Summer Garden Spaghetti Pasta of yumminess and goodness!

So today I was thinking about all the things I wanted to eat. There was so much. I rarely crave vegetables so when I do, I run with that, because they're so yummy and healthy. So as I thought about the different vegetables I wanted, I decided they would all taste great together. The best part? You can get them right in your own garden! At least we could at our house.

So here's my recipe for: TADA: Summer Garden Spaghetti!

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Half of a red onion, chopped
Zucchini, Diced
Eggplant, Diced
Half a pound of mushrooms
Either about 4 diced tomatoes, or 2 cans of diced tomatoes

Palmful of salt
few pinches of each: Basil, Oregano, and Rosemary Leaves.
Red Pepper to taste
Palmful of Sugar (yes sugar)

Pasta of your choice. I like thin spaghetti or bucatini rigati

-In a frying pan, cover the base of the pan with a layer of extra virgin olive oil
-In Olive oil, fry garlic, onion, zucchinni, eggplant, and mushroom. Keep stirring and when the vegies are tender and the garlic are browning, add tomatoes.
-Stir those and start boiling the water for your noodles.
-Add spices
-Add them to YOUR flavor
-Keep stirring to keep from sticking and burning. after tomatoes start to...saucify...turn it down to a simmer.
-When water boils, make your pasta.

When the pasta is done you can either put the sauce and vegies on the pasta or mix it all. I like to mix it. Grate parmagianno cheese over the pasta and ENJOY! SOO YUMMY!



So tonight I was

It's beginning to feel a lot like fall

This morning I woke up and looked outside. Sunny. Another hot day I'm sure. But as I took Coco outside, the cool crisp air hit me. It's a crispness that is unique to one time of year, and one only:
FALL!
The air is even different as the coldness of winter sets in. It's different than the coolness of spring. Fall is biting and crisp! It makes you want to cuddle up in your coat, which you've been waiting all summer to wear.

The Leaves start to change colors! When the mountains begin to change colors it means it's almost my best friend's birthday! Fall is so exciting! I love the quote in "You've Got Mail"
"Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms."

Today I wanted to make carmel apples! And Apple pie! And Apple cupcakes! I want pumpkin pie and Pumpkin spice donuts! I want hot chocolate with marshmallows!
I want to wear Red and orange and Yellow and Brown! I want to go buy a new scarf! I want to go break out my boots! I want a new pair of jeans! I want to layer my clothes and wear long sleeves!
I want to lay under a tree and read a book covered by a light blanket! I want to go for a walk with my puppy and touch the leaves! I want to go up to the mountains and have a bonfire and cuddle up with someone to stay warm from the cool mountain air. And of course eat marshmallows.

Fall means a consecutive following of fantastic and awesome holidays! First Halloween! This year I vow to have an awesome costume and attend a fun halloween party! I will carve a pumpkin this year! I'm going to eat my dad's chili and see how adorable my nieces look in their little costumes!

I'm going to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family! I'm not going to stress or freak out. I'm going to relax all day, watch movies (not football.) I'm going to take a walk with my nieces and puppy. I'm going to eat everythign I want and not care how it looks on my hips! I'm going to help my mom in a kitchen and I'm going to make a pie!
And before I know it, The warm colors will change, and the white will start to fall. People will start being generous and kind and happy. And then...
It will start looking a lot like Christmas.

My Soul Delighteth

Today in Relief Society we had a lesson on "My Soul Delighteth." We talked about little things in this world that delight our hearts. So here is my list of 101 things that delight my soul! So in no particular order:

1- Watching the ballet
2- Buying lace on ebay
3- Watching sweet peas bloom in my garden
4- When a guy tells you he likes the way you smell
5- Dying my hair red
6- Wearing and buying sexy shoes
7- Peace Signs
8- Cuddling with my puppy
9- Watching Sound of Music with my sisters and mom
10- Clean high thread count sheets on my bed

11- Rome
12- Cake batter ice cream
13- Reading a good book
14- Watching Gone with the Wind with Sharla
15- Walking through NYC while it's snowing
16- Being on Stage
17- Wearing something I've sewn for myself
18- Getting flowers
19- Dressing up and going to the rennaissance faire
20- Sitting on the beach

21- Going to the symphony with my mom
22- Watching Singin in the Rain
23- The crisp Fall Air
24- Lemon Bars
25- Big tips!
26- When my nieces say something halarious
27- When everything in the spring starts to turn green
28- Going to a new temple
29- Studying church history
30- Skydiving

