The Dell-gado Family

The Mouths of Babes

2012-02-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

So I have been searching for this video for the past five or six years of my life. I love it. Children are adorable and so often have the correct attitude about the gospel that us adults seem to forget. I know it's a long one, but it is well worth your time. I hope you enjoy!

Thought for Today

2012-02-07T17:55:00.001-07:00

I don't know what brought me to this thought. Going to culinary school to me is like saying you served in the military. When you tell people they're generally impressed and you're pretty proud of yourself for attending. Then you think back at some of the memories and some are good, but there are some that you would much rather forget. There's really no way to explain to other people how hard it is because they don't understand, they've never been through it. There are nights that you wake up because of the memories or your inability to take that part of you out.

Now I'm not undermining the Military or those that serve, because the horrors they face are completely different from culinary school and have more lasting consequences. I'm only saying the stress that they cause have similar reactions.

Just some food for thought...

My class. Chef said serious, half of us got the memo.

Darci Laughing

2012-02-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

This didn't make it into the last post because it was in a different format so here you go!

What can I say, she's a giggly girl!

Whole Hearts Cereal

2012-01-30T13:24:00.001-07:00

So I found this and decided to be festive and get it. Lucas calls it "Heart Cereal". I'm hoping it lasts past Valentine's Day because it is way good. Lightly sweetened oat cereal...can't go wrong.

mmmmm...tasty...

Baby Darci

2012-01-30T13:17:00.001-07:00

Darci's a toot. We love her and she's growing really fast. We can't believe that it will be six months in just a couple of weeks since she's been in our lives. She has a great sense of humor. She's super cuddly. She loves her stuffies and she most especially loves her brother (who loves her just as much in return, surprisingly). She's a toot and we love her.

Lucas was kind enough to share his lightsaber with her

HAPPY...

...HAPPY BABIES (oh and Daddies too I guess).

Grandpa's Buddies

2012-01-30T13:05:00.003-07:00

So my Grandpa Drake was Italian, right? So he loved these homemade chicken tortellini his mom would make (hence why he called them his buddies). So he decided to figure out Great Grandma Lechene's recipe for his favorite dinner. It took a couple of calls to my mother to clarify some things but I was able to make them as well. They're delicious and I love them on a cold day.

This is what Grandpa wrote in his history as recorded by his own voice:

Take six eggs in a bowl and beat with 3 cups of flour and one teaspoon of salt. Beat eggs and flour. You may need to add flour to have it roll out well. Leave it out for one hour while preparing the filling.

Boil one chicken, save the broth, and bone the chicken. Grind the chicken with 3 pieces of celery, one onion, one beat up egg, one cup of cracker crumbs, two tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt, poultry seasoning, and sage. Roll out dough. Add 1/2 teaspoon of stuffing to every 2 inch square of dough. Cut and fold. Let stand in refrigerator until dry. Cook in chicken broth until tender/ May be frozen for later use.

There were a couple of corrections my mom told me to make because she remembers when he made it he would use Progresso Italian Breadcrumbs instead of cracker crumbs. Also I would like to add when combining the egg and flour, add a little flour at a time until you get a stiff dough. One more thing, I added some chicken broth to the water saved for the soup so that it would have a more chicken flavor. My mom suggests doing the same because my grandpa would leave the bones in the water for quite some time so unless you have a lot of time on your hands, I would use either a boullion cube or some chicken broth.Other than that, everything was great.

I didn't really know my Grandpa Drake, he died shortly after I was born. I have only one picture with him. I wish I could have known him more. Cooking makes me feel closer to him and most especially, when cooking his Buddies.

Add flour slowly to the eggs then let sit for an hour while preparing the stuffing.

Boil the chicken and save the broth.

Let Chicken rest a while before digging in and pulling it apart, it is very hot!

Shred the chicken so the food processor doesn't die trying to grind up the chicken

Chicken onion and celery are to be ground together in a food processor. If you have one of those old timey food grinders...I wouldn't suggest it...it would take forever and your arm would hurt afterwards.

Then mix the grindings with the egg parmesan, breadcrumbs and seasonings.

Now it's time to roll out the dough. I tried to keep it fairly rectangular so I didn't have a ton of waste.

I measured my squares because i'm a nut and require things to be on the more organized side. (Dad would be proud)

And then the final product...it may not be pretty but OH MAN is it good.

Boil these suckers in the reserved broth (I strained my broth so it would look prettier) and then you're ready to enjoy.

We were just so excited to eat them by the time we got done they were gone and we didn't get a picture. But rest assured it was beautiful, especially with a loaf of Italian Bread on the side.

AND SHE ROLLS!

2012-01-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

She's adorable. Such a proud mama. Ignore the commentary...

The Breakup Artist by Shannen Crane Camp

2012-01-30T12:28:00.001-07:00

So a friend of mine wrote a book and got it published! She's always been a talented writer and is working on a couple more books including a series. I got this book for Christmas from my brother because he wanted to support her too. I finally sat down and read it before school started and it was fun! Definitely meant for a younger audience, but I enjoyed the adolescence and most especially her character development. She does a fantastic job developing her protagonist and helping the reader see through her eyes. I enjoyed it and if you're looking for a quick read, take a look. Her book is sold through Barnes and Nobles and Amazon.

Here is what the back of the book says:

"Breaking up with someone is a major pain-unless you hire someone to do it for you. Known by her clients as 'The High School Heartbreaker,' Amelia Marie Bedford is the perfect picture of a social chameleon and the number one breakup artist in multiple schools. She demands top dollar for her professional breakup services, and there are more than enough girls willing to pay, especially right before Prom.

Everything's business as usual until David, one of the boys she's been hired to dump, throws her for a loop by showing genuine interest in something other than her looks. With clients piling up, Amelia must decide if David's intentions are honest, or if there's something else going on behind his gorgeous green eyes."

Its quirky and fun and definitely cheesy. She worked hard on it and I am so proud of her for getting published. It's a fantastic accomplishment and I can't wait to see what else she does.

She even signed my book for me!

Table

2012-01-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

We found the table we want to have for the next couple of decades. It was for a moderately good price and at Costco so we knew it was going to be decent quality. I'm not going to say it was a steal but it wasn't bad compared to others we had been looking at. We love it. It's a seven piece counter height dining set. Six chairs and one table with a self storing leaf! It's fantastic and I'm doing my best to keep it looking nice and last as long as possible. It's been pretty resilient so far and it's pretty dang sturdy. We love it and should you have a meal at our house, you will love it too!

My sister Leah and her beau Zach were kind enough to come over and watch the kiddlets while we bought the table. They even stayed to help us set it up!

And the table is assembled!

Christmas

2012-01-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Yeah I know...it's been a busy one. Especially since Lucas got sick Christmas morning, then Daddy followed suit, then Darci, then Mommy's immune system finally gave in. So between Christmas and a little after New Years we were all confined to the apartment and mostly to the couch/bed. We're all better now, but school started so we are now confined to UVU/the computer chair. But here is what Christmas was kind of like:

Aunt Leah and Zach got Lucas Batman PJs (cape courtesy of Mom in High School)

Christmas Eve Dinner consisting of grilled lamb chops, braided bread, nuts, dried fruit, and goat cheese with flat bread...mmmm...

After we looked at the lights at the Riverwoods, we had a Cocoa Party! Then it was off to bed until...

...Santa came!

As out of it as Lucas was, he still managed some excitement when we pulled out the tricycle Santa got him (no idea what happened to the picture).

And finally, the dinner we didn't get to wholly enjoy because of all the sick people. Beef tenderloin with Duchesse potatoes, green beens and jello salad (not shown) with a traditional English Trifle for dessert (also not shown)

So we had a great Christmas spent inside and away from other human beings. We would have loved to have family, but nobody could make it so it was spent just the four of us. The beef tenderloin will probably become a tradition as it was just so fantastically delicious. Other modifications may take place, we'll have to see. I hope everyone had a happy!

Christmas Card

2011-12-20T12:04:00.002-07:00

We got our Christmas Card out in time which is amazing because I didn't think we would be able to get to it this year. We usually have our friend Danielle take a family picture of us well in advance of our Christmas Card, but we were busy and she was busy so i braved the photography world and attempted to take a picture of the kiddos. Danielle, I appreciate your hard work so much more now. Taking a picture of two kids is hard. You wouldn't guess from the first "test" photo we took, but from there it just got worse. I'd like to note that between each of these pictures are more pictures much blurrier and horrible looking. We were all pretty frazzled in the end.

Test...if only they were wearing their Christmas clothes...

At this point I was bribing Lucas with a cookie to smile and hold Darci up. He gave up after this photo.

So I stuck her in the bumbo and tried to get a picture of him kissing her...she wasn't a huge fan of that either.

So I gave her the binky and just decided that was going to be the happiest she was going to be at this point. Hardest thing ever.

The final product.

"Mommy, don't you ever make me do that again!"

In other news...

I've put together our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Meals. Let's just say they're going to be fantastic!

