him exactly what he wanted, he just didn't know it till he finally found it in the box I wrapped for him. He asked for and received Skyrim, it is an Xbox game. If I wrapped it as it was he was going to know what I got him, and what's the fun in that? So I took a bigger box and filled the bottom with diced tomatoes (to give it weight) put the game in there and stuffed the rest with some kitchen towels. He was so confused when he opened that box to find kitchen towels and tomatoes!! But he finally found his gift and I think it was worth all the confusion!
We also got to Skype with my brother Val who is serving a mission in Salt Lake City. It was so good to see and talk with him! What a treat! I can't wait for him to get home so we can talk him into coming to school out here! we also got to Skype with my family and I got to see our new little nephew Ezra! Such a little cutie, he looked like he had red hair but I was told otherwise. I can't wait for this summer so I can go and see him and hold him myself!
This was my first Christmas away from home and it was a wonderful success! I loved every minute of it!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
A Season To Be Thankful
This is one of my favorite times of the year. The changing of the leaves and all the beautiful colors they turn. One thing I love about being in Utah is I get to see the leaves change all over the place, in the mountains, in my neighborhood, in my yard, on my way to work, everywhere. It is such a blessing to be able to look around me and see all of Heavenly Fathers creations and how they move and change and make this world more beautiful.
Here is a list of some of my favorite things, smells, memories of the Fall/Winter season
The smell of cold (if you don't know what this is there is no way to explain it)
The crunch of fallen leaves under my shoes
The smell of fires
Sitting next to a warm fire and reading a good book
A warm mug of hot chocolate warming up my hands
The smell of freshly cut trees
The sound of homemade popcorn being made (this is a lovely sound year round )
The smell of fresh baked bread
The smell of cinnamon
The smell of new plastic
Feeling the Magic of Christmas all around me
Hearing the fire crackle and pop
Being able to snuggle in a blanket
Seeing all the neighbors Christmas decorations
Seeing all the neighbors Christmas decorations
Wearing my slippers and not getting odd looks
Lots of candy and surgery snacks
Holding Elijah's hand in his jacket pocket
Seeing the sun make the snow glitter everywhere
Seeing my breath on cold mornings
Warm waffles with whipped cream and cinnamon
Eating pumpkin seeds
Finding that perfect gift for someone
Sweaters and mittens
Kisses under the mistletoe
Christmas Breakfast
Making Christmas cards
Watching the snow fall
The crunch of snow beneath my boots
Scarfs
Watching little children play in the snow
Snow angels and Snowmen
Trying to catch a snowflake on my tongue
Having a baked potato bar
Leaving cookies and milk out for Father Christmas
When the snow that has gathered in my hair as I dash to the car melts down my face
Decorating for Christmas
Being with loved ones
Listening to Christmas music
Hoping to see the winter fairies working at night
Watching Christmas movies
Christmas Lights
Family Pictures
Holly
Making a Christmas wish list
Attempting to make the biggest snowman ever and it getting to cold to finish
Mistletoe
Little red noses
Getting mail from family and friends (This is a year round thing too)
Pinata Parties
Seeing a newly fallen blanket of snow
Hearing Children laughing and playing
The smiles people give you on the street
There are so many other things that I could add about this time of the year but I figure this is long enough. I am sure that my list will grow with each passing year as new traditions are set and old ones are kept.
7 Months and Counting
As of today Elijah and I have been married for 7 months! There are days that it feels like we have been together forever, and there are other times where it feels like we are just beginning. The best part is that no matter where I feel like I am, Elijah is right there beside me.
Some people might be thinking 7 months that's nothing wait till they hit this "magical number" and then they will know what being married is like. For me, right now, I couldn't be happier and more full of love. I know that the only way that will change is if I let it. I plan on acting like a newlywed for the rest of my life because that is how Elijah makes me feel every moment I'm with him.
Elijah is my shoulder to cry on, my happiest thought, my confident, my favorite pillow, and my dearest and best friend. It has been a fun adventure being married and I am looking forward to many more months and years with him!
Some people might be thinking 7 months that's nothing wait till they hit this "magical number" and then they will know what being married is like. For me, right now, I couldn't be happier and more full of love. I know that the only way that will change is if I let it. I plan on acting like a newlywed for the rest of my life because that is how Elijah makes me feel every moment I'm with him.
