California

Well I am finally back from California.

I went to go hang out with my family, and it was so much fun just be with them. My parent's house was kind of a boarding house to all those friends that wanted to spend Memorial Day Weekend at the Beach. Our good family friend Mike came down with some friends and Michael's friends from BYU were ALL in the house at once like 12 people, every couch was taken as well as most of the floor! It was so much fun, but goodness can those boys EAT!! I mean I have a hard enough time feeding Patrick. Imagine feeding 8 of your own- 4 of those MEN who have an Endless Pit for a stomach, AND one BYU football player and his friend. Needless to say we cooked a lot! But it was so much fun!

Going to the beach was awesome I missed it, and I REALLY missed the sun. So ever since Patrick and I have been married, we have not really spent a lot of time out in the sun- I usually WORSHIP the sun, but when the weather is not perfect the whole year around you are not outside all the time. So after 30 min. in the sun I was SUNBURNT. So now i kind of look like a lizard ( I started to peel!)

I missed being home, just hanging out with the family. But I didn't expect to miss Patrick so much! It was the longest I had been away from him and I was almost as excited to come home as I was to go to California!

School starts soon, so a change is on its way!

CAFE RIO!!!!!!!!!

So last Night we had Lance and Chelsea over for dinner. Love them, so Much fun! After dinner we played Phase 10 I was SO CLOSE to winning, but at least I am married to the winner! :)

I have been CRAVING Cafe Rio lately so I figured since I can't get it- I will make it.

So, I slow cooked the chicken, made the rice- I felt creative and MADE the tortillas- They were ok I didn't have a rolling pin... so I used a cup it worked but they were just a little thick! haha

We had the Chicken Salad, and I was pleasently surprised because it was SO GOOD!
The BEST part of it had to be the Cilantro Dressing. It Is Ahhh- mazing.
Seriously MAKE THIS!


Chicken

1 small bottle of zesty Italian dressing (about 8 0z.)
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves of garlic ( I used 3 Tbs of Garlic powder)
5 lbs of chicken

Put everything in a crock pot and cook on high for about 4 hours. shred chicken and then let it cook for another 45min-1hr.

Green Chile Rice
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth (I didn't have this- but it still turned out great!)
4 oz. green chiles
1 sm. onion, diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. cumin
3 green onions.

Mix together and pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until rice is done at 350.

(We Didn't make the beans- I kind of forgot!)

Black Beans
1 Can black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 Cup tomato Juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 T fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it.

Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in cilantro


Cilantro Salad Dressing

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry mix)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2- 1/3 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 - 1 small jalapeno (remove seed)
1 cup mayo
1 tsp. lime juice
1-2 tomatillos (remove outer papery skin)
1 garlic clove

Blend all ingredients in blender!


To make Salad:
LayerA tortilla with melted cheese on top
chicken
rice
dressing
beans
salad
greens (romaine lettuce)
pico de gallo (tomato, onino, cilantro, garlic, and jalepenos)
parmesan cheese
and
cilantro (for garnish)


We didn't add the pico De Gallo- I'm sure it would have been really good -I forgot!!! But All in All this was a GREAT dinner!!! You should Definentally try it!

OUR NEW HOME!

We are FINALLY in our new place!!!!

Patrick and I moved into our new apartment about a month ago. It is absolutely wonderful having a place of our own! Our place is perfect for us. it is like a town home apartment. The downstairs has the kitchen and living room and upstairs the bathroom and bedroom.

We bought a NEW BED!!!!!! I don't think I have ever slept this good in my LIFE!!! We got a Simmons Beauty Mattress, and all I have to say is that it is WORTH the money. But other than the bed being absolutely the most comfy bed ever. Is our Bedding- it comes in second!

We got down pillows and a blanket with a Dovet cover- Love love LOVE the duvte cover!!! We honestly didn't know what it was when we first got it, (you put it over the down comforter- who knew)

We got a new TV, couch and chairs. Coffee table and end tables, but we did it all way cheap, let me tell ya' IKEA is our friend!

I love coming home to my own place! I love cooking in my Kitchen! And baking in my oven, and my new toaster oven. and making cookies, and dinner, and CLEANING my own house!

I still HATE the laundry!!!! I will put it off until I do not have any clean clothes left!

So life has been good! We are still getting used to having our own space, It is really nice to come home and BE home.

But speaking of Home, I am going to California next week to see my family. Patrick can't come because of work, so I will be flying solo. This is one of the last times my family is ALL going to be together. Michael and Thomas are going back to BYU, Kim will be there in the Winter, Thomas leaves for his mission in a year... So for a while this is gonna be the last time we are ALL going to be together, and I miss my family. I am still getting used to the idea that I can't just go home, It's not my home anymore. Texas is, Patrick is. So I am very excited to go home and see them, and to go to the beach, and SURF, and TAN!!!!

Patrick and I start school in a couple of weeks, He is taking English classes and I am taking Anatomy and Phisiology, this should be fun/ interesting!

Patrick is MY Edward

SO Patrick and I have finally figured out what the next couple of years are going to look like. It has been a couple of eventful weeks for us here.