The Festival of Trees

2011-12-05T08:33:00.001-07:00

This last weekend was the Festival of Trees in Sandy, UT which is an event to raise money for the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake. There were TONS of people there and there were TONS of things to do. Unfortunately we couldn't get any pictures of ourselves with the trees because there were so many people moving through the aisles but we did get some pictures of some pretty cool trees. There were big trees, small trees, intricate wreathes, aMAZING quilts, fudge, elephant ears, cinnamon rolls, caramel apple slices, gingerbread houses and SANTA! We didn't get a chance to look at all the cool gingerbread houses because there were people surrounding them CONSTANTLY. There were also cute little girls doing Irish dance on the stage, however, it was a little weird to hear Tchaikovsky come on and see girls doing an Irish jig...but that's besides the point. The point is, we had lots of fun and saw lots of cool trees!

For Mom: Scottish Tree

For our girl readers: Tangled Tree

Complete with props

This was the best part of the super hero tree...

A Through the Looking Glass Tree

Lucas' favorite tree: The Mickey Tree

For the Bakers out there: A Cupcake Tree

For our Pixar Pals: An Up Tree

For my Brother: A Paul the Penguin Tree (The Tree's name was even "Pablito's Tree")

And finally the coolest tree there: The Harry Potter Tree!

Complete with Firebolt, Gryffindor's Sword, and Hedwig.

Guys...

2011-12-02T08:46:00.001-07:00

...i like to skootch around on my back...

Alliance to Save Energy

2011-11-30T10:06:00.001-07:00

It's that time of the year again! The Alliance to Save Energy is an alliance (duh) that works to encourage a more energy efficient lifestyle. They lobby in congress to promote energy efficiency as well as show large corporations how they can save money in becoming more energy efficient. They are supported by a wide range of members of congress, large corporations and non-profit organizations. We found this group because Craig was writing an essay for his English 2020 class about how much of global warming is the sun and how much is man-made which led him to some interesting websites about energy usage and the effect it has on our lifestyles as well as the environment. There are only so many resources we have and even those have a limit, we believe that becoming more energy efficient can help our world be a little more pleasanter to live in for a little bit longer. All we have to do is become a little more aware. Happy Holidays, everyone!

For those that just want to see something cute :)

Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T09:19:00.001-07:00

And WHAT a Thanksgiving. It was just the four of us and my cousin Sarah but I made all the food I wanted, anyways. Get over it. We didn't even end up with as many leftovers as we thought we would. Oh we had leftovers...just not a full weeks worth. That's good because some of us are not leftovers people (Lucas).

Yes that's Lucas picking at the Dressing...he just couldn't wait.

On the Thanksgiving menu:

Prosciutto Turkey Breast: I lifted the skin off the turkey and stuffed rendered prosciutto between the skin and the flesh and brushed the rendered fat over the skin. I think next year I'll do thin slices of bacon instead to get more of a bacon flavor. Regardless, it was delicious. And the gravy it made was absolutely heavenly. Light but flavorful.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes: The secret is using warm evaporated milk. If the milk is cold it will cause the starch in the potatoes to seize up and gives you a gummy potato...no bueno. These potatoes were light and fluffy thanks to the warm evaporated milk (you can use warm plain mik, I just like the flavor of evaporated milk).

Apple, Cranberry, Cinnamon Dressing: Need I say more?

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with bacon. They were beautiful. No marshmallows for these mashed sweet potatoes. I used bacon, sour cream, and green onions to give these taters flavor. Topped with some panko bread crumbs gave them the perfect crunch.

Jello Pretzel Salad: I say salad...but it was really just pre-dessert. Raspberry jello with mandarin oranges in it, on top of cream cheese and whipped cream, on top of a pretzel crust. Best pre-dessert at Thanksgiving.

Rhodes Rolls: Yes I took a shortcut here...but it saved me so much time. I topped them with some melted butter and garlic salt and those rolls were MINE.

Green Beans: Yes...just plain old green beans. Craig and I decided we didn't want to have heart attacks this year so we played it safe with some salted and buttered green beans.

And finally...THE PIES!

Yes I said pieS, as in more than one. Two to be exact. It's just blasphemous to have only one pie at Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Pie: This was probably the most perfect pumpkin pie I've ever made. No scorches, no sagging, no unwanted weird skin on top. Perfect. The changing variable? Using Sweetened Condensed Milk instead of evaporated. Changed my world of pumpkin pies.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffle Pie: Craig chose this pie (go figure) and it was worth it. A thin layer of ganache on the bottom and a light cream cheese, whipped cream, and peanut butter filling on top to make up the rest of the pie. Topped with melted chocolate and chopped peanuts. It was worth waiting a couple of hours between the first piece of pie and the second.

The only picture we got of any of the pies...I seriously don't know what happened there.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday not only because of all the food I get to cook, but because of the reminder it is to me to stop and smell the roses. This is a busy time of the year and it's nice to take a break and be thankful for all the blessings in my life. I am truly grateful for the things I have in my life. I have a loving husband, two beautiful children, generous friends, patient extended family, a warm place to live, and a healthy appetite for progression.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Darci's Tryptophan kicking in!

Our Thrill Seeker

2011-11-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

What makes Darci giggle? Getting thrown in the air by her daddy, of course!

Sorry this one is weird, it was easier to hold the camera long ways...so now they look upside down...but Darci's laugh is still cute!

The Restaurant Watcher

2011-11-02T13:05:00.000-06:00

It's a new blog I've started. I know, I've become one of THOSE moms. I don't care. I just like that I get to write about things that I generally love to talk about. The Restaurant Watcher is me going around to hole in the wall restaurants in Northern Utah (for now) and trying their fare and then writing about my experience. I started it a month ago and I'm finally getting the guts to tell people about it. It'll be updated weekly and I welcome other suggestions of restaurants that I should try, should you feel so inclined. Anyways, you're welcome. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am enjoying writing about it.

The Restaurant Watcher

It's the Great Pumpkin, Lucas Dell

2011-11-01T21:49:00.004-06:00

We went to Jake's Jack-O-Lanterns to pick ourselves a Pumpkin! They had everything! Animals, a hay maze, a corn pit, and pumpkins of course! Fun was had by all!

He's got his pumpkin face on

ISN'T she BOOtiful!

I know what you're thinking...and yes...that is a wallaby...

...and that's the closest thing we could get to Lil' Sabastian here in UT...

Pumpkin!

He just wants to be like Dad!

The corn pit was surprisingly deep...

He was surprisingly hesitant when it came to ripping the guts out

Pumpkin carved? Check.

Lucas loving the carved pumpkin? Check.

We had a great Halloween. We all went to our church's Halloween party as The Huxtables from The Cosby Show and then Lucas went as Batman for trick or treating. Unfortunately, we didn't get ANY pictures. Yeah. I know. Lame. We'll do better next time. Happy Halloween!

The Annual Happy List

2011-10-26T16:01:00.004-06:00

I can't believe another year has passed since my last Happy List! There are just so many things these days that make me smile at random moments. Enjoy!

1. Lucas' amazing ability to mimic Fred Astair

2. Darci's Smile

3. Lucas being potty trained

4. How nice our new neighbors have been

5. How happy Craig is with his job

6. Thanksgiving food/cooking thanksgiving dinner

7. Cooking/baking

8. Reading aloud with Craig

9. The noises Darci makes when she's half asleep/half awake

10. Fall weather

11. Food

12. Trying new restaurants and finding out they're good

13. Playing games

14. Talented friends

15. Intellectual and witty conversation that can be shared respectfully

16. Seeing strangers help each other out despite how horrible the world can be

17. Receiving flowers from Craig

18. Feeding the ducks with Lucas

19. Watching Lucas and Craig play together

20. Powerful Movies

21. Eureka moments

22. A clean apartment for longer than a couple of hours

23. Bringing home surprises for Craig from the grocery store

24. Lucas being able to tell me that he loves me

25. Darci's heart murmur closing up

I'm sure there are more, but I've found twenty five is a good number because it's long enough to incorporate a lot of things that make me happy, but not too long as to bore my audience. Thanks for reading!

The World...

2011-10-12T15:36:00.005-06:00

...as seen by Lucas. We gave him our old camera and put a memory card in it so he could take pictures...here's what we saw...

This seriously made me so happy when I saw this one

yes...we love to watch MASH...and by we I mean me...

Darci's not quite sure what's going on

Oliver's Makeover

2011-10-05T09:29:00.005-06:00

Oliver Queen (aka The Green Arrow) is not just a comic book character, but my beloved Ford Focus.

So FOREVER ago when I had just moved to Utah, I was driving some ward members to FHE up in the canyon. I had parked and was pulling out to straighten out Oliver out but one of the guys in the back opened my door as I was pulling back out. It got caught on the car next to me and hyper-extended my door and put a crease in the seam of the door making it impossible for me to open the door unless the front door was opened first. I tried everything to get it out and finally took it to a friend's dad who did body work and he told me I had to replace the door completely.

Well, four years later and right before our second child was going to be born, I decided to actually get it done (I suspect nesting instincts). So I called around to some junk yards and finally found a door, the guy even said he would put it on for me! So we arranged everything and right before we hung up I asked him, out of curiosity, what color the door was. I was secretly hoping he would say green, but alas he said the opposite...white. I called around to some body shops to get an estimate on how much it would cost to get just the door painted...they estimated anywhere from 300 to 600 bucks. HA! So I was placed with a little project...painting the car door.

