Spring Break

Last week was Jason's spring break so we got a chance to take off for a little while. Our destination was Florida but I begged for a detor in Savannah, GA so we stayed there for a day. It was such a beautiful and charming place. I couldn't quit taking pictures. So sorry for the overload of photos but I was having way too much fun. All of the awesome parks are in the middle of downtown. We didn't even see most of them because there were so many.

The pic above is still in Savannah. Tybee Beach is about 10 min. away, but clearly it was a little cold. Sadly, where we were in Florida was a little too cool for the beach too but we still got to feel a whole lot more sun than we have in the last three months. Our lovely hosts Wade and Francine let us stay with them and showed us around.

Wade, Francine, and sweet baby Lana

Can you see what is wrong with this pic? Yes, that is a HUGE 10 ft. ALLIGATOR! This pic was taken very quickly because he looked a little hungy to me. All these alligator pics were from a park we went to with NO fences. Crazy people. We had a good time though and it was wonderful to put on shorts and sandals!

Redemption

I don't usually post stories, but this story has come up quite a bit recently and I feel the need to let everyone know that there is hope for me.

When I went to college my cooking skills were VERY limited. Okay, they were pretty much non-existent if 95% of the meal didn't come from a box/can/frozen bag that only required warming. With time thanks to friend/roommate meals I did learn a few things. I felt like I could cook a meal, or at least help cook a meal that didn't involve a box/can/frozen bag.

Then I met Jason.

I realized I was in trouble, or should I say he realized he was in trouble when we had probably only been married a few weeks or so (just long enough to have gotten back from our honeymoon, unpacked, and ready and excited to use our very own kitchen that spanned an entire 7 ft.) and he wanted to make a white sauce for something..I don't remember what. This is how I remember it going:

Me: What's a white sauce??
Jason: What??!! Uh, oh.

Anyway, you get the idea. I realized he obviously had MUCH more experience than I when it came to the kitchen. This motivated me to impress him and learn a few things. A few months later I had a brilliant idea for dinner. Clam chowder. It was cold outside and something warm sounded perfect. (You need to know that for our wedding we got these silver canisters of all different heights that you put flour, sugar, brown sugar, etc... in) While I was making it I couldn't get it to thicken up well after I had already put in the flour so I proceeded to add more flour, but nothing was working. Jason came home and we ate it anyway.

Poor guy.

I told him I couldn't get it to thicken and added a lot more flour. We started to eat and noticed it seemed a little sweet. Sweet clam chowder. Eeew. We were both choking it down when I realized I had grabbed the powdered sugar canister instead of the flour canister. Yes, we ate clam chowder sweetened with powdered sugar. We both spit it out and hadn't even attempted it again until yesterday.

I want you all to know it went well, and I did manage to use flour this time.

{photo credit}

I would like to think that I'm not the only one who had/still has a lot to learn about cooking/sewing and homemaking in general when I got married. What are some of your funny stories from when you were newly married and completely messed something up?

Need a good laugh?

This just might possibly make me laugh every day for the rest of my life:

Not something you see...

very often in Memphis! We woke up to all this snow..okay..the whole 3 inches of it, Monday morning. Everything was cancelled/closed because I guess 3 inches can be deadly to drive on. We weren't complaining though.

I didn't take any pics of our house and the snow so I thought these pics of the temple would show it well.

I was really excited to make a snowman and snowangels and let Javen play but after about 5 minutes of being outside we came in. I'm ready for spring!!

These pics below were all last week. We've had some crazy weather. Everything was cancelled/closed for this too...but ice really isn't driveable so I see the point.

The "snow"days have been fun, but I'm starting to miss my flip-flops, t-shirts, and shorts. Maybe I should just go somewhere warm. One day.

Last week

was life changing. I've learned I hate the site of one thing on Javen. Boogers. He got sick last week and had LOTS of them. I was going CRAZY wiping this kids nose all week. (I even suctioned it so much that it bled! Only a tiny tiny bit I promise, but I still felt really really really bad and vowed to never do that again.) This picture is the only one I got of the bubble and doesn't do him justice on the massive ones he was producing. We did manage to make it through however and he is getting better. No more booger bubbles.

And then, another thing happened. He started to army crawl! My times of laying him down and knowing he will stay there are about to be over. Okay, for now he really can't go that far but I know I don't have too long before the messess and injuries begin!

His idea of actually crawling right now is this, and he pushes himself backwards. It's so fun to watch. Probably because he's my child, but he really does amaze me and I'm in awe of how it's possible to love such a little person so much. On a side note: he'll be six months on the 30th. WOW.

December Highlights

I contemplated not even doing this post because it would be so long. But, I'm going to do it anyway. I'm just highlighting a few moments...okay...a lot of moments. Sorry for the length and randomness. We were spoiled again this year and got to go see family in Utah. It was so great to see everyone. Love you guys!

Watching Javen disover himself in an ornament.

Don't worry, the hill was small.

I forgot how much fun snow is. Sad.



The real highlight of skiing was that niether I OR Jason fell the entire time, with the exception of Jason just kind of squatting down one part of the run. (I'd like for you to think that I am better than Jason at skiing and didn't have to squat like he did, but that's not true. He went down harder runs. But you can still think that if you'd like!)



Watching Javen and Zakary play, kind of. I can't wait until they really can play together!

Being in the same state as her when she got engaged! Just made me feel better :)

Watching Javen tear the paper off of presents.

I have missed the temple square lights! It was FREEZING cold and we really were only outside for about 5 min. max but it was still incredible.

Just a few more things to highlight: The FOOD!! Cafe Rio, Neilsens, Leatherby's...I've missed them! Also, I sunk in and got some skinny pants...and I love them.

So Excited

For this girl!

She is going to marry him:

(pics taken from Catie's blog )

Wahoo!