Elijah is my shoulder to cry on, my happiest thought, my confident, my favorite pillow, and my dearest and best friend. It has been a fun adventure being married and I am looking forward to many more months and years with him!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Wanna Ride Bikes?
After weeks of anticipation we have them!! We each are now the proud owner of a bike! We are so excited not only to have the bikes, but now we get all that wonderful exercise biking to and from work, we get to go on bikerides together and we save on gas!!
I think the best part of this story is the reason we got bike in the first place. Well Elijah and I walked to the bank to deposit a check one Saturday afternoon but the bank was closed, so we went in search of a pen so I could sign the check and he could deposit it at the ATM. So we walked into the closest store which was the Mad Dog Cycles shop. We went into the store for a pen but we came out of the store with brochures and bikes riding through our heads (more in Elijah's than in mine). We went to bed that night and Elijah stayed up looking through the brouchure. Later on that week out of the blue I get the inclination to walk to work. So I walked the almost 3 miles to work getting there a little later than I anticipated but got there before the store was supposed to open so it was fine. I texed Elijah to tell him what I did. Well throughout the rest of the morning I was dreading the walk home but didn't want to call Elijah and tell him to come pick me up. He called me and asked if he could come and get me, but he wouldn't say why only that I needed to be home sooner than if I were to walk home. As it turns out he wanted to take me to the bike shop so I could reserve a bike.....News to me! So he came and picked me up, on the way to the shop he told me what he had been up to. He was a little bike crazy after that initial visit to the store so he was talking to someone at work about buying bikes. Well it turns out that this guy at work was wanting to buy a bike. So Eiljah being the great deal getter that he is went to the bike shop and asked if they could give him some kind of dicount for buying three bikes at the same time. They gave him quite a discount. So he reserved the bike he wanted and wanted me to pick one out as well. So I am wondering around the store trying to pick out a bike. I don't know anything about bikes I was really just looking at the colors. I found a bike I liked and the frame was going to be way too big for me. So I found another one that would be better for me. So I reserved that one for me.
So now we have bikes, they are both kind of hybrid bikes not really road bikes but not really mountain bikes either. I really like my bike and now we are going to be able to ride our bikes to work and to church and just about anywhere else. I am super excited! So when you see a biker on the road please give them plenty of space because it could be me and my wonderful huband out there!
I think the best part of this story is the reason we got bike in the first place. Well Elijah and I walked to the bank to deposit a check one Saturday afternoon but the bank was closed, so we went in search of a pen so I could sign the check and he could deposit it at the ATM. So we walked into the closest store which was the Mad Dog Cycles shop. We went into the store for a pen but we came out of the store with brochures and bikes riding through our heads (more in Elijah's than in mine). We went to bed that night and Elijah stayed up looking through the brouchure. Later on that week out of the blue I get the inclination to walk to work. So I walked the almost 3 miles to work getting there a little later than I anticipated but got there before the store was supposed to open so it was fine. I texed Elijah to tell him what I did. Well throughout the rest of the morning I was dreading the walk home but didn't want to call Elijah and tell him to come pick me up. He called me and asked if he could come and get me, but he wouldn't say why only that I needed to be home sooner than if I were to walk home. As it turns out he wanted to take me to the bike shop so I could reserve a bike.....News to me! So he came and picked me up, on the way to the shop he told me what he had been up to. He was a little bike crazy after that initial visit to the store so he was talking to someone at work about buying bikes. Well it turns out that this guy at work was wanting to buy a bike. So Eiljah being the great deal getter that he is went to the bike shop and asked if they could give him some kind of dicount for buying three bikes at the same time. They gave him quite a discount. So he reserved the bike he wanted and wanted me to pick one out as well. So I am wondering around the store trying to pick out a bike. I don't know anything about bikes I was really just looking at the colors. I found a bike I liked and the frame was going to be way too big for me. So I found another one that would be better for me. So I reserved that one for me.
So now we have bikes, they are both kind of hybrid bikes not really road bikes but not really mountain bikes either. I really like my bike and now we are going to be able to ride our bikes to work and to church and just about anywhere else. I am super excited! So when you see a biker on the road please give them plenty of space because it could be me and my wonderful huband out there!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Kitchen Tales
Well since I have been married I have been getting to cook more often than I ever have. There are so many new things I have tried, many that have been very tasty and exciting and even more that have been spectacular failures. But with each failure is a learning experience and chance to fix it and make it that much better next time!
