My Eternal Family

Carson and I have been called into primary, both in different areas. He teaches the valiant 9, and I teach CTR 5s. We are also Cub Master and assistant cub master. They have been a challenge to get used to but it is nice. Anyways, the theme for this year is "My Eternal Family." Obviously this entails that families can be together forever. I am excited to know that in a little over a month my sister Stephanie and her husband Scott on their anniversary are going to be sealed in the Temple, along with their son and daughter Kaytee and Dawson. Perfect theme for the year for a family with two kids in primary who will at almost the end of the year be sealed for time and all eternity to become that "eternal family."

I have also recently been thinking about all that an eternal family means. It is something pretty deep and the most amazing blessing and covenant that we can make.

I am SO gratful for my family. I love all of them dearly, and feel their love for me. They are everything to me, and yes I come from a big family but I feel it is the perfect size, too bad I cant see everyone more. My new family I love already, even if I am still getting to know them, and I know that they love me.

Thats all...

Food!

I love to cook. It is a passion I think is becoming more and more apparent to me. I especially love desserts, but I love preparing and serving a very good tasting and look meals. So here are a couple of my recent makings:

Chocolate Cheesecake

This was delicious, although I recommend that you make it with the intention of more than 2 people eating it. I think we got fat by the end.

Rolo Cookies:

This recipe is very simple and I owe the credit to my sister Stephanie who introduced them to me. They are a constant make now, and my roommates have adopted them also.

Poached pears:

I got this recipe from  Maegan's blog.

although I decided to use caramel instead of white chocolate.

It had a great drizzle effect and the taste was amazing.

French Chocolate Silk Pie:

This one is a keeper indefinitely and doesn't last very long, I decided for your benefit to post the recipe with my comments of what I do in parenthesis.

Crust:

1 refrigerated pie crust (from 15 oz pkg) or pastry for one crust pie (I usually use a chocolate graham cracker crust instead)

Filling:

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate cut into pieces

1 cup butter, softened NOT margarine

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla (I usually do about 1 tsp.)

4 pasturized eggs or 1 cup refrigerated or frozen fat-free egg product, thawed

Topping:

Whipped Cream

if using pie crust, bake as instructed and let cool completely. Melt chocolate and let cool. In a small bowl beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar beating until light and fluffy.Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating at high speed for 2 minutes after each addition. beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.

 

pour into crust, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. (I usually make it the night before I want it, the cooler the better it tastes) top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings/curls if desired. store in refrigerator.

 

Spider Bites:

All these are simple brownies taking the gooy parts and smooshing together into a ball, dipping in chocolate and decorating. We used chocolate sprinkles, red hots and chocolate twizlers cut up.

Arent they Cute! :)

Wedding Festivities

This post will mostly be pictures, the wedding was great and everything went according to plan, at least that which I knew about. Who knows though sometimes the bride is left in the dark to sort of, protect her. :)

You can look at all of the pictures at here and here. Enjoy!

 

New Ride

With one vehicle and two slightly different schedules, it gets a bit difficult, and not to mention all the walking from the parking lot to work, and the gas prices.

So that is why we decided to purchase a Scooter

We bought a SUNL scooter 150 cc, it didnt cost very much and runs just as good as the $400 more ones. It has great gas milage and works great on our hill with the two of us on it. And we get to park basically on campus. This guy works great!


oh yeah, I cut my hair too :)

Yellowstone

For the Fourth of July weekend I went with Carson and his family to Yellowstone. We saw lots of animals and mud pots :) Here is the count: 6 Grizzlies (one cub), 8 black bears (about 3 cubs), lots of elk, deer and bison (buffalo). Carson saw two wolf, but I was too slow with the binoculars to find them :)

The grizzly cub cause a traffic jam, cause he decided to hang out on this ledge right above the road.Up on the ledge. Cute little guy.


This was at our camp site, and these two hung out during the last full day there. and Carson snuck up on them :)
At the mudpots.
It was a lot of fun, besides the rain and not showering for 4 days. We took a pretty route to Yellowstone and back so the drive wasnt bad either.

Hitched & Honeymoon

Well, its official, as of (thanks to Melissa I know this) 11:13 on June 12th, Carson and I were married and sealed for time and all eternity. :) pictures coming as soon as I get them. The Honeymoon was great! We stayed for two nights in a lodge/cabin thing at Mt. Rainier and went hiking one day and the weather stayed great. To much dissappointment of Carson we didnt see much wildlife, and what we did see wasnt to wild.

The White Breasted Nuthatch We are almost FINALLY to the top of the 1300 feet elevation gain and there is this really pretty rock ledge on the switchback. There were two white breast nuthatches, at least thats what they looked like to me with my new bird ID knowledge, the one flew away. We got the camera out cause it was a pretty spot and curiously the bird was actually kinda close.

With carson prepared with the camera the story began. So I held my hand out to it coaxingly and surprisingly it flew at me! I was so surprised that I jumped and so it flew back to the branch. Now I was prepared and tried again, it flew right behind me to a branch on the other side.


I held my hand out again and it started to come towards me, but right before it did I could tell it wasnt going to get on my hand, but test it for food, so I pulled away and had a thought. We had pringles for when we got to the top. So I got one out and surprisingly, it took it right from me (a piece stayed between my fingers from its fast grab) and flew off, thats all it wanted me for, was food.


Man am I glad that it didnt take my finger. Well the rest of the hike was fun and we were SORE. We loved that stay and the only complaint we had was of the sulfur water that smelled and tasted like rotten eggs. :) Now we are back and working and setting up house, quite a little adventure in itself. :)

Wow.

Time really flies, which is surprising with not having school for the last month. Well, the wedding is right around the corner, and I got everything that I can get done done until I go home in a week to Washington to finish all that stuff up. Well at the beginning of the month I went up to Wyoming with Carson to his brothers, his brother had a black bear tag and carson was going to go hunting with him. Last minute I was invited to come along so I did.

On of the days we were there there was a cattle branding, which actually didnt bother me at all which surprised me. then after that Carson and I got to take two horses and just ride around. That was fun. I've not ridden a horse for about 4 years, and even then its only ever been in line or lead by a rope, never by myself. But I loved it and I felt like I knew kinda what I was doing and it felt right. The following monday we went to help herd some yearling cattle up. So I got to really ride just me. and I liked it and felt like I did good, but man was I sore! :)

















Thats been the main thing that I've done this past month. I got a 3.51 GPA this semester at BYU, which is really good and the best I've gotten so far. Including an A- in my physics class :) and not to mention that I was engaged and planning a wedding that same semester. I am proud of myself holding that all together, and I dont really feel stressed.



Yes, Carson and I are excited and everything is perfect for the go ahead. We cant wait, well we can and we do, but we are excited.
Carson the Giant