...and then my kitchen flooded

Weekends are really really nice. I love them a lot. This weekend in particular made me happy in numerous ways....

Friday night, Tanner and I planned on making a yummy dinner of spaghetti and homemade turkey meatballs. Then we were going to make treats and doorbell ditch them to strangers. While defrosting the turkey I noticed that the sink (full of dishes I might add) was not draining. Strange. I left it alone because quite frankly, I had just danced and needed a shower.

Enter Tanner- 7:45

I'm sitting on the couch, reading, "Hey the drain isn't working, I tried to fish around and stuff but it looks like we won't be able to make our delicious dinner" translation: I'm lazy.
Tanner begins rummaging underneath the sink.
5 seconds later I look over after hearing a splash.

Tanner is crouched in an inch of water, the carpet next to the kitchen is slowly soaking and there are remains of the noodles from last night's soup.

We just started laughing. I peeled off my socks and tip toed over to the paper towels and began mopping up the water. I was just happy it was mostly clear. We spent the next two hours cleaning the water, I ran to the store to buy more paper towels, because sadly I have no rags yet. Tanner worked on the drain with a wire hanger and we loved the black stuff he cleaned out of it. I made homemade salsa because really, only one person can fit under the sink. But of course I gave my support and did try my hand at feeling around in the pipe. Sick.

By ten o' clock we realized we had not eaten so Tanner made steak while I did the dishes with a wonderfully working drain. Rice and blueberry muffins accompanied our meal and we finished the night with 10,000 B.C. Actually, I slept and he watched the movie. It was actually the perfect night.
We were joking the day before that we don't go anywhere on dates because 1. we don't have a car, 2. we don't have money and 3. we like doing normal things like laundry (or puzzles) on Friday nights.

Oh... did I mention that he cleaned the hair from our bathtub drain the night before?

Ya, I'm keeping him.

My Surroundings

Today I am all about reading. I'm devouring everything I can get my hands on. This is a good thing, because I feel like I learn a lot when I read. ...I realize that the sentence I just wrote was completely silly...

Right now I'm surrounded by the BYU magazine (which I already read this morning), The Daily Universe, CNN.com is up on another tab, February's Ensign (which has a gorgeous cover), General Conference Oct Issue, The Norton Anthology Western Literature, and my Scriptures. Below the couch lay 15 children's books all dealing with cake, food network magazine, The Hunger Games (I am planning on re-reading sometime...) Raising and Emotionally Intelligent Child, my Scriptures, and Favorite Fairy Tales told in Czechoslovakia.

I know. Heaven.
Now...where do I begin?

Pork Chops like you've never tasted

It was quite the weekend. My team traveled to Mesquite for a show-which went way better than expected and ended with our bus driver being arrested. I will save that story for another post....

This was the dinner Tanner and I made last night and it was too good to not share. I'm taking no credit though, this came out of the Food Network magazine. So enjoy!!

Pork Chops with Apples and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

1 pound small fingerling potatoes
2 cloves garlic
Kosher salt
4 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage (I used more because sage is divine)
Freshly ground pepper
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup apple cider
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Put the potatoes and garlic in a saucepan, cover with cold water and season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and continue cooking until tender, about 15 minutes. Cover and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, rub both sides of the pork chops with the sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil and sear the chops until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet (I did not do this, I like the bits of pork left over for extra flavor) and add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the onion and apples and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cider.
3. Return the chops to the skillet. Cover and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Return the potatoes to the pan; add the buttermilk and mash, adding cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with pork chops, onion and applies. Drizzle with the pan juices.

Additional notes from me...
I didn't have apple cider, nor did I want to buy a whole bottle. I used half chicken broth, half apple juice and it was yummy. Also, we added butter, parm cheese, and sage to the potatoes. Adding a salad would be a great idea for texture and color.

Enjoy! :)

Ramblings and a Quilt

I haven't written anything in a good long while. This is mostly due to the fact that school this semester may kick my rear end. Wait, let me rephrase....DANCE this semester will most definitely kick my rear end, not to mention leave my legs feeling like jelly. We have our first show this weekend in Mesquite, Nevada. Pretty exciting. However, we had to put together a whole new show in just two weeks. My brain is full of new steps and the thoughts of making a fool out of myself on stage is weighing on my mind. Those poor people in Mesquite. That being said, I love my team, my director and the opportunities we have. I love learning new things and being challenged. Luckily this team is not a "look what I can do" team but has a "look what my friend can do" feeling. That is definitely what I'll be banking on this weekend. My friends are all really really good :)

More ramblings...I really like simple things. I like my rice cooker, I like my family, I like little preschoolers when they giggle and pretend they're my mother as we cook supper. I like looking at old pictures and reading children stories. I like reading talks and learning about the human mind. (We just watched A Beautiful Mind the other night). I like cleaning on occasion and gardening. I like it when it rains even though it is supposed to be snowing.

