Things on my mind that have gone unsaid, until now...

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas is San Diego Christmas weather. No snow. No cold. Yes, sunshine. Yes, warmth. As much as I love Christmas songs, and I love to sing along with them, I do not really mean it when I sing, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas," nor "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow." I would love to never have a white Christmas in my life. Thank you.

Dear People of Utah,

Just because it is daytime doesn't mean you can't nor shouldn't turn on your lights. If there's bad visibility due to rain or snow, it'd actually be a good idea to turn them on... before, you know, it's too late. Just a FYI. Oh, it's also good to have them on at night too because I know plenty of you think you have night vision or something and don't ever turn them on.

Dear People of Utah (again),

I find it funny that most of you are LDS and should be very nice people, yet once you get behind the wheel of your car that all goes out the window. You are hardly ever courteous enough to let someone change lanes/merge in front of you. It gets awfully annoying driving from the west side of the I-15 on Center Street, when I'm driving home, and no one will let me change into the right lane when I need to turn right in like 50 feet (worst setup in the world, btw). Therefore, I hold up the traffic behind me because no one is nice enough to let me over (and, yes, I use my turn signal unlike most of you). What is with that? Just think, if you do an act of kindness on the road, it will be passed on. How much better driving in Utah would be then!

Dear UVU Copy Center,

Please keep up with the current times and allow debit and credit cards to be used. Not everyone has checks or cash on hand, nor does everyone have a debit card that actually has money in the account (therefore, are not able to get cash out of an ATM).

Dear Disneyland,

I'm working on my husband to let me visit you next April/May. Hopefully, it will work out because it has been too long. I miss you. Please don't disappoint my husband this time either, and have a small crowd of people. I would appreciate your help on this. Oh, and please have all the good rides open too. That would not include It's a Small World. Worst ride ever. Thirteen minutes of that song... really?

Dear Finals Week,

I am so happy you are finally here. I need the Christmas break. Please don't go too hard on me.

To Whom It May Concern,

Is it bad that my anti-bias presentation has made me a little more bias? I'm pretty sure that presentation was supposed to have the opposite affect.

Dear _____ and ______ ,

You are the two worst companies ever.

The End

It's not finals week, but it feels like it. This week is going to be super crazy busy with tests, end of semester projects/assignments, two presentations (one is speaking in Spanish for four minutes and the other is teaching for 40 minutes with two other co-teachers), YW Evening of Excellence, babysitting my niece 3 nights, two visiting teaching appointments, etc. I'm sure there is so much more that I can't think of. I'm just happy that come Thursday, I will be SO close to being done. Oh, and it's a three day weekend, so that it awesome.

Anyways, so I just wanted to say I'm alive... but I won't be back for a while... again.

Updates

I have been spending two days a week in this classroom:Do you love the kid in the front that looks angry?

It has been a very fun experience. And since I was able to choose the grade I was working with, I have remembered why I loved working with children so

much. I don't know what it is about Kindergarten, but I love it. Maybe it's because they have shorter days? Haha. Well, that's not the only thing I love. There has been so much growth and improvement within so many of these children since I started coming in about two months ago. I just love how excited the children get when they can finally write the "e" in their name (because it seems to be the hardest letter for many kids). I'll definitely miss these kids when I'm done with all my assignments. Maybe if I have the extra time next semester, I can go in to help out once a week still.

Anyways, I have decided that Jon and I are doomed to have ugly children. Want to know why? I'll show you why:

Okay, maybe that's not the best proof, but seriously! Some of those kids could have been cute if they didn't have such huge foreheads. I'm doomed to have babies with big heads. I just hope they don't break my tailbone like Jon did to his Mother!

I have 26 days left of school this semester. I am so happy. One of those days, I know I will not be attending (next Monday) because I'll be hanging out with Em and her family! I'm so excited! And I can't wait until Thanksgiving break. I haven't decided on whether or not I'll be cooking, but I am definitely considering it. It'll be an adventure!

I went to my younger brother's rugby game Saturday. He came down with his teammates from Rexburg to play an UVU team. I had no idea what was going on, but it is a pretty neat sport. He has never played this sport before until he got up to school at BYUI and had some friends that were into it. So they made a club at BYUI and play quite often, I think.

