Bad News

There is something wrong with the power cord for our laptop.

It will not power the computer. The laptop battery is dead.

So, I won't be able to blog much til it is fixed...

But, we did go climbing in St. George this weekend, and I got pictures. Once we get a new cord or something, I will update. This is sad.

Tuesday

Thanks to Veterans Day and the courts being closed, Tuesday was a good day. Tuesday I did everything I wanted to do, and nothing I was (really) supposed to do. I woke up and made cookies (See post below) then waited for my visiting teachers to come at 10. I put a plate of cookies together for the neighbors. At 10:45, I decided they weren't coming and left for the gym. I brought the cookies with me to give to the neighbors but chickened out. At 10:51 the Visiting Teachers called and asked where I was. After the gym, I decided I wanted to go to the movie, all by myself for the first time ever, but there were no show times near or movies I wanted to see. So I went to Joanne's and looked for fabric for all the things I am gonna sew for our new house. I went to Costco, bought really good Organic Salsa, among other things, and got out spending less than a hundred bucks (what a great day). Went to Jamba Juice and tried a new Organic Smoothie, my banana soymilk one is better, but at least I didn't have to make it. Then I went home, caught up on Lipstick Jungle at nbc.com, talked to my cousin Ashlyn on the phone and anticipated Trent coming home and picked up the plate of cookies a couple times to take to the neighbors, but thought better of it. For dinner, I made the best Chicken Cordon Bleu I have ever had (to brag) and red mashed potatoes, while waiting for Trent, I was gonna take the cookies over. When Trent got home, we ate(and I believe this chicken is gonna be a weekly meal), then left to look for a new TV (but not before Trent took the cookies over to the neighbors, can you tell how bad I hate small talk?). Oh man, it was such a good day, I wish I had every Tuesday off.

Ginger Snaps, Minus the Snap

Yesterday I made these cookies, they were good, they were chewy, you should make them.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

*Turbinado sugar, for rolling cookies in (You can find it in the sugar section of the baking aisle of your local convenience store)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350'

2) Cream shortening and sugar in large bowl.

3) Add molasses and egg; beat well.

4) In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Gradually add this to the shortening mixture; mix well.

5) Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.(Don't be afraid to really coat 'em in it, it is good)

6) Bake 12 minutes.

7) Carefully remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. When you take them out, they will be really soft, but take them off immediately if you want them to be chewy!

The Giant Piano

Just one of the many reasons we have so much fun together. I took my turn too, but unfortunately, we didn't get a picture. Oh, and we both got injured, not as young as we used to be.

**Kalei Hogan**

Remember before how I mentioned that my sister in law is about to make it big? Wellllllll.... right now she is picking songs for her Country/Pop album which she will soon begin recording for, but in the meantime, she can be found on this CD: You can click on the picture to hear her song, but, wait til you read the rest of this post and click the other links before you click on this picture, cause it changes the size of your browser (If I am not allowed to post the song here, let me know, Cindy, and I will take it down) That's right, a triple threat, beautiful, talented and righteous! haha... Also, you can follow this link, to hear other songs by her, Neighborhood Jukebox, you will have to search her name in the top right corner (I couldn't get it to link only to her songs?!) or follow this link to see her blog. If you think she is awesome, don't be afraid to post a link on your own blogs so we can spread the word! My personal favorite cover song by her is "Turn Me On", by Norah Jones. Can you believe this girl is only 19?!

Neat-O

I have felt really churchy lately - I had such a great church session last Sunday, especially Relief Society, I felt warm and fuzzy and didn't want church to end. (But then I noticed it was almost dark outside - - we get out at 4:30, plus we were an hour early, thanks for letting us know it was daylight savings?!?)

This is the longest afternoon of my career as a receptionist.

