Matt & Jen

I know..... It has been forever...

2011-12-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes I know it has been forever and a day since I have done one thing with this blog. We really are alive.

May I say... I just have not wanted too? No, not at all... not in the very least little tiny bit. Until today. I do have a few valid excuses. If you want a few here they are ;)

1-Summer- Fall = the busiest time of year for us
2- Our computer has been on the fritz
3- Nothing too exciting to share after Mexico- really there was
4- We have been focusing on other aspects in our life

There...are you happy? Haha ;) If anyone still even reads or checks in on this boring ,old, sad little blog.

I promise... If our computer is all better soon ( in the photo department) I will post more often this winter.

May you and yours have a great Christmas Season! More to come!

South Of The Border!

2011-06-17T08:45:00.001-07:00

Life has been crazy busy!I cannot believe we have been home from Mexico for a month! Time sure does fly while your having fun!

Matt and I were able to go to Mexico with Mike & Jen, Scott & Christine. We had a ton of fun! Too bad I got a dang cold while we were there...

Here are a few photo's from our vacation in Play Del Carmen Mexico... Pure Paradise!

Day 1-
Great Flight, Welcome Party, 5th Ave. Shopping, Walk along the Beach, Cabana Romance

Day 2-
Akumaul Beach, Snorkeling, Sea Turtles,Swimming,Fresh Seafood,Guacamole, Pastries, Coconut Ice Cream.

Day 3-
Xcaret!, swimming with the Dolphins, Snorkeling,Underground Lazy River and Tons of fun!Worth every penny!

Day 4-
Punta Allen,Adventure!, Snorkeling in the ocean, Boat ride,Mangroves, Crocodiles, Mangos, Chatting, Laughing! ZZzzzzz

Day 5-
Sea to Cenote, Snorkeling, Cenote, Giggles, Hiking, Myan Brake, Zip Line, Meesh Meesh, Caves, Evening Beach Stroll... Romantic

Day 6-
Spa Day!!! Pedi, Mani, Massage on the beach! Relaxation, Laying out, Reading, Sleeping, Skinny Dip in the Ocean, Hub's Lost my swimsuit.... Sorry in the Sand, Dinner,Lobster, Shopping on 5th Ave!

Day 7-
Chitzen-Ittza, Ruins, HOT, HOT, HOT 114 degrees HOT, Cooled off in a Cenorte...Ahhhh, Coconut Milk, Edar Buying us lunch in town, Mmmm Mmmm! Super Carnes, Shopping on 5th Ave, Stroll on the Beach, Swimming in the moon-lit sky, Gone from 7am - midnight. Great way to end the week!

Day 8-
Farewell Mexico! The day came too soon! Packing, Breakfast, Bike Ride into the city, Street Tacos, Empanadas! YUM! Flight home...Brrr Utah is cold! Home Sweet Home!Loving our own bed and our Sammy Boy!

Master Bath FINALLY Finished...For now :D

2011-04-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

It seems we always have some sort of project going on here at the Conrad home. Matt and I wonder if we will ever want to move?
It seems we just keep on doing and going.
Too bad I cannot find the "before" pictures, but here are the long awaited "after" pictures!

*Pardon the poor pictures. I just have a simple point and shoot camera right now.

Banana Nut Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-03-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

It is a cold spring day. And I'm in the mood to bake today.

I had a bunch of ripe banana's that need to be used. And this recipe caught my attention. So I gave it a whirl. Mmmm... Mmmm Tasty!

Ingredients

Cake:
•Butter, for greasing pans
•3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
•2 cups sugar
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•3 eggs, beaten
•3/4 cup vegetable oil
•4 large ripe bananas, mashed
•1 cup chopped pecans
•1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•
Frosting:
•1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
•1/2 cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
•1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/2 cup chopped pecans
•
•Cook's Note: This recipe is not formulated for a wedding cake, but for a normal size everyone can use. Increase as needed if you are making tiered or extra large cakes.
Directions
Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cake:
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the eggs and oil and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened; do not beat. Stir in the banana, pecans, and vanilla. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 23 to 28 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake layers in the pans for 10 minutes, and then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely. While the cake cools, make the frosting.

Frosting:
In a bowl, blend together the cream cheese and butter. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the pecans, or reserve them to sprinkle over the frosted cake. Fill and frost the cake when it is completely cool.

Prep Time:30 min
Inactive Prep Time:45 min
Cook Time:28
Serves: 18 to 20 servings.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

A Special Day...

2011-03-17T08:14:00.001-07:00

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Elies!

I love this picture of my Grandpa Elies.
He looks like the Marborlo Man or something.
I always thought he was a very handsome man. I miss him everyday.

Grandpa would have been 80 today if he were still with us. Our family lost him way too soon. He passed away 26 years ago yesterday. I was nine and remember it like it was yesterday. It was a very sad time for our family.

Some of my memories of Grandpa...

Cold Peanut M&M's in the fridge- A staple
Giving him manicures
Him taking Jess and I to State Street Grill for silly sacks
His laughter
Watching the t.v. SO loud! I will forever remember the words "Solid Gold"!(t.v. show)
Him tinkering in the garage, building buggy's, hot rods and who knows what else?
He was so tall some of his shirts were usually too short :D
The way he smelled of aftershave and the garage
His glasses had pits in them from welding things
Him laying on the couch and taking up the Whole length
His nickname was "Stretch" his name Hans Eric Elies
He loved us and loved treats
His German Ancestory
He grew up in Jersey City
His Father died in a tragic accident when he was just a baby

I'm sure there are more. This is all that comes to mind at the moment.

A couple years ago we were able to do Grandpa's & Grandma's Temple work. It was a very special day to be able to seal my Dad to his parents. I miss them both dearly and love them so much! I'm so thankful for Eternal Families. And for our sweet Uncle Alex. He is my Grandpa's brother, he has recently been a part of our lives for about the last 10 years? That is another story in and of itself. It is a pretty cool one I will have to post one day.

Lets go fly a kite!

2011-03-11T11:23:00.000-08:00

Matt and I had a great day off together yesterday!
The weather was absolutely beautiful!

Our day consisted of a bike ride around the lake, picnic in our backyard,Costco,applying for our passports, and yes flying a kite!

The evening was filled with fun as well.
5 guys, Friends and Cinemark.The movie Unknown was pretty good. Not the best movie I have ever seen, but good.

And these little pretties are up in the front yard!

I LOVE this weather! Mr. Sun I have missed you oh SO much!

Like A Lamb...

2011-03-01T17:38:00.000-08:00

March came in like a lamb....

I could not help myself today. I had to get outside and enjoy that beautiful March weather!

Matt and I did a little yard work and Spring clean up today. It was great to feel the sun on my face today. Yay! Spring is on it's way!

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

Slacker.....

2011-02-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

The title fits as far as blogging goes.
I simply have not been in the mood to blog. Which happens to be not such a bad thing for me.
I have been cleaning & organizing around the home. I'm on a roll!
My favorite new purchase is...
The shark Vac then Steam!

Having hardwood on our main level and tile in the bathrooms makes for a lot of hard floor surfaces to clean. Can I tell you I'm in love with this little steaming wonder? Now cleaning the floor is a breeze! And it does a fabulous job! Thank you Costco for having a $25.00 off coupon last month!

P.S. Guess what we got ourselves for Christmas this year??

A week in Cancun Mexico!!! We are so excited to go in 12 weeks!

Real Meaning of Christmas

2010-12-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

This is so darling! There is nothing sweeter than a precious child. May you all have a Merry Christmas! Love to all of you!

Black Bean Salsa

2010-12-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

I stole this one off of my niece Cortney's blog. This a super yummy Conrad family favorite! Enjoy!(Thanks Cortney!)

Ingredients:

1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 can white beans (rinsed)
1 can sweet corn (drained)
3-4 medium tomatoes
1 large onion
1 bunch of cilantro
BIG squirt of Italian dressing
salt and pepper

just dump everything in a bowl and that's its. super easy. super amazing. super healthy. let me know if you like it!

Baked French Toast

2010-12-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

This is one of our favorite recipes for the holidays and conference weekend.

24 Inch Baguette( I like Kneaders)
6 Large Eggs
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/3 Stick Butter
2 Cups Blueberries (Can use any fruit, I like the Raspberry, Blackberry, Blueberry Trio from Costco)
To Mix: Butter a 9 X 13 baking dish. Cut the baguette into 3/4 - 1 inch slices and arrange in one layer in the baking dish (If you use French bread let it dry out a bit - a sourdough baguette is the best). In a large bowl whisk together: Eggs, Milk, Cream, Vanilla, Salt, and 1 Cup Brown Sugar. Pour evenly over bread. Push bread down to assure it absorbs the liquid. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill overnight, at least 8 hours, until all liquid is absorbed. (In the AM I always turn all of the bread pieces over before topping so the dry tops soak in what is left in the bottom of the pan)

To Cook: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle berries over the top of the Bread mixture. Cut 1 stick of butter with 1 Cup of Brown Sugar. Crumble over the top of the Bread and Berries. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and puffed (I watch it and usually let it go a little longer). It is recommended to serve with either syrup or powdered sugar, but it really doesn't need it.

ENJOY- and don't forget your cholesterol medication and work-out.

Fa la la la la.... la la la la

2010-11-28T15:31:00.000-08:00

We are all nestled in and cozy today.

We enjoyed putting up the rest of Christmas this weekend. With our surprise we woke up to about 6 inches of snow this morning! YaY! We were issued a blizzard warning last week and I only saw a few flakes. I was pretty bummed out over that.

Matt and I had a great weekend with family. We enjoyed some shopping, going out to dinner with family and watching this super cute movie~

(with the cutest kids in the world of course!)
Loved this cute show!

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend with your families.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T07:57:00.001-08:00

We are Thankful for all of our many blessings...

Another Thanksgiving is here!

I'm super excited for the lovley spread of food this year. Dinner is at my parents- which means Mom's cooking,enjoying time with family, gingerbread house making, lounging on the couch by the fire,watching movies and looking at black friday ads.

Side note:
I love when Thanksgiving is at my Moms, there is nothing like Moms cooking. Another nice thing....there will be a total of 11 people :D

Heres to great family, food and sweat pants!

Gobble til ya wobble!

Baked Beans

2010-11-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

1 Pound Cooked Bacon
1 Onion
1 Green Pepper
2 Cans 29 oz. Pork & Beans
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
Dash of Dry Mustard

Simmer in Crock Pot

* I like to add black beans and do half green and red peppers.

These are perfect side to take to a BBQ.
YUM-O

AFTER DAYBREAK

2010-11-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

I do not normally do this...
David is our Nephew in law married to our niece Ashley.
He is amazingly talented. Check out their Christmas CD for 5.99 on Itunes.