My Current Favorite Meal

I came across a Chicken and Dumplings recipe that I love. It's a crock pot recipe, and it is also super easy (maybe 10 minutes of prep time)!

Anyways, here it is (with a few modifications by me, which are italicized):

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

By: Janiece Mason

"This is an easy slow cooker recipe that cooks while you are at work! It is wonderful on a cold, snowy day. I have four children who are picky eaters, and they LOVE this! Enjoy!"

Rating: Read Reviews (2,706)

Rate/Review | 76,292 people have saved this

Prep Time:
10 Min

Cook Time:
6 Hrs

Ready In:
6 Hrs 10 Min

Yields 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 onion, finely diced I used onion powder instead.
• 2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces I just bought one 16.whatever oz. because it was cheaper than buying two of the smaller size.
• mixed veggies (I use frozen and just dump in however much I want.)
• black pepper to taste
• about 2 c. water (or enough to cover the chicken and veggies) - They don't have it listed as an ingredient.

Directions

1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, veggies and onion (powder) in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
2. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 90 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Be sure to push them down, so they are covered in the sauce (they'll probably still float to the top). Essentially, these are supposed to be more like noodles, not biscuits, but I guess whatever your preference is works. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 385 | Total Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 45mg

While I'm at it, I'll post another yummy and easy recipe. Let's just say, this will literally take you 10 minutes start to finish.

It's called Potato Corn Chowder. There are no modifications needed for this one, except that I would suggest doubling it if you want leftovers. Also, it is really yummy in bread bowls.

THE Easiest Potato Corn Chowder

This is the easiest Potato Corn Chowder you will ever make... but just because it's easy (I made this chowder in less than 10 minutes) doesn't mean it's not tasty! I wouldn't put it on here if it wasn't tasty... you know that :)

1/4 c. crumbled bacon (I just bought the pre-crumbled "real"
2 (10oz) cans Cream of Potato soup
2 c. milk
2 cans (11oz) corn
salt and pepper to taste
Crackers (optional)

Heat potato soup and milk in a sauce pan. Add corn, bacon, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Serve with crackers.

Fishes, Turtles, and Frogs

Jon and I have had an unusual amount of extra money lately (Overtime pay maybe? I have no idea why. This never happens.). We have been really good lately trying to pay down debt and control our spending habits. But we felt like we deserved something. There have been a few opportunities presented before us recently that would help us out financially and really prepare us to finally get onto some health insurance and start trying to have some babies finally! Well, with that desire to have babies, but knowing we still have a little while before we can actually have one, we decided we were going to get ourselves a fish. Yes, a fish. We aren't allowed pets in our complex, and I know Jon would love to have a dog or cat (which I would absolutely detest in an apartment anyways). However, we can have a fish... I think. I mean, they just sit there and swim and don't make a mess anywhere except inside their tank. I think this desire to buy a fish started when we visited the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy and decided that someday we want a really cool, huge saltwater aquarium. So we decided to go to PetSmart because it was the only pet place we could think of that was closest to us. As we were looking at all the fish, I saw some turtles.

Before I go on, I must reflect first on a time I wanted a turtle before. I was probably around 9- or 10-years-old, in fourth grade. My family went up to visit my Great Aunt (Grandma's Sister/Dad's Aunt) in Oakland, CA. We also went to visit the Santa Clara Mission, which two classmates and I were doing a group report on at school. In fourth grade, you learn about your state, and California has missions that were built by the Spaniards to bring Christianity to the Native Americans. My parents always liked to take us kids to visit the missions we did our reports on, and my group happened to pick one of the farthest ones away, so I almost didn't get to visit it. Anyways, that really has nothing to do with this story... Well, while we visited Oakland and Santa Clara, we decided to also visit San Francisco. I don't remember much besides the bay, the trolleys, my younger brother screaming because he hated the trolley ride, etc. I know we went to Chinatown also because it was there that I saw these cute little swimming turtles. I begged my Mother for one, but she wouldn't get one for me. I was so sad! They were so cute.