Banana Soymilk Smoothie

A few mornings a week, I make myself a delicious healthy smoothie. Its easy. Its a whole frozen banana and about a cup or cup and a half of vanilla soymilk. You don't need to add sweetener or anything, it is milkshake good, you should try it. If you want that party in your mouth to get even funner, try Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk, SO GOOD. If I have other fruit I might add that in. I just want everyone's taste buds to experience the same joy mine do! Also, I got this little gem emailed to me:

Wanna lose some elle-bees.

Now that I am warmed up, I might as well keep posting. I wanna lose some elle-bees. I noticed on someone's blog that they put it on the side how much weight they had to lose, I figure this is good, gives me extra motivation cause I don't want to have to add to the number down the side. I know, I'm brave. Plus, it's the holidays, double challenge. But the real question is, why do I feel the NEED to lose this weight? I am at a perfectly healthy weight for my height. So why do I feel I need to lose any? Something else funny, I won't be using a scale too much, just enough to make sure I am on track, make sure my intuition doesn't fail me. I have thought about starting a weight loss challenge where everybody pays me $20 (hold on I'm not finished yet) TO PUT IN A POT... then everybody has to lose 10% of their body weight in 12 weeks and whoever does it gets a piece of the pot. If you might be interested in this, leave a comment, if you might be interested in this but not with holidays starting, leave a comment about that too.

After my last post, I need a little pick me up. So here is to remembering happier times (I sound pathetic)
Last Thursday, we went to the Spring Preserve, which is this way cool kids museum that is HUGE! It's all about plant and animal life surviving in the desert, it also has history of the area, and lots of GREEN environmental stuff. Some of the stuff reminds me of Toon Town, yeah, Spring Preserve guys went all out. Its so fun to go. They had it all set up Halloween like for kids, so we went with Kash, Kole, Cooper, and Angie. This is me under a black lamp, can you tell?This is us with the giant spider web. Trent is biting the Spider's butt! I like this one of Cooper's face, he always braces himself for the worst if something is coming at his face, whether it is a balloon or a dog tongue, and apparently, a giant fake spider. Sorry to disappoint, but we didn't end up dressing up for Halloween. I am very disappointed in myself, first I quit Halloween, what's next? I refuse presents at Christmas?!?
Oh well, thats the beauty of marriage without children I guess, laziness.
I am so excited for this time of year, it is magical!! I love Christmas music, the forgotten carols, family, sparkly snow, special smells, wrapping presents, Christmas shopping, tiny tots with their eyes all aglow, and Jack's nuts roasting on an open fire. Who is Jack by the way? You know what else is good? Roasted chestnuts. Yummy.
I hope you all let this special time of year wash over you! Thanks for reading, is this blog way lame? I feel like it is.

The Election

The first thing I did when it was set in stone that Obama won was, I cried. I don't know why I am so scared for him to be President, but I blame Michael Savage. He put ideas in my head from 5:00 to 5:30 pm, on my way home from work Monday thru Friday. I have KNOWN for months Obama was going to win, but I still hoped, and I didn't really really care until I listened to Michael Savage. Everybody around me is saying, "It's fine" and "We will see what happens", as if this isn't the end of the United States of America. Isn't it? ISN'T IT? Thats what Michael Savage says. I also blame McCain, it's his own fault he didn't win, he didn't even try! a vote for McCain was just a vote against Obama.
I am so confused about the things I wanna say, some things I start to type then erase, cause it's just not me to say those things.
At least, the way is paved. Romney will be President of these United States of America in 2012 (what's left of them anyway). Oh, my mind is so occupied, my brain and heart feel so heavy, I can't think straight. I haven't felt like myself the last couple of weeks, there is something at the back of my mind, like I am forgetting something. And its this, the weight of the world is crashing down on me.
Michael Savage, hmm. I am boycotting him.
But, I will end with this: I feel peace in knowing that if I HAD to choose between McCain winning, and Prop 8 passing, I choose Prop 8 passing. That would have been a lot harder on me, had it not.
There you go Democrats, have your way with me, pick a fight, leave nasty comments. It's what you always do on my blog, it's why I can't stand you.

I get to kiss him everyday...