Kitchen Fun

Sorry that I haven’t wrote lately . . . sometimes life just gets too busy for you to just stop and write, so here I am again, feeling the need to play catch up! ☺ I said that I would try to write every week saying what I have been baking; well, I have been baking, just not writing about it! Opps! Here is some of the things that I have been cooking up for the past month!

My “Wednesday Baking Adventure” for November 16th: We have a bunch of left over Peanut M&Ms from Halloween, and since Roland and I aren’t too big of fans of the peanut ones, I thought that I would try putting it in something and seeing if that would help us get rid of them. So, I made up some Peanut M&M Brownies. They actually tasted better than I thought they were going to, but after a brownie or two, I just ended up picking out the M&Ms and eating the brownie by itself! Oh, well! I guess it is the thought that counts, right? ☺ So, my lesson that I learned is: don’t try put something you don’t like in something you like when you can pick it out . . . you will end up picking it out and throwing it away anyways, so save yourself the trouble and don’t do it!

My “Wednesday Baking Adventure” for November 23rd: Well, since it was the day before Thanksgiving, I didn’t actually do any baking on the Wednesday itself, but I did help my mom out with making the Thanksgiving lunch/dinner the next day, so I am counting that! (After all, I am the one who is making the rules, so I can!)  On Thanksgiving Day, my mom and I baked up some super yummy dinner rolls! She put me in charge of it, but we didn’t have enough space for me to hand knead the dough (do to other yummy things being made) so we ended up putting the ingredients in my mom’s bread machine and just set it on Dough, that way it wouldn’t back it! We thought it was a brilliant plan, until the machine beeped saying it was done and I went to look at it . . . let me just say, if you are using a bread machine, make sure you don’t put in more ingredients than the directions on the machine says, it WILL over flow and make a mess if you don’t! haha Don’t worry, I cleaned it up and saved the dough, before anyone noticed, and the rolls turned out great! My lesson that I learned from this is: don’t skip steps just to make things go faster, you usually end up making a big mess and having to spend more time cleaning it up than it would have taken to do it the right way in the first place!

My “Wednesday Baking Adventure” for November 30th: I don’t remember if I baked anything this week . . . besides a baked potato that I usually have every week or so! Ever since I got into my second trimester (and now that I am in my third) I get the craving for a baked potato every now and again. Since Roland isn’t a huge fan of then, I usually just make myself one for lunch if I am in the mood. I know that everyone has a different way of making baked potatoes, so I shall share my favorite way! I always start my preheating my oven that way it is all ready for my potato to pop in when I am done getting it ready! After I scrub the potato, I stab my potato for ventilation. I always use aluminum foil, but I do something a little different before wrapping my potato up . . . a rub it with olive oil and then sprinkle some salt on it (sometimes other spices too). I do this so then after the potato is all done, the skins a soft and uber yummy too! I don’t know where I found this idea, but I have loved it ever since . . . even Roland says it isn’t too bad! Then of course you bake it in the oven for about an hour! That’s it, super easy! Lesson learned: umm . . . write more in my blog so I actually remember what I really made that day! haha

My “Wednesday Baking Adventure” for December 7th: Last week, because Roland was gone ALL day (I mean it, he left before 7:30 in the morning to go to school and came home from work a little before 11:30 at night) I made for Roland his favorite kind of cookie, Spritz! Turns out, they are super easy to make and taste pretty good too! I might have to spoil the boy more often and make them for him more! I had to borrow my mom’s cookie press, because ours didn’t come until this week! My only problem came in to play when baking the cookies themselves. For the life of me I couldn’t seem to get them not to come out looking more done than they should be, there might have been some extra well done bottoms on a few of them too! I don’t know if I had my temperature up too high or that I had them in too long for our oven, or if our oven what just hating me that day, but it felt like a epic fail! Then Roland came home and his face lit up like a little kid when he saw them, and he immediately started eating them . . . so not so much a fail! ☺ Lesson of the week: Be more patient when baking cookies, and always remember, no matter if they even come out a little burnt, Roland will still eat them!

My “Wednesday Baking Adventure” for December 14th: Hey, that’s today! How about that! Well, yesterday I baked some yummy banana bread! I have this no fail recipe that I go to for banana bread . . . here is a link to the website that I found it at and I highly recommend it! http://www.banana-bread-recipe.com/ I usually spice it up a little bit by adding a little cinnamon and nutmeg, but it tastes good just straight by the book too! If banana bread is something that kind of scares you or never seems to turn out right for you and you have those extra bananas that are over rip, the is the recipe to turn to! I promise, it will turn out! ☺ I also made for Roland some homemade pizza last night for dinner.  I used a new to me recipe. I was pretty sure it would turn out good, because I was using Roland’s sister’s recipe, but it is always nice to have something come out of the oven done “perfectly” knowing that you did that! It always makes me smile! I haven’t decided weather I am going to bake something later today or not yet. Roland wants me to bake him some more Spritz cookies and some No-Bake cookies . . . I might do that this evening or tomorrow, I probably should do my laundry first! My learning moment for this week so far: follow the directions, they were put there for a reason, and usually they are right!

Well, that’s all my baking for the last month or so . . . I really love to bake! I love the process of making a new creation, the way it makes my home smell super yummy, and the eating part when it is all done! Sometimes it is important to just step back and enjoy the simple things in life . . . like FOOD! ☺

A Thankful Post

Since it was Thanksgiving a little while ago, I figured that I would share ten of the many things that I am thankful for this year!

1.    I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is truly a huge blessing in my life!
2.    I am grateful that I have a family that can be and will be together forever, until death is not long enough!
3.    I am grateful for education . . . even if I am not the one going to school right now, I am grateful that Roland has this opportunity!
4.    I am grateful to have been born in and be living in a free country, when so many don’t.
5.    I am grateful for all of the men and woman (past, current, and future) who have chosen to put their lives on the line for my freedom.
6.    I am grateful to have a safe roof over my head and enough food in the cupboards.
7.    I am grateful for technology . . . simply being able to pick up the phone and talk to someone who is over one thousand miles away!
8.    I am grateful for a wonderful husband who loves me and is always more than willing to help me and support me through anything!
9.    I am grateful for the ability to create and rise my children . . . I am already seeing the blessings and joy it brings, and my first one isn’t even born yet!
10.    I am grateful to have so many loving friends and other loved ones, who truly care about me and really do go that extra mile for me!