I think my favorite story to tell is when I first made Zucchini Bread. I had a lot of Zucchini because Elijah's garden had been producing a ton of Zucchini. So I was making so much stuff with zucchini in it that I think Elijah was getting tired of zucchini. So he told me I should try zucchini bread. Well because he is my husband and I love him I decided to make a batch. So I follow the recipe and it is looking like it should and I pour it into my loaf pans. (I have four small ones and one that is medium sized) and put them in the oven well about 45 minutes into the baking I can smell them and they smell amazing! Well according to the recipe it still has another 20-25 minutes to go before they should be done. So I leave them in for another 5-8 minutes and decide they smell too good not to be done (a wise woman once told me that if you can smell what's in the oven it is close to being done) so I pulled them out and tested them the little ones were done and so pretty. I got them out of their pans and on a cooling rack. But the medium pan wasn't done but it was close, so I turned off the oven and went to finish watching the movie with Elijah. Well a few minutes later the smoke alarm went off, and I couldn't figure out why! I had turned off the oven then I saw that I left the oven mitt on top of the stove so I thought maybe it had gotten too hot, so I moved it and saw smoke coming from one of the burners!! I made sure it was off and finally looked in the oven, the zucchini bread was on fire!! I had to blow it out!! I then realized I had turned the oven to Broil not Off! That loaf was well done!! Elijah and I still ate it, well at least the bottom part!
Since I have such an amazing gardener for a husband I have had an abundance of Zucchini, so I decided to make some more zucchini bread. So I took the smallest zucchini and grated it. I ended up with 6 cups of grated zucchini! So I had to double the recipe then make one more normal sized batch to use it all. (I don't have a mixing bowel that could have handled that amount of stuff). That 6 cups of zucchini turned into 19 little loaves of zucchini bread (that are the perfect size for taking to friends) and took me all evening to bake. I am now in the market for bigger bread pans and another set or two of the little ones. It is a good thing we have made some friends while we have been out here or we would have been eating zucchini bread for a long time!!
The next story is about baking bread! I got home from work and started making bread when Elijah came and told me that we were going to go out with some friends. I had already started and knew I didn't have time to finish and actually get them cooked. So I kneaded the dough and let it rise, and I did it again, and then one more time before I put them in the pans. I left them on the counter and when we were about to leave I checked on them and they had risen again, so I punched them down and ran out the door. When we got back they had risen again! They were very misshaped but I figured they would be fine and I couldn't punch them down again because I didn't have time to let them raise again and wasn't sure if they would after all it had been through already. So I threw them in the oven and hoped they would still taste ok. Well if I thought they looked funny before they were cooked I had a surprise waiting for me! They looked so comical when I pulled them out of the oven that I laughed out loud and Elijah came in to see what could possible be that funny in a kitchen. They tasted just fine by the way!!
One morning I decided I was going to make Biscuits and gravy not thinking that I would need some kind of biscuit shaper till I was done making the biscuit dough. I was at a loss because all of the cookie cutters I did have are on the large size and I didn't want my biscuits to be huge so as I was rummaging through my cutters I found a set I had never used that was given it us as a wedding gift! They were perfect! I now make heart biscuits quite often!! Not only are they cute and remind me that I am so in love with Elijah but they are also very tasty!!
One of my favorite recipes that I have found since looking for zucchini recipes has been:
Zucchini Alfredo
I tried it with a can of evaporated milk and thought it was much creamer than with milk.
I use fettuccine noodles and have to add quite a bit of salt and pepper. But it is a recipe that I have already used 2 two or three times and Elijah hasn't said anything but good things!
