3 Weeks Is a Long Time!!

Well, since Ash is gone and it's a quiet sunday afternoon, I thought, why not post on the blog. Here's what's going on in our world. We just finished winter semester. We both did great. Ash got a 4.0 and I got a 3.94. Ash is home with her family for a few weeks. She's already been gone one and will be back in two. I'm starting spring term. Taking Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics. They are both going to be great and I am excited to learn more about our incredible bodies. I also started shadowing at a PT clinic last week. SOS PT in Provo, it's going great so far! I wish I had some exciting happenings to post about, but things are pretty quiet and boring without Ash around. Things are going well in our lives and we are very blessed by our loving Heavenly Father.

Graduation

I am officially a college graduate! And, even better news, I have a job!! I will be working at Timpanogos Regional Hospital in a few weeks! Real life, here I come!

Don't Try This At Home!

Have you ever heard that you can't put water in a hot glass pan or it will shatter? I think we had heard that, but obviously we didn't remember when we needed to most. So in case you were wondering, this is what happens when you put water (even if it is hot water) in a really hot glass pan that just came out of the oven...highly unrecommended :) (Note: You may continue to find glass slivers for days to come!) Also, nobody was hurt when this happened.

P.F. Changs Lettuce Wraps

Yum! While I was doing a shift at the hospital a couple Sundays ago, Curt made me this delicious dinner. Seriously, they are so good! And they aren't that hard to make either. Here's the recipe:

PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps

3 Tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 chicken breasts, chopped

2/3 cup button mushrooms, minced

1 cup water chestnuts, minced

3 Tbs green onion

½ tsp vinegar

2 Tbs soy sauce

2 Tbs brown sugar

Fried rice noodles (Mai Fun) – Optional (But they make it even better!--Prepare by following pkg directions)

Iceberg lettuce, large leave, washed and chilled

Saute oil and garlic on low heat. Add chicken and mushrooms. Stir fry over high heat until chicken is cooked. Add water chestnuts and green onion. Cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce mixture and stir fry 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve on bed of Fried rice noodles if desired. Make lettuce cups by slicing head of lettuce through middle. Pull leaves off from outside edges. Dip or drizzle with Special Dipping Sauce.

Special Dipping Sauce:

¼ cup sugar

½ cup water

2 Tbs soy sauce

2 Tbs rice vinegar

2 Tbs ketchup

1 Tbs lemon juice

Happy April!

This month will be a good one! I finished my last nursing class yesterday, just have a paper to finish up, and then I'll be heading home sweet home next Saturday! I'm so very excited! I get to spend Easter with my family, and am so excited to see my amazing mother. It has been way too long since I've been able to give her a big hug and I'm just so so happy! The only down side is that Curt can't come (some people have all the bad luck..aka finals)..but at least I won't be home to distract him from studying. I graduate in less than 3 weeks, and my parents and Curt's parents are coming so I'm definitely looking forward to that! Then I'll be heading home yet again for 3 whole weeks! I'm sure this month will fly by just like the rest of them, and I'm excited for the adventures ahead!

Easter Cake

For our ward party this weekend, each family was asked to decorate a cake to bring to the party. Curtis and I decided to make and decorate an Eater Bunny Cake. Saturday was a crazy day, so we squeezed in some time to do this. When Curt picked me up from work, he was very upset. Come to find out, when he was trying to get one of the round cakes out of the pan, the top half stuck to the pan so it fell to pieces. I told him it wasn't a big deal (that it was a good thing cuz we would have to eat it!) so we ran to the store to get another cake mix. We had a good time decorating the cake, and it turned out cute! (I might have gotten blue frosting in Curt's hair..oops!)

