No, seriously... No.....seriously.

THE Eli Gardiner

2011-01-08T16:40:00.010-06:00

Eli Thomas Gardiner was born December 10th, 2010 at 4:16am.

He was (probably) 6lbs 6oz (darn faulty labor and delivery scale!). I went into the hospital to be induced but after noticing my extremely elevated blood pressure and Eli's decelerated heart rate, he came into the world via c-section after only 4 hours of "labor".

I fell in love the moment I heard his cry.

He has my eyelashes and my grandmother's nose...but the rest of him is all Andrew.

He is such an incredibly happy baby. He eats a ton but has struggled gaining weight. He also miraculously sleeps through the night (when I don't force him awake to eat).

He has the biggest eyes I've ever seen...when he looks at you, he LOOKS at you.

He and I spend all day together everyday. I am having an amazing time being a stay-at-home mother. I'm usually doing very little around the house, aside from holding and/or feeding the boy. But right now, I just don't mind. (Though, I AM looking forward to him being able to do more on his own so I can get back to FFwD and being a super awesome homemaker.)

40 Weeks Is A Long Time

2010-12-08T20:31:00.005-06:00

Today I am 40 weeks pregnant. ...That's full term, friends. Also...that's a long time.

Tomorrow will be the most significant day in my life. Tomorrow...tomorrow, I become a mother. After tomorrow, I will never not be a mother again. ...That's kind of mind-blowing.

We are going in to be induced - I know, I know - I'm not overdue. But this kid is just sitting there. Doing nothing. Not descending. Not effacing. Not allowing me to dilate. Nothing. And me? Well, I'm not doing anything either....so I thought, why not?! Why not get this adorable kid out of me so a) I can stop being pregnant and b) I can finally meet the boy who will make me a mother.

Seriously...........a mother............could you just die?

Eli's Nursery

2010-12-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

Not a lot of words here...just wanted to share some photos of my son's aqua and orange nursery (yes...I'm aware that there are 36 different shades of those two colors going on in here...I don't care. I dig it.)

This is a gorgeous mobile made by a good friend...isn't it the dreamiest?

Me & Dorie: BFF

2010-12-01T20:05:00.001-06:00

I got to hang out with Dorie Greenspan one night. It.Was.Awesome. She came to a local cooking school to show us some of the recipes from her new book and I had a front (2nd) row seat!

She made 5 recipes - each of them outstanding. Seriously....out.standing. (Note: She stood at the front of the class cooking each recipe...however, all the food for us, her students, had already been made by the cooking school so while we watched her cook, we were eating what she was cooking...see?) And the food wasn't all things I would normally go for, either. Especially the main dish.

Remember that time I told you that I don't do fruit in my food? Well, the main dish was a Lamb and Apricot Tagine with Couscous. I saw the title in the handout and I inwardly (or possibly audibly) groaned. I thought I'd just pick out the apricots. ....Wanna see my bowl after I ate it:

Yeah....it was that good.

Also, how cute is Dorie? Pretty darn.

She moves. A lot. And talks with her hands. A lot. So most of my photos of her from this night, she's wicked blurry.

In conclusion, it was the most fun I've had watching a famous chef cook yummy French food for me to eat.

FFwD: Chicken For Les Paresseux

2010-11-30T19:49:00.001-06:00

Quickly now, because this is the only November recipe I was able to get out (though those Potatoes Gratin are sooo on my list to try), let's discuss this chicken.

Friends, did you know how incredibly easy it was to roast a chicken? And an incredibly yummy chicken? I didn't. But I do now. No more will I buy those overpriced store-made rotisserie chickens! Oh no! I am now armed with the knowledge of Madame Greenspan!!

There really was nothing to this chicken - just throw it in a dutch oven (yay! I own a dutch oven now!) and walk away...come back 90 minutes later et voila! Un poulet pour les paresseux (...chicken for lazy people)!

My favorite tip of Dorie's: Cut a baguette in half lengthwise, lay it on the bottom of the pan, and place the chicken on top. The bread will soak up all the yummy fat and get nice a crispy on the bottom............oh.my.word. So incredible.

Verdict: Yes, I'm lazy. But not so lazy that I won't end up making this chicken again and again.

36 Down...4-ish To Go

2010-11-09T14:30:00.006-06:00

Look at me - I'm 36 weeks pregnant!

I suppose that would be called "full term"...but as I still have 6 more days at my job (read: a week and a half), I'd be totally ok if this kid waited until week 39 to come....Momma needs some time off, yo.

**PS - for those of you super sad not to see a FFwD post last week (Cami...), I just couldn't bring myself to cook last week (blame two nights spent making 36 fondant bumble bees!...pictures to come). Luckily for all of you, I plan on making TWO Dorie things this week...but not until Sunday. So you'll still have to wait for a new recipe review. However, I do have some blogging to do about the class I went to recently TAUGHT by Madame Greenspan herself! Coming soon....promise....

FFwD: Marie-Helene's Apple Cake

2010-10-28T21:45:00.015-05:00

So, sometimes I'm funny about fruit in my food. Don't get me wrong - I love fruit. Fresh fruit....by itself....un-touched by other kinds of foods. If I'm eating chocolate, there better not be a hint of orange. If I'm eating meat, I better not find a pineapple lurking. If I'm having cheesecake, keep it pure and strawberry-free. (PS - sometimes when I pretend I'm going to become a world-famous chef, it's this road block that reminds me it will never happen.)

But this weeks' recipe didn't worry me. I know I love apple pie....so I figured I'd like this apple cake. However..........however.....I LOVED this apple cake. LOVE. Like TruLuv4Evah. It's so different than you'd expect - it's super heavy on the apple, light on the cake....and the "cake" part is so moist and so....well, almost custard-y, that it stops acting like a cake and just acts like this happy blanket cuddling up with all the apple chunks.

The recipe calls for rum, something I don't have nor did I want to (aside from the whole pregnant and Mormon thing, I just do NOT like the flavor of rum). So, I used a lot of vanilla instead...like 2 tablespoons of vanilla...and maybe a little heavy cream. PS - I love vanilla. Vanilla could probably stop world hunger and fix the Middle East crisis and still be home in time for dinner. Dorie says to use 4 different kinds of apples. Large apples. A few of mine were more medium, so I actually used 5 apples...which turned out to be a good thing since one of them was so bruised I could I only use about half of it. I chose Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Macintosh, and Fuji. Aren't they pretty?

And then I peeled them....aren't they....naked? (see that big Red Delicious?...Who knew under that dark red skin was lurking the grossest of bruises...)

And then I chopped them up....aren't they...........chopped?

And then I cooked it up. (My first experience with a spring form pan, which I had to borrow - thanks, Tami!)

And then....then I cut me a slice....

And THEN....then I introduced it to Blue Bell's Natural Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.....

And then, friends.....then I died. *sigh* ....Then.I.Died.

Verdict: If none of my other recipes have encouraged you to buy this cook book, please know this recipe alone will be worth the cost.

FFwD: Hachis Parmentier

2010-10-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am 33 weeks pregnant. And I've entered a new phase of pregnancy that I honestly did NOT know was coming. My stomach - the part of my insides in charge of holding all the yummy food I eat - has shrunken. It's currently the size of a peanut. Ever since I had the stomach flu, I have had the hardest time eating. I get nauseous if I eat even a regular amount of food, let alone the pregnant amount I've been eating these past 7 months. I eat and usually about an hour later my body realizes it actually does NOT have the room after all to store what I just ate. I hate it. I have only a precious few months left of "eating whatever the crap I want with no regard to Weight Watcher points!".....and here I find that I can barely eat a single serving of anything.

Why am I telling you this? I'm telling you this so you know why I only had one serving of this meal. Had my stomach NOT been taken over by an increasingly huge baby, I would've probably gone back for thirds. Friends? I love this dish.

Yes, it's basically the French version of Shepherd's Pie. ....But you wanna know a secret? I've never had Shepherd's Pie. I know, I know - "Oh, the humanity!" "How are you a normal person!" "Did your mother not love you - did she never feed you comfort food?!" Yes....yes she did. But we ate chili & tortillas and meatball sandwiches. We were never really "meat and potatoes" kind of people. Especially me. I don't really eat potatoes. When my mother served baked potatoes, she made me my own little dish of rice.

But that aside - I am in love with this dish. I loved the creamy goodness of the mashed potatoes (*gasp!*...do I like potatoes now?!). I loved the familiar smokiness of the Emmental cheese sprinkled on top. I loved LOVED the combination of the cube steak, sausage and homemade beef broth. Friends? I loved this dish. This is the first dish so far that I can say that I will, without a doubt, 100% be adding this into our regular dinner rotation.

And yes...yes, I MADE homemade beef broth. And I am super proud of myself.

Verdict: If it were actually fall here, I could see calling this the ultimate comfort food...and possibly eating it every single cold day.

Please Don't Punch Me In The Face

2010-10-21T07:55:00.008-05:00

What I'm about to say may not be a popular statement. It may elicit anger and violence from some of my fertile friends. It may frustrate and depress my infertile friends. But I cannot hold it in any longer.

...I love being pregnant.

No, wait....let me say that again:

I LOVE being pregnant.

Let me be clear on something: It hasn't been a cakewalk. Heartburn started early and with ferocity (for the past 5 months I've been on prescription strength antacids). Headaches unlike I've ever known started about month 4 and after exhausting the limited strength of Tylenol (seriously, who does that work for?), my doctor prescribed me the strongest thing I could take...and it really didn't do much at all. And now I'm in that "my stomach is scrunched up so tiny that I eat 5 bites and I'm full and nauseous and wanting to throw up because there Is.No.Room" phase of pregnancy. As an avid Weight Watcher-er, seeing the scale tip past The Number Which Should Not Be Named has been scary. I've been confined to wearing flip flops for 3 months. And, already being a fidgety sleeper, I have HATED having to deal with sleeping with this newly shaped body.

However...HOWEVER.......I still love EVERY minute of this journey.

Granted, I fought hard to be here. I was born wanting to be a mother. When I was little and people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I'd say "a ballerina, an ice skater, a nurse, and a mother". At college, I quite literally wanted to kidnap every baby I saw on campus (...there is an annoying amount of babies on the BYU campus). As I got older and single-er, I started feeling violent towards all the girls with whom I grew up as they had baby after baby...and I went home to my lonely apartment every night. When I finally got married at age 31, I felt gratitude that I had "life experiences" under my belt. Two months into our marriage we started "trying" and 3 years, 3 IUI's, 1 IVF and over $20,000 later, I find myself 7 weeks away from my dream.

Oh yes...I fought hard to be here. And, once again, I feel gratitude that the journey was long.

But that's not why I love it.

I love being pregnant because....because I'm a partner with God in creation (finally!). Because Andrew and I will have a tangible product of our love to show off to the world (finally!). Because the science of the whole reproduction thing is absolutely astounding to me - I am literally GROWING A HUMAN BEING IN MY BODY (finally!). And because every time I feel this little boy squirm, every time he pushes and kicks and hiccups and twirls and giggles (yes, I think my boy is already giggling)....every time I watch my belly do that creepy wave, I am reminded that He Is Mine (FINALLY!); that Heavenly Father is loaning me one of his Most Awesome spirits to raise and love and protect and teach and guide through this mortal coil.

I am filled to the brim with joy and love. I am glowing and emotional. I am crazy and needy. I am awestruck and humbled. I am fat and happy.

I.Am.Pregnant.

*This painting is called "For This Child I Prayed" and my sister gave me a framed print of it at my baby shower. It's the story of Hannah and her desire for a son (Samuel) and the prophet Eli promising her she would be a mother.

FFwD: Vietnamese Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-10-13T20:22:00.013-05:00

I wasn't going to make this. I really wasn't. I had the stomach flu last weekend and was still getting my tummy back to normal. Andrew wasn't excited about it. It called for a bunch of odd ingredients. ...I was just going to sit this one out. But then.....well, then I did make it. So...there.

I know you're all thinking, "Vietnamese soup?...Um...how is that French?" Well, actually France and Vietnam are pretty closely related and have been for hundreds of years. France actually ruled over Vietnam from 1887 to 1954. So, apparently there are quite a few Vietnamese restaurants in the France.

