This Is What Happens When...

I'm becoming quite the professional chef now. I have been to TWO cooking classes so, yeah, I'm a pro. Teresa suggested we take a Contempory Sauce class at Sur La Table a few months ago. She LOVES cooking. She makes stuff up in her head, tweeks recipes all on her own, has fancy French cookbooks, won a pie contest for crying out loud, owns a fancy shmancy ScanPan (gasp!!), watches Top Chef, and this was her third cooking class at Sur La Table. She is obviously much more chefy than me. That's okay - she rocks it.

We arrived at Sur La Table and you know when you walk into a store with lots of fun gadgets, miniature versions of big gadgets & awesomer versions of gadgets you already own and all you want to do is shop for hours and spend money like you have piles and piles of the never-ending stuff shoved in your underwear drawer and other equally nonsensical places ??? That was me.

Screw the cooking class.

Kidding.

Okay so we walked into an awesome professional kitchen and met our chef, Bobby Christy. Just say the name out loud. Bobby Christy. It has a certain flair doesn't it? Bobby Christy. Now whisper it seductively - Bobby Christyyy. He's a nice man who is very passionate (might I add dramatic) about cooking. The chefs, I learned, are very passionate about what they do and like to use the word 'Beautiful' about everything. Not just 'Beautiful' but 'Beauuuuuutiful'. As in, "The sauce will have a beauuutiful satiny, shiny look to it" and "You are looking for a beauuuuuutiful golden brown carmel." Oh and everything has a gender,too. As in, "He just wants to be left alone right now. He knows how to play well with others so he'll tell us when he's done." Awkwaaaaard.

Moving on. I had a GREAT time!! First off we made a beauuuutiful French sauce which was served over (barely) grilled shrimp. We learned how to devein the shrimp - or as I prefer to call it, taking out it's poo vein. I have a hard time eating shrimp for the very fact that they are scavengers so actually de-poo-ing it yourself was somewhat gross. I lived through it though. My poor shrimp were quite massacred due to paranoia that the alien intestines were still there.
And after that we skewered the little suckers right through the poo hole for cooking:

Insert picture of Teresa de-poo-ing a shrimp here. Have to add it when I get home - thought I did but apparently didn't.

Here is Chef Christy making the beauuuutiful sauces to go over the salmon (gag! but I ate it with dignity and because it came straight from the fish market it wasn't that bad....and I was starving):

The sauces were the best part. Absolutely beauuuuuutiful. We agreed that we could have easily just slurped up the sauce from a bowl and been satisfied. I could hardly taste the French sauce over the grilled shrimp but it was good nonetheless. This second one was really fantastic but the third, which was served over barely seared beef (very scary!!!) with roasted red peppers was my favorite. Also the easiest. My kinda sauce right there. With all the barely cooked meat I was a little grossed out, but I decided to trust in the chef who knows what he's doing and I wasn't disappointed. I still won't ever cook it like that myself, though. No. Way.

We were given a small break in between to go shop the store - YAY!!!! Teresa and I snapped this pic real quick and jetted off to Kitchen Heaven to make use of our 10% off priviledges!!

I set out to get a silicone brush. I needed one of these badly! I got the green one:

I really really really really wanted a mini magnetic set of salt and pepper grinders - soooo cute!! - but I resisted because I what I need is a regular size set and I can get those cheaper elsewhere. So I bought a cool palm peeler and palm brush, instead!

Aaaaaaaaaaand, I owe this all to Teresa who very kindly reminded me that I have yet to purchase my fondue pot so that we can have a Fondue party with my acquired Fondue cooking skills. She researched pots for me a loooooong time ago but I just couldn't figure out what one would work best for me.....until this!!!!:

It's all mine. MINE!!! (greedy little laugh inserted here). I will dazzle and shine with my new pot!! Sigh. Isn't it beauuuutiful??

After we ate our last mini meal and enjoyed Bobby Christy's cocoa-covered truffles, he personally walked Teresa and I out the door. As Bobby Christy held open the door for us, he handed me his very own class packet and said "Here are some of my class notes." It was very smooth. I knew right away what his 'notes' were but I still found myself thumbing through the pages as fast as possible to see if I was correct. Second page, on the bottom it read: Bobby - (telephone number). WHAT?!!!! Crud!!! Didn't he see the wedding band? He had to of. What am I suppose to do with his number?? Oh I felt so bad because he was very courageous and put himself out there. But...But...I dunno. On the positive side, it was very flattering. I am so glad Teresa was there to share the moment.