Baking Adventure With a Two-Year-Old

On Monday I started baby-sitting an adorable little two-year-old boy, named JJ. I still wanted to bake, so I knew that I had two options . . . either bake while he is napping or try baking with him! Since I had run out of eggs yesterday that meant that either I had to go to the store (yuck) or not make English Muffins like I was planning on doing this week.  I decided that it would be just as easy to make PIZZA for lunch with him!

A couple weeks ago, Roland and I had made up a bunch of pizza dough and froze it, so it was as simple as one, two, three! After defrosting the dough over night in the fridge all we had to do is: roll the dough out, put the sauce and cheese on, then cook it! Pretty simple! JJ had fun helping me out! He helped at each step, and had to taste test everything that we did . . . yep, even the dough! He liked the cheese the best and was busy picking the cheese off and eating it almost as fast as I was trying to shred it and put it on!

After it was done cooking, it was LUNCH TIME!!! So, we got to try our creation right away! JJ told me that it was “YUMMY!” Even though I had lots of fun helping him roll out the dough and spread the sauce, I have decided that unless I am going to bake something that is pretty simple and doesn’t take that much time to make, I will just bake during his nap time! I don’t want him to get board with it or frustrated with a more complex recipe, but I do think that the next time I bake cookies, I will have to use my little helper!

My little helper with flour on his face with our creation before it goes into the oven!

The First Snow of the Season

When I woke up this morning and looked out the window, I asked Roland, “What is all that white stuff doing out there?” He, being the smart-aleck that he is, replied without missing a beat, “It is falling on the ground!” haha Boy, do I love being married to that goofball, life would be boring without him! After his remark this morning, a Primary song has been stuck in my head ALL day . . . okay, since it is only noon, it would be more fair to say ALL morning!

Looking out my window into my "backyard" of woods!

“Snow is falling all around,
On the rooftops,
On the ground,
Snow is falling on my nose,
On my head and hands and toes.”

Can you tell that I am a Primary worker since I know this song? (Yep, it is in the Primary Song book, look it up, you will find it in there . . . but under a different name, I think, the “original” verse is about rain, which would have worked for yesterday!) How about that when I sing it I have to do the actions that go along with it? (My Primary kids would be so proud of me and would sign along, then ask to sing the “Once there was a Snowman” song!)

Wednesday Baking Adventures

I have recently realized that ever since my sister-in-law started her new blog about cooking, that I have been baking something every Wednesday. I know that I have been baking before that, but I don’t think that it was every week. Lucky for Roland, it seems to be a habit that I am getting and even looking forward to each week! Since I don’t have pictures of my last few weeks of my creations, I will just tell you what they are, and then someday I will remake them and post about it!

Previous weeks Wednesday Baking Adventures have included:
•    Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with Glaze
•    Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
•    Lemon Spice Muffins
•    Carrot Cake Bread
•    Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
•    Braided Cheese Bread
•    Banana Bread
•    Potato Rolls

My new goal is to post a picture of what I bake each week! I don’t only bake on Wednesdays, but I want to post every Wednesday something new that I baked. My oven gets more exercise than just once a week, in fact this week I baked some Braided Cheese Bread on Sunday to go with lasagna that we had to celebrate my dad’s birthday and I baked bread bowls on Tuesday to go with the chili that we served the missionaries for dinner!

This week I decided to take a walk down memory lane! One of my fondest childhood memories is going down to my Grandma Jefferson’s house and baking with her! I don’t know how often we would do it, but I always remember having so much fun! We would make bread and rolls, and then deliver some to some of the older ladies in the neighborhood. I love spending time with my grandma, she doesn’t bake so much now, but whenever I make homemade bread or rolls, I always think of her!

Today I made cinnamon rolls! This was something that Grandma and I would make together too!  I remember my grandma teaching me to measure out the flour, and I would make a HUGE mess, but Grandma would always smile and tell me to try again!  One of the things I love most about baking cinnamon rolls is how the cinnamon just fills the whole house! As I was cooking today, and thinking about my grandma, I was thinking to myself that I hope my daughter will be able to look back and have wonderful memories about learning how to cook too! Someday I will have to teach her, but as for today, I am going to enjoy my cinnamon rolls smothered in cream cheese frosting!

Here are my fresh out of the oven cinnamon rolls! I can't wait to eat one!

Introducing Our Baby Girl!

Roland and I are looking forward to this February with a new type of excitement this year! Sometime around February 10th, a baby girl will join our little family! We have decided what we are going to name her, but we are not putting it up on the internet . . . so that is one surprise that will just have to wait for February! :)

We found out that I was pregnant right away, mostly because I just suddenly started feeling sick and was throwing up at least once a day. Roland figured that if it was some sort of bug, like I thought it was, it should be going away, and it wouldn't hurt for me to at least take the home pregnancy test to find out if I was or wasn't. So, one morning, I took the test, and guess what . . . it said PREGNANT! I was super excited! Roland smiled and said, "I knew that you were!" We did a little happy dance in our tiny little apartment! I set up an appointment for us to go see my OB, whom I LOVE, and Roland started plotting on how we could tell all of our friends and family! We decided to tell Roland's parents right before they left to move out to Seattle, that way we could tell them in person, we also told my parents around the same time. I thought it would be kind of fun to wait to tell our siblings for a little bit, because Roland's sister, Nicole (who is also going to be having a baby) was coming to visit us. Once the news was out, it has been fun being able to just smile and say, "Yes, I am going to be a Mommy!"

14 1/2 weeks. 18 weeks. 21 weeks, and 25 weeks

At the end of September we found out that we are having a little baby girl! It was so much fun seeing how active she is on the ultrasound screen! We had to stay in there a little longer, because she wouldn't sit still long enough to let them get the pictures of the head and heart that they needed! It was love at first sight! :) It was kind of funny how, Roland and I had a boy's name picked out, but we were still decided on the girl's name . . . but it was almost right at the moment that we both found out she was a girl, we both knew what we wanted to name her, and it was the same name! :)

Ultrasound pictures of her feet, ears, flexing her arm, and of her spin at 21 weeks!