Anyways, so back to the pet store. I decided at that moment that I wanted a turtle instead. They are so cute and live a really long time. They would be an easy pet to take care of, I think. Well, I really wanted one of the tiny ones like I saw in San Francisco years ago. So we went to several stores and found nothing. Well, my friend, Gentri, told me that they were banned from the U.S. I decided to look it up online, and yes, they are. Apparently, they had a big turtle scare years ago with salmonella. These turtles are little, and well, little kids like to put little objects into their mouths. So you have kids sticking turtles into their mouths and people not washing their hands after touching the turtles. Thus, salmonella outbreak and banned turtles.

So now I have given up on my turtle dream. I now want some froggies and fishies to live together in the same tank. I went grocery shopping at Wal-mart last night and looked at their fish. They had some Dwarf African Frogs, and they were so tiny and cute. I think I have a problem right now. I want anything that's tiny and cute (I almost wanted a cute little puppy or kitty when we were at the pet stores).


Anyways, so I don't know if we'll be getting a new friend anytime soon but that is what we have been up to the last few days during our Fall Break!

Sleepy

This is how I pretty much feel all the time now.
I think my husband is the same way....


I don't even know how I would have handled a part-time job along with school.
My husband is amazing for working and going to school both full time.
And I am sure grateful for him for that!
I have to get a job next semester though.
This could get interesting....

I am in love.....

Seriously, this place has the most amazing fabric.
I love it.
But $15/yard...?
Come on now.
Yeah, right.

Anyone know of any good online stores that sell inexpensive fabric?
I need to start working on and improving my "talent."

Busy Busy Busy!

Life has been so crazy lately. I don't have time for much anymore because every second my husband is home, I want to spend that time with him. So I try to do all my homework when he's not home. It's hard juggling school, spending time with my husband, homework, YW's, cooking, cleaning, etc. I am so grateful that my husband has been helpful and done the dishes lately because he knows I can't make dinner if the sink is already full of dirty dishes. (So he kind of does it for selfish reasoning- he wants me to make him dinner!) Haha. But I don't mind. :)

Anyways, things that have been going on recently:

1. My parents stopped in Utah on their way to take my brother to BYUI. Thus, I got a sewing machine and a desktop computer. Both are old (the sewing machine more so than the iMac), but they will work!

2. I ended up going to Rexburg with them (on Labor Day) to help my brother and parents find everything and to see Sandra! The school has changed a lot, and it is really, really weird.

3. Jon and I went to an Orem Owlz game! I've been wanting to go to one for a while, but it always seems like we don't have the money or something else is going on when they're playing over at UVU. It was fun, but the game wasn't that exciting considering the Ogden Raptors didn't put up much competition (Owlz won 17-1). Although, we did get 4 free tickets to the playoff game Saturday! Exciting! It does make me miss going to Padres games when I was younger with my family. I can't wait until we live in a state that has a professional baseball team because that's about the only sport I can tolerate watching.

4. I hate football and football season. That's all I have to say about that.

I can't really think of anything else worth mentioning. Life is going fine; I just wish I had some more time!

Anniversary Celebration!

What a fun week!

Jon and I had a great time on our "getaway" to Heber City and Park City last week.
It was just what we needed,

except I could have gone for at least a full week or even longer!
We started the day off with BBQing in Provo (we couldn't check into our place until after 3 PM).



I sure do love to BBQ!
I will say, there are some creepy people that hang out at the parks in the ghettos of Provo (since that's where we live). Haha.
Anyways, we didn't do much the first night in Heber.
We got some pizza and just relaxed.
The next morning, we were trying to decide what all were were going to do that day.
Well, I was planning on doing some outdoor stuff - hiking, swimming, and summer fun activities at the resorts in Park City.
But guess what Jon wanted to do?




He wanted to go shopping.

Weird, huh?
So we headed up to the outlet center in Park City and did our "Back to School" shopping.
We got some awesome deals like a few shirts in the price range of $4-$6.
We headed back to our room, ate lunch, then headed off to the Jordanelle Reservoir to go swimming!


Well, apparently, it was too cold for Jon, so we didn't really end up swimming.
I got in about knee high, but Jon wasn't enjoying himself so we took off.
We went up a road that had some pretty views of the reservoir and the dam.




On our way back down, I spotted some deer on the side of the road.
I pretty much love deer and think they are the cutest things ever, especially when they run/hop away.

