Sledding, Gnocchi, and a Fun Visit.

We're all aware of the number of times I've mentioned how slammed pack Seth and I are with living our lives.  I'm also positive that any and everyone reading this is feeling the same way, and I think we should all pat each other on the back :). We are just a filled to the tee generation and I most certainly know nothing is going to slow down any time soon-if ever!  

Our schedules are simply just filled up everyday from sunup to sundown.  Every minute is just about scheduled with something or another, but we are sooo enjoying it all :).

Now, moving from complaining to the fun stuff.

Last weekend we got a a few inches of snow in our parts, so we decided to go sledding with friends and their youngin's.  I don't recall a time where I've gone sledding before, so sweet little Madilynn took me down for my first sledding experience.

First Time Sledding Photo.

Miranda and Elizabeth getting ready to go down.

Miranda and Eva.

Seth being pushed down by Madilynn

Eva and I watching the sledders.

Seth and I about to race down.

Michael and his three girls

Smiling big about something with Eva.

Last weekend Seth and I also tried out creating our own gnocchi and pasta sauce.  It was fun and very tasty.

Mashing up the Potatoes

Mashing again.

Seth mixing the potatoes and flour.

Rolling the dough out to cut up.

Cutting the dough up into pieces to boil.

Close to being ready!

Very tasty.

Flan

After we decided we wanted to make gnocchi I got in the mood to bake a flan.  Two totally different ethnic foods, but we totally put them together and enjoyed them.

Tuesday my cousin Tommy fly into Salt Lake City to oversee a few things with his work for two days.  He stayed in West Jordan, which is about 20-30 minutes South of Salt Lake City. We were able to meet up in Salt Lake for dinner last night at a very yummy Brazilian restaurant.  It was great other than the constant interruptions with our waiter and the men bringing the variety of meat options to us every few minutes.  Seth and I had a great time seeing Tommy and catching up.  I had to be nerdy and get a picture of the three of us-how often does a family member get sent to Utah for work?!

Us w/ Tommy :).

We've recently found out that Seth needs to wear glasses while reading-working on the computer-and driving.  I can tell you he is such a stud in them, and I've finally gotten glasses that are the correct prescription!  I'll have to capture a photo soon with both of our new glasses.

That's about all I've got for now!  Hope everyone has a very memorable Lent season and sets aside time to remember what this season is ALL about.

The Cook's :).

February

Long time no Blog-huh?  

I'm sure I have an excuse somewhere about this:  Hmmmmm...

Well see what had happened WAS.....

I haven't been much up for blogging, and the days that I am in a blogging mood  my very attractive, hardworking, determined to get done this semester husband is working on the computer.  He is thoughtful enough to try and be home when I'm home, so if he needs the computer I will gladly let him have it without question or blog interference :).

One week (I think two weeks ago) Seth requested to go out on a little hike Saturday to get out and possibly take a picture of our favorite Mountains with his film camera.  My faithful readers will certainly know what mountains I'm talking about.  It was nice to get out for a bit and we enjoyed chit chatting with our friend who joined us.

This just has to be the most attractive man....EVER-I still just adore him after an official year and a half of delightful marriage (which was on Feb 15-FYI).

He is getting stuff ready for the picture of the mountains we like to call Ours :).  

This surely just has to make you pause and look in awe.  That's what we do just about every time we see them.  They are just so fun to look at and with the snow covering them they are even more perfect!

Still working things out with the camera.

We have said that we want a picture of these mountains to hang up in our apartment/future home.  We haven't found just the right picture that we like enough to purchase, so when Seth received this film camera from his parents we thought we would try to take our own photo of our mountains and hope it turns out perfect! 

Just another beautiful picture.  I liked them both and couldn't decide which to put up, so since I haven't blogged in a bit I figured I'd treat ya'll with both :).

Jack, Gina, and I on our little hike.

I have to brag and totally say "Yes, we LIVIIIIVE here, next to THHHIIIIS!"

I just put this photo up for each of your amusement.

I'm not sure why this is my first stance when someone wants to take a picture of me.  It is the least bit flattering, and I'm sure one of the first things you notice is "Wow, Erika looks hugggge compared to Gina."  I will point out that Gina is smaller than me, but for my own benefit I am standing full stance mode and bulking up to show my muscles.  

Just Saying.....

Now onto Valentine's Day


I got home and walked into a CLEAN home :)-Score!  How wonderful that was (just had to do a little bragging).

Seth and I purchased some steaks from our local meat market and decided to grill steaks with asparagus and baked potatoes.  Last minute I decided to make a chocolate pie.  We also decided last minute to invite a buddy of ours over to enjoy steaks with us.

While preparing this chocolate pie I beat/mixed in four raw eggs.  Once I had beat it long enough I was preparing to put it into the oven to bake and read that this pie isn't baked-it is put straight into the fridge to 'set'.  I was appalled and confused.  Surely I read the recipe wrong.  I called Seth and he was also appalled at the idea of not cooking this raw egg pie.  Now, I mean I put four large raw eggs in this baby and even though I beat it to death with the mixer it still had FOUR raw EGGS in it.  I abided by the recipe and immediately put it in the fridge to allow the setting to occur.  I continued to ponder this, looked up other recipes, called Mrs. Cynthia, called my Mom, and Text Gina.