AFTER DAYBREAK is a classical crossover/pop trio that consists of Daniel Beck, Drew Boushka & David Fritch. Their debut album, WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD, was released internationally on October 12, 2010, and will be released in the U.S. on November 9, 2010.

* Check them out*
http://www.afterdaybreakofficial.com/

Introducing.... Sammy

2010-11-12T06:37:00.001-08:00

Meet our new family member-
Sammy the cat.

This is a super sweet story. I truly believe this little man picked us.And is a little gift from above.

After the loss of my sweet cats Missy and Maverick, I was really sad with out an animal in our home...Although we did always have our neighbors cat "Salem" come over to our backyard to visit just about everyday for the past year. We like her and think she is a sweet cat. Plus I give her treats... I am a sucker for animals. I have always loved them.
Salem had just had a litter of kittens about a month prior to me loosing my kitties. She would still come over, just never with a kitten.

Until one day she brought us a "gift" that just so happened to be her kitten-our Sammy. We loved having him come visit us. She would seriously drop him off like we were baby sitters and then hours or a day later she would come pick him up. The neighbors were gone a lot and the cats were neglected for the most part. The Mama cat started to bring all three of her babies over to see us and get milk. They were too cute and sweet to pass up.

After fostering his Mom and siblings for a while. Sam was the only one left that needed a home. I just thought I was not really ready for another pet. Matt had found him a home a couple weeks ago, but I could not bear to give him up. It was fate. I do think this was the perfect way to ease into another pet. I have fallen in love with this sweet little cat.

Shutters...A Door... Halloween Galore!

2010-10-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

This post is long overdue....

We have been rather busy around here getting last minute projects finished outside before winter arrives.

This project that has been on my mind for probably about 4-5 years. Painting the front door and making or buying new shutters for the exterior windows.
Most of the problem was finding time to take this project on. (I needed Matt's help on this one.) Also deciding what color to paint the door and the shutters. To glaze or not to glaze?That was a huge dilemma!

Presenting.....

Our new shutters and painted front door! They are beautiful and just what I imagined!

This project was really simple and done in about 1 1/2 days. For real!Prep work and all! The shutters are not real wood, since we face south I needed something to last. The material is similar to trex decking. Matt busted these out in a couple hours.

The next morning ,I painted the shutters with some pretty amazing paint that had the primer in it already. Slapped on a little bit of glaze and tung oil -and voila! Hung that evening! The weather was amazing!

I decided to keep the front door and trim white. (Since facing the South brings on a lot of sun.) I also wanted a "rough" texture on the door, so I rolled it on. A trick I learned from my Mom:D

Another Project... Halloween decor! I saw these cute "Black Twigs" on a website and wanted to make them! So I did my own spin on them :D
I had Matt help me get the dead trees/twigs in various fields.I then spray painted them black!I love how they turned out! Really fun!

I love how this spooky tree turned out!

Tip: To make your pumpkins shine wash them and either spray or rub on a varnish like tung oil.

Not sure if doing all of these projects in a couple of days is a good idea, but we did it! Matt is a trooper! He knows how I work, GO BIG or go home. Thanks for your help honey! I will give you a rest when the snow flies... Maybe ? ;)

Here are some more pictures to enjoy!

Now back to my cleaning spree! Pantry, Closet, Dresser,windows,blinds and Office.(If I have to be cooped up inside all winter, I want my house really clean and organized)

P.S. Christmas will be here before we all know it? Will you be ready?

Christmas Cards ordered- Check
Christmas Potpourri Ingredients Ordered-Check

Ok so it is not a lot, but it is a start. Right?

So many Posts... So little time

2010-10-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

I have a HUGE "to do" list today, but I at least wanted to make my blog look a little bit festive for heaven sake!
More to come when the weather is cold, but for now I will be enjoying the October Sunshine!

4 Years !!!

2010-09-16T10:23:00.000-07:00

Today Matt and I have been married 4 years!
It is hard to believe we have been married 4 years, but at the same time it feels like we have been together for a lot longer. (In a good way of course)

This is a day I will never forget. I love to look back in my journal and read the great stories of us dating and of our marriage.

One in particular is our wedding day. I will never forget being at the temple and talking to one another before our sealing. We made a promise to work hard every day to love each other this much and to be this happy together always. I must say I hope I have exceeded my promise to Matt. (Since he has done this with me.) Our love has grown has grown into so much more these last 4 years. I'm so happy that we are together forever!

I love you so much Matty! Thanks for always treating me like a Queen and loving me with your whole heart! Happy 4th Anniversary Sweetheart!

Three's Ice Cream

2010-09-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is an old fashioned family favorite.
It's simple and refreshing! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
3 cups cream
3 cups milk
3 bananas, mashed
3 oranges, juiced
3 lemons, juiced

Directions

1.In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and cream until sugar is dissolved. Mix in the milk, mashed bananas, and fruit juices.
2.Pour mixture into ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions, about 45 minutes.

My time with you was precious...

2010-08-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

My heart is full of emotion today. I do not even know how or where to begin this post.I apologize if this bounces everywhere or does not make sense. So I will just start from the beginning.

My life changed forever Fifteen years ago when my sweet and loving companions came into my life. They were my babies.

MY MISSY:

First was Missy, my cute little Sassy Girl. I was walking thru the pet store on my lunch break and that is where we met. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. She looked up at me with her big green eyes and little pink nose. That is when I knew she was supposed to be my baby. So without asking or getting permission from anyone, I brought her home that night. (I lived in a duplex where animals were not allowed)Better to ask for forgiveness than permission right?

There are so many things I love about my Missy Rissy Roo,Ninny,Shriny,Princess... She had many nicknames over the years. There are so many memories I could share, but which ones? They were all precious to both of us.

First memory that comes to mind is how she LOVED me. She could be a peel to visitors, that is for sure! She was definitely MY girl. She would hiss at most people that came around. She did not like loud people or loud noises. I would sing her song to her in kind of a high pitch voice sometimes and she would bite me softly meowing until I stopped. Of course I laughed and would do it again in my nice voice. It was sure cute.

I chose to have my cats be mainly indoors... Well Missy had a mind of her own and would beg to go outside and play. I could never say no to her big eyes and cute face. She always made this little {brrlllit} sound when I looked or talked to her that was so cute! She got her way and became a mostly outdoor cat about four years ago. She loved being outside! This was her favorite to go explore and play. She was a good girl and never went too far and always came home safe.

She also loved to be inside with me wherever I was. Her favorite places were my bedroom and front living room. I would crack up when she would basically sit on the heat register for about an hour and either warm up her face or "freeze her face off" with the central air. What a silly girl!

The hardest thing for me was seeing you get "older" and sick. I always knew I would have to say goodbye one day. I just did not know that day would come so fast. You were such a brave girl, you were so strong. Mommy did not even know how sick you were until last Saturday. I always wondered how I would know it would be "time" to let you go.

When you looked into my eyes while I was comforting you, that is when I knew. I will never forget that moment with you. You trusted me to take care of you and love you the best I could. You told me it was OK and that it was "time" to say goodbye.
We took you to the vet and he confirmed our worry. My sweet love had a tumor in her mouth that caused her pain. I did not want you to suffer anymore. I had to be "big" and make that hard choice for you. I know you are happy now exploring and having fun! Be good and take care of your baby brother.

Thank you Missy for the love, joy and comfort you have given me through the years. You have been my loyal companion and best friend. I will never forget you! I love you with all of my heart. May you rest in peace my sweet girl.

MY MAVERICK:

You were my second baby, I still remember when I first got you. I picked you up in a baby blanket. You loved to be held like a baby from the moment you were mine.(Missy was pretty ticked at me when you came home) I'm glad you are best buddies now and together on your new journey.

My friend from work told me about her cats she had (Birmans) and that she was a breeder. The way she described your breed was exactly what I was looking for. You were such a sweet and loving little boy.

Some of my favorite memories of my bozzi, buhda, chubs, boogie monsee,baby(more nicknames)are:

I love how you let me hold you like a baby over my shoulder. You were my baby when I could not have one of my own. You were there to comfort me and love me. I loved how you always needed me to give you loves. You were my "chill" kitty that was always up for snuggling.

You were such a handsome little man with beautiful cool blue eyes. (That were a little crossed)I loved your big white and pink feet. You and your sissy both loved foot massages. You loved to be brushed, bathed and blow dried. Not many other cats like this kind of pampering. You were a mama's boy for sure! I once gave you a "lion" haircut when it was a hot summer. You were so embarrassed without all of your fur. You looked so cute!

I loved when you would wait for the second to hear me move in the morning and you were right there at the door ready to get me up. Unless you were asleep on my head purring. And if I did not come that is when you started being very vocal. You knew how to get what you wanted from me that is for sure!

I loved when you would lay at my feet while I was in my office on the computer or working on a project. I'm missing you both so much today. Our house is just not the same without you.

You were your sisters buddy and you always took such great care of each other. In the end I was so impressed by your love for one another.The way you both kept so calm and were so good it made me feel a lot better that you felt safe with me and that you were together.

Now you can see and run and play with Missy. Take good care of each other and have lots of fun! Remember I will be with you again someday. Until then, rest in peace my sweet little man.

I will keep you both in my heart forever. I know the pain will dull over time. I love you more than you will ever know. Saying goodbye was the hardest thing I have ever had to do so far. The last few moments with you were so special. I could have held you in my arms forever, but I knew I had to let you go. Until we meet again I will hold you safe in my heart forever.

Love,

Mommy

***Matt and I had a special goodbye for Maverick & Missy.It was so hard to see them go, but nice to see them look at peace. They lived a wonderful and full life full of love. I'm so thankful to our father in heaven for creating such sweet little spirits to have and love. These cats brought me so much love and joy into my life. I will be forever grateful for their love.

A few poems I have enjoyed these past few days.

A Simple Message From Your Pet
by Ken D. Conover

To have loved and then said farewell is better than to have never loved at all.
For all of the times that you stooped and touched my head, fed me my favorite treat and
returned the love that I so unconditionally gave to you. For the care that you gave to me
so unselfishly. For all of these things I am grateful and thankful. I ask that you grieve
not for the loss but rejoice in the fact that we lived, loved and touched each other's lives.
My life was fuller because you were there, not as owner, but as my friend. Today, I am
as I was in my youth. The grass is always green, butterflies flit among the flowers and
the sun shines gently down upon all of God's creatures. I can run, jump and play
and do all of the things that I did in my youth. There is no sickness, no aching joints
and no regrets and no aging. We await the arrival of our lifelong companions and know
that togetherness is forever. You live in our hearts as we do in yours. Companions such
as you are very rare and unique. Don't hold the love that you have within yourself.
Give it to another like me and then I will live forever. For love never really dies,
and you are loved and missed as surely as we are.

