With Love from Cali...It's Just the Beginning...

With Love from California...

the Beginning of our Summer Vacation...

From the beach, kite flying, lobster heads, sand sculptures, sunsets, to the California ScienCenter, space suits, the Endeavor Space Shuttle and thermo imaging machines... I LOVE CALI!!!

 

 

AUGUST 2013 Visiting Teaching Message & Handout

Hello again! 

Yep, can you believe it? July is basically over and August is only a hours away... I am headed out of town for the month of August so I figured I had better get this up today or it wouldn't get done! Hope ya'll have a wonderful summer...make sure you visit your sisters!! Click HERE for the August Visiting Teaching Handout. (If you are unable to open it, be sure that your Acrobat and Adobe Readers are updated.) 

JULY 2013 First Presidency Message

My darling husband has a hard time getting out the door to do his home teaching every month. So, to make it easier on him I condensed down the First Presidency message for this month and put it on a one-page handout.

Click HERE for the PDF if you are interested in using it for Home Teaching! It's not as colorful and cute as the visiting teaching handout, but guys don't really care about that stuff right? It's the delectable cookies that come WITH the handout that matter :) (I'll post my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe soon...)

xo,
Nicole

JULY 2013 Visiting Teaching Handout

I had so much fun making a handout for this month's visiting teaching message! 

SOOOO I have made it a goal to make a new one for each month's message. 

 Click HERE to get this handout for JULY 2013! 

Print it out and use it for your sisters, or hang it on your fridge if you wish!

xo,

Nicole

Weekend in St. George

I did it, I did it, I really really did it!!!!

I accomplished one of my long term goals. I have been saving for the past while and FINALLY purchased my new baby... a 21.5 inch iMac ... 

I know, It's a little nerdy to blog about, but if you only knew: It's been almost a year since my last computer died, and let me tell you... being a creative person and not having a computer to let it all out on is HARD and not to mention MESSY, just ask my husband! (Talk about a large, disorganized pile of paper and notebooks!) 

Be grateful for your computers people! Don't take them for granted, because at any second they could just be gone...

Birthday Bliss

Yup. I'm 22.

Turning 22 is weird. There's really no significance to it, other than to get you from 21 to 23... AND of course, being able to honestly sing 22 by Taylor Swift.

Anywho, Birthday happenings went like this...opened presents at midnight: David got me a yoga mat! 

I am sooooo excited to use it. I have been wanting one for last couple years! Now I have NO excuse for not being in shape. He also got me my favorite movie on DVD: Pitch Perfect. I laugh so much when I watch that movie. It is seriously the best cure for a bad day. David also surprised me by replacing my favorite floral tank top that I accidentally shrunk in the dryer. He actually went to the store and looked through racks and racks of clothes to find the same exact one. I don't know many men who would do such a thing. He is the sweetest husband in the whole world! I opened the nicest cards (thank you so much: Momma B., Madison, & my all of my amazing grandparents!), and package (thanks so much: Mom, Jord, Nat, & Jare) I love you all.

David  took me out for birthday breakfast, and then I spent the day working on my cake. 

So my cake was a big deal, because I love making them, and only get to make them a couple times a year, plus they are oh-so-delicious! This time, I made a square, 2-tier white cake, with both raspberry jam and homemade lemon curd layered inside (recipe coming soon!) and white vanilla-almond frosting. I decorated the top tier with faux white freesia, and a fuchsia peony ($2 at Walmart!). I love using faux flowers on cakes, because its fun to keep them and put them in a flower arrangement later on. I also did a cute icing ruffle on the sides of the top tier. The bottom tier was fun,  I attempted to stencil on the cake. It turned out pretty well. I literally took a thin plastic stencil (MarthaStewartCrafts from Michaels), laid it on the side of my cake (after freezing for 15 minutes) and smeared thin-consistency frosting over it, making sure to get all the little holes. Carefully peel the stencil off and voila! Later, I ended up painting the lace with gold pearl dust. All-around, it turned out pretty good.

Later that night, David and I got yummy dinner at Chipotle and then had some friends over to eat cake and play games. It was a blast. I am so blessed with such amazing family and friends. Thanks to everyone for making my birthday so special!

Surprise Getaway

I have the sweetest husband on the planet. Seriously. He surprised me with an overnight getaway to SLC. He booked us a suite at the Little America Hotel. It was so much fun to spend some one on one time together! Lounging by the pool, eating yummy food, going for walks...