I'm going to be honest...this soup worried me. Scared me. Stressed me out. The ingredients were crazy. Star anise? (I HATE licorice) Dried red chili's? (I am NOT a spicy eater) Asian fish sauce? (.....Asian fish sauce?) And then there were odd directions like putting a bunch of stuff into cheesecloth and just letting it hang out in the soup for a while. ...Eh? Or adding the ingredient "2 dried red chili's".....but not explaining whether we were to dice them up, mince them, add them whole.....if they're whole do we take them out later? Do we take the cheesecloth thing out, too? ...Do we see why I was going to sit this week out?

But I really need to start trusting in Dorie. Because kids...she doesn't lead me astray. Sure, I completely ignored her when she told me to add star anise. I decided to add the dried chilies whole and then just take them out. I halved the whole recipe except for the amount of noodles (meaning my noodle soup was heavy on the noodle, light on the soup). BUT still....I trust you, Dorie. ...Mostly.

This soup was surprisingly easy to put together, even though I just whined about not understanding parts of it. It went very quickly (which was good since I didn't get home from work until 6). Also...this soup was surprisingly tasty. With all the changes I made, I have NO idea if it tastes the way Dorie meant for it to. But I dug it. Truly I did.

...Plus now, I have a whole jar of fish sauce in my fridge! So....bonus!

Eli: The First 30 Weeks

2010-10-13T19:40:00.022-05:00

Having an IVF is a stressful, agonizing, terrifying experience. It's not what I would call "fun" or "the way to go". BUT...if you ever do find yourself on the IVF side of infertility, let me tell you the best part: the ultrasounds. So.Many.Ultrasounds. I have quite literally watched this boy grow from an egg to...well, to an as-of-today 3.75-ish lb, 16-ish inch baby boy. Most pregnant women have 2, maybe 3 ultrasounds throughout the 9 months of gestation. Me? I've had 12**...and will probably have at least one more.

Come with me now, as we follow the development of this gorgeous child who I'll get to meet in 8 weeks:

1. Fertilization: That's right folks....one of these fertilized eggs is my son. ...How many of YOU know what you looked like the exact minute you were conceived? ...Suckers.

2. Implantation: See that little white dot? That's those two eggs being rocketed into my uterus. And guess what! One of them stuck!

3. Week 5: It's official! I'm pregnant!

4. Week 6: Yep...still in there!

5. Week 7: Feelin' queasy...which I'm told is a good thing.

6. Week 8: Whoa...are those arm and leg nubs? K - he's a teddy graham person.

7. Week 10: The official hand off from fertility doctor to OB...obviously my fertility doctor has much fancier machines...

8. Week 14: The longest I've gone without seeing my little guy....and look how much he's grown!

9. Week 18: It's a boy!!! A 12 minute long ultrasound, as my son did NOT want to share his business with the world. But eventually we peeked anyway. And just look at those toes...

10. Week 22: Check out this kid's profile - doesn't he already look like Andrew?

11. Week 26: ...The creepiest picture I have of Eli. I mean...dude......look at that creepy face, all starin' back...heebie.jeebies.

12. Week 30: Ok...heebie jeebies quickly replaced by...oh my word, the loveliness of that face. And would you get a load of those cheeks?! Are you kidding me?! *sigh*

13. Week 30: In case you missed it.....it's a boy.....

**Yes, I know there are 2 week 30's - but we really have had 12. One was during week 28 when we ran into some complications...she just didn't take any pictures.

FFwD: Gerard's Mustard Tart

2010-10-08T08:32:00.009-05:00

My family, the Keller family, has a thing for condiments. It's kind of a sickness. My brother, my father, even my sister's husband - between those 3 fridges I would feel very comfortable saying they have probably 50 different condiments. Barbecue sauces, relishes, marinades, and mustards. Lots of different mustards. This tart? This tart is for them.

But wait! Guess what?! It's also for YOU - you, dear reader, who does NOT belong to the mustard of the month club (yes it's real and yes my brother was once a member)! Because while this tart is heavy on the mustard (1/4 cup of 2 different kinds), it also heavy on the awesome.

Before even starting this recipe, I was skeptical. I mean, a good spicy/brown mustard is pretty tasty. ...But an entire pie shell filled with mustard tasting egginess?....Not so sure. As you're adding the mustard and the salt and pepper, Dorie even suggests adding those things "to taste". Friends...I HATE adding things "to taste". I am BAD at adding things "to taste". ....Especially since this is a new recipe and I have NO idea what it's supposed to "taste" like! Um, also...I'm pregnant...and pregnant girls are NOT supposed to be "tasting" raw eggs. But I took one for the FFwD team. ...You're WELCOME, Dorie.

Dorie's recipe calls for carrots and leeks. But she says the original recipe calls for tomatoes. And since I'm more of a tomato fan than carrots and leeks, I went for the original. I probably could have cut the tomatoes up smaller...but then it wouldn't have had the cool fan effect. See?:

Aside from the fact that I took two nights making this (night one: making tart dough, chilling tart dough, rolling out tart dough, chilling tart dough; night two: cooking tart, chilling tart, cooking tart......stupid day job), this was an incredibly easy recipe. Plus also, it gave me an excuse to make some homemade creme fraiche.....oh.my.yum.

And maybe this is what it looked like after only me and Andrew had our way with it.....please don't judge......remember - I'm eating for two.

Verdict: Heck yes. Mustard my tart, please.

French Fridays With Dorie: Gougeres

2010-09-30T21:17:00.008-05:00

**Let's just get this out of the way: I lived in France for 16 months. I lived in the Loire valley for the first 13 months and way down south in the Pyrenees for the last 3. This was 12 years ago. 3 years ago I went to Paris for the first time. I spent about 36 hours there. ....That is the extent of my Paris experience. 36 hours. Dorie LIVES in Paris. She's a world famous chef. She hangs out with world famous chefs. Soooo...sometimes when she talks about the food she eats...and I've never heard of it......let's forgive me...ok?

For our first recipe (hand chosen by Madame Greenspan herself! - hi Dorie!), we made gougeres. Dorie says, "Gougeres are made everywhere in France..."(........except maybe the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees...) "...but their home is Burgundy..."(...oh, ok. Now I feel better.)

(Let's also forgive my crappy camera....before the baby comes, we're getting a much nicer one...mmkay?)

Gougeres:...imagine a cream puff....but instead of cream, it's Gruyere cheese....and instead of being in the middle of the puff, it's all throughout. Oh my...so light...so airy...so cheesy. And friends? So easy.

This is (embarrassingly) my first Dorie Greenspan recipe. And kids, Dorie likes to really explain every step. So, the length of the recipe can seem a bit daunting. I was having my parents over for dinner (mommy was bringing soup) and I worried a bit that I wouldn't finish them in time. (especially with directions like "add the eggs one at a time and beat, beat, beat until the dough is thick and shiny.") But, oh these came together so quickly. And her thorough directions made me confident I was doing it right at every step.

She says you can use any cheese, but lists Gruyere or Cheddar as possibilities. I used all Gruyere and its strong flavor was perfect for something so little and light. AND it went perfectly with the Wisconsin Cheddar Potato Soup my mommy brought over!

Verdict: I absolutely loved these bite-sized, puffy, cheesy, happy gougeres. I will definitely be making them again!

Dear Readers,...bienvenue a French Fridays With Dorie (henceforward to be known as FFwD).

French Fridays With Dorie

2010-09-23T13:25:00.006-05:00

Dear Readers, I am embarking on a new and exciting journey. Sure, sure, motherhood. But ALSO....I am going to be cooking and baking my way through Dorie Greenspan's newest cookbook "Around My French Table".

Remember how I served my mission in France? Well, I did. And I ate a LOT of French food there (seriously...it was, like, everywhere). But what I did NOT do a lot of was COOK French food. My mission was very big into creme fraiche pizzas and burrito fetes (holla, France Bordeaux Mission!). And while I did learn how to make a mean crepe, I didn't acquire a lot of skills in the French kitchen (or la cuisine) (...and no I did NOT just have to look up that very simple 8th grade French word online.....*sigh*).

So imagine my excitement when that too-cool-for-school group of food bloggers who started "Tuesday's With Dorie" decided to celebrate Ms. Greenspan's latest beast of a cookbook by creating the group "French Fridays With Dorie"! No really...imagine it. ...See?! I was really excited! I sneakily added the book onto an Amazon.com order of birthday presents for Andrew and it showed up in my mail 2 days ago. And dear readers...I devoured it. I read the first 120 pages the moment I opened it. I LOVE this cookbook. It's gorgeous and interesting (she writes a little intro for every recipe!) and full of The Yummiest Food This Planet Has Ever Conceived.

And guess what?! I get to blog about this group every Friday!! We'll be starting October 1st. And every Friday to follow, I will blog about making one of Dorie's French food creations. (I will NOT, however, be posting the recipe. ...For that, you gotta get your own book, yo.)

Want to join the group?! Go here.

And watch this space for my weekly journey into the art of French Cooking. (...I just rocked your world with the idea of me blogging weekly, didn't I?)

MY Google Fate

2010-09-22T10:34:00.012-05:00

Remember how I like to talk about how I'm not original or creative? Yeah...I'm not.

So, maybe I'm gonna copy Krisanne right now (because I STILL haven't scanned images of the baby in my belly...so this will have to suffice as a blog post).

I went to Google Images, typed in "What is the fate of Susan Gardiner" and among the random photos, I found this one...

….Do we think ‘Susan Gardiner’ is the cat, pulling the ribbons of life? Or is she the teddy bear, being smacked around by the kitty claws of fate?................

PS - it's Andrew's birthday! Happy birthday, Andrew D. Gardiner! Who's fate looks like this!:

(The caption of this photo reads: "Andrew predicts the future with a big bag of money in the background." Yes.Please.)

Pregnant!

2010-08-24T10:35:00.005-05:00

Has it really been 6 months since I last posted? I hang my head in shame. ...Especially since this has been an incredibly eventful 6 months.

See, I'm pregnant. Our fancy IVF worked. And we are having a little boy in about 15 weeks. A little boy named Eli. A little boy who I cannot wait to meet and love and cuddle.

I have pictures of him - lots, actually. I've had an ultrasound at every single Dr's visit since I got pregnant. ...But those pictures are currently affixed to our refrigerator. I honestly do mean to scan them in. In fact, the fact that I'm lazy at the scanning is why I haven't blogged. I have issues with blogging without photos. So this one, of my 22 week pregnant belly will have to do. ...For now.

Bucks For MY Baby

2010-02-22T15:25:00.005-06:00

My sweet, sweet, amazing, wonderful, kind sister-in-law has created a blog for my dear friends to follow our awesome, fun, injection-filled fertility journey. You can follow it here.

http://www.bucksforbaby.blogspot.com/

And I really do have a lot of good intentions when it comes to being a better blogger. Seriously. LOTS of good intentions. So many, in fact, you could...I don't know - pave a road with these good intentions! Now...where would this road be heading....

Wishes

2009-12-23T10:35:00.002-06:00

I wish you all have a Merry Christmas!

I wish you get everything you want!

I wish you will see lots of family - even if they're not yours!

I wish you will remember our Savior and His miraculous birth!

I wish love, peace, and above all JOY!

**Coming soon - posts about the things I made for people as gifts, cupcakes I've been making, and more Cat In A Box!

Cat In A Box:1

2009-12-17T17:26:00.004-06:00

Briquette's fascination with cardboard started at a very early age...

[Insert Hopeful Title Here]

2009-12-14T15:52:00.014-06:00

Albert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. This is definitely true for us women blessed with infertility: we experience a monthly form of psychosis.

After 30 months of trying to conceive and after 30 months of failing to....you'd think I'd be used to this feeling. That I would accustom myself to the disappointment that comes with the physical evidence that once again - once.again. - I am not pregnant. And sometimes, I AM accustomed to it. Sometimes I do fine - oh, sure - I whine a bit, I lay around and moan with chocolate and a heating pad...but fertility-wise, I do OK. But other times.....oh, other times....I do NOT do fine. Other times, I feel trapped in a broken body. Other times, I wonder why I ever thought "this month will be different!" Other times, I want to do physical harm to every pregnant woman I know (alienating myself from over half of my close friends....silly fertile ward). Other times, I sit at my desk biting my lip, hand over my eyes, trying desperately to keep quite as the tears trickle down my cheeks. Other times, all I can think is...why me?