Your pet in heaven.

A Pet's Plea
If it should be that I grow frail and weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep
Then you must do what must be done
For this, the last battle, can't be won.
You will be sad- I understand
Don't let your grief then stay your hand
For this day, more than all the rest
Your love and friendship stand the test.
We've had so many happy years
What is to come can hold no fears
You'd not want me to suffer, so
When the time comes, please let me go.
I know in time you too will see
It is a kindness you do to me
Although my tail, it's last has waved
From pain and suffering I've been saved.
Don't grieve that it should be you
Who has decided this thing to do
We've been so close, we two these years
Don't let your heart hold any tears.
Author Unknown

May I Go
Do you think the time is right?
May I say goodbye to pain filled days and endless lonely nights?
I've lived my life and done my best, an example tried to be.
So can I take that step beyond, and set my spirit free?
I didn't want to go at first, I fought with all my might.
But something seems to draw me now to a warm and living light.
I want to go, I really do; it's difficult to stay.
But I will try as best I can to live just one more day.
To give you time to care for me and share your love and fears.
I know you're sad and afraid, because I see your tears.
I'll not be far, I promise that, and hope you'll always know,
That my spirit will be close to you wherever you may go.
Thank you so for loving me. You know I love you too,
And that's why it's hard to say goodbye and end this life with you.
So hold me now just one more time and let me hear you say,
Because you care so much for me, you'll let me go today.
by Susan A. Jackson

Cat Poem
They will not go quietly,
the cats who've shared our lives.
In subtle ways they let us know
their spirit still survives.
Old habits still make us think
we hear a meow at the door.
Or step back when we drop
a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place
the food dish used to be,
And, sometimes, coming home at night,
we miss them terribly.
And although time may bring new friends
and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in our hearts
belongs to them. . . and always will.
by Linda Barnes

Four Feet in Heaven
Your favorite chair is vacant now...
No eager purrs to greet me.
No softly padded paws to run
Ecstatically to meet me.
No coaxing rubs, no plaintive cry
Will say it's time for feeding.
I've put away your bowl, and all
The things you won't be needing;
But I will miss you little friend,
For I could never measure
The happiness you brought me,
The comfort and the pleasure.
And since God put you here to share
In earthly joy and sorrow;
I'm sure there'll be a place for you
In Heaven's bright tomorrow...
by Alice E. Chase

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas

2010-08-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

We tried this recipe tonight. It ended up being pretty tasty and easy!

I made a few changes like... Wheat Tortillas, Pam instead of butter and Moz Cheese, and Garden Fresh Diced Tomatoes rather than salsa. It turned out Delish!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons butter, divided
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

Directions
1.Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn, then add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes; mix well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
2.Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Summer Trip 2010 Yellowstone N.P. * Teton N.P.Jackson Hole

2010-07-29T10:03:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe we have already been on our vacation and back to work.

Matt and I really enjoyed our trip last week together. It was so great to be able to spend a few days alone with my sweetheart enjoying God's creations.

Some of you may or may not know that I have a deep love for the great outdoors. It brings such peace and happiness to my soul.....

To have the soft breeze blow through my hair, the sun shine on my face, to breathe the fresh mountain air,to shut out the world and just listen to the song of nature. Of course lets not forget how blessed we are to see. I'm always amazed by God's creations.

* To pause the slide show or see caption place mouse on image :D

We arrived to our destination Wednesday evening. This time we took our camp trailer with us. I was sad at first we could not spend our time in Colter Bay, but Flagg Ranch was just as fine of place to stay. (Minus the beautiful Marina they have in Colter Bay Village.) We will reserve early next time and stay there.

Back to my story...
We set up camp and wanted to stretch our legs after a long drive. We ended up along the Snake River for a walk. It was beautiful to walk along the river bank as the sun was setting.

To top off the evening we enjoyed our famous taco salad and a movie in bed. Ahhh... Vacation at last!

We enjoyed Yellowstone National Park for the first two full days of our vacation. What a beautiful place! Matt had been there only one other time with my family.

We did not have a lot of time to stop on our last trip. So I made sure to give him the grand loop tour. It was perfect weather the high was about 70-75 degrees.We both loved it! (After being in the city where it was in the 100 degree range.)

Saturday had to by our favorite day. This happened to be our last full day of fun in the parks.

Our morning started early at 5:30 a.m. for our Breakfast Cruise on Jackson Lake. The temperature was 35 degrees when we got in the truck. Oh baby it felt really cool, but nice at the same time.

We departed Colter Bay Marina at 7:30 for Elk Island. Which happens to be the biggest Island on the lake. Breakfast was superb! Pancakes,Sausage,Hash browns,Eggs,Fresh Trout, Yogurt, Fresh Fruit, Juice and more! Wow was it good! Matt even tried the Trout! Hold on.....He even LIKED it!
After Breakfast we hiked around the Island. It was a very enjoyable morning on the Island and Lake itself.

Next item on the agenda was a nap. Can I tell you if you go on vacation and do not take a nap you are missing out! HEA-VEN!

After a wonderful nappy dap we had a snack and I primped for a fun night out with my Hub's.

Went on a beautiful drive through the Tetons and Moose. Where we just so happened to see a Moose.It was a fun little road to Teton Village.
There we took a ride on the aerial tram. And can I tell you what a view at 10,450 feet!

After a being on top of the beautiful mountains we went for some great food and entertainment. "The Bar J Chuck wagon" It was so much fun to see the Bar J Wranglers!
The food was great and the entertainment was super fun! We sat by some very nice people from Sweden.

Our drive home was LONG, but beautiful. We decided to go through Bear Lake and the Logan area. Not sure if we will do that again towing a trailer, but the truck as always did great! It is so nice to have a diesel that gets great gas mileage!

Thanks to my great family for taking care of our home while we were gone. And the Delicious dinner we came home too! Love you guys!

P.S. Word to the wise. Do not try to remodel a master bath right before you leave on vacation.Pictures to come. She is going to be beautiful!

Soon to be bliss.....

2010-07-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

Vacation bliss that is!

So excited to go to some of my favorite places this summer!Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons & Yellowstone.

All with my sweetheart!
What more could a girl ask for?
Perfect weather perhaps?

Ahhh... Are'nt they all just so Beautiful? I can almost smell the fresh mountain air.

Watermelon Salsa

2010-07-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

I love to try new recipe's. This one may sound a little strange, but is very refreshing. I made this little number for a friends Birthday Celebration. She happens to love Watermelon and Salsa. She loved this! It will definitely play with your taste buds.

Ingredients
2 cups seeded finely chopped watermelon
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lime juice
Baked tortilla chip scoops
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the melon, cucumber, onion, peppers and herbs. Drizzle with honey and lime juice; gently toss to coat.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve with chips. Yield: 3 cups.
Editor's Note: When cutting hot peppers, disposable gloves are recommended. Avoid touching your face.

Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup (calculated without chips) equals 22 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 1 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein. Diabetic Exchange: 1/2 starch.

Y.W. of Strength

2010-07-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

Ward Theme: A.R.M.Y.
Always Righteous Mormon Youth

Another Camp year has come and gone...

I cannot believe this was my 3rd year serving as Camp Director. Wow! Between working, household responsibilities and hours of preparation and a few mini melt downs. I now feel like my Summer can begin. YaY!

Camp this year went really well! I was worried about a lot of things this year. The number one thing is our amazing Y.W. President is due with her sweet baby girl any day now. She was unable to attend camp this year. She of course is our rock.

With the help of our other great leaders we pulled of another successful year at camp. We all had a lot of fun and grew in many ways we needed and others we may not even know of yet. I love girls camp! (I love it even more when it is finished.) Matt is a HUGE help to me. I love him so much and I'm so blessed to have him as my eternal companion. We are so blessed in our lives. I love my Father in Heaven and am thankful to him for trusting me with these wonderful daughters of his.

* A HUGE thank you to all that helped with camp! I could not have done it without you! You know who you are! Love You!

Can I be a Cat today?

2010-06-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

A little cat nap is my wish today. If only.... Maybe tomorrow ?

Much needed R&R.....

2010-06-12T22:57:00.001-07:00

We were able to celebrate Dads birthday at our house for a BBQ. The food was fantastic and the company even better. I love my cute little family.

We were then able to take off after the memorial day holiday camping. Matt worked extra hard on the buggy so we were able to take her out for her maiden voyage. Thank you Dad, Jess and whoever else helped us get her ready to go. It is about time we were able to take her out for a test run! She is a BLAST!

We left Tuesday morning for the west dessert. A new place to explore! Amasa Valley, just out from Hinckley and Delta. She was a long drive, but totally worth it! Good job baby at pulling 2 trailers!

We got to explore in mines, a first for me. I usually NEVER go in anything of the sort. I decided to be brave. Matt could not believe I had no problem walking 100's of feet under ground. For some reason I was ready to face my fear of claustrophobia. Sure glad I did! It was nice and cool underground and fun too!

The 4-wheeler trails were amazing! They went on and on and on... Well you get the drift. The scenery was breathtaking. I have not gotten to see the dessert this way before. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, the flowers were beautiful! We had a great time exploring and just soaking up the sun!

It was great fun to play with the horses Lefty and Buzz. I love animals! I was in love with Buzz, Ken's Mustang. I did not ride him as he can be a peel. Lefty Girl was perfect for me. Although she was in a hurry to get back to camp and galloped most of the way. Good thing we did not go too far. Being saddle sore is not too fun.

The food was of course amazing and tasty! We had all sorts of dutch oven, GIANT smores,Bean dip and more! MMMmmm Mmmmmm :D I do not know why the week had to go by so dang fast. It was back to work the next day. I really could get used to being on vacation all of the time. (As long as most of it is at home in my own bed.)

*Busy times ahead...Girls Camp in about 1 week. Then I hope for some real live R&R after that is over with. Have a great summer everyone!

Caramel Party Mix

2010-05-23T16:25:00.001-07:00

I made this treat today for our dear friend Cameron. He loves this "stuff" and is always asking for it. I finally caved and made him a BIG batch. Love ya Cam! Enjoy!

2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Karo Syrup
1 1/2 Cups Butter
Melt Butter, Sugar and Karo Syrup.
Boil 2-3 Minutes on medium heat,and then add-
1-18 oz. Package Golden Grahams
1-18 oz. Package Corn or Rice Chex (I prefer Rice)
1 Package of Coconut
1-16 oz. Package Silvered Almonds

*Mix in a very large bowl stirring gently so you don't crush the cereal.

Grandma's Melt in your mouth Brownies

2010-05-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

It is not a family party without these delightfully delicious Brownies made by Grandma Janice. Today is the first time I have made them. These are indeed dangerous!