I think my favorite story to tell is when I first made Zucchini Bread. I had a lot of Zucchini because Elijah's garden had been producing a ton of Zucchini. So I was making so much stuff with zucchini in it that I think Elijah was getting tired of zucchini. So he told me I should try zucchini bread. Well because he is my husband and I love him I decided to make a batch. So I follow the recipe and it is looking like it should and I pour it into my loaf pans. (I have four small ones and one that is medium sized) and put them in the oven well about 45 minutes into the baking I can smell them and they smell amazing! Well according to the recipe it still has another 20-25 minutes to go before they should be done. So I leave them in for another 5-8 minutes and decide they smell too good not to be done (a wise woman once told me that if you can smell what's in the oven it is close to being done) so I pulled them out and tested them the little ones were done and so pretty. I got them out of their pans and on a cooling rack. But the medium pan wasn't done but it was close, so I turned off the oven and went to finish watching the movie with Elijah. Well a few minutes later the smoke alarm went off, and I couldn't figure out why! I had turned off the oven then I saw that I left the oven mitt on top of the stove so I thought maybe it had gotten too hot, so I moved it and saw smoke coming from one of the burners!! I made sure it was off and finally looked in the oven, the zucchini bread was on fire!! I had to blow it out!! I then realized I had turned the oven to Broil not Off! That loaf was well done!! Elijah and I still ate it, well at least the bottom part!
Since I have such an amazing gardener for a husband I have had an abundance of Zucchini, so I decided to make some more zucchini bread. So I took the smallest zucchini and grated it. I ended up with 6 cups of grated zucchini! So I had to double the recipe then make one more normal sized batch to use it all. (I don't have a mixing bowel that could have handled that amount of stuff). That 6 cups of zucchini turned into 19 little loaves of zucchini bread (that are the perfect size for taking to friends) and took me all evening to bake. I am now in the market for bigger bread pans and another set or two of the little ones. It is a good thing we have made some friends while we have been out here or we would have been eating zucchini bread for a long time!!The next story is about baking bread! I got home from work and started making bread when Elijah came and told me that we were going to go out with some friends. I had already started and knew I didn't have time to finish and actually get them cooked. So I kneaded the dough and let it rise, and I did it again, and then one more time before I put them in the pans. I left them on the counter and when we were about to leave I checked on them and they had risen again, so I punched them down and ran out the door. When we got back they had risen again! They were very misshaped but I figured they would be fine and I couldn't punch them down again because I didn't have time to let them raise again and wasn't sure if they would after all it had been through already. So I threw them in the oven and hoped they would still taste ok. Well if I thought they looked funny before they were cooked I had a surprise waiting for me! They looked so comical when I pulled them out of the oven that I laughed out loud and Elijah came in to see what could possible be that funny in a kitchen. They tasted just fine by the way!!
One morning I decided I was going to make Biscuits and gravy not thinking that I would need some kind of biscuit shaper till I was done making the biscuit dough. I was at a loss because all of the cookie cutters I did have are on the large size and I didn't want my biscuits to be huge so as I was rummaging through my cutters I found a set I had never used that was given it us as a wedding gift! They were perfect! I now make heart biscuits quite often!! Not only are they cute and remind me that I am so in love with Elijah but they are also very tasty!!
One of my favorite recipes that I have found since looking for zucchini recipes has been:
Zucchini Alfredo
Ingredients
Directions
I tried it with a can of evaporated milk and thought it was much creamer than with milk.
I use fettuccine noodles and have to add quite a bit of salt and pepper. But it is a recipe that I have already used 2 two or three times and Elijah hasn't said anything but good things!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Ultimate Gaming
Its been a house of entertainment this past week or so. We have had some new additions to the family or at least to the house-hold. Since it was a certain person's birthday this month we got an early birthday present, an Xbox 360. Yes it even resides in the same room as the iMac. We have had some fun playing with the new toy and even Trina has found some time to build up a kingdom for a Kefling society.
In addition to building that kingdom we have been in the process of making the ultimate Catan. We recently added the Sea faring addition and have been enjoying making and competing to build the best Catan nation possible!!
After the first few attempts at Catan with Seafarer's we went ahead and added some of our favorite add ons from the Traders and Barbarians expansion and this was the result.
As you can see we have greatly expanded the World of Catan.
In addition to building that kingdom we have been in the process of making the ultimate Catan. We recently added the Sea faring addition and have been enjoying making and competing to build the best Catan nation possible!!
After the first few attempts at Catan with Seafarer's we went ahead and added some of our favorite add ons from the Traders and Barbarians expansion and this was the result.
As you can see we have greatly expanded the World of Catan.
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