Sunday, August 29, 2010

A Baby in February

10 weeks along


15 weeks along


Tyson and I are so excited for our little one due to arrive February 21st (give or take a little).
This week was the first big growth week. We woke up one morning and Tyson said, "I think you grew overnight!" It's just a little ... and I know there is a lot more to come!
So sad that the jeans I am wearing in this picture (my favorite) are almost too tight around the belly now. Don't quite understand how, but I actually weigh less now than I did about 6 weeks ago (morning sickness hit me good) but I'm getting bigger?!!??!! I had a Dr.'s appt this past Tuesday and heard a "healthy heart beat" as my Dr. called it. So happy to hear that!

In just 3 weeks we will find out whether we are having a Boy or a Girl (for the record- I think our baby will be a boy) I love Tyson and we are so excited to share this news!

P.S. To my sisters- the belly picture above is for all of you who requested it!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Cake Pops



This weekend my sister-in-law Amy was having a birthday! So the sister-in-laws all got together (we missed you Whitney!) and had a birthday lunch! I brought Cake Pops for dessert and had a great time figuring out how to make them and then coming up with my own way of presenting them. I had SO MUCH FUN doing it! My nephew, Caleb, turned one years old this weekend too so I brought cake pops for his celebration!

I think these are fun and tasty and a great way to celebrate a birthday, a shower, or holiday! If you would like to purchase Cake Pops, let me know! (best way is to leave a comment below or on my most recent post.)


The Cake Pops shown above are Yellow Cake with Vanilla frosting then coated with pink and red candy melts and sprinkles. I can do other flavors as well.

Chinese Cultural Night


Our family home evening started out with lettuce wraps because of the suggestion of Elena Boushley that morning while we were swimming. She told me that I could find on awesome recipe online and I had to try it! So glad we did! It was great! I even added in the extremely spicy chinese chili sauce it called for ( I did only put in about 1/4 of what it called for though....I am weak sauce.)
We knew this would be our last Family Home Evening before school started so we wanted to take advantage of our extra time. So we jumped in the car and did the first thing that came to Tyson's mind....Chinese Cultural Center in Phoenix! Fitting for our Oriental style dinner -seriously not planned! :)
As we were driving we saw the coolest sunset! Don't you hate how pictures never do justice to what your eyes see?!?!



It was really fun to walk around...when it wasn't so hot and just take in all the ponds, kooi, statues, and signs that I couldn't read. We explored the international market and came away with some goodies! It REAKED of fish because of the huge fish tanks in the back of the market -ugh.... but at least it was cool to see! And our treats were very tasty!
Great way to spend the night!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

The First Day of His Last Year at ASU



Ready for his first day!

Tyson woke up this morning to a little surprise goodie box- full of all the must need items for starting his First Day of His Last Year at ASU!

this little goodie box contained the following...

Juice Boxes to refill energy
A tiger pen for note taking
Post it notes for reading
Black socks
ASU socks to support his almost Alma Mater
Counting flash cards - just in case he forgot his numbers over the summer :)
A light up blue dinosaur. Who doesn't need one of those?!?
The ultimate Spider Man Lunch box so he can be stylin' with all the other college kids!

and a hilarious Robot folder that makes me laugh everytime I look at it.
(Tyson told me that's where he is going to keep his Important papers in....so they can be protected of course!)

I am so proud of Tyson and all that he has accomplished to make it this far! The month of May doesn't even seem that far away anymore (yea-graduation!) He has worked SO HARD to get where he is right now and I know he will GO FAR with everything he has learned during this time. This semester will be full of Grad School applications, mid-terms, finals, and lots of studying on his part (and that's just the school part of it). I know it will be one of the most busy but also one of the most rewarding times of his life. Tyson is the best and such a hard worker. I am so proud of him! Good luck on your first day of school babe!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The End of Summer


I can't believe how fast it's gone by! Tyson starts school again on Thursday and we will both be taking Institute classes. This summer has been chalk full of exciting adventures and unexpected events! We had a lot of fun staying busy! Just to name a few of our adventures from the start of our summer....