Patrick got a job! He is a regional Teller for Texans Credit Union. He is still training right now, but soon he will be traveling to all the different locations and filling in whenever anyone is on vacation or out for a sick day. He is the big provider now! I think he really likes it. We were about to go insane without having jobs. Patrick did much better than me. But thankfully I got one and I have been having a BLAST working in the office of Berret Pest Control WooHOO!

So now since we both have jobs, we decided that the hotel we got for our birthday was just too nice. It was wonderful to have your own space. So we kind of decided to rethink our strategy. We were planning to wait till the end of the year save up some money and buy our own house. But as we thought about it we will only be here for 3 years, then Patrick will be off to Law school. We will not be staying in Dallas for that so there really is not point in buying a place.

So....... In one week we are finally moving into our own place!!!! We have already got a nice leather couch- craigslist, and kitchen table-garage sale. We move in on the 17th and finally get to open all of our Wedding Presents! It will be like Christmas all over again.

Yesterday we went to the college here and figured out our schedules for school. Patrick will be taking as many generals while still working full time. I will be taking anatomy and physiology. Hopefully I will get into their nursing program next year and get my RN. Patrick will do what he can at Quad C then transfer to UTD and major in business and finance.

I really like it here in Texas- although the yo-yo weather is kinda hard to get used to. Its 80 one day then rainy and 40 the next. But i guess I need to enjoy it while I can, because when the summer comes it gets hot, and stays hot!!
Oh I want California back!!!

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Fun Stuff
A couple of weekends ago we went to see the Mustangs at Las Colinas- they are statues that try to capture the free spirit of the Mustangs- it was really cool. They look like they are running through the water. they are life like horses and very anatomically correct. Which I thought was kinda funny. :)



Patrick and me at the Mustangs.

Our Birthday cake compliments to Chef Cindy

Well, so thats what we have been up to for the past couple of weeks. now we are just getting things ready to move into our own place. This Friday! YAY!

Patrick is at a Mavricks game RIGHT NOW and I'm sure is having a time of his life!

And I will settle down to read a book- ok I confess I started the Twilight series again. I started reading it because I found Twilight and New Moon online. I can read books online during my free time at work cuz then no one KNOW S that I am not working :) Just kidding but kinda serious... we have a lot of down time- well we did winter is not too busy for Pest control- it is starting to pick up again. But so I started the Twilight Series again. And I am on the last book again now. IIt is kind of funny, I used to read books to escape my life- my ordinary mundane life- devoid of any thrilling experiences. But now it is different especially when I read love stories like Twilight- because now I am in love, I understand on a different level. I am not longing to find love. The love I read about in books. I have my own- and although this sounds INCREDIBLY corny- Patrick is my Edward. He is everything that I couldever imagine wanting and more. I never thought that I could love someone as much as I love him. I can look into the future and although I don't know what it will hold for me, I am not afraid of it anymore. Because I know Patrick will always be there for me- forever- for eternity! It is a wonderful feeling!!

AWWW I WANT ONE!!!

So when we went to the Puppy store last Saturday we saw a puppy that melted our hearts. It was the cutest little Cavalier King Charles. We instantly fell in love with the puppy, but not the price-it was reduced from 1,200 to 900 which is a good price i guess if you have money. but his got us thinking and we have been checking around for other breeders that sell them for cheaper.
Also I absolutely loved the alone time we spent in the hotel. It made me want our own place so badly. It has been wonderful living with Patrick's parents, but it kind of seems like we aren't really on our own... ya know? We were going to hold out to get our own place till we can afford it, but when we though about it. we are only going to be here for 3 years. and we aren't sure if we want to BUY a place and be financially tied here. So we got to looking for apartments. We had looked before but nothing was opening up for months. I called this one place to see if they had an opening and amazingly they did! We went to go see it and fell in love with it at once. it is a town home apartment. About 900 square feet a living room and kitchen downstairs, and a bedroom and bath upstairs. We loved it so we put the money down to save our spot and we are moving in on April 17th!!! On Saturday we went garage sale-ing to find furniture for the apartment, and got a little round dining room table and four chairs for $30- Patrick has a way with people! Now we are just searching for things to fill the apartment with. And after sleeping in that AMAZING bed at the resort,well... we are gonna get one of our own. The bed and the TV are what we are going to shell out the money for!

BirthMONTH!!!!