1 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup Cocoa
2 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs well beaten
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Cups Coarsely Chopped Walnuts
2 teaspoons Vanilla

*Pour batter into greased cookie sheet (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 Inch) and spread evenly. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and put 1 pound miniature marshmallows over the top. Be sure they are in a single layer close to the edge. Return to oven for about 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for about 1 hour. Top with Icing.

Icing:
1/2 Cup Butter
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4-1/3 Cup Cocoa
1/3 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Combine ingredients and spread over brownie marshmallow bars.

Pretzel Salad

2010-05-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

This Raspberry Jell-O Salad is a family favorite. Why they call it a salad is beyond me. This side dish is more like a Jell-O/Cheesecake type treat that melts in your mouth. My Grandma Janice introduced this salad to our family and has become a favorite ever since. Enjoy!

Mix together ahead of time: 1- 6 oz. Raspberry Jell-O, 2 Cups boiling water, and 2 cups boiling water, and 2 cups cold water. Jell-O needs to be partially set before pouring over last layer.

Mix: 6 oz. crushed pretzels
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1/4 Pound Butter
Pat into 9x13 pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Mix: 1-8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 Cup Sugar

Beat together and fold in 1-12 oz. container cool whip. Layer on top of cooled pretzel mixture, let cool until firm. Layer on top of cream cheese mixture: 2 20- oz. cans of crushed pineapple. Let chill. Pour Jell-o over pineapple layer and let set over night if possible.

Birthday "Week" Is The Best!

2010-05-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

I had a great Birthday even though I was at work. I arrived to Payson and came to a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my sissy Erica. Then Sonja came in with some Balloons singing Happy Birthday rock-n-roll style. It was great! As I get to Provo clinic my desk is totally decked out and strawberry shortcake in the break room. I was given a $$$ shopping spree $$$ from my friends at work. Matt had some flowers delivered, I feel so loved! What a lucky girl to have such great people to work with! Thanks everyone!

Beautiful Flowers from Matty

By the time I got home from work I was pooped. I was in my P.J.'s ready to relax. I was looking at my house thinking wow I need to clean this place up. Then I noticed someone had been in the house... Weird?? So I called Matt to see if he knew if someone had been in the house. He said "yep there was"... to look at the front door. He had our friend Jared put new moulding on the front door. It has been driving me crazy. We have a problem with our house where it leaks water. The people that built our house did not put any flashing up or anything to protect from water damage. Well that is what we have! Jared sent Matt a video of our door frame that is damaged bad. So hopefully home owners will take care of this problem. Thanks honey for fixing the front door for my Birthday. Looks like more work is needed.... Darn!

I did decide to get out of my P.J.'s for Matt to take me out for my Birthday. We went to Bangkok Grill. I love Thai food and was in the mood. It was delish!
Of course a girl needs cake on her Birthday, so we went to a cute little place called The Chocolate. It was fun you can order cake by the slice and all sorts of goodies. Yummy! Matt had Red Velvet and I had Some Madagascar Vanilla cake. Yum, Yum!

My beautiful flowers from Erica

Date Day Thursday:
Matt & I had Thursday off together for my Birthday date. We did yardwork and housework before play -Per my request. My poor hubby is a great sport. He helps me SO much! I could not do it all without him. Love you Honey!

Pretty much Birthday week for me is an eating fest I have decided. Not too good for the waisteline.
There is this great Authentic Mexican Place in provo. (Taco-in-Tent?)On the corner of abouth 8th north and 5th west. Matt has "Ghettoized" me as he puts it. Before I would never step foot in a hole in the wall like this. Can I just say... If you have this attituide you are missing out on some great food! They have the best tacos! We really eat there about every week for a lunch date. Taco's are $1.50 so it is a cheap date. YUM! Then in the back is a little Bakery we have started to visit. YUM, YUM! Great authentic Mexican food!
After a great lunch we went to the Provo Mall shopping! :D I told you Matt is a good sport. I have been wanting to go to a movie.Either Letter's to Juliet or Robin Hood.I thought I would pick Robin Hood for Matt's sake. It was really good, but who does not like a little of Russell Crowe ? Also Yummy :D

Cute, Cute Balloon from Jen at work

Thanks everyone for the great week! Love you all! (It's not over yet!)

Aunt's Day Wth Jack & Jayci

2010-04-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Erica and I had Jack and Jayci overnight. I had Jayce and Erica had Jack. They are such sweeties and we had a ton of fun with them .

At bedtime Jayce was not tired. She did not want to go to bed yet.... So like a naughty Aunt I let her stay up and have a bath. We did "princess" braids so she could have "magic" hair in the morning. I called Erica and she and Jack were in bed watching a movie per Jack's request. Jayci and I cuddled and read stories . It was then time to go to bed to get plenty of rest before the fun morning ahead.

Erica and I after debating were to go decided on Hee Haws. It was really fun they had their Spring Fling going on. With Hay Rides, Slides, Petting Zoo, Tractor & Train Rides and the list goes on.

The kids had a total blast on the slide and wanted to go by themselves. Because they are BIG and can do it alone :D It was so cute to watch them running up and down this huge hill smiling for the next slide ride. Jack was a big helper and took the other kids "slide sacks" back up to top neatly placing them where the belong.

Jayci absolutely loved the Horsey Swing. As you can see by the pictures she was giggling the whole time. It was so cute to see her so happy. She also loved riding the pony and petting the baby animals. She is adorable!

Jack found a Big Wheel and some sand. He did not want to swing he wanted to make tracks in the "sand dunes". He loved riding on the animal train, helping other kids go on the slide and the cool tractors. He was such a sweetheart.

After the farm we headed to lunch. JCW's was right there so we went there. Plus the food is good. All day we were reminding cute Jayci to not put her fingers in her mouth. There are animal germs on her fingers. We washed them up before lunch, but Jayci kept putting her hands in her mouth and touching her dirty pants. Erica and I kept telling her "please do not lick your hands". And then she stopped after Erica said.... "Jayce... Honey there are animal germs on your pants and fingers. Please do not lick them. There is "poop" on the animals butt's". Jayci had the cutest look on her face of ewwwwww yuck. She put her head down and in her cute Jayci voice said... "Erica I'm sorry I licked an animals butt." We cracked up laughing!!! Erica called Jess a couple days after hoping she has not said "butt" again. She was worried. It was funny and cute!

All in all we had a great day! By the end of it all we were pooped out and ready for a nap. I love these 2 little stinkers!

hApPY bIrThDaY jEsSe!!! tHe BIG ThRee-O !!!

2010-04-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

This post is for my baby brother today. I would like to wish him a VERY happy birthday! I cannot believe you are 30 today. It seems like yesterday we were just kids. This means I will be 34 this year. Wow! Time flies!

Little (BIG) brother (who somehow got all of the height & high speed metabolism)I love you SO much and admire the man you have become. You are a great man and husband, daddy, son and brother.

Your big sister is proud of you and so blessed to have you in my life. Sorry for all of the times I teased you when I was still your (BIG) sister. ;D Ha Ha Ha...
We still had fun though!

I will never forget how you were quite the little prankster and you would always have something rigged up in my room or my bathroom to play a joke on me.

Here are a few fond memories I have of you....

*Getting you out of your crib when you were sleeping & I told Mom you were awake when you weren't.
* I always remember you wanting Vienna sausages when you were a toddler & your fuzzy white hair.
* When we called you Buddy or Bud more then Jesse
*The many camping memories in the campers, tents, trailers and dune buggy's
*How you would always make Erica & I cool things out of Legos and Constructs
*Playing Lyons, Tigers & Bears in the backyard in the "fish" pool with Dad
*Bike rides with the family...You seemed to manage to borrow all of our bikes when yours was broken, except mine.
*When you would tell me a secrets about how you really got hurt(the go-cart incident)
*Making treats secretly while Mom & Dad were gone and we would keep them downstairs and eat them. Remember the candy cane ice cream, from BYU ? Dad would always wonder where all of the ice cream would go :D
* Your little temper... You never took crap from anyone. (snow shoveling & a bird ?)Insode joke... LOL
* I remember how you would always let me take your cyclone truck out cruising & will never forget the ride in your Chevy right before your mission! :D
* I remember when you left on your mission.... There was a hole in my heart. I thought the pain would never leave. Erica and I missed you so much!We both cried and cried, but were so proud of you. We would often hug your clothes in your closet.
* Best reunion...Greeting you when you got off your mission!!! We all followed you around like little kittens or something. Poor kid. We missed you!
* Your wedding day :D We got another sister that we love so much!
* When you became a daddy... We love your 2 little sweethearts so much!

Love you Buddy! Have the best day ever!

Don't O.D. on any cake today ;D (another inside joke)

Matt's Mouthwatering Beef Brisket

2010-04-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a great Sunday dinner or something special to make for company try this. It will melt in your mouth! My hubby loves the Brisket at Goodwood. So we decided to make our own... Hello! This is a lot better! Trust me! I got the Brisket at Costco. (They usually have them in stock in the meat department.)

~Ingredients~

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 bay leaf, crushed
4-10 pounds beef brisket, trimmed
1 1/2 cups beef stock
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Make a dry rub by combining chili powder, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, sugar, dry mustard, and bay leaf. Season the raw brisket on both sides with the rub. Place in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Add beef stock and enough water to yield about 1/2 inch of liquid in the roasting pan. Lower oven to 300 degrees F, cover pan tightly and continue cooking for 3 hours, or until fork-tender.

Trim the fat and slice meat thinly across the grain. Top with juice from the pan.

Right out of the oven....Mmmm the smell is fantastic!

*** Wondering how to make the side dish of roasted vegetables ?***
Again a Costco find. I purchased the bag of mixed fingerling potatoes. They are pretty good. The bag includes a mixture of red, purple, white potatoes. I also added sweet potatoes, onions & carrots to the mix. Delish...

~Roasted Vegetables~

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees

On a cookie sheet pour 2-4 Tablespoons of good olive oil (enough to lightly coat your veggies)

Slice your desired amount of potatoes & onions & carrots and place on your cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Kosher Salt and Fresh ground pepper. Toss veggies in olive oil coating evenly. Add fresh rosemary.
Roast for 30-45 min until tender. Turning throughout with a spatula.

~I KNOW That My Redeemer Lives~

2010-04-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoy this Easter message.

I'm so excited for Conference this weekend!
My sweet hubby got us tickets to go to the Saturday morning session. This will be our first time attending G.C.
I'm looking forward to this wonderful weekend of inspiration and time with family.YaY!:D

dUnEs wItH tHe bOyS

2010-03-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

It has been FOREVER since I have been to the sand dunes! Dad called me last friday night and invited me to go to the Dunes with the boys Saturday morning.(Dad, Jess, Jack) I of course said YES even though poor Matty had to work all day.
It was a beautiful crisp spring day with a lot of sunshine and smiles!