And then I remember that I am not that unique. I remember that a good deal of my friends - friends who are now mothers - have experienced exactly this. I remember that infertility is becoming an unfortunately common diagnosis. And I remember that above all...above ALL - there is One who, long ago, voluntarily chose to experience infertility.....just so that I could go to Him in prayer and He could say, "...I know.....I know...".........And that is when I sigh...pick up my head....replenish the hope........and brace myself for another month.**

**The painting is "Miracle of the Gulls" by Minerva Teichert, one of my favorite artists. I love the strength in the woman's face...and, considering the story, is how I like to think I feel every month.

Some Say Tak, Others Merci

2009-12-01T20:45:00.011-06:00

I've been missing lately...I apologize. Turning over new leaves sometimes means you have to re-turn over...and re-turn over. Bear with me as I...re-turn over.

I love Thanksgiving...don't you? This one was lovely - being with my family and eating lots of food is always cause for celebration. But as this was the first year where I actually contributed to the meal (by way of yummy rolls, mini pecan tassies, and sweet potato fries), I found that thanksgiving got lost....I don't mean Thanksgiving, capital T...I mean the act of being thankful. I forgot to do that. I know I don't need a holiday to be thankful (and believe me, I live everyday trying my hardest to be thankful). But as the point of the holiday is actually THANK...I missed it this year.

And so...humor me as I run through a list of random (and some not so random) things I'm thankful for.

I'm thankful for nephews. I'm thankful for gingerbread cupcakes. I'm thankful for my parents and their amazing love for each other after 38 years of marriage. I'm thankful for diet coke. I'm thankful for my cat and the life she brings to our home. I'm thankful it took 30 years to find my husband. I'm thankful for my job and Andrew's job. I'm thankful for my membership in The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. I'm thankful for movies. I'm thankful for teenage vampires, teenage werewolves, and fellow adult women who will drool and swoon over them with me. I'm thankful for one cute perfect little niece. I'm thankful for my house and its red walls. I'm thankful that my husband is the funniest person in the world. I'm thankful that God loves me enough to give me trials like fertility. I'm thankful that I get to be a bridesmaid to my dear sweet Lindsay. I'm thankful for a best friend in Korea who forgives me for being the worst emailer ever (soon...I promise). I'm thankful for our dear prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I'm thankful for peanut butter and chocolate. I'm thankful for rain. I'm thankful for my pretty red rain coat. I'm thankful for my sister...my beautiful, perfect, lovely sister. I'm thankful for my husband's love for me and my butt and my eyes and my tummy. I'm thankful for pretty purses that make me feel like a girl. I'm thankful for my dad who is so kind and loving and fun and sweet and cute. I'm thankful for amazing in-laws...truly amazing. I'm thankful for cookie cutters. I'm thankful that I live in Texas and that someone here came up with Chips and Queso. I'm thankful for a temple that is beautiful and holy. I'm thankful for Club Awesome and that I get to spend 9 hours a day with them. I'm thankful for my brother who is the most loyal person I know. I'm thankful for books. I'm thankful for people who buy my cupcakes. I'm thankful for Anne, the sweetest girl in town. I'm thankful for scriptures. I'm thankful for my calling...even when I'm not. I'm thankful for A and Di and the bond of The Triumvirate. I'm thankful for smiling. I'm thankful for legs that can run and a heart that loves to. I'm thankful for the ability to pause live TV. I'm thankful for my husband's haircut. I'm thankful for blogs and bloggers who inspire me. I'm thankful for Christmas time. I'm thankful for my mother who is the greatest woman I have ever, or will ever, know....and my idol. I'm thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, His life, His death, and His love for me. For ME.

I'm thankful.

A Tithing Of Sorts

2009-11-15T09:26:00.009-06:00

Giving 10% is not a new concept for a Mormon. As soon as we're old enough to get an allowance, we are taught the law of tithing. I have been giving 10 % of everything I've earned since I was 6. Paying the Lord back such a small amount, knowing He will freely pour out His blessings in return, has, for the most part, been an easy concept to follow.

...Until now.

For the past 7 years, I have been a member of Weight Watchers...or at least in between memberships. I've joined and rejoined so many times, I'm quite certain my registration fee keeps the company in the black. For a WW member, losing 10% of one's weight is the first major accomplishment. The day we join, our leader writes our 10% goal right on the top of our weigh-in card. It's the number we're working towards. Of course, what we really want is that goal weight...but figuring out a goal weight doesn't even enter the picture until we get to that 10%.

For the past 7 years, I have never reached that 10%.**

...Until now.

Yesterday morning, dressed in my lightest of pyjama pants and thinnest of t-shirts, I nervously got on the scale in front of my weight watcher leader....and reached my 10% goal. I only needed to lose 1.4lbs...and I lost 1.8. I had dreamt the night before that I gotten it...I dreamt about it. And in my dream, I cried. ...I didn't think I really would. But (and I know this won't surprise most of you)...I did cry. Right there in Weight Watchers...I cried. And then the lady said it was time to start thinking about my goal weight - my goal weight! I've had a fictitious number in my head for 7 years. And it is finally - FINALLY - becoming a reality.

I've thought about how the law of tithing and my weight loss are connected. One time, Krisanne mentioned that one of her most powerful weight management tools was thinking about how her body was a gift from God. That it was indeed a temple...and that it was merely on loan to her. And if things like morality and the Word Of Wisdom were important, then by golly, so was watching what she ate and exercising. And the more weight I lose...the more that thought is ruling my choices.

I have just paid a sort of tithing to the Lord - he has given me a body that can walk and hear and see and think and laugh and cry and (someday) create life. The least I can do is give 10% back.

...The battle for my goal weight? Fast offering.

**When I first joined WW 7 years ago, I weighed 35 lbs more than I do now...meaning I actually HAVE lost 10% of my weight...just never while in WW and never all at once. I'd lose a bunch, then gain some back...lose a bunch, gain some back....so while I've actually lost close to 20% in this 7 year stretch, it's not been consistent...and it's never counted.

Monday Meet: MerMag

2009-11-09T13:05:00.015-06:00

I'm easily annoyed. Really. Ask my mom. I'm not proud of it...it's just how I am. I get annoyed at (seemingly) the littlest of things. I mean, I don't think they're little (Mega Super Constant Fakey Coughing Guy?!...that is NOT a little thing).

So when I say that I'm super wicked impressed by someone, please believe me. And lately, I've been introduced to a blog world filled with the most impressive women. Astoundingly, creatively, happily impressive women. And so, I'd like to take Mondays to introduce to you the women on the blogosphere that have been Changing.My.Life.

First up - Mermag. Cute Merrilee is the wife of a guy I acted with in many a BYU theatre production (Teresa - is it a hanging preposition if it's in the middle of the sentence? Should I have said, "with whom I acted"?...speaking of getting annoyed...). He played my brother in my senior project...brilliant dude. Merrilee is super artistic and cute and together with her husband have produced 2 of the most adorable blond-headed boys EVER (of course after Max & Axel, the cutest blond-headed nephews EVER.)

Meet Merrilee.

Merrilee is an artist - see?

She sells this gorgeous piece of work on her etsy shop. She even does custom portrait drawings

Marrilee is a homemaker. See?

They just moved to the L.A. area and here she is decorating her new home...no...that's NOT a page from Martha Stewart's Living.

Merrilee is a hostess. See?

This is THE most adorable children's birthday party. It's a Peter Pan theme birthday party for her oldest son and all the children came dressed as a character (with her husband showing up as Captain Hook!). Also one time she threw her friends a tea party...oh, Marilee...invite me next time, k?

Merrilee is a crafty mom. See? See? SEE?!

This adorable travel desk was made AND DESIGNED by Merrilee. ...Fer rils?! Now her creativity is just getting ridiculous. My nephew Max travels to Colorado and Idaho to see family lots...someday when I have (and know how to use) a sewing machine, I'd like to make one of these for him.

Dear Readers, this is Merrilee. I have loved discovering her blog and being constantly inspired (and, ok, intimidated) by her creativity. ...You should too.

I Left My Heart...

2009-11-04T23:18:00.027-06:00

...in San Francisco, o' course!

Kids, let me tell you - next time you've got a spare weekend, some frequent flier miles, and the cutest husband ever - you should TOTALLY go to San Francisco!

We got on a plane early Friday morning and got into the city about noon, dropped off our stuff at the hotel, and walked straight across the street to the In-N-Out. Oh holy goodness...it's been years since I've had one and I generally don't eat red meat. But um...maybe if that were my last meal, I'd be ok with that.

We walked Fisherman's Wharf, played with those crazy sea lions, experienced some 4-D movies (dude, I actually had to wear a seat belt...), and ate clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (no wait - THAT'S my last meal).

Saturday morning, we toured Alcatraz. Wow. I mean...wow. If you go, you must take the audio tour - it was given and recorded by 4 former guards and 4 former inmates...astounding. We also got to experience the famous San Francisco fog! We spent about 3 hours there and honestly could have stayed longer. But instead.....

We got to see Susanna!! Oh, my dear sweet Susanna...how I've missed you. You know how there are those friends that, no matter how long it's been since you've seen them, the minute you're together again, you go right back to being the best of friends? Yeah...that's my Susanna. Isn't she the cutest? And her sweet husband and gorgeous little boy Van were there, too...heaven. Absolute heaven.

The Risser's were nice and drove us around some of the streets of SF, including the crazy curvy part of Lombard street. (Dude...what were they thinking building a street like that?!) Then they dropped us off at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. I've never seen a structure so...just immense (no wait...I have.) We walked across, what we thought was half way...turned it out it was maybe a quarter of the way. Then we walked back. We walked back to Fisherman's Wharf. Are you hearing me people?! We walked from the Golden Gate Bridge to Fisherman's Wharf! ...Ok, it was only 5 miles. But still! Five miles!! ...Right...I'm a baby. But since it was a gorgeous day and we were walking along the San Francisco bay, there wasn't much complaining (oh, except I did complain about my feet...because ow).

That night, we took an evening cruise through the bay, under the bridge, and around Alcatraz. Windy!

Sunday morning, we got up and decided to hit Chinatown before our flight. 1. Those hills....oh.those.hills. Seriously, San Francisco? Don't worry - my shin splints are finally going away. 2. Chinatown isn't very open Sunday morning...FYI. But we managed to find a shop selling what we were looking for and wandered our way back. (Side note: I live in the 4th largest city in the country population wise but the sheer mass of Houston is - - well, it's big. And spread out. And while I totally and completely love my city, sometimes I wish I lived someplace where you walked....you can't really walk anywhere here. Isn't walking lovely? Lovely...

*warning- here comes some cupcake reviews...

We got to see one last friend - wonderful Becah Davis, sister to two of my very best friends, Tini and Heather, stopped by our hotel before we left with a box of Sprinkles cupcakes. Wasn't that the nicest ever? Nicest.Ever. And also...Sprinkles is yummy. Super yummy. Tastes a lot like Crave...it'll be interesting when our Sprinkles opens up just down the street from Crave...hmmm...The vanilla was amazing. The Red Velvet...red velvet-y (really people? it's just a color...). The pumpkin was...eh.

On our way out of town I made our driver (that's right...we had a driver - because us Gardiner's are fancy!) stop at another cupcake shop - Citizen. Overall, they're ok. The cake is waaaay too crumby - the vanilla cake fell apart in my hands - not good. I dug the vanilla icing but if there's no cake...you know? But they're chocolate cupcake...hoo-boy. Probably the best chocolate cupcake I've ever had. Don't know why...it was just good. Also their pumpkin was horrible - it was filled with raisins - RAISINS!! Why would anyone do that to a pumpkin cupcake! Oh, the humanity!!

The other cupcake shop we tried that weekend was Kara's. Super cute logo. Adorable atmosphere. ...Not so great cupcakes. Not horrible...but I'd never crave them. So there.

And that, friends, wraps up our weekend spree to the west coast. We loved every minute of it (except for - where was the cold?! Everyone said it would be so cold - and it totally wasn't!).

As we were boarding our plane home, Andrew was already planning our next weekend trip...to New York.....get ready!

I Like Stuff

2009-11-02T12:23:00.017-06:00

*I promise to talk about my weekend trip to San Francisco as soon as I get the pictures uploaded to the computer. In the meantime...allow me to babble.*

I like lists. And I like not being original. So when NieNie listed her favorite things today, I thought - "Good idea, NieNie! Can I do that too?" ...And I'm taking her silence as a yes. Sooo...