So...This Is What Happens When....I Go To A Cooking Class At Sur La Table!!

Beauuuuuutiful.

Bobby Christy.

M is for Magnific!!!!

I am super fantastic.

I recently decided that I was going to make myself a necklace-holder-device-thing. I have looked at buying one, but didn't want some hanging thing that stands on my dresser, didn't want to invest in a bigger jewelry box, didn't want to go and get some gay wooden peg rack and put it on my wall. So, after searching on the internet for some do-it-yourself ideas, and after finding them all very dumb, I set off to Roberts to try and figure something out with bits and pieces of ideas.

I was trying to find an empty frame of sorts, but instead ran across a wooden M. That would be so much more fab, dontcha think?? Me, too:

I was thinking I would just paint it, which probably would have been easier, but I kept thinking I would have to dress it up somehow - like with ribbons or something. But I am not a fan of too much blah-de-blah and thought about something my mom had made me for Christmas with Glossy Accents, and that thought turned into Modge Podge. Yeah...I can do that. (Although...thinking about it now, I really could have just painted it and been done with it. It's still not going up on a wall...outside of my closet, anyway.)

Okay, so I picked out paper that kicked A$$. Just look at it - it's fabulous!!!- and Modge Podged that sucker onto the M:

Then I 'patched' up exposed areas with matching kick a$$ zebra-paper and finished up the layers of the Modge:

Added some frame hangers on the back:

Used my mini handy-hammer to pound in some tiny nails I already had:

And wah-la!!! I haven't finished all the nails yet (I was trying to finish watching disc three of Private Practice so my attention span was needed elsewhere), but I will tonight and then it will get hung on the wall in the back of my closet for easy pickings!! I'm so proud of myself :) I feel a little dumb, however, cuz this would fit really well in a 9th-graders room...but whatever. It had to be more than just a wooden M. It had to be Magalicious!!!

Bazinga!!!

Starring....Me!!!

My cute husband sent me a love note this afternoon - what a keeper, that man :)

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Matisyahu

I LOVE this music. Last February, a couple weeks after Gaven came home from his mission, I was at my parent's home and Gaven was rocking out to this guy and his song "One Day". He was playing it so much that Morgan was going crazy - even though he liked the song, too. I couldn't get it out of my head and I started playing it all the time! It's an infectious song with a great message. I thought I would put it up since I have been hearing it on the Olympics now and then. I love that the song kind of goes along with the Olympic spirit. Good stuff. Anyway - enjoy!

V-Day

Paul and I don't do gifts for Valentines Day. Our birthdays are so close to it anyway and it doesn't matter to us. What does matter, however, is our tradition of the Melting Pot. Mmmmmmm. I want to go back right now. We usually wait to go after the Valentine holiday but this year we signed up for the Valentine's menu to experience some different flavors. So here we are heading out for some food and fun on Saturday the 13th:

(We can't teach this kind of cool - it just comes naturally.)

Awwww - aren't we cute with the heart and the hands??? I know, I know:

We started off with some super yummy White Grape Sparkling Juice:

and scarfed down (while savoring) our Pesto Walnut cheese fondue - yeah, it's as good as it sounds. And then the most awesome Caprese salads came out, followed by our entree. Your welcome for the picture of raw foods:

We had shrimp, scallions, lobster ravioli's, coconut curry chicken, pork and some beef covered in something I can't remember. Very very nummy.

Our witches brew, mwa ha ha:

We had a splendid time together. I love going out and being silly with him and just talking. It feels like forever since we've done that with him being so busy all the time. I miss it so I enjoyed it immensely.

We ate till we popped! And I like to pretend that I am pregnant and wig Paul out...but, he's growing immune to it. I, however, like to make fun of all the pregnant women who feel like they have to do this to their belly:

Drives me CRAZY - blaggghhh. Sorry if I offend anyone - but not really.

And, lastly, we enjoyed some Valentines Banana Foster, with white chocolate colored pink and a little caramel. Our waitress learned about our reason for celebrating and brought out two candles for us to make birthday wishes. So cute:

We like to go over to the Gateway and spend some time walking around and window shopping, but it decided to be freezing cold and ruin our fun so we went home and later went to see Wolf Man with Paul's little brother. Here's a hint: The movie blows. Just sayin'

Things I'm Lovin' On

My fab friend has a fab sister who I think is super funny and her blog is fun to read. I like to imagine this fab friends' fab sister and I being super awesome friends because we both love to snowboard (although she can kick my trash at it) and we both love music and post about it. She's really a fun girl. Paul and I met her and her husband for the first time when they stayed at our house while visiting family! They were so excited to stay in our beautifully finished bed and breakfast (meaning that we were in the middle of remodeling and there was drywall dust everywhere and they had to sleep on an air mattress and share our one and only shower - ah, what memories for them!). Anyway, she recently posted about the things she loves right now in this month of love. So, we're all sharing thoughts!

