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 :)

Tagged Again!

Sorry Carly, I refuse to do the picture survey until I'm not taking 21 credits and working!!! :)
This one doesn't let you see how messy our place is...so I'll do it before class!

1. Where did you meet your spouse? Officially: On the first day of the Santa Maria Singles Ward.

I'd seen his band play at a church dance and took this picture. That's him drumming, we didn't talk though!

He says he said hi to me at Youth Conference and I was nice, but had too many boys around me. So he didn't ask me to dance :)

2. How long did you date before you got married? About 3 months in person, then he went on his mission to France and I wrote him for 2 years (with a minor hiccup in there). He came home in January and proposed after a month, then we were married in July!

3. How long have you been married? 2 years and 3 months!

4. What does he do that surprises you? Hides in trees and meows like a cat when I'm walking up to the house.

5. What is your favorite feature of his? His beautiful green/brown eyes and strong arms.

6. What is your favorite quality of his? He is very loyal, he would do anything for those he cares about. And he's so likable! I haven't met anyone who doesn't love him. Finally, he can make me LAUGH like nobody else!

7. Does he have a nickname for you? Babe, choof, huns-buns, the girl, butt-butt, wife, baby, bum-bum, hmm most have to do with a certain part of my anatomy!

8. What is his favorite color? Green

9. What is his favorite food? He loves everything. No joke. Sometimes I'll cook something and he says, "This isn't my favorite thing you've cooked." But he still devours it! I can't think of a food that he doesn't
like!

10. What is his favorite sport? Hockey & Football

11. When and where was your first kiss? On my mom's couch, 2003. I had given blood earlier and the idiot sticking needles in me poked straight through my vein. My whole arm was purple! It was traumatic...I don't give blood anymore. Anyway, he called to see what I was doing that night and I was sobbing. I told him the whole story and he said, "You just need a big hug!" He then drove all the way from Lompoc to give me a hug :) My mom and I both thought that was SO sweet! We watched a movie, snuggled, and I leaned up to ask if he wanted something to drink. Next thing I knew, he planted one on me!

12. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Lately, just snuggle and talk in our bed. We say goodbye at 7:45 AM and don't see each other until 9:30-10 PM on weekdays. It's hard! On the weekends, we love eating out and going to the movies if we're not too exhausted. If I had it my way, we would travel the world together constantly. But that's not realistic right now!

13. Do you have any children? I wish! We want them so bad. They're playing up in heaven and helping us get through school :)

14. Does he have a hidden talent? He can do everything well...sing, play any instrument, any sport, unicycle...oh and that tummy roll thing that freaks me out.

15. How old is he? 23...24 in 14 days!

16. Who said I love you first? He did. We'd only known each other for a couple of weeks, but it didn't feel weird at all.

17. What’s his favorite type of music? Rock.

18. What do you admire most about him? His selflessness. I can't wait to see him as a father! He takes such good care of me and works so hard to provide for us. He would do anything for me without a thought about himself...I wish I was more like him in that way!

You Can Vote However You Like!

This teacher is a genius. What a great way to get the students involved with the election!

YES ON 8