Stuff Making Me Happy Right Now...

Andrew. This man will ALWAYS be on my list of favorite things. Truly...I sometimes can't believe how insanely lucky I am that this man fell in love with me. Seriously? He's so hot.

My Fitness Coach - this Wii game has changed my life. I.Kid.You.Not. You don't need a Wii Fit to play it. It's basically like a virtual aerobics instructor. If you're having a hard time getting motivated to exercise, get this game. Do it. ...Stop your whining and just do it

Downeast Basics - Um...I have a problem. I am addicted to this place. I literally have a section of my closet devoted to Downeast tees and camis and it's a rare day indeed when I'm not wearing one (I'm wearing 2 today...so there). And now I'm falling in love with their regular clothes. I already have this. But...Oh my word...love this. And this. And oh my THIS.

The Pioneer Woman - I feel a bit behind having just discovered her. But dear readers, if you do not know Ree Drummond, stop your sucking and GET TO KNOW HER. I fall into her recipes and photos...fall. Her first cookbook just came out and it's now on the top of my Christmas list.

Caramel Popcorn - more specifically, my mother's caramel popcorn. It's sticky and gooey and when you get to the bottom of the bowl, a spoon is necessary to get all the leftover caramel...I put this on my list not because I've had it recently (it's probably been close to 10 years...) but because I've been thinking about it...a LOT. I've moved past "crave" and I'm knee-deep in "need". Mommy...if you're reading this...could you please make me some? There's a lamb...

Friends - I've been incredible thankful lately for really amazing friends. When I was growing up, I made friends easily. I had lots of friends, even lots of best friends. But as I've gotten older, I think I've grown pickier...(I also became really great friends with myself so sometimes I would rather be alone then be with people that were only so-so). I am lucky to have the Best Friend in the world, the amazing Triumvirate, Anne Friend, Club Awesome, and my monthly Bunco group. *sigh* I love friends.

What's making YOU happy right now?

Crafty Ideas, Take One

2009-10-29T08:08:00.009-05:00

I know. I KNOW! You're freaking out right now because I'm ACTUALLY posting again. Well...I am. So shut up.

Andrew and I are taking advantage of being childless this weekend by taking a quick random trip to San Francisco (Because.We.Can.) and so I didn't want to leave you all alone all weekend...or you'd start your judging, and then I'd be offended, and then I wouldn't post and we'd be right back where we were 3 days ago....and we can't have that. So, here's some fun ideas to keep you busy while I....keep busy...elsewhere. (Guess what - I use ellipses excessively...and I don't care who knows.)

Before we go any further, let me explain my use of the word "craft". These are not your mother's crafts (or "yo' mama's" crafts, as the kids would say). I do not like your mother's crafts. It's nothing against your mother - she's a wicked nice lady. I just don't really get into painted wooden watermelons. So, when I say "crafts" I mean "cool things you create that make your friends jealous and say where did you get that, oh I made that, what? you must be so talented when really we both know it was as easy as pie". Ok? Ok.

First up - butterflies. Now, for those of you who also read my lovely sister's blog, you've already seen this. But...I saw it first! I found (i.e. stole) the idea from this website. The moment I saw it, I knew it would be the first "crafty" thing I'd try. And friends? It is the EASIEST thing in town. Holy moly, it's so easy. And fun. And pretty. And here's mine:

(I apologize for the crap picture...someday I'll have a nice camera. *sigh*)

See? It's honestly as easy as buying pretty paper (I abhor scrapbooking but OH how I love scrapbooking paper!), having a pretty Martha Stewart butterfly hole punch, little foam dot things, a deep shadow-boxy frame, and 20 minutes to assembly. Dude. Easy AND adorable?! Are you kidding me? No....not I am not. Let's take a closer look at how I personalized my butterflies:

Yep. That's an Astro's ticket stub there.

Yep. That's cute cupcake paper right below it.

Note: you should keep this hole punch out of the hands of, say your husband, in case you don't want EVERYTHING having little butterfly cutouts in it (Kleenex boxes, bills, your cat). I'm just sayin'.

For my next craft, I wanted a little something easier. ...You read that right - easier. And unfortunately, since I've done this one, I've seen people who do it even easier. Or at least cheaper. For this one, get some fun fabric, a staple gun, and either a painters canvas or a square piece of Styrofoam (I used the canvas...the Styrofoam is waaaay cheaper). Cut your fabric to a few inches bigger than the canvas. Pull tight around the edges as you staple (staple one side, then directly across from it, turn 45 degrees and staple, then directly across from that). ...One day I'll take pictures of me actually doing something so you don't just get my confusing directions.

I got this fabric from Ikea...who has super. Cute. Fabric.

Don't you just love my red walls? I love them.

I fould some prettier ideas here. This is definitely something I'll be doing again. Because - hello easy wall art!

And that, dear readers, is my introduction to "crafts". I am super excited to keep at it...and to continue my motto of "Crafts! For Fun NOT For Dumb!" Word.

Finding My Inner Homemaker or Why I've Decided To Blog Again

2009-10-26T14:57:00.010-05:00

I studied acting for about 15 years. One would think that would mean I was a naturally creative person (having studied an art intensely over a mini-lifetime). But guess what? I'm not. I am not creative. I remember telling a professor at the BY "I am a creative-free zone!"...a t-shirt worthy slogan to be sure.

But guess what? ...I don't think I'm a creative-free zone anymore. There. I said it. I AM CREATIVE!

...Ok, let's not get carried away here. I'm not actually creative - "one who creates". As an actor, I got wicked good at taking something that someone else had created, and doing a mighty find job at making it my own. But sitting down and whipping out something super duper cutesy like this:

...yeeeaaahh....not so much.

However...I'm turning over this new leaf. And I'm doing it on my blog so that I actually DO it. Because I know you...and if I drop the ball, you'll totally judge. Won't you?....That's right...you'll judge.

....Silly...judger...person.....

Anyway, here I am. Being creative. And here's why: Someday I'm going to be a mother. ...That's it. Someday, when my wonderful doctor can figure out why I'm not getting pregnant (or when my wonderful bank gives us a big fat loan for a big expensive IVF procedure)...I will have children. And then I'll be a mom. And the thing is, right now, all I've got to teach my future children is how to make cupcakes and how to sit and watch 4 straight hours of TV on DVD.

And so, dear readers, welcome to my new blog. Where I...um, create stuff...and stuff.

Ready?

Me, too.

(PS - cute baby Kimono's care of Martha here)

Coming soon...

2009-09-30T09:56:00.001-05:00

...I want to be a better blogger...and to actually have things about which to blog.

So watch this space for pretty posts, cupcake talk, and day-dreamy babbling.

Welcome...

2009-08-10T09:15:00.007-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Axel Wolfgang Harwood...the new love in my life.

I Love This Man

2009-05-05T22:24:00.010-05:00

No one has ever had a more perfect husband than this:

...Except maybe this:

Post-edit: When Andrew saw the pictures I posted, he said, "Are you putting pictures of my butt on the internet? You can't do that - I have a copyright on it!" ...And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is the man I love.

Dude...

2009-04-01T13:50:00.005-05:00

...Remember when I used to blog?

Yeah...me, too.

*sigh*

I'll blog again ril soon...ril ril soon.

PS - ...I love cupcake.

...As If You Needed An Excuse...

2008-12-15T09:06:00.004-06:00

Dear Reader - it's National Cupcake Day! Show your support for the cutest and tastiest treat out there by hitting your local cupcakery for a yummy yummy cupcake. (If you don't know of a cupcake shop close to you, tell me where you are and I'll find one!)

In the meantime...food porn this:

Mmm...cookies and cream-y....

Oh. My. Goodness.

2008-12-05T10:35:00.005-06:00

Last night I perfected my Eggnog Cupcake recipe.

Friends? I have a new favorite.

Meet the Eggnog Cupcake.

The cake is moist and eggnoggy with a hint of nutmeg. The icing is an eggnog buttercream topped with freshly grated nutmeg.

Yes...it's as yummy as it sounds/looks.

Let me know if I can, ya know....hook you up.

Dual-Side Icing Bags

2008-11-17T12:16:00.001-06:00

Check out this post on CakeWrecks: Wow...

And be sure to click the link to see how they did it.

PS - I love cake.

Lighting The BBQ of My Heart Since 2008...

2008-11-05T22:17:00.009-06:00

Andrew and I, working hard with our doctor to get me knocked up, got a little impatient...we needed our family to grow. And rather than allow me to steal that cute little girl wandering through Kroger, Andrew let me get a kitten.

And dear reader...I haven't known her for 12 hours and yet I love her so completely!

Meet Briquette (...because she's charcoal colored...):

Playing with her rolly-bell-drum:

Sleeping, all tiny-like and cute, in my hands:

Thank you to Heather for taking all the photos!

I despise that I have to leave her cuteness and go to work tomorrow...maybe I'll call in "kitten"...

An Open Letter

2008-09-30T15:58:00.008-05:00

Dear Reader,

When you have a kid that has a birthday and you decide to hire me and my mad cupcaking skills to make some fun cupcakes for the occasion, I beg of you - I BEG of you - hire me to do something like this:

NOT something like this:

Your kid won't care and I'll still like you afterwards.

In related news, here's a picture of some pretty Red Velvet cupcakes (I have proclaimed the Red Velvet Cupcake my nemesis!!...bonus points for anyone who can explain to me WHY people like them!) I like the flower cupcake...it makes me happy.

Sincerly,

Susan G.
Owner and Awesome Baker of Seriously Cupcakes

Hot and Ikey

2008-09-16T09:16:00.006-05:00

It's over...ish. We came back into Houston Sunday morning. By then, our house had power but no water. We lost a shutter but luckily it landed in our back yard and is still in one piece. A lot of water came up under our front door but happily we had a rug right there that sopped it all up, keeping it from getting onto the carpet. All in all, our house fared very well. By Sunday night, we had even had water.

The aftermath of Ike is NOT fun. We are far and away better off then our neighbors in Galveston, but we are still reeling from this hurricane. You cannot drive 100 feet without seeing trees down, fences in pieces, or road signs in the road. Most traffic lights are either blinking red or off completely. Most gas stations still do not have gas (we found some on Sunday and only had to wait 20 minutes in line!). We went to the grocery store last night (when we found one open) and they only had about $40% of their shelves full, and not a single frozen item. Many restaurants either do not have power or still do not have eatable food. Andrew and I both got Monday off of work because our offices had no power. But we're both back today. My office has power except no AC and no drinkable water. The water thing is OK...the AC thing? Not so much. What's worse is it's a GORGEOUS day outside! When I woke up this morning, it was a crisp 61 degrees! That's like arctic to us Houstonians! I brought a sweater to work and everything!.......And instead I sit here and sweat. Bah.

But I'm really not complaining. SO many people lost homes and lives and so I truly am grateful. I hope this little blog finds you all healthy and happy and eating a cupcake! (I made Ike Cupcakes last night...they were pretty...unlike Ike...)

I Do NOT Like Ike...

2008-09-13T09:20:00.005-05:00

We're safe and dry. It's wicked windy and rainy here in College Station but, as you can see, we still have power...for now. The worst of the storm has yet to hit this part of Texas but I think we're much better off here than in Houston.

I spoke to my parents this morning - they are good. They lost power about 2:45am and about 5 in the morning, their brand spankin' new fancy fence fell over. They also have a little bit of water coming in under their brand spankin' new fancy sliding door and is underneath their brand spankin' new fancy wood floor. ...Other than that, they are good. I spoke to them early enough that they still weren't hot and sweaty with no AC...but they'll get there.

I love you all and will post when this is over. I'm betting we'll lose power some time today...should be interesting. But as I said, we're with wicked fun friends and power or no - we will be rockin'.

The Station of Colleges

2008-09-11T22:37:00.003-05:00

...I did it. I batted my eyes, did a little girly sigh, and smiled a crooked smile...and convinced my wonderful husband to take me far away from Ike. ...Ok, not far - only an hour...and it's still right in Ike's path. BUT our friends are here! Our family is here (Andrew's brother Nathan and his wondeful family live here, too)! We are currently at the home of the wonderful Kennedy's, Jake and Anne. They were Andrew's friends first and then they became my friends. I love this cute couple and I LOVE crashing at their beautiful country home. We brought our Rock Band, my cupcake making materials (I'm making 2 dozen for an A&M freshman tomorrow!), and lots of diet coke with lime. ...It's gonna be a party!

