Progress

Today was good. We got up early and are just now sitting down to relax-9:45pm- it was a full day! The bedroom is painted, 2 coats, and looks great. The color isn't quite what I was going for but I like it. It feels relaxing which is lovely. We ran a few errands, we cleaned the house, and right as we were ready to relax, got a call from Em that she and Benji were coming up to visit. That was a nice surprise as always. So we decided to make last minute pizza's for dinner (they brought dessert) and the pizza's were super good. Not bad for never having made them and not following a recipe other then for crust, I was quite impressed. Fun conversation and endless laughing. It was a good day.
Tomorrow- the new light fixture goes up- can't wait to see it up!! It's coming together.

Pizza Crust Recipe:

1 cup warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 tablespoon honey or sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive

2-3 cups bread flour

In a mixer combine yeast, sugar, and water. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.Then add in salt, oil and 1 1/2 cups flour. Mix using dough hook.Once combined, add additional flour 1/2 cup at a time until slightly tacky, but does not stick to your hands.Turn on medium to knead for 6 minutes. Then side of the bowl should be clean and the dough should be smooth. Remove the dough from the bowl. Spray the bowl with non-stick spray. Add the dough back to the bowl and turn once to get both sides coated with the non-stick spray.Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.The dough is ready to use. Divide dough in half. Roll each half out into a rectangle. Top as desired.Transfer the dough to a baking sheet or pizza stone.Bake at 500 for 10 minutes.

Current Project

Like I said a few blog entries ago, I need a project! I am bored during the winter and need to do something. Well... here it is.

Our master bedroom.

Could it be any uglier? We are in full swing of redecorating and it is going to be much improved. Furniture is now moved out of the room, paint samples are painted on the wall, the room is taped off ready for paint this weekend (WOO WOO!), new bedding ready to be slept in... it's going to be lovely. I think it would be nearly impossible to be any worse. I was almost too embarrassed to even post before pictures! Please don't judge :)

Viva Las Vegas

Hot hubby and I are headed to Vegas in a few weeks and I.CANT.WAIT. We are in serious need of a vacation and I wish we were leaving today. Daydreaming of outlet mall shopping, cirque du soleil shows, delicious restaurants, the comfiest bed EVER, sleeping in, and being with hot hubby for a week away from life. So excited!

February to do:

• Make this
• Sew these
• Watch this
• Read this
• Go here
  

Weekend Wrap Up

We have had a pretty good week/weekend. Check it out...

• Taxes done and filed. Thought we would end up owing- ended up getting a decent refund. BLESSING!!!
• Friday night we headed to dirty o town to see the fam. It was lovely. We laughed until 10:30pm. Had delish dinner from Cafe Pazon in dirty o town- if you haven't tried it you MUST!! So good! My attempt at describing it would be cafe rio feel but Italian. Sooooo good!
• Spent a good part of the night thinking up baby names for when grandchildren actually enter the family. Some of the best (WORST!) were ZORG! and Harvald. At this rate my poor parents will never be grandparents!
• Saturday morning hot hubby and I decided to be naughty and went up to Park City. It was lovely to be outside in the warm (40degree) weather. Went to dinner at Red Lobster after and it was delish. Laughed a lot and enjoyed hot hubby's company!!
• Sunday spent the good part of the day spring cleaning (yes it's January still). This included cleaning furniture, cleaning stairs, sweeping, mopping, cleaning rugs, wiping down baseboards, organizing linen closet, scrubbing bathrooms, dusting, etc...
• Made this lovely meal for lunches this week. LOVE this recipe. Super easy and super good. I make it with manacotti noodles, no broccoli, arugula/spinach mix, and of course, extra gaaaaaarlic. It's really good with chicken in it too. Yum!
• And now we are both laying down with ibuprofen and heating pads on our lower backs.
  

Random January

I feel a desire to post SOMETHING since it's been a month.... but life has been boring and slow. I hate that question of "what have you been up to?" Seriously nothing. I work, I come home, I go to bed. I truly feel like the most boring person during the winter. Coming home from work and watching TV only to do it again the next day. I swear what little creative juices I have completely freeze during the winter. No projects what so ever and I'm dying to do something creative and fun. Here is the extent of the excitement lately, try to contain your jealousy!

• Hot hubby and I started watching ER seasons a few months back and are quite enjoying it. Since we are stuck inside during the winter (we are not winter people) this works quite well and with 16 seasons we might just make it to Spring. We are on season 12.
  