I'm always digging my Champion sports bra. I practically live in these things in the evening hours and you have to have one that makes you feel hot (and great support, of course!) Yes that's me down there....okay no it's not. Shut up!

Hubband grabbed me a super awesome Timex Heart Rate Monitor for Christmas. I couldn't find my exact one but this serves its purpose. While numbers don't and can't matter to me, it's fun to check out my heart rate and calories burned. Plus I feel cool when I wear it.

And what better way to ruin my diet than with Senor Rico rice pudding?? Mmmmmmmm yum yum. I think I am going to go to Harmon's on my way home. Love. This. Stuff.

Busted out some Martinelli's for Paul's birthday and wondered why in the H do I not drink this more often?? Oh that's right, empty calories. But still, it makes you feel so la-de-da when your drinking it. I have lots of fun memories tied to these things with my college roommates. In fact, Becky gave me one for part of my Christmas present our sophomore year (that would be 2002) because of the stupid funny things we'd do while drinking these...and I still have it! Seriously - it's on my 'wine' rack marked with an X so I know not to drink it because then I probably really would be drunk instead of just acting like it:

My new best friend. Love my Blender Bottle - it's perfect for my protein shakes...and it's fun to shake, too.

And lastly for now, Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy! I HATE HATE HATE the BBW lotions (hint: don't ever buy them for me, please!!!!), but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Aromatherapy line of lotions. They smell uber good and make your skin feel silky soft. And the Black Current Vanilla massage oil and pillow spray - so awesome!! The hubband likes it a lot {wink, wink}

So....what do you all love??

The Last Song

This has been sitting on my shelf for a few months...:

...and I finally dug it out and dived into it. And like every single Nicholas Sparks book I own, it did not disappoint. It is such a great book, powerful I might even add, and a total tear jerker!! A couple of his books have done that to me, but they are worth the read despite the crying. Whether a fan of Nicholas Sparks or not, this book is a must-read. I am excited for the movie to come out, although I have my reserves about Miley Cyrus (something about her face bugs me so that might just mean she sucks as an actress) so for anyone who hasn't seen the trailer, break out the popcorn:

p.s. I'm really sorry that all my YouTube videos get cut off on the right. One day I will look into and solve the problem. .....One day......

A Little Musing

I was just musing here at my desk as I read over my blog entry on my husband, thinking about Becky's blog entry about her husband, and also about my other college roommates who have equally awesome husbands who are honest, hard-working, grounded, good men that love their wives and kids. I was musing that we are pretty lucky girls to have all found such a rarity. And, I was musing that maybe it's not such a rarity - they may be harder to find, but probably not so rare as one of my [married and divorced twice, fall in love twice a day with all the wrong men] friends seem to think it is. But then again, maybe the five of us (well, six, but I really don't know the other one's husband well at all since she just married) somehow beat the system and found the rare ones. :)

Daily Rant #8

I'm sorry but I have to just say that I get extremely bugged by people trying to be healthy but think that by adding whole wheat into their diet they are now 'being healthy'. I'm sorry but no. Doesn't anyone know that wheat has been so hybridized that it's not even the same thing that our ancestors used to eat? People eat way too much of it and the majority of people are sensitive to it even if they don't know it or show signs of it. It's a very common allergen. Yes we still need to eat grains, blah blah blah. I'm not an expert but I just want to encourage people to stop believing all the hype out there. The food industry likes to use this 'whole grain movement' (which isn't a movement really) and say that their cereals and breads are now made with whole wheat so now it's healthy. WRONG. NO. ITS. NOT. Grrrrrrrrr. I'm ranting about this because I just read a COOKIE recipe where the lady says "and I used whole wheat flour to make it healthy!" Are. You. KIDDING. Me??

Paulie's Birfday

I wish that I could explain the awesome that I was for Paul's birthday on Tuesday, buuuuuuuuut...it's personal ;)

What I can tell you is that he set off for the day with a surprise goodie basket of beef jerkey and snickers - his favorite snacks!