Jack enjoying the sand & sun!

Jack & I playing in the sand. I'm covered from head to toe in sand :D I had just gotten back from a GREAT buggy ride with my Dad. What a crazy fun old man! We were both laughing & smiling the whole time we were out burning bowls at the dunes!I think we both ate more sand than when we were kids!

The boys! Dad, Jess & Jack chillin in the sand.

Jess & Jack ready to go!

Sweet little man! How is he 4 1/2 already ???

Thanks for the invite! There is nothing better than being with family !
I missed you Matty! (Our Buggy is almost finished!) Matt & I cannot wait to take it out!

Strawberry Cake

2010-03-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

1 Super Moist White Cake Mix (Duncan Hines) Egg White Recipe
Bake according to directions
Cool Cake then top with:
1 package of prepared & cooled Strawberry Danish Dessert
Combine together:
1 - 8 oz Package of soft Cream Cheese
1- Pint Whipped Cream(Whipped)
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
Vanilla

Spread Cream Mixture over Strawberry Glaze
Top with Sliced Strawberries

This cake is so moist and delightful! You will want another piece!

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2010-03-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

Small Batch: 350* 30-45 Minutes

3 ½ Cups Warm Water
1 Tbls. Salt
1/3 Cup Oil
1/3 Cup Honey
1 ½ Tbls. Yeast
1 ½ Dough Enhancer
7 Cups Wheat Flour

Regular Batch:

6 Cups Warm Water
2 Tbls. Salt (1 ½ T. Lite)
2/3 Cup Oil (1/3 C. Lite)
1/3 Cup Honey
2 Tbls. Yeast
2 Tbls. Dough Enhancer
10 Cups Flour

*Mix water & whole wheat flour , add remaining ingredients, add enough flour until the dough pull away from the sides of mixing bowl. Knead the dough until the gluten in the whole wheat is properly developed. (8-12 min. )

I have a lot of memories of my Mom from this bread recipe. She used to have this a lot for us when we came home from school. It was hot and fresh from the oven ! What a great after school snack with butter & jam or peanut butter. Mmmm Mmmm...

For the LOVE of FOOD!

2010-03-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dang food, why do I have to like you so much ???

I have been tossing around the idea of a recipe/cooking blog for a little while now.

So... I have decided to label my post's and have my very own recipe box on my blog. So if you look on the side you will see my box of tried and true family recipes. (More to come of course)

As some of you may know Matt and I both enjoy cooking great meals together. Well we think they are great anyways. :D

Something we say A LOT after cooking a nice meal together is "Why do we ever go out??? THIS is SO good!"- I know why we go out. Who likes to clean up the kitchen after a long day or make a mess of a perfectly clean kitchen ?

I hope our friends and family will enjoy our shared recipes! Any requests ???

Jayci Bug is 3

2010-03-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to our sweet little neice. We celebrated her birthday in style ! She wanted a girl pink party! So fun! Love her!

Save The Date .....

2010-03-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Attn: Ladies! Come to a great party! On Saturday March 27th from 1 p.m.-3 p.m.

My Sister Erica is throwing a Purse, Scentsy, Clothing, Jewlery & Custom Watch Party!!! We will have some delish food and a great time!Leave a message if you want to come and play with us and I will send you the information. This lady is great that does these parties. Her name is Katherine Moody & has been doing these for years!

Sugar Cookies

2010-01-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

A lot of people LOVE my Sugar Cookies! Especially Matt!So I thought I would share the love and fill you in on this sinful, not so secret recipe.

I made Matt these for Valentines Day last year. They are by far our favorite sugar cookie.Hope you enjoy!Happy Baking! :)

***Sour Cream Sugar Cookies***

1 1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Egg
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 TBS. Salt
4 1/2 Cups Flour

*Cream together sugar, butter, sour cream, egg. Then add remaining ingredients.Dough will be very soft.(See *tip below) Roll out on lightly floured surface.

Bake @425 for 5-7 minutes.

Frost while cool. * Tip Dough works best when refrigerated
overnight or for a few hours.

***Cream Cheese Frosting***

1 8 oz. Softened Cream Cheese
1 Stick of Softened Butter
1/2 Package of Powder Sugar

Did you think to Pray ?

2010-01-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

Learn from a humble woman's example how the power of prayer can work miracles in our lives.

~Snow Day 1/1/2010~

2010-01-03T11:11:00.000-08:00

The Conrad family has a lot of fun traditions! New Year's day happens to be one of them.

Every New Year's we all head up to the Ranch for a SNOW day ! We all have so much fun tubing, sledding, snowmobiling, 4 wheeling & just playing in the snow !

Everyone brings food to munch on. Dad always has a toasty fire going & Mom always has some hot cocoa and hot food going up at the house. So nice & cozy after hours of fun in the cold snow.

Matt and I are still sore a few days later!Great fun was had by all !
We are so blessed with such a beautiful place our family can enjoy together !

We wish you all a wonderful 2010 !

Farewell 2009.....

2010-01-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

We decided last minute to have a New Years celebration. It was a good time to get together with our families.

We had some great food, fun games, good times talking and some relaxed in the hot tub. Matt and I are so grateful for our families. We are blessed beyond measure! Unfortunately we did not get a picture of everyone. Thank you to all that came ! Loves!

Now on to New Years resolutions for 2010.... Some fail some succeed. I'm happy to say Matt and I reached a few of our goals. Better health in particular.

Together in 2009 we said goodbye to 100 pounds of fat ! I say that is something to be proud of :D May we continue this practice throughout our lives and keep it going ! Let's be Hot & Happy & Healthy in 2010 !

Im so proud of you Matty ! I LOVE you !

Happy 2010!!!

2009-12-31T09:28:00.001-08:00

More countdown widgets here
This year has flown right on by! 2009 has been a great year !Let's make 2010 even better !

Wishing you all a Happy New Year !

Infinite Power of Hope

2009-12-30T09:35:00.000-08:00

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, shares how hope encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

*Please remember to pause our music on the side bar"

~A Wonderful Christmas Season~

2009-12-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from our old fashion family Christmas

It all started off at the Ranch on the 19Th with the Conrad family party. It was a great time had by all. Santa even came for the good boys and girls.

There was great food to be eaten, gift exchange, and a really tender program . It was a great evening.

Next family function was a dinner at my parents on Sunday the 20Th . We got to eat in the new dining room at Mom's and Dad's house. It was great!!! It has been so nice to have more room to eat as a family.

As always the food was wonderful! Thanks Mom & Dad! :D

Christmas Eve Chris and Nicole invited us over for Prime Rib dinner. It was fantastic!!! What a great night of family togetherness. Thanks Guys!

Christmas day at our house... We must have been on Santa's "good" list cause we got spoiled!

Matt & I got up and exchanged gifts with one another. It was a great Christmas morning together!

After Matt made us his oven omelet (which is delish!) and I made blueberry muffins. We invited my sister Erica over for breakfast and Matt's parents dropped in to say hello. It was nice to visit with family and friends all day. We even got a little R&R in watching a movie "The Family Stone".

Christmas eve we had dinner with my family at our home. It was delicious and a lot of fun! Matt , Erica and I had a BIG surprise in store for Jack & Jayci.

Jack & Jayci just LOVE cats! So with Jess and Jill's permission we gave them Moe. It was a very special Christmas!

We are very blessed with such a great family and such wonderful friends! We are so grateful for our Saviour Jesus Christ and for our Father in Heaven for sending us his son. May we all reflect upon Christ throughout the year to come and remember the importance of his birth.

Make 2010 a great New Year !!!

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas!

2009-12-25T06:38:00.000-08:00

~ Christmas is a time of the heart, not just a date. Its meaning transcends time. Jesus was born to love us and fill our lives with himself.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! May we remember our Savior Jesus Christ on his special day !

We are so blessed with such great Family & Friends!

~Merry Christmas Eve~

2009-12-24T13:06:00.000-08:00

The most vivid memories of Christmases past are usually not of gifts given or received, but of the spirit of love, the special warmth of Christmas worship, the cherished little habits of the home.

What are some of your Christmas traditions ? If you would like to share leave a comment :D

Christmas Wishes.....

2009-12-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

For those we missed, Merry Christmas to you !!!

If you know me I love to send out Christmas cards . I tried to go the easy route and just have them printed off, but I was not satisfied with that.
I do love them and think they are darling. There is just something important to me about writing my own personal message with my own little right hand :) Plus I LOVE to decorate the envelope with my own personal touches. Not to worry no confetti this year.
(Click on images to enlarge)

The envelpoe was a blast! Used with Stamps, Glitter and a ZAP craft tool. So FUN!

Two styles of cards

The Photo

This weekend I will search for more cute LANG cards on clearance. They are my favorite.

~Deck the Halls~

2009-12-17T05:58:00.000-08:00

I have had a few requests for this post :D So here you are! The pictures are not the best. Hope you enjoy!

"CHRIST"mas Spirit

2009-12-14T20:18:00.000-08:00

May we all remember that Christ is at the center of this special holiday! May you have a Merry Christmas full of the true spirit of Christmas.

~Great Movie~

2009-12-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

Matt and I went to this movie yesterday for our date night. We both really enjoyed it. I recommend it :D

~SO much to be Thankful for~

2009-11-27T17:47:00.000-08:00

This year we had Thanksgiving with the Conrad family. It was a beautiful day at the ranch . It was so sunny and warm , and just gorgeous ! I was horrible at taking any pictures this year. I feel bad that I only took one picture of the whole day. It was of my vegetable tray that turned out to be just beautiful . Kinda silly huh ? The food was delish !
Our Sweet Potato Souffle was a hit ! Along with our Pumpkin and Coconut Cream pies, Crescent Rolls and other delicious fixings. Matt and I both cooked up a storm these past few days.
I have to say I have the most sweet caring husband in the whole wide world! I had been up since 4:30 a.m. Wednesday morning and was baking my pie crusts..... a new recipe. Bad idea on Thanksgiving eve. It just so happens they did not turn out. I was about in to burst into tears I was so frustrated and tired!!! Matt was so sweet he went to the store at 11:30 p.m. to buy some good old Marie Calendar pie crusts. I did not even have to ask. He then stayed up until past 2 a.m. to wait for the Pumpkin Pies to finish baking. Just so I could go to bed and wake up early for more cooking and to go to the gym :)
I'm so thankful for my HUSBAND and all that he does for me. He compliments me everyday and never forgets to tell me how much he loves me and appreciates all that I do. I could not ask for a better husband that is more Thoughtful, Kind, Compassionate, Loving and Christlike. I love you Matty! Thank you for always being there and behind me no matter what. I could not do it all without your love and support.

