October Life Through My Phone

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." -Anne of Green Gables

 Absolute beauty at the arboretum this time of year. 

 Austin and I relishing playing Aquire. When it's just us two we have "Mr. Merdle" play. He's the fictional character (a banker) in Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit. He's always making this game entertaining!

 Shoe pic at the arboretum in between sessions of General Conference (tradition). 

 This picture reminded us of Elder Cook's talk about those electrical lines. One perspective could be that they're blocking the view but on the other perspective, it's a reminder of electricity and the simplicity of life that brings. 

I just really liked this picture. Out of small and simple things...

 My Dad twinning with Elder Ballard after Stake Conference. We loved hearing about his experience with him there. What a neat opportunity for my Dad. He asked the stake leaders to fast for Stake Conference and the night he was driving home to break his fast, Craig Ballard, Elder Ballard's son and mission president in Portland, asked if he would like Elder Ballard to come to their Stake Conference. Pretty neat!

 Found this gem in Carol's closet. I was going to be Anastasia this year for Halloween with that dress (you know, the ship seem where they danced?) but maybe I'll do it next year.

 More beauty at the arboretum.

 The car overheated on the highway going to work. I had to pull over, call Austin, be in a panic, and finally got it towed to the shop. It costs a lot but worth it to get it fixed. 

 We discovered the best non-dairy ice cream out there. Can't go back to any old stuff now. 

This is on our last Moscow run right before she moved. She waved to all the places she loved here as we were driving back to her house. 

View from my car.

 Bringing out his emo look.

We were the black-eyed peas this year. Yet we're so white.

The best curry I've made. Leftovers right before we head to do a session at the temple.

Classic Austin sleeping pose on a Sunday. It looks like he's about to poke his eye. 

Three things that consist our life of right now

1. Cooking/Baking
2. BYU Sports (aka BYUtv)
3. Hallmark movies

I'll start talking about cooking/baking first. I took up the idea to make a new recipe everyday for the next year. I've missed a few days but it works. Once I've finished with the recipe, I go put my "two-cents" in of how I liked it or not. Here's my blog for it: 365veganbits.blogspot.com. We've made some amazing things and some not so amazing things but the whole thing is sifting through what works for us and then my hope is to start memorizing those so I don't have to always look online for everything. My problem is I like trying new things all the time. It's way more fun this way. :)

Austin has grown to love eating whole food, plant-based. He picks and chooses what he eats for going out to eat with coworkers or other things (so do I) but he's so proud of the moments that he chooses stir fry or a soup/salad than a hamburger or something like that. And of course, he always up for me trying anything that involves dessert. We made 4 different brownie recipes in 4 weeks. My favorite is the one with kidney beans and potatoes and his favorite is easy whole wheat pastry ones from a website called Engine 2 Diet.

Skookies!

Makin brownies!

Austin made and presented this to me so beautifully. :)

THE best chocolate chip bites I've ever had.

Our love affair with BYU Sports started back in early September watching many exciting games, a lot of which were on BYUtv (thank heavens that channel is online!) Fall is such a fun time to watch sports because you've got soccer, volleyball, football, and then basketball hits into full gear in November. This whole season soccer, v-ball, and football never missed a game at home. That's insane! I was telling Austin that I think the reason I love BYU sports is because they're not just a one sport team like everyone knows Kentucky is good at basketball but I don't remember the last time I heard about them for football, ya know?

It was especially a good week when every night there was a different game going on each night. With us being an hour behind mountain time, it always rolls around dinner time so it helps me to get dinner done quick! And it's nice to have most of the evening once the game is finished instead of being past 9PM usually. Because most of the games we watch are on BYUtv, and because they have the same commercials play again and again, we basically have some of these memorized (sadly). First indication of this is Austin wrote on our bathroom mirror: "BLUE RUNS DEEP." I had to add in on the top to go along with the commercial: "Blue runs fast, blue run hard." You would only get it if you saw the commercial a hundred times. ;)

Proof. Two games going on at once, on BYUtv and the other on the W.tv website. I was in heaven!

