Only one month to go now.

Yesterday our employers at Marvellous Catering threw us an engagement party. They made us sweet pulled pork enchiladas with fresh pico de gallo, caesar salad, artichoke dip, delicious cookies, and THE BEST popcorn in the world : white chocolate with candy pieces, and cinnamon roll popcorn. So good. We had so many leftover cookies that I brought them to my Sunday School class today.

We were so lucky that Marvellous Catering threw us a party and that we had so many wonderful friends who came to help us celebrate. We work for the best people. This little party was kind of like a rehearsal reception and it made us both really excited to get married. 

Matt and I made monster sugar cookies a few weeks ago. I never posted the photos. The best one is on the bottom left-hand corner where the bear is eating his own foot. Also the one on the top in the middle is my Robo-bear and I love it. Plus, they were delicious. The sugar cookie recipe courtesy of my sis Jaime. 

A Hot Bath and a Gallon of Water

Today ended better. I'm sorry for the whiney, spoiled post. Things didn't get better, and I definitely had a few more crashes and tripups and breakdowns. BUT I got grilled pizza and my extremely stupid genealogy assignment done, and before I crawl into bed to rest before I have to be at work at 6a tomorrow morning, I took a really hot bath and then drank from my wonderful bedside gallon of water; ending it off with a really superb run-on sentence.

I'm grateful that I have a wonderful roommate with whom to go get pizza and a wonderful fiance who will volunteer for an Eagle Scout project and bring me back more wonderful grilled pizza.

Baby it's Cold Outside

For the last 3 years I've had fall roommates who insisted upon listening to Christmas music as early as possible (one year it was September). I've always fought against it. Since Halloween and Thanksgiving are my favorite holidays, I hate it when carols take all the glory and we wiz by those holidays only thinking of Noel. So my rule was no Christmas music until AFTER Thanksgiving.

So, I'm ashamed to say that, now that I don't have roommates pushing to listen to Christmas music so early, I kind of miss it. And, please don't tell anyone, but I added Christmas music to my ipod and I'm currently listening to a French Christmas hymn!

Oh the shame!

Photo Uploads

I haven't uploaded photos from my camera since before I went to Texas...in August. Tomorrow is October. Here's what you've missed out on:

 The only two photos I took in Texas: getting frozen yogurt (mine was way too big. I made Matthew finish it for me.) and on our way to Hurricane Harbor.

 One of the bigger carrots that I grew in my very own garden.

 This tomato clam vegetable soup. It was really really good on rice or with french bread.

 Nicole and I on the first day of school. So classy, so JCrew.

 Homemade candy bars: semi-sweet chocolate, almonds and pecans. Matt's invention, my creation. They were gone so fast I didn't have time to take a proper photo of them.

Pumpkin Advent Calendar. I got the idea from the latest Martha Stewart magazine, and jazzed it up a bit. In the magazine, it's just a children's game and some of the balloons are filled with glitter or other things. In my version there are 31 balloons, counting down to Halloween, and in each balloon is a piece of candy (or several in the case of candy corn). Each night a roommate will be able to pop a balloon and reap their candy. Very fun, and I want to do this EVERY year, because I LOVE HALLOWEEN!

I also love Matt a lot. And even though he doesn't read my blog, I didn't post a photo of my wedding dress, just in case he ever actually reads it.

Blog Fame

My blog is not famous. Probably only a handful of people actually read it regularly, and a few others have possibly stumbled upon it.

However, there is something so fun about being recognized from your blog, well sort of. Let me explain.

I was talking to this girl I know from a class I had last winter. I mentioned something about the high price of books. See Here. And she said, Oh I know! I feel like I was just talking to someone about this... Oh YEAH, on your blog.

Fun. <3

Today I ran into my favorite former french teacher who's been in Paris nannying FOREVER. After a brief how are you exchange she said, I saw your fiance in the hall yesterday. I didn't want to say hi because then I would have had to admit that I recognized him from your blog.

Oh Matt, you're becoming famous too.

Even if only a few of you read this, and probably the two of you unnamed but referenced here, I like it when I know that people read my blog -even if it can be boring. Let's face it, the goings on of a 21-year-old Mormon university student is not that grand. But keep reading! I love it!

(Also, I probably read your blog too.)

I Love Summer Saturdays

I especially love them when I don't have to be at work all day and I can go to the Farmer's Market with a dear old friend and buy produce.

Yummy Lunch here I come. Plus a little homemade cherry pie for dessert? Yes.

4th of July (or Banana Bread French Toast with Pure Kenyan Sugar)

 Here in Provo Independence Day seemed to last the entire weekend because the 4th was on a Sunday. Saturday Matt and I went up to Squaw Peak to watch the fireworks. Luckily we got there several hours early, or we would never have been able to get a spot.

 

While we were up there, I kept hearing someone speak in a British accent. Finally, I mustered up the courage to ask him which part of England he's from. He said, "Reading." I asked if he knew the Perry's then. Looking stunned he said, "I am a Perry." I was so excited. I told him how I knew his little brother David Perry, and his wife said, "Oh you're Lana. Yeah, I remember hearing about you." I was so excited. It's amazing to meet someone half way across the world on top of a mountain who knows someone (let alone is related to someone) I knew well in London!