I love being pregnant and being able to feel my baby girl come to life inside of me! Roland loves to poke at her and feel her kick back at him . . . I tell him that he should stop teaching his daughter how to "beat" me up! :) I can already tell that she is taking after her daddy, because she likes to "tickle" me from the inside of my belly just like her daddy like to tickle me, but I guess that is what I get for being so ticklish! She loves it when we listen to music, especially piano and Primary songs. Sometimes I think she is most active when I am sitting in church or reading the scriptures out loud, it makes me smile. The newest trick that she has learned is to kick the monitor and then roll over, when I go into the doctor to listen to her heartbeat, so the nurse has to play "hide and seek" to find it! It is so cute!

3D picture of her face, and a couple profile shots including ones of her pointing to her nose and sucking on her fingers!

Once the first trimester was over, I started being able to keep more food down, which was something that I was excited about! The only thing that I really need to stay away from is Orange Juice, which makes me sad, because I love it! I have been craving like crazy chips and salsa, carrots, Chinese food, and of course ice cream! I get heartburn no matter what I eat, so I just live off of Tums and milk!

I have decided that the only thing that makes me happier than knowing that I am going to be an Auntie to a beautiful baby boy, is knowing that only a couple months later, I am going to be a Mommy of a beautiful baby girl! :) It is so much fun being able to go through my pregnancy with my sister-in-law, Nicole! I am super excited to be able to watch out babies grow up together! Our family is getting just a little bit bigger, and it makes me count my blessings to know, that we will be together forever!

Fresh Starts in September

So, I have been horrible at keeping this updated . . . and I have decided I am going to try a little harder to be a little better! Wish me luck! :)

For Roland, some new adventures started in September . . . well, maybe not new, more like a second chapter of the same adventure! September brought the beginning of his second year of college. And now, that the semester is well on its way, he says that he is feeling more part of the campus life. He thinks that part of it might be because he is working on campus . . . three jobs! He works a couple afternoons a week in a Chemistry computer lab (making sure that everybody signs in and keeps the lab clean), he works a couple hours in the Chemistry stock room (checking in and out lab equipment), and he also grades lab reports for a teacher. He seems to be enjoying being able to be on campus and "part" of that world. He still works a couple nights a week at Target. And with all of that, he stays very busy, but for the most part, he loves it!

September brought us another fun adventure . . . we moved into a new apartment! Oh, boy, I can't tell you how much I love this new place! It has been so much fun moving into our new home! It is much more roomy and we probably well be staying here until Roland is done with his undergraduate degree. It is a two-bedroom apartment with a fairly open concept floor plan for the living space. One thing that Roland LOVES about this apartment is that the kitchen is big enough that you can fit the kitchen table in it AND still have two people working (cooking/cleaning) in it at the same time! I love how even when we had absolutely nothing unpacked, it still felt like home to me . . . and every unpacked box has just added to it! Another thing that we have found that we love is that we have room to invite people over for dinner and there is enough room for everyone without having to rearrange the whole apartment! It might be still a small apartment compared to some, but it is the perfect place for us . . . close to campus and the interstate, the price was right, and best of all, it is our new home together! :)

I also started up my own business in September! I am officially a Pampered Chef Consultant and I am super excited about this new business of mine! One of the things I love about it is that I can make my own schedule and still earn money to help support Roland threw school! This also means that I can be a stay at home mommy! :) I love how much Pampered Chef works with you to help you be successful! My director is AMAZING and she is a wonderful source of information! Even though I am very new in the business and have only been a consultant for about a month, I have already seen the benefits that it has on my life! In this economic time, where so many are being laid off or having trouble finding a job, I feel so blessed to have to opportunity to be working. I love my new job, it is so much fun and I get to do a couple of the things I love to do: meet and party with new friends AND make and eat YUMMY food! What is there about this you could not love? :)

We have found that sometimes life doesn't turn out the way that you think it is going to, but that is still okay. If you live your life getting caught up in the what if's and could have's, you will miss out on the even better right now’s and will be's! It is good to plan ahead in your life and work towards your goals, but if a change of plans comes along, remember that it is all part of God's plan for us, and He knows what He is doing, because He can see the big picture! :)

Nauvoo: Beautiful City (Week Two)

Like I said before, we were in Nauvoo for two whole weeks! I can tell you that now I truly understand why the Lord said the Sunday (the seventh day) was to be a day of rest! Oh, boy, was Sunday a wonderful treat! :) We decided to go to the afternoon Church, but it was so hot that morning that we went for a Sunday morning drive along the Mississippi River! It was so BEAUTIFUL! As we were traveling we were trying to find the most scenic rout possible. So, here we were just turning on all sorts of back roads and trying to get lost without getting stuck! Then, suddenly as we came over a hill, there it was . . . the Nauvoo temple! We had come across Montrose, Iowa! This was the place where the Saints had crossed over the Mississippi on their way out West. It was kind of cool to see how literal it was, that they would look back one more time to see the temple and their homes, before crossing over that hill, leaving all they know behind.

After church we ran into a wonderful family, the Holts, who let us come hang out with them that afternoon . . . it was so hot that we would have melted! We had so much fun just spending time with our new friends, just talking and playing games! We learned a couple new games and new rules to old games! It is kind of funny how every family has different house rules to play by for the same game! :) Sunday really was for us a day of rest!

So, come Monday morning it was back to practice! Remember . . . practice makes perfect! :) We didn't have to practice as much after Monday's dress rehearsal . . . so we had more FREETIME! :) We could have gone around to some of the sites in Nauvoo, but we chose to stay close to home, because I wasn't feeling too great! :( Do to the fact that it was a billion degrees outside . . . okay, so maybe it was just 100 degrees with an heat index of 120 degrees, a wonderful family took us in for the second week.  They let us move into their house for the rest of the week . . . it was amazing! It helped just being able to be in air conditioning again when I was sleeping! The fun thing about this family, the Smiths, was that they had six kids ranging in ages from 2 to 14! Roland and I were able to help out getting the kids ready and see how things ran in a large family! It was good practice for when we start having kids! :)

The rest of the week went smoothly with every night being a performance night! One of the cool things was being able to do missionary work before the pageant started, while the Nauvoo Frontier Country Fair was going on, because the next family cast came in to fill our spots in helping out! We were able to meet more people, but probably one of my favorites, and Roland's, was a family from Peru, who spoke some English, but mostly Spanish! Roland had so much fun talking to them in Spanish! I loved just hearing their stories . . . something I love is how even though they live over 1000 miles away, we still have something in common with them, the gospel! Roland was nice enough to translate or at least sum up what the Spanish conversations were about, so I wasn't completely lost! On our last night of performing it started to rain while the Nauvoo Frontier Country Fair, there was some thunder and lighting, but it stopped in time for us to be able to go on and perform! The show must go on! It was interesting how different it was performing with wet (rain drenched) clothes!

