Chronicles of the Wife's Life

Rally with Mitt!

2012-01-28T00:50:00.000-05:00

Why yes, yes we did drive two hours (each way) to go to a rally with Mitt Romney.

I talked Luke in to going and it was totally worth the drive. When we left, Luke even admitted it was totally worth it.

Check us out in this A.P. photo!

As if that isn't evidence enough that we were there, check out my hand in this picture!

And since the above picture is debatable on whether that truly is my hand, check out the below picture! How you like them apples? Yeah, yeah.

Story. Oh man, she wanted to leave so bad. She did pretty well, but we had to wait a little bit before the rally started and she kept saying, "Let's get out of here, guys!"

And what made this drive totally worth it? I got to shake Mitt's hand! Any guesses on what I said to him as I shook his hand?

Now, I could have said, "You're the best, Mitt!" I could have said, "Great debate last night, Mitt!" I could have said, "Go get 'em, Mitt!" Instead, I froze under pressure and could only utter the words, "I love you!" LOL! And might I add, there was no "I love you" reciprocated. Luke said the guy looked uncomfortable. Here, take a look at the video and make your own judgements.

I told Luke it could have been much worse. I could have said, "I want to have your babies, Mitt!" Right? That would have been much worse. Right? ..Right?

24 Weeks

2012-01-23T17:27:00.001-05:00

Check out my shoes I got in seattle for $5 bucks. My mom bought me different pair too, same price. They were majorly discounted at DSW, plus my mom had a coupon. I guess sandal-type shoes are discounted in the winter most places. Good thing I can make use of them here. Your loss, Seattle, your loss.

New glasses for the little one. She brakes nearly every pair. I'l give these one two weeks. But they better last until Valentine's Day.

24 weeks: I have been getting hundreds of emails (obviously joking...just pretending I'm some famous blogger) asking me about what I have been craving and if we have decided on a name.

Yes, we have decided on a name. No, it is not a name previously listed. No, we will not tell you until the baby is born. Pretty much because it is a name that 90% of people would try to talk me out of. And I'm sticking to it. Yes, I'm worried it has the potential of becoming "trendy." Not because I think I am a celebrity and people will copy me...but for other reasons that can not be mentioned at this time.

Cravings: From the beginning of this pregnancy, I have craved loaded baked potatoes. When nothing else sounded good, a baked potato sounded delicious. I also crave stir fried vegetables. And pineapple. I don't know if it is a craving or if it just sounds good all of the time.

I was more nauseous at the beginning of this pregnancy and definitely more tired than I remember feeling with Story. I took an afternoon nap almost everyday in my first trimester.

And yes, I started showing sooner this time around than last time.

If I think of anything else to share, I will share.

Cheerio!

23 Weeks and A Name

2012-01-13T15:34:00.001-05:00

23 Weeks. Gotta love bathroom mirror shots. Ok honestly, they gross me out too. Sorry. Until I get a full length mirror, you're gonna have to deal with them.

I have been clearing out things in our closets to make more room for the baby, as well as to prepare for a potential move this summer. Here are some of the cute clothes. I always forget how tiny little babies are.

I LOVE the hand-covered jammies/shirts/onesies. They totally encompass everything newborn. Had I discovered them before Story was born, it would have spared her some scratches on her face in her first precious weeks of life.

The below outfit was a gift from my friend, Kirsten, who I saw over Christmas break. Kirsten is so thoughtful and has always been a good gift-giver. I could learn a lesson or two from her.

Story made me a queen today. Thanks, Stor.

She also loves using my phone to take pictures.

Now onto a name: I think we are gonna need help this time around. So I would love to hear any suggestions from all of you. I like unique names, hence Story. Here is a list of names I (not we) like:

Isla
Liv
Everly
Harper
Scout (Luke WILL NOT do this one. Makes me so mad)
Rowan
Scarlett
Echo? That might be too much with Story
Neve (Until it reminded me of Neville from iCarly)

I'm sure there have been more, but that is all I can remember for now. Anyway, I would love hearing any suggestions you have. Please share :)

Seattle

2012-01-09T13:14:00.001-05:00

Number one of the list to do in Seattle: Surprise my family with a pregnant belly. They had no clue I was pregnant and it was funny to see their reactions. Hence, why I just recently posted about being pregnant. I also sent Christmas cards out to some friends and Luke's family to share the news. I get some kind of sick satisfaction out of hiding a pregnancy for as long as I can. If I could show up with a new baby one day, without anyone in our family knowing I was pregnant, I would.

Number two on the list was have a gender reveal party: I had the ultra-sound result of the gender put in an envelope at my doctor's appointment and told the ultra-sound tech not to tell us what the gender was. I gave the envelope to my friend, who graciously made a cake for us to cut in to. If the inside was pink, it was a girl, if it was blue, obviously a boy.

I think my mom took pictures of the event, but I have yet to get those. I will post once I obtain copies. There was a video made, however, I hate watching myself and had a strong desire to punch myself watching it, so I did not want to post it.

The cake was pink! It's a girl!

So this year I was set on wrapping presents in a new and creative way. Mainly because Pinterest made me feel guilty for being less creative than other people. I like how these turned out. I do feel like once you wrap like this, you should never wrap like crap again. So hopefully in the years to come I can be just as creative. Luke made fun of me because I spent something like two hours wrapping these.

This is Luke's gift to me. He wrapped it and everything. I think he was trying to one-up me. Notice the small envelope and accordion flower embellishment? No joke, this thing took him two hours to wrap. Funny how he made fun of me for wrapping six presents in two hours when it took him two hours to wrap one.

Story on Christmas morning. I didn't take a lot of pictures Christmas morning but Story opened some pretty awesome presents from my parents, brothers, sister, Luke's parents, her cousin Jaden etc. She loved all of her presents and we are so grateful for giving families.

New sweater.

I was so happy I was able to meet up with my friend Erin, her husband and their little girl, Tessa for lunch. Story and Tessa had an wonderful time chasing each other up and down those cement stairs. I can't think of a safer place for kids to play than cement stairs.

Christmas lights in Bellevue. This was pretty cool. It was raining. I thought no one would be walking through the park. I was wrong. Rain doesn't stop anyone in Seattle.

My sister's bridal shower. Most of Christmas break was centered around Stasia and her wedding. She is such a me-monster. haha kidding.

Story and Warren. Oh goodness. Story looks like such a party girl in this picture. Makes me nervous for when she gets older.

A much more innocent and cute picture with Warren. They are so cute.

Story LOVED playing with her friends. She was especially obsessed with Hallie.

I gotta say, Stasia opened some real nice lingerie. haha kidding, kidding. I mean it was nice, but I didn't like analyze it or anything. The panties (oh man, I HATE that word, but had to use it just to make readers feel uncomfortable) were attached to helium balloons. That way, when Stasia opened the box, they floated in the air. Pretty clever joke.

Story wearing the "p-word" with helium balloons attached.

Stasia and some of her friends. I had to throw this picture in to point out that Lisa, on the far left, is pregnant and I believe one month further along than me. Notice how she isn't huge like me already? Granted, it is her first...but I would kill for a long torso. Growing up I remember hearing how long legs were so great. I would argue that a long torso is just as great.

We had a tit bit of slushy snow one day. Luke and Story made this pathetic looking snowman. I should note that it is Story's first snowman so that makes it pretty cool.

Did I mention that most of my break had something to do with Stasia's upcoming wedding? The above two pictures were things I worked on for the wedding. Consider it a sneak peek. Luke spent a lot of time building some things for the wedding. He really enjoys building so he had a lot of fun. He is pretty set on having a nice shop with good tools when he is done with school. He says building furniture will be a hobby for him. Remind me to get insurance on his hands incase he cuts one off and can no longer practice as a surgeon.

New Year's Eve!

My friend, Whitney had us over for New Year's Eve. We left Story with my parents and enjoyed yummy food, a crazy game of Apples to Apples , and a great night with friends.

My new favorite picture of me and Story.

Mexican tacos. We ate here twice. They were delicious!

I'm Pregnant

2012-01-05T18:36:00.004-05:00

For those who don't know, and for those who still look at this blog, we're having a baby! 22 weeks. It's a girl. Man, that tummy sticks out earlier the second time around.

Mitt Romney, I love you.

2011-12-12T11:55:00.001-05:00

This picture has nothing to do with my post. Just wanted to spread the Christmas cheer.

It's normal for Mitt Romney to be in your dreams at night, right? Ok good. I didn't think I was the only one.

I'm not sure if I am enamored with business decisions, efficiency, and cost-cutting because I majored in business management or if there is something in my DNA that causes such an infatuation.

But really, who cares? How can you not appreciate the following story about Mitt Romney?

In Massachusetts, he explains, he inherited a projected $3 billion deficit when he became governor in 2003 and proceeded to pore over line-item budgets looking for reductions. “Now, I wasn’t going to cut homeless support. But I wanted to see if the money was well-spent,” he says, and he came upon an unexpected category: hotels.

“And they said, ‘Well, Governor, you have to understand, if someone shows up for shelter and the homeless shelter is full, we simply tell them to go check into a hotel and we’ll pick up the bill.’ And I thought to myself” — and here he pauses before his punch line — “I bet the word gets around.” His audience chuckles.

So Romney made a simple change: The newest arrival got a shelter bed, and the person there the longest went to a hotel. Before, the state was renting an average of 500 hotel rooms a night, at a cost of $20 million per year. Afterward, that line item fell to zero. “And the tens of millions of dollars we saved we were able to use to get people into permanent housing.” This did provide a pathway to a stable, independent life, homeless advocates said.

“Incentives,” Romney exclaims, “have impact.”

Gluten-Free Appetizer/Snack

2011-12-02T16:13:00.000-05:00

There is something incredibly magical about a cheese ball, no?

Here is a quick recipe for a cheese ball:

2 8oz packages of cream cheese
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 packet of dry ranch seasoning mix (I have yet to find an in-store brand that I can trust as GF. So I have a separate recipe for this)
Crushed pecans

Recipe for dry ranch mix:

1/2 cup buttermilk (dry)
1 T parsley
1 tsp Dill
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper

For the ranch dry mix: blend all ingredients in a food processor or chopper.

For the cheese ball: Let cream cheese softened in counter for half an hour. Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and 1/2 T - 1 T of your dry ranch mix (Don't add the entire amount of ranch mix that my recipe makes) . (If you are not gluten-free, just add your store bought packet of ranch mix) Blend with blender until fully combined. Roll into two equal-sized cheese ball. Coat each cheese ball in crushed pecans (or pecan chips as they call them).

Serve with your favorite GF cracker, vegetable or whatever your heart desires.

Does anyone else have a yummy cheese ball recipe? If you do, please share. I wouldn't rave about this particular recipe being the best ever, but it is easy and decent. Please, please share if you have a cheese ball to die for.

FYI

2011-12-01T13:20:00.000-05:00

I'm kind of bored of blogging right now. That is why my posts have been so few and far between. Don't worry, I'm not gone for good. Just being lazy with posts.

Not too much is going on. Grocery shopping today and stopping at a few thrift stores.

Oh yeah, my sister is getting married! I forgot to announce that (that is why I am going to some thrift shops). Anyway, between planning her reception and reading politics, I have had little motivation to blog.

Here is a sneak peak of what will be hanging at the reception. Not those colors, but you get the idea.

Enchanted

2011-11-21T20:44:00.000-05:00

This weekend, Story had a birthday party to attend. She (and I) were super excited to go. One of our friends, who moved to Orlando for rotations, were celebrating their daughter's first birthday. We all know how special the first birthday is. Katie and Blake (BJ) went all out for Emmy's party and it was awesome!

The theme: Enchanted.

Love that tree.

They had a bounce-house in the backyard and Story was lovin' it. Story was also super stoked to dress like a princess for the party. Enchanted attire was encouraged.