There was no way it was going to get done before Darci came so for a little over a month we had to drive around with a white door. I sent multiple emails to my dad to ask what I needed to do and get in order to get this done and when he came down for Darci's blessing he bought us the things we needed to paint the car and gave us further instruction as to how to paint the car door. This last weekend I took advantage of the perfect weather and painted the car door. Below is my progress.

Washed, roughed with steel wool, and first set of tape placed

Rest of Oliver taped off, wiped with acetone, and sprayed with primer

Paint and clear coat

Finished product.

I still need to add another coat or two of clear coat because we didn't have enough, but other than that, our car door looks back to somewhat normal and we love it!

Darci and People

2011-10-05T09:13:00.004-06:00

First we have Jennilee Fewkes. She made an impromptu visit to Utah for a funeral and found some time to come and hang out. We honestly never thought we would be able to get a picture of the two together so it was a wonderful surprise!

Lucas requested that he be wrapped like Darci and insisted that I take a picture of them. So I did.

Riley, Darci and Lucas' cousin, has been so excited to have a girl cousin and to hold her that we couldn't help but get a picture of the two of them.

Grandma was very excited to see and hold Darci so that was worth documenting...

...and we can't forget grandpa either.

Daddy and Darci after she was blessed...

...and then some creepy lady just showed up after the blessing and insisted she get a picture with this beautiful girl...so we let her...

Darci Lynn Dell

2011-10-05T08:17:00.005-06:00

Born Thursday August 18th, 2011 in Mountainview Hospital in Payson, UT at around 12:30 in the afternoon. It really was a "slam bam thank ya ma'am" sort of a situation.

Our story begins the Tuesday before she was born when we went to our doctor's appointment and he informed us that everything is coming along well and since I did so well with the induction drug last time he would be willing to induce me on Thursday. Craig and I decided that was a pretty good idea since timing was everything for us. We were packing and trying to get into our current apartment as well as wanted to give our friends enough warning so they could come down and babysit Lucas while we went to the hospital. It was very surreal that we were going to have a baby in two days and we had lots to do before she came. We didn't tell any of our family until the morning of so we could surprise them with when it was happening which was also nice because then we didn't get a bunch of texts the few days before hand that we had together just the three of us.

So Thursday morning came and we headed to the hospital around 7:00 and got everything started by 8:00. Dr. Nance came in and broke my water, started me on all the things I needed going into my arm and called in the epidural. I would like to add that our nurse was really nice with a good sense of humor (she would need it dealing with us), however, she had only started lines a couple of times before me so she wasn't very good at finding veins and placing the line. So after two EXTREMELY painful attempts that left two gnarly bruises on my arms for a few weeks she got the nurse that was more experienced to do it and it was done fairly pain-free in under a minute. Yippee. Needless to say, after the epidural was in, my thrashed veins were the only things that hurt during labor. So the epidural was in and an hour later Dr. Nance said Darci was on her way. Within maybe ten minutes, Darci was out sassing the doctor and nurses.

It was, again, all very surreal. We just couldn't believe how fast it all happened. But we love her and are so happy she is here. She's my precocious, brainy little girl.

They call me Big Girl

Ok so we HAD to have banana cream pie the night before having Darci because that was the last thing my mom had before she had me and we wanted to make a tradition out of it.

A very happy and confused little girl....

...that loves to sleep...

...and hang out with her brother.

Wow

2011-10-05T08:14:00.003-06:00

This blog is devoted as an apology to the few that read it for not blogging for quite sometime, especially since we've had a new addition to our family and moved to a new place. I suppose those could also be apart of the excuse as to why it's been so long since we've blogged. So officially, I apologize and will remedy the situation by posting.

Happy Anni-Familiversary!

2011-08-15T21:58:00.007-06:00

Today was our three year Anni-Famili-versary! We made it to three years...now only an eternity to go!

We didn't do much this year as we are expecting our second little one any day now. Friday we went and ran errands as our "date" and went to Mimi's Cafe for dinner. Today we enjoyed a lovely quiche Lorraine for dinner with Lucas and told each other how grateful we were for each other. I got Craig a card and a V-neck T-shirt in this really great green-ish turquoise that looks just fantastic with his eyes and skin tone so really it was a gift for both of us. We got a card in the mail from my parents (gracias Nona and Papa) with a Visa gift card in it that we will spend on an afternoon sushi trip and new bathroom mats for Lucas and Darci's bathroom. We're such adults.

I love my husband and love that we, so far, have agreed on the important things in life. We are extremely lucky to have each other and, soon to be, two fantastic children. So sit back, relax, and enjoy some pictures of our fun, weird, kooky family (thus far).

Our first road trip back in 2008. Look at us...just a couple of kids!

I'm pretty sure Lucas thought that this was the opportune time to pass gas...he's definitely our son...

He wasn't smiling so I decided to make the same face he was so it wouldn't be awkward...little did I know...

Yes...this was supposed to be our Christmas Card one year...

Lucas is CLEARLY not as amused as we are...

These boys are the BEST

Happy Anni-Famili-versary!

Newport Village

2011-08-10T08:34:00.007-06:00

After moving three times since we've been married we may have found a place we can call home...for a few years. Seriously, it drives me nuts thinking about how many times we've moved in the past three years.

So this time when looking for an apartment we made a list of absolutely everything we would need in an apartment in order to live there for an extended period of time. It's amazing that we found the place we found because it has EVERYTHING on our list checked off. I didn't think we would be able to find a place so seemingly perfect. I'm still waiting for the downside to show it's ugly face, but something tells me that after as critical as Craig and I have tried to be, we haven't found a deal breaker about it yet.

The realty company that owns the apartment has been extremely helpful and accommodating and we can't wait to move in. We're hoping to sign sometime this week and start moving our stuff in a couple of weeks from then.

It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms with jetted tubs (not a necessity but super cool anyways), a laundry room, a patio with a storage closet in it, a nice kitchen with a flat range stove and granite counter tops, and all we have to pay for in addition is gas and electric. All under the price range we were looking for.

Welcome to Newport Village

Yes we WERE able to find a bottom floor, so no hiking up any stairs anymore!!

The kitchen is just fantastic and logical and I'm so excited to fill it with our own stuff and to cook in it!

And amazingly enough we have a dining room! We'll eventually have to get a dining table set, but for now or humble table and folding chairs will have to do

And YES we FINALLY get a LAUNDRY ROOM. It wasn't enough that we were looking just for an apartment with a washer and drier but we found an apartment with a washer and drier and COUNTER SPACE to go with it!

We're very excited and can't wait to move in and make it a home for us. The neighborhood is perfect too because it's full of small families like ours. Also, it's literally a mile up the street from our place now so it won't be killer to move and Craig will still be able to ride his bike to school once the construction finishes.

Home sweet home here we come! Wish us luck!

Child Prodigy

2011-07-07T11:03:00.005-06:00

...that's our son. He's a boy of many talents and ambitions. All of which are both classy and expensive.

It started out with your basic drumming...

...but he decided the violin was more challenging and therefore more rewarding...

...but not as rewarding as the cello which he would practice alongside Yo Yo Ma...

...however, Fred Astair and Gene Kelly were more enjoyable teachers...

So now he enjoys tap dancing to just about any song that comes on but asks as often as he can to watch "Puttin' on the Ritz" or "Singing in the Rain". As I said...a boy of many talents.

He's Two! He's Two!

2011-05-11T15:39:00.000-06:00

On March 22, Lucas Patrick Dell turned two years old! While we were in California (see previous post) we celebrated with Craig's family and then celebrated on his birthday with my family. We HAD planned a Star Wars themed birthday party, but SOMEONE decided to get sick during the nap they were taking RIGHT BEFORE the party, so that DID NOT happen. We love him and I'm sure he would have loved the party if we had been able to have it. :)

That's right, that's ELMO on those cupcakes!

The adult cake...because Elmo was just too cool to eat...

Yay for Lucas still being a dainty eater!

Lucas is REALLY partied out, if you can't tell...

I love his hesitation...These are obviously dinosaurs, guys...I think...

And, yes, he loves Corduroy

I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE PRESENTS TO OPEN?!?!

The Lightsaber bubble wands that went un-played-with

The gift bags that were passed out at a later date with apologies

The Padawan braids that went un-worn

And finally, the Rebel Alliance cake that went uneaten by the other little padawans that were anticipated at the party.

We love Lucas, he's such an intelligent and happy boy and we're so grateful he's in our lives.

Cheesy Red Enchiladas

2011-05-06T12:27:00.011-06:00

I've been meaning to blog more about recipes that i'm developing. These I sort of put together after asking a number of people for Cheese Enchilada recipes. So thank you all for your contribution!

Cheesy Red Enchiladas

Oil
Corn tortillas
1/2 lb. of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1-10 oz. can of La Victoria's Mild Red Enchilada Sauce (It MUST be this kind)
Kraft's mexican blend of cheese
Olives, halved or thirded (optional)
Green onions, finely chopped (optional)

Start by having the enchildada sauce warming on the stove (not boiling...you'll burn your fingers...trust me). Then fry up however many corn tortillas you want in the oil for about ten seconds per side. Just enough that they are a little crispy but not too much that it's hard to roll them. They'll also have a HEAVENLY corny smell to them which is why this step is necessary in order to bring out the flavor. Usually about 12 corn tortillas fills a 9x9 in. pan and feeds us with leftovers to spare.