It was sad to say goodbye to all of our new friends not knowing when we would see all of them again. I can't wait to be able to go back to Nauvoo next year just to feel that wonderful spirit of Nauvoo! Nauvoo is kind of addicting . . . once you have a little taste, you just can't get enough of it! We will all meet again someday . . . after all, all roads eventually lead to Nauvoo, and when you're here, we're here! :)

Nauvoo: Beautiful City (Week One)

Some snapshots of us through out the week!

In July, Roland and I had the great opportunity to serve as special representatives of the Church and do lots of missionary work in a unique way! We were part of the family cast in the Nauvoo Pageant! That means, that for two weeks we volunteered to go and spend our vacation time dressed up in pioneer clothes, learning how to sing new songs and dance on a stage, sharing the spirit of Nauvoo to thousands of people every night, meet many new lifelong friends, and having the time of our lives! Not to mention, sweat like crazy, get little to no sleep, and work harder than you have ever worked in your entire life doing something you would have never normally done if it weren’t for the fact you were in Nauvoo!  Yep, that pretty much sums up what we did! :)

Our Home Away From Home

 For the first week that we were in Nauvoo we stayed in a tent! It was a fun adventure! It was cool during the evenings so we could sleep comfortably! The bathrooms and showers were right down the road just a quick walk away! :) Most days went like this . . . get up, run down to the bathroom, take shower, come back to tent and eat breakfast (usually a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or something like that), then head off to practice! For lunch we would come back to our campsite and eat . . . then I would take a nap (Roland later as the week progressed started to join me!) Sometimes, all you need is just a quick fifteen to half hour nap, and you're good for the rest of the day. For me, it worked wonders!

Roland letting me nap so I will be in a good mood for the afternoon practice!

 For the first week we also helped out running the games of the Nauvoo Frontier Country Fair. We were asked to help out in the tug-of-war station! It was so much fun! I loved watching the young families come and do the tug-of-war! It would be all of the little kids versus the Mom or Dad! :) Sometimes some of the cast would challenge those who have come to visit Nauvoo!  Unusually right before the pageant would start there would be a large group of youth that would be challenging each other or the youth of the cast! It was fun to see the "modern day clothed youth" versus the "pioneer day clothed youth"!

 During the first week we learned all of the songs, dances, and all the things that we need to know to perform the pageant! In just one week we go from clueless to the experts! We learned all about leaves, angles, and how to be expressive in our movements! We learned a new language  . . . the language of movement! :)

Practice makes perfect, both on and off the stage!

All In ONE Year!

Roland and I celebrated our one year anniversary not that long ago, which has caused me to think back over this year and what has all happened! Many wonderful new adventures have been started, conquered, and remembered all in just one year. I figured that I would share a few of our memories from our first year as a married couple!

The first adventure that we started was SCHOOL! I had done two years of college before while Roland was on his mission, but it was my first time atteneding school as a married woman. Roland on the other hand, hadn't gone to school since high school, and that was FOUR years ago! To say the least, he was a little nervous over the whole thing! Roland attended University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point as a full time student and worked part time at Target, while I attened Mid-State Technical College on the Stevens Point Campus . . . and I searched for a CNA job. I did in October find a CNA job at an assisted living, and enjoyed working there very much! As the semester started to come to a close, I desided that realisticly Roland and I couldn't affored for both of us to be going to school at the same time and since I wasn't really sure what I wanted to go to school for anymore, I desided that it would be better if I worked full time to help support Roland through school. Roland, of course, told me that it was my dicition and he would support me in what I choose, with the promise that he would support me going back to school when I decided to do that. Roland learned a couple new things from his frist semester . . . first: school first, work second, meaning that he would work after classes, not before; second: having long gaps between classes are only okay if you stay on campus, and in general should be advoided; third: college is harder than high school, you just might need to spend a little more time studying; fourth: don't skip class, once you skip the first one, it is easy to skip another one; and fifth: school is meant to be fun, it is okay to do non-academic activties as long as you get your school work done! Walking into his second semester with much more comfidence than the first and finding that when he put to practice the things that he had learned, he completed his first year successfully! One down . . . I don't want to think about how many more are to go! :)

Another adventure that we went through, was the fun filled search for a JOB! Living off of love does sound like fun, but after the money that we had saved up was started to disappear . . . having a job and earning money sounded like a good idea! So much for that money tree I planted in the backyard . . . I knew that had to be a catch to it, maybe I forgot to water it! :) I searched high and low . . . and suddenly, just when I was about to give up all hope, I got a job! Interestingly enough, my first day was on Roland's one year anniversary of working at Target! I had a job, and life was good! Amazing how the small and smiple things in life make everything else just a little bit sweeter!

One of the most fun adventures we had was figuring out THE HOLIDAYS WITH TWO FAMILIES! Thanksgiving Day, both Roland and I had to work . . . Roland in the morning and me in the evening! So, my family came to us to have a Thanksgiving lunch! Unfortunately, it was the week of Thanksgiving that our oven decided to stop working . . . so where does that leave us, without a turkey? My mom came to the rescue with her electric roaster oven . . . so, no fear, we did have a traditional Thanksgiving meal! That weekend, I happened to have off, so Roland and I were able to go up and spend the weekend with his family! We took a family picture, since the next time that all of the kids were going to be together again would be another two years, since Roland's brother, Sam, is now serving a two year mission for our church in California as a missionary! It is always fun having family time!
Christmas was another fun adventure . . . this year I worked Christmas Eve, so Christmas Eve morning we spent at my parents' home, opening presents and eating yummy food and enjoying the time with my family and my grandparents! Christmas morning we went up to Roland's parents' home to celebrate with them. Sam, Roland's brother, was able to call home, so all of us were able to talk to him! We opened presents, ate yummy food, went sleding in the front yard (and froze our noses off), and just enjoyed the time that we could as a family. Roland's sister, Nicole, and her husband moved to Rexburg, Idaho to go to school shortly after Christmas, so it was nice to be able to see them one more time. Interestingly enough, Roland's dad was given a great oppertunity to be able to go back to school to get his Masters in Pediatric Dentrictry, and they would be moving to Seattle, Washington in June, so this really was the last family get together for awhile.  