Joy in the Journey

Curtis and I got a cute decoration for our wedding last year that says, "Find Joy in Your Journey." I think his grandma was inspired to give it to us. When we were decorating our apartment and hung the sign up around the time of our wedding, Curt and I decided that we wanted it to be our family motto (even before President Monson's talk), and I had no idea at the time how much I would need that saying in my life. Needless to say, when President Monson gave the talk in Nov 2008 General Conference, my ears perked up as his talk was on our family motto, "Finding Joy in the Journey." It seems I always tend to get really excited about things that are in the future, but then more nervous and less sure of them as they get closer. For instance, I am graduating next month. I used to think this day wouldn't come soon enough, and now that it's near, I'm not so sure I am ready for it. Am I really grown up enough for a real job?? Let alone a job where people's lives are in my hands? Well I sure hope so as I will be starting the job search soon. It is still a hard thing for me, but I am trying to find joy in the journey. Life passes by so fast and can change in the blink of an eye, something that has been manifested to me over the past several weeks more than ever. My mom was diagnosed with colon cancer that was found during a routine colonoscopy just a few weeks ago. We thought all would be well after an intense surgery where a foot of her colon was removed. We hoped, we prayed, but the Lord had a different plan. We found out a week and a half ago that she would need to go through 6 months of chemotherapy treatments. It was hard news to bear, and joy was definitely not the first thing on my mind for quite some time. It still hurts my heart to know the suffering my mom will have to endure, but I'm so grateful for her attitude and her perseverance. Being the completely unselfish person that she is, she worries more about her children than she does about herself. She is simply amazing! I am grateful that she is putting her trust in the Lord, as we are all, knowing that His plan is better than anything we can imagine. She told me yesterday that the surgeon was really impressed that the cancer was found during her colonoscopy as it was only the size of a dime. This is a testimony to me that the Lord does really watch out for His children, and I'm grateful that He is watching over my mom. These recent experiences have helped me to realize that I do not want to spend my whole life looking forward to the next good thing to come along..I want to find Joy in the Journey, right here, right now. Life is too short, too uncertain to waste our time wishing and waiting. And the truth is, there is joy all around us. I find joy when I hear my mom's voice and feel of her strength. I find joy when my husband wraps me in his arms when I've had a rough day. I find joy when I hear the birds singing. I find joy when I feel the hope and peace that the Spirit pours over me when I allow it to have a place in my heart. Joy is always around us, sometimes we just have to take a step back, and slow down and we will find it. I'm grateful for the joy that I am able to find amidst the trials we experience in this life. We are so blessed to find joy in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Celebrate LOVE!

Curtis and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day! I made us Egg McMuffin's for breakfast before I had to go to work. After I got off work, I hurried like crazy to the store to pick up a couple last things, and then home to get my surprise ready for Curt. I made a trail of kisses and conversation hearts around the living room that led to his presents. He got Taylor Swift's CD, and his favorite present of all times, the Madagascar collection..Look at the priceless smile on his face! He got me a really cute card and Wii Fit! He spoiled me! We played last night and it's going to be lots of fun (and hopefully will help me get better balance...It told me that balance isn't my strong point!..As if I didn't know that already!)

Curt didn't want to go out to eat knowing how busy it would be, so we decided to stay home and make dinner ourselves. We whipped up steak, twice baked potatoes, artichokes, garlic toast, and sparkling cider. It was a delicious dinner, and we have lots of leftovers!!

I made chocolate covered strawberries for dessert, and Curt loved them! They are so easy to make and look so pretty. We love being married, and had such a good time together celebrating our love!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tbs. milk
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt

Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping:
1 can (5.5 oz.) canned pineapple tidbits
1 fresh kiwi
¼ cup mandarin oranges or and ¼ cup frozen blueberries
1 fresh banana
Sliced strawberries

1. Mix sugar, shortening, egg, vanilla and milk with electric hand mixer until creamy.
2. Add dry ingredients.
3. Press onto a greased and floured pizza pan in a circle about 1/4-inch thick.
4. Bake at 375° for approximately 12 -15 minutes or until edges start to turn a light golden brown.
5. Cool cookie on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula, lightly loosen cookie from pan so it doesn’t stick while it cools.
6. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust.
7. Use a variety of fruits to decorate the top. Eat and enjoy!

Curt and I went over to Trent's apartment for the Super Bowl and we took this fruit pizza we made. I guess Trent thought it looked so good he wanted to be in the picture too! I got the recipe from my foods class and it was amazing!!! I have been wanting to make it again, but haven't gotten around to it quite yet. But I highly recommend it!!!

Weekend Fun!...A couple Weekends Ago..

We went to dinner at Thai Ruby with Lisa and Denis. As you can see (since all the food is gone!), it was delicious!

We went to the BYU vs. San Diego State Basketball game with them too. We had to hurry and snap this picture as we were leaving...before the end of the game of course! Lisa and I wanted to watch Miss America..the boys weren't all that thrilled, but Lisa and I had fun doing what we do. (Mostly saying things like, "She's not that cute..How did she get on here?" and "Her dress is so ugly!"...We said some nice things too :) We turned it off during the swimsuit competition..who wants to see that right?? It was lots of fun..and the boys stayed entertained..Curtis played on his phone and Denis on his computer.

This is a huge dirty snow/ice pile...we thought it was pretty cool! I'm just glad I didn't fall and ruin my new white sweatshirt...then it wouldn't have been so much fun.