Spring is in the air!

We are loving this weather! Spring is such a magical time when the world comes alive again from the frozen winter. We have a lot of thigs to be thankful for and to look forward too.

On side note- we have been without our main computer for a few months. Happy to have it up and running again.

There will be more posts to come, we have been busy painting and other fun home projects- Do they ever end? Matt, the answer is no my darling .

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

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!

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

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

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...

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!

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...

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.....

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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!

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

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 !!!

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!