When all the corn tortillas are fried, gently dip them one at a time in the enchilada sauce so that both sides are covered. You don't have to get every inch of it covered, but try to get most of it covered.

What I'll do is dip one, set it in the pan i'm using to bake the enchiladas in, fill it with however much cheese I want, roll it, and place it. That's what I do, but you can figure out your own method if you want.

Now once you've got them all in there (you can squish them together, no worries) I spread the mexican blend cheese on top, then the olives and onions. Put in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for fifteen minutes and voila! Cheesy Red Enchiladas!

Super easy and they're seriously Lucas' favorite!

Seriously...

Spring Break 2011

2011-05-05T21:56:00.007-06:00

So WAY back in March during our spring break we took a trip out to Manteca, CA to visit Craig's parents. We caravaned over with our good friends Donnie, Jenni and their little boy Asher who were also visiting family in Sacramento!

At about midnight while we were driving we were informed it was snowing in Donner's Pass and chains were required, so we felt it necessary to stop in Reno and grab a hotel that night. Coincidentally Circus Circus was a surprisingly cheap option so we got ourselves a room.

Definitely a Circus Circus room...

Lucas' favorite part was pushing the stroller into the bathroom...go figure...

Craig's parents took us to Vivolo's Chowder House for some good ol' fashioned Clam Chowder in a Sourdough bread bowl...mmmm....

...then we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium! Lucas had lots of stories about fishies after that.

Of COUSE we had to take a picture with us and the Pacific...it's been too long...

Can anyone guess what we're making?

So we realized that in all the times Craig's parents have visited us and all the times we've visited them neither party got a picture of the Grandparents and Lucas. It's a couple years late but we made it happen! He loves being tickled by his Grandma!

I Know...

2011-05-04T15:35:00.002-06:00

So there is a new blog coming. We are alive, Craig and I finally finished a semester and have taken care of most of our to-do list. One of those things to do would be blog. S0 we're working on a new post. We promise.

3.14

2011-03-15T08:42:00.003-06:00

That's right, Pi. Yesterday, for the late folk, was 3/14 or 3.14 or Pi Day! Well we wanted to do SOMETHING to celebrate so we did. We ate pie. I think we (and by we I mean me) made such a big deal about celebrating it this year because we didn't get to last year, so this was definitely a more conscious effort. We'll have to see how next year goes!

Happy Pi Day!

And my heart sang...

2011-03-03T13:30:00.010-07:00

...with delight when I read an article about a stolen birthday cake. Stealing is usually frowned upon according to my moral coding but I read this article last week and could not help but squeal with delight.

So Paris Hilton (yuck) turned 30 last week and, of course, had an unnecessarily large and extravagant party. Apparently a guy named Paz crashed said extravagant festivity with only one goal in mind, to crash Paris Hilton's party. But oh how things changed. After becoming severely inebriated he made his way over to the cake table for some delicious birthday cake and oh what a birthday cake he found! She was a blood red, 3-tier, red velvet cake just begging to be eaten. When he asked a waiter when the sultry beauty of a cake would be cut, the waiter simply informed him that the cake was mostly for show and that it would most likely get thrown out at the end of the night. Despite his intoxication, even Paz could see this was an unacceptable end to such a delicious and expensive ($3212.00) cake. His new mission, to save the confection from its doomed fate. So without further consideration (perhaps the "liquid courage" helped) he walks purposefully up to the cake table, picks up the 70 lb. cake and walks purposefully out of the party.

The next morning he wakes up with not only a hang over, but a giant red birthday cake in his apartment. So what does one do with a stolen birthday cake with the name "Paris" on it? You send it to Skid Row of course! No no...not the band. The actual place. He decided the cake was "taking on a mind of it's own" so he decided the best place to take it would be to the infamously impoverished part of Los Angeles. He fed 125 homeless people cake that day.

So why does my heart sing? Because not only did he choose to feed the hungry and poor with a ridiculously expensive cake that i'm sure they will never forget, but he was able to give Paris Hilton a double middle finger. First because he stole her cake and second because he showed the public just how far her selfishness goes. Blessed be the Robin Hoods of today for tearing down the tyranny of celebrity.

Happy Funny-tines Day!

2011-02-15T20:06:00.003-07:00

A Happy Funny-tines indeed. Since Lucas can't say Valentines, he opted for Funny-tines. It stuck. This year Craig and I went to good 'ol Red Lobster the Friday before Valentine's Day. It may not be the most romantic place (especially since we went at 4:00 which we all know means senior citizens GALORE) but it was fun to just get out and have some sea food. It had been over two months since we had gone on a date just the two of us so it was well needed.

On Monday I gave Craig a Valentine's day card that was funny but a little inappropriate so I won't share with you what it said, however, i'm sure Craig in all his inappropriateness would love to tell you so you can go ahead and ask him about it, if you dare. But along with the card I got him his favorite ginger beer (see previous blog post) and some Easter candy (because I know how much he loves it). Lucas and him went out that day and brought me back some beautiful pink roses! My boys are my favorite valentines.

Hope you all found someone to express your love to!

That's right, that's pink oatmeal

Nuband is my nickname for Craig...I don't want to explain...it's too embarrassing already...

And of course the LOVELY roses

And finally, a Valentine's Day nap. Yes, this is how we found him when we went in to check on him.

Animal Style

2011-01-17T16:46:00.002-07:00

So this whole weekend I've been thinking about In-N-Out's animal style fries. I've never tried them, but they always smelled so delicious whenever my friends would get them. Well today, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we decided to get an order of animal style fries. Just one little basket of animal style fries. No big deal, right? WRONG! They were ABSOLUTE HEAVEN! For some reason they were the most delicious things to touch my mouth in a very long time. I never knew such flavors could be shoved together and NOT taste like grease in a basket. It was heavenly. So Craig and I split our humble basket of animal style fries and just dreamed of the day when we can have them again.

The Social Network

2011-01-17T16:31:00.002-07:00

We FINALLY saw The Social Network Saturday night. First of all, I want to say that I was impressed with the movie. It was very well filmed and the actors did pull through and do a great job acting. However, as involved emotionally as we were getting, we had to take a step back and remember that it's not all true. A lot of the situations, we believe, did actually take place but the character formations of the actual people were not entirely accurate. To be fair to Mark Zuckerberg, we don't think he is as socially inept as he was portrayed in this movie.

So despite the fact that we enjoyed it and would recommend it to others, we don't feel the Golden Globes was justified in giving it the award for Best Drama.

Tangled

2011-01-17T16:20:00.002-07:00

If you haven't seen Tangled yet, I highly recommend it. It may be one of my new favorite Disney movies (key word ONE...Beauty and the Beast is still my favorite...let's not get crazy here...). It was an extremely interesting version of Rapunzel and had a really good cast. Craig and I watch the TV show Chuck and absolutely LOVE that Zachary Levi is the "Prince Charming" in this movie. Both he and Mandi Moore do a great job as voice actors and the comedy relief was EXTREMELY well done, not too much but not too little. Not necessarily a movie you NEED to see in theaters, but we definitely feel it's worth buying.

Barbara Hitchcock

2011-01-17T16:04:00.003-07:00

My aunt, Barbara Hitchcock (aka Aunt Bobbie) died Christmas morning due to complications during her second approach at open heart surgery. Christmas Eve she had been feeling pressure on her chest and went to the hospital. They informed her that her aorta had become considerably weaker since they last saw her so they gathered a team of surgeons and attempted to fix it. It was an extremely complicated and risky surgery and it all happened so fast.

She was such a lovely person. Probably the only Aunt I ever got personal time with and truly got to know. She will be missed but I know she is in a better place. We had the chance to see her on Thanksgiving and play games with her. It was fun to get to know her that much more then. Here's to you Aunt Bobbie

An orange her and my Uncle Brian grew at their house in Harbor City, California

Christmas

2011-01-17T15:45:00.004-07:00

This year was nice because we didn't have to travel to a bunch of different places. We opted to stay in our cozy home and start some traditions of our own. We missed our family, but we also had a great time. Lucas made out like a bandit this year, gift wise, so he had many gifts to open. After the first three gifts he opened, he got tired of opening gifts so we just started opening them for him, which was still pretty fun.

"Merry Christmas ya filthy animal"

Our Christmas Eve meal.

We decided to carry on my family's tradition of making lamb and pita bread and goat cheese and other old world type foods in honor of the meager meal Mary and Joseph partook of the night Christ was born.

Lucas enjoying his Christmas Eve meal

After we put Luke to bed, we sat down with our baklava and a plate of cookies

(courtesy of an awesome ring and run done by Nicole and Evan Sanford)

and watched The Muppet Christmas Carol, our favorite holiday movie

Lucas and I sitting in the wrapping paper...because what else are you going to do with it?!?!