We also have loved getting a chance to watch Hallmark movies, especially since the holidays where they put a new one out almost every week. I keep tabs on them and then try to find them on youtube (oops! Don't judge). There's just nothing like getting into the Christmas spirit with a little cheesy holiday romance. It all started back when Bubs and I watched The Christmas Card every year. Cheese to the max but who cares!

This isn't a holiday Hallmark movie but one that we have loved is called "How to Fall in Love." It's the guy from another favorite Hallmark movie/series "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." It was funny because the main character reminded us a lot of Austin's mannerism. I think that's why we liked it so much. It also didn't have that bad of acting and actually a pretty cute story even though it was predictable.

I could go on and on with my love for cheesy Hallmark shows (I mean hello, "When Calls the Heart" is my fave!) but I'll spare details and say that this is what our Fall time has brought us.

Another hobby that I've picked up more and more is painting. I guess that would be considered my 4th thing that consists of my life right now. I guess it goes hand in hand with my movie watching because it gives me an excuse to pop in a predictable Hallmark movie while I paint. It's a lot easier for me to get a project done when I give it as a gift for someone else. I made a baby shower sort of gift for Jorie and then a wedding gift for Cami and Sean. It's been fun going through pictures on pinterest and not having a tutorial to go off of, I just go for it! I've been pleasantly surprised each time. Austin just wish I did more for our home. ;) Sometimes it's therapeutic for me, there is always a new idea that I'm cookin up. I'm excited to try some things for Christmas.

Here's my paintings...

This is my picture that I went off of.

For Jorie and her nursery.

For Cami and Sean.

Other crafts I've done here and there:

Memorial Day '15

Memorial day started off by going to the Heroes memorial at the Century High School. It was well done with lots of crosses with the name of a soldier on the cross and Medal of Honor for those who were from Idaho. Austin got teary eyed thinking about how these men and women were volunteers. The stories of these soldiers were incredible. I'm grateful to live in this great land of America!

The Doutre's stopped by to pick up Cami who was in Rexburg visiting Sean so when they got here, we all went on a walk together near out house. Alice-Anne called on our hike and said they wanted to stop by on their way home from Blackfoot. Soon our little studio was filled with people! It was great to see both families.

Sean and Cami. Cute, no?

We have a nice little set up that I read to Austin while he does the dishes. It's the best. And we cried after we finished this wonderful, wonderful book. I love it!

Outside our place. Spring has arrived!

Made with avocados. No joke.

"I want that." But it was divine!

A blog post about good food

Great title huh? But over this last month, all I've wanted to do lately is make food! And lots of it. Thanks to A-A's cooking last month, it convinced me that I need to make food from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. So good. But I've also ventured other places as well.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the apple orchard on campus for .50 a pound. Stealer deal compared to what we get at the grocery store. They are extremely tart by itself so throw it into a dessert and wa-la! It's amazing. So last weekend I made this apple struesel dessert.

 This is before I baked it and before I put the glaze on top

Then I attempted the famous Johns' french bread recipe (the next time I made it it looked more like bread instead of a massive roll:)

Homemade garlic sauce on pizza. So yummy.

I made Orange Chicken and Sweet and Sour Chicken within a week of each other and could not get enough of it.

We had a fun time at the Madison County Fair (100 years of Rexburg lovin!) and the rodeo. Then we spoiled ourselves to this goodness (chocolate cookie waffles) while watching Little Dorrit:)

I wish I had taken a picture of going to the playmill theater but you'll just have to imagine an old small theater with incredible talent. We saw Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Loved it!!

I was so relieved that the BYU-Texas game was delayed so I could finish making this 7 layer dip before kick-off. This took me forever but it was AMAZING.

 I love when my cutting board looks like this:)

 Then made some yummy teriyaki chicken stir fry.

 One pot wonder. This is what it looked like before I started cooking

 I guess this whole post is to prove that cream of chicken is not the only thing I can make with :)