I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful blessings in my life.

cOnRad FaMilY HallOweeN paRty

2009-10-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was our family Halloween party at the ranch . As always it was a lot of fun !Spooky appitizers, Soups and treats Galore ! We started off with pictures and dinner.
We then got ready for the Spooky Hay Ride down in the pasture. All I can say is brrrr! Matt and I headed to the pasture early with some of his brothers. They built fires for a few stops and spooky stories. It was great! Matt was a werewolf and pretty scary one at that. I did sound effects of screaming and such. Our cousin Jason has this great costume that he made that is AWESOME and pretty dang scary!
Afterwards we headed back to the house to warm up and carve pumpkins and clean up. What a great night!

Witches Night Out

2009-10-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

A bunch of us girls went to Witches Night Out at Gardner Village. It was great company but, very crowded. So crowded you could hardly shop. I spent a total of $7.00.Which is abnormal for me. I really was amazed at the crowds of witches!!! Really, I have never seen it so busy. I decided I don't like to shop in large crowds. I would rather pay more and enjoy my shopping in peace and quiet, and take my time browsing.
I just was a little disappointed with how crazy it was.I'm really not sure if I will go again. Sad :( it used to be really fun. Maybe next year they will do it every weekend?? We did have a great time all in all.Dinner at Texas Roadhouse was delish!!! Mmmm Mmmmm :)
Thanks for a great night girls!!!
P.S. Sorry I kinda rambled on...

Me with my baby sister ~ Erica

The Village Witches

Witchy Friends~ Sassy Erica~Darling Debbie~ Hotty Hen~Red Hot Kitty

The Gang

The Mother Hen and her twin "Chicks" Megan & Paige

Waiting for Dinner

Still... Waiting for dinner

Family Night at the Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-14T06:43:00.000-07:00

Our friends ~ Brent , Christine, with their twins, Megan and Paige

Me having fun picking mini pumpkins :)

Me and my best Kitty friend :)

Matt & I - Wow! You can tell I was tired, what a monday at work.

After a long Monday at work we had a great time picking pumpkins at Dr. C's farm. Wadley Farms is such a beautiful place.
We all then went to a late dinner to Los Hermanos. I love their chips and salsa ! It was great to be with friends we rareley get to see.
Oh how I love this time of year !!!

~wItCh-A-pALoOzA~

2009-10-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

~Deborah, Christine & I before the big event~

I had a great girls night out with my Sister-in-Law's along with my Mom-in-Law and her sister, Aunt Diana. We spent the evening at The Gathering Place at Gardner Village.

We went to the dinner theatre production of Witchapalooza and had a great time ! Some of us were a little bit "witchier" than others ;) It was a fun evening of shopping ,Dancing, singing, laughing and cackling.

The story was cute and the music was great fun! The cast interacted with the guests, I even was put on the spot...Thanks to my Sisters :) I cackled for the whole audience into the microphone. It was quite funny. I love this time of year! It is a great way to kick off to the holidays :) Here we come!

~Me with Matt's Sisters~

~Our Witchy Women~

I love all of my Sisters!

Warning Post overload...

2009-10-03T10:40:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy Summer. Hopefully I'm close to being caught up on our Blog :) Enjoy!

Sunday Picnic

2009-10-03T10:25:00.001-07:00

Matt , Erica, Walter and I went to the Ranch last Sunday for a picnic. What a beautiful day to lay on a blanket in the sunshine and relax.
The fall colors are amazing this year! Just gorgeous! Erica and Walter and I had a great time in the canoe. It can actually be quite fun to clean the moss out of the pond.
Hope you enjoy these beautiful pictures that Matt took.

lAsT hOoRaH tO sUmMeR !!!

2009-10-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

We went to Manti canyon, again one last time the week of labor day. It was SO nice to getaway from it all. We had a wonderful time riding, relaxing, having smores, playing games, watching movies, coloring, soaking up the sun and just being with family.

I love this canyon, we always find new trails and places to go. And it is not very crowded during the week. There is such diverse beauty on every trail. We have "nick" named some of them. One in particular is the Big Foot trail. Can I just tell you we went once, and that was enough for me! It is a spooky, creepy trail deep in the wood's. I swear Sasquatch lives there, it gives you the hee bee gee bee's !

We had a lot of fun playing in the creek this year. It became our swimming hole. Go figure ? We had a lake right by camp. It was nice to cool off after a long ride and even more fun to dunk others. Matt became our niece and nephew's play ground. Isn't that what uncles are for ? Talmage and Collin slept in our trailer and boy did we have fun. Well I did with them anyways, Matt I think though we were a little crazy . SUGAR + SUN + LATE NIGHT = FUN :) I love getting away on vacation ad being a kid again !

How can anyone not love to be in the outdoors ? It always fills my heart with happiness to be in the beauty the Lord created for us. Although a trailer and power is nice... So it's not too rough when you can shower and watch movies every night.

I'm sad to see summer has come to an end. Hopefully next year we can play more ! This summer went by way to fast!

~3 Years down and Eternity to go ~

2009-10-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

This is one of my beautiful Gerber Daisies that Matt sent me on our anniversary. I was so happy to get this beautiful arrangement of my favorite flowers at work. It made my day! We both spent our anniversary working. Later that evening we had a nice date together. Before dinner to my surprise we stopped at the mall. My sweet hubby had a new dress on hold for me :) I had been wanting this particular dress for awhile. He is always SO thoughtful and caring. I love Matt more everyday. He is my everything ! Happy 3 years baby !

Best day of our lives! 09/16/2006

Dad's Beloved "32 Ford

2009-10-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

I'm really behind on my posting....
A few week's ago Matt got Dad's '32 all ready for his car show. My Father in law is so cute. He is in a car club and entertains with his accordion. He has played and taught lessons for years. This winter I want him to teach us how to ballroom dance.
I'm so grateful for my great & sweet in-laws !

More to come....

2009-09-15T22:44:00.001-07:00

Time for bed... Happpy Anniversary to us tomorrow. Three years!!!

~Matty's Birthday~ 9/6/09 Happy 29th Baby!!!!

2009-09-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Boy :)Love you !!Does'nt he look great ?? He has lost around 60 plus pounds this year!!! Great job baby!

Matt's Birthday Celebration

I'm finally getting around to updating our blog for September. We celebrated Matt's Birthday this year at Goodwood and at our home. We had a great time with family and friends. I decided to make a cupcake "cake" for his birthday since I could not decide on a flavor of cake. Some his favorite flavors are...my coconut cupcakes, lemon, and of course chocolate. So I had a lot of fun making a variety of cupcakes and a few cake "pops"... Not so great, in my opinion and a few others. I will need to try this again with a diffrent flavor. They were cute though. Hope you had a great day honey! I sure love you! Thanks so much for being such a great man and husband. XoXo
Thanks Jess and Jill for having us over for dinner on Matt's Birthday :)

sUndAnCe tHeaTer

2009-08-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Matt and I went to the Sundance Summer Theatre on Monday with some of his family to celebrate his Mom's birthday.
The play was the called "The Fantasticks". I had never seen this play before or heard about it. It was a fun play! Here is a little description...
This popular musical centers around two fathers who, in an effort to make their children fall in love, erect a wall between their houses to keep them apart “since children never do what you want them to.” The plot works and the young couple fall in love only to discover their fathers’ scheme. As a result, the two strike out into the world separately to find their own paths, which eventually lead them back to one another, more worldly wise and mature.
We really enjoyed sitting under the stars watching a play...I froze my buns off!!!
We took blankets and I brought my coat. Still chilly. So if you go, thermals are not out of the question. Unless you are Chris who wears shorts and a short sleeve shirt. Brrr... Luckily for him we shared our blankets with everyone.
All in all it was a very enjoyable evening with family. Thanks for the idea Christine!

Warning.... Post overload

2009-08-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy week and a half ! Hopefully I'm caught up now :)

Happy Belated Anniversary Mom & Dad 8/2/75

2009-08-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on 34 great years together! We all love you and appreciate your example and all you do for us! Here is to many more happy years together! Love you!

Our Jack is 4!!

2009-08-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

Pool Party!!8/1/2009

I had just got home from camp and swimming sounded great! Thanks for the fun pool party Jess & Jill! What a great way to celebrate Jack turning 4! Love our family!

Girls Camp 2009 "Shine the Light"

2009-08-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

Camp was a success!!The V1 miners did shine the light!

Camp was great this year! We were in the wilderness area. It is newer and a lot nicer. I loved it!

We did a lot of fun and great things at camp. I don't have pictures of everything yet. There was a day or two my camera was M.I.A. There were a lot of late nights. Talking , giggling, glow faces...and more!

It was great to be at camp with our wonderful young women and leaders for a week. I love our young women! They are such great girls!

A few activities included... Journal making, facials, pedicures, manicures, hair washing, braiding hair, D.I.R.T.(Personal time) which stands for "diamond in the rough time" One of my favorite times. Singing Trees, Great food, Campfire fun, 5 A.M. hike to watch the sunrise. It was beautiful! More singing, dancing, yoga at 1:30 A.M. (One of my great ideas to get the girls to sleep... Did not work ;) I may have been part of the problem. Whoopee cushion, kidnapping Edward, fun crafts & games, Bethany & McKells great voices and guitars, More hikes, Biffy, cold showers, Close friendships made, Spiritually fed, 3 hours of sleep, more singing, flag ceremony, lovely campfire smell.

All in all it was great! I missed Matt like crazy! He wrote me the sweetest letter that I read while at camp. He included Kleenex sprayed with his cologne.It was exactly what I needed. Thank's Babe!

Butterfly Lake for the 24th

2009-07-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Matt and I had a nice and relaxing camping trip in the Uintas with my parents and sister. It felt nice to get away. I was a little nervous about going before camp, but so far so good. I have most everything done. I think ?

We went on a few hikes, took a few naps, laughed,ate yummy food, watched movies, played games, drove to Evanston, just chilled. It was very nice! The weather was perfect! Nice and cool in the 60's and rained a little. I love when it rains camping. The thunder is awesome!

Thanks Mom & Erica for helping me with camp stuff while there. I know I go a little overboard. It is hereditary ;)

Love you Matty! Thanks for the trip and all of your help! I could not do all of this without you! You are my best friend! I love you! I will miss you! Off to camp I go!

:...10 DaYs uNtiL cAmP...:

2009-07-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

The young women theme this year is.....

I'm starting to get really excited about girls camp! After a lot of planning and hard work we are about there. Our stake theme this year is "Be what we should be". Each days theme is LEARN, FEEL, DO, BE.

We have awesome Stake and Ward leaders. It is going to be a great camp this year. Last year was great, but really, really cold! We were limited to some of the things we could do last year. It will be warm and toasty this year, maybe I will be wishing for cooler weather. ;) We will see.