Emmy, preparing to dig into her cake.

Did I mention that enchanted attire was encouraged?

It was so fun. All the party goers looked awesome. Except me. I wore a boring crown. That's it. And yes, no picture because I put my camera in the car before we took a friend picture. I'll have to see if I can get it from one of the girls.

I must also mention that Katie is a saint. She let me know ahead of time that the food was taken care of for me. When I arrived at the party, they said there was a bowl of gluten-free pasta on the table and she assured me that she had checked every single ingredient. There was also fresh fruit and yummy punch for me too.

I never expect people to go out of their way to make sure I have something to eat. In fact, I feel bad if someone does go out of their way. Katie truly went above and beyond and I love her for it. The pasta was amazing. Thank you so much, Katie.

The birthday girl. You are so precious, Emmy. Happy, happy birthday! I hope you enjoyed every bit of that cake.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Dumplings-Gluten Free

2011-11-15T14:22:00.000-05:00

I don't know that any other food compares to a properly put together bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. Am I right?

For me, a properly made bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup must have dumplings and it is also helpful if the noodles are homemade. There is something about fresh noodles, unevenly cut, and somewhat chunky that really make this meal stand out. For this particular batch, I did not make homemade noodles. I know, it's pretty much a sin. I didn't have a game plan for a gluten-free recipe and when it came time to add the noodles, I was pressed for time so I ended up using GF fettucini noodles. It's okay though because the soup was still amazing.

Ingredients:

3 T butter

1 onion

2 large celery sticks

1/2 a bag of baby carrots or 2 large carrots

Salt

Pepper

4 medium-sized potatoes

72 oz of Swansons Natural Goodness Chicken Broth (I prefer the reduced sodium)

2-3 large chicken breasts diced

Tinkyada Fettucini noodles

Dumpling Ingredients:

2 Cups Bob's Red Mill GF all-purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

1 cup milk

3 T unsalted butter

Directions:

Dice the onion, celery sticks, and carrots. Heat a large pot to medium-high heat. Add 3 T butter and allow to melt. Add onion, celery and carrots to pot and let them simmer in the butter, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper the veggies while they cook in the butter. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into chunks. After the veggies have cooked for 5 or so minutes, add the chicken broth. (My pot was just big enough for 72 oz. I buy the broth that comes in the cardboard boxes, which are 48 oz each. If your pot can fit more than 72 oz, feel free to add the entire two boxes of broth.) Next, throw in the potatoes. Increase temperature to high. While the broth works to a boil, dice your chicken breasts. Add the chicken once diced.

Cover the soup and allow for the chicken, potatoes, and veggies to cook. You may need to bring the temperature down to a medium-high to prevent it from boiling over.

Meanwhile, mix up your dumpling ingredients. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Heat the butter and milk in the microwave until just warm, being careful not to burn. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until fully incorporated and smooth.

Once you have determined that your potatoes and chicken have fully cooked in your soup, you can then add your GF fettucini noodles. I used half the bag of Tinkyada noodles. I broke the noodles in half so I could stir them into the soup easier. After you have stirred in your noodles, add the dumplings. Drop them into the top of your boiling soup by golf-ball-sized portions. It will look like several round balls of dough floating at the top of your pot. I like to leave a little gap between each ball as the dough will expand while it cooks. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes.

After you let your cool slightly, it will be ready to eat. This really is good. A true comfort food that makes for great leftovers.

Next time I will attempt homemade noodles. If anyone out there has a good GF homemade noodle recipe, let me know.

Doubles World Champion Sand Sculptors- Siesta Key Beach

2011-11-12T19:26:00.000-05:00

First things first. Parking was redicky-dunk.

Sculptures. Enjoy. They were all in the process of being sculpted so some of the pictures are of a part of the sculpture. They finish sculpting tomorrow at noon, I believe, and the winners of the competition are recognized as 2011 Doubles Division World Champions.

This sculpture was one of my favorites. I loved the detailed work of the fish as well as the interior of the fish...

...the interior of the fish had sculpting done inside. Skull and bones. Kinda cool.

Loved this one as well. There was another part to the sculpture that they were working on but I thought this part of the sculpture was the best.

I love going to events like this. They are so unique to where we live and it make me love this part of the world even more. While I miss the idea of walking around in boots and parkas, I love being on the beach in November.

Happy Halloween, Everyone!

2011-10-31T23:57:00.000-04:00

Luke prepping the cat burglar for her Trick-Or-Treating.

Still waiting while she gets her rope tied around her waist.

Story and her "friends." She is obsessed with saying, friends. On Sunday, we drove by one of those amusement parks that come into town and take over a random parking lot and Story said, "I wanna go there with my friends." Anyway, I was trying to get all the kids in the picture (not just mine) but I had my 50mm lens on, which won't capture a large group of people unless you're standing a mile away.

Story's official first house. She did great. Luke helped her at most of the doors.

Going to doors is not always necessary because many people sit in their driveways to pass out candy. I didn't think much of it until my friend pointed out that people can't sit in their driveways most other places because it is too cold. True dat. While I miss crisp, cool fall weather, you can't beat trick-or-treating in pleasant, warm weather.

Okay, so when I said Luke helped Story at most of the doors, this is one door that he didn't help her at. He was there, but waiting in the driveway. Luke let her walk up with the other kids to this door by herself. All of the sudden we hear another dad yell to us, "Uh, Story just let herself into that person's house."

Yeah.

So Story walked in, all the way to their living room, and asked the wife if she could use the potty. So this is a picture of Luke in the living room picking up Story. The homeowner's were kind enough to let Story use their facilities. After our group moved on to the next house, the man shut his door and Luke and Story were still inside. Not sure if the homeowner's realized they had a notorious cat burglar in their midst, otherwise they would have had second thoughts on letting her use their bathroom.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Luke's Boise State Pumpkin

2011-10-31T00:19:00.002-04:00

Luke is pretty proud of his pumpkin. I'm afraid that if we had a house fire, he might grab the pumpkin before grabbing Story. To his credit, it is pretty cool.

Costume Reveal

2011-10-29T22:34:00.003-04:00

cat bur·glar

Noun:

A thief who enters a building by climbing to an upper story.

Watch out, America. She's on the prowl. Climbing through your windows, snatching your people up... So you better hide your jewelry, hide your cash, hide your jewelry, hide your cash, hide your jewelry, hide your cash, and hide your candy cuz she's snatching everything.

Tonight we went to the ward Trunk-or-Treat. Always a fun activity. Story was kind of cautious to approach people for candy. I mean, she is so used to having to steal everything, that simply being handed candy was something she wasn't used to. I think that made her a little leery.

Last night Luke and I went to a haunted forest. Haven't done a haunted-house-type-thing since 2008. I believe last time I went through a haunted house, a swear word came out of my mouth when something scared me. This time, I only partially swore twice. A major improvement for me. The partial swear word was SHIZ. Oh yeah. Shiz. You heard it right. Anyway, it was way fun and well worth the money.

Story's Costume

2011-10-27T22:03:00.000-04:00

I just finished sewing Story's Trick-Or-Treat bag. Any guesses on what you think her costume is?

Florida's Fall Festivities

2011-10-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

This last weekend we went to one of the local pumpkin patches. Don't let Story's long sleeve shirt and jeans fool you. It wasn't cold outside. Not at all. (Sigh), I am really missing the crisp, cool air that typically comes with fall. But alas, there is no such thing in Florida.

Despite, Florida's sorry excuse for fall, the "pumpkin patch" was still lots of fun. Story and her friend Zachary fed the barn animals. Look at that sheep's coat. Looks like it is infested with disease. Barn animals kind of make me want to vomit.

Rachel helping the kiddos feed the sheep. Again, don't let Rachel's attire fool you. It wasn't cold outside.

We paid $5 for Story and Zachary to have unlimited turns on this bouncy slide. Kind of sound like a rip-off. But they had so much fun that it was totally worth it.

Look at the sheer joy slathered on her face.

We enjoyed freshly squeezed lemonade.

Rachel's cool hair accessory. You'll need to go to Brazil if you want one.

Luke and Me. I attempted to hop on the hay barrels (as Luke did)...I was either too fat or too weak to actually get on top. So I ended up standing in front of them.

Story. And I quote, "Yee-haw! Ridin' cowboy!"

Picking oranges....that I'm pretty sure they weren't supposed to be picking.

Dancin'

Runnin'

More dancin'

Love this girl!

2011-10-06T00:26:00.000-04:00

Visit from my mom...

2011-09-29T09:20:00.001-04:00

My Mom's sister was receiving her pin from nursing school so naturally all of her siblings came down to celebrate.

Me and Story at the graduation.

Top, from left to right: Story, my Mom, Kathy, Thom
Bottom, from left to right: Norene, Krista, Alison.

Norene, Krista and Alison all lived right near Gammy so I was able to see a lot of them last year.

Story and my Mom in Krista's pool. I forgot a swimsuit for Story, so yeah. I think that explains her attire.

Cruisin'

Joyous times in the play room.

Of course we went to the beach because why else would you come to Florida if your destination isn't Orlando?

Beach food. Has anyone tried those popcorn chip things? They have a white cheddar flavor that is to die for. Excellent to dip in hummus. Buffalo hot wing isn't too bad either.

4 Years

2011-09-23T23:20:00.000-04:00

Well, folks. Another four years have passed by and you know what that means? No, I'm not talking about leap year, nor am I talking about an eclipse. And I'm certainly not talking about the FIFA World Cup.

What I am talking about are the debates for the President of the United States of America. As the challenging party's candidates go head-to-head, I simply can't get enough. I live and breathe politics during these important periods in our life.

I will admit, I don't follow politics religiously in the years between elections. I do stay informed during these years, but I don't go to bed thinking about politics, nor do I think of clever comebacks a politician could use against another politician while I make dinner, nor do I read article after article on my favorite politicians, and I don't spend hours and hours making comments on politician's Facebook pages and network websites like CNN and FoxNews. No, I don't do these silly things in the years between. I do these things now! When things start heating up again, I start heating up again too!

I'm near positive during the last race for president, I vowed that I would run for some sort of office. You know, so that my intelligent voice could be heard. If it wasn't for the fact that I have to throw up in my mouth or run to the bathroom with severe you-know-what every time I have to speak in public, I would actually consider running for something. However, public speaking and I don't go well together. And that is exactly why I stick to writing. Which is ironic, because I'm also really bad at writing. I have really poor grammar, spelling, punctuation, and anything else that is involved in writing the english language. But yet, it is easier for me to share my opinions this way.

Not that any of you care deeply about my opinion, but Mitt Romney is my man. He is a business and financial genius. He has spent his life fixing broken companies, organizations and the state of Massachusetts. He takes debt-ridden entities and flips them around to be profitable again. His experience mostly stems from the private sector but he did spend four years as the governor of Massachusetts. He absolutely is the man for the job. Seriously whether you are Democrat, Republican, or part of the annoying Tea Party, why would you vote for anyone different?

If the President of the United States were a position in a company, and you came across Romney's resume, you wouldn't care about his party affiliation, you would hire him on the spot. Why? Because your biggest problem is your debt and your ability to get people back to work.

That being said, here is a clip of my least favorite candidate:

Really? This guy is considered to be the top contender? He can't even speak. I think as time goes on we will see him drop in the polls. Seriously, the economy isn't going to get better if we nominate Rick Perry, someone who is almost as inexperienced as President Obama.

Can you hear the passion in my voice?

Here is another candidate who I like, Herman Cain. This video also includes a clip of John Huntsman.

Cain seems really down-to-earth, incredibly honest, and intelligent enough to get this country going again.

Newt. I like Newt. He also is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the government.

Who do you like? Feel free to weigh-in. I shared my opinion, you are entitled to yours.

