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Those of you who know Matt and I well know that a couple times a year we enjoy Fried Food Week. It may sound gross, and very very fattening, but don't be fooled. Fried Food Week is heavenly! We got a deep fryer as a wedding gift and shortly after we were married, I made homemade won tons. But afterwards, I told Matt how I hated using so much oil for one meal and then throwing it out. So he came up with the brilliant plan to use the oil for dinner (and some lunches) every day for a week. Waste not, want not. Thus, Fried Food Week was born! Well folks, its that time again and here are the items on the menu for this week:
Chicken wraps
Navajo tacos (extra scones for dessert)
Corn dogs (soooo much better deep fried)
Homemade french fries
Homemade onion rings
Creme cheese/ shrimp won tons
Veggie/shrimp won tons
Chicken nuggets
And Twinkies (we found a recipe this time, since our first attempt was a disaster!)
We've had people in the past ask to tell them when our next Fried Food Week is so they can join us. Well, anyone is welcome! If you'd like to join us for dinner one night this week, just let me know! We're trying some new recipes this time too, so I'll post pictures of our fun food adventures.
Plants and I have never really gotten along. I tend to kill them almost as fast as others can plant them in the ground. Except Larry. Matt and I bought Larry when we first got married to add a little green to our apartment. And I am proud to say that he is still alive today! Mostly because Larry is very low maintenance and he has an incredible will to live. We've gone months without watering him and he starts to look a little sad, but add some water and he's back to his bright, perky self by morning. Last year I tried to plant a garden. I planted tomatoes and cucumbers and green beans. They thrived for several weeks and then finally succumbed to my black thumb, like the others who had gone before. Our ward gave out tomato plants for mother's day this last year and I tried desperately to keep little Mater alive. We had our ups and downs but unfortunately, this last week, he too has passed on. I am very thankful to wonderful friends and neighbors who don't mind sharing. Even though I didn't get garden tomatoes from my own plant, we have had plenty of tomatoes (and other veggies) in our house the last month or so. Remember when I said how much I love our ward? We can't even go for a walk around our neighborhood without someone offering to share their spoils. And just when I thought I'd have to go to the store for some produce, our good friends gave us a big bag of goodies last night. Someday I'll grow my own garden...sigh...someday
You know how sometimes you just need to clear your mind? Well I've had a lot of thoughts/discussions lately that I just need to write out.
We know tons of couples, still pretty newly married, who seem to have one of those money trees growing in their backyard. If you're one of these couples, I'll rake leaves for you! We are just baffled by these young couples who seem to travel ALL THE TIME! How do they do it? They go to Paris, and London, and New York, and California, and Vegas, and Hawaii, and everywhere in between! Now Matt and I are great at saving. 10% from every paycheck for the last four years of marriage, plus we live on a tight budget. And yet, every time we reach a certain amount, its bye bye money. Trips to the emergency room, surgery, cars breaking...we can't go a few months without some major catastrophe that completely wipes out our savings. That's what its there for. We save up for just such events, but once in awhile I wish we could save money and have it stay put for other things we need/want! How do these other couples afford to travel so much?? It seems like they always have new clothes, they have two cars, they bought a house, and then they vacation 6 months out of the year. And yet, they are both still in school. The only thing I can think of is mommy and daddy are still helping them, or they must be pulling bank jobs on the weekends! Hmmmm...maybe its time Matt and I splurge and buy a couple ski masks.
So there is a family in our ward (6 kids) who recently went through a tragedy. The day after they dropped their oldest son off at the MTC, his mother moved in with her boyfriend (who no one knew existed). Two months later, the divorce was final and she re-married in the same day. Now I know, as sad as it is, that stories like this happen all the time. But I was her visiting teacher for awhile. We were good friends. She helped me a lot through my pregnancy. And I am just so baffled! I can't get over it! I understand marriages have problems and all too often one or both split. But leaving behind six kids?? I just don't understand how anyone could leave behind six kids! Her youngest just got baptized and she has two tween daughters. They are at an age where they need their mom the most, and she just left! It kills me every week when I see dad and the kids at church. I guess its affecting me so hard cause I knew her. I'd seen her with her kids, and she was a fantastic mom. Its just so sad.