In our pageant clothes . . . now does Roland look the part?

I believe that I should count OUR TRAVELS as our next adventure, or adventures! I have already blogged about our Spring Break Chicago trip, so I wont bore you with repeating those stories, but I will talk about how we went down to Nauvoo for two weeks in July! Yep, two weeks in my favorite place in the whole wide world, how much better could it get than that? We had the great oppertunity to be ablte to go down and particapate in the Nauvoo Pageant this year as part of the family cast! I am not going to tell you all about it in this post, because this adventure deserves a posting all to itself, but I will tell a little bit about it, right now, as a preview! Roland and I had the "brilliant" idea of camping in a tent while we were down there for the two weeks. On paper, it does sound good . . . but remember, that is ONLY on paper! The first week the weather was BEAUTIFUL and we had really no problems . . . it was the second week that it got a little more interesting! The heat index was about 120 degress outside! A family took us in to their home for the second week so we could be in air conditioning! We made so many wonderful new friends and had so much fun! We acted, we danced, we sang, we sweat like crazy . . . we had the time of our lives! :)

Roland was so proud of the fave that he did my hair! :)

   Well, that is pretty much our lives this past year . . . full of fun filled adventures! I am looking forward to what this next year has in store for us!

How to Get Permanent Marker Out Of Clothes!

So, today when Roland came home from work he had a surprise for me . . . but not the type that you jump up and down for or even smile at . . . it is the type that you throw your hands up in the air and say, "WHY ME?" Roland had accidentally gotten permanent marker on his work pants! YUK! Oh, and did I mention that I had just bought him these new work pants last week . . . so this was maybe the second time he has warn them! Yeah, to say the least I was none to thrilled!

After I got over the "WHY ME?" stage, I thought . . . hey, why not google it and see if there is any way to get permanent marker out of clothes . . . or if it was just a wishful thought and I was doomed to buy Roland some new pants . . . some people will do the weirdest things just to get new clothes! haha Just kidding, I know he didn't mean to, and he was pretty upset abou it to! :) So, I googled it . . . how I ever managed to find out things before google is besides me . . . that is the answer to EVERY question! :)

These are some of the things that I found as home remedies to the dreaded permanent marker:
Hairspray
Rubbing alcohol
Milk   
Nail Polish Remover
Gel based commercial stain removers
Stain Sticks
Baking Soda Toothpaste Paste not gel
Wash garment using cold water no laundry detergent and a cup of salt.
W D 40
Vinegar
Soak in lemon juice for an hour and then launder
Mix cream of tartar and lemon juice into a paste and apply it to the stain
Toothpaste
Baking Soda
Spray n' Wash
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser 
Anti-bacterial hand gel
Cooking spray
Bleach
Goof Off
Or All Else Fails . . . Take it the the Dry Cleaners! :)

So, I figured that I will try to do some of these home remedies and if that doesn't work . . . I guess it will be time to find a dry cleaner! :) Wish me luck! :)

UPDATE: We have found what worked for us was my hair spray and lots of patients! :)

Spring Break . . . Chicago Style! Part Two :)

A vacation is like love - anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort, and remembered with nostalgia.  ~Author Unknown

 Sorry that it took me so long to post . . . all part of this crazy adventure we call life! :) For day two of our Chicago adventure we started off by heading to the Field Museum . . . which is AMAZING! If you are ever in Chicago, this is a must see ! I love museums and how much history is in there just waiting for us to discover!

There was two things that we really wanted to see while we were there: Ancient Egypt and Ancient Americas. I just happen to be in love with Ancient Egypt and all of the history involved in it . . . I fell in love in the sixth grade, sitting in Mrs. Krigle's history class. All of the stories about the Pharaohs and mummies and their gods, I just couldn't get enough of them. In fact, I remember one day in class I was so engrossed in what we were talking about that I didn't even realize that I had gotten a bloody nose! I had had a cold and the dry air in the classroom caused my nose to start bleeding . . . the girl who sat in front of me quickly got the Kleenex box and proceeded to empty the whole box into my hand to help me stop the bleeding! :) Ahhh, good times, good time!

Roland on the other hand was super excited to see all of the stuff in the Ancient Americas exhibit . . . it was kind of fun watching him look through all of the displays . . . some was from where he served his mission in Peru, and he pointed out all of the different places they came from and where we are going to visit someday when we go to Peru! :) He loved looking at all of the Native American clothing and pottery, because he grew up near Indian reservations and knew better than I exactly where they were from! I have to admit, it was a lot of fun! :)

We also checked out Sue. She is the larges and most complete T. Rex around! :) I knew that the dinosaurs were big, but seriously, it is a little awe striking and scary to see this huge skeleton, knowing that it once walked the Earth.

Something also really fun we did was the Underground Adventure! We were shrunk down to about a 1/2 inch tall and explored what is under our feet . . . yep, that's right, all of the creepy crawlies that I try to stay away from, we hung out with them! :) Here are some interesting and fun facts that we learned from the exhibit (yes, I got this off the website, but it was also in the display!)

• Without soil, there would be no jeans.
  That's right! Jeans are made of cotton denim stitched together with cotton thread. Their blue color comes from indigo dye. Cotton and indigo come from plants that need soil to grow.
• Without soil, we would have no aluminum cans.
  Aluminum starts out locked inside the soil, in an ore called bauxite. Aluminum can also be recycled to make new aluminum products, like cooking pots, airplanes, or new cans.
• Without soil, we'd have no penicillin.
  Penicillin is a natural bacteria-killer that's made by a mold that grows in soil. Thousands of lives are saved each year by penicillin and other medicines that were discovered in soil organisms.
• Without soil, we couldn't even eat breakfast!
  Everything from the wheat in cereal to the oranges in orange juice to the animal proteins in milk, bacon, and eggs were nourished by the soil and what grows in it. Even a ceramic plate is made of a type of soil. No soil, no breakfast and no plates from which to eat.