Lucas and Craig playing with the toy of the morning, Chuck's Garage via Tonka Trucks

And finally, the piece de resistance, Craig's parents were generous enough to get us a new pot and pan set with the EXACT specs I gave Craig. We love them, and we love that they all match...it's been a while...

We want to thank all of our family and friends for the generosity you bestowed upon us this Christmas Day. Whether it was a physical gift or the gift of your friendship, we consider ourselves extremely fortunate.

Temple Lights

2011-01-17T15:35:00.005-07:00

I FINALLY found time to post.

About a month ago we went to temple lights with our friends Donnie, Jenni and Asher. It was WAY busy on the grounds and REALLY cold so we didn't spend too much time walking around. But we did manage to get some pictures. So here they are.

So we went to Hire's Big H for dinner. We were SO hungry...driving in Salt Lake/Utah is the worst.

The boys...stuffed into their strollers...

We look like we're on FIRE!!!

The BEST of the Best

2010-12-03T10:53:00.005-07:00

The BEST of the Best photographer who is, indeed, our dear friend Danielle Kissee. She's fantastic. She has been taking pictures of our little family from the beginning and she's done it again! Those fantastic pictures you see to your left and below are products of her amazing-ness. For any who are interested in getting your picture taken or just want to look at some pretty cool pictures, check out her BLOG or her WEBSITE!

Water.org

2010-12-02T15:37:00.004-07:00

For those of you who have been with us for over a year, you will probably remember that last year we made a promise to ourselves that we would donate some of our Christmas gift money to a charity of our choosing. Well we picked it. If you haven't surmised as much, it's water.org! This charity works to provide clean water and sanitation to growing countries and create global awareness of the water supply crisis. Water is such a basic necessity that most of us take for granted since it's so easily accessible. Craig and I had actually chosen this specific crisis last year when we made the promise so we're really excited to be able to give something, even if it be a little something. We have so many comforts it seems selfish not to give even a little something when we are blessed with so much. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Oh Christmas Tree

2010-12-01T18:25:00.002-07:00

...oh Christmas tree! Since we're doing Christmas just the three of us this year, Craig and I decided to get a Christmas tree! We're so excited to be spending the holiday at home and start our own traditions. We've been making our lists and checking them twice. There are already some presents under the tree, most of them for Lucas and Craig, so our tree looks a little more complete! Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T14:27:00.009-07:00

This year my parents invited us home for Thanksgiving, so we graciously accepted. We had LOTS of fun hanging out with the family. My Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Brian joined us and, later, we were joined by some friends of ours for pie and games. It was nice to have us all together again.

I suppose this year I am thankful for Craig and Lucas. I'm always grateful for them but this year in particular as I feel Craig is working hard on his education and for Lucas because he and I have been communicating so well lately. I hope everyone else enjoyed their Thanksgiving!

Lucas McGuhlegher: Boy Prodigy

The Thanksgiving Table. It's official, okay?

Two turkeys? Why yes, please

Two MORE turkeys!

FAMbly

Thanksgiving people...

...with Thanksgiving FACES

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 1

2010-11-21T20:33:00.003-07:00

It took them seven movies, but they did it. They finally made a Harry Potter movie that a.) is filled with the feel the writer of the novel intended, b.) stayed appropriately fair to the original novel, and c.) has the best acting I've seen throughout the whole of the seven movies. I believe it definitely made a difference seeing it in IMAX. Even though I have read the book more than once, I was still caught off guard. I felt like I was one of the characters myself which I had been unsuccessful in accomplishing in the previous movies. I definitely admonish even the slightest Harry Potter fan (Books or Movies) to see this movie in the theater. They all have finally stepped up their skills. You will not be disappointed.

THIS

2010-11-21T20:31:00.001-07:00

...is what we found one afternoon after a certain someone's nap...

he's a boy of many talents...

Birthday Visit

2010-11-21T20:10:00.002-07:00

My brother didn't visit BECAUSE of his birthday...he had a wedding to attend...BUT we celebrated it...all weekend. He and his wife Rikki made the long trip from Arizona to go to a friend's wedding and since the friend's wedding was on his birthday, we made it a weekend long celebration. On Saturday we treated him to a big breakfast filled with waffles fruit and hash browns and went to see Harry Potter in IMAX. Then we had individual pizzas and a smorgasbord of Jones' sodas finished off with some homemade berry pie. It was fun having Paul and Rikki around as we don't get to see them that often. Well, here's to you, Paulsen James Healey.

Paul's a fan of Phineas and Ferb...if you can't tell

umm...yeah...this is DEFINITELY how he makes waffles

The Cousin Gang

Leah, Rikki and Lucas keeping it cool

Probably THE best pie I've ever made

Big Boy is 24 now!

Happy Birthday, Paul!

HAIR

2010-11-16T22:36:00.005-07:00

Most of it's gone! I decided to be daring. I've wanted this for a long time so I went for it. Yes, I realize I'm cutting it at the beginning of the winter, but I just couldn't handle my hair anymore. So I called up my good friend Nicole Sanford (you SOOOO rock) and she did me a solid and cut my hair off (thank you SOOOOOO much)! So here is what happens when one grows weary of one's hair.

PRE-highlites

POST-highlites

Am I sure about this?

...i don't know...uhhh...

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

(by the way...can you find what isn't right in the pictures?)

ANOTHER Happy List

2010-10-27T21:03:00.003-06:00

It's that time of the year, folks! Time to make a list of what makes me happy. There may be a few repeats on there but i'm trying to think of new things. Enjoy!

1. All things Lucas

2. Disneyland...especially with friends

3. Comfort foods especially Thanksgiving foods

4. Waking up to snow and knowing I don't have to go out that day

5. My husband's future career

6. Listening to classical music...especially in the fall when it goes with the like music

7. Going to the Temple

8. Dancing...especially with Lucas

9. When Lucas asks for more vegetables (see no. 1)

10. Watching powerful movies

11. Listening to influential people share my beliefs and utilize their celebrity

12. Thunderstorms at night

13. Finding really good deals on baby clothes

14. Sweater weather

15. Law and Order Marathons on TNT

16. Sam Waterston yelling in a courtroom (see above)

17. Having incredibly talented and ambitious friends

18. Working towards something

19. Baking/Cooking

20. Dancing Grandmas

21. Serving others

22. Clean sheets

23. Murder She Wrote

24. Playing air piano

25. My supportive and understanding husband

I found it was difficult to come up with twenty five things that made me happy, but as I started to think of the small things, I realized a lot made me happy. Try and think of twenty five things that make you happy, you'd be surprised on what you can come up with.

Ginger Beer!

2010-10-13T18:48:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone, this is Craig. I know I don't usually post, but Angie got me something that has me really excited:) She was out grocery shopping today and she came across a particular drink that most people know that I love, Ginger Beer! Normally, I'm happy with just about any Ginger Beer, but it has become increasingly hard to find a good one. Lately, some companies are just making what seems to be less-sweet Ginger Ale and passing it off as a poor imitation of it's gingerier older brother. My wife outdid herself this time by purchasing an Australian Ginger Beer that is brewed by a company called "Bundaberg". As we all know, Australians generally do their drinks right, and this was no exception. The drink even included the instructions to "invert bottle before opening" in order to mix up its real ginger bits, before you pull off it's grenade-like cap and spill it's cool, bubbly contents onto the awaiting taste buds . The flavor was smooth and rich with the extra kick of ginger expected of a real ginger beer, but not overwhelming, something often wrong with most other companies recent attempts at ginger beer. Above all else it pleases me to say, that this drink pleased me. Well done Bundaberg, well done.

Notice it's cap...they mean business with this flavor explosion

The one I have has a Kangaroo on it...you know, because it's from Australia.

When you Wish Upon a Star...

2010-10-01T22:19:00.009-06:00

...THIS is what you get. Disneyland! That's right we went! Tuesday and Wednesday of this last week Enos, Lindsay, Craig and I braved Anaheim and arrived at Disneyland! Our parents were good sports and agreed to watch the chidders whilst we whisked ourselves away to a couple of days in the Happiest Place on Earth. We had some good laughs and deliciously expensive food. So here's to Walt Disney and his fantastic dream. Cheers!

This is Halloween, this is Halloween

Couple of Besties

Splash Mountain!

Jedi Training Camp

Enos is REALLY excited about Dumbo

First time on the ride!

Me and Bert!

And finally, Gene Wilder here to remind us that

"we are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams"

Chocolate

2010-09-11T20:00:00.003-06:00

Chocolate covered bacon that is...yes, I decided to break down and try it. It actually wasn't bad. It wasn't the BEST dessert in the world, but I definitely understand the appeal with the salty and the chocolate. Don't knock it till you try it.

Animal Farm

2010-09-02T10:18:00.007-06:00

Indeed an animal farm. Jenni, Asher, Lucas and myself went to Thanksgiving Point's Farm Country!

Pre-trip pictures!

Asher decided to look at mommy at the last second...Lucas just doesn't care...

The babies with the baby cow!

Best friends for life.

Hey watcha got there?

Lucas got to touch the "Weesies" nose...hence the happy face...

Lucas

2010-08-25T14:06:00.004-06:00

Here is Lucas

Here is Lucas feeding himself

SUCH a big boy.

