22 Years

Yesterday was my 22nd Birthday. It was such a good day! After classes I enjoyed opening packages and gifts from family. Everything was so wonderful and thoughtful.

I didn't feel like cooking so Zach took me away to pick up our favorite pizza deal. It was a perfect idea and hit the spot. We enjoyed our healthy little meal as we watched a movie.

After opening gifts we had cake. It was amazingly moist chocolate cake with a fluffy chocolate frosting, all made by Zachary. It was perfectly designed and tasted so, so good. What can I say, I am quite the spoiled little wife.

Special thanks to Zachary, my Mom, Erica, Kimberly, Annie and my Grandparents. Love you All!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Happy Halloween

Like our pumpkins? Me too, they are recycled milk jugs filled with my Halloween lights. We're not white trash addicted to pinterest or anything. 

Last year Zach worked on Halloween, this year, I worked until midnight. Some day we just might spend Halloween evening together, waiting for trick-or-treaters. We still had more than enough candy from activities and care packages though.

Saturday Night was Zach's singles ward Halloween party. The R.S. and E.Q. presidency's  did an excellent job planning it. Part of it was a  pumpkin carving contest, and although this one didn't win, it was my favorite.  So clever.

After the party we came home and watched 'Season of The Witch' while making and eating homemade calzones.  Delicious.

Welcome to the best month of the year. Happy November!

Green Reception

Friday, Zach and I went to a reception for Alan Green and his new wife Heidi. Alan was one of Zach's friends from St. Ignatius and one of McKays cousins, so we all got to hang out.

(Can we just address how cute a dad McKay is? He just loves showing off Brinlee.)

After the ring ceremony and dinner Zach and his buddies from High School, along with their wives, headed to the get away car to do some damage. Well, nothing serious, just writing on every window and filled to the brim with green balloons.

It was so much fun watching Zach reconnect with his friends. I loved their wives which made everything so much more enjoyable. I really would love to stay in touch with all of them. Zach kind of has good taste in people, guess that is one of the reasons I love him so much.

Success and Disaster: Food

I wanted to use some frozen fruit that we have had in the freezer for breakfast. I got creative and sliced up some frozen peaches to make berry pancakes with. The fruity pancakes turned out really nice actually. It was sweet and flavorful but still felt somewhat healthy. I also loved the purple color.

The fruity pancakes were a success. The caramel on the other hand...

This is what it was supposed to look like:

This is what two different attempts looked like. The more normal one tastes awful, the other chunky one tastes nice, but is not caramel.

I need Erica's help. My mother-in-law makes the best caramel ever. I had no idea how challenging it would be. But, I will make caramel this fall!

Happy weekend everyone. Hope all your cooking adventures go as well as my pancakes and better than my caramel.

Never Laughed so Hard

Let me introduce you to Ryan Hamilton.  He is a clean comedian.  Zach and I went to one of his shows here at BYU-I a few semesters ago. Our favorite part of his routine was on getting the wind knocked out of you.  We laughed so hard when he performed it live.  I mean so hard you can't breath or help crying. So hard you feel it in your abs the next day.

So sit down and enjoy one of our favorite comedians while burning calories and getting some positive endorphins flowing.

Happy Friday!

It's Been a While

When Zach and I had just started dating we used to go stadium singing just about every Sunday. This was our first time going in three years. We went to meet up with one of Zach's buddies from the green house. We ended up seeing a lot of familiar faces and we had a great time.

Nearly three years ago, singing our voices away with the original roomies. 

Jenna is serving a mission in Guatemala, Kaylie is happily married, and Anny is serving a mission in San Diego California. I sure love those girls and all the fun we had. It was great to go stadium singing again and re-live those freshman days a little.  

Mid-Semester

Can you guess where we went for dinner? If you guessed Texas Road House Grill you're right! A month or so ago I got a $25 gift card from work. So, after running some errands in Idaho Falls we decided to stop and enjoy some excellent food!

Look at those famous rolls. I will learn how to make them. 

We helped ourselves to some sirloin steaks.  I will never buy chicken when I can have steak. It's probably because I can make it at home anytime, but steak, I never buy to cook with. Steak is a treat I will never cease to enjoy.  Zach had the loaded potato and I had the sweet potato, my all time favorite vegetable.

Well folks, this week marks the half way point. This time next week we will be over the hump and on our way to finals. I feel like October is just flying by. Its nice to know we are almost done, but so overwhelming at the same time. So much to do and so little time! Good luck with the rest of your semester!

As I sat in the library working on homework I was distracted by the artist on the lawn mower.  By the time he was half way done I realized his perfect lines and that he had lined them up with another patch of grass across the sidewalk. It was as if I had a little rake to organize my zen garden. Little did this lawnmower know what an impact he would have on my psyche. So, thank you lawn mower.