After our fun adventure at the Field Museum, we were pretty hungry so we headed over to a little restaurant that I had found that I thought that Roland might enjoy eating at: The Taste of Peru Restaurant! I thought that the food was AMAZING, but Roland took one bite and started drooling in Spanish again! (To clear up the confusion, to drool in Spanish is to go on and on and on and on about how good the food is while making facial expressions and slight moans to display just how big the fiesta is in your mouth . . . oh yeah and this is all expressed in Spanish instead of English . . . yep, that pretty much covers it!) :) He sat there and talked in Spanish to the guy who waited on us about Peru and their food! I think that he was pretty much in heaven! :) I didn't mind too much, after all I got yummy food out of it and to see what my sweetheart ate for two years! Just to go and prove just how amazing this place is check out this clip from Diners, Drive-Ins' & Drives! :)

We finished up our evening by going to see a comedy called The Man Who Came to Dinner! We loved it! I was a little scared because when we walked in to the play everyone else who was there could have been around when it was originally wrote, in the 1930s! In fact, there was a couple who sat behind us who remember going to the original play when it came out! :) But even if the crowd was a few years older than us, the show was what we came for . . . and boy was it worth it! I don't even remember the last time I laughed so hard that tears leaked out of my eyes! :)

 At the end of the day, when the weekend was over, and it was time to go back home . . . back to reality, I was glad that my reality still included my sweetheart! Life is sweet when you have someone who loves you and you love them back and you can be together!

Spring Break . . . Chicago Style! :)

For Roland's Spring Break this year we decided to go down to Chicago for a three day weekend! :) Roland picked me up from work this morning and we hit the road! After what seemed like a few minutes to me, because I was sleeping on the way down, we arrived in Chicago! After having lunch at Moondoggies and checking into the hotel, we were off to the Chicago Temple! I love going to the temple with my sweetheart! It was the PERFECT way to start out our weekend! :)

After a lovely afternoon in the temple, we headed down to the train stop where we could park the car. Then on to the train we went . . . to go to the Willis Tower (formally named the Sears Tower)! :) The trip on the train was a lot of fun and much more economically smart to use! Walking from the train stop to the tower: very cold! Going up and seeing the sights to see: unbelievably breath taking! We timed it so we would be up at the top of Chicago at sunset! It defiantly was one of the best sunsets that I have ever seen! :)

Roland took a video up at the top of the tower, showing some of the sights and the sunset and even takes us out onto the ledge! Check it out! It's kind of funny, but then hey, what do you expect it's coming from Roland! :) Oh, and yes, he has a funny looking beard! Roland and I are going to be in the Nauvoo Pageant this summer, he is just growing his bread out. He started early because he wanted to make sure he had enough length on it by July to look the historical part, after all he has never grown out his beard before! :)

Roland and I at the top of the Willis Tower! :)

Sunset from the top of the Willis Tower! :)

Our Very First House Guest! :)

The other day Roland and I had our very first house guest, my beautiful little sister, Vicki! :) She came over in the afternoon on one Saturday so we could hang out and have some sister time while Roland was as work. Well, it was getting kind of late, and we wanted to make some Strawberry Nut Bread, but we needed more eggs and vegetable oil. So, we ran to Target to pick some up. While at Target we saw my very favorite, ever so very handsome Target worker, Roland! :) Roland suggested that if it was okay with Mom and Dad that Vicki could spend the night camped out in our living room on our air mattress. Well, Mom and Dad said sure, so thus Vicki became our very first house guest! :)

Vicki come to church with us on Sunday wearing one of my beautiful dresses that she loves to steal when she can and gave her Sunday school teacher a hard time as directed my Dad (Roland was her Sunday school teacher, so she wasn't too bad!) hehehe  After church, Roland made up some of his secret Spaghetti sauce recipe for lunch, and then we sent her on her way! :)

What a very fun little adventure it was to have a guest in the house (apartment)! :)

Cooking with the Fullers

"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices:  take it or leave it."  ~Buddy Hackett

Roland and I have been making some pretty yummy things for dinner! I just thought that I would share our recipes, and invited everyone over for dinner at our house! Of course, if your coming, let us know, then we will set out a place for you! :)

I have been cooking up Chicken Cordon Bleu with Golden Cream Sauce! Sound good? Maybe enough for your dinner tonight? :)

Ingredients:

• 3 whole boneless chicken breast (about 2 1/2 pounds) halved and lightly pounded
• 6 slices of Swiss cheese
• 6 slices of cooked ham
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmag
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 envelope of onion soup mix
• 2 cups (1 pint) of light cream or half & half
• 1/4 cup water
• Hot cooked noodles
• Hot cooked broccoli
• Wooden toothpicks

Directions:

1. Top each chicken breast half with a slice of cheese and ham; roll up and secure with wooden toothpicks.
2. In large skillet, melt butter and brown chicken over medium heat; drain. 
3. Blend the onion soup mix and cream and water; set aside.
4. Add nutmag and pepper to chicken in skillet, then add golden onion recipe soup mix blended with cream and water.
5. Bring just to the boiling point, then simmer covered for about twenty minutes or until chicken is done.  
6. To serve arrange chicken and sauce over hot noodles with broccoli on the side.

This recipe makes about 6 servings! :) Enjoy!

Not what you have in mind for dinner tonight? Lets see if what Roland cooked up for me is what makes your mouth water! :) He made for me Manicotti! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup graded Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) jar Spaghetti sauce (Roland made his own "secret" recipe spaghetti sauce with Italian sausage meat chunks)
• 5 1/2 ounces Manicotti pasta

Directions:

1. Cook Manicotti in boiling water until done. Drain, and rine with cold water.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
3. In large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.
4. Pour 1/2 cup sauce into a 11x17 inch backing dish. Fill each Manicotti shell with 3 tablespoons of cheese mixture, and arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top, and sprinckle the rest of the parmesan cheese.
5. Back for 45 minutes, or until bubbly.

This recipe makes about 4 servings. :) This was scrumdiliumcious!

If neither of these tickle your taste buds, then I guess you're on your own! :) Good luck!