Without a Paddle

2010-08-22T10:33:00.004-06:00

Literally with out a paddle. Yesterday Jenni and Donnie joined us in tubing down the Provo River! It was super fun and I was not as cold as I was preparing myself to be. We didn't get many more pictures than this because tubing gets to be pretty wet business. Craig and Donnie were crazies and decided to jump into the water and get themselves under completely while Jenni and I decided to be more reasonable and stay in our tubes. We'll definitely have to do this again next year.

The group photo

yeah we're lame and didn't take a picture of our bands until we got home, leave me alone

Our Anniversary

2010-08-17T17:30:00.002-06:00

So Craig's and my 2 year anniversary was last week. We didn't want to do a lot, so we went and saw Inception and went to P.F Chang's (courtesy of my parents). We really had a good time just being alone and enjoying our time together.

2008

2009

The flowers Craig snuck out of the house and got me

The Turtle Tart I snuck out and got Craig

Inception

2010-08-14T10:14:00.003-06:00

I've blogged about a lot of movies, but this has to be my favorite movie to blog about. It was positively fascinating. Christopher Nolan is a fantastic director and has thus proven his excellence in providing yet another box office smash. He especially receives more credit for the fact that not only did he write this movie but it's a fresh new idea paired with a fantastic cast and incredible graphics.

I can honestly say I have no complaints about any of the cast members in their roles. To be honest I was a little skeptical about Joseph Gordon-Levitt being too much of a "baby face" to pull off an adult role, however, he did a fantastic job filling the role and has thus proven his acting capabilities...and MAN did he look good in those suits!

All in all, it's a fantastic movie, I definitely recommend seeing it in the theaters because it's amazing on the big screen. Also, make sure you're there for ALL of it and pay attention to detail because the movie itself is kind of like a dream, it all makes sense when you're in it, but after you get out the details tend to get a little fuzzy.

Finally!

2010-08-09T07:22:00.007-06:00

OK so my computer and camera are getting along now. best friends forever. ANYWHO, here's where I've been the last month or two...

Lucas and I took a spontaneous trip to visit my parents

Lucas and my parents

Lucas and his crazy mom and Papa

Then my mom dropped my sister off for college

Then Craig's parents stopped by to drop Rachel off and once again, we forget the camera and this is the only picture we get from their trip to see us. boo.

AND, for everyone's viewing pleasure, Lucas wearing Dad's work shoes! It's pretty awesome, our shoes are everywhere these days

Lucas with crazy hair...although you can't tell...he's wearing denim diapers...they're awesome

Hold onto your socks, folks!

2010-08-01T21:14:00.004-06:00

I'm still alive, I swear. This last month has been a DOOZY. Lots and lots of family coming and going, but I swear I'll get off my lazy bum and devote some time to this blog o' mine.

In the mean time, let this picture of Luke serve as entertainment until I get around to it

As of late

2010-06-21T11:11:00.008-06:00

As fantastic as Angela Lansbury is, it's time to post something new. Luckily we've been doing a good job taking lots of pictures since we got our camera...however, that also leaves me with a ton of different kinds of pictures for you to enjoy, oh darn. :) TA-DAH

My little swimmer boys

This is Luke's friend Mckayla, they're adorable

Just playing with a shoe box and a ball, Mom

He takes his Jedi business seriously...seriously

He even holds it like a real Jedi

So I was giving Luke his bottle when Lucas Heiny decided he wanted the milk too...ah I miss those guys

These pictures look like Lindsay is feeding the ducks

Lucas Heiny! You look like such a little Pooh Bear!!

We're still working on the sharing and don't-take-other-kids'-stuff issue

They are SUCH buddies...

...forever and EVER!

Ugh I wish they could play together ALL the time

Murder, She Wrote

2010-05-25T09:17:00.003-06:00

...is just about the best murder mystery show. Angela Lansbury is just fantastic. Jessica Fletcher is just about the most lovable version of Sherlock Holmes. Her attention to detail is inspiring and her polite manners remind me to be a better person every episode I watch. Why this rant about an old and very under appreciated television show? Craig gifted me the second season for my birthday this year (I already have the first). Not to diminish any of the other gifts I've received, I'm grateful for all of them, but this was the most eagerly awaited and well received gift given. So thank you, Craig, for giving me another thing to enjoy throughout the day.

Cookie Monster

2010-05-05T20:35:00.003-06:00

...we have one. I don't know HOW he got the cookie, but I was cooking dinner and I ran into him (he likes to follow close behind me while I'm in the kitchen cooking) and I go down to check if he's all right and WHAT do I see...a chocolaty baby. My first reaction was "is it chocolate or poo?" but then I realized that he would be crying if it were poo...not to mention the smell. So I look out in the living room and there are smears of chocolate all over the carpet. As I was freaking out and trying to keep Lucas contained so the mess didn't spread anymore, I managed to get the picture featured below. It's priceless. The entire time I'm trying to clean him off he's looking at me like...mom...I don't understand why you're freaking out. It was adorable...he kept squishing his hands together so that goo was coming through his fingers. The joys of having a little one.

Charmingly Ridiculous

2010-05-03T10:09:00.002-06:00

...are probably two words that describe my friend, Clint Edwards. He is going to Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minnesota to become a graduate of Professional Education and writes the quirkiest little essays. I would like to introduce his charmingly ridiculous little essays, although I may warn you, they are a little on the PG to PG-13 side so if you're going to be offended, don't read them.

Clint's Essays

Alice in Wonderland.

2010-04-26T09:09:00.003-06:00

Yes, we finally saw it...in 3D! First of all, I wasn't a big fan of the 3D, but Craig loved it. I didn't like it because of two reasons; in 3D they pretty much choose the details that you see clearly so if there's anything else you want to see in detail and it's not in 3D, tough luck, and it gave me a slight headache...but that may also have to do with the fact that we sat a little closer than intended.

Anyways, in comment to the actual movie, I thought it was a fun movie. Definitely different than the Disney movie, but it had a fantastic cast which definitely contributed to the experience, for me. However, it does get old when Helena Bonham Carter yells....all...the...time. I did love Johnny Depp's version of the Mad Hatter. It looked a little over the top at first, but in the movie you learn to love him.

Again, it wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't the best movie ever. If you go into it not expecting the best movie ever, you'll enjoy it. It's only in theaters for a little bit longer, I didn't think the theater was necessary to enjoy the movie, so I would say wait and rent it.

Truly My Son...

2010-04-14T10:59:00.006-06:00

...because he dances...to Flogging Molly! He's adorable...enjoy!

That's right...he dances with a book too...

Fablehaven

2010-04-08T09:58:00.009-06:00

...is a book we've kept up on. Fantastic series, we recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy books. The fifth and final book came out about a week ago and we finished it a few days ago. We're kind of sad the series has ended, especially since we feel there was more he could have done with it. But we keep hoping that he will address the series again. Last night he was at the Lehi Costco signing copies. We waited in line for about ten minutes and then I decided to investigate just how long the line was...it was about an hour and a half long. We didn't have time to wait since we all hadn't had dinner and Craig needed to get to bed early for work the next morning. So we decided that just getting a glimpse of him would be good enough. Here are the spoils of our adventure:

Lucas waiting patiently in line

And here's the man of the hour, Brandon Mull

Here's how the picture actually looked...

this was as close as we could get without feeling creepy...

We did NOT get to meet him, but hope to write a letter to or email him expressing our appreciation for his books...maybe we'll see him shopping in Costco or Walmart one of these days...wishful thinking...

The SECOND Very Blucas Easter

2010-04-05T14:35:00.004-06:00

As Luke was much more aware this time around, it was a little more fun. My aunt and uncle had just bought a new condo in Highland so we joined them halfway through the day and spent time with that part of my family, a few of my cousins were missing but I'm sure I'll catch them the next time around. However, we did start the day with my family's tradition of waffles, strawberries, and whipped cream. Lucas partook of that tradition and seemed to enjoy it. The pictures below are proof of his enthusiasm. Enjoy!

Healy Pass

2010-03-31T10:18:00.004-06:00

Ok I KNOW it's been a while and now I'm trying to play catch up. So in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day (yes...i know...late, late, late...) I want to share a little patch of beauty involving my Irish ancestors. Healy pass...yes I know it's not spelled the same as my maiden name but the interesting thing about Healy pass is it goes in between two county's in Ireland. Cork County; where the people who spell their names without the "e" (i.e. Healy) lived and Kerry County; where my ancestors lived spelling their name "Healey". In short it separates Cork county (Healy) and Kerry County (Healey). So here's Healy Pass in Kerry County, Ireland! Enjoy!

March 22, 2009

2010-03-29T10:00:00.009-06:00

Lucas' date of birth. That's right, he's ONE year old. Amazing. So hard to believe that once upon a time he looked like this:

We celebrated his first birthday on his birthday with his Nona! Hence why it's been so long since I've posted about it. It was as detailed as you would expect a first birthday to be; room full of adults (with the exception of Asher), a child picking inquiringly at a cupcake while everyone sings "Happy Birthday". It was a wonderful day and we all had a lot of fun! Happy Birthday, Luke!