My parents stayed behind...so I still have a bit of worry left in Houston. But I feel much less stressed being here than if I was in my brand new little home, walls shakin', glass shattering....

...What, I'm not dramatic at ALL......

......See why we left? :)

Ike Poo-Poo Face Stinkhead!

2008-09-11T08:11:00.004-05:00

So, I've lived in Houston off and on for the past 21 years. Sometimes it surprises people to learn that we consider ourselves as living on the coast (the Gulf of Mexico is about an hour drive). And in those 21 years, we have yet to have a real full-on hurricane hit us. We've had Rita, who scared us all into the Worst Evacuation In The History Of Ever but didn't rain a single drop on the west side. We've had Allison, who was a tropical storm by the time it hit us but flooded parts of Houston so badly that businesses were closed for weeks. And I seem to remember a Gilbert when I was in high school...but I also remember that it went off somewhere else.

And then there's Ike. Now, if Rita taught me anything it taught me that hurricane's can change direction without warning and in the drop of a hat (...where did THAT saying come from?...Zach?) So, chances are come Saturday morning, Beaumont (east of Houston) will be once again ground zero for any and all hurricane-type weather. But "chances are" when discussing hurricane's...well, you always want to err on the side of caution. So, I am in the process of talking my husband into evacuating. I had an order for 2 dozen cupcakes to be delivered to College Station (home of Texas A&M and about an hour from our house) on Saturday night, so we were already planning a "business trip", followed by dinner with our friends and family who live there. I am now trying to convince Andrew that we should leave tonight or tomorrow morning, so that we can be having an Ike Sucks! party with our friends, who WILL have electricity and AC, as opposed to staying here and having a Ike Sucks MORE! party with no friends and possibly no electricity or AC....

Wish me luck.

I'll update my bloggy friends when we decide.

Takin' Care of Bidness

2008-09-06T16:03:00.011-05:00

Grr...work has wicked picked up so I'm not all bloggy during the day. And I've been so busy with the cupcakin' that I'm also non-bloggy at nights! I swear to do better.

Mostly, though, this post will provide photographic proof that I really have been working. And hard. In the last 2 weeks I've had 10 cupcake jobs, got my DBA from the county, and opened my business checking account ("...yes, go ahead and make that check out to Seriously Cupcakes."). As I climbed into bed a few nights ago, worn out from baking all night, I mentioned to Andrew that I felt like I was working 2 jobs and he said, "...Honey...you ARE working 2 jobs." And folks...that totally made this girl smile. Because I AM working 2 jobs.

Feast your eyes on the following:

Yummy Carrot Cupcakes

Super yummy coconut on vanilla:

Super DUPER yummy Chocolate on vanilla with fancy chocolate chunks ("fancy" means I totally pounded the crap out of a Ghirardelli dark chocolate bar and a Valrhona milk chocolate bar):

And my new favorite...WICKED super duper yummy Key Lime Pie Cupcakes with lime cream cheese icing (...PS - I will never use that much green coloring again...promise):

Oh yeah...and the most annoying cupcakes I've ever done. After doing these, I vowed never to do "cutesy" again.....unless they're paying reeeeaaally well:

More posts - more non-cupcake posts - to come soon!

Seriously Workin'

2008-08-11T08:44:00.011-05:00

I had 2 cupcake jobs last week...I know, right? It was amazing. I mean, sure...it was for one of my best friends...and her mom. But still! Two jobs! I'm full on a cupcake maker, yo!

Here's a few photos of the ones I did for A. I made her a 3 Vanilla with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese icing and a chocolate on chocolate.

I'm still searching for the perfect Chocolate cupcake...any ideas out there? I'm going to try and convert my grandmother's Hot Fudge Cake into a cupcake...we'll see. In the meantime, keep those Seriously Cupcake orders comin'! Know someone having a birthday/anniversary/bad day? Do they live in or around Houston, Texas?! ...You know who to call.

Finger Finish

2008-08-11T07:48:00.004-05:00

I have been obessed with Olympic swimming since 1992 in Barcelona when Jenny Thompson was at the height of her career and, along with Summer Sanders, pretty much inspired me quit theatre (briefly) to pursue my dream of being a gold-medal swimmer (apparently they want you to actually know how to "swim"...commies...).

I've watched a LOT of swimming races since then...but I have never - NEVER - seen a race like the Men's 4x100 Freestyle Relay last night. Holy crap...I couldn't sleep last night, I was so excited. And my head is still reeling...and my heart is till glowing Olympic gold.

Now, come on, Mr. Phelps!! Six more to go!!

Basket Full O' Cake

2008-08-06T23:22:00.008-05:00

I'm done with my cake classes. We only did one cake this whole month...and it was quite a cake. Or it was supposed to be. Every week we did some flowers that, for the final, we were supposed to use. The cake was just supposed to be an overflowing basket of flowers. However, I had, some, *ahem* technical difficulties with my flowers...like maybe most of them broke before I could get them on the cake. So, this cake has a third of the flowers that I was supposed to use.

But in my opinion, it was gonna be all tacky and whatnot with all those flowers anyway...so there!

Let's take a closer look at that basket weave, shall we? ...Mostly because my hand throbbed for days afterwards and so you darn well better LOVE IT!!!

Ah, yeah...icing basket weavin', yo.

Why Yes...I DO Crave Cupcakes

2008-07-25T15:39:00.005-05:00

I read a LOT of cupcake blogs. And when they're not talking about baking cupcakes, they're talking about eating cupcakes. Most of these blogs are from people who live on the east or west coast, where you can't spit without hitting a cupcakery. However, for those of us in the south, say, Houston, for example...this is not the case. In fact, here, there are only 2 cupcake shops in all of Houston but they both sell other things. We do not have just a CUPCAKE shop.

...Until now.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Crave Cupcakes. They are located in the Galleria area of Houston - the hippest place in town (high-brow, old money...the Bush Sr's live there). My friend A and I went to visit them today. They've only been open 5 weeks but with the amount of business I witnessed, I wouldn't be surprised if they were already breaking even.

I ordered the vanilla - just a simple vanilla bean cupcake with vanilla icing, rolled in yummy white sprinkles. ...I'm not gonna lie, folks...this was the greatest cupcake I have ever placed in my mouth. EVER. It was so different from any other vanilla cupcake I've eaten...so rich, SO flavorful. It was like an entire vanilla bean set up house in my mouth...but in a good way! A got the vanilla on chocolate - chocolate cake with vanilla icing (though decidedly a different icing than mine). It was also VERY amazing. The chocolate cake had just a hint of bittersweet cocoa without being actually bitter. I brought home one of their Dark Chocolate cupcakes...which I'll try later (since I've already had TWO cupcakes today...Weight Watchers, what?!)

I also fell in love with the store itself. It's located on the corner of a hip strip center and it's entirely encased by windows - and half of that is the kitchen. You can WATCH them baking and icing the cupcakes from the parking lot. And folks...I drooled. I drooled as I watched the lady plop the batter into the cupcake shells with her ice cream scoop. I drooled as the girl iced each and every cupcake. I even drooled watching the woman roll out the fondant. And I wasn't drooling because it all looked tasty, even though oh-holy-crap it DID. I drooled...because I wanted to BE everyone of those women! I want to be dolloping my cupcake batter into huge cupcake shells and icing my cupcakes and yes - even rolling out fondant!

*sigh*

Soon...very soon.

...I Just Let The Cupcakes Do All The Work...

2008-07-24T13:00:00.004-05:00

It's official. I did it. I sold my first cupcake. My first forty cupcakes, to be exact. They took over 5 hours from start to finish...and it was the 5 most fun hours I have EVER had "working". I am in LOVE with being a baker.

The woman to whom I sold them works at my company and I had never met her before today. We have an electronic bullitin board via our email system and last week she posted a request for someone who made homemade cakes. I responded and told her my forte was cupcakes and directed her to this-here blog. She hired me to make 40 cupcakes for her 2 sons' birthday party, which had a sports theme. ...And this is what I came up with:

I apologize for the horrible picture - one of my first major business purchases will be a GOOD camera. However...I'm quite pleased with how they came out. And the recipe was AMAZING! It was first experience with Billy's Vanilla Vanilla. I have made his buttercream icing many times but this was my first time pairing that with his vanilla cupcakes. And they are great. I still prefer this recipe...but most people don't. So I will mostly use my tweaked version of Billy's cupcakes for selling purposes.

Also, soccer balls are the HARDEST design ever. I'm ok if I never have to do those again.

The lovely lady who purchased these cupcakes (someday I will have a cupcake flavor named Lauren in her honor) just posted a photo of the cupcakes on the same bullitin board telling people how great they are (she's already had 2!). Here's hoping more work comes my way!

CakeWrecks

2008-07-21T16:05:00.003-05:00

I know...I KNOW. You're all sick and tired of hearing me babble about the cake world. But I promise you...THIS website is for everyone...

I especially enjoyed reading the post on June 21. I think I see a new carrot cupcake topper...

And The Winner Is...

2008-07-15T08:48:00.006-05:00

Alrighty, blogging friends. Thank you so much - I have absolutely LOVED everyone's suggestions for my budding cupcake company. I have decided on a short list and would, once again, love to hear some votes:

Simply Cupcakes (my original favorite...even though there is already a shop in LA with that name)
So Cupcakes (again...a favorite and one that I thought was original...but those of you in Salt Lake can visit a shop with that very name!)
Seriously Cupcakes (my new favorite...and, as of this post, is completely original)
Cake THAT! (Thank you, KaRyn...)
My Favorite Cupcakes (nice one, Kristen!)

What do you all think?

Here are a few of my favorites that I won't be choosing...but absolutely LOVED:

Frakkin' Awesome Cupcakes (Cami, I may use that as a tag line for my company...)
Fairy Cakes
Cupcake Escape (...try saying that ten times fast...)
Like Muffin Tops...Only Better (when I read this, all I hear is Jane Krakowski singing "Muffin Top")
New Boot Goofin' Cakes! (because...what the crap, Zach?)

Thank you, friends. From the bottom of my Boston Creme filled cupcake heart...thank you.

Allons Enfants De La Patrie!

2008-07-14T10:07:00.004-05:00

Happy Bastille Day!

I was in the MTC on Bastille Day mmphbmmph years ago. I was lucky enough to have a French teacher - Seour Cannon. She decided that for French class that day, she'd teach us the words to the Marseillasie, the French National anthem. It's an amazing song and, even if we didn't completely know what we were singing, it was/is incredibly powerful. For the rest of the day (and several days after), every time we left for our tri-daily walks, the entire district would break out and practically shout the song.

I learned later, while in France, that the French LDS hymn book did not contain the national anthem as it contains lines talking about filling "our trenches with the impure blood of our enemies". ...I love the French.

Andrew asked me yesterday if I knew what Bastille Day was all about...and shockingly and embarrassingly...I couldn't answer. I knew it had something to do with Louis the something and Marie Antoinette maybe? Yeah...I've repented and done my homework. Check it out here. Or...watch this awesome episode of one of my all-time favorite TV shows.

Cupcake _______ ?

2008-07-09T12:50:00.006-05:00

Ok, my favorite blog readers. I need some help. I am trying to push my cupcake company idea off it's day-dreaming butt and I need serious input. I am having the HARDEST time coming up with a company name. Nothing so far has really jumped up and bit me...and I really feel that if I'm going to make this happen, I need to be bitten! So, come on campers, show me your creativity!

...And if I end up choosing your suggestion, I will totally overnight you some yummy yummy cupcakes.

Ok?....Go!

Loving the Deseret

2008-07-08T12:13:00.010-05:00

I am back from a week long trek to the Utah. A wonderful time was had by all...well, at least by me and Andrew. We spent the first days chasing a perfectly perfect one year-old boy named Max...I may have mentioned him before. He's without doubt the single cutest child EVER. Here...take a gander:

See? He's my favorite. I cannot believe how much he grows in between my visits. I am the youngest child and this is my first nephew. So, I've never spent a lot of time around growing babies. I love knowing that I am going to watch Max grow from birth to an adult. It is so much fun watching him figure out things like walking and talking (as evidenced by the video). We had such an amazingly wonderful time with Erik and Monica and Max. I love their home and I love feeling at home in their home. Thank you, Keller Family!