I certainly can't serve four raw eggs in a pie to that oh so attractive Valentine of mine and our guest.  I pulled that baby out of the fridge and baked it for about 12 minutes in the oven.  We then stuck it immediately into the freezer for about an hour and a half.  After fretting for so long over it and going against the recipe, I was worried it wouldn't be very tasty-but I was wrong.  It was very delicious and creamy and yummy in our mouths.

Seth grilling our steaks with this new headlamp that I got from a conference with my work.  He has enjoyed that lamp very much.

Our friend Morey with Seth while we were playing Cities and Knights. 

I'm pretty sure Morey agreed to the posting of this photo-I believe I got a verbal agreement rather than a signed contract :-).

Seth won this game

Morey and I believe he cheated and won.

We were pretty sore losers.  Especially after Seth jumped up and did a victory dance in front of us.  

Since Morey came over to eat with us I was a little embarrassed to take pictures of our dinner and plates, but once he left I sooo had a to take a picture of this half eaten chocolate pie that gave me so much trouble :).

 No, I didn't make the crust for this pie-I told you it was last minute and so everything wasn't exactly planned out to the tee.  Don't judge me, but hey-it was still yummy-even though it wasn't put in the prettiest Valentine dish :).

As I mentioned earlier, Seth continues to work long hard hours at the computer with his research and a little classwork.  We are starting to wake up earlier in the mornings because that is when he is most productive-plus we both are useless old folks when it gets to be about 9:30 or 10.  We are trying to plan a trip to San Antonio for a few days during Seth's spring break to visit with Trevor and Emily.  SOoo, hoping that works out with theirs and our schedules, but we will have to see how much progress Seth has/is making!


That's about all I have for now folks-it won't be as long next blog!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

The Cook's :).

V-Day.

Me :  'Seth, what do you want to do for Valentine's day?  Want to just get some steak and grill out here?'

Seth:  'What?  When's that?  Oh, that's right.  Valentine's day is this month.'

Seth :  'I had a surprise for you, but since you've already made plans we'll go with what you want to do.' -with a smirk on face

Very much looking forward to spending V-Day with that fella.  :).

In reality I could care less about Valentine's day.  Seth and I have enjoyed 'forgetting' about Valentine's day since we first started dating---because----Our first V-Day was celebrated with Seth in Clemson and me in Greenwood.  With us only dating for four months I wasn't expecting anything more than a 'Happy Valentine's Day, Erika.'  I didn't even get that!  Seth was very sick on this Valentine's Day and couldn't even talk to me (or so he says!), much less wish me a 'Happy Valentine's Day'.  I'm sure if you know me you realize that at the end of that day I could care less about his sickness.  I was furious.  I was a evil-scary girl who went crazy on my poor sick boyfriend for not even calling me on Valentine's day to wish me a Happy Valentine's day. 

He should have realized then that he was getting himself into a mess with me :).  Now, we joke about our first not so happy Valentine's Day.

Seth is quickly and surely wrapping up his last semester of Graduate school.  We were thinking it may take him a little longer to complete and finalize his thesis, and he may postpone his defense until June-August-but this is no longer the case.  Several issues have popped up with the later defense dates and it is no longer an option.  Seth will be defending this semester (although we don't know the date yet), so he is definitely a busy busy man.

Due to the fact that Seth has been booked up and will continue to be booked we've been very unadventurous around here.  With any adventures-blogging has been pushed to the back burner.

Two Sunday's ago Seth and I went for an outing with Joe and Gina.  We were going to go for a little hike up Logan canyon and once we arrived at our destination we figured out that the hike wasn't going to happen.  The snow was higher than Joe's bronco, so we just traveled up another minute to Bear Lake.

Beau-ti-ful

Gorgeous, but SOOOO cold

We literally froze up there! I can honestly say I thought I had hypothermia in my feet!

Gina and Jack scoping things out.

Seth's wonderful parents gave him one of their film cameras and that baby is now Seth's pride and joy :).  With Joe going to school at USU for photography, Seth has asked Joe to tutor him.  While Gina and I chit chatted and froze Seth and Joe did camera talk.

Figuring out lighting and various other camera things.

This time last year Seth and I had Olivia and Brian visiting us and looking forward to Emily and Trevor's visit two weeks after O & B!  We had piles and piles of snow on the ground and were just getting started with our married Utahan lives :).

Man Time has FLOWN by soo quickly!  We are very much hoping to have more visitors this semester, and are oh soooo pumped about a possible visit from Seth's folks and Nana!

Almost the weekend and SuperBowl time :).  Hope everyone has fun.

A recent picture of my favorite mountains :).  So pretty.

The Cook's :).