The theme our ward has gone with this year is "Shine the Light" .

I came across a great song a few months ago called "The Light" by April Meservy. It was an EFY song a few years back. It is a fun song that the girls love! I will add a video at the end from YouTube that was my inspiration.**Another ward made this and I love it !
There are a lot of things planned that I cannot wait to surprise the girls with. I'm so grateful for my calling as Camp Director. I love our YW and care so much about them. I told them last year I have always wanted a daughter...just did not know I would get so many at once . :)

**Remember to pause the music at the bottom**

It's been awhile...

2009-07-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have been wondering where I have been and other's have wondered if we are OK ? We are doing great and all is well:) Sorry it has been awhile since I have posted. Summer has flown by! I do not even know where May or June have gone? And we are already 1/4 through July! June was a really busy month for us and July does not look too much better. June came with me moving office's at work putting in lots of O.T. ,ward camp out, weddings at the ranch and lots and lots of rain. Yard work here and up at the Ranch kept us pretty busy.
Our niece Ashley got married in June and our niece Cortney and her hubby Ammon had a sweet baby girl :)
July we had a family reunion at the ranch 3-5 it was a lot of work and fun! Sadly I did not get a lot of pictures taken. We did learn a lot of things about our Conrad heritage, which was great !
Girls camp is coming fast! I go the last week of this month. I still have a lot to do, but we are getting there. Hope all of you are having a fun filled summer! Be safe and get a great tan :)

:..oUr 1st cAmPinG tRiP oF '09..:

2009-06-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

We always have SO much fun up Manti Canyon!! Long 4 wheeler rides with a lot of fun and new trails to find. It is SO beautiful up there. It has become one of our favorite camping destinations. It rained every day in the early afternoon. It was awesome! It cooled everything off and got things MUDDY! The way we like it!

When it was stormy we would just sit and relax under our trailers awning. I'm so glad we have a little covered porch , it comes in very handy when there is rain. It was so nice to get away and relax. We needed a little getaway. I got to read, write in my journal, sleep in, eat bad food for me, paint nails and toes, spend time with loved ones, have girl talk , and my very favorite....I got be with my hubby for 1 whole week!

One of our traditions it seems is to stop at the local pizzeria for dinner one night and get a pie. MMmmm..Mmmm... I'm not a big pizza fan, but this pizza is SO good ! And well worth the drive & the Carb's :) We went to the Ice Cream shop next door over and got the nieces and nephews an ice cream . Of course the adults wanted one too :) I got a big cookies and cream that was delish! Then after we headed to the Manti Temple grounds. One of my favorite temples. I love it beauty and "old" charm. I'm a big fan of some of the 1st built temples. They have such character and a whole other beauty about them. One of the kid's favorite things to do is to roll down Temple Hill. It is pretty fun, except when your tummy is FULL of yummy Pizza and Ice Cream. Long story short.. Of course Aunt Jenny had to join in with the kids. I have done it before, just not on a FULL stomach. Let just say dizzy, pale and on the verge of barf. It took a whole day to feel better. It was dumb, but fun. My brother in law thought he would join in as well. He went twice! Well I though for sure one of the kids were sick when they kept pulling over going back up the canyon. It was Scott! Poor man.

We had a wonderful relaxing week off of work. We got to go camping and get a lot of things done around the house. Thanks Matty for being such a great husband! I love you!! (I about drove him nuts for 2 days working in the house and yard ALL day.)We planted some new tree's in the front yard, as four of ours died this last winter. Mended bird houses, cleaned out the garage & shed. Got rid of a bunch of junk we never used anymore. It feels nice.

~Just Enjoying The Sunshine~

2009-05-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

I need to catch up on blogging. April and May have been really busy months. Matt and I re-decorated and painted the Brides Room. We had a great Mothers Day BBQ at our house. I celebrated my 33rd Birthday . We have been working hard out in the yard just enjoying the sunshine. And have had a few sleepless night's from Raccoon's in our yard causing chaos. There is my very short version of the last couple months. :) Oh and before I forget... Matt and I both have lost together about 80 pounds since February ! More to go ! And more posts to come ! Just wanted to let everyone know we are still alive and well .

~Ahhh... Spa Day's ~

2009-04-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

Today I was able to get a 90 minute massage with my Sister. It was SO nice!! And SO needed !! I feel so much better. Matt and I have been working really hard getting the Bride's Room all remodeled and beautiful these past few weeks. And yard work here and up to the ranch. I have been really sore, so my sweet and wonderful Hubby told me to go pamper myself and get a massage. Thank You so much honey! I LOVED my massage! I also got pedicure yesterday with my best kitty friend Christine.(If you know us you will understand) It was very needed and very nice to get away with the girls for a couple of hours. I have great friends and great family. I'm so blessed. Now off to get some thing's done for Girl's Camp..... Here we go again :)

<BrItNeY cOnCerT >

2009-04-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

My sister and her friend Brandi got tickets to Britney and the Pussy Cat Dolls. I know, I know. YOU WENT TO BRITNEY!?! I have had people saying I cannot believe your going to HER concert. Well sorry to disappoint, but I went and it was FUN! Besides I do listen to her music. It is great during a workout at the gym :)We met at the Gateway for dinner and headed over to the concert in the rain... Grr!! Our Cute hair ruined...Not too bad anyways. It was a great concert! Very entertaining and fun! We all had a blast dancing all night ! Man what a workout dancing in 5 inch heel's !The Pussy Cat Dolls put on a great show also! I finally can talk normal and hear today. Poor Matt, all day yesterday I kept saying "What honey??". Thanks girls for the great time! And Matty THANK YOU for the Christmas present :) Love Ya!

~A Beautiful Easter Day~

2009-04-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful and busy Easter Sunday. The day started early. I woke up early and made my famous sugar cookies. Matt insisted on them. I love them way too much! I think I may have eaten my fair share. At least a dozen..Oops! I should have taken pictures they turned out to be beautiful. I put them in a huge decorated Easter basket. MMmm Mmm.. They were a hit! Very delish! Church at 9am. There were many great Lessons and speakers. My heart was filled with love for our savior Jesus Christ and all of the things he has done for us. Two meetings after church. Then more cooking. Matt made a delish Ham...Mmmm. Holidays are great "free" days to eat yummy food. Then we headed to the Ranch for an Easter Egg Hunt and dinner. After the hunt Dad took us up the mountain for a hike to see the latest project on the house. A pipeline and water tanks for an indoor sprinkler system. We went up pretty far. The view was beautiful up there! It was great to visit with family. We then headed to my parents to visit them and took them some treats and talked. We love our families and are so grateful for them!

~Easter Message~

2009-04-11T09:43:00.001-07:00

**Please pause music below to watch video.

In recognition of the Easter season, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following Easter message:

"At this Easter season of hope and renewal we testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought comforting assurance and provided the answer to the question of Job, 'If a man die, shall he live again?' (Job 14:14). Because of the Savior's resurrection we will overcome death and become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace fills our hearts and eases our minds. Jesus is in very deed 'the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14:6).

"We give our sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our everlasting blessing and benefit. To each member of the human family He stands as our Advocate, our Savior, and our Friend."

President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, constitute the First Presidency of the Church.

There is Sunshine in my Soul...

2009-04-05T09:09:00.001-07:00

This was one of the opening hymns in conference yesterday. I love conference time and the messages and council we receive from our prophets through revelation from our Father in Heaven. It truly brings "sunshine to my soul" to be a member of the church. We as members are always needing constant reminders of the things we should be doing. Here are a few short quotes from conference I enjoyed.
Pres. Monson* "Be of good cheer-Overcome the world."
* "Your future is as bright as your faith."
Elder Snow
* "Get on with your life, have faith to move forward."
* "Be of good cheer."
Elder Hales
* "Live within our means, be content with what we have."
Elder Uchtdorf
* "Hunger for meaning & purpose to life. "
* " The gospel is a divine gift, the Lord gave us the keys (Gospel)which unlocks happiness, peace, and fulfillment.
* "It is ALWAYS right & the right time to walk in his ways. It is NEVER too late. "
* "Now is the time."
There are just too many to list. A couple years ago I tried something new while watching conference. I took notes. And I found I listened a lot better, and was able to reflect upon the things I took from the messages. I love the Gospel and I'm so thankful for it. I'm also thankful for my wonderful husband for who he is and the example he is to me and to others. I love my wonderful family. Matt and I are so blessed with our wonderful parents and siblings with their cute little families. We are so blessed in our lives. Be of good cheer! Have a happy day! Jen

~ Cameron & Mirian 3/20/2009 ~

2009-03-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Spring day for Cameron & Mirian's wedding day. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple . It was a great experience to share in part of their happy day together. We are so happy for them and wish them all of the happiness in the world!

A visit to Aunt Jenny's :)

2009-03-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

Aren't they the cutest ? Jack & Jayci came over to visit me the other day with Grandma. They love to play "rocket ship" on my hardwood floor. It's a great workout for me and a lot of fun for them . They go right to the blankets and pull off a pillow from our couch and lay down . Aunt Jenny let's play rocket ship!! So I wrap them up tight and pull them around as fast as we can and go into spins. They just laugh and giggle! :)I sure do love these two cute monkeys! And of course if Uncle Matt is not home they ALWAYS ask "where's Matt"??. So neener neener Honey I had them to myself this time. :)

~Happy St.Patrick's Day~

2009-03-17T11:38:00.001-07:00

The Wearin' O' the Green

Today is the day fer the wearin' o' the green.
Today is the day when the little people are seen.
Today is St. Patrick's Day, so if ye'r Irish me lad,
Join the celebratin' fer the grandest time ta' be had.

Ya' put yer hand up in the air, the other hand on your hip.
Ya' tap yer toe, ya' tap yer heel, ya' bounce yer knee a wee bit.
Ya' prance 'n dance around the room, n' circle one two three.
The saints be praised, I must admit, ya' all look Irish ta' me.

Missing you on your Birthday...

2009-03-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my Grandpa Elies. I miss he and Grandma both SO much! My Grandpa has been gone for 24 years. I sure wish my siblings and cousins and I could have had him with us longer. Jess and I may be the only ones that really remember him. His nicknames were- Stretch and Dune Daddy. Stretch from his tallness and Dune Daddy from all the sand rails he built. I remember him always out in the garage tinkering and his peanut M&M's he kept in the fridge. I would always want to give him a manicure. I was between 6-8 when I would do this. I would trim his cuticles and DIG under his nails. Poor guy.. He was a good sport, my Dad tells me that he would just sit there and try ever so hard not to flinch. It seemed I would always make him bleed. I remember another favorite memory of Grandpa. Him taking Jess and I to The State Street grill in one of his vehicles he was restoring. There was a hole in the floor from a manual transmission that was once there. It was so cool to see the road under our feet. My mom and I would always make homemade sugar cookies that were four leaf clovers for Grandpa on his St. Patrick's Day Birthday. I love you and miss you everyday Grandpa.