Then, I arranged for my brothers to go and pick up this and set it all up while we were both gone:

Paul had asked for one over a year ago for Christmas, but I wasn't willing to spend all of his Christmas on one of these. His parents, brothers, and my parents all went in on it together:

He was gone all day :( and then had scouts so I only had about three hours with him, so I made them count! He came home to his most favorite foods to which we wine and dined over candlelight. He had his very own mini cheesecake that I drizzled in chocolate and topped with chocolate chips!:

He had a visit from Teresa, who brought over a gift from her and Paul (her Paul), which I can't wait to still a bite from when he finally cracks it open. It's from England - we're la-de-da.

And then!!! I made him play Hot/Cold to find his gift. Since it was dark by the time he came home, he didn't even notice the new addition on our side patio, which worked out great for me!:

And THEN!!! He got a full body massage. I'm awesome, I know! He was exhausted so after that, he was out like a light. We had a great time together - so glad that he liked his presents!!

A Fine Frenzy

A Fine Frenzy indeed. I am really digging this chick (Alison Sudol). Her music is so catchy and fun. My favorites are Happier, Blow Away, What I Wouldn't Do, & Bird of the Summer off of her Bomb in a Birdcage album She has such a great voice - I love to listen to her.

Check out this video of Blow Away - I think it's adorable.

Blow Away

a fine frenzy | MySpace Music Videos

27 Reasons I Love My Husband

My best friend/lover turns 27 today!! Here are a few reasons of why I consider myself the luckiest girl in the world:

1. He makes me laugh every. single. day. I had no idea he was as funny as he is until I married him.

2. He is super sexy...couldn't ya tell??

3. He is the most motivated person I know (along with my father). For two years straight that man worked a full time job, went straight to school, wouldn't get home till nearly eleven and then woke up at 4:30 in the morning just to do it all over again - all so that he would have a degree and a decent career to take care of his future family. And the man has never stopped!

4. He knows his priorities. Even if he works a lot, he knows what really matters and would never put anything above our marriage.

5. Such the romantic!! He does the most romantic things, writes me poems and puts a lot of thought into what he does for me.

6. Paul is such the smarty-pants!! When it comes to math, accounting, business and the like, I don't even try to stay on the same page. He is oodles and oodles of smart!

7. He would do whatever it took to take care of me.

8. Even though he is not a fan of children, he sure is a big hit with them. I am kinda, sorta-maybe but definately sure he'll make an awesome dad.

9. I love that he is most himself around me and that he loves to be with me. A lot of his personality doesn't come out when he is around other people - but I see it everyday and I love it.

10. He has a weakness for Mountain Dew, which for the most part, I have been able to convince him to give up.

11. He and I share the same views and opinions, which makes life a whole lot nicer.

12. He is the best work-out partner. We workout together most everyday of the week and keep each other healthy (except for these last few weeks where he has been so busy.)

13. One time he had to work for 30-something hours straight. I didn't see him all weekend. He came home and I fully expected and wanted him to sleep- but he wouldn't until it was time to go to bed so that he could spend some time with me before the weekend was over.

14. He is a bad fibber. 99% of the time I can tell when he's lying. Good thing that he is an honest man and only lies to joke.

15. He loves that I can toss around a football, play catch or shoot some hoops as well as a boy, and I love that he loves that.

16. He tells me daily how much he appreciates me. He notices the simple things and I can see it in his face how much it means to him and I try to never take that for granted.

17. He is good to his family

18. He is good to my family and I know that they all love and accept him- including my father - and that is a wonderful feeling.

19. He owns two of his own companies, is a partner in a third, and works full time as an accountant/controller/manager/H.R. He is a man in great demand at his work. His boss' come to him for advice and opinions. At our wedding reception, one of the owners told me they didn't know what they would do without Paul, and it made me extremely proud of him. He worked his way up from the bottom of that company to the top of it and he still remains humble.

20. He is an extremely trustworthy man.

21. He is reliable and never flakes from his responsibilities.

22. He knows me inside and out and loves me anyway.

23. He is my biggest fan and supporter.

24. He loves his sports and thinks I'm the coolest wife because I think its important that he does those things and I love to go and watch and support him.

25. He goes out to lunch with his grandma every other Thursday ever since his grandpa passed away a few years ago and left her alone. This makes my own grandma think he is the best damn grandson and she is 'tickled pink' with him.

26. Life and marriage with him seems effortless - no joke.

27. There has never been a day that I have had to question his love for me and that is a beautiful gift. I know that I am an extremely lucky person to be loved the way that he loves me.

And that's not all folks. But, I feel all the hatred and jealousy of other women flooding over me so...I'll stick with the 27 theme. {wink, wink}.