Lost and Found

"My roommate got a pet elephant. Then it got lost. It's in the apartment somewhere." ~ Steven Wright

Very funny story! You're going to laugh! This is such a Christi thing to do! :)

So, here it is! The other day I was driving quick to the store to pick up some eggs or something like that that we needed for dinner. Since we hadn't went down and picked up the mail yet, I grabbed the mail key. I was driving around a curve and the mail key fell down somewhere in the car . . . yep, I had lost the stupid mail key, the only one we have, and I hadn't even picked up the mail yet! And the only thought I had was, man, my pay stub is in there, now how am I going to figure out how much to pay for Tithing! :)

Lucky for me, Roland knows how to find things that I have lost! The next morning he was down looking around the car, and he found it . . . on the passenger side seat! How blind could I have been! :)

On a happy note, I did find something that I had lost . . . I had somehow misplaced the CD of Wedding pictures that Heidi had given to me of the ones that she had taken of Roland and I . . . now I had searched high and low in our little apartment and was to the point of asking Heidi for a new copy the next time I saw her . . . and what do you know, when I was cleaning up some of Roland's school papers in the backseat of the car, there they were . . . in my car the whole time!

Maybe the moral of the story is that I need to keep my car spotless, then I will never lose things in it! :)

Delicious French Toast

Yesterday I came home from work feeling very productive, so I made my sweetheart something yummy to start his day off with! This doesn't happen very often do to the fact that I work from 11:00 at night to 7:00 in the morning. But on days that I do feel in the mood to spoil him, and he don't have to have hard crunchy cereal, I try to go the extra mile. So I made Strawberry Stuffed French Toast! :)

Now, anyone who knows me and my great skill in the kitchen, will know that this must be a fairly simple and easy to make meal, and they would be right! :) Lucky for me and Roland, I do know how to follow a recipe, so most things that I make do turn out to taste on the good side! So, I know that you are just dieing to find out what is in this recipe of mine, so here we go! :)

Chocolate and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

• 4-8 slices of your favorite bread (I go with whole wheat)
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) semisweet chocolate chips (Optional)
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) strawberry jam
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) milk
• 2 tbsp. (30 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. (15 mL) butter
• powdered sugar for dusting
• maple syrup and fresh strawberries as accompaniment 

Cooking Instructions

1.  Mix the cream cheese and strawberry jam together in a bowl. To make it easier to mix, heat it up for about 30-45 seconds in the microwave.
2. Take two slices of bread and lay them open like you're making a sandwich. Spread one slice of bread with some of the cream cheese and strawberry jam mixture. If you want to use chocolate chips, sprinkle some on the top of the sauce before closing the sandwich. Repeat the proses until you have enough for each person. (Usually makes about four sandwiches.) If desired you can save some of the sauce and use it as your syrup.
3. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Dip the stuffed bread sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to soak both sides evenly. (Do this one at a time, then cook them or you will make a mess of the egg mixture!)
4. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the stuffed bread to the pan and cook, turning each slice over several times to let it brown evenly and allow the heat to penetrate and melt the chocolate -- about 5 or 6 minutes total. Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with powdered sliced fresh strawberries and maple syrup. 
5. With the extra egg mixture you can make into scrambled eggs to create a nice side.

 I chose to spread some of the extra cream cheese sauce on top, were Roland enjoyed his with the homemade maple syrup he had made last week. This recipe serves about two people with enough for two sandwiches each. I hope you enjoy this simply delicious spin on french toast! :)

This is a picture of how mine turned out. We had some charry chocolates so I added them on the side to add a little somethin' somethin'! :)

The Phantom of the Opera

"A painter paints pictures on canvas.  But musicians paint their pictures on silence."  ~Leopold Stokowski

A couple weeks ago Roland and I had the great opportunity to go watch "The Phantom of the Opera" put on by Wausau West High School. It was to say the least, AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so impressed by the raw talent that these young high school students had! I have always loved the music to Andrew Lloyd Weber's "The Phantom of the Opera", especially the song: Masquerade. I can't wait until next year to see what they will be putting on so I can go again! :)

 Masquerade from The Phantom of the Opera

Andre:(Spoken)
Monsieur Firmin!

Firmin:(Spoken)
Monsieur Andre!

Firmin:
Dear Andre, what a splendid party

Andre:
The prologue to a bright new year

Firmin:
Quite a night, I'm impressed

Andre:
Well, one does one's best

Andre and Firmin:
Here's to us

Andre:
A toast to all the city

Firmin:
I must say all the same it is a shame that phantom fellow isn't here!

Chorus/Crowd:
Maquerade! Paper faces on parade
Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you
Masquerade! Every face a different shade
Masquerade! Look around, there's another mask behind you.

Flash of mauve
Splash of puce
Fool and king
Ghoul and goose
Green and black
Queen and priest
Trace of rouge
Face of beast
Faces!
Take your turn, take a ride
On the merry-go-round
in an inhuman race
Eye of gold
Thigh of blue
True is false
Who is who?
Curl of lip
Swirl of gown
Ace of hearts
Face of clown
Faces! Drink it in, drink it up
Till you've drowned
In the light
In the sound
But who can name the face?

Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds
Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you
Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you
Masquerade! Seething shadows breathing lies
Masquerade! You can fool any friend who ever knew you
Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering eyes
Masquerade! Run and hide, but a face will still pursue you.

Madame Giry:
What a night!

Firmin/Andre:
What a crowd!
Makes you glad
Makes you proud
All the creme
De la creme

Carlotta:
Watching us, watching them

Meg:
All our fears are in the past

Firmin/Andre:
Three months

Piangi:
Of relief!

Carlotta:
Of delight!

Andre/Firmin:
Of Elysian peace!
And we can breathe at last.

Carlotta:
No more notes

Piangi:
No more ghosts

Madame Giry:
Here's a health

Andre/Firmin:
Here's a toast
To a prosperous year
To our friends who are here

Piangi and Carlotta:
May the splendour never fade!

Firmin/Andre:
What a blessed release!

Madame Giry:
And what a masquerade

Christine:
Think of it
(Spoken)
Our secret engagement.
Look, your future bride.
Just think of it.

Raoul:(Spoken)
Why is it secret? What have we to hide?
You promised me.

Christine:(Spoken)
No, Raoul, please don't, they'll see.

Raoul:(Spoken)
Well then let them see.
It's an engagement, not a crime.
(Sung)
Christine, what are you afraid of?

Christine(and Raoul in parenthesis):
Let's not argue(Let's not argue)
Please pretend (I can only hope)
You will understand in time (I'll understand in time)

Chorus/Crowd:
Masquerade!
Paper faces on padade
Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you
Masquerade! Every face a different shade
Masquerade! Look around, there's another mask behind you
Masquerade! Buring glances,turning heads
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you
Masquerade! Grinnning yellows, Spinning reds
Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you.