Ashley and Peter's wedding
Tonto National Bridge with the Smith Family
Hiking the Wind Caves with Tyson
Sushi with the Dopps
Christie's Bridal Shower
Totaling my car
American Idol with Tyson Seacrest
Scottsdale Contemporary Art Museum
The infamous candle wax incident
Moving
Getting a new car
Internship
New Calling
Staying with Trevor and Whitney in Utah- Park City
Christie and Justin's wedding
Lake Powell
Tyson's 23rd Birthday
Boys and Girls Club Volunteer Event at Target
The G.R.E!
Harrison's Baptism
Family Birthdays galore!
and plenty of Gilmore Girls, Harry Potter, 24, and Lost. ( we don't have T.V. so we watch the seasons on our computer)
and lots of learning and growing together.

I wish a could post at least one picture with each one but that would be the longest blog post in history! I am definitely looking forward to fall. Especially since our air conditioner broke last night....yup...it was 101 degrees at 8:50pm. Miserable night of sleep was to follow.....Maintenance is working right now to fix it!

Monday, August 9, 2010

R.I.P Potato Salad

Poor little potatoes, eggs, celery, green onions, mayo and mustard etc... they never saw it coming...

when I stepped into the kitchen on Sunday afternoon I was confident I could take on anything! I've tried my hand at many many things and I was happy to try something new, something different. I dared to do what this Brianna had never done before... make Potato Salad.

Anyone that knows my Aunt Glenna knows that she is the QUEEN of Potato Salad. I can remember piling my plate high with her wonderful creation after a long day of swimming in her pool on a hot summer's day. Trying to hold my beach towel around me and get a second big scoop was all that mattered.

I would eat it first. Before my hot, juicy hamburger, before the delicious watermelon, and before the crunchy chips. Potato salad is a perfect summer food and must be eaten first in my opinion. I could remember the perfect consistency of the fluffy side dish and the color and my favorite- the celery pieces I would find. So good.

Our friends the Griffen's invited us and our other friends, the Boushley's, over for a Sunday BBQ. It's summer, it's hot, and I love burgers straight from the grill....with potato salad of course! I instantly volunteered to make the perfect side dish, the one I was certain would get Blue Ribbons and praises for years to come. "I will bring Potato Salad!"

Now I usually bring dessert. I love dessert. But this special occasion called for something greater. And I was very excited! I called up my Mom and asked her for my Aunt Glenna's recipe. I was SHOCKED when she read it to me.

20 potatoes
celery
salt
green onions
squirt of mustard
eggs
mayo
sweet pickle relish

.....I laughed. "Mom, are you serious? I've never made this before!" My mom laughed and said, "Just do it until it tastes good. Glenna does it to taste." To taste- not a probably for me. I remembered how it tasted so well that I new I could do it. But really? I should have called my Aunt at this point to ask for extra pointers. But I was crunched for time. So with potatoes boiling and eggs cooked, I was chopping and mixing up a storm, getting ready for perfection.

Out came the potatoes and I mixed everything together.(I was measuring as I went and writting down what I would need in the future.) It tasted just alittle bland,
so in went more salt.
Just a little more green onions....
there....tastes great!
But the look of it.....not so great.
Why does my potato salad look broken. I wanted to cry. And almost did...5 times. Tyson came over and I said, "Taste this and tell me what you think," holding back the tears. "It tastes good. But it looks a little different. CRUSHED.
We were leaving in 30 minutes and I had no idea what to do. No one wants to eat something that looks...different...even if it does taste good. Failure.
I put the bowl of potato mishap in the fridge to cool. I laid on the couch and thought...."will they invite us back despite my horrible looking salad? will they still be our friends? will the story of our pathetic potato whatnot spread around the ward." I turned to Tyson and asked, "Will you eat my Potato Salad and the BBQ?" He said, "Ya! It tastes good." Then we heard the Boushley's knock. Carpool time. I was so distraught. I didn't want to look anyone in the eye for fear of crying.

At the Griffen's I tried to explain the whole mishap and how disappointed I was. Elena Boushley lifted my spirits when she told of how her family refers to "firsts" of making anything in the kitchen as a "Sacrifice to the (fill in the blank) gods. "
She declared mine a Sacrifice to the Potato Salad gods. I really do have great friends. They lifted my spirits and made me feel better- as did Tyson. When the first bites were taken, Aaron Boushley said, "The Potato Salad tastes good!" I turned away and laughed. I just looked at my plate and saw the mishap...staring me back in the face....R.I.P Potato Salad.

My mom laughed when I told her. She then told me what I had done wrong. I felt so ...so...ugh. But at least I know how to do it now!
And next summer, my potato salad will win awards, blue ribbons, and praises for years to come.
"Just you wait Henry Higgins...just you wait...."