31- Traveling with my best friend
32- Singing with Chad
33- Modern Dancing
34- Rachmaninoff's 2nd Concerto
35- My red allstars
36- watching home videos
37- Losing Weight
38- Hanging out with Russell
39- Reading Isaiah
40- Getting a strike while bowling

41- Laying on the grass in the sun
42- Getting a Tan
43- the smell of costumes
44- Tap shoes
45- Giving people gifts
46- Monkey bread
47- Blue Popsicles
48- Buying clothes from Anthropologie
49- Citrus Sobes

50- Snowboarding down a hill without falling once
51- Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D
52- Lilies
53- Peacock Feathers
54- Kisses
55- White Christmases
56- Smart Water
57- Driving into Redlands, rolling down the windows, and smelling orange blossoms
58- Robert Jason Brown music
59- Clair De Lune

60- Sewing
61- Bernini's artwork
62- Cuddling
63- Photography. Sigh.
64- A really good night's rest
65- Chocolate covered strawberry
66- Nutella Gelato
67- Shopping with my sisters
68- Crocheting
69- Singing.

70- New Scarves
71- Chocolate Milkshakes
72- Gorgeous Sunsets
73- Ed Hardy shoes
74- Going for walks at sunset with my puppy
75- When the leaves in fall are BRIGHT RED
76- Holding hands
77- Hearing music from Ragtime
78- Clean Room
79- Learning something in History, then recalling it in a conversation later

80- Studying U.S. History
81- Christmas Morning with my family
82- Hot Chocolate with marshmallows
83- Sleeping in my own bed
84- Letting my geek flag fly
85- Driving with Kristi
86- Italian Food
87- Getting a full body massage at a dayspa
88- A first kiss with someone
89- Understanding Isaiah

90- Black Lace
91- Sitting under the Christmas tree staring at the lights
92- Pearls
93- Breezy Summer nights
94- Hugs from my India kids
95- Getting my nails done
96- Chocolate Souffle from Bistro 258
97- Fourth of July Fireworks
98- Barbecues at my sister's house
99- Pirates
100- Watching Prince Phillip and Aurora meet
101- Disneyland

My life according to Flogging Molly

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Repost as "my life according to (band name)"

Pick your Artist:
Flogging Molly

Are you a male or female:
Factory Girl

Describe yourself:
Cruel Mistress

How do you feel:
It's the Worst Day since Yesterday

Describe where you currently live:
Within a Mile of Home

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Far Away Boys

Your favorite form of transportation:
On the Back of a Broken Dream

You and your best friends are:
Rebels of the Sacred Heart

How do others view you:
Never Met a Girl like You Before

What's the weather like:
Lightning Storm

What's your biggest pet peeve:
Selfish Man

Favorite time of day:
The Light of a Fading star

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
The Story So Far

What are you best known for:
Seven Deadly Sins

Thought for the day:
The Sun Never Shines on Closed Doors

How you would like to die:
Don't Let me Die

Your soul's present condition:
Punch Drunk Grinning Soul

Your motto:
To Youth!

It Rays to live in Ogden

Ogden gets a lot of slack, and I completely understand why. But I think it takes a lot more slack than deserved. It's not nearly as trashy as say...west salt lake. Not nearly as full of crime either.
I was driving to meet a friend today. It was close to sun down. I had my windows down, allowing the cooling summer night air to blow through the windows and run through my hair. As I drove along Mountain Road as it turned into Harrison, the smell of the fields along the mountain rolled into my car. That was the smell of summer for me. I then got into the rural part of Ogden.

In downtown Ogden, the houses were reminiscent of a time when people sat on their porches and kids watched howdy doody. Ogden is the essence of the "American Dream" lifestyle. You can drive down the streets and picture it in the forties, fifties, sixties. Beautiful churches, an old Christian, a beautiful catholic, episcopilian, baptist, etc, were examples of the diverse religious lives in Ogden. As you get further into downtown you get an idea of what Ogden looked like in the twenties, thirties, forties; what bootleggers and Cattle Stock Union owners mingled in.

I met Jim at Bistro 258, sat outside on the patio. On a Friday night, people were coming in and out of shops and restaurants, bars and clubs. A harley festival was going on, filling the night air with the sounds of engines and mufflers. We ordered our souffle (the best souffle in the world.) and continued to talk. The sun started to set, turning the sky into a palette of pinks, oranges, yellows, purples and blues. The light reflected off of the gorgeous mountains that framed Ogden.