Frozen or Canned

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~Jim Davis

What is better frozen or canned veggies? I love eating fresh vegetables but sometimes you can't eat them before they go bad, so you have to make a choice weather to buy frozen or canned veggies. What is your fix?

Me personally, I think that it is a mixture of both. For example: green beans are better canned than frozen, while peas are better frozen than canned. It seems that somehow when being frozen some veggies, like green beans, seem to loose their flavor and texture; and that while being canned some vegges, like peas, get all mushy! :) Why is that?

And then, are there some veggies that don't taste good either way: fresh, frozen, or canned? Like beets? :) (Sorry, when I think of beets all I can think of is the pickled beets that we would serve everyone every night for dinner at the nursing home!)

I was reading about frozen and canned veggies, and this is what I found . . . it is always better for you to eat fresh veggies, but if you can't have them fresh (due to not eating them fast enough or too expensive or not enough storage or whatever) it is better to go with frozen. The store-bought frozen veggies are usually frozen at the peek of their ripeness, while store-bought canned veggies usually have extra sugar and salt. Oh, and the other hand, canned veggies take up less room in the freeze! :)

I suppose it depends on what you are looking for in buying veggies . . . taste, health, price, space  . . . or a combination of everything. In the end, I don't think it really matters where you get your veggies (fresh, organic, frozen, canned, home grown) as long as you try to have a healthy balanced diet and that you enjoy it! Food is something to fuel our bodies, and we shouldn't have to be gagging at every bite we take! :)

I Love Us

"How much do I love you? My love you to the end of the universe. Why the universe? Because just like the universe, my love for you is growing each and every day!" ~Roland Fuller

 Six months ago today, I married the most handsome man in the whole entire world, therefore making me the luckiest girl in the whole world! :) When I was a little girl I read fairytales where in the end they get married and live happily ever after, the end! Well, real life isn't a fairytale. In fairytales all the work is done once they get married, while in real life marriage needs to be worked at in order to be happy. I once remember being told that anything worthwhile you need to work for, and I would say that this applies to a good marriage too.

I find it interesting that Valentine's Day is only three days away when I am writting this. In my opinion, Valentine's Day is a wonderful day! I think that the new Hallmark commercial that was written for Valentine's Day this year pretty much sums up how I feel about the topic. :)

Valentine's Day "I Love Us"

"Valentine's Day is not for saying I love you. It's for saying, I love us. I love who we are together. How we've grown, from our nervous conversations to the one we two have become. Valentine's Day is for saying, I love us."

"The Best Thing I Ever Ate"

"Food is an important part of a well balanced diet." ~Fran Lewbowitz

The other day I was watching the TV show The Best Thing I Ever Ate on Food Network and the episode was all about NUTS. I wasn't really paying too much attention until this one dish came on . . . aji de gallina! Okay, so I know what you're saying, why did this peek Christi's attention? I will you why, they said that it could be found at this one restaurant in LA called Mo-Chica Contemporary Peruvian Restaurant. Since Roland served his mission in Peru, I was suddenly interested in if he had eaten it in his two year stay there. So, when I asked Roland about it, he first didn't understand what I was talking about . . . turns out my Spanish is really really really really REALLY bad! :) After I looked up the name and showed it to him, he got a really big smile on his face and said, "That was the BEST thing I ever ate in Peru!" Then he started drooling in Spanish! :)

So, being the wonderful wife I am, I googled the recipe to see if I could make it for (with) him sometime, and it turns out, most of the ingredients I could pick up at our local grocery store! :) This how to make it! Serves 12.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 quarts water
• 1 loaf white bread, crusts removed and cubed
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons aji amarillo chile paste
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts, onion, carrot, and 2 cloves garlic in a large saucepan, pour in 2 quarts of water and slowly bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Skim off the foam which forms on top, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool. Strain the resulting chicken stock, discarding the vegetables.
2. Pour evaporated milk and 1/2 cup chicken stock into the bowl of a blender. Add bread cubes and puree until smooth. Add Parmesan cheese and walnuts; puree until smooth. Shred the cooled chicken and discard the bones.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in minced garlic and minced onion; cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and aji amarillo until heated through. Pour in bread puree and cook until hot, stirring frequently. Add more chicken stock if needed to keep from getting too thick. Season with turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes more.
4. Serve garnished with hard-cooked egg slices and sprinkled with kalamata olives. 

 See, that isn't too bad . . . there is only really one thing that I will have to really SEARCH for . . .  aji amarillo chile paste. I am finding this a very challenging task! I just might have to go to Peru to find it! So, if anyone runs across it, just let me know! :)

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

 "Drip, drip, drop! Little April shower, beating a tune as you fall all around!" ~ Bambi

Today, twenty-three years ago, my wonderful husband was born! :) What we were planning on doing for his birthday was going up to his parents' house and celebrating it with them . . . unfortunately today didn't exactly go as planned.

Today started off with me coming home at seven in the morning from work. Roland had to work this morning until three in the afternoon, so it worked all out! I get home, wake him up, I pass out in bed, he goes to work. Problem number one: I have had a head cold for the past couple days and I had ran out of cold medicine, so I didn't sleep very good. :(

When Roland came home from work, bringing with him cold medicine for his sickly wife, he woke me up so we could head up to Gresham! :) As I was getting ready someone came to the door to talk about the Stevens Point Mall and how the community wants to make some changes to it, when Roland answered the door, he stepped into a puddle of water that was coming down from our ceiling! Problem number two: Yep, that is right, our apartment was leaking! :(

This is the bubble of water between the latex paint and the drywall in the ceiling right above our door.

So, Roland, being very on top of things, called up Larry, our maintenance guy, and told him what was going on. Problem number three: Larry couldn't come look at it for another two hours, meaning that our plans of going up to Gresham where pretty much out of the question! :(

 What is the solution to our problems for the day? Solution number one: don't run out of cold medicine! Solution number two and three: tough luck, and be grateful it wasn't worse! :)

So, for my dear husband's birthday, instead of doing what we planned, we just spent it together and I took him out for dinner, after I took some cold medicine! :) Well, sweetheart, I know it wasn't the best birthday in the whole wide world, but we were together and it sure was a fun adventure! :)