We then spent the rest of the week with Andrew's family - immediate and extended. Our real purpose of this trip was a family reunion on my mother-in-law's side. It was her father's 80th birthday and their 60th wedding anniversary. We spent lots of time playing around the Salt Lake area. We spent the 4th with my father-in-law's family up in the mountains...I have forgotten how beautiful Utah can be. It was fabulous to meet my new extended family! I never realized this part of getting married - not only do you get a new family, you get new cousins, new aunts and uncles, and most importantly, for me, new grandparents. I haven't had living grandparents for 10 years. So...to see BOTH sets of grandparents this week was just perfect!

In other news, Andrew and I still love our Rock Band. Our band, Frakkin Awesome, is a headlining act now, with Andrew kicking serious bottom on the guitar and I'm doing pretty fabulous on drums. Though occasionally I like to dust off the microphone - last night I got 100% singing "Black Hole Sun".

PS - for you readers living in the Salt Lake and surrounding areas who I missed seeing, please forgive...this trip was very family-centric...next time I'm there let's hook it up, mmkay?

Food Porn

2008-06-25T22:11:00.009-05:00

Krisanne has this adorable addiction...she probably doesn't want me sharing...but she lives in Korea...what can she do about it? She calls it Food Porn. Let's picture cute little Kriface, sitting in a dark room, late at night, by the light of the computer. She has a hankering for creme brulee...so she goes to Google, clicks on images, and types in "creme brulee". ...Then she starts the drooling. Ogling picture after picture of creme brulee, saliva forming in her mouth, looking over her shoulder so no one knows her dark secret. Food Porn.

Ladies and Gentlemen...I present to you Cake Porn. (And remember - they make us do these cakes just like this...they were NOT my design...and if any of you ever take a Wilton cake decorating class, you'll do the exact same cakes)

My first cake:

My second cake:

And my final cake (there was some issues traveling home so I had to do some clean-up...please don't notice those little mistakes!):

And finally, my forte - cupcakes. Here is a picture of the cookies and cream cupcakes I made. Mushed up Oreos in the icing AND the cake. Seriously folks...they rocked me.

And they can rock you, too...for a fee...

Stop your judging...

2008-06-25T07:14:00.005-05:00

I know...I KNOW! Sheesh....

I'm fully going to steal from Teresa and give you a Top 10 List as to why I've been so absent. Mmkay? Just be warned...at my new job I don't have much to do right now...so expect a long and babblelisicous post.

10. Moving in to a new house. We officially moved in May 16th. I LOVE our house. Instantly, it felt like home. We've painted some walls (red downstairs, light ice blue in our room), bought some new living room furniture, hung fans and blinds, bought workout machines and created a little gym, watered and fertilized and watered our new grass and tree...and basically have had a ball being homeowners. Pictures coming soon...

9. Cupcakes. I have fallen head over heels in LOVE with cupcakes. I've known people who love cupcakes, I've eaten many in my life, and I've even been to the famed Magnolia bakery in Manhattan for a 30th birthday cupcake! But it wasn't until I threw a baby shower for my sister-in-law, where at I made the most amazing cupcakes that I actually fell in love. I mean real love. I have bought 3 cupcake cookbooks and experimented with a few - my favorites being cookies n' cream and chocolate peanut butter. Mmmm...

8. Cake decorating. I have been a cake decorating FOOL for the past month. With this new cupcake obsession, and the idea of making a little tiny career of them, I thought I might as well learn how to decorate them. Those who really know me, know that I'm not crafty. I can pretend I'm artsy...but there's no faking the craftiness. But...I'm actually not horrible at this cake decorating stuff. And what's more - I enjoy it! Like, I really have fun doing it. Today is my final class...I'll post a picture soon.

7. Missing my best friend, Krisanne. She's already done this over-seas livin' before...so I don't know why this is harder. But she's only 4 months into a year long stay (with a possible Swiss extension) and it's killing me.

6. My husband. He is still the cutest person in the world...and let me tell you, it is VERY hard to step away from that in order to blog. I could not be MORE in love with my perfect husband.

5. Unpacking boxes. Vacuuming a huge house. Mowing our lawn.

4. Getting a new job. I know! It's just a temp job...and it's REALLY far away...and I don't really get the people...and it's less money than I was making...........

3. Quitting that job.

2. Getting a new job! (Those of you out there who don't TOTALLY know me, this isn't me - I don't just quit jobs all the time...but....you know...) I LOVE this new job. I actually interviewed here before getting that other job but they didn't really have anything. Then a few weeks ago they called and said, we're ready for you! Bonus' include - a 15 minute drive from my house; being an actual (not temp) employee; having benefits!!; really liking the people with whom I work. The only downside is that right now I don't have a ton of work (hence the wicked long blog). But that should change soon.....hopefully.

1. Wii. I love our Wii. For a while there I was playing Star Wars Lego with a kind of sick obsession (especially considering I'd already played it all the way through twice). Then we got Indiana Jones Legos, which we're still playing through and enjoy, though not near as much as Star Wars. And last night...we got Rock Band. We have been sooo excited for this. And we're not disappointed. The drums are surprising the hardest thing ever - I doubt I'll ever master it. And there's not a lot of girl songs to sing (though I wailed last night on Bon Jovi's "Wanted (Dead or Alive)...). But we love it. I was being a cake baking fool last night so I didn't get to play as much as I wanted. But you better believe that we will be having lots of concerts in our living room. Feel free to join us!

In conclusion, I've been busy...but not so busy that I couldn't have popped in to say hi. I will be posting more regularly now, I promise. With pictures of our house, of cakes and cupcakes, and our upcoming trip to Utah.

More Green!

2008-04-16T09:33:00.003-05:00

We have grass!

And carpet and doorknobs and a fence and an address...

It's Not Easy Bein' Green

2008-04-09T08:12:00.005-05:00

Here's a tip for any of you who may in the future have a hand in the building of your house. When you go to the little home studio to pick everything that will go in it, take pictures. Take pictures of everything you choose. That way, when they do what you chose, you don't look at it and say, "...There is NO way I would've EVER chosen that."...only to go BACK to the studio and look up what you chose...and see that you DID choose that....and then you look like an idiot.

Our house is green.

And we chose that.

And actually...it's growing on us.

Step By Step

2008-04-08T14:51:00.002-05:00

I'm not embarrassed to say that I am wicked excited about this.

...Ok...maybe a little embarrassed.

Housey House

2008-04-01T17:45:00.012-05:00

So, I'm still unemployed. ...Just...you know...FYI.

But let's talk about happy things, eh? Let's talk about how far along our house is coming! It's looking like we'll be in it in roughly 5-6 weeks. It's getting so fun to go visit it a few times a week, see what they've been doing.

Here's a shot of the outside:

I know it looks all dirty...they still haven't painted the outside.

Here's a shot of our kitchen at different stages:

There's flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms and most of the painting's been done (you can see some touchups are needed), the driveway's been poured, and at least all the cabinets are in.

Seriously, the closer it gets, the more excited I get. Aside from the fact that not having a job won't be a great thing when it comes time to start paying the mortgage, this time off of work has given me time to start packing. I've started on our guest room (read: junk room) and got 11 boxes packed up today. Hopefully I'll be able to get most of the nonessential things packed before I start working again....which will be real soon.........real real soon...........*sigh*

The Max

2008-03-30T20:02:00.006-05:00

I'll post for realsies later...but for now, enjoy the awesomeness that is my nephew Max: The Most Perfect And Cute Child EVER.

PS - mostly this is for my sister...enojy, Heather!

Walk-Outs, Weddings, and Max!

2008-03-13T21:43:00.017-05:00

This has been a long week...but it's Thursday night...in a few hours it's the weekend and some exciting things are afoot!

First of all, most of my readers know I hate my job. I usually hate my job but this one, and particulaly lately, is by far the most hated. Well, yesterday afternoon, I walked in my boss' office and gave her my two weeks' notice. ...I know, right? Now, before you ask, no...I do NOT have a new job yet. But a week ago I put my resume on http://www.monster.com/ and already I've had 5 calls, 4 emails, and one fabulous interview (for which I have a second one on Monday!). So I'm not worried - obviously there is work for document controllers in Houston. And let me tell you - it feels AMAZING to do this on my own terms. Because I don't have a job yet, it's like I'm saying, "This place is horrible, hateful, and sucks the very marrow from my bones." If I already had a job, it'd be like, "...I have a new job. Peace out." It's kinda been exciting around the office...mostly because I quit the day after another one of the document controllers...yeah...we're hoping to start a trend.

Second of all, this weekend my brother-in-law James is getting married! James was on his mission when Andrew and I got married so I've only known him for about 6 months. He's marrying a wicked cute girl named Kristen, who was also on her mission when we got married, and who James has been dating for about 4 years. They're tying the knot in the San Antonio temple which means...road trip! Tomorrow after work, Andrew and I are packing up the car and hitting the open road! ...Ok, it's only a 2 1/2 hour trip. But still! Road trip! Plus also...hotel! Freak, there are few things I love more than staying in hotels.........but one of them is...

Max!! Max is coming! Remember how in that last paragraph I talking about going on a road trip right after work? Well, in between those two things, we're stopping off at my parents' house to see the cutest boy in the whole wide fraking world - -MAX! My brother and his wife will be there too...and that'll be nice, I guess. But Max! Oh, Max, how are cute are you?! Let's take a look, shall we?

Still not convinced he's the greatest kid ever? ...Put THIS in your pipe...you'll know what to do with it:

And this is why I almost don't mind the fact that I've had a headache for 3 weeks...I've got walk-outs, weddings, and Max in my life...what else do you freaking need?

Kri The Korean

2008-03-04T21:23:00.017-06:00

My best friend Krisanne moved to Korea this week. She does this...moves to other other countries. She does it a lot. (Seriously - what is with the people in my life thinking it's cool living overseas?! It's not, people! It's just NOT!)

Anyway...Krisanne will be teaching English to cute Korean children at a fancy artistic-like school. I couldn't imagine a better job for her. And so, on this, the cusp of her new foreign-flavored adventure, I'd like to dedicate this post to my best friend, Krisanne Hastings.

Krisanne and I met about 4 years ago but we should have met sooner. We have unknowingly crossed paths so many times in life...we've been to the same parties, know the same people, we even think she may have come to one of my apartments at BYU once. We have something like 6 mutual friends - that we met at different times. In any case, we finally met 4 years ago at a singles' FHE group. We soon discovered our mutual love for the Indigo Girls and when they came in concert just a few months after our meeting, we decided to go together. And ladies and gentlemen...the greatest friendship of my life was born (except, of course, for my husband and my mom). The connection was instant - I've never connected so quickly and so profoundly like that with anyone. And the connection has only gotten deeper. Especially considering she and I have lived in different parts of the world for something like 3 of the 4 years we've been friends.

Krisanne is the kindest person I know. I've never known her when she hasn't been a volunteer at a children's hospital or a retirement home. She is so full of warmth and intelligence and love. She makes me laugh harder than anyone I know and I have more fun making HER laugh than anyone else in my life. There are so many things I love about Krisanne but my favorite is her bravery. Krisanne hasn't had the easiest life...but she takes everything with her head high. She went to grad school in England a few years ago...all by herself. And now she's moved to Korea...all by herself. And she does it, as she does most things, because she wants nothing more than to make the world a better place. I'm not kidding people....she's amazing.

Krisanne...you're kinda my hero.

That Dweam Wiffin A Dweam

2008-03-04T20:57:00.012-06:00

My super duper friend Teresa left me a message on my phone this week. She told me that I was lame-o for never updating my blog. And I was all....yeah...you're right. So, me voila! I post!

So 2007 is over and it was pretty much The Year Of The Wedding. Not only did the Wedding Of The Century take place in April, but my dear sweet Diane Duffy-Corado got married in November and my cute cute cousin Emma got married...well, she actually got married January 2nd. But I'm still counting it as 2007.

In November, Andrew and I were able to spend a long weekend in Washington D.C. to see Di get married. My father's family all lives out there so we were able to stay with an aunt and uncle in their gorgeous home in Maryland. We spent a day with cute A, wandering the Mall, seeing the monuments, dinosaurs, and Constitutions. We even capped off the day with a visit to the White House where we got a tour from President Bush's personal secretary, my cousin Karen. The wedding itself was fabulous. Behold the amazing Triumvirate:

Di, how you glow! And this is even PRE-baby! You must be the glowy-est now!