  Sunday, which was the 4th was fairly uneventful. We all went to church and before we watched our Sunday Documentary, I got to visit with Becky, and then Matt blew up some fireworks. We put bottle rockets down the tube of a broom, and placing the bristles on our shoulders like guns, shot them into the sky. Then we blew up a disgusting tissue box holder sent from Korea. Sorry Sophie, Lauren made me do it. (Though I honestly didn't protest.)

 

Monday was a long day. The parade was going on in the morning. We didn't go see it. But Matt and I tried to navigate threw it to get to a bakery that ended up being closed. So I made Banana Bread French Toast with Pure Kenyan Sugar. It was delicious. It was especially delicious because I didn't have milk, so I had to water down sweetened condensed milk into which I whisked the eggs. 

After Breakfast, we all (which always means Me, Matt, and Lauren) worked on my garden. It now looks beautiful! And then headed to Lauren's grandparents house for a barbecue (which we learned is not actually spelled with a "qu", who knew?). We had hoards of children attacking us. And it was wonderful.

After the Barbecue, we all met up with some other friends to float down the Provo River. I was advised strongly to not take my camera on the river, though, having completed it unscathed, I wish I had.

 

The river was SO COLD! We had a really hard time getting used to it. We had a really great time all in all, even though Lauren claims she hated it. We know we had fun. All of us had fun, except one. She was hurt pretty badly. I felt really awful for her. But she's alright now. 

  

After the river, Matt was craving bucketed chicken. So we had to go to KFC. I can't remember the last time I actually ate there. At the time it tasted really good, but I'm kind of regretting it now. I picked some green beans from my garden, and we made some fries and had a picnic in my living room and watched The Edge.

It was a really good weekend.

No food? No Problem.

Since I've been hired to work for Marvellous Catering, I have not been grocery shopping. I was hired in April. That's nearly 2 1/2 months of no food shopping. I get fed so well there and I get so many leftovers (plus I practically live there) that I really don't ever need to buy food -which is great for me, and my bank account.
But it happens sometimes that I didn't work all day. So I'm not fed a huge meal. So I'm at home with no food -and hungry.
The last week or so I've been in this position a few times and I've had to improvise. I'm happy to say that I've done quite well. Not on my own, of course, it helps when people move out and leave leftovers.Though I would much rather they all hadn't left for Africa and Canada.

 

Yesterday's lunch: Quinoa spiced with ground ginger, garlic salt, fresh cilantro from my garden, soy sauce, and a drop of sesame oil ( sorry Lauren :) ). 

Salad made from Lettuce from my garden and a bit of Romaine that had frostbite, some frozen raspberries from work, some craisins, some leftover steak from work, topped with a homemade dressing : Olive Oil, Garlic Rice Wine Vinegar, Salt and Pepper. 

Cucumber Balls from work and Kiwi slices from work. I don't know how filling it was for Matt. But I really liked it. He loved the Quinoa.

Lunch for me today: Penne with a handful of freezer burnt broccoli, cucumber balls, an infinitesimal amount of steak, a bit of feta (that's been in the fridge forever) and the same dressing as yesterday but with oregano. Kind of like a Greek Pasta Salad thing. Whatever it was, it was delicious.

What to make for dinner now?

There's a lot of Posting going on around here

 

This is what Matt has been driving around for the last week while his car has been in the shop. Remember?

A few days ago the three of us (Lauren, Matt and myself) decided we wanted to get out of the house. We hiked around Bridal Veil Falls. 

 

He always makes this face when I kiss him. Secretly, he likes it.

 

Catholic Priests in their natural habitat. We saw the pair of them climbing up the falls as if there was nothing a bit strange for two Fathers to be hiking up a waterfall.

 

 Hello down there Lauren!

 

Look, a Rainbow!

I spy Lana and Lauren. Can you?

(Don't tell Matt, I just scratched my hives again.)

California

This weekend Matt and I roadtripped out to my hometown of Redding, California. Driving out there isn't bad, unless the rental car you secured doesn't have cruise control!

The Sundial Bridge

When we were walking on the river trail with one of my oldest friends, Adrienne, we found a mulberry tree. Some of the berries were too high for us so Matt had to take his shirt off (the berries stain EVERYTHING) and pull down branches for us. Mulberries are so tasty.

Skipping rocks at Brandy Creek.

The area around Whiskeytown Lake is so beautiful. It was especially green from all the rain. I shot so many photos, while we were eaten alive by mosquitoes.

Nor Cal...

My little brother graduated from High School, so some old family friends came to help us celebrate. We had a lot of really delicious foods. Matt couldn't stay away from all the berries. My mom supplied us with a refilling cache of berries. Matt was in heaven.

The day of the graduation it poured all day. We weren't sure how that would go for the walk. But by the time it started the sky was dry and beautiful.

When I'm in Utah, I miss my cat Noni. Matt loves her now too. Especially since she slept with him every night.

Saturday we went to Lake Shasta Caverns with Adrienne and Evan.

The caves were so cool. Photos from my little Cannon just don't do it justice.

Cave Bacon.

Sunday we drove back to Utah. I was unbelievably carsick almost the entire time and poor Matt had to drive a lot. We saw this lovely little gem of an election poster in Lovelock:

She needs a better photographer.


When we arrived in Utah Valley there was the most beautiful lightning storm overhead. I was still too sick to take many shots but I got this one over the Jordan Temple. I couldn't believe how colorful the sky was. I was in awe. And I am very thankful to be home and not in a car anymore.