(My camera likes to mess up my pictures sometimes, but at least it didn't mess up the deer part of the picture!)
Well, we decided we were hungry for dinner at this point.
We had planned to eat at this place just outside the hotel/motel (whatever a Holiday Inn Express is).
It was called The Claim Jumper.
Very misleading for someone who is from California and has eaten at a place called Claim Jumper.
Anyways, we checked it out and were seated.
Then we saw the prices on their menu and knew we had to get out.
Unless you wanted just a salad, you would be paying at least $22 a person.
No thanks.
We aren't that rich.
There isn't much to eat in Heber besides fast food, so we looked into places in Park City.
Well, most everything there is pretty expensive too.
However, I did find a place that had good reviews AND was inexpensive.
It was called the No Name Saloon.

I had read reviews on it and knew that it had a more bar-like feel to it.
But what else were we going to do?
Eat McDonald's?
No, thanks.
I know we're not the classiest of people, but we did want something of a little better quality and taste.
Well, little did I know that it really in fact was pretty much a bar, and we were carded as we went in.
I think we were the only ones in there not drinking beer. Haha.
Although, I will say that our Sprite did taste a little funny.
But we did specifically ask for a non-alcoholic drink.
We definitely enjoyed their food (at least I did).
Jon wasn't digging the chips because they were kettle, and he doesn't like kettle chips.
We had Buffalo Burgers. Mmmm!
It was good.
After that, we stopped by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory to get ice cream and walk the rest of the way back down Main Street to our car.
We had to check out of our room by 11 AM the next morning, so we ate breakfast, swam for a bit at the pool, and took off back home.
Too short of a trip.
But it was fun, and I love my husband so much for taking me!

Baked Chipotle Beef Taquitos

So I just had to post this. I tried this Baked Chipotle Beef Taquitos recipe tonight, and it was pretty dang good. Although, mine did not look quite as nice as the ones pictured on the website I got the recipe from. But they still tasted wonderful!

Mmm... don't they look delicious?

Here's the recipe:

Baked Chipotle Beef Taquitos
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

3 C cooked, shredded beef roast*
4 oz green chilies, undrained
1/4-1/2 t minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (I use 1/4 t for mild heat. There's a note in the blog about removing the seeds and such- just click on the link above to learn what to do.)
3 t adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers
1 t garlic powder
1 t coriander
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
zest from one lime
1 T fresh lime juice
1 package Queso Fresco (about 12 oz)
6" corn tortillas (about 20)
olive oil or cooking spray
kosher salt

Note: If you don't want to work with the chipotle peppers, or can't find them, try adding some Chipotle Chili Powder. You can find it by the other spices in the grocery store. It will still give you a smoky spice, so start with a little and increase to taste.

*I created this recipe to use up left over roast from things like pot roast and french dip sandwiches. If you're cooking a roast strictly for use in these taquitos, then just mildly season it with things like salt, pepper, onion, and garlic before cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice any larger pieces of roast across the grain so the beef is shredded into 1/2-1 inch pieces.
Combine chilies, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and lime zest and juice in a bowl. After stirring to combine, gently toss together with shredded beef.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften. (after those are used, do the next 10)

Working with one tortilla at a time, crumble about 1T queso fresco in a line across the center of the tortilla. Top with 1-2 T shredded beef mixture. Tightly roll and place seam-side down on a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Continue to roll until all of the tortillas are filled.

Use cooking spray, olive oil spray, or lightly brush olive oil on the top of each taquito. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Serve warm with sour cream and guacamole. Makes about 20 taquitos.

Freezer instructions: Make as noted through the step where you sprinkle the tops of the taquitos with salt. Place in a dish a single layer, not touching each other and set in the freezer. After frozen, place in zip-top bag, foodsaver bag, or any other air tight container. To cook, preheat oven to 425. Place taquitos on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until edges are golden brown. (Usually about 30 minutes)

I have leftover shredded beef, so I think I'll probably be making some more later this week. :) Tomorrow night, I will be trying this Spicy Honey Chicken recipe from the same website and make it into this salad. I think I might just love this food blog.

I am working on a post about our anniversary getaway. I am just slow with it.