Then in January I had to leave my cute husband for 2 days (*gasp!*) to go to Emma's wedding in Minnesota. As hard as it was to be apart from Andrew, I had a wonderful time with my extended family. Emma was a freaking supermodel. Plus, she wore red patten leather heels with her wedding dress. ...I know, right?! Other than the fact that it never got above 9 degrees, a great time was had by all.

Thus concludes 2007, the Year Of The Wedding. ...Here's hoping that Di is setting a trend for 2008 - The Year Of The Baby!

To Deutschland With Love

2007-11-20T10:05:00.002-06:00

When I was growing up, we never lived close to any extended family. Visiting aunts and uncles always meant at least 20 hours of driving, if not more. So, as an adult, I fully expect to live far from my own siblings. My sister, however, thinks it's totally cool to live in a different country. And...well...as much as I miss her...I think it's totally cool, too! A little over a year ago, my sister Heather and her husband Karl moved to the southwest corner of Germany, to a cute little town called Buhl. They were supposed to only be there for 6 months but because they are both fluent in German and absolutely LOVE it there, they've extended the stay for at least 2 years...maybe more. My parents and I went to visit them last Christmas and had a lovely time. But I had wanted to take Andrew there one time before a) them came back and b) we were too poor to go. So at the beginning of October, we had absolutely the best trip to Germany and France just about ever.

Our first full day there, we did probably my favorite thing there. Heather and Karl discovered this great little beirgarten in the middle of the Black Forest. You drive through the mountains, park your car, and take about a 30 minute hike...

...and suddenly there's a cute little restaurant! We sat outside, looking out at a field of cows, and had one of the best salads I've ever had. Then we hiked back through the Black Forest. It was just so very...German.

We spent a good part of out time exploring castles. I served my mission in the Loire Valley in France, where you can't spit without hitting a castle. But German castles are different. They're not as grandiose and uber-fancy. And honestly, that makes them more castle-like. My favorite was Burg Eltz. Holy moly, this is a beautiful castle. It's one of the only castles that's never been taken over. Also, the same family has lived there for like 500 years or something. And they still live there. (if this were one of my sisters' blogs, she be all sorts of smart and informative...me...not so much...)

Andrew's favorite castle was just a stone's throw from Burg Etlz, called Burg Thurant. This one is much smaller but way more fun. It had winery, stables, cannons, medieval toilets, and a dungeon with human remains still littering the floor! Ewwww!!

Other things we did in the Germany - eat yummy Doners, play Settlers of Catan, saw a 1,000 year old church, walked the streets of my ancestors' home town, walked around a 2,000 year old Roman bath house, and played with my favorite sister and her darling husband.

More on the France part of our trip in the next installment!

A La France Avec Amour...

2007-11-20T10:01:00.002-06:00

Ok...not that I don't love Germany...but my sister lives 45 minutes from France...so of course, that is going to be my favorite part of our European trip. Having lived there for 16 months and never getting to go to Paris, that was my one goal for this trip. And I totally achieved it! Heather, Andrew and I got on a train Monday morning and 2 hours later we were in Paris. First of all, just being back in France was wonderful. I loved my mission but it wasn't the easiest time in my life. And I used to lump France itself in with that experience. But I know now, having been back twice now, that I absolutely LOVE the country of France (note: I have yet to visit my mission area...who knows how I'll feel then...).

We spent only like 36 hours in Paris...but we sure packed in the touristy crap! When we first got there, we dropped our stuff off at our 300 year old hotel, and took a walk. We went to the Luxembourg Gardens and had yummy sandwiches while French-people watching. Also, from our little spot in the Garden, we could totally see the top of the Eiffel Tower...and I won't lie to...I full on cried. After lunch, we split up - Heather went to one of her museums while Andrew and I just started walking. We walked up to the Seine and then all along it...watching the painters and the book salesmen and absolutely swimming in Paris.

We seriously walked loads that day. We ended up in the Louvre that afternoon. I like museums fine...but usually I get a little bored after an hour. The Louvre, however...I mean, you just CAN'T get bored. Every room you walk in is totally different from the last and all day long I was constantly saying, "THAT painting is here?! I know THAT one!" My favorite, far and away, was Winged Victory...this picture does it absolutely NO justice...It's the most stunning thing I've ever seen. It quite literally took my breath away.

So many beautiful things to see - not to mention the building itself - that was actually Andrew's favorite thing - the gorgeous architecture. We then met up with Heather and ate at a trendy spot close to our hotel - had wicked yummy croques.

The next day, Heather spent her whole day in Versailles. Andrew and I started our day at Notre Dame. I love French Cathedrals. My first area of my mission had one much larger than Paris'. But it didn't have the history...and it definitely didn't have the stairs. We walked up to the first level...I don't think of myself as claustraphobic....but....I may be a bit. Grrr...tight tight tight! Then we went all the way to the top - such a fabulous view of the city. Then Andrew and I had lunch at McDonald's. I know...we're surrounded by the BEST food in all of the world and we choose McDonald's? But first of all - MacDo is SO good in France - don't ask me why...it's just better. And also...Pulp Fiction, man!

After our Royal with Cheese's, we went to the Eiffel Tower. We took the subway and so when you come up, you don't see anything. So we followed the crowd along this road. And then...all of a sudden...it's just there, looming in front of you. The most beautiful structure I've ever seen. I can't tell you where my love for la Tour Eiffel comes from...but I pretty much can't even talk about it without getting all teary. I'm actually getting emotional just typing about it. I don't know why it's so beautiful - it's just a big iron tower that really has no point...but to make me cry, apparently.

We didn't mean to, but took the elevator to the top. There's a midway point where you think you see a lot of the city. But when you get to the tippy-top - wow. What a view! We did take the stairs down. Which was nice because we were able to stop at the first level and have a diet coke and a croissant! Heaven, I tell you...

Then we wandered and bought random touristy things...and then we went back to Germany. I know it was only 2 days...but it was the best 2 days I ever had in France. Paris is quite honestly the yummiest city I've ever been to. Done and done.

Quilts...Baby Style

2007-11-12T09:24:00.001-06:00

Ladies and Gentelmen: I present to you, the talented BabyAnne. Shop there...you won't be sorry.

I Got Married, I Bought A House, I Caught A Fish: Part 3

2007-11-06T09:22:00.001-06:00

Andrew just had his 29th birthday and when I asked him what he wanted he said, "I want to go deep sea fishing." ...My husband's so cute. So we did. We went down to his parents' and on his birthday, his dad drove us and our brother-in-law Don over to Corpus Christi where we hopped on a fishing boat and headed into the Gulf of Mexico. The boat provides everything you'd need - reel, rod, dead fish bait - it's great! So us and 30 other people just sit around and fish for 5 hours.

Now, let's get one thing straight - I was NOT going to fish. I didn't want to fish and I knew the money would be wasted on me. So I was just going to sit and read my book and look at the ocean and watch the men-folk bring in the food. But when we finally got out to the first cast off (it took over an hour to get far enough into the ocean to fish), my father-in-law says, "Come on, Susan, grab your rod!" And I was like....wha--? Apparently, he went ahead and rented ME a rod too so that they had more chances of catching as many fish as they could. Well...I had no clue what I was doing, so Don showed me how to drop the line into the water and then stop it when I wanted. So I did...and then I stopped it. I stood there for a bit and then suddenly a fish started to pull on Andrew's line! Well, I wasn't missing this photo op, so I stuck my rod into the little rod holder thingy, and went to grab my camera. Unfortunately, about 3 feet from the surface, the fish unhooked himself and swam away.

HOWEVER, unbeknownst to me, as soon as I put my rod down, a fish hooked onto IT. Don saw it move and quickly grabbed it and reeled it in. I still say it was him who caught the fish but the men say that putting the hook in the right place is where the fishing talent lies. ...Whatever.

Here's my fish.

And then my father-in-law made me gut him. See?

It was gross...but then my daddy grilled him...and he was tasty.

And that was the time I caught a fish...and it was awesome.

I Got Married, I Bought A House, I Caught A Fish: Part 2

2007-11-06T08:49:00.002-06:00

I thought that when I turned 21, I was a grown-up. But I didn't so much feel grown-up-y. Then I got my own apartment and that was pretty darn grown-up-like. ...Except for then I moved back in with my parents. But THEN I got married - dude...what is MORE grown-up than marriage?! ...Well, dear readers, I have recently found out the answer to that question: Buying a house is WAY more grown-up than getting married. You know how I know it's more grown up? It's scarier.

We were always going to get a house but like in a year or something. We started looking at model homes just for fun and then we found KB Homes. They had the most reasonably priced, while still being cute, homes we'd seen. And pretty much the decision to buy a house now was made for us. It just made sense. Done and done. Only also, they want money...that's gay.

So our house is still dirt, though they have paved the road. See?

For those of you who are curious little monkeys, you can see the floor plan here (only flip it because it'll be backwards).

They say it'll take at least 6 months to build. So we're looking at being in the house by April-ish. I'll be keeping you all updated on how the building is going with pictures and what not.

And that was the time Andrew and I bought a house...and it was awesome.

I Got Married, I Bought A House, I Caught A Fish: Part 1

2007-11-06T08:15:00.001-06:00

Hi. Remember me?

So, let's start with The Wedding Of The Century. See...I got married. ...I know, right? Amazing. Eight days after my 31st birthday, I married the best man I've ever known, Andrew Gardiner. He's not at all what I was looking for - he's better. Way better. Wicked better. And pretty much my best friend. And guess what - he's mine! Yippee! (I may or may not be doing the Charlie Brown dance right now...)

Here's a brief rundown on the Man himself: He's 29. He did much of his growing up in south Texas, a town called Kingsville - known for the King Ranch and of course, King Ranch Chicken! Yum...He graduated from Sam Houston State University in Chemistry and now works as a forensic scientist for the Texas State Crime Lab...which is SO hot. He's wicked funny...but also a little shy so if you get him talking, listen up - you'll hear some gems. He likes Jimmy Buffet and ACDC, and loves taking me to Astros' games. He collects coins and has pretty much one of the coolest coin collections I've ever seen (...ok...the ONLY coin collection I've ever seen but it's still very cool). He's the kindest, sweetest, cutest person I know...and so I married the heck out of that guy.

The Wedding itself was perfect. I know I'm biased, as it was MY wedding. But seriously, folks - it was perfect. All my closest friends were there - Krisanne, The Triumvirate, Teresa, Ben & Melanie, Emilie, The Feils, Jake & Anne, and of course all my amazing family. Seriously, one of my favorite parts of the wedding was walking into that sealing room and seeing so many people I loved.

The reception was also pretty darn perfect. I'd been teased for years because I actually wanted my reception in a church gym...but I must say, it wouldn't have been lovelier anywhere else. My mom got the help of an amazing woman in her ward who pretty much rocked my reception world. We had pretty fakey candles, pretty fakey trees, and LOTS of yummy barbeque.

Then also, we went on a cruise. For all you readers who have never been a cruise...promise yourselves that someday...someday you will take a vacation on the sea. Mmm...cruises makey me happy. We went to Jamaica (which was scary and lame), Grand Cayman (which was lovely and perfect) and Cozumel (which was Mexican-y and ruin-y).

In conclusion, The Wedding Of The Century was pretty much the best day of my life...except for the fact that every day since then has pretty much been the best day of my life. I got married...and that was awesome.

Shh....it's ok...

2007-07-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

...I'm coming back. Don't worry.....I'm coming back.

Face it...

2007-03-02T23:19:00.001-06:00

...my fiance's hotter 'n yours.

Susan the Elf, What's Your Favorite Color?

2006-11-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

Oh, the holidays make me a giddy girl. I'm naturally a wicked happy person...but add some tinsel and really cheesy Johnny Mathis Christmas songs and I'm down right sugar-shock inducing! I just had a most lovely Thanksgiving holiday with my second favorite family in the world (second to my own, of course). Being with the Bakers filled me with so much joy and love that Christmas music was playing in my car the day before Thanksgiving. Plus also, I have a boy...and quite honestly, nothing adds more joy to an already joyful season than a roll in the mistletoe.

And so, to you four people reading this tangent-filled and pointless blog, I share my Christmas joy with you by way of this most rediculous and silly game, which I'm sure you've all played as it was popular like 5 years ago. But seriously...it still makes me happy.