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Ok so one of the coolest things (among many) about Patrick and Me is that we have the same BIRTHDAY. He is two years older than me exactly. So for me birthdays are like a big deal. Well at least for me they are. I like to make a production out of it. It is not a BirthDAY, it is a BirthMONTH!! SO since we have the same birthday we aren't able to celebrate to the fuillest for just one person, so we have decided to only celebrate ONE person's perthday a year. I got this year, and Patrick will have his next year. So Patrick planned the whole birthday with stuff that I would like to do. I had no idea what we were doing until the day of.
So our Birthday was March 10th, and I decided I would take Friday off to give us a whole weekend of celebration. Friday Patrick and I were kind of sick so we slept. Yes, It was a perfect day off. Full of wonderful dreams. You don't really appreciate sleeping in until you can't do it everyday.It was wonderful. Then we went out with the whole family to Macaroni Grill, it was fun and yummy! Then Patrick whisked me away to give me my suprise.
We ended up going to the Westin Resort here in Plano, and we just got to be alone. We watched movies ate chocolate and slept in the most comfortable bed ever. Patrick made sure that the room came with a bath tub. He brought lavender bath salts and I got to enjoy a nice hot bath. I love baths, they are so relaxing, and we don't have one inthe room we are staying in. The next day we slept in, then we went to a puppy store and played with puppies. then here comes the best part. We got Couple's Masages.It was AMAZING. I have never had a masage before and it was absolutely amazing.
It was the best birthday ever!! I got to spend it with my best friend that I get to be with FOREVER!! I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Jobs,Cars, Campouts, Bowling, and Movies

Well, the past two weeks have been very eventful. I got a JOB! I am working at Berrett Pest Control. I am in the office making calls and helping the Techs. With their routes and keeping them busy. I was a little scared the first day. I didn't really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I love the people there, and now that I know how to do the job, it has been so nice. I love doing something. I complain of course that I have to wake up at 7 am. And I usually take a nap in my car during lunch. But I do love staying busy. It is a lot of fun and I think I will really like this job. One thing that I have LOVED these past two weeks is that Patrick still is interviewing for jobs (I think he will get one this week- we can hope- it looks promising!) So he wakes up when I do, and makes me a lunch. He usually makes me a sandwich and packs me snacks! It is so nice, I really love it. He always makes it with love, yes I know how incredibly dorky that sounds but it is TRUE!

So Patrick and I joined 24 Hour Fitness. He has put up with my insistent whining, and has I have been at work all day, and all I wanna do is lie down and cuddle. But he won't have any of that. So he uses his reverse psychology, and just makes fun of me until I finally decide to get up and get dresses. But I have to confess I have loved working out, and after 2 weeks have already seen amazing results. It is really nice. I do cardio- running, bike and then stair steppers. Let me tell you ladies- in 2 weeks I have seen so much progress, and I credit it all to the stair steppers they kick butt (literally). It has been really great to get off of work and go straight to the gym. You kinda forget that you have been sitting at a desk all day long.

So in the course of Patrick and I dating, coupled with not having a job for a while, I managed to gain some weight. SO instead of going on a crash diet I have decided to just start to eat better. I have cut out almost all sugar from my diet, except on Sundays- that’s my day off- my reward day. It actually isn't that hard. I meant the first week is hard but once you get over the “addiction” it isn’t too bad. I have found that my saving grace is the sugar free JELLO Pudding packs. 60 calories of heavenly goodness. I eat pretzels, low fat cheese-its, 100 calorie cookie snack packs, and then just do portion control, plus working out- I haven’t dropped the lbs fast but I can see a difference- an I can feel a difference. So yeah a lifestyle change- it’s good.

So anyway other than work and working out (I still define that as work because I have no choice in it!) We have done a lot of stuff

We went camping with the Scouts. We brought my Jeep and got a blow up mattress and slept in the car. Surprisingly cars are NOT insulated. It was COLD! We didn’t bring sleeping bag which added to loosing heat, and it was one of those random winter nights in Texas where it gets below freezing. The worst part of it was that I had to go to the bathroom 4 times that night. And this was like in the wilderness camping- no toilets. Let’s just say it was very interesting! Haha

The nest night we went to the Plano Football Banquet to help a friend with the photography. If you don’t know Texas Football- you don’t know football. It is a BIG deal out here!! The banquet lasted 7 and a HALF hours!! It was fun?

The other weekend we went to the Dallas Auto Show- I was like 'yay' cars- who cares. Ok once you get in there it is like women in a diamond shop. These cars are just as shiny, just as glamorous, and just as expensive as some of the most beautiful jewelry in the world. These cars were nice. I have decided that if I got a million dollars I would get the new Shelby Mustang with the entire tricked out engine thingies haha I just wanted to sound like a girl there. Oh they are so nice. But the best car had to have been the Lamborghini Murcialago- it was beautiful. Imagine seeing like the hottest guy ever or the most beautiful jewelry ever- yeah it’s kind of like that! Haha you just have to go sometime. You will understand. Well maybe if you are a boy you would get it. I was reminded on the camp out by a boy scout that “I have the shape of a woman, but I like things that boys like.” It’s true. Oooh but some cars are just so pretty!!!

Yesterday we went bowling with some friends for a birthday party. Patrick and I bowled as one person we bowled a 59 yeah it was pretty bad!! Afterwards we went to see Taken, it was a very good movie, and the reason my Dad would never let us leave the house! No seriously it was a really good movie, but kind of scary because it does happen. Warnings to all stupid girls- don’t be stupid!!

So this is an update on the past two weeks! It has been a very fun, exciting, busy, wonderful week! I love being married, and getting to see Patrick every day. It’s a little hard to wrap my mind around the idea that I am a wife, and I have a husband. But I love it! It is a new adventure everyday! If you have any suggestion to a newlywed wife I would LOVE them!!!