Happy Belated Valentines Day

2010-03-08T12:40:00.002-07:00

I know this is SUPER SUPER late but I just HAVE to share THIS with everyone...Happy Belated Valentines Day everyone!

Running

2010-02-26T19:50:00.003-07:00

I went last night and realized that it had been six months since I last ran. I felt it. I feel it now. My legs are totally killing me...but it's so worth it. Running provides opportunity for a few things; exercise, endorphins, and most importantly, an opportunity to clear my mind or "run away" from my problems. I'm not saying the healthy thing to do is run away from problems, but it definitely helps to know that you can escape for a while and just run it out. So for those with a lot on their mind or plate, I suggest running.

Stuff

2010-02-16T11:10:00.006-07:00

That's right...stuff...new stuff to be specific. We received our sizable tax return and after paying off most of our debt decided to make up for the lost birthdays and Christmas' we couldn't afford. So here are just a few of some of the things we intend to invest in.

New Couch: $300

TV Stand: $150

Vizio 40" HD Flat Screen TV: $600

3 Shelf Bookcase: $20

Lucas finding his way into the refrigerator: Priceless

We also plan on getting new tires for our car, shopping in Park City for clothes for the family, converting our apartment to wireless, plastic tubs to organize our storage, and getting a printer compatible with Windows 7.

Non-Lost Fans...Beware...

2010-01-28T21:08:00.003-07:00

So my cousin, Luke, posted this on his Facebook page and I couldn't help but share it with all my favorite "Lost" or non-"Lost" fans. Enjoy!

Guilty Pleasures

2010-01-21T13:47:00.006-07:00

That's right, guilty pleasures. We all have them. And there's a reason they're called "guilty" pleasures. I have discovered that in becoming a housewife they all start to come out.

First, it was Twilight...which, honestly...do I need to explain why I feel guilty about that? It was pretty embarrassing when I got caught...if you don't know what I'm talking about, feel free to ask my husband, I'm sure he would be delighted to fill you in on the details of that "outing".

Now, it's this completely ridiculous show, Gossip Girl. It is deliciously dramatic. Their way of life, I suppose on an intellectual level, genuinely intrigues me because I have never been exposed to such a lifestyle. Regardless, guilty pleasure because I would never recommend the show to anyone.

Guilty pleasures. We all have them. And I'm genuinely interested in what some of my readers' guilty pleasures are. Care to share?

The Grass is Greener

2009-12-28T11:15:00.007-07:00

...in California because let's face it, we live in Utah where it's snowy. Craig, Lucas, and I were lucky enough to visit both our parents this holiday season. First we went down to my parents in Lancaster and spent until the Monday before Christmas with them and then we went up to Craig's parents in Manteca and spent Christmas with them. Both occasions were monstrous fun. We got back Saturday night and are happy to be home. While at Craig's parents', though, we documented only two occasions...silly us. First, a visit with our dear friends Enos and Lindsay...we miss them lots. And the second, Lucas' first experience with grass. Enjoy!

I didn't know it was a serious picture...a little embarrassing...

I love awkward pictures...but I love little Lucas more

More awkward pictures...only Craig and Lindsay are able to be viewed in this picture...and only part of Enos and myself...love it.

Mom...is this grass?

It was so cute...when we put him in the grass he wasn't sure if he was supposed to touch it or not so when he was crawling in it...he made a conscious effort to lift his hands really high.

I'm so excited, Mom!

Shhh...be vewy vewy quiet...I'm hunting kitties...

A War? On Christmas??

2009-12-16T12:23:00.007-07:00

HERE is an article I read on Yahoo News and, though I celebrate Christmas, I whole heartedly agree with this "group" of people. I do think that Christmas should be celebrated but it's not something I'm going to force someone to believe in. My favorite quote from the article is:

"Christians get all bent out of shape over the fact that someone didn't say 'Merry Christmas' when I walked into the store. But why are we expecting the store to tell our story? That's just ridiculous." - Pastor Ricky McKinley.

Bless that Pastor's heart for realizing Christians or believers in Christ (LDS included) are the only ones that have something special to celebrate this season.

An even better point made is that besides the fact that Christians expect a "Merry Christmas" rather than a "Happy Holidays", is they also expect this to be done while they're going into massive debt to buy their family presents, or making sure they buy the nicest present to win some kind of fictional contest. In light of this, Craig and I have decided to make it a family tradition in our house to put some of the money we're setting aside for presents toward a charity of our family's choice. This, of course, won't happen until next year, but I think it will help remind our children that the greatest gift you can give the Lord is to help his children out.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas AND Happy Holidays.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

2009-11-23T10:54:00.004-07:00

Yes, I know, I saw it. Saturday morning to be specific and yes, to answer your question, the theater was full even on Saturday morning. I do allow that it is better than the first one. It was easy to see that the new director actually knew what he was doing.

The graphics were decent and they did a good job hitting all the important points of the book and leaving out irrelevant dramas within the plot. I do have to admit that the wig they have the guy playing Aro wearing looks a little like Antonio Banderas' wig in Interview with a Vampire. If you've seen the movie...you know what I'm talking about. :) Also, the dialog was a little cheesy and I distinctly remember looking away from the screen because I was embarrassed by what they were saying and doing. But never fret, I need to learn my lesson eventually because the next few movies will be INFINITELY more cheesy and "embarrassing" to me.

OH! And the physical difference between Jacob and Edward is PAINFULLY obvious. It's really sad once you see Edward with his shirt off after looking at Jacob with his shirt off the entire movie. Anyways. I can't really suggest whether to rent it, skip it, or watch it because it focuses on such a specific audience.

And finally, I wouldn't be doing this post justice if I didn't exclaim how Twilight fans crack me up. I think that was one of the highlights about the movie was all their squeals and and coos of joy. Love it.

Halloween

2009-11-02T09:53:00.003-07:00

On Friday we had a little costumer party at our apartment. I'm pretty awful at taking pictures during events so this was all I could scrounge up. I even had to steal a picture from our other friends' blog to get a picture of them in their costumes...ugh pathetic. Anywho, enjoy!

Donnie, Jenni and Asher as Mario, Luigi and Donkey Kong

Melissa and Levi as Elastigirl and Syndrome

Philip as Anikan

Finally Craig, Me and Lucas as Dr. House, The Brave Little Toaster and Blankie

Valkyrie

2009-10-25T09:36:00.002-06:00

Last night Craig and I finally sat down and watched the movie Valkyrie. I don't know why we were waiting so long because it was an incredible movie. Granted, it's not for everyone. If you're interested in World War II or Adolf Hitler history, it is an extremely powerful movie. The actors they used did a phenomenal job acting and what an honor it would be for them to play the characters they played. You felt anxious when they were anxious, you were upset when they were upset. It was just extremely well done. In most movies you watch the movie and learn to hate the villain. In this one, you go into it already hating him, but again, only if you are extremely aware of the atrocities Adolf Hitler accomplished. In the movie, it does not build on the hate for the villain and I would be surprised if they had. He was an extremely sick man; a charmer of thousands. Thank heavens there were people like Colonel Stauffenberg and General Olbricht that understood the madness that was spreading throughout Europe and took it upon themselves to try and protect the rest of the world. May they rest in peace.

A Gift from Grandma

2009-10-17T09:03:00.003-06:00

Grandma Dell sent these wonderful hats for Lucas for the winter. They just looked so cute on him we had to share it with everyone (or at least those that read my humble blog).

On a lighter note

2009-10-10T14:16:00.002-06:00

So Craig and I were watching this SNL skit that is a parody of the "mildly amusing Lawrence Welk Show". We still can't stop laughing...enjoy!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/73360/saturday-night-live-lawrence-welk

http://www.hulu.com/watch/37752/saturday-night-live-the-lawrence-welk-show

Clarification

2009-10-10T09:04:00.005-06:00

I suppose I need to clarify the meaning of my previous post in response to what I have been hearing and reading from friends and family members.

Craig and I agreed to post the previous post merely because we found it unjust to give credit to a person who, first of all, doesn't even feel they deserve this award, and second of all, hasn't even come close to completing the things he was awarded for. Interestingly enough, he knows he won't be able to complete these things within his lifetime.

That being said, we would like ALL to know that we, in no way, have any ill feelings toward our elected president, President Obama, nor the Democratic party. We would also like to point out that we do not take political sides but choose our elected officials based on what we feel is the best course for the country. We feel it is silly and ignorant on both sides to make the fact that President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize into some kind of political war between political parties. In fact that was the opposite of what we were trying to accomplish in our previous post.

"United we stand, divided we fall."- Patrick Henry

A reason to blog

2009-10-09T11:34:00.007-06:00

Friday, October 9, 2009 President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."(time.com). Granted, these "efforts" have not even been placed into effect yet. So pretty much, they gave him the award on a promise that he made while he was trying to get into office. It upsets me that they (they being the new Nobel committee which consists of people from the socialist left party) have given him the award to bind him into a promise that a hundred other presidents before him have made. Too bad that people like Greg Mortensen didn't get the award. Here's his story:

"Son of a missionary, a former army Medic and mountaineer, he has made it his mission to build schools for girls in places where opium dealers and tribal warlords kill people for trying. His Central Asia Institute has built more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan- a mission which has, along the way, inspired millions of people to view the protection and education of girls as a key to peace and prosperity and progress."