What is wrong with single men in our church? Its like they are getting lazier and lazier about dating! I have several friends who are still single who are amazing girls! But they never get asked out! Why? Because guys don't date anymore. They either wait for the girls to make the first move, or they just "hang out" every weekend. Its like they are waiting for a "Touched by an Angel" light to come down and shine on their future wife. Well I've got news for you. Heaven is not going to intervene! Get off your lazy butt and ask some girls out! I've even got some great suggestions! Just don't only ask out the ones who could pass for a super model. Physical attraction is only half of it. You have to be mentally attracted to someone as well. Otherwise its called lust. And thats bad.
Matt and I really love our ward! Its nice coming from a ward where very few people even knew my name to the wonderful one we are in now! Kalianna has about 50 grandmas who love her and dote on her on Sundays and at activities. And she has tons of little girls who love to hold and play with her. We've even considered staying in Layton because we love our ward so much. I had a great ward growing up, but its nice to have found another one where we feel just as loved and welcome. We've been discussing where we want to live when Matt graduates, and Layton has definitely made our list. Its funny that we moved here out of necessity, knowing very little about this city, and now we love it so much we might buy our next house here too.
Okay, I realize Halloween is still more than a month away but you have to understand one thing. I LOVE Halloween!!! Not just like it or find it fun, if there was a holiday I could marry, this would be it! (Sorry Matt.) Although Matt loves it as much as I do. I LOVE the decorations, I LOVE the candy, I LOVE finding/making costumes, I LOVE getting dressed up, I LOVE spook houses, and I LOVE scary movies! When September hits, I practically count down the days until October 1st so I can put up my decorations. That being said, I've been trying to decide what to dress Kalianna up as for her first Halloween. Yesterday I went to the Halloween store with my sister to get ideas and we now have it narrowed down to three ideas.
1. A spider. They had a super cute spider costume for babies! It was pretty inexpensive and would fit up to 2 years. All we have to do is change out the black leggings as she grows. Also with this, Matt or I could wear a pig nose and be Wilbur.
2. A monkey. Again, they had a super cute monkey costume for babies, and we do call Kalianna our little monkey a lot. I also thought it would be way cute if Matt dressed as an organ grinder! However, the monkey costume was more expensive.
3. Pebbles. We saw a costume for Wilma Flinstone and thought it would be super cut to dress Kalianna as Pebbles! I know I could make her costume fairly easily as well. Plus Matt as Fred and me as Wilma...too cute! However, we don't know for sure if Matt and I are going to dress up. So would this costume still be as cute on its own?
Thoughts?
Kalianna is now rolling over...both ways. Back to stomach and stomach to back. Look out world! Before you know it, she'll be running around!
Also, I got a new calling yesterday. I'm now one of the Achievement day leaders! I'm super excited! I'll be back with the girls we were teaching in primary.
I miss my husband! Yes, school is back in session. So I barely see him now. We used to work at the same place, so even when school was in, I'd see him during the day. Now its just me and Kalianna. We knew this would be a hard semester, and I'm super proud of him and how hard he works! But i still miss him! Matt leaves every morning before we are up and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he gets home after Kalianna is in bed. Poor guy! We do get to see him for a couple hours on Monday/Wednesday/Fridays, but usually just for dinner and then he disappears to study. Weekends are now more cherished than ever! So if anyone ever wants to come visit us...we get lonely sometimes.
Kalianna is five months old today! She is rolling over great now (stomach to back) and she is loving getting to try new foods. She is talking constantly, which people at church find very entertaining, and she even has sounded like she's said "mom" a couple times (though I'm sure it wasn't on purpose). She gets cuter by the day! I can usually get her to giggle fairly easily now. She is much more interested in toys and she is absolutely fascinated with the dogs. She even "barks" with them sometimes. The other day was a true test of Sobaka's patience. He was laying next to her, licking her hand, and Kalianna grabbed his tongue. She had it in a vise grip, but Sobaka just laid there and patiently waited for mommy to come to the rescue. Kalianna keeps getting taller and taller! She has grown almost an inch for every pound she has gained since birth! A lot of her onesies fit fine through the waist, but are too short. She has a long torso. She's getting better at sitting up, but can't do it on her own yet without falling forward. She is such a happy, loving little girl! We don't know what we ever did before she joined our family!
