lv weekend

for the long weekend, aaron and i went to las vegas. a little jaunt. a getaway. a chance to just hang.

what did we do?

we walked. and walked. and walked.

really, that's all we did.

modern day pioneers, really.

we have now been in almost every hotel on the strip (i wasn't carrying hand sanitizer, so there were a few i would not enter). it was interesting to look at each theme, style and classi/trashiness. if you're wanting to know where to stay on the strip, just let me know. i'll give you the scoop.

i'm sure we walked a few miles each day. and, dumbly enough, we both didn't wear correct footwear. the night usually ended with us limping around the hotel room and giving foot rubs.

a quick snap in the bellagio, next to the canals.

we also majorly scored a room. i scoured the internet for deals and ended up 'naming my own price' on priceline. we got a great room at the planet hollywood towers. it's separate from the hotel and made up of mostly timeshares. all the rooms are suites and have full kitchens, washer/dryer, etc...

at check in, i pulled the pregnancy card and lamented that i can no longer go in hot tubs and hoped that our room had a large tub for me. the clerk kindly gave us a free upgrade and i got the tub of my dreams!

it was so nice to have a fridge (no paying for bottled water!) and a microwave for reheating leftovers. this would be the perfect room for a family.

aaron's favorite part of the room? the huge screen tv. literally, a screen. at the push of a button, the floor to ceiling window is covered by a screen and the tv turns on. he didn't know that was in the room and i loved seeing his face when i showed him.

we had a great time and might have worked off all the food we ate. it was so nice to not have any plans and just do, go, eat whenever and wherever we wanted. we probably won't be back for a long time since we both nix the idea of children on the strip, but this was a nice farewell trip!

bubbas everywhere

i was watching the westminster dog show this morning while at the gym.

a dream come true.

running while watching cute dogs on tv.

of course, my mind immediately went to one of my favorite movies.

it all started with the clothes.

a handler showing her dog reminded me of cookie fleck. at least her outfit did.

the shoes, the hose, the tight skirt to the knee.

then i thought of her walk with her injured knee, the lyrics to 'god loves a terrier', gerry's two left feet, the busy bee and the weimaraner, talking or not talking for hours, and the comment, 'he went after her like a piece of ham' went through my mind.

soon i had to calm myself so i didn't fall off the treadmill while laughing.

i love that movie.

and i love dogs.

i

ordered this....

so i could make these...

from this website.

it shipped today and will arrive shortly.

happy valentine's day to me.

and you.

salad time

i found a new favorite from trader joe's this week.


i'm lovin this southern green blend. although all the recipes on the back recommend cooking the mix before eating it, i use it as a salad base. some of the recipes call for using bacon fat in cooking.

i don't think so. yikes.

note: these are strong greens. none of that wilty stuff. you need to match this with a stand up dressing and some serious toppings. you'll be thankful you did.

i usually buy a different mix from tj's, but found myself wanting more of a crunch. this fits the bill!

buy some today.

also, i need to alter the above statement. i found two new favorites from tj's this week. the second is the belgium dark chocolate bar. it was a gift. i gladly took it. however, i felt better writing a post about salad. you should try the chocolate, too.

not cool

i was at michael's craft store last night, picking up a few items.

while roaming the aisles i saw a display on california missions. not because michael's has turned into a history buff store, rather it was regarding the infamous 4th grade project that all california school kids must go through. you know the one where you pick a california mission and have to re-create it at home, then proudly (or not so proudly) display it at school? any ca school kids with me on this one?

i remember my project.

mission san jose.

i remember spray painting the corrugated cardboard for a tile like effect on the roof. i thought it was sweet.

painting cardboard white for the walls, trying to find green for the grass and bushes.

toothpicks, sugar cubes, it was all game.

completely frustrating but an important rite of passage.

last night i could not believe my eyes.

a company called Missions of California has cornered the market and ruined all the fun. they sell kits for each mission so all you have to do is assemble. oh, don't forget the glue. yeah, like that's hard. once the mission is assembled, you can buy all the accessories your heart can handle. here is a sampling:

bells
wood barrels
cannons
a graveyard
grass mat
monk with dove
monk with child
wishing well
wheelbarrow
corn stalks
oh, and lest we not make this culturally correct, you can buy your very own male or female indian. well, at least you have to pay for them now.

i'm sure the disgusted look on my face showed my true emotions. i think i even scoffed.

besides the fact that it hands the project to the child, it's pretty lame how the whole mission concept has been commercialized and you can buy statues of indian slaves to decorate your project.

i mean, is someone going to come up with a plantation kit where you can buy a female slave with a baby strapped to her back?

this company is brilliant. i'm sure they're making quite a buck churning these out. they should hook up with wal-mart, then it would be a real treat.

ok, i'm off the soap box. maybe that was a little heavy for a friday morning, but i had to get it off my chest.

my child will be making their mission from scratch!

brad pitt = tears

i came up with this equation after the last brad pitt movie i saw.

i pledge to be more hesitant before seeing another movie he is in.

aside from the fact that many of them are rated r or are not something i'd be interested in; however, if one seems to be a good show, i will hesitate until i hear from those who have seen it.

most recently i saw meet joe black. has anyone else seen that? i remember when that movie came out and i heard it involved someone dying so i skipped over it. a thought provoking movie, a great cast; who doesn't love sir anthony hopkins? it was on tv over christmas and i saw part of it at my gmas, but i didn't get to finish it. of course, i ordered it on netflix when i got home. i watched it alone. i proceeded to bawl my eyes out and curse the fact that i was alone.

my mind quickly traveled back to some of his other movies.

legends of the fall? tears

a river runs through it? serious sadness

the curious case of benjamin button? really, i still can't go there. i was sobbing after it was over. sobbed the next morning in the shower. i couldn't discuss the movie with aaron. it put me into a 3 day depression. i can never watch it again.

so...i've learned my lesson. i will use caution when approaching a brad pitt movie.

and never watch one in front of others where i'd like to keep a shred of dignity.

christmas miracle

i got this for christmas.

isn't it a beauty?

7 1/4 qt. french round oven in caribbean.

i just love the color.

it's even more stunning in person.

the le creuset outlet store in primm did not disappoint. i was hoping to get a 3 qt and call it a day, but they had the 7 1/4 qt for the 3 qt price. mind you, these are outlet prices, so i didn't even pay the 3 qt retail price. it weighs 13 pounds. i get to work on my biceps while cooking? sign me up.

i am overwhelmed with the options of what to cook first.

a roast?

a soup?

rolls?

browning chicken?

i think i'll fry up some donuts in it for aaron with my shiny new donut cutter.

i look forward to many years of cooking firsts in this pot.

better late than never, right?

hi everyone.

it's been awhile since i've blogged.

much has happened.

not many pictures have been taken.

i hope to scavenge the pictures i do have and post them soon.

it will be a trip down memory lane; all the way back to thanksgiving. that's right, 2011.

anyway, in the mean time, here's a tidbit to tide you over...

i'm pregnant!

the better late than never part is i'm 23 weeks along and just now sharing the news.

sorry.

aaron has posted things on facebook, so this may be old hat to some.

i had my reasons for waiting, with the biggest one being i'm a weirdo.

i pulled a jessica simpson at work and people were left wondering if i enjoyed the holidays too much.

however, my lack of sharing does not equate to lack of excitement. we are overjoyed! i am due in may and we are waiting to meet the little kicker before we pick a name and discover the sex.

i hope your 2012 is off to a good start!

new dish

i made this recipe last night and it was delicious. i'm always on the lookout for an easy pasta dish.

i didn't even have the pesto on hand that it calls for (didn't quite make it to trader joes this weekend) and it was still delicious. since i'm in love with pesto, i can only imagine how good it will be when i made the recipe correctly.

aaron hates tomatoes and hates pasta that isn't smothered in sauce, so i was unsure how he'd react, but he gobbled it up and wanted more.

hooray for new recipes.

oh, and i roasted my broccoli first instead of blanching it. way more flavor. also, i did most of the prep the night before and just re-heated while boiling the noodles. an option in case you need a super quick dish and can do prep ahead of time.

try it!

it's that time of year

the UP house, how cute.

the gingerbread is being rolled out.

literally.

this week marks the 2nd annual gingerbread house making party.

i have decided to try for a cape cod style home with details such as faux wooden siding in a cheery color, white picket fence, green turf and a host of other details.

i'm baking the gingerbread tonight so it will be nice and firm for wednesday. tonight is also time to dye the coconut for the grass and dip the pretzel sticks for the picket fence.

i've been working on this since last week, gathering supplies and cutting out my pattern.

who knew this was such a beast?

but, the finished product is so worth it. so is rocking out to Christmas music while assembling.

and, maybe in many, many years, my house will actually reflect the amount of time it took to put it together.

and, maybe, one year, i will admit that everyone knows it is a whimsical house and decorate it so, instead of acting like i can fool everyone into thinking it is a real, miniature house.

a candy land theme could be fun...

welcome Christmas traditions!

Happy Thanksgiving

aaron and i are starting a new tradition this year. it is reminiscent to our birthday tradition.

stealing the idea from a friend's family, at someone's birthday, we go around the room and each person has to say why they love the birthday boy or girl. it's super fun for 2 reasons.

1. you hear some really neat stuff.
2. it's the best when someone who doesn't know the birthday boy/girl very well is in attendance and you watch it get awkward when they try to come up with something.

maybe i'm the only one who thinks that is fun.

anyway, we've adapted that tradition to thanksgiving. each person will go around the room and say one reason they are thankful for every person in the room. i like it!

this year we won't be with family (well, blood family anyway), rather crashing a very large non-blood family party, so i don't think we'll impose our tradition on them. aaron and i will begin the tradition with 2 and hopefully have more to share it with next year.

i hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving and take the time to think about all you have to be thankful for.
the computer you're reading this on!
the eyes you're using to read it!
having something to eat today!
the clothes you're wearing!
i could go on!
i feel so blessed this year and am thankful to my Heavenly Father for all He has given me.

too good to be true

a le creuset store is coming to primm.

primm. you know, my favorite place on earth?

the outlet mall where the only WS outlet on the west coast resides?

the town where i'm forcing aaron to stay while we drive out to utah for Christmas so i can shop at the WS in the morning?

the place where the hotels slightly terrify me, but i'm staying there anyway with the back up plan of sleeping in my car in front of the WS store?

i didn't think this mall could get better. actually, i know almost nothing about this mall because i haven't stepped more than 50 feet into it. why would i? the BR and WS outlets are next to the door. i've always blown my spending limit after those 2 places.

however, my knowledge has just gained a gem. A LE CREUSET STORE IS COMING!

it will be open for black friday. oh, to spend black friday at this mall. i can't even imagine.

but, the whole point is that i will be shopping for amazingly beautiful cookware (yes, dutch oven, i'm coming for you) just before Christmas and now i can bargain shop between the two stores!

the wonder of it all.

your vote, please

update to the post below...

the link is not working for some people. perhaps there is a campaign to shun aaron's video or the response has been overwhelming. either way, not being able to vote is not cool. apparently you can 'like' the video from aaron's facebook page and it helps. i know nothing about this since i act like facebook does not exist. however, if you remember to check back in and try to vote later today or tomorrow, we'd love it! thanks!


aaron has entered a contest to win a $5,000 scholarship. i surely don't need to tell you how far that would go toward school. if we won, i'd probably pee my pants while screaming. too much info, but i wanted to emphasize how much this would mean.

he made a video and made it to the finals.

the problem? so did 50 other people that we need to beat.

how do we solve the problem? that's where you come in! the person with the most online votes is the winner. simple.

even better? you don't have to actually watch the video. in fact, i ask, beg, plead with you not to. i am in that video and it almost gave me a nervous breakdown. it tested our marriage. if i had any idea that all my friends and family would be watching me in it, i never would have agreed, but it's a bit too late now.

here's the link. all you do is click, rate it 5 stars, submit your rating, and you're done.

super quick and easy!

please vote today. voting closes on the 27th, so go now!!

also, if you do watch the video, please know a few things. i had flown that day. it was late at night. i was extremely tired. i'd been up since very early and got almost no sleep the night before. i was ambushed. i hate the camera. i was on the verge of crying. i had flown that day. also, i hate the camera. like, more than any human possibly could. i just thought it was my duty to prepare you for the horror that awaits you when i flash on the screen.

new soup recipe

it rained all day on saturday and i knew i would want a hearty soup.

this recipe made the cut because i had all the ingredients on hand.

i have high culinary standards.

it turned out to be a fabulous recipe that i will put in heavy winter rotation.

here's what i like about it:
1. it is a great base recipe that you can alter as you'd like.
2. the creaminess and thickening is achieved from a roux, rather than using heavy cream. i used non-fat milk.
3. it is super simple and quick to throw together.
4. it tastes delicious! aaron approved and he is weary of my soups because i usually fly by the seat of my pants, add so much yummy stuff that it turns into all chunks, no liquid.

try it today!

*the adjustments i made were- take out the meat (big surprise), add roasted broccoli and other veggies, used broth rather than bullion cubes and water, left the skin on my potatoes, added a bit of cheddar. have fun with it!!

emoticon madness

let me clearly state, i am not a fan of emoticons.

:) or :( or ;) - i do not enjoy. the one with the tongue sticking out? that really gets my goat. in fact, before i was married, i wouldn't go out with a new guy based solely on the fact that he would text or email me an emoticon. they were serious business.

do lots of people i love and adore use them? absolutely.

but, do i cringe every time i see one? you betcha.

i've never confessed this on a mass scale because i don't want to make emoticon lovers feel bad. so, all you emoticon people who send them to me, don't stop now. i'll know why and things will get awkward.

this is all fascinating back story to my present situation.

aaron knows my emoticon disdain, so he regularly emails them to me. but not the ones you can create on the keyboard, rather the ones you can insert in gmail. they are intense. various colors, movements, graphics to choose from give the sender a smorgasbord of feelings to convey.

the problem is (which is my original issue with emoticons) they don't always convey what you're trying to say and a lot can get lost in translation.

case in point; i began sending them back to aaron when i really was annoyed. then temptation got the better of me and yesterday i wrote him a riddle, mostly comprised of the gmail emoticons. i was so excited for him to unlock the riddle and respond, but i never heard back. later that night, while he was in class, i text him and asked if he received my riddle. here is his reply:

"do you mean the one with a pile of poop in it?"

i dropped my phone. i was horrified and i paused. i would never send a pile of poop. he's totally mistaken. i sent a beehive with cute bees buzzing around it. i text him so and his reply:

"nope, that was a pile of poop with flies swarming it"

could it be? i started laughing so hard i couldn't function. no wonder he didn't reply. i thought it was magical that gmail would have a beehive. how sweet.

and that, folks, takes me back to my original point of why i hate emoticons. once again, i'm firmly planted in the 'i don't use those' camp. it feels good to be back.

you can judge for yourself. i've posted the beehive/poop below. in an email, the bees/flies are moving around. what do you think?