A Trip to Sarasota Architectural Salvage

2011-09-15T00:18:00.000-04:00

I forgot to post these pictures from a couple weeks back. We made a trip to Sarasota Architectural Salvage. Really cool store with grossly overpriced reclaimed items.

Some of you may know how much anxiety I get when I see people sit fully clothed in strangers' bathtubs of homes they will potentially purchase on HGTV.

Just so you know, I nearly had an anxiety attack taking these pictures.

The above picture was Luke's idea. I reluctantly gave in.

Story holding an "S"...for Story.

If you are in Sarasota, I do recommend taking a trip to this store. It has fun things to look at. But unless you have a pretty penny to spend, don't plan on coming home with a lot of items.

A Naturally Gluten-Free Meal

2011-09-04T12:00:00.003-04:00

If you just want the recipe, feel free to skip my ranting.

I decided to write the information below for anyone who is just beginning a gluten-free diet, considering a gluten-free diet, knows someone who is starting a gluten-free diet, or simply just wants to hear my inside thoughts of living gluten-free. The purpose of what I write is to let you know that eating gluten-free is very manageable and still tasty. Don't be discouraged. You can do it!

First and foremost, nothing irks me more than an ignorant individual who avoids eating anything gluten-free because they assume the food will taste gross. Even if you make something that is naturally gluten-free (meaning no substitute products) and you tell them it is gluten-free, they won't try it. If only they could realize that not all gf food taste like cardboard.

Recently, I have been reading the book Living Gluten-Free for Dummies. There is a part in the book where the author talks about doctors and how they inadvertently discourage patients who are advised to follow a gluten-free diet with comments like, "good luck with that," or "it's gonna be tough."

I had to laugh at that paragraph because I spoke with one lunatic-of-a-nurse, an ARNP, who was actually really nice, and a doctor who all made comments to me inadvertently creating despair in my mind about sticking to a gluten-free diet. The best is what the lunatic-of-a-nurse said when I told her I suspected I needed to go on a gluten-free diet, "That would suck," is what she said. Not kidding. I guess her comment wasn't that inadvertent. It was pretty deliberate.

It disappoints me when I hear of people who should be following a gluten-free diet and then give up because, "it was just too hard." I just want to shake those people and say, "You can do it!" Don't let comments like, "That would suck," discourage you from keeping your body healthy.

I am closing in on one year of living a strict gluten-free diet and I am so proud of myself. I'm thankful that my skin condition has taken a vacation. It took awhile, but it is gone indefinitely. I am also grateful to Luke, who supports me and agrees with me that it isn't that tough to be gluten-free.

Yeah, yeah, it can be annoying when eating out. But thankfully, more and more restaurants are providing gluten-free menus and are working with customers who eat gf. A really good Italian restaurant in town has me bring in my own pasta, which isn't hard to do, and they make me the best Chicken Marsala. A lot of the dishes in the best cuisines, Indian and Thai (in my opinion), are naturally gf. Anyway, my point is, you can get around the whole saga of eating out pretty easily. I'll admit, fast food is kind of tricky. I rarely do fast food. I think Wendy's is the only place I have ordered a meal from since I started eating gluten-free. I had a baked potato. But anyway, if you know you will be taking a road trip, pack food for the trip you know you can eat. It will likely be more healthy and better tasting than anything you can buy on the road.

Moving on...

Have any of you observed the kinds of products people fill their grocery carts with? Next time you go shopping, make observations. But maybe don't go to Wholefoods for this experiment, but rather someplace like Walmart. Seriously, I am astonished at the crap that I see most people buy. Beyond the fact that most of the products contain gluten, which is not poison to everyone, they are typically processed foods, low in nutrients and high in calories. And we wonder why America is so obese and in poor health. Even though I know gluten is not poison to everyone, I do think that the typical American diet includes too much wheat. So much so that it affects our health.

In many of the articles and books I read, it says that almost no one digests gluten easily and that many people are "sensitive" to gluten. Their bodies may display those sensitivities in a number of ways. If you have migraines, acne, gas, bloating, asthma, depression, dry skin, if you want to reverse the signs of aging, etc etc you may benefit from a reduction of gluten in your diet. Moreover, studies have shown that autism, epilepsy, symptoms of menopause, diabetes, etc. can improve on a gluten-free diet. That's why I sometimes will joke with people, "You have a bad back? Go on a gluten-free diet!" You want green eyes? Go on a gluten-free diet!" Seriously, if you tell me you have a condition, I'll likely say, "I bet that can be improved on a gluten-free diet." I don't even think this way because misery loves company, so to speak. It is simply because the more and more I read, the more I learn about the affects of gluten on the human body. It makes sense that a lot of our health problems are attributed to the things we put in our bodies. Don't even get me started on pesticides. Don't worry, I still consume them. I don't like it, but I am not a super freak about it quite yet.

What I like about this diet is that it brings new players into the ball game, so to speak. How many of you cook with quinoa? Quinoa was something that we ate before, but many people are unaware of this grain. They say it's super healthy. So behold, I present to you a naturally gf meal using quinoa.

Quinoa Surprise

2 T Olive Oil
Half of an Onion
1 Bell Pepper
2 Cloves of Garlic
Seasoned meat of your choice
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Pepper
Lemon Pepper
1 Cup of Quinoa
Parmesan Cheese
Directions:

Follow directions to cook Quinoa. I typically use Ancient Harvest brand. While the quinoa is cooking, I like to add a dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Lemon pepper to the pot.
Heat Olive Oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, garlic (and any other veggie of your choice), and your pre-cooked meat. We have been using John Soules fajita meat but you can certainly cook and season your own meat for this recipe. Once your vegetables have tenderized and your quinoa has finished cooking, add the quinoa to the skillet. Turn the skillet to low heat and season everything with the same seasonings you put into your quinoa. I don't measure, I just season to taste. Last, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and let cook another few minutes. Enjoy!

Pablo Picasso

2011-09-01T17:11:00.000-04:00

Never mind that this picture is not quite in focus. I just think she looks so funny. Typical Story.

These pictures represent our life this past week. We haven't left the house very often. Partly because it has been cloudy or rainy, partly because I haven't really felt like going anywhere, and partly because Luke has been studying like you-know-what .

Does anyone else ever get into one of those funks? I actually enjoy staying home every now and then, but sometimes it is overkill.

Anyway, Story has been painting for countless hours. We made a special trip to the store to buy new water color paint because she went through one case in 2 days. She loves it. I turn on iCarly, set out a blanket, and she paints until her heart's content.

Speaking of iCarly...does anyone else thoroughly enjoy that show? Gibby is my favorite character.

How To Make Ordinary Girl Toddler Pants...

2011-08-31T23:51:00.002-04:00

...not so ordinary.

Way back when, I was at Crewcuts and saw little girl chino shorts that caught my eye. They were super cute with a gold strip of sequins running down the outside seams. They are my inspiration for this project.

Step1: Find a pair of pants or shorts that are ordinary.

Step 2: Find some trim at your local fabric store that you like.

Step 3: Add the trim to the lining of the front pockets, around the waistband, the back pocket, or down the outside seams of the pants/shorts.

(You can sew the trim or use fabric glue. I chose to use the same fabric glue I used on my halloween costume from here. Those spots were cemented to my clothes.

Prince Charming

2011-08-29T23:02:00.000-04:00

Luke and I found this little guy on our door step. Smallest frog I have ever seen.

Gender Reveal Party

2011-08-27T14:27:00.002-04:00

No, this isn't for me.

Maybe some of you have seen this already in the blogging world. I don't know but it's new to me. Check out details of the party here. More importantly, check out what they decided to name their baby. Love the name, love the idea! Totally will do this some day.

Foto Friday

2011-08-26T23:11:00.001-04:00

Dog-e-Glow.

2011-08-26T16:59:00.000-04:00

Yep, that's my photo (of the dog in the glow collar)! I kind of feel cool.

Baby Jett,

2011-08-23T00:08:00.001-04:00

welcome to the world!

Um, precious? I think so.

Jett and his older brother, Z.

Look at their cute matching outfits. So cute. Their Mama must be so proud to have two handsome sons. What a lucky mom!

Z is a little fish! I ventured outside to snap some shots of him swimming with Titi while his mom fed Jett. I love candid photography. LOVE IT!

Seriously, look at him swim! He is the same age as Story and oh how I wish I could get Story to swim.

Titi holding Jett.

Model shot! Their little pup was itching to be photographed.

A Send-Off

2011-08-19T17:26:00.001-04:00

At LECOM, third and fourth year rotations are not necessarily set-up for you. Many students move after their first two years to complete their rotations in other states or cities. Next week our friends will be moving back to Colorado. Ashley (Aric & Aidan too), we will miss you dearly. Ashley has been my "mommy friend" since we began this journey. Aric and Ashley walked up to us at the very first BBQ the school held, introduced themselves, and shared the great news with us that they were expecting a baby that february. I was ecstatic to know that I wasn't going to be the only wife who had a baby.

Aidan and Story

Is it just me or does it not look like Story is peeing on this girl? Boy-style, of course.

Katie, Blake, and Emmy (far left) surprised Aric and Ashley by driving from Orlando to be at the send-off. Katie is my other "mommy friend." They are doing rotations in Orlando. I sure am going to miss having other mommy-med-student-wives around. Why oh why do you guys have to move?

I am extremely grateful for all of our friends. Despite the sometimes difficult schedule that comes with having kids, they have always made sure to include us all and are so helpful with the little ones. Our little ones bring us so much joy and I have so much happiness watching my friends interact with Story.

Ashley, Aric, and Aidan, we will miss you! Come and visit anytime. We haven't ruled out Colorado as a state to settle in, just sayin'.

Dinner Menu

2011-08-19T00:47:00.000-04:00

Hello, cool chalkboard that now graces my dining room walls.

One of our friends here had a UGE classroom-sized chalkboard that she let us have. Luke cut it down and added a border so we could have a funky dinner menu. The rest of the chalkboard is in Story's toy room.

More Baby.

2011-08-16T18:22:00.001-04:00

Introducing Tylah. She is beautiful.

Oh Baby!

2011-08-15T00:36:00.003-04:00

I found this picture irresistible!

This is my friend's newborn baby girl. Isn't she precious? I'll likely be posting more pictures so stay tuned.

And yes, this does mean my camera was repaired. Yay!

Let's Roll!

2011-08-11T19:34:00.000-04:00

Check out Story's new trike!

And check out her cool new way to say, "let's roll!" She throws those arms in the air and rolls them the-wheels-on-the-bus-go-round-and-round-style while exclaiming, "let's roll!"

She is so cool. Seriously. I know she is my child but I think she says the funniest things and she is so outgoing and I love her for it.

It is rainy season here so we have had storms passing through here and there. This particular day was cloudy. All day. Very Seattle-like and a rarity for Florida. Needless to say, we wanted to enjoy the clouds so we decided to ride around the entire complex. Well, she rode, I walked. Honestly, it's quite far for a little toddler to ride but she did it! Well almost. I actually carried the bike, which had dog poo on the tires because she apparently rolled over some along the way, the last little bit because she insisted she walk with that backpack on her back. She is obsessed with that backpack. It goes everywhere with us.

Alright, let's roll, Story!

You better believe there will be some photo shoots with that trike. Coming soon.

Wedding Pics

2011-08-01T01:32:00.000-04:00

I felt extremely grateful and honored to be able to photograph this beautiful wedding. People, this was a true blue country wedding, oozing with southern hospitality. I felt so welcomed that at one point I thought in my mind I was attending as a guest rather than hired as the photographer. I even had tears of joy in my eyes for the happy couple at one point. Yeah, it's true. Ask Luke. He was my assistant and he did a fabulous job.

There were truly so many shots that I fell in love with but here are just a few. Enjoy!