Too bad a prestigious award has been turned into something for political gain. Too bad that those that have done everything unselfishly for the world will not be recognized for their efforts. Too bad.

The Happy List

2009-09-30T14:53:00.004-06:00

So here is a little pick-me-up for well...me...and whomever else needs one. I was reading my brother's blog and he was listing a few things that make him and his wife, Rikki, happy. So here is a list of 25 things that make me happy:

1. Babies named Lucas.

2. Irish folk music (and yes...Flogging Molly counts because they are punk BASED on irish folk music.)

3. Sleeping after a long physically challenging day.

4. Rain...especially Seattle rain.

5. Clean apartments/houses.

6. Delicious meals that I don't have to cook.

7. Sushi...and sushi with friends...

8. Working

9. Having that sense of accomplishment after doing something I've wanted to do for a while.

10. Craig being spontaneous

11. Jackets and Jacket weather

12. Family food shopping...yes...we do it together.

13. Oliver Queen...my car that is...even though the actor that plays him on Smallville is uncommonly handsome.

14. My family in the same room...priceless.

15. The way Luke smells after a bath.

16. People watching at the University Mall.

17. Reading "fantastical" books with Craig.

18. The word "fantastical"

19. Watching powerful movies

20. Listening to music while getting ready for the day.

21. Sledding with Craig and my cousins Brooke and Brian.

22. Dancing Grandmas

23. Thanksgiving food

24. Listening to classical music...especially in the fall when it goes with the like colors.

25. Reading when it's cold out. It makes me feel accomplished.

oh and one more...I lied...

It makes me happy when Enos comments and demands a picture despite how necessary they are. :) I miss you guys.

I suppose...

2009-09-21T11:26:00.002-06:00

...seeing as it's Luke's half birthday tomorrow this can count as his half birthday gift. We got him a walker. He loves it. He's not really trekking around in it yet, but he sure tries and that's what counts. Here's a video of him with his new toy:

Retrospect

2009-09-01T08:43:00.004-06:00

Sometimes it's just incredible how we get to where we are. Once upon a time we were little kids, running around being the biggest dorks and then we grow up...different. But it's not different in the "aw, we're different but it's OK, we understand each other" way, it's the different in the "seriously? you've become the one type of person in the world i don't respect?". I just don't see how it happens. And when you look down through your past and see where you went and and which path they've chosen, you see exactly how and where your selves took two different paths. Sometimes it's when you parted ways, but sometimes, it's when you thought of yourselves as friends and you refused to let that effect your feelings for that friend because you were afraid to be alone. Unfortunately, you see that you would have much rather been alone then waste your emotions on that person. In the end, you're glad you are not where that person is, because you see that you wouldn't have been the person you were today if you hadn't made that necessary emotional severance.

Something New

2009-08-27T13:07:00.003-06:00

Ignore the commentary

Me Want Food

2009-08-26T18:38:00.003-06:00

So we've been trying spoon feeding for that last few weeks so he can get used to it and finally he's showing interest in helping! He may not be getting it all in his mouth, but he's got enthusiasm which makes us happy...regardless of the clean up.

After the battle

Julie & Julia

2009-08-23T09:46:00.002-06:00

While my mom and sisters were here we went to the mall and saw Julie & Julia. First of all, cute movie. Meryl Streep did a great job. It was fun to go in between the two lives and see similarities. My qualm with it is that it seemed a little long. I'm not sure what more you can talk about for two and a half hours. A witty, fun movie worth seeing at home, but not in theaters. I hope you enjoy/enjoyed it.

17 Again

2009-08-13T22:42:00.002-06:00

17 Again was fabulous. We watched it tonight with some good friends of ours and actually laughed. I kind of pity Zac Efron because this didn't exactly help his "getting out of High School Musical" plot, but he did a fantastic job. Craig and I definitely give him more credit than we thought we would. He did a particularly good job at imitating Matthew Perry's mannerisms, which I think is something that one doesn't normally see in similar movies. Anyway, worth the Redbox or rent. You'll definitely laugh and probably feel a little embarrassed for Zac Efron.

Why, you may ask....

2009-08-09T08:33:00.003-06:00

...do I have these seemingly ordinary pictures of Lucas on his back?

My answer to you: He rolled over for the first time, unassisted!

Online booty call...yeah i know

2009-07-25T22:26:00.003-06:00

So ok, we were watching tv the other night over at a friends house and they had this commercial for something that i thought was totally fake, but alas, is all too real. It's called onlinebootycall.com. It's exactly what it sounds like...sleazy and pathetic. I went to the website and it actually uses phrases like "the magic of a one night stand", or "the joy of just hooking up". It did make for a very funny commercial so I'm posting two links to the video or just look it up on youtube. Probably shoulda called it justhornyandsad.com, conveys the same message. Hopefully everyone will at least get a laugh out of it, then put it out of your minds forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1auGizTCKg&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDTHo9G_t4o&feature=related

and last one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YotP66ggqo&feature=related

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

2009-07-25T08:31:00.003-06:00

It's finally here. We were finally able to find time to see the sixth installment of the Harry Potter movies. First of all I would like to point out that I learned a long time ago not to go into the Harry Potter movies expecting it to be like the books. If I did that, I would not enjoy them. Although I do have to say that this one did an excellent job accomplishing what it did working with such a long book. I can actually say that I'm glad they didn't get into as much detail as the movie seemed to take long enough. I think those that are fans of the books got what they want, and those that have never read the books got a great movie.

Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed and have seen improve is the acting. Danial Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have definitely improved their acting since the first Harry Potter movie. And as they should seeing as they are working with Britain's finest string of actors and actresses (i.e. Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Jim Broadbent, Dame Maggie Smith, and many others).

Now, like all movies, I don't find it perfect. There were a few things I thought were a little silly, but then I remember that I was surrounded by children when I saw the movie so I'm sure it was entertaining to them. I do think that this is the best installment of Harry Potter yet and can't wait to see then next two.

Hmmm...

2009-07-22T08:43:00.002-06:00

...I think I'm starting to see the resemblance....

The Proposal

2009-07-06T11:32:00.004-06:00

So Craig and I saw The Proposal a week or two ago and loved it. They did a really good job choosing the actors for the movie and they both executed what they were trying to accomplish wonderfully. I think Craig's and my only qualm was that Sandra Bullock is considerably older (12 years) than Ryan Reynolds and since the crowd knows that...it's kinda weird. But anyways. I thought it was a great movie. Craig found it predictable, but I didn't just because I couldn't fathom that they would change their minds as quickly as they did and how quickly they made their decision in the end. I found if anyone does happen to see it, it's more of a rent than a go see in the theater. It's not necessary to see it in the theater in order to enjoy it.

Until We Meet Again

2009-07-01T09:21:00.004-06:00

On Monday Craig and I had to say good-bye to some really good friends of ours. We're going to see them during Christmas, but we're definitely going to miss having them close by so we can hang out with them whenever we want. Enos and Lindsay have moved to San Fransisco, and we're going to miss them dearly. We enjoyed spending time with them and are going to miss the times we get together with our Lucai. We hope you guys have a safe trip today and a wonderful life in San Fransisco. We'll see you at Christmas!

So Lucas H did that on his own...we got pretty excited so...

...we made him hug Lucas D...Lucas D looks apprehensive...but I know he secretly loved it...

yeah...they were watching television...

And there are our strong men!

Uh Oh...

2009-06-29T16:08:00.002-06:00

...it's happening. I miss work. I keep thinking about possible places for me to work part time when I know good and well it's not going to happen for a while. A few places I've been thinking about? Cold Stone, again. Olive Garden, again. Hollywood Video. Papa Murphey's. It's become quite pathetic. I think it's just a phase and I'll get over it soon enough. Until then, let's see how much more desperate I can get.

Video #2

2009-06-20T20:23:00.004-06:00

yeah it speaks for itself...enjoy :)

p.s. this is Craig not Angie...it won't happen often

Star Trek

2009-06-18T09:54:00.003-06:00

So a couple of weekends ago, Craig and I went to see the new Star Trek movie and I haven't had the opportunity to write my review about it. It was incredible. None of this "Next Generation" mumbo jumbo. It was refreshing to see a prequel that wasn't lame (i.e. Star Wars episodes I-III). I mean, it had that sense of a new start, but just a touch of nostalgia. Especially when Leonard Nimoy showed up as an older, wiser Spock. And the actors they chose for the younger versions were incredible. I just loved the casting directors choice and the way the actors played them. Now, I'm not a Trekkie, nor will I be (long live the original Star Wars) but if they made a sequel to this one, I would definitely go. I suggest this movie to all those that haven't seen it (all three of you). Craig and I would see it again, but there are too many other movies we want to use our gift cards on and babysitters are few and far. But we will definitely see it again, sometime.

First Blog Video

2009-06-15T13:04:00.003-06:00

Alright! You've been waiting, and here it is! Luke's very first video posted on a blog! Grab your popcorn, find your easy chair and enjoy 40 seconds of crazy camera work, which ever Chuck episode was on in the background, and Craig's Lucas voice.