Feeling Pretty Crafty!

Last Saturday was 2nd Ward's Super Saturday!
They were kind enough to invite us 3rd Warders for the fun :)

This is what I am most proud of! I LOVE IT!!!
We didn't have any Thanksgiving decor, so I'm glad there is one thing I can hang on the wall now.

This little plate was too cute to pass up.
I can just picture Christmas cookies on it now!

This one is kind of hard to see. It's a 9x13 pan that I etched our last name into the bottom. So neat!
I won't ever lose a pan again! Unless someone else named Miller takes it...

Question: Do you guys think that this vinyl craze is just a phase?? Like will our kids look back on this stuff and go, "Mom! That's so 2008!!! Gross!"

Hiking With Tiana Marie!

On Veteran's Day, Tiana and I went hiking up in SLO.
We hiked up Poly Canyon where there are all of these weird houses built by students in the architecture program.
It was so cool! Who knew all of this crazy stuff was back there?

The arch where you enter.

I thought this one looked like Luke Skywalker's house!

Our little horsey friend Tiana fondly named, "Boots."

Mrs. Parker in the Shell House!

Friends for 21 years!

View of some structures from the top.

Beautiful sunset on our drive home.
I'm so glad we got out and did something together, it was so fun to catch up.
Sometimes I feel like I see her less now than when she lived in Idaho; her and Josh live in Santa Maria now!
We need to make a habit of this :)

Why I LOVE Target.

Well, another reason. Among many.
Check out these beauties!

These little carrots are joining me in the kitchen.

And this purty flower is joining the clock in the bathroom.

It's like they were made to be mine. I love the vintage quality of them...like drawings from an old encyclopedia.
$6 each.
I love Targie :)

Happy Birthday Matt!

Before:

AFTER!

The area rug was originally $129.99 at Target...I got it for $30!!!!! Matt always says the tile makes his feet cold in the morning, so I got it for him (maybe a little for me, too).

I surprised him with a healthy dinner. He's been working out and eating healthy diligently for a month and a half now. So instead of my typical comfort food, I went light. On Matt's Birthday menu:
Lime-Marinated Broiled Salmon, Cucumber Watercress Salad, and Whole Wheat Bread from Albertson's Culinary Circle brand (it tasted homemade)!

The birthday boy approves!
It was literally 90 degrees on Friday, so I had to make food that wouldn't heat up our house more. This was perfect because I only had to have the broiler on for a few minutes.

Instead of baking a cake, we had sorbet for dessert. It was nice on such a warm night!

Saturday we went down to Los Angeles for our Stake's Temple Day. It was so peaceful. No protesters...and uplifting words from the new Temple President to start our day off. It was wonderful to be spiritually strengthened. Afterwards, we went to Sprinkles and walked down Rodeo Dr. I loved looking at the fancy stores, Matt loved seeing the fancy cars! We saw Ferraris, Bugattis, Rolls-Royces, and tons of Benzies.

Here was the view on our drive to IKEA. There were so many fires on our drive! I hope that everyone is safe and the fires are contained soon.
We had a wonderful weekend celebrating. I am so grateful for my selfless husband and the wonderful man he is! Happy Birthday baby!!

Aebleskivers!

Or able-skivvies as Matt named them :)
I made some for breakfast on Sunday morning!
Nana gave us a pan that weighs around 90 lbs. (maybe I'm exaggerating a little) and I was inspired by my Williams-Sonoma catalog that came and had this recipe in it.

Instead of doing the pecan pumpkin filling, I put cinnamon sugar in the middle of some. We ate them with Nana's strawberry jam and powdered sugar...yum!

My plate:

Matt's plate:

Fall Makes Me Want to Cook!

So I did. Class was cancelled due to the election, so I got to cookin!
I made Comforting Potato Soup

and Dinner Rolls:
(here's a sammy I made the next day with one)

Here's the recipe for the rolls
(from our Relief Society newsletter):
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. warm milk
1 large egg
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
3 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm milk and warm water. Add sugar and yeast and stir to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 min. to allow yeast to activate. Add 1 egg and softened butter and mix to combine. Add flour and salt. Mix thoroughly. Dough will be sticky. Mix for 6 minutes or until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft free place and let rise for approximately 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Spray or grease a 9x13 pan and grease hands liberally. Gently form slightly larger than golf ball size pieces of dough and place in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise a second time. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 10-15 min. or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve warm.
* I took a hot one with butter on it to Matt when I picked him up from class. It was gone in 3 seconds! I asked him how he liked it and he said he wanted 10 more please!

Myrna the Pirate

I'm taking an 8-week health class this term. I'll have my Associate's Degree after this class (finally) so I figured why not.
Even though I'm graduating with my Bachelors in Fall 2009, I decided it's good to have something to show for all of the credits I've taken for at least a year until I get the big piece of paper :)



I was somewhat worried going into this class because I have a lot on my plate.
16-week Literature class
16-week Film class
8-week Linguistics class
8-week Liberal Studies class
So adding another 8-week Health class seemed crazy.
But I did it anyway.
After the first day of class, I knew it was going to be just fine!

My teacher is a riot! I've been writing down the things she says so I can relate them to Matt when I get home. Imagine Michael Scott from The Office...but with blond hair and pretty. She delivers everything with a straight face! I don't think most of the class gets it. This one kid and I are always cracking up while the rest of the class looks confused...like, "Is she serious?" This makes it even more funny, of course :)
Here are some of her quotes:

"Put on your quiet shirts...or whatever it is teachers say..."
- After taking roll

"I'm too busy what? Getting my freak on."
- Ways to avoid depression

"Machete attack. That's not genetic. Don't worry about dying from a machete attack."
- Learning about our family trees and genetic diseases

"Dude, show me some attention instead of recycling all the time!"
- Learning about Lazlo's hierarchy and why it would be unwise to date a homeless guy at the bottom of the pyramid! (This one is my personal favorite)

"Can somebody get the lights? It's way too bright for this pirate."
- Class before Halloween, she was a pirate. Sword and all.

"Doctor, lawyer, fisherman, PIRATE."
- Respectable jobs

"We're all in a big pirate ship on our way to Health Island!"

That's all I have for now, as the class goes on I'll add more!

Our Halloween

We were total party poopers this Halloween! I can hear the collective gasp right now.
I feel like we are at the weird in between stage of Halloween. As youth, there are always great dances and parties to go to. As young adults, the infamous Santa Barbara dance/haunted house. Newlyweds without kids...nothing. None of our friends were throwing parties, and the trunk-or-treat seemed weird since we don't have kids to dress up in cute costumes.
So...on a date to Santa Barbara we went!

One of our favorite restaurants, Pascucci, was pretty empty! And how many nights of the year can {I Dream of} Jeannie be your server?

Empty restaurant = fun photo shoot time w/Matt & Kara

This is me angry at the camera because it slipped out of my hands and took a picture without my permission.

The lovely Jeannie offered to take our picture when she saw us laughing at the ridiculous pictures we were taking. Thanks Jeannie!

Matty enjoying his pannini :)

Also, Nordstrom was EMPTY! We made a mental note to always go shopping on Halloween! We had the place to ourselves...HEAVEN and a happy girl with a new pair of shoes :)

We had fun watching the freak show on State St. I loved watching people check us out...like, "What are you guys supposed to be?" It was funny :)