Jazz Game !!

2009-03-09T20:38:00.001-07:00

Matt was given some Jazz tickets for last Friday night. It has been years since I have been to a game. I used to be a big fan, but got really bored of it. It was a nice change for a Friday night. We had a lot of fun with Chris and Talmage. It was actually a pretty good game and they won! Thanks for a great night babe! Love Ya!

Introducing... Our Newly Remodeled Guest Bathroom

2009-03-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

We FINALLY finished our guest bathroom. Yeah!! Next project will be our bathroom. We did new bead board and Matt tiled the bathroom. I wanted a bright happy bathroom. We used a lot of decor that we already had and changed it up a bit with paint and glaze effects. I love paint and glaze ! It can work wonders! The only thing I would really like is a new bronze faucet to match the dark hardware. I know the perfect one. Maybe the Easter Bunny will bring it ? ;)

My Humble Piece of pie...

2009-03-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

I was thinking whether or not to post this, but what the heck. Why not? I was having one of those days yesterday for a lot of various reasons. I think it would be safe to say I have had a lot of built up stress these days. You know when you are being pulled in all sort's of directions? Having to be here and there and do this and that all in the same moment. I have come to the conclusion a lot of this is my own fault. I just need to learn to say one simple little word. NO.
After another 12 hour day at work yesterday feeling completely frustrated by people that don't even know the first thing about their own job. Being sick of picking up their slack and having to deal with frustrated patients and employee's from these people really got to me yesterday. All I wanted to do was go to my cute little niece's birthday party and see my family. Long story short we were late. I was on the verge of cooling off to be with family. Trying to remain calm from my frustrations. I did a good job of it too. I just kept thinking one more thing today and I will snap. Well.. This is that one more thing and I did snap, but not in a really bad way. I just cried most of the night in front of my cute family they were so concerned and sweet. I think they are used to seeing me be a pretty tough girl that does not crack under pressure. Can I just say though I feel so much better today after my cry and realizing all of the little things I was "sweating" are not that big of a deal. I have a wonderful life, husband, family, job etc.. Things could be a lot worse than they are. So today I'm truly grateful for my blessings. And it is just a car after all, but I do LOVE my car. We work really hard for the things we have. And if anyone knows me I love a spotless car. So hopefully she comes back to me good as new.
Oh.. I better say a bit on how it happened. There was just a little accident with some kids playing in the truck across the street. I'm so thankful they were not hurt. And that it was not a hit and run.

A little about Matt & Jen

2009-02-26T19:19:00.000-08:00

* I saw this on my cousin's blog. Thanks Syd :)
This is kind of like the 25 things - except there are pre-decided questions and it's about you and your spouse, not just you. Come on, play along - inquiring minds want to know!

♥ What are your middle names? Andrew & Lee

♥ How long have you been together? 3 years

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating? Couple Weeks

♥ Who asked who out? Matt asked me out 1st

♥ How old are each of you? Matt 28 , Me 32

♥ Whose siblings do/did you see the most? Both Equally

♥ Do you have any children together? Not Yet.. Waiting Patiently...

♥ What about pets? Well... Matt inherited my two Kitty's Missy & Maverick

♥ Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? Nothing, if we work together

♥ Did you go to the same school? High School yes

♥ Are you from the same home town? Yes good old Orem

♥ Who is the smartest? Hmmm... We are in our different ways

♥ Who is the most sensitive? Me probably

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple? At home mostly, or parents

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Mexico

♥ Who has the worst temper? Me...

♥ Who does the cooking? Both of us

♥ Who is more social? Me for sure

♥Who is the neat Freak? Both of us

♥ Who is the more stubborn? Neither of us

♥ Who hogs the bed? Me

♥ Who wakes up earlier? Depends on the day. Same time usually

♥ Where was your first date? Fuddruckers and a Comedy Club

♥ Who has the bigger family? Matt for sure!! My great uncle joke's that I did not marry a man .... I married a mob. Lol

♥ Do you get flowers often? Often enough, they just die. I like other things better, but they are a great surprise :)

♥ How do you spend the holidays? We alternate between families or my family usually joins with us Conrads :) It's fun!

♥ Who snores louder? Matt does for sure :) Not very often though. Mostly when he is sick.

♥ Who goes to bed first? Matt usually, but he will not go without me

♥ Who is more jealous? Good question ?

♥ How long did it take to get serious? Not long at all. Maybe a month ??

♥ Who eats more? What are we eating? We eat about equal amounts , I eat a little less. And we are eating healthy :) Loosing weight too :) Yeah baby!!

♥ Who does/ did the laundry? We both do together. Matt usually folds.

♥ Who’s better with the computer? Me

♥ Who drives when you are together? Most of the time I do. I love to drive Matt gets tired of it after commuting each day.

Our 4th Valentine's Day Together...

2009-02-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe this was our fourth Valentines Day together. It was a great day! Matt worked yesterday, so I called this great pizza place called The Pie. It is just down the street from his work. We go there sometimes when I come up for lunch. Anyways I ordered him one of his favorites there and had it delivered for lunch. He wanted me to come up, but I pretended I could not make it. I showed up a couple hours later with his favorite sugar cookies. They were devoured by all of the guys at work. Little did he know I has some saved at home just for him :) We had a nice evening at home . We ordred take out from one of our favorite Thai restraunts Bangkok Grill. Mmm Mmm. And watched Nights In Rodanthe. It was pretty good. It was great to be home alone together relaxing :) Thanks for the flowers babe.

The Beautiful Flowers Matt brought me... I love them!!

Some of the Cookies that were left..

Hands off! These are mine :)

My Forever Valentine....

2009-02-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Some of our favorite memories together...

Matt- I love you more today than our first Valentine's together, which is still one of my favorite. You are the most amazing Husband & Friend. My love for you grows stronger each passing day. I just think we are perfect for each other ! Erica was right she had found my perfect man :) You make me feel so alive and beautiful! I love when you enter the room with your big blue eyes and that cute grin of yours! I'm always so happy to see you! You still give me butterflies :) And can always make me laugh!( Even if I have had a not so great day.)You are my love , my life, my everything! Happy Valentines Day Honey! Yours Forever, Jen
P.S. Our first post on "How we met" is in march of 2008 :) It's a fun one to read.. I promise I won't be going off any cliff this Valentines :)

~Welcoming....Our Sweet New Little Niece McKinlee Kate~

2009-02-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

On Monday February 2 we got a call of great news! Matt's Sister Christine and her family welcomed a new baby girl to their family. She was a couple weeks early so we were a little surprised. Matt and I were able to go visit them that evening in the hospital for a little while. What a Beautiful Baby Girl! She has the cutest little dimple's and sweetest little face. We are so happy to have another Niece to love and spoil. We now have a total of 35 Niece's and Nephew's! Wow! 33 on Matt's side and 2 on mine. Does that tell you how much smaller my side of the family is ?

G.N.O.

2009-01-29T07:07:00.000-08:00

Our good friend Christi was here to visit form St. George. It was great to see her and get together as friends for Dinner. It was great to catch up with everyone and reminisce on old times. Love ya Girls!

Dad would be proud.. Fun little quiz! What sports car are you ?

2009-01-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

You're a classic - powerful, athletic, and competitive. You're all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get wild when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

I found this fun little quiz! I do love a sexy corvette! Grr!

Happy 5 Year Anniversary!! To: One of our favorite couples!

2009-01-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

Here is wish for my Brother and Sister.(in-law) We love you guys SO much and wish you a very Happy Anniversary! Jill Thanks for being such a wonderful Wife to my brother and a wonderful Mother to our sweet Jack And Jayci. Jess you are a great Husband and Father. The love you show to you family is awesome! Jess thanks for being such a great little brother! You are a great example to me. I love you! Jill thank you for your love and friendship. I could not ask for a better sister! I love you! Our family is so blessed... We are grateful to have our family forever!

Oh What A Beautiful Morning.....

2009-01-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

OK...Although it is freezing outside can I just say what a Beautiful Winter Morning here in Utah. I went outside and of course Mr. Jack Frost came to visit again. So I thought I would share the beauty of our back yard. Hope your all enduring the cold weather. Here is some beauty to enjoy! Love to all! And P.S. In regards to my last post I have been doing quite well with working out and I had a meeting with a personal trainer and can I say.. I was humbled BIG time! So on to my next step starting today.... A huge diet change wish me luck. It will be tough, but hopefully I will get the result's I'm looking for. Thanks for all of your comments!

tHe BaTTle oF tHe BuLgE.....

2009-01-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

OK... So here it goes! I often wonder why I do this! That is loose weight then in a year or two gain it back again. I have a closet full of clothes that just don't fit right. And really that BUG'S me. Why can't I just stick to an exercise routine and a healthy diet ? Who knows! Well I know that the matter of having free food at work all day of catered fattening food, or treats the reps bring does not help really. Or any other excuse I may have, like my Mom's wonderful cooking....Anyways, the fact of the matter is it is all my fault and I'm going to be better! I have made a commitment to myself to be better and take better care of my body! Anyone want to join me? The reason I posted this is for others to read and then you can see if I really follow through. That will give me more motivation! And that my friends is what I need. Ok, thanks! Bye :)

Better Late Then Never I Guess....

2009-01-03T21:52:00.000-08:00

I finally figured out the problem of importing pictures! Yeah! I'm smart in my brain :) Lol
*These Pictures are taken at both our family Christmas parties held at the Ranch! Thank You Mom & Dad Conrad for letting us use the ranch House for our party! Everyone in my family was VERY Thankful!Other pictures are taken at our parents home's and our own home. Matt & I hope your Holidays were Merry & Bright!!

Matt & I had a very Merry Christmas! This was our 3rd Christmas together. I love Christmas! I cannot believe it is over already! Thanks Honey for all of the wonderful thoughtful gifts you gave me. I love you!! I'm also glad to have a New Year in our lives to start a fresh year and to make many wonderful memories with you.
*Some of our gift's included... 2 New Purses, Home Decor, Bathroom Remodel, clothes, Day Spa , Robe & Slippers, K&N Air Filter, Screwdriver Set, Ipod, Speakers,Food Storage, Money... Thanks Everyone for our Wonderful Memories & Gifts of Christmas 2008!

Happy New Year 2009!

2009-01-01T15:33:00.000-08:00

Another year has past.. Time goes by way too fast! So here's to a Happy & Healthy New Year! Bring on 2009!
P.S. Sorry no fun pictures.. For some reason I cannot import my new pictures onto our computer..Grrr