TORNADO OF A LIFE!!!

I sometimes feel like I am in a tornado,

but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, 5 more months,

and then I Graduate!

I am very excited for life to calm down a bit!!

ok, so the last post was actually supposed to be on the feeding patrick blog, but thats ok!

So speaking of food, last night I wanted to go to Cafe Rio to get their soup, but we are trying this new, weird concept of saving money! :)

(It's HARD, its amazing how fast the little things add up)

So i decided to try and make it, and let me tell ya, it was JUST as good as theirs,

and I had the satisfaction of making it myself!

So, I really like to bake, I'm a good baker. when making cookies or brownies you dont have to be exact, I mean who really cares if you add in half a teaspoon more of vanilla, or a little too much Sugar, NO ONE, it all still tastes good.

Cooking is different, when you are cooking a dinner, the measurements are actually supposed to be followed, and you have to PAY ATTENTION while you are cooking or else things start to burn. Lately I think I have developed ADD to cooking, I am always trying to to do too many things, that my cooking  has suffered a hard hit! hahah.  I think it is because of all that I am doing with school, work, life, church and just everything in general!!! But thats ok, I leave the expertse cooking to Patrick- he has the concentration skills of a HAWK!!

So I was just called to be the choir director.

I am actually really excited, I am just puzzled as to why they think I can actually pull it off!!!

I have directed the congregation before,

but that doesn't have to, and barely ever sounds GOOD!!

 I play the violin, but thats about my extent of my musical abilities.

I dont know the bass cleft I know trebel but I have NO idea how to direct the men's parts!

So if you have any suggestions please send them my way!! Our first practice is going to be not this sunday because i will be visiting my family, but next, so ill keep you posted is anyone even showes up! :)

can i just say i am very excited to be going home to visit the fam!

I cannot wait to go surfing

and just think of NOTHING!

It's too bad that Patrick cannot come with me, he has to work!

Now i just have to try to get all my homework done before I go!!

Braised Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients


6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions


1.Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.

2.Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken, and season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes

Ahhhh, Summer!

The Sun is shining, the birds are singing; Summer is here!

I love summer, I love everything about it.

I actually dont mind the heat, at least out here there is no humidity. 

 Summer in Texas was quite a different story- the humidity about killed me!

We started the summer off by visiting St. George with a couple of our friends.

It was so nice to just soak up the sun and relax! We went to a reservoir and had a "beach day." We played in the water, had a cookout, and attempted to fish. It was so nice to just sit back and relax. I might have gotten a little burnt, ok maybe a lot burnt, but it was worth it!

 (notice the awesome burn line)

 (Alex and Tara)

The trip down to St. Geroge was surprisingly enjoyable, want to know why?

 Because we got a NEW CAR!!!

Thumper (our old hyundai accent) wouldn't have made the trip down.

We got a 2010 Hyundai Sonata, it is a silver blue.

I love it.

 I can't beleive that it is actually ours! It still has the "new car" smell! This car is going to be in the family forever!

Down in St. George we went to the Tuacahn- it is an outdoor ampitheather that shows Broadway plays

I was skeptical at first,

 But I LOVED it!

We went to go see the Little Mermaid

http://www.tuacahn.org/

They did an amazing job on the entire play.

Because half of the play is supposed to be "Under the Sea"

All the mermaids and sea creatures used the

Heeleys

Those shoes the have the wheels in the heel of them

It was really funny to see grown ups rockin' the Heeleys,

but it really added to the play and made it seem like they were swimming

Here are some shots of the weekend

St. George Temple- so pretty

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School has started once again for me.

This is my last Summer I will be taking calsses.

I am doing 9 credits this semester and 15.5 next and then I will

GRADUATE

I can't wait!

Although I am going to school and working full time I am still attempting to soak up as much sun as I can

We bought the Utah Valley Pass of all passes

So we are trying to go to Seven Peaks as much as possible,

and I am hoping to maybe catch a baseball game

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On Sunday we went up to Squaw Peak with Alex and Tara and had a "Fireside"

We cooked s'mores and Tara did a devotional.

The best part of the night was when the boys were trying to start the fire!

They had brough a bag of coals, so it wasn't going to be a big deal for them to get a fire going,

the thing was that the lighter ran out of fluid.

SO, boys being boys will find another way...

First they tried to start the fire with the little cigarret lighter and a coal

but that didnt work

So they hooked the jumper cables up to the car

and tried to catch the BAG of coals on fire

that didn't work (thankfully)

next they soaked a piece of string in bug spray and tried to make a spark with the jumper cables

that didnt work

Thankfully a car came by and the driver had a

Bear Grylls knife that had a flint on it,

so we were finally able to start a fire!

Me MAN, ME MAKE FIRE!!

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Fourth of July!!!

This Fourth of July we decided that we needed to get out and actually enjoy it!

 last year we ended up getting sick! :(

On Friday Night we hiked the Y and watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks

It was really fun- once we got up there.

 we had a picnic and snuggled on a blanket watching the fireworks.

It was such a different experience watching the fireworks from up high,

we were up higher than the fireworks.

The hike up there was another story!

let's just say, I complained a lot, and I was REALLY sore afterwards!

But now looking back on it, it was fun.

(now that I can finally walk up my stairs instead of having to crawl!)

On Monday the Fourth, we went to the Sugar House Park and watched the fireworks there 

while being serenaded by

Ryan Shupe and the Rubber-band

it was fun!

We got yummy cheeseburgers, funnel cake, and a shake

the only reason we got the shake was because I had to pee,

and I was not gonna use a port-a-potty

I refuse.

So, I walked forever, and finally found a Baskin Robins

I only had to wait in line for like 20 mins!!

But it was so worth it!

Hope y'all had a good Fourth!!