David has been studying his heart out for the MCAT. He definitely deserved the break. He is so amazing. I feel so blessed to be his wife. His determination, motivation, intelligence, and perseverance inspires me. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

BYU Spring Commencement

The University magnanimously invited Fall Grads to the Spring Graduation Exercises. Originally, I wasn't going to attend. But then I thought about it and decided I would probably regret passing up the chance to wear such a flattering blue gown and attractive hat. I'm glad I came to my senses... it's definitely nice to have closure for the last few years of my formal education. Now to decide what's next!! :)

One year down, eternity to go...

 

My sweet husband and I have been married for a year! I can't even believe it. I am so happy and grateful that we found each other. I am so excited for what we have to look forward to in the years to come. People say that the first year of marriage is the hardest... I have no clue what those people are talking about. Marriage is the best thing ever! Sure we've had our challenges, but I can't say that they were difficult or hard to deal with, if anything, being married makes trials and hard times easier to bear. Who wouldn't want to be with their best friend everyday?

Marriage is having someone who is always there to listen and care, to laugh and cry with, to share dreams and thoughts with. Marriage is having someone who understands your quirks and weirdness...who knows your flaws and loves you all the more...it's the best feeling in the world. I love you baby! Happy First Anniversary.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Asian Chicken 
Lettuce Wraps

2 chicken breasts

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. rice vinegar

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

4 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce

1/2 c. bean sprouts

                3 green onions, chopped

      1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 head Iceberg or Romaine lettuce

Slice chicken and cook in pan with 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, vegetable oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  When the chicken is done, chop it finely and put back into pan. Mix in bean sprouts, minced garlic, and onions. In a small bowl, mix together rice vinegar, remaining 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, red pepper flakes, chili sauce, and soy sauce...mix well and add to chicken mixture. Cook on medium heat for another minute or two to warm through. Let cool until just warm. Serve rolled in lettuce leaves.

healthy breakfast option...

I have the hardest time in the mornings...I hardly ever eat breakfast because I can't think of anything yummy to fix...and cold cereal for 4 days in a row gets old fast...the other day I ran across a recipe for some baked oatmeal breakfast bars...I tweaked the recipe a bit to make them extra healthy. Husband likes them with his morning protein shake!

Healthy Peanut-Butter & Banana 

Oatmeal Bars

1  1/2 c. quick-cooking oats

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

3 T. ground flax seeds (flax meal)

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. milk

2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

1 large banana, mashed

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/4 c. applesauce

Dark chocolate chunks(optional)

Mix together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground flax meal. Add in the vanilla extract, milk and eggs. Mix the ingredients together. Then add in the mashed banana and peanut butter and applesauce. Combine all of the ingredients. If the mixture is too runny, add either a little extra oats, flax meal or flour. (I had to add a few tablespoons of flour)...Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 inch glass baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chunks on top. Bake at 350 F degrees for 20-30 minutes...(check by inserting knife into middle, when knife comes out pretty much clean, they are done)... Cut into squares and enjoy!

birthday boy...

happy birthday!!!

the last couple of days have been crazy busy...but super fun! We went to Chipotle for D's birthday dinner...(and we brought C. along as well! Can't celebrate your birthday without your best friend...)

I have been getting things ready for my man's birthday. Lately his favorite candy has been York peppermint patties... WELL... I found the coolest recipe. Yep that's right, HOMEMADE peppermint patties. They were super easy-peasy too! (click here to get the full step-by-step instructions...)

Peppermint Patties
2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. softened butter
2 t. peppermint extract
2-3 T. cream
12 oz. Melting chocolate

aren't they pretty??

Since I already had melted chocolate on hand, I couldn't help but dip some strawberries as well :) They made for convenient and classy cake toppers (and so were the peppermint patties!)

Husband's favorite cake is German Chocolate. However, I only had one chocolate cake mix on hand, and that meant the cake wasn't going to be tall enough...so I got creative and put a yellow-cake layer in the middle...it helped tone down all of the chocolate, the coconut pecan icing, and fudge frosting (which is delicious by the way!)

Fudge Frosting

1/2 c. butter

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 T. vanilla extract

3 1/4 c. powdered sugar

2-3 T. heavy whipping cream

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in cocoa and vanilla. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Pour in cocoa mixture. Beat well (mixture will be extremely thick). Beat in cream a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.

 D's birthday was a success! Yummy food and great company.