I told you I would post pictures of my present to Tanner...Here it is! :)



I know, he's really cute.



I love Natalie in this one. Perfect.



Smiling in pictures is boring.

I also got him a pea coat that he looks very handsome in. (sorry, no picture yet).

He and his family gave me a darling apron that they traced their hands on. Even the dog and cat left their mark! He also gave me The Flavor Bible. This book is the coolest thing in the world. I just find myself trying to get through my textbook reading so I can devour it. Gah! I love learning about food...and eating it. :)

The quilt was hard to make. It was my very first one and I may have gotten impatient once or twice during the process. Okay, more than that. I had a lot of help though. Anna, Natalie and my cousin Rosie were HUGELY helpful. They kept me sane so thank you thank you! I am not ready to start rolling out the quilts... I don't have the time nor the money to spend on them. Maybe someday...for now I'll just enjoy this one!

Preschool 101

I am taking a course this semester entitled DAP 222. This course is a practicum in which I will be involved at teaching at the BYU preschools.
...
No I did not change my major, I am not going to be an early childhood educator. I am still going to be a Foods teacher. However, with my degree I will be able to teach child development as well. AWESOME. Not to mention I get to spend time with kids for two days a week, have snack time and have pet birds. AND I get recess!!!!! In college!!!!!!YESSSSSSSS.

I am excited, nervous and quite honestly overwhelmed.

HOW CAN THEY PUT ME IN A ROOM WITH SMALL CHILDREN AND LET ME SHAPE THEIR GROWING LITTLE MINDS? HOW CAN I BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR EMOTIONAL STABILITY AND SOCIAL SKILLS AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT? I AM 21 YEARS OLD. I WAS JUST BARELY 4!


Okay, those are my concerns. But truly I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity I have to learn this semester at this University. I will not ruin the cute preschoolers, nor will I ruin my future children.

I have a feeling I will be learning the most this semester at BYU than ever before, and I think my professors will be the 4 and 5 year olds.

Perfection

My last post was a bit depressing, but never fear! Tanner and I were happily reunited and are back into the swing of school.

Today I would like to share you some thoughts inspired by a newly found and newly favorite quote:

"You don't have to be perfect, just honest and sincere". Rosemary Wixom

This sentence has been rolling around in my mind since I heard it Sunday. So I ask you this question: What does being perfect entail? Here are some possible qualifications of perfection some may answer (most of these are from an Latter-Day Saint viewpoint).
straight A's
well groomed hair
make-up smeared to the nine's
a significant other
Relief Society President
bakes cookies every day for neighbors
children "bow-ed" and combed to exactness
killer husband with the business job
perfected relationship with in-laws, as well as animals
scriptures heavily marked
charitable acts done up to wazoo
craft time with children every day
president of PTA
home cooked meal 7 days a week
oh yes, and they still have time for pedi's
The list could continue onward; I'm sure you even thought of a couple yourself.

This list shows things only others see. We (and I mostly mean women), constantly beat ourselves up about how others see us and if we are appearing as supermom or superwoman. I'm not superwoman, and I'm happy to admit it.
I will however, admit that this quote has made me think for a moment about my motivation for things. Am I trying to do too much, stretching myself too thin in order that I may reach perfection? That perfection is not necessarily in others eyes, but by my personal definition and what I expect myself to accomplish. Or am I passionate about my major, the things I am pursuing and the life I am leading?

are you?

Everyday you must ask yourself if you are being honest and sincere to others and yourself. Are you serving to be seen as a selfless person, because you're supposed to, or is it because you are honestly trying to help a fellowman?

Another spin involves trying to do too many things. I believe it is better to be extraordinary at two to three things rather than mediocre in ten. You know your limits and you know your heart. Choose to slow down and do things that you can be honest and sincere about. Be genuine and forget about the expectations you think others have for you.

Be ambitious in your goals and dreams. Challenge yourself. "Let's be honest; it's rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia-even during times of stress and fatigue." Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Don't be perfect. Just be true to your integrity. Be genuine.

"You don't have to be perfect, just honest and sincere". Rosemary Dixom