Snowball Fight.

OOh, also this...still makes me giggle.

I love my mom...

2006-11-13T12:28:00.000-06:00

My mother doesn't read my blog.

Maybe if I write a post about how she doesn't read my blog...she'll start reading my blog.

...And For Those About To Rock...I Salute You.

2006-11-09T08:13:00.000-06:00

Last night, the triumvirate and I got to see one of the coolest shows in music - the Hotel Cafe Tour. This venue in Hollywood is big into the indie artists and a few years ago, Cary Brothers decided to take a few regulars on tour. There is a different lineup for every city but one band that backs them up. Myspace is a contributor to the tour, as well as Red, Bono's latest attempt at changing the world. Seriously, check out Red...great cause.

First of all, we were in a tiny venue and were standing at the foot of the stage, which was maybe a foot and a half off the ground. Meaning...we were in touching distance of all these performers. Second of all, everyone played two mini sets - about 3 songs the first go 'round and 2 or 3 the next. And the last song of most of their second sets, they were joined on stage by everyone else. It made for over 3.5 hours of non-stop music and mayhem...and quite often, heavy on the mayhem.

Jonah Matranga: The only artist of the night that I don't see myself rushing out to get to know but still fun on stage. He's all sorts of affected and pretentious. Think Chris Carrabba with a smaller range and less confidence. And he liked to say the F word...a LOT.

Sarah Bareilles: Think Fiona Apple, without the sullenness...or Rachael Yamagata without the raspiness. Sarah B was my favorite find of the night. She's hot, talented, and quite possibly the most charismatic performer of the night (on a stage that was brimming over with charisma, that's saying something). I bought her EP and highly suggest you find and download the song "Love Song". Happiness on a piano.

Jim Bianco: Oh, the pyschoness that is you, Mr. Bianco. He's got a voice like Tom Waits and a freakiness like a handicapped person on crack. He's quite the comedian and quite the exhibitionist (during Cary Brothers, he was seen briefly wandering around the side with nothing but a towel hanging in front of his...special parts). My favorite Bianco moment was during his second set, he had the whole gang come down off the stage, stand in the middle of the crowd and, accompanied by an upright bass, an accordion, some random percussion, and a guitar, sing all harmony'd and clear. And even had us singing with him. (Note - on their way back up on the stage, I patted him in the back, much to the delight of the 14 year-old that is me!)

Cary Brothers: (Before the show - Me: "Ooh, I like them." A: "Um...I think it's just one guy." Me: "No - it's THE Cary Brothers." A: "No...I'm pretty sure that's just his name - Cary. Brothers." Me: "Nope - I'm positive. It's THE Cary Brothers."....I'm lame.) So, this dude totally channels Dominic Monaghan. I expected him to start into "You ALL everybody!" any minute. He was good - raspy and lyrical. My favorite was when the whole gang came up for "Blue Eyes" and, being on the Garden State soundtrack, everyone in the audience sang along, too.

Rachael Yamagata: She's the reason we were here. If you don't own her album Happenstance..., then you should stop the lameness that is you and buy it. She's one of the best "up and coming" (I hate that term) artists today. And once you get to know her...see her live. She walks on stage and pretty much no else is there. She owns the audience with her eyes, even though they're more often than not peeking out behind her long disheveled hair. The greatest part of maybe the whole night was her cursing and subsequent flirting with some random dude in the corner who was talking during her set. She almost didn't get through "Reason Why" because she couldn't stop coming on to him. When last seen, Random Dude was hanging backstage with Cary and Rachel...

Schuyler Fisk: You know her as the girl who made out with Colin Hanks in Orange County...now she's all folky and Zach-Braff-y and the cutest thing on stage. I'm quite certain she has a romantic attachment to our next artist as, when they were on stage together, she looked at him with the most lovey-dovey eyes I've seen in a long while.

Joshua Radin: ...Which brings us to my new boyfriend. He's like a younger, cuter Ray LaMontagne. In the liner notes for his CD (which I bought), he thanks Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and Nick Drake, and it's obvious when listening to him that he relies heavily on their influences. He so adorable that he is currently residing in my pocket. During the song "Closer", he kept giving me the eye - I am not kidding - the rest of the triumvirate can attest to it. He would look at me, standing at his feet, hands clasped in front of me, looking up at him, stars in my eyes, and he would smile...the sexiest eye-crinkly smile ever. No matter that he was also doing it occasionally to the girl next to me...Joshua Radin has a fan in me for just about ever. Favorite Joshua moment (aside from his falling in love with me) was the gang coming on stage to sing "Cecilia"...like I said, mayhem, mayhem, mayhem.

Thus concludes my chatty and hyperlink-heavy review. Seriously, check out these artists. There was not one time last night where I wanted someone to get off the stage. Such a fabulous show. And if you're in a city where this tour is coming, pay the small fee ($12 for us!) and go. Discovering new music is best when it's live.

Who Do You Love...Me Or The Thought Of Me?

2006-11-02T14:07:00.000-06:00

It's not his looks...or his mad guitar skills. It's the personality that I love about this man.

Quit your sucking and read his blog. You won't be sorry.

Singing's My Favorite.

2006-11-01T18:07:00.000-06:00

I have a twin. Get to know her.

This Is Not The Greatest Song In The World..This Is A Tribute

2006-11-01T08:04:00.000-06:00

I am a copycat! And pretty darn proud of it. No originality here, no sir. Seen this sweater before? That's cuz I shop at the Gap along with the rest of the twentysomethings in America (forget that I'm 30...*sigh*). You have this CD too? Weeeiird. And who DOESN'T own a copy of the DVD "Return To Me"?!

With that, I give you "First Ten Songs", something I'm copying from my dear Melanie...who also copied it from someone else......So, I'm gonna hit shuffle on my cute pink iPod, and tell you the first 10 songs that come up...even if accidentally it's Britney Spears.

1. The Truck Song, Lyle Lovett - Oh, the beauty and sexiness that is Lyle Lovett (don't think he's sexy? See him sing live...you'll change your mind). I like this song cuz he talks about being from Houston. Favorite line: "The right lane's the right one when not in England."

2. John Wayne Gacy, Jr., Sufjan Stevens - My best friend discovered Sufjan before a lot of people did. This is one the saddest songs I've ever heard...the beauty of Sufjan's voice and the emotion of the lyrics pretty much make me cry every time I hear it. Don't be afraid of his current rising popularity...Sufjan Stevens IS music.

3. Nothing In My Way, Keane - He's sweaty, he's British, he's in rehab - he's the Keane Dude! I love this man's voice what with it being all silky like. This new album is brilliant - no sophomore slump for this trio! And this is one of my favorites.

4. J'ai Deux Amours, Madeleine Peyroux - I LOVE Madeleine...but this is my least favorite song of hers. I know what you're thinking - "But Susan - you speak French! This should be your favey!!" Yeah...but it's not. I don't love her accent...and that's all I hear when I listen to this song. ...Anyway...moving on...

5. Staple It Together, Jack Johnson - I feel like loving Jack Johnson has become so cool that it's not cool anymore. Meh...I don't care (what's this word "originality"?), I love him. When he performs, he does this wicked sexy sway-y thing...he's all Hawaiian and whatnot.

6. Say Hello Wave Goodbye, David Gray - This album (White Ladder) is the single greatest driving album ever. And my cute Van Morrison plays guitar on this 9 minute song...come on...I mean, seriously people.....brilliance.

7. Go, Indigo Girls - One of my favorite bands.....one of my least favorite songs. I love Amy but sometimes I don't love her songs. I skip this song every time it comes up...

8. Utah State Fair Ad, Napoleon Dynamite and Pedro - A brilliant radio ad campaign for the Utah State Fair a few years ago. Sweet...

9. I Am In Love With You, Imogen Heap - This is NOT my kind of music - it's all techno-y and electric. But I am IN FREAKING LOVE with Imogen Heap. She can do no wrong. This is a very techno-y song and very Imogen.

10. The River, The Waifs - My brother Erik introduced me to this Austrailian folk trio. And now I want to be them. I have a list of songs that, when I'm a folk singer, I plan on covering - most of them are Waifs' songs.

Blaine?! That's not a name, that's a major appliance!

2006-10-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

When I was little, I very distinctly remember hating my name - I thought it was soooo boring. My middle name, Elizabeth, I found much more exciting and tried numerous times to get my mother to switch my name to Elizabeth (visions of being called Beth, Lizzie, Liza danced in my head). But my mom was all "Birth certificate blah blah blah" and I remained dreary ol' Susan.

Then I got older...and I don't hate my name anymore. However, I still wish there was something fancy about it...a nickname perhaps, or a quirky spelling. I have a really hot e-friend who capitalizes the middle letter in her name. For example, SuSan. And the thing is...that's totally her. She works it. She OWNS it. If I did it? ...Dude, it would stop being cool and start being ridiculous.

When I was a freshman, one of my roommates found this obscure juvenile fiction book called, I kid you not, "My Name Is Sus5an...The 5 Is Silent". I loved this. We all loved it. All 6 of us came up with number names - Bro7oke. Tiffi9ny. (Of course, pronouncing the number...it's not cool if you don't actually pronounce the number.) Could I actually get away with putting a (silent) number in the middle of my name? Hmm...

Point is, people, I need something...something that distinguishes me from all those other drabbly monikered Susans you all know. Thoughts?

Corky For President

2006-10-17T07:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning, I hopped on imdb.com and saw that yesterday was Kelli Martin’s birthday – she was in the 80’s TV drama “Life Goes On”, with that retarded kid. I clicked on “Life Goes On” and someone had reviewed it…I copy it here in it’s entirety…

“Life Goes On was a wonderful show. It never failed to make me cry or laugh. The relationships between the family were heartwarming. I wish it had run longer. I'll never forget the time that Corky rescued a pig and was hiding it in the house! I wish they'd do a reunion show.”

Dude…from now on, whenever something really makes me happy, I'm going to say, "I'll never forget the time that Corky rescued a pig and was hiding it in the house!"

Then I went to see what that Corky kid was up to and they had a quote from him…

“People said I could never become an actor because I'm retarded. It goes to show you that anyone can make their dreams a reality... unless they're brain dead.”

Dude – if you're brain dead, ain't none of your dreams becoming a reality!

Melty power bars at music festivals...mmm...

2006-10-05T13:28:00.000-05:00

Fakey Fall

2006-10-02T16:11:00.000-05:00

A crisp wind. Colorful leaves. Upturned collars. These are the things the world experiences during my favorite season, the fall.

Here are the things we in Houston enjoy during my second favorite season...fakey fall: less AC usage. Long sleeves (but only if it's thin cotton). Falling leaves...that are still green.

The rest of you may feel sad for us...but since we pretty much don't know any better, we revel in this fakey fall. The mornings are almost chilly. Occasionally, we can start thinking about turtleneck and jackets. My electric bill will be much lower next month (who needs a heater?!).

No seriously, there are many good reasons to live in Houston...The weather just isn't one of them.

**Note: when I originally wrote this, our daily high was a cool 83...This week, summer's back with highs in the mid-90's......*sigh*

I'd rather dance...

2006-09-12T12:04:00.000-05:00

There's a brilliant song by Kings of Convenience called "I'd Rather Dance With You". The whole point of the song is the fact that this guy has no confidence in his intelligence and so would rather dance with the object of his affection than talk to her. I want to pretend I don't understand this song. But hey, guess what - I totally do.

Dreamy is as Dreamy does

2006-08-28T09:55:00.000-05:00

I know this boy who is so dreamy. No seriously...he's dreamy with a capital A!

I blog...I blog now...I just let the blog do all the work

2006-08-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

Blogging is NOT as easy as people (NB) make it out to be. Those who know me, know that I'm all sorts of outgoing..."loud and overdramatic", some people may call it. Point is - I'm pretty much a book that is open. But I tell you what, this blogging is not my favey. I'll all sorts of nervous and apprehensive about hitting that "publish post" button. No seriously - I've written like 43 versions of this particular post...gross. And you know what's super silly? There is only 3 people who are ever going to read this. And so, the apprehension stops here! Because fer rils - you people don't care. And guess what? Neither do I.

Don't judge...

2006-08-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

...If you knew a girl who capitalized a letter in the middle of her name, YOU'D stalk her, too.