Okay, so in this pot is the groom's father's recipe for alligator soup. Yeah, I said alligator. The families insisted that we eat at the reception. Luke was more than happy to accept the invitation. I was weary, given my intolerance to wheat. I declined. At the end of the reception, they were giving out leftovers and they handed us some alligator soup. Not only that, they went over all of the ingredients for me. Ya see what I mean about southern hospitality? I am excited to report I could partake of the soup. I am also excited to report this was the best soup I have ever put in my mouth. It should win an award. Not kidding.

Love this picture. My favorite. This is their little boy and his mommy getting him ready for the big event.

So it started to sprinkle just as the ceremony ended, which made for a pretty picture...

...but then it started to pour, which also made for a pretty picture but put a damper on portraits of the couple.

Because the rain interrupted portraits, we had to get creative. It was dark, it was late, but I am proud to say we were able to capture some unique and fun portraits of the couple. Honestly, I love how the tractor shots turned out. It was all their idea too.

We wish the happy couple the best and feel extremely honored to be part of their special day.

Foto Friday

2011-07-22T20:48:00.002-04:00

Last night we had the brilliant idea of going to watch the sunset at the beach, Siesta Beach that is. Voted #1 beach in the world by Dr. Beach. If we end up moving from Florida, I will be saddened to leave this beach behind. It truly is the softest sand you will ever walk foot on. I hear people say it is the finest sand in the world. I believe it!

I dusted off my point and shoot camera and we went on our way (still haven't taken my DSLR to be looked at yet). I forget how easy it is to carry around and take pictures with a point and shoot camera.

We had so much fun, just the three of us. After the sun set, Luke and I grabbed Indian food (our favorite) and Story munched on a happy meal. Thank you to Kirsten Clauson for introducing Chicken Tikka Masala to me years ago. It was love at first bite for me. I love how each Indian restaurant makes it a little different. I would have to say, Gateway to India in Sarasota, Florida makes it the best. They had a lemon zing to it that makes your mouth water! It was the perfect meal to the perfect night.

Video, two things. 1-Story loves Go Diego Go. 2-We use reverse psychology on her all of the time to make her do things. As you will see if you watch the video, she totally falls for it every time.

Gluten Free Snack...Pool fun...and not-so-fun.

2011-07-20T00:40:00.002-04:00

This little salsa appetizer/snack is delicious! Trust.

For a cereal bowl size serving:

1 ripe avacado
3-4 oz of grape tomatoes quartered
Feta Cheese approximatley 2 oz
1 clove garlic minced
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Oregano to taste
1 T Olive Oil
1 T Red Wine Vinegar

Toss together. I was going to suggest serving this with Tostitos Hint of Lime chips, however I am near positive I got "glutenized" from them. They are labeled as containing no gluten ingredients but not labeled as gluten-free. For you gluten intolerant people, stick to eating this salsa with a corn chip you feel safe with. For everyone else, try it with the Tostitos Hint of Lime! Delicious!

*note-do not make a cereal bowl sized serving with a plan to share it with someone. You will eat it all on your own. Trust me. I could eat a popcorn bowl of this stuff all on my own.

On to pool fun!

Luke and I had awesome plans to wake up super early and drive to the beach to take pictures at sunrise. It was going to be an awesome shoot. Well, morning came and we snoozed it up. Which was no surprise. We aren't morning people.

So to the pool we went.

Seriously, Story is so funny and cool. Just look at her!

Everything was so fun until my camera starting displaying some error message! Not-so-fun. I have no idea what is wrong with it. I'm so sad. Hopefully it'll be cheap to fix. I'm gonna go cry now. Okay, not really but I am super sad. At least it didn't happen during a photo shoot for someone else, right? And, at least we didn't wake up super early only to arrive at the beach with a camera that planned on showing an error message. We must have been "inspired" to hit snooze.

Desk Built From Wood Pallets

2011-07-16T17:21:00.001-04:00

Not sure if you knew this but Luke is quite the handy man.

He built this desk. No big deal.

Our cost: $2.00.

Pallet wood was free. You can drive around town and find pallet wood at nearly any business. Just ask before you take it.

The hardware on the drawer was reused from a dresser we are getting rid of.

The ugly white hinge you see on the below left diptych: $1.00. There are actually two, so $2.00 total.

I thought it would be "rustic" to have big hinges but I was wrong. It looks like crap. So Luke is going to fix it soon.

The hinges are in place because the right side of the desk folds up to prop books on for more comfortable reading. (It's a study desk)

Luke was super excited to build this desk. Nothing was going to get in his way of completing it. Not eating, water breaks, boggle, nor the 100 degree weather. (He was building outside)

Below: The classic "5 more minutes until I'm done," which really means two more hours until I'm done.

So there you have it. A study desk. Built from pallets. Nearly free.

Story Diaries

2011-07-14T23:25:00.000-04:00

"Hey guys! Guyyyyss!" This is my new favorite phrase. My parents are lucky to wake up to that phrase every morning. Afterwards, I demand cereal and T.V. The other morning I woke up and it felt really hot in my room. I said to my mom, "Hey mom! It's hot. Turn up the A.C.!" I thought it was clever of me to say given my age.

Here I am waving in a tree:

Anyway, I don't know what else to say other than I'm 28 months and I say a lot of things that my parents think are funny. Oh yeah, speaking of funny, I laughed in my sleep last night. Maybe one day when I understand what a dream is I can explain to my parents what was so funny.

Until next time,

Story

Foto Friday

2011-07-01T23:33:00.003-04:00

It has been a long time since my last Foto Friday post, no?

This shoot represents what Luke, Story and I do most nights. The park. Winds little Story down before she goes "night night."

Your photographers:

Left: Photo by Luke Right: Photo by Marissa

A little messing around:

Photos by Luke

Aiiight, let's get the party started!

Luke

Marissa

Left: Photo by Luke Right: Photo by Marissa

Left: Photo by Marissa Right: Photo by Luke

Left: Photo by Luke Right: Photo by Marissa

I know the above, left picture looks like I took it, but I didn't. Luke was at a different angle and I was photographing Story.

Crash and burn!

Photos: Marissa

*Note: all edits were done by Marissa.

And now, time to head home. Bath time was a must.

Luke and I have decided we need to get a second camera. The other camera in this shoot was borrowed. We love shooting together. By the way, I need a new lens. There, I said it.

Photos

2011-06-28T16:33:00.001-04:00

I feel like my recent blog posts have been, for lack of better words, kind of lame and few and far between. If anyone cares, sorry. I care, so I am going to try and be a better blogger.

I will say, Luke and I have been busy hanging out, getting projects done in the home, and I have been working on a few photo shoots --Yay! I posted a few photos for everyone's viewing pleasure. Hope you likey. I have a big "photo day" coming up on Saturday and I am super excited...ok, a little nervous, naturally. But excited! Wish me luck!

Decor and Inspiration

2011-06-25T00:16:00.001-04:00

My sweet Aunt was kind enough to allow me to take this lamp off of her hands. It was a lamp that had been sitting in her closet for years. It was love at first sight for me. Since Luke has more free time this summer, he was able to install it above our kitchen table. It looks beautiful and changes the entire look of the dining room in the most beautiful way. Sorry for the crummy picture; we get very little natural light in that room:(

Lately, I have had a minor obsession with Chevron rugs. I didn't realize they were such a hot item. I can't remember where I first laid eyes on a chevron rug, but after a few minutes of research, I realized they are every where. As they should be. They are gorgeous!

Image Via: www.decorpad.com

Image Via: www.arrenwilliams.com

Check out this DIY chevron rug here.

Oh, and this bath mat from West Elm will be mine.

Thanks to my mommy, this rug will be at my door step in just a few days. I can't wait!

Let's not forget that Chevron rugs come in a variety of colors. Check out this dark teal Chevron rug! This is also a DIY rug. The link to the post can be found here. I find it funny that the rug this blogger chose to use was the exact rug I debated on using to make my own rug--before I conned my mom into buying one for me. I love this color! Not only that, I love this table. It must be fate that I stumbled upon this blog. Luke just finished making this exact table for our friends!

Image via: www.cape27blog.com

Speaking of our friend's table, they have awesome plans to adorn their table with mismatched chairs. I think it is a brilliant idea. Check out how cool the idea looks in the image below. Btw, I love that mirror and table.

Image via: www.manolohome.com

Father's Day and the Weekend

2011-06-19T20:25:00.004-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all the daddy's out there!

I wanted to share the card we ordered for Luke from here. I love that website and I will definitely be ordering from them in the future.

I loved the outside of the card (Story and I customized the saying on the front) so much, that I have lofty plans to hang it somewhere in my house. Haven't decided where yet.

Story wrote the inside of the card but for some reason I signed it as well.

Luke is a really good dad. Now, you may find dads out there who are comparable to his greatness, but I would highly doubt you could find anyone better than him. He loves Story, helps out with everything Story, and I really couldn't ask for a better husband/father.

Okay, enough about Luke. On to ME! (I'm such a me monster)

This weekend was my birthday! Boo :( I am now 27. I'm not gonna lie, 27 has been really hard on me. The problem I have with 27 is that it is so close to 30. Totally depressing. Not only that, I can tell my eyelids are starting to sag, wrinkles around my eyes are forming, and I wouldn't be surprised if the eggs in my ovaries are rotting. They say that starts to happen around this age. But, they also say 30 is the new 20. I think that is a bunch of crap if you ask me.

Any who, I had a great birthday weekend (no pictures). My friends and I had pedicures and manicures. Afterwards, we met up for dinner with some other friends from church. People even brought me presents! I was totally in shock because I wasn't expecting presents. It totally made my night and I got all kinds of fun things!

Luke and I went to the beach for my birthday and I got one of these! To clarify, I didn't get one of these at the beach. We purchased it at Walmart.

I can't believe we have gone this long in our married life and haven't owned an in-home carpet cleaner. If you have carpet, a pet, and a toddler, you should have an in-home carpet cleaner. If you have one or more of the above three and you don't have an in-home carpet cleaner, that's gross and I highly recommend purchasing one.

Luke also hung my beloved lamp over our kitchen table. Pictures to come soon. That was a simple but great birthday gift.

Saturday night I had a fun little get together with some friends where we celebrated everyone's birthday. We had a yummy dinner and then exchanged presents. It was kind of a white elephant gift exchange. Anyway, I left the party with a total steal! Check it out:

This is a must for this upcoming summer! It is a bag that unfolds into a towel. Throw your kindle, sunscreen, water bottle, and snacks into your bag and you're set. Such a cute idea. If you want one of these puppies, you can order from Rachel here. Just leave her a comment on her blog.

Before and After

2011-06-15T00:27:00.002-04:00

This is a hutch that was in Gammy's house. Nobody wanted this poor hutch so I took it with plans to paint it and give it some life. I know this hutch does not suit everyone's taste but I LOVE it!

Colors: Plink (obsessed with that name) - Valspar

Ginger Peach - Olympic

I Want This Pouf

2011-06-10T11:50:00.002-04:00

Yo, check it!

Image via: here

Pretty sweet, huh? I want one. If you are interested in purchasing one, or purchasing one for me ;), you can purchase one here.

(assuming that you clicked on the link) Expensive, right? I thought about making one. Does anyone know where I could buy a plain pouf? Maybe like a pouf insert-type-thing? For cheap? I searched online but couldn't find what I was looking for. I thought about taking the enormous amount of time to cut flowers and attach them to a pouf so it looks like that. On that website it says the flowers are made of wool and were "laser cut." Psh, whatever that means. But heck, I could make one and you could too!

Diaries of the medical student's wife-

2011-06-09T00:24:00.003-04:00

Statistics. I hate them. How accurate are they? Did you know 53% of statistics are made up? At any rate, I have heard people rattle off statistics about how many doctors, if given the choice, would do medical school again. I don't remember what the percentage was but I remember it being an astronomically low number.

I see why.

Medical school is not an easy road. At least it hasn't been for us. I do care about Luke's ability to help others in the future and I think it would be awesome to help Luke serve a medical mission, something he has been wanting to do since he started medical school. But I'll be honest. When it's all said and done, that paycheck better be worth all this h*ll. I totally feel comfortable saying that because what is wrong with receiving a reward for hard work and achieving greatness? Nothing.

I want to be this family.

I know you can't see their faces, but these were the very first people we met when we came to Florida to look for a home back in May of 2009. When we arrived to house hunt, we called up our Mormon church and asked if there were any medical school students attending one of the wards. Sure enough, we were given the number of the family above. They welcomed us in their home, they shared with us their struggles with medical school, and they gave us several suggestions on where to live.

You know what is ironic? Their struggles became our struggles this year. We are going through a very similar situation that this family went through.

This family gives me (us) hope.

This past Sunday, this family graduated from medical school. I think the above picture expresses how they must feel. I couldn't be more happy for them.

We will be there. One day.

Kind of Obsessed

2011-06-08T00:07:00.002-04:00

Note: This is not my photograph

Image Via: here

Okay, I really like this photograph. But I really like this girl's hint-of-pink wedding dress. Brilliant! I pretty much love everything about this dress. Your thoughts?

Come Join Me For A Maternity Shoot

2011-05-30T00:22:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun at this shoot. The mommy-to-be (for the second time) looked so beautiful and I loved her dress. She is having another boy and had the cute idea for the picture above. This shoot was done at the same park that I posted pictures of Story in my last post. I LOVE this park.

The Park

2011-05-23T00:26:00.002-04:00

We have had a lot going on the past few weeks. For those who don't know, we were presented the offer to stay another year in Florida. It is an opportunity only given to a few students and we couldn't be more thrilled (heavy sarcasm should be emphasized in some parts of this sentence). The past few weeks were spent doing the following:

Week 1: Inside all day, every day preparing a "special" letter.
Week 2: In Palm Coast doing last minute preparations to rent Gammy's house.
Week 3: Luke had nose surgery to correct a deviated septum. We were glad to have this break so that he could finally get this operation done. The recovery is taxing, and so again, we spent all week in doors.

Needless to say, after countless hours of Story watching Toy Story 3 (or 2), we needed to get out and go to the park.

I love watching Story at the park. She is kind of girly at home; she love shoes, purses, make-up, perfume and says, "awwww, cuuuute." But when she is at the park, she is a total tomboy. She climbs and she runs, she falls and then laughs, she loves the swing, and plays in the dirt. It is so funny to see her interact with the other kids but it is also concerning because she always seems to be the ring-leader of the kids having too much fun.

Today was another day for Luke to recuperate. He started feeling significantly better after a friend asked if he would be up for tarpon fishing tomorrow (weird). Since he was on such a high, we decided to go scout out another park for an upcoming shoot I have. So profesh of me.

Yet again, Story had the time of her life, chasing squirrels, playing with sticks, looking at turtles, and running non stop. We decided the animals in this park must be fed by humans quite often. The squirrels allowed Story to run far too close for comfort. They barely darted out of the way as she swatted sticks at them. I was afraid they were going to bite her and give her rabies.

As soon as the turtles noticed you were on the bridge, hundreds would swim to you, looking up, waiting for food to drop. Not only that, but I saw a lady on the walking path stop to pull bread out of her bag to feed a duck. Yeah, exactly. I was no longer suspicious these animals were fed by humans. If only that lady knew the effects of gluten on animals--haha, kidding.

Thanks, Luke for taking this picture. I love how happy Story is in this picture.

Doxey Wedding Pictures

2011-05-17T01:49:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, I was able to help out with the photography of our friend's reception. The venue was perfect. The room was encompassed by windows, which provided spectacular views of the surrounding water, and allowed the natural light to linger awhile and then dance it's way into the sunset.

Uh. Oh. Someone had an accident. I am so glad this man tapped on my shoulder and had me snap this picture of his shirt. These types of pictures are so good at sharing the unique and humorous moments that happen at each wedding.

The natural light wasn't the only thing dancing across this room. This little boy had serious moves. And he danced all. night. long.

The bride and groom and their parents.

The bride and her father.

The bride and groom.

Busy

2011-05-14T01:21:00.002-04:00

I feel like we have been quite busy the last couple of weeks. Tonight was no exception. We were busy having fun! I was lucky enough to help out with the photography of our friend's reception. We had so much fun. As always, I itch to upload and can't help but post at least one picture. Their reception was beautiful and I was so happy to be of help.

Hey there

2011-05-05T22:08:00.002-04:00

Story, and I guess Luke too, just wanted to stop by to say, hello.

Nothing like a little Downtown Disney to make you feel better.

"We are all in this together..."

2011-05-01T21:28:00.007-04:00

I can't help but think of this song as I reflect back on the last week and a half of my life. We are truly "all in this together." "You don't ever need to be lonely, once you start to open your heart."

Over the last few days, I have told a few people, face-to-face, "thank you." I know I haven't expressed this emotion to all, so thank you too. Thank you for caring. Thank you for a phone call. Thank you for a text. Thank you for a, "how are you doing?" Thank you for an e-mail. Thank you for a priesthood blessing. Thank you for a reply back from a blog comment. Thank you for a pep-talk. Thank you for a friendship. Thank you for a "I know things are stressful but when you're ready to hang out, I'm here for you guys." Thank you for your words of encouragement. Thank you for a Gluten-Free pizza crust mix. Thank you for paying for my college education (Dad). Thank you for hooking Luke up with free undergrad (LaNae). Thank you for being good family and good friends. Thank you for doing these things that seem to suggest, "we are all in this together."

If I have genuine gratitude in my heart, you'll know it. A few years back, when undergoing a medical procedure (boob implants. okay, that's a lie), I awoke from my anesthesia and saw my doctor. Thinking and talking like a drunken idiot, I still managed to express my genuine gratitude to that doctor. "Hey man, thank you. Thank you. No, serious. Thank you, man." I even remember stretching my hand forward to shake his hand as to solidify my gratitude. I had genuine appreciation for that doctor's help and for his hard work to get to where he was in his life/career. Even with unsteady speech and thought, I was able to express the thankfulness I felt in my heart. After shaking the doctor's hand, I asked him to "go get the Hulk." Referring to of course, Luke. Because guess what? Luke is the freaking Hulk.

We are all dealing with crap. Some people's crap is lot bigger than others. It's a fact. Some people think they have big crap, but realize later that it pales in comparison to others. That's a fact. Some people's crap is green as to suggest they might be The Hulk. That's a fact. And you know what? You never know what some people are dealing with. But guess what? We are all in this together. We need to be there for each other. We need to lift one another. We need to be praying for one another. I have a testimony of that. Thank you to everyone who did just that for us. I only hope we can do that and much more for you.

We are doing well. School sucks, but we are doing well.

Easter

2011-04-24T20:40:00.002-04:00

I'm not gonna lie. We have had a rough weekend. But as I sit at my computer this evening, I feel joy in my testimony of the Savior.

Foto Friday: Bored Medical School Wives

2011-04-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hands down, my favorite thing about medical school is getting together with the other wives.

Yes, it is true. We always get together when our husbands are studying. While their noses are rammed into their books as they sit in quite libraries, relaxing coffee shops, and studious studies, things are getting crazy at home. Real crazy.

One of my friends had the idea to hold an ice cream social. She suggested it and she isn't even Mormon! Is it just me or are ice cream socials such a Mormon thing? Maybe it is just me. Anyway, it was a brilliant idea! We each brought our favorite flavor of ice cream or sorbet and ice cream scoops. Thus, preventing anyone from getting bomb-blasted by strawberries, peanuts, dairy, or gluten. You know, the typical allergies/intolerances found in any group of friends.

After ice cream, we did a mini photo shoot.

Shoot idea suggested by Katie:

1. 2 people in frame.

2. Everyone else describes a scene

3. people in frame have to quickly respond with their reaction

4. photographer quickly snaps the shot

We realized after the fact that we should have written the scenes down to correspond with the correct photo. But a las, we weren't that smart. I remember some of the scenes, but not all.

Here goes:

This scene was something along the lines of, "you walk outside your house and you run into a land mine."

This scene was, "as you are walking down the street, Tom Cruise randomly walks up to you and kisses you." I don't know about you guys, but I hate Tom Cruise. Hence my, "You-are-not-hot-what-do-you-think-you-are-doing face."

This shot made me freaking laugh! For the life of me, I wish I knew the scene.

Story's Headboard

2011-04-13T23:23:00.003-04:00

As any couple going through medical school knows, the spouse who is attending medical school has minimal time to accomplish projects at home. I say that, but I also have a friend whose husband is attending a different school than Luke and he seems to always have free time. Jealous much? Absolutely!

Way back when, over Christmas break, Luke had some time off school. He was finally able to construct this beauty of a headboard with the help of one of our friends from church. It was made just in time for the next semester of school to start again. Yay!

Another aspect of medical school: money is tight. It depends on your situation, but most med students have little cash to burn. We seem to manage fine but we definitely don't have money to drop on things like new furniture. Cue the links below. Brand new furniture for the cost of wood. Seeing that you, or someone you know, have the skills to build and access to tools.

I think the wood for this bed cost us something around $65. I used paint and stain that I already had. I did purchase polyurethane for 6 bucks at the store.

The plans for the bed came from here. The idea to paint it a turquoise color came from here.

And the next project I want Luke to complete is here. Which slightly resembles the table in this room here.

Thanks, Luke for being quite the little craftsman.

P.S. I don't love, love her bedspread. Well, I did when I bought it. I seem to go through bedspreads like boxes of GF Chex Cereal. I have an idea to get some kind of neutral bedspread (not sure what color yet) and make throw pillows. One that says, "Bedtime" and another that says, "Is my fav." Trust me. In my head it looks cool.

Gluten-Free Recipe: Buffalo- Chicken Mac & Cheese

2011-04-10T15:32:00.004-04:00

Buffalo- Chicken Mac & Cheese

Get ready, people! This recipe is SO good.

Something you may or may not know about me: I am obsessed with hot wing sauce. Crystal's. Frank's. You name it, I want it. I also love homemade mac & cheese--the best comfort food ever. Well, that and Luke's Mom's homemade chicken noodle soup with dumplings. When I saw a recipe for Buffalo-Chicken Mac & Cheese, I had to try it.

I was inspired by the non-gluten-free version of the recipe here. So any of you punks who can eat whatever you want, you can follow that recipe. :) The recipe and directions below are the same with my GF substitutes.

Oh, and don't for a second think I'm trying to post a healthy gluten-free meal. This is anything but that. But is is oh.so.good.

Ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher Salt
1 pound GF macaroni (I prefer Tinkyada brand)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (I omitted these)
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (you can cook and shred your own chicken as well. If you choose RC, be aware of the ingredients and where it is processed. Even if the RC recipe does not contain gluten, it can be processed in the same area as wheat. If you are ultra-sensitive to gluten, I would recommend cooking and shredding your own chicken.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's you can read GF info here.)
2 tablespoons rice flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces to 1 pound (your preference) yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup GF bread crumbs ( I used 2 slices of my fav GF bread)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rice flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the GF bread crumbs, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Foto Friday: Story's Room--Macro Style

2011-04-08T08:47:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I got a new macro lens! What, what! Thank you, you-know-who. I feel honored to take this lens on and I have had so much fun with it already. Thank you.

I like to call this diptych: "You Complete Me." Because that they do. And it is.

This is the bed frame Luke made for Story! It is so cute! I'll have to post a full version of the frame but for now you can view it macro style.

Random Thought Tuesday

2011-04-05T13:35:00.004-04:00

Ahhhh, there is nothing like a week filled with vomiting and diarrhea. It just doesn't get better than that.

Okay, yuck. For reals now. Story and I came down with the flu on Monday. It was a nasty bug. Poor Story was dry-heaving until 3 am, so Luke stayed up with her. What a good Dad, right? I thought so. She was definitely feeling better the following day but I didn't feel 100% until a few days later. I blame it on the Celiac. It makes me think the lyrics to this song should be updated from alcohol to Celiac. Serious now. If there is anyone reading this with Celiac disease have you noticed you take longer to recuperate from a sickness than the average Joe?

On Wednesday, Luke's friend from his mission came to visit us. We always love it when Clayton comes. He always comes bearing gifts. Always. What did he bring this time? He brought a vintage-like block set for Story, gluten-free dessert imported straight from Salt Lake City for me, and Luke's favorite cereal, Special K with strawberries. Luke informed Clayton that his favorite cereal is no longer Special K but rather Kashi. I guess Clayton will know for next time.

We went to the Florida aquarium on Thursday, where Clayton took this cool picture of a winking owl.

We did try to one-up Cayton's gift-giving by surprising him with an Alligator head but really, Luke and I would like nothing more than to find Clayton a wife. He is SO nice, so giving, so smart, punctual, prepared, tall, dark, and handsome! The question should never arise:

Does Clayton deserve this girl?

But rather,the question should be:

Does this girl deserve Clayton?

If you know of a single girl, living in SLC or surrounding area, who is looking for an eternal companion, let me know! :)

Onto the weekend:

This weekend was General Conference. I find it funny that as a child I used to dread the hours upon hours of GC, but now I look forward to hearing every word. Oh my goodness, there were SO many good talks. Click on that link, and select a talk to watch or listen to. You will love it! Even if you already watched it this weekend, they don't have the titles of the talks so surprise yourself in your selection and listen to one again!

After Sunday afternoon's session of conference, we spent some family time watching the sun set. These pictures remind how much I love where I live.

Can you spot Story? I believe she is chasing a bird.

Check out the dolphins! I feel like we won the lotto every time we go the beach a spot dolphins.

Random Thought Tuesday

2011-03-29T13:38:00.004-04:00

Does anyone use Photo Booth on their Mac? We sure do. Every now and then I open the program to take a picture or to browse pictures taken from the past. I always seem to chuckle at what I find.

Our comic book photos we took right after we got our new Mac:

Luke and Story. She is probably 6-ish months here:

I can't even begin to tell you how many photos I find like this:

Luke and Story again:

Is it just me or does Luke look like a major creeper in this picture?

Luke looking like a creeper yet again with his Bouffant hairdo:

Here is something you may not know about Luke. Often times he will come home from the gym, shower, do something ridiculous with hair (example shown below) and then walk downstairs and casually say, "Hey" or "What's for dinner?" while trying to keep a straight face until I notice his ridiculous hair. I often wonder how long it took him to style some of his hairdos.

Weekend Wedding Celebration

2011-03-23T13:31:00.005-04:00

We felt extremely honored to be a part of our friend's wedding celebration this weekend. It is safe to say that everything was perfect. It was so beautiful and it was a true celebration. We had so much fun. Their reception/celebration pretty much made our reception look like a boring piece of crap. But then again, aren't Mormon receptions like that? Here, I'll answer for you. Yeah, they are.

Look at that beautiful tree!

Waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Some of the girls after the ceremony. I really do love all my Bradenton friends. I feel like these girls get me. I say awkward, but in my opinion, funny things and they get it and I appreciate that. It makes me feel not so weird.

After the ceremony, we had cocktail hour. Lucky for us, we were able to catch up with Katie then. Doesn't she look so beautiful? Her dress was so pretty and it was just right for the occasion.

Everyone was in love with these spinach wraps. I would tell you how good they were except that freaking GF diet got in the way. Speaking of--I read a very interesting article about Celiac woman eating gluten when they shouldn't be. Made me never want to put a speck of gluten in my mouth. I am pretty strict with the diet and if it is possible, I will be even more strict after reading that dang article. P.S. I can not thank Katie enough. She made sure there was a GF dinner option for me and I couldn't help but think she is such a good friend. I was planning on eating something ahead of time, not expecting to be served a GF dinner, but she assured me it was taken care of. Love her.

During cocktail hour, some of us ventured over to the dress-up section to get pictures taken. One, these disguises don't even do justice to how sweet the costumes were and how fun the photo corner (Katie, if you are reading this...is that what you call it?) was. I highly recommend this at any reception if you want your guests to have fun. If you don't want your guests to have fun, then don't do it. :) Two, I like how Megan is crouching low as to make the appearance that we are the same height. I guess now we can be friends. :)

Do you ever think that? If you meet someone taller (or a lot shorter than you) you question, "Can this be a legit friendship despite our height difference? Can we hang out and not feel awkward looking up at the other or down at the other?" Lol Does anyone know what I am talking about!? Don't worry, I get over it after 2 seconds but I wondered if anyone else has those same thoughts.

There were a lot of things I loved about this celebration. I think my favorite might have been when Blake sang to Katie. Not a joke, that kid needs to go on American Idol and freaking take the competition. Screw medical school! Seriously, he had a great voice and it was so fun to watch all the entertainment.

After dinner, there was dancing. You all know how much I love to dance. I was able to pause my dance moves to take a quick picture but that is all you are going to get. I love how cute Ashley and Aidan look in this picture. I also love Luke's dance move in the back. Pretty funny.

Happy weddings!

Foto Friday: Swimming Lessons

2011-03-18T14:02:00.004-04:00

On Monday, Story had her very first swimming lesson. Lucky for me, Luke was able to come over from school and go in the pool with her. Side note: Luke's school is next door to the YMCA. Super convenient at times like this. Also convenient for Luke's daily workouts and for coercing Story into her car seat after I workout in the morning. If she throws a fit, I just ask her, "Do you want to see Daddy's truck?" She calms down, says, "yes" and I snap her in and we drive over to the next parking lot.

She is pretty obsessed with Luke's truck. When she wakes up in the morning, her first words are often, "Where's Daddy's truck?"

Anyway, back to her swimming lesson. Since Luke was in the pool, I was able to take pictures!

Both Luke and Story enjoyed the swimming lesson. So much so that both were back for the second swimming lesson on Wednesday.

I forgot towels at home. Major FAIL. I found this hand towel in the back of my car. Poor, Story. And since she never poses for pictures with me, Luke had to ask her if she wanted candy to get her to stay still. Hence, the mouth wide open. I guess that's a yes!

Random Thought Tuesday: Until Death Do You Part

2011-03-14T23:12:00.005-04:00

Every now and then I have an experience, which leads to a thought, and then to a lesson learned. It is like a symphony in my mind that seems to say, "Remember this."

Shortly before Gammy passed away, her Sister (Peaches), who had been living with her, passed away. As far as temporal things go, her sister didn't have much. She came to live with Gammy and brought few things with her besides the clothes on her back. After her death, I began staying with Gammy. One day, I remember opening one of the bathroom cupboards and finding some of Peaches' nail polishes. I realized she had left them behind. She couldn't take them with her. It was in that moment I heard the symphony.

This scripture came to mind: Matthew 6: 19-21

19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also

It is a lesson that I have been taught before. But for some reason, looking at something as little as nail polish made it so real to me. It makes, for once, the phrase, "Until death do you part" have irreversible meaning. It was an important lesson to remind me to work harder at increasing my testimony and striving to be worthy of those true treasures in heaven and focusing less on the things I want for my house and less on the things I want in my wardrobe and Story's wardrobe:).

If you are still reading, maybe some of you thought the title to this post suggested that I was going to talk about marriage. Did I trick you? Okay, maybe I will talk a little about marriage.

I am grateful for what I have been taught and for what I believe. Unlike worldly treasures, I believe marriage and families can be eternal and will be very much apart of those treasures in heaven.

As my brother used to shout out after a prayer at home, "Church!"

Foto Friday: Monkey Party

2011-03-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

Last year we threw a Uuge party for Story's first birthday. This year, we decided to tone it down a little. We invited her friends who are her age (give or take a little) and we got together for a Monkey Party!

The invite:

"What do you say?" Let's monkey around!" -- Gosh I'm so clever.

I found this precious little monkey at The Sand Dollar, my favorite store in our area. For reals.

At the beginning of the party the kids colored monkey puzzles that I found out Michael's for $1! Gotta love deals. They also played on the playground.

They went "fishing" for prizes. We attached a banana to the fishing pull (or rather broken beach umbrella) and my parents (who were in town and helped out so much) held the monkey blanket. Luke was the magic man behind the blanket and I snapped pictures.

P.S. I love Luke's face in that picture. That is his classic, "Am I doing this the way you want me to do it" face?

It was a windy day so the tablecloths were flying everywhere and everything looked a mess. We served banana chips, cheese, animal crackers, PBJs, PubSubs, chips, juice, and soda for lunch.

Quick, what are monkey's known for?

Correct! Stealing shiny, valuable objects. I threw necklaces and play coins on the ground and the little ones ran and picked them up.

The kiddos were supposed to be wearing these as they ran around to grab the loot:

Monkey ears. Except the ears were a major FAIL. They didn't attach properly and no one was able to wear them. Gosh, it would have been so cute!

Please appreciate my bulging biceps. No, but serious. I can totally see an improvement since I have been working out. Working out does pay off! Who knew?

Lucky for you, this picture graciously cropped out my elbows as to protect your eyes from the elephantiasis on my elbows. Trust me, consider yourself lucky.

Did I mention it was a windy day?

As for the cupcakes, I did one batch of your everyday Betty Crocker cupcake with icing and one batch of gluten-free, banana spice cupcakes with coconut frosting (Every GF monkey's favorite cupcake).

The birthday girl. She loves when people sing to her. This past week she has been saying, "Ha-be bir-day, ha-be bir- day! She's crazy. Congrats on your 2nd birthday, Story!

That's two years and going strong of keeping you alive and out of danger. So congrats to me and Luke too!

Originally I was going to throw a Lion Party because Story does a cute, "Rarrrr!" If you like my ideas for the monkey party, you can easily adapt them for other animals. Here is what I came up with for the Lion Party.

1. Bottom of invitation reads: "It's gonna be a party and we ain't Lion!"

2. Instead of fishing with a banana, fish with a this or this.

3. Instead of monkey ears, they can wear Lion Manes made of paper plates and construction paper. Heck, they could even make them at the party!

Really, the possibilities are endless. I would love to hear about animal parties you have thrown or went to. Please feel free to share.

New Toy Room!!!

2011-03-09T16:56:00.002-05:00

Check out our new toy room! Pretty sick, huh?

Image via: www.decorpad.com

Sadly, this isn't our new toy room, but I sure wish it was. One day. One day.

Foto Friday

2011-03-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

Chalk Talk.

Random Thought Tuesday

2011-03-01T14:25:00.002-05:00

Our little girl is TWO years old today! Happy birthday, Story!

Foto Friday

2011-02-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

You know that time of year when the weather makes a turn for the better and people come out of their hibernation to enjoy the outdoors? You know, when every single person and their dog are out for walks, people are jogging, riding bikes, playing at parks, and every conversation is centered around how perfect the weather is? Well, we have been having great weather the last couple of weeks and Wednesday was no exception. Wednesday, was one of those days. We set out for a walk around 5:30 pm and everyone was out. Joggers, bikers, walkers, playgrounds were filled, soccer fields were in full use, and I can guarantee you Luke and I talked about how perfect the weather was. Lucky for us, I brought my trusty-dusty camera along, and amidst our leisurely walk, I snapped some pictures of Story wearing Luke's glasses. The only thing that makes the perfect weather and a perfect walk better, are FOTOS! Enjoy!

Beach

2011-02-22T10:58:00.004-05:00

After school, Luke and I headed to the beach. Let me tell you, this was some much needed time away from school. I'm so glad we went. Sometimes you just need to get away. Have I expressed enough how grateful I am that we live near this beach? Had we ended up in some cold, crappy place for medical school, we wouldn't have this oasis to escape to. And guess what, I can't eat gluten so I can brag about whatever I want. So there!

We couldn't decide if Story liked being buried or not. She was having fun for a little while.

Since I am never in any pictures, Luke tries to snap a few here and there. This is Story burying my feet. Exciting, huh?

The little precious monster at work. For some reason she was eating the sand. She hasn't done this for quite some time. I'm kind of annoyed she reverted back to her previous ways. But bad habits are hard to break, I guess.

Workflow

2011-02-21T11:46:00.006-05:00

Recently, I have been trying to streamline my workflow for the photos I take. I have been taking pictures for client after client and I really have been needing to speed things up and increase the quality of my final images. Okay, for reals now. I haven't done anything with my lucrative photo business (lol) since December. Honestly, I started getting overwhelmed and started thinking, I suck. Because let's be honest, I need to improve! Big time. SO, I decided to download some trial software last night, set up an account on a major photo site, and get ambitious about doing things the right way and doing them better. So here is my first attempt with my new workflow:

Upload to Lightroom. Edit. Publish straight to flickr. Great for storage. And then share right to my blog. Although, I still need to grant access with my google account to flickr. If anyone knows how, please do tell. I googled real quick but I have yet to find my answer.

After:

Before:

.

Gluten-Free Food

2011-02-20T16:08:00.002-05:00

There's A Party in my Pasta Recipe:

Ingredients:

GF Fettucini

Shrimp (You can substitute with chicken)

2 T Butter

Three cloves garlic- crushed

1/2 onion-dices

Fresh Dill-chopped (I used 3-4 relatively small sprigs)

Fresh Parsley-chopped (I used 3-4 relatively small sprigs)

Yellow Bell Pepper-diced

Parmesan Cheese

Lemon Juice

Feta Cheese

Directions:

Melt butter in a skillet on medium heat and add desired amount of shrimp (or chicken) to begin browning. Add, garlic, onion, dill, parsley, and bell pepper. Stir mixture to allow everything to brown evenly. Meanwhile, bring water to boil and cook GF Fettucini according to the directions on the package. (I used DeBoles GF Rice Fettucini and it was magnifico!) Make sure not to over cook your noodles because you will be adding them to the skillet to cook a little longer. When ready, drain pasta and add noodles with ingredients that are already browning in the skillet. Stir everything together. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and squirt lemon juice over the noodles. Just before serving, sprinkle feta cheese over pasta.

Foto Friday

2011-02-18T13:10:00.001-05:00

My original idea for Foto Friday was to take some creative pictures at the gym. I have been taking exercise classes with one of my friends and every morning I roll out of bed, get Story ready, eat, and then rush over to the gym for our nine o'clock class. There is turbo kick, step aerobics, and hip hop dance just to name a few. Every day is a different class. But don't knock 'em cuz they'll rock ya. Trust. Anyway, I snapped a few pictures of the equipment today but I didn't want people to think I was a creeper so I didn't have the time to get real creative. Thus, the pictures are extremely boring. I actually posted a few but ended up deleted them because I was so bored looking at them.

So anyway...here are a few that I snapped last night. Luke has a Uuge test on Monday. Because he is pretty much a slave to school right now, Story and I took dinner to him. (Lemon chicken and roasted sweet potato in italian seasoning! So easy and so good. I'll have to post the recipes sometime)

Story was super excited to see daddy, as always. By the way, Story is really good at saying Rarrrrrr! I think she learned it from her car seat because it screams it constantly. Rarrrrr!

Not only did she put her shoes on the wrong feet, but she also wore underwear! I was pretty proud of her. I kept telling her, "Don't pee, you don't have a diaper on. Okay?" "Okay," she replied. I had her go right before we left and she went again right when we got home. Gosh, she's so smart.

And the sunset...

...and the moon rose.

Random Thought Tuesday

2011-02-15T15:21:00.000-05:00

Remember how I did this to Luke way back when? Remember how funny it was?

I was recently thinking about things I do now that get Luke worked up (in a humorous way) :

1. After washing my face, I leave the wet washcloth hanging on the faucet in the bathroom.

Man, he gets so grossed out by that. Understandably so. I even think it is gross. I just do it to get a reaction out of him. :) Works every time.

2. Turning off his sleep apnea light switch. (This one really gets him riled up...maybe on the verge of actually being mad-haha)

Luke's sleep apnea machine is plugged into an outlet that is controlled by a light switch. I like to turn the light switch off before he gets in bed. haha It is SO funny. He turns off the bedroom light, gets in bed, gets all situated with the covers, grabs his sleep apnea face mask, goes to turn on the switch and BAM! Nothing! He grumbles, I laugh, and one of us gets up and turns the switch back on.

Is there anything funny you do that gets your spouse worked up?

Date Night!!!

2011-02-13T13:46:00.000-05:00

As pathetic as it is, true date nights are few and far between for us. Most of our "dates" consist of the three of us going to Target, dinner and a movie. Here is how it typically plays out:

First, Luke tries to tame Story in Target while I aimlessly shop. Next, we eat at Chipotle, which is a great G-Free place to eat at (thank freaking goodness for that)! Then we round out the night by watching a movie at home. And by watching a movie, I mean Luke watches the movie and I fall asleep on the couch. Or blog. So sue me.

Between having a baby and being in medical school, dates seem to be that way.

But this date night was different! Much different that the typical date night. We got crazy. Real crazy.

My dear friend came over to watch Story. Thank you, Ashley! (We owe her one...or two...or three)

We ate a wonderful Thai/Japanese meal. Another great cuisine for the G-Free diet. I ordered Miso Soup, spring rolls (wrapped in rice paper), and Chicken Satay--my favorite! Luke ordered a sushi roll.

After dinner, we met at our church building for dessert and a dance with the adults in the ward.

Lucky for us, we have cool people in our ward. Serious. It doesn't matter what the age, everyone is pretty freaking cool. Which basically means, ward activities aren't painful to go to.

I know what you are thinking, "Marissa, I thought you hated dancing."

I do.

Don't get me wrong, I can come up with some pretty sweet/funny moves at home, but I hate dancing in front of people. It's a self-conscious thing. I think people are watching me even though I know they really aren't, thus I can't perform, and thus I typically sit and watch everyone else dance.

But get this--that makes me the person sitting and watching you even though you think no one is really watching you. Kind of funny how that works. When in Rome...

Woman wakes up to find intruder in bed...

2011-02-12T14:42:00.000-05:00

Wow, how did I miss seeing this video?

Foto Friday: Kisses

2011-02-11T10:29:00.000-05:00

In honor of Valentine's Day:

My friend Ashley stopped by the other day with her little boy and look what happened! Awwww...cuuute. Right?

Check this one out. Right in the eye. Yummy!

Gluten-Free Food

2011-02-09T21:49:00.001-05:00

No cuisine gets me more tickled to eat than Indian cuisine. It took a little while but I was able to get Luke hooked on it too. My Aunt and Uncle introduced us to this brand of Indian spice mix and it is DA BOMB! We've tried some other pre-made Indian sauces from the store, but this has been the best by far. Actually, it's not quite a pre-made sauce, but it's not quite made from scratch either. Here, let me explain.

Ingredients:

Parampara Spice Mix of choice

Meat of Choice: Chicken for this Spice Mix

1/2 onion--diced

2 Cups Water

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1/2 Cup heavy cream

Inside the package you will have a blend of Indian spices. We take this package and add it to the amount of water suggested in the instructions. We also add 1 Cup of plain yogurt and blend until yogurt, water, and spices are combined and smooth.

While browning our chicken, we add half of an onion--diced. Once the chicken is browned, we pour the spice, water, and yogurt mixture into the skillet. Next, add one can of petite diced tomatoes. We let this simmer on the stove as the instructions direct. Then, we stir in approximately 1/2 cup heavy cream and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

Mmmm, Mmmm, good. In fact, I think I will make this for dinner tomorrow night. Enjoy.

I have found that it is a little tricky to find this brand in stores. I bought it at an Indian food store. You might need to call around to see which of your local stores carries this product. Or, buy it online! :)

Random Thought Tuesday: My Home

2011-02-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

Picture via here.

Random thought: I really like this door. I like everything about it. I like its rustic authenticity. I'm kinda obsessed with the idea of it sliding on that bar. I'm still wondering how it locks, but overall very unique and I like!

From time to time, I like to think about what our house, depressingly in the distant, distant future, will look like. Seeing that I have enough storage space, I don't care how big it is. I just want it to be unique. Is that too much to ask? I think not.

But I am curious to know, what are some things that you have seen in a home that you can't live without?

Steelers and Gluten Free Food

2011-02-07T00:12:00.004-05:00

Don't worry, these pictures were taken before they lost.

Our dear friends, Devin and Nicole, hooked us up with some serious Steelers swag for Christmas. Dev, Nicole. I love you guys but look what you freaking did!!! You turned Luke into a monster. A bandwagon monster, that is. He even dressed Story in black and yellow, black and yellow, black and yellow.

Luke was insistent on bringing the "terrible towel" and his frosty mug to our Super Bowl gathering. I was extremely insistent that he not. Why? Two reasons:

1. He isn't a true Steelers fan. You can't just all the sudden bust out all the swag and wear it with pride just because the team is in the Super Bowl.

2: I didn't want anyone thinking he was being serious when he showed up in/with his Swag. I mean heavens, we like these people and we see them every week, but I still question if they know the true Luke and Rissers.

Part way through the game, I caught little Miss Story slathered in beads.

And last, but certainly not least, I made a couple different GF treats to share. It's always nice to contribute food for a gathering of people. But it becomes important to contribute when you have to eat GF.

Yo! Check it! Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Cupcakes

You gotta give credit where credit is due (see link below). Karina, who runs glutenfreegoddess, had this little treasure of a recipe on her site. I thought I would try it out so that I would have a dessert to share and nibble on while watching the Super Bowl.

Oh, and might I add, as I processed my almonds creating a fine almond mill, I couldn't help but feel like a bona fide hippie. Although, I didn't use organic eggs or organic brown sugar so I guess you can rip that title right out of my hands. Baby steps people. Eventually I'll make it there. I'll be your true, blue, bona fide hippie-- armpit hair and all. Ewww...now that you have armpit hair on your mind, go make you some cupcakes!

Photo by: Me!

Recipe Via Here

Frosted Banana Spice Cupcakes

1 cup almonds

1 cup brown rice flour or rice flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice (or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 large organic free-range eggs

1/3 cup light olive oil

2 tablespoons GF brown rice syrup- or raw agave syrup

1 1/3 cups organic light brown sugar

4 medium very ripe bananas, cut up and mashed into puree

1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cupcake/muffin pan by lining it with paper inserts- I double mine- it looks prettier.

Process the almonds in a food processor by pulsing on and off until a fine almond meal is formed. Pour the almond meal into a dry mixing bowl.

Add in the rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and spices and whisk to combine.

In a clean mixing bowl beat the eggs; add the oil, syrup, brown sugar, banana puree and vanilla. Beat well.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and beat for two minutes.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pan and bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until done. Check the center for doneness with a wooden pick. The cupcake should appear slightly golden brown at the edge, yet still be moist inside.

Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Simple Coconut Milk Icing

1 1-lb. box confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup unsalted vegan margarine such as Smart Balance orSpectrum Organic Shortening

2-3 tablespoons coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or coconut extract

Pour the sugar into a mixing bowl and add the butter with 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk. Start beating and continue to beat to incorporate the butter and coconut milk. Add more coconut milk a teaspoon at a time, until you achieve the consistency you like. Crank up the mixer and beat the heck out of it until the frosting is smooth and glossy.

Frost cooled cupcakes and chill. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Gluten free cupcakes keep best (beyond the first day) if wrapped and frozen in a large zip lock freezer bag. Unwrap before thawing at room temperature.

Jalapeño and Lime Hummus Recipe

Again, you gotta give credit where credit is due. Thanks, Karina for another tasty recipe.

Photo by: Me!

1 16-oz. can chilled chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
Juice of one large fresh lime
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter or Sunbutter, to taste
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 heaping tablespoons pickled jalapeños
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Pinch of cumin, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Pinch of sea salt, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Makes about 3 cups.

*I added a little more olive oil and some sesame oil to relief the dip from its dryness. Plus, the sesame oil adds a stupendous flavor. That's right, I said it. Stupendous. It's a great word.

*

Eat. Play. Pray. Love.

2011-02-05T01:25:00.003-05:00

I'm not gonna lie. I have had ample free time on my hands since Gammy passed away. The first couple of weeks after she passed were pretty crazy, but lately, things have slowed down.

And you know what slowing down means? It means wearing those jammies a little longer each day. It means watching Dora the Explorer and singing "We Did It," while eating our oatmeal. It means wasting time blogging and blog stalking while the toddler naps, losing track of time, and then rushing to get ready before they wake up. And a slower pace most certainly poses the question: Housework or Park?

Answer: Park.

So we parked it up. And guess what. The day was gorgeous. And guess what else? We were the only ones on the playground. A rarity. A glorious rarity.

She finally decided to take the plunge and slide down the slide without my help. I was so proud. I watched her do it over and over again. I could tell she was loving life.

You gotta love tunnels. I took the liberty of printing this little gem today. I have it framed in Story's room. I'm trying to revamp her room. I promise to take pictures once it's finished.

She played. Then she demanded the keys, picked up my purse and walked to the gate to exit the park. The girl knows what she wants.

But before we left, I snapped these pictures. The park has some cool, interactive stations. Nothing too crazy. But one of them is a sign with sign language from A-Z. I took pictures of the letters in Story's name and had those printed out today too. I think I'll eventually put them in her room, but for now, they're on the fridge.

Then, it's back home and time to prep for dinner. Story runs around like a maniac, pulling items out of the one cupboard in the kitchen that isn't locked and asking for candy from the fridge because that is where we keep it to protect it from ants. I give in because, one Skittle every 5 minutes isn't going to hurt, right?

After we eat, it's back in the jammies once again. "Story, it's time to go night night," I'll say. Which is always followed by the following three questions:

"Where's Foo Foo? (Her blanket)
"Where's Pete?" (Her panda)
"Where's Macy?" (Her baby doll, who she named herself.)

She sleeps with all three of them. After I lay her down, I ask her to fold her arms, and we say a quick prayer.

"Dear Heavenly Father," she repeats with, "H'ly Fatha."

"Thank you for daddy," ..."dank you! daddy."

"Thank you for mommy,"..."dank you! mama"

"Thank you for rocca,"..."Where's Rocca? Rocccaaa!!!!" and just like that the prayer is interrupted and you can't help but laugh at her innocence. So I help her call Rocca, Rocca makes her appearance, and Story laughs. Then we continue with our prayer.

I choose to have her say, "Thank you that mommy watches me," I help her with each word..."dank you! mama. wa-ches. me."
At this point I can't help but smile.

"Bless daddy in school,"..."bless! daddy school"

"In the name of Jesus Christ,"..."Amen!!!!!" She gets so excited to say, "Amen" that she rarely repeats the former.

It is so cute having her learn to pray. It meant the world to me to hear her repeat, "dank you! mama. wa-ches. me." Sure, I know, I fed her the words. So sue me. But I know if she could come up with the words on her own, she would say the same thing. And hearing her repeat them still made me feel good.

I sometimes wonder if I should be doing even more with my life. Like finding cures for diseases or making millions of dollars by inventing products that are so dumb you get mad that people actually made money off them. Or, peeling oranges into shapes of rabbits. http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1946263 Then, I hear the ever repeating words in my mind that Luke once said to me, "the most important calling you have right now is taking care of Story." And it's true.

It's nice to have that reminder from time to time.

.

Foto Friday

2011-02-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

My mom has been itching for me to post these pictures I took years ago. Here's to Foto Friday!

Cheese E

2011-02-02T20:24:00.000-05:00

Nothing more to be said.

Random Thought Tuesday

2011-02-01T08:00:00.010-05:00

I was thinking about myself over the weekend. (Me Monster, I know) Here are a few things that came to my mind:

1: I have an obsession with flossing. I floss every night. If I run out of floss on Sunday, I'm totally willing to brake the Sabbath to get my hands on a new package of floss.

I definitely prefer glide floss to waxed. I especially hate brands of floss that have a sorry excuse for wax on them, which cause the floss to uncomfortably get stuck in your teeth (shivers). Not sure if there is a worse feeling.

2: I also have an obsession with balancing my bank account and credit card each month. I keep all my receipts. All of them. I make Luke keep all of his receipts and if he is missing a receipt, I'll cut off his..... brake-lines. Simply put, my mind can't function properly until I know my accounts are balanced. It's funny, I didn't used to be like that. I guess working as an "accountant" really took a toll on me.

Me on my last day as an "accountant." Look at Story! So tiny and so cute! Love her.

3: I am only content for a short period of time. I am always looking to experience the next step in life. Case in point: Medical School. I couldn't wait to get here. I couldn't wait to move from Rexburg and experience new things. Now, I can't wait to be done. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy where I live now. My pot-smoking neighbors and the van-full-of-armed-illegal-immigrants, who crashed during a high speed chase by my house, don't bother me at all. I love that I don't need snow tires, I love the beach, and I enjoy the sun. But holy Hannah...Montana, I just want to know where the crap we are going to live for the rest of our life. Oh, I kind of miss this:

But don't worry, I will experience plenty of these as I enjoy my dream home in Vermont. That's right, I entered the HGTV dream home giveaway. And like I always do, I plan my life as if I am actually going to win it. Luke will get a residency in Vermont, we will win the dream home, and life will be peachy...and cold.

Gluten-Free Food

2011-01-30T14:04:00.002-05:00

So maybe you were recently diagnosed with a Gluten-Free intolerance, but does that mean Friday night pizza is going to hell in a handbasket? Hale no!

Since I was diagnosed, I have put more effort in finding new recipes that are naturally GF. But every now and then it is not only nice to recreate what you used to eat, but to blow yourself out of the water with something that tastes much better than what you used to eat.

When it came to pizza, I always disliked the prominent chain store's recipes. Especially Dominos. We all know their pizzas are made by machines anyway. Don't let their commercial fool you (kidding, Dominos, kidding.) Not being able to eat chain-style pizza doesn't make me sad. Gourmet pizza? That's another ball game. I love gourmet pizza. And lucky for us, we have friends in Florida who have become masters at Gourmet Pizza. Luke ate pizza at their house the other night and loved this recipe. Here is my GF version:

Hot Chicken and Ranch Pizza

*always verify that the ingredients you select are gluten-free

Ingredients:

Bob's Red Mill GF Pizza crust mix ( Delicious! They should pay me to advertise for them)
* I also used my own brown rice flour to dust over the dough since the dough was sticky. It made it much easier to roll out.
Your Favorite GF Ranch (I used Organicville, which is also dairy free! Wishbone and Annie's Cow Girl Ranch are also GF)
2 tsp Olive Oil
2-3 Bonless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Your favorite GF Hot sauce ( I believe most Hot Sauces are GF. I used Crystal's)
1 1/2 Cup (approx) Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 Cup (approx) Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Follow the directions for the pizza crust on the Bob's Red Mill packaging. Next, dice your chicken, pour 2 tsps Olive Oil in a skillet and brown your chicken. Once the chicken is browned, put the chicken in a bowl and pour enough hot sauce over chicken to cover it. Once you have your pizza ready for toppings, spread a thin layer of Ranch on the pie crust. Next, sprinkle on cheeses. Last, top the pizza with your hot sauce chicken. Finish cooking pizza according to the directions on your Bob's Red Mill packaging.

If you eat GF and you have a favorite Ranch sauce you like, please share! Or, if you know of another tasty pizza pie crust, hook a sister up!

Foto Friday

2011-01-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Random Thought Tuesday

2011-01-25T08:00:00.003-05:00

I can't stand touching the slimy, plastic, shower liner when showering (especially if it's moldy). Or anytime, for that matter. But really, when would I touch one if I wasn't showering? One day Luke, after gaining knowledge of my phobia, thought it would be humorous to give me a bear hug through the shower curtain, thus engulfing me in slimy plastic. I almost barfed.

Foto Friday

2011-01-21T08:00:00.005-05:00

Because I didn't post this picture on the last Foto Friday, I'm posting it this time! It is one of my favorites.

Random Thought Tuesday

2011-01-18T13:13:00.000-05:00

I once scratched a dog's belly who had nipples the size and color of prunes. It was disgusting. After that experience, we decided Rocca wouldn't be having puppies.

Gluten-Free Food

2011-01-17T08:00:00.005-05:00

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Okay, are you guys ready for this!? This is the most delicious meatloaf I have ever tasted. I'll be honest, my thoughts of meatloaf are tainted by the horrific memories I have growing up when my dad used to make meatloaf nearly every time it was his turn to make dinner. I vividly remember dreading meatloaf for dinner. But this recipe, this recipe, has changed my entire viewpoint on meatloaf.

I altered this recipe from here. Thanks, Giada.

(not the greatest picture, sorry)

*always verify that the ingredients you choose are gluten-free

Ingredients

1/2 cup GF bread crumbs. (I simply crumbled a slice of gluten-free bread I like).
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes (I used Bella Sun Luci brand Sun Dried Tomatoes with Italian Herbs and I confirmed that they are GF)
2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with butter.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve

Foto Friday: Story

2011-01-14T22:18:00.001-05:00

I'm hesitating to call these Story's two-year pictures. But they might be just that.

Luke and I decided to go out and take pictures tonight. It just might be one of my favorite things to do with Luke. Lucky for me, he actually likes it too.

Enjoy!

Foto Friday

2011-01-14T00:24:00.000-05:00

That's right, I'm going to try to do a weekly "Foto Friday." If you read my blog when I did "Weekend Word Warrior," then you'll know that "Foto Friday" will likely last for a few weeks before I get too lazy to keep it going. But really, I'm going to try really hard to keep it up.

What better photo to start off with than Story pushing Gammy's walker? Story was obsessed with that thing. She will greatly miss pushing that walker. I know it.

Gluten Free Food

2011-01-13T17:32:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I have this labeled as "Gluten-Free Dinner" but it may be more of something you would like to make for lunch (if you are at home). Although, it is a great dinner as well.

Black Bean Tacos

*always check the products you purchase to verify they are Gluten-Free

Ingredients:
Corn Tortillas
Olive Oil
1 Can Black Beans
Feta Cheese
Coleslaw Mix (Don't let coleslaw scare you from this recipe)
Lime
Cilantro

Mix coleslaw, chopped cilantro, and the juice of one lime in a bowl. Amount depends on how many tacos you are making. For two to three tacos, I would do approximately 1 cup coleslaw mix, 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, and lime juice to taste. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown tortilla on one side. Flip tortilla after it is slightly browned. Once flipped filled with black beans, coleslaw mix, and feta cheese. Fold tortilla in half so it looks like the above picture. If you wait too long, the tortilla will get too crispy to fold. Enjoy!

More Goldfinch for the lady?

2011-01-12T11:25:00.000-05:00

I'm Mad Today

2011-01-11T20:24:00.000-05:00

Mad, because I freaking thought of this invention years ago!