• We are selling Bertha and going down to one car for a while. This is the first time in our marriage we'll be down to one car- wish us luck! We figure we can pay some bills off and since we commute each day together and have been for 4+ months now it's a good way to save some moola. Susie Ormond would be so proud!
• This was dinner tonight (minus the banana, I need to do grocery shopping!) and it was quite delicious!
  
• Who has a sandwich name after them?? That's right baby- I DO!! Enjoy THE BETSY at Wasatch Deli in Eagle Mountain. You should try it- it's delish. WOO WOO!
  
• Who's watching Idol?? Did you hear this season premier had the lowest viewers in all of their seasons!! Not looking good, but i will forever be a fan.
• D.Y.I.N.G for spring, fresh air, gorgeous weather, and garage sales. Sigh. Please come soon. I miss you!
• Sprung for a hair cut and facial on Saturday, and it was divine. It's been a long time, and well worth the splurge. I am going to a new place to have my hair done and they are awesome. Before you even get started they give you a head massage with euceliptis oil, then wash your hair where they give you yet another awesome head massage... then the hair cut, then the style. I feel so pampered.

And there you have it. Told you you'd be jealous :)

Getting to know you- Holiday Style

Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Can Wassail be an option? If not- hot chocolate!
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa fills the stockings- some are wrapped, some are not. But under the tree are from the fam. And on occasion other random people such as the mail man, or john wayne, or the bishop. We’re an odd family.
Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I have always loved the colored lights but I think this next year I may go with white lights if my husband lets me get away with it!
Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but not really sure why not. More kissing?? OK!!
When do you hang your decorations up?
Either right after thanksgiving or the first big snow storm
What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Not sure. This year the brie en crout was a big hit and very yummy!
Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Waking up to a Christmas tree in our bedroom that Santa had left for us
What is on your Christmas wish list?
This year I had a lot of hair and beauty products, and perfume.
Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve?
Usually we open one each on Christmas Eve, but there are usually a few scrooges (em and benji!)
How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Ours has been fairly simple. Colored lights and colored ornaments- teal/purple/hot pink/green…. Want to change it up next year.
Snow? Love it or dread it?
Not a fan. Wish it only snowed Christmas morning and never again.
Real tree or fake tree?
As a kid when it was mom and dad’s job- real tree all the way. Now that it’s my job- fake please!
Do you remember your favorite gift?
Not as a kid- but as an adult, my camera and the clock my dad made me
What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?
Spending the day with the entire family!!
What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Hmmm… don’t know. Baklava maybe?
What is your favorite tradition?
Doing the Angel tree with my husband
What tops your tree?
A star type of thing
Do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving!! I get sooooo excited about what I got people, I love seeing their reactions.
What is your favorite Christmas song?
Little Drummer boy- Robert’s version
Candy canes, yuck or yum?
Not a fan
Favorite Christmas movie?
Elf, home alone, or it’s a wonderful life
What do you leave for Santa?
Nothing now as an adult
Do you have a Christmas morning tradition?
Stockings first- then usually gifts after that and then yummy breakfast together
Do you prefer to shop on-line or at the mall?
Probably more at the stores, but I did more online stuff this year then I have in the past
Christmas letter or Christmas card?
Photo Christmas Cards all the way!
Traditions you want to start?
I have friends that put a gift under the tree with things they are giving to Jesus for the year such as being nicer to each other. I think that’s a great idea and helps to keep Christmas Christ centered.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is over and i'm exhausted! We ended up moving Christmas up a day at our house this year (and it was decided Thursday around midnight) so we did Christmas eve on Friday and Christmas on Saturday so now we're home today playing with toys and needing a nap. We had a lot of fun though!! It was a great Christmas at our house, once again! Here are some of the highlights:

• Popeye (which is today's name but could very easily change to something else tomorrow) has joined the family and was a gift from mom to dad. A-DOR-ABLE! Mom was unsure how dad would feel about him, but it took all of 30 seconds for dad to fall in love.
  
• The trip to and from picking up popeye with mom and michael, and seeing everyone's faces when they met him!
  
• Christmas Dinner. We changed it up this year. Instead of the same meal as we just had at thanksgiving dinner which is usually what we do again for christmas dinner- we tried a bunch of new mis matched recipes and it was delightful!
• Michael's face when he saw the FREE gift that I won in a raffle drawing at work. An ipad!!!
• Scatagories/Tetris Builderman/Remote Control Helicopter competitions
• Christmas Breakfast- delish!
• Hand & Foot with new recruits
• Audra's first christmas with the family
• Dad has a boat
  

This is what mom and dad's house looked like the last few days....

From our family to yours...

More beauties

Hot hubby has been at it again with some beautiful results. Take a look: