Pages

Monday, April 30, 2012

Panini's

For our wedding we got a panini maker from a family friend. It's like a legit, fancy, panini maker--not just a sandwich maker. This family loves to make them so they passed the joy onto us and now we LOVE them!

I have only made them a few times but if it was my choice, I would make them every week. They are pretty time consuming if you home make everything but totally worth it in the end. They are great for any season--winter or summer--and can even be "healthy" if you want to. (We totally didn't make ours healthy. My bad.)

Yesterday we had Nephi's parents and his brother and sister-in-law over for lunch. Since it was going to be right after church, I made everything in the morning before church and I was so glad I did. Lunch was great so I thought I would post the recipe so you all can partake of the goodness.

Panini Recipe 


Bread: You can buy or make the bread. I make homemade foccacia bread. It's my mom's AMAZING recipe. I have got to give all the credit to her. Trust me, it's not that hard and totally worth the calories.


1 batch will fill a cookie sheet. It's hard to spread but I use "Turkey Flour" from Lehi Mills and it makes it 10x easier to roll out. Obviously it's not going to be feasible for you all to get Turkey Flour but if you are in Utah, take a trip to Lehi Mills and get some!! So, so, so, great to make bread with.

I made two batches yesterday and I topped one with garlic butter and italian seasonings and the other with a parmesan, asiago, mozzarella cheese mixture. Both were great but I am biased towards the garlic butter one.


After they cooled, I cut them into even slices. Each pan had 6 servings. I only had one for lunch, and then I ate one later for dinner. They are SO filling!

Filling:

You can put anything in a panini. They can be breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert! I plan to experiment more but here is what we usually put in ours:

  • Pesto 
  • Brei Cheese
  • Ham, Turkey, or Chicken
  • Onions
  • Spinach
  • Avocado 
  • Strawberries
  • Banana Peppers
Here is what they turn out to look like:





Angie made the dessert pizzas--YUM! They are also very addicting. 

Let me know if you have any questions or if you try out the recipe! 






Photobucket

Monday, April 23, 2012

Good Finds & Good Times

We had another great weekend and got to go to church for the first time in like a month. Maybe we shouldn't be admitting...But it feels like we haven't been in forever! With all the traveling, moving, general conference, etc, we have missed a few weeks...

We LOVE our new ward! We like right next door so we just walked on over at 11 am.
--> 10 points for the PERFECT time for church. <-- 
Anyway. We snuck in the back. It's a small ward with LOTS of kids. No exaggeration. Have you ever been in AZ at night and you hear the buzzing of bugs? You can hear them constantly but they aren't your main focus. That is what church reminded me of. A constant buzz of children. They were everywhere.  

There was this little boy (Blake, 7 mo.) in front of us. He starting flirting with me and then Nephi made him laugh and by the time the closing prayer came around, he was squealing at us! Such a sweet temperament. His parents were pretty great too and his Dad took us to Sunday school. Turns out they live right behind us and we share a backyard with them--I secretly whispered 'yesssss' knowing Blake would be within arms length. (Literally. Our yard is tiny.)

Before Sunday school ended, I got to hold Blake. He is kind of a snuggler and wanted to be held like a baby. I loved it! We already volunteered to babysit :) 

Anyway--Great weekend. The pics say it all!


Tried to go to the temple, forgot my recommend, realized I lot my recommend, so we went to Deseret Book. Being there is so nostalgic. I can't believe it's been almost 2 years since I interned with DB! Time flies...but I got this CTR ring. This purple is my favorite color right now. In fact, I am designing a whole bathroom with this color because I love it so much.

Went to D.I after and got some great finds! Since our place is a lot bigger and the master bedroom especially is bigger, I knew we needed new lamps. The lamps we have are fine--just too small for our new high ceilings. My goal was to find 2 that had a clear base and ta daaaa--here it is! $5 a piece! So I got them and then got 2 lamp shades at Target. I just need to get some fabric to cover them. I am intimidated like crazy to do a craft so complex--but I am excited to accomplish it. 

Another score! My mom gave me these dishes and they are setting the tone for my new kitchen. They have a bunch of colors so I can really go any direction. I really do like the bright green for the kitchen but I am falling in one with purple so I had to get the $3 vase! 

On Friday my good friend Caitlin came over. She was one of my roommates from my very first semester! I haven't seen her since like 2007 but we have remained great friends. She just came back up to school this semester after transferring back and forth and I couldn't be happier! I made us this yummy wedge salad on Friday, she helped me unpack and organize, we went to get some frozen yogurt, shopped, and then saw The Lucky One. {Eh, it was okay}

She ended up sleeping over and then coming to see the Hunger Games with me and my friend Abbie on Saturday!
Yup--Hunger Games round 3. Third times the charm--I loved it.

So I just love Caitlin. I am so glad she lives here now and we plan on hanging out on Friday nights while Nephi works. 

Saturday night Nephi and I shopped--a lot. It's been since Christmas shopping...well, maybe longer, that we have shopped like this. It was SO fun! We just bought a ton of stuff for our new place--great deals. I only need a few more things to complete my list! We budgeted to spend our deposit from our last place on our new place and it's working out! Gotta love those good finds. 

Sunday after church we napped--for 3 hours. It was unexpected but suddenly I just woke up and it was 5?! So I snapped this photo because Nephi looked so content. Haha.  

Sunday dinner. YUM! "OMG" Chicken (used sour cream instead of mayo and added green onions), Asiago AuGratin, and biscuits. I was shocked but it only took about an hour to prepare and cook it all. It took longer to eat unfortunately. The relief society presidency came and visited with me and I ended up burning my second batch of biscuits :( Does anyone else count the worth of your burnt food? I do. It's dumb. I burnt like $3 worth of food---who cares, right? I do. I beat myself up pretty bad but Nephi always makes me feel better. I just HATE throwing food away. 

Okay--we have bikes. Someone left them at our place and so when we moved, we took them! We think it was the couple that lived there before us but no one claimed them for a while so we felt good. Here is my bike. Nephi pumped up the tires and lowered the seat for me. I need a new seat cover and to wash it down but other than that, it rides great! Nephi's has a dent in the back tire so it's a little crooked and needs more work but they are fun! We went on a bike ride around our neighborhood and it was bliss! So excited for summer. 

And, 2 of my purchases. I debated revealing these before the place was finished but I just love them. The "poppy" pillow is from Ross ($9) and the bee pillow is from Target "($7). Such great finds and they fit the couch perfectly! I felt like it pulled in part of the room that was missing. I can't wait to finish it off!

So, that's it! This week we don't have any major plans--Just work and school. The usual. Can't wait for the weekend to dive into some more DIY projects. I think we made the right decision to move and it feels so good to know that.





Photobucket

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Moved In...Check.

Last week we moved into our new place in Idaho Falls. We cannot say enough about how much we love the new place. The move actually wasn't that bad either. We had plenty of people there to help and I even created a color-code system so everyone would know where to place the boxes. We are so grateful for all that helped!


1 trailer, 2 trucks, 1 SUV, and 1 Jeep. We have a lot of stuff.

Our new place! Unit A: 2 floors, 2 rooms, 2.5 bath, laundry room, decent storage, huge kitchen WITH dishwasher. We are in heaven compared to our basement. 

Our kitchen before.

Our kitchen after. Like?? I had to do some improvising because there are fewer cabinets so I set the table all fancy and I really like it. Just need a few final touches and this room will be done. I think it may be the easiest one of all... 


Now what? Here is my internal [now external] to do list:


  • Kitchen
    • Table Cloth for table
    • Arrange glassware
    • Hang hooks
    • Buy bins for cans in pantry
    • Get new rug and matching towels
    • Hang decor
  • Guest Bathroom
    • Towels
  • Living Room
    • Get rid of decor! Too crowded...
    • Hang photos
    • Paint and get new knobs for bookshelf 
    • Arrange furniture
    • Sign up for Netflix! (This may be the first on my list...)
  • 2nd Bathroom
    • Towels
    • Shower curtain rod
    • Shower curtain
  • 2nd Bedroom
    • UNPACK! (It looks like a train wreck) 
    • Desk for Mac 
    • Chair for desk 
    • Wash bedding 
  • Master Bedroom
    • Decorate! 
      • New lamps
      • Decor for shelf? (We have vaulted ceilings and a shelf at the top. I have no idea what to put up there that is low maintenance cleaning...)
      • Organize closet
        • Shelving for shoes...lots of shoes...
        • Put away winter clothes. Hopefully won't need those for the next few months.
    • SEARCH PINTEREST FOR WAYS TO FILL MY EMPTY WALLS! Any suggestions or ideas you love? 
  • Master Bathroom
    • Hang decor
    • Organize
    • Buy shower caddy
    • Find alternative for no medicine cabinet...
    • Get new electric toothbrushes! That will be purchased with the tax return money. 


Okay, looks like we have a lot to do...dang. My goal is to have a house warming party in May! We'll see if that happens...

Seriously, any suggestions on decor or ways to fill walls? Leave a comment with a link to an idea you like! I need some advice ladies...and gentlemen :) 




Photobucket

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

First Anniversary

How cliche, but I CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A YEAR! 


Nephi and I celebrated our first anniversary on Saturday, April 14th. It feels like just yesterday we were hugging on my doorstep of my apartment, avoiding the reality of curfew, and saying, "I can't wait till we are married! We won't have to say goodbye at night!" {Sign. Awe. Squeal.}

Being married to Nephi is more than I ever thought it would be. Committing to marriage was easy and living with him everyday is even easier. Probably about once a week I yelp, "I love living with a boy!" Seems silly, but I cannot image all men are this easy to live/be with but Nephi is. He is the most kind and understanding person I have ever met. I tell him often that he is my greatest example. When I want to be mad, frustrated, or gossip, I always think about Nephi. He would never do that. And although it makes me feel guilty at times, it always makes me grateful to be surrounded by such a good person all the time. 

Everyone tells you to look for certain qualities in a person that you are dating. I admit that neither Nephi or I have all the qualities that each other was looking for {I am not patient enough, he is too patient}, but to be with a person that you know you can develop those qualities with and who posses the core qualities {kindness, selfless, sweet, humble} is rare

Nephi is a rare find. I have never met someone like him and I can't count how many times people gush about him. Everyone loves him. I dated a boy in my past and I can remember thinking "oh dang, we are going to have no friends." Not with Nephi. People are attracted to his kindness and always comfortable around him--hence my support with him becoming a P.A. He is going to be amazing and steal all the doctors patients. Kidding...but seriously. 

 I shouldn't get much mushier than this but dang, I am lucky/blessed/fortunate/privileged/spoiled



Woke up on Saturday morning to these flowers!
Went to Sam's and bought supplies for our date that night: Our favorite Perrier Water, Artisan Bread, and Brie Cheese. 
Made some "Better than Sex" Chex Mix. Seriously to die for. Thank you Pinterest. 

We didn't want to buy gifts for each other so we decided just to spend the night at a local hotel called The Destinations Inn. It was amazing! We stayed in the "Athens" Suite. I was shocked at how detailed it was! Totally worth every penny. 

I thought it was pretty appropriate that I wear my greek shoes. 

AND, check out that tub! Seriously amazing. 


                               

Of course we went to Snake Bite and got huge burgers. Mmm. And they even gave us a basket for breakfast in the morning! Also, there was sparkling cider and cheese cake in the fridge. We were very impressed.



Saturday was great! We got to relax and spend a lot of time together before Nephi goes back to school. It was a great first anniversary and we have so many more to look forward to!!

After sleeping in on Sunday morning, we came home and did some unpacking. We finished our bedroom and realized we have WAY too much clothes! I need to give some away, big time. But our room is unpacked, now we just have to decorate. It's twice the size of our other room so it may be a little difficult...

Sunday afternoon we went to Nephi's Aunt & Uncles place for dinner. I have said this before, and I will say it again, I LOVE Nephi's extended family! The Richin's are amazing. They fed us really well and we laughed A LOT! They are so selfless and great examples of a close and happy family. I love them.

We got home and I started loading the dishwasher--this was monumental, hence the photo. Our first dishwasher! Man, I didn't realized how much I missed having one. It's going to be so nice!


After spending time with my family, it made me miss playing cards. They taught us how to play Canasta and we loved it! But, since it was only Nephi and I, we played Skip-Bo, Nertz, and then Scrabble...

It's been YEARS since I have played but it was so fun! I got so nervous at the end but I ended up beating Nephi! I was literally biting my nails. 


We finished up the weekend with watching Super Natural in bed. Have any of you seen this? I watched it BY.MY.SELF the other night and it is scary! So we have the first season and no cable so we are watching it. It's actually pretty good...when you are watching it with someone.



It was such a long and great weekend! I don't know if it's because I only worked one day last week but this weekend was exactly what we needed before Nephi started the semester again. Welcome back no weekends and long nights. Bah. 




Photobucket

Easter 2012

Get ready for some pictures...We had a great Easter!


IDAHO

On Saturday we went to Nephi's parents for an Easter celebration. Neal and Angie were in town so they came too and we had a blast! I have spent a few holidays with the Guymon's but for some reason, this one was one of my favorites!

I made some boiled eggs. Of course it came from Pinterest. Welcome to our dinner menu. 

We had an Easter egg hunt inside the house! It was actually really fun! Connie is always so great at making everything very "themed" so I wasn't surprised when she had all her Easter decor and eggs hidden around the house. We LOVED it! And then all picked out our favorite candy. 

My Easter gift was these earrings. They are little bunnies and I love them!



ARIZONA
On Sunday morning we boarded the plane and headed out to AZ! Keeping a secret for 4 months is NOT easy! We of course told Kendall and Chase because we wanted to make sure baby Ava was there when we got there, I told Emily so she could fit us in her schedule, and then we ended up telling Rachel because we were panicked on how to surprise them! So, only a few people knew but there were many times where I almost slipped! My dad even called me on Saturday night begging us to come visit and he even said he would pay for our flight! (Wow. Next time we are going to wait till my parents beg us and offer to pay. Sheesh.) 

Since our flight was late. {both ways, our flights were horrible. Late, long lines, a little turbulence, but we got to sit by each other} We were running about 30 minutes behind so I quickly texted Rachel and we decided that instead of being in my parents Sunbeam classroom, we would just walk in while they were teaching. 

We walked in and met Rachel in the hallway and saw a few people we knew and gave hugs and then we went to the classroom. I wasn't really nervous actually but just really excited to see their reaction. At this point, I was still pretty paranoid that they knew we were coming. But Rachel opened the door and then we peaked our heads in and they both looked up and were in complete SHOCK! Literally my mom looked like she just witnessed a murder and my dad just yelled, "NO WAY!" Ha! It was a classic. They jumped up and gave us hugs and it was all smiles the rest of the day. 

Of course we got to meet Ava when Kendall and Chase picked us up at the airport but we got to hold her for the first time when we got home from church. SHE IS ADORABLE! I am kind of scared to hold newborns but I got used to snuggling her very quickly...

She slept 90% of the time we were there but she was still super cuddly.  

The bow-tie was Nephi's Easter present. Next year I will be cute and make us baskets, etc, but this year it was very simple but very perfect. 
And then of course we ate...way too much. The diet ended as soon as we stepped on that plane to AZ and it finally starting up again. Just a little "diet-lag". Ladies, you know what I mean.
Of course we played with Ava non-stop. Chase and Kendall were so great to come to my parents every night and spend so much time with us! When we live close to them, we will be hanging out a lot more. I look forward to that day! 
I also look forward to this everyday. I am not a soda addict but if I lived by a QT, I would be. I usually put half of the Wild Cherry slush and then Diet Dr. Pepper in the other half. It's amazing. 
Oh man. Chipotle. I don't even need to begin. 
And then of course my mothers kitchen. I was coveting her fully stocked shelves the whole time. She has all the spices, flours, sugars, toppings, everything! I grilled {first time ever} these kabobs and I did a pretty good job. We are getting a grill for the summer. I will be grilling everyday. 
For our Easter gift my mom gave us pedicures! Here are all my sisters except Caitlin. We always go to this salon and all the workers know our life stories. When we were younger they use to ask if we all had the same dad or not...I don't know MOM, do we!?
I am usually not a fan over any chinese food except Panda's and Pei Wei but this was so good! It's this little hole in the wall place and their lunch special was $5.50! Ha! So cheap. I will definitely go back. 
Did a little shopping, of course. Here is my dad trying on hats at Forever 21. I think he looks really good in these hats! Who knows, maybe Caitlin {who works at F21} will bring him a hat home one day. 
Nephi...not bad...
All of my sisters! We are only missing my older brother. It's been a while since we have all been together. I am glad I got this pic of us. We are at such a fun age and phase. I can't wait till we are all married and have kids that will play with each other! 
Drooling, yet? We made homemade pizzas. Again, my mother has a fully stocked kitchen. It was amazing.  
Found this little gem. Wrote it in 4th grade. It's about my "social life" as a 4th grader. It's pretty grand. I will do a little blog series on it. Hold me to that. 
My dad let me borrow his camera to take pictures of Ava {I call her Avert. No reason. I just do}. She was whinny at first, then she ate, then she was a doll and awake and we couldn't get her to shut her eyes, and then whinny again. She is the sweetest though and can already hold her head up! Only 2 weeks old when we took these pics! Such a cutie. I will post those pictures when I am done editing. 
Avert! Look at those hands!? Ha.  
Here is the outfit we got her! I couldn't get her to turn her head around because I think she was hungry and wanted me to feed her. I told her my equipment wasn't ready. Anyway--she is a DOLL!

Can I just say having a niece is the best? I feel like our family grew closer since she came into the world. We all have love for her in common and just drool over her all day. Chase and Kendall are GREAT parents and Ava is so lucky to have them! Can't wait till she has a baby sister or brother to play with...right Kenny?? Or maybe a cousin will come first ;)

AZ was great and I couldn't say enough about how much I love my family. I feel so spoiled to have them in my life and can't wait till we can all live closer!




Photobucket