On The First Day of Christmas My Good Friend Gave to Me...

...A pear pie because partridges are too hard to catch.

This year our ward created a service tree and then challenged each family to take a name to surprise during the Christmas Season. My gift was waiting for me when I arrived home from church today with the promise of eleven more to come. I am so excited to give thanks to my wonderful friend this Christmas season, and to pass along the joy I feel in being able to serve others.

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving gave us a lot to be grateful for. It was our first Thanksgiving with just us. It's fun to create our own traditions. We are both so grateful for the blessings in our lives. And a day to focus on those blessings.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

So, I can't take credit for this since Kaiti gave me the recipe, but I can show it off.

Oreo Truffles

Ingredient:
1 pkg regular Oreos
8 oz cream cheese, softened
White almond bark
Chocolate almond bark
Food coloring (optional)


Blend oreos in a bender or food processor until crumbs. Mix with cream cheese until blended thoroughly.Form quarter sized balls and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. (Or freeze for 15-20 minutes).

Melt the white and chocolate almond bark in separate bowls. Roll the oreo balls to coat in chocolate. Drizzle with the opposite chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Tip: Put one brick into a ziploc bag and microwave. Cut the tip off to drizzle.
Variation: Add food coloring to the white chocolate
Mix a few drops of blue food coloring to make the iris, mini chocolate chips for the
pupil, and a toothpick in red food coloring will make the red lines for eye balls.

Happy eating!

Pumpkin Waffles

(Not my waffles, but close)

These are seriously the best waffles I have ever eaten in my entire life. I am not a breakfast person and would much rather eat a sandwich at 9 in the morning than have breakfast, but I would make an exception for these. These are great with syrup or strawberries and whipped cream. Let me know what you think!

Pumpkin Waffles
(Makes 9 - 5 inch waffles)

1 1/4 C Flour
1/4 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
2 Eggs, Separated
1 C milk
1/2 C sour cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 Tbp. Melted Butter
1-2 c pumpkin (It depends on how pumpkin-y you want it)

Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk together egg yolks, milk, sour cream, vanilla, melted butter, and Pumpkin.
Combine dry and liquid ingredients.
Beat egg whites to soft peaks and fold in.
Follow waffle iron directions to bake.
Keep warm in an oven at 200 degrees.
Serve with syrup.

Happy Waffle Making!!!!

3 Years

Happy anniversary to my amazing wonderful husband. I cannot get over the fact that it's been three years. It doesn't feel like any time has gone by, but at the same time it feels like we've always been together. It is such a blessing to know that we have that promise to be together forever. Life with Cody just is. I never thought I could be so lucky to have the wonderful husband that I do.

Fall and Catch up!

So... it's been a while. I know I need to work on this whole blog thing. Things are going well for us here. Cody is in school and working his butt off memorizing all those trees. I'm going crazy with school and doing my job. I also got put in as Young Women Secretary about a month ago. It's been such an awesome experience to work with the youth.

My sister is getting married in January. I'm busy helping with all the fun. I drove out to Utah to help Lisa pick out a dress and to see my mom. I also got to see all my awesome cousins. It's been so long since we have all been together, it was super fun.

Fall is here and it feels like it's already gone. When I went to Utah two weeks ago, we got 3-5 inches of snow in the lovely city of Fort Collins. It killed all the leaves on the trees and now everything is bare. But fall also means pumpkins. I love all things pumpkin and have started a tradition of Pumpkin Waffles for General Conference Sunday. (Recipe to come soon). I love creating traditions with my little family!

Family is great.

My Family

Andrew, Lisa, Kaiti, Dad, Kristina, Mom, Tyler

So, with Cody being gone, I decided to take a trip home for the 4th of July. This is my family (plus Andrew, Lisa's boy friend) all together and Washington on the Brazos. This was probably one of my more eventful trips to Texas. It was Andrews first time to Texas so, Lisa got him onto Kyle Field.

He's a huge fan of all things sports and asked to get onto Kyle Field. Lisa said it wasn't possible and though the friend of a friend of a friend of a friend, here they are. He was so excited!

Next stop was the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory. We got a behind the scenes tour and Ice Cream straight off the belt. Who know having a Unit Director of HEB for a Dad would come in so handy.

Kaiti and I were so excited!

It was so good to be home and just be weird with my sisters. It's funny because we are in such different situations. Kaiti is starting her senior year in high school, Lisa is starting her senior year at BYU and seriously dating some one, And I've been married for two and a half years. Yet we all are still just as goofy when we get together as we ever were.

Hooray for visiting Family!

One week down, Four to go

So Cody's been gone for a week now. Although I did get an unexpected visit on Friday. His jeep is having problems so he decided to bring it home. I was able to take him back up on Saturday and see his campus. It's so beautiful to be completely surrounded by God's creations. I would love to be able to spend some time up there away from all the distractions. I am also grateful that Cody has internet access up there, even as limited as it is. If it were not for that, there would be no communication between us.

My Dad, Lisa, and Tyler were able to come for dinner for Father's Day. It is great to spend time with my family. Especially my dad as I have not seen him in a year. I truly love my dad and appreciate the example he has set for me in my life. Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Catch up

So I meant to be much better at this, but since my last post was the end of March it's clear that that's not happening. So here are a few updates since then.

Dying Eggs



Easter Family Photo

Estes Park and Wild Animals

School ended two weeks ago and I thought that would mean free time. I was wrong. I am the food coordinator for girls camp and have been spending four to eight hours a day preparing for that. So much for summer, but I'm glad for the work. Cody leaves tomorrow for his five week stay at Pingree. We've been apart before, but this time there is no phone and no internet. It will be fun to write letters and have those to keep. I'm grateful for the opportunity we have to communicate, even through letters, and for a family that is there to support me even from thousands of miles away.

Fort Collins Blizzard of '09

So it never fails, the trees start getting their leaves and flowering and it actually starts feeling like spring is here and then the blizzard hits. Well, they called it a blizzard. It really wasn't that bad. It was bad enough to get a day and half off school which was great.

Cody and I took advantage of it by breaking in my new boots and snow hiking Horsetooth. I always looked at pictures of people in short sleeves surrounded by snoe and thought they must be crazy, but now I am one of those people. It was great. The snow completely transformed the area. Everything looked new and untouched. It was such an awesome experience to recognize and enjoy the wonder world that has been created for us.

I have never been an outdoors person, but marrying Cody and then moving to a state where it is expected that you become an outdoors person is having a very positive affect on me. I love hiking. I love spring. I love the snow(when I don't have to drive in it). I'm greatful and blessed to have a wonderful husband who pushes me out of my indoor comfort zone to enjoy the wonderful world God created

Spring in Colorado?

So, here goes. I've been wanting to blog for a while now and am finally managed to drag Cody in with me.

It's March, and what's more, it's Spring Break... well technically that starts tomorrow, but same thing. I grew up in Texas, and when Spring Break hits, it's actually spring. Not that I'm complaining. We have had a very mild winter (to Cody's dismay), and the past few weeks have been very nice; however, it is cold yet again and they are forecasting snow showers. I'm ready for the flowers and the leaves to pop out again. I ready to wear my sandals to the store and not worry about whether or not I need a jacket when I go outside. I'm ready to see if I can actually get a tan for the first time in 10 years. Hopefully spring will come soon.