I realized tonight that I really love Ogden. I know I don't want to spend the rest of my life here, but I'm glad I love it. I'm glad that I've gotten to a place that when I finally move, I won't have a problem coming back. I won't dread coming back. We have a beautiful little humble temple, we have 25th street and other great additions to downtown that is building it up into a great place to be and spend your time.

I know Ogden isn't the best place, and it isn't even the best place in Utah, but it certainly isn't the worst. And it's not even a bad place. It's pretty awesome. Ogden is awesome. And I'm glad I am priveleged enough to be one of the few that see that.

God Bless America! Land that I love!

"Here's to high treason. That's what our founding fathers were committing when they signed the Declaration. Had we lost the war, they would have been hanged, beheaded, drawn and quartered, and-Oh! Oh, my personal favorite-and had their entrails cut out and burned. So... Here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right." --Ben Gates, National Treasure--

This wasn't the best fourth of July I've ever had, but it didn't take away one fact: Fourth of July is my favorite holiday. Last night was just as great as any. I had a friend though talk about how much she disliked holidays because they are for people who have someone. She said I liked holidays because I always have a really big family to celebrate them with. But even this fourth of July, I sat in my house all day watching movies. The only festive thing I did was fireworks.

But the reason Fourth of July is my favorite holiday is because...well...I've become a cynic. I know, that doesn't make sense, so let me explain. Please. I've been in hundreds of plays, I've seen thousands of movies, I've dealt with some extremely sappy and emotional situations. I've also had to experience things that have hardened my emotions, because it's too much to feel that intense of emotion. (I won't go into detail there.)

But America. Patriotism. This country. The Red, White, and Blue. This is something that still makes me feel such emotion. I Love this country. Yes, it has major problems and we're all in a crisis, bla bla bla. But the truth is, I love this country. I love for what it stands for. I love my grandpa and Brother for fighting for what they know is right. And as I watched those fireworks last night, and listened to those songs about what makes America, I was grateful. I was grateful to be in this America for its birthday instead of in Germany or India or Anywhere else. I was grateful to be celebrating the fourth like millions of other Americans were doing. I sat and thought about my family in the various places in the country watching fireworks too. And then I thought of all the Americans everywhere watching fireworks, and it made me happy and proud.

I wish we were as United every day as we are on that holiday. What a great country we would be again if we could all work together instead of trying to tear people down. We should lift and support our leaders, encouraging them to make good choices for our well-being. I'm so glad for the founding fathers who took a stand against Tyranny, who sacrificed everything to give those living in these colonies a chance. I'm so very grateful for all the men who have lived and died to give us our freedoms and give others their freedoms.

And as I watched those fireworks last nigh, I actually had a tear roll down my cheek as I thought, "I am so glad to be apart of America. A part of hotdogs, rock and roll, country music, popsicles, red and white checkered pic nic tables, apple pie, football, baseball, Chili, and all those other things that make us America."

Temple Day

WARNING: This Blog contains churchy talk and testimony.

This morning we went to the Oquirrh Temple Open house followed by a endowment session in the gorgeous new Draper Temple. WOW. I am blown away at the beauty of our temples constantly. I am so glad that I am a part of the restored gospel. I am so glad we have the keys to do temple work for ourselves and for those that never got the chance. I had someone tell me once that they didn't believe that there was only one religion for everyone. But isn't that the point of the atonement? Christ didn't just die for those that believe in him, he died for every single one of us. EVERY SINGLE PERSON EVER. And temple work is also the key to taking that gospel to everyone. I'm so grateful to have the gospel in my life and to be priveleged to have my endowments that I may be apart of this great great great work!

I love that we put such beauty, such care, such finery into the Lord's house without being over excessive and gaudy. We just have these beautiful buildings with these beautiful decors and AMAZING chandeliers! :)

Oquirrh Mountain Temple



Draper Temple


Oquirrh Mountain


Lightning struck poor Moroni. He's all burnt and Crispy
Here's the KSL report:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6819386&autostart=y


From Oquirrh Temple you can see The Draper Temple


And the Jordan River Temple


Me and Krist in front of the Oquirrh Temple


Cesar, kristi, Mom, Me, Brandon, Donna and Lawrence.



Kristi and I just hittin up another on our Utah Temple Tour Summer.




In front of the Draper Temple


Utah Temple Summer Tour: Draper Temple, CHECK