I want to eat at Wonderful restaurants, and listen to Wonderful music

Last night after my wonderfully inspiring dentists appointment (my teeth were the recipients of high praise. The DDS said he wished his teeth looked like mine *ding*) Matt and I had a little date night. We had a buy one get one coupon for Malawi's Pizza. Yes, Malawi, like the country in Africa. Their deal is that with each meal purchased, they donate a meal to orphans in Malawi. This sort of commercial endeavor is very hip right now. Matt adds, "Toms, Eat your heart out."  The pizza was super delicious but WAY overpriced. We prefer Nicoitalia Pizzeria.

We spent an hour or so walking around the Riverwoods. It's all decorated with Christmas lights and scattered bonfires and a brass band dressed in Victorian gay apparel (like from the song. I'm not jabbing anyone...). We spent 45 minutes in a toy store reminiscing on our childhoods and fantasizing on the childhoods of our children. We want Matt's dad to make us a Rocking Horse (maybe a hint?).

We ended the evening watching An Education. It was better the second time (and it was pretty good the first time) and surprisingly (to me) Matt liked it. We both agree that the man in the film is indescribably creepy.

It was a lovely date night. I really cannot wait to marry Matt.

An easy way to fix an addiction.

Yesterday my computer fell off Matt's coffee table and hit my foot really hard. My knee also hit the screen and, well, it's destroyed. The Mac people said it would cost more than my computer is worth to fix the screen. So no more computer for me. I can use mine, but barely. All the information is fine, I'm just limited to the top left-hand quarter of my screen. We'll probably get another one in March or so. Until then I'm living on a borrowed PC (shame). I can't imagine I'll be blogging or facebooking as much. And it is definitely going to take a lot more effort to do my homework (since until we get the borrowed PC I'll have to go to the library to do things if my roommates are using their computers. Sad day. But I suppose things could be worse.

P.S. In an unrelated topic, I cannot wait to be married.

Ma and Pa: My role models

I finished rereading Little House in the Big Woods, because this time of year (and summer time) all I want to do is read the Little House books. This is a photo of Ma and Pa Ingalls, at 21 and 24 respectively, when they married.

I know that the Little House books are fairly fictionalized, but something that has always struck me was the wonderful relationship that Ma and Pa have. They love each other and always have the other person's best interest in mind. Pa looks after Ma with an affection bordering reverence, and Ma always lets Charles take the lead and supports him to the best of her ability. I love them. I want to be them. I read these books and it's all I can do to not pine after a relationship like theirs. Luckily, I have Matthew and he's so wonderful to me. I'm not as wonderful as Ma, and I definitely have a lot of things I can work on to be a better (future) wife to Matthew.

Maybe someday Matt will let our children call us Ma and Pa. :)

Has anyone ever died of being engaged?

What a horrible infliction -similar to teenage years. A pulling stuck feeling where you don't belong before it and you can't yet belong after it.


ready for marriage

12 September

10 September 2009 I decided that I couldn't handle going back to BYU, that I needed to return to London and finish Le Cordon Bleu.

When I was leaving my Intro to Folklore class later that day, some boy walked up to me (and hit me on the arm) and said, "You going to India Fest?" I replied "Maybe, if I don't have to work." He said, "Want to go with me?" Again, "If I don't have to work."

10 minutes later (still talking and me getting annoyed that he hadn't introduced himself yet) I said, "I'm Lana, by the way."

"Oh, I'm Matthew Cole. Nice to meet you."


It was not love.

12 September 2009 we went to India Fest together. 

Thus began the awkward three months of, are we dating? hm, I'm not really interested? Why are we holding hands? Why are we kissing? What's going on? We can't be friends anymore, I'm not going to keep taking you out for nothing. You're my best friend. We're a couple now.

12 September 2010, we're engaged and happy and trying to figure out how to get everything done for the wedding while going to school.


12 September 2010, it's definitely love.

I want to make this

If anyone who reads my blog out there is a knitting genius, please tell me how I can make one of these for my fiance. He is dying for one. Plus I'd rather he walked around in this than in the unicorn beanie he's begging me to make him.

A sickness

I adore JCrew. Anyone who knows me well, knows this about me. Nicole and I pore over each months catalog and coo and sigh and revel in its classiness.

Sometimes JCrew fails to impress:

Sequined Harem Pants (apparently so popular that they've completely sold out. REALLY?!)

I don't even want to talk about this one...

Gross.

But JCrew also NEVER fails to blow me away with at least one item. This month it was the Noelle Gown:

Long-sleeved, high neck, high back, almost temple ready wedding gown. I challenge you to find a classy looking long-sleeved wedding gown that would actually look good on someone. I was convinced that this could never be done. But JCrew has done it again. Oh JCrew, what can't you do? Did I mention it has POCKETS?!

Texas- pronounced Tey-hass

Contrary to popular belief -my belief- Texas is not all desert. Here in Flower Mound it is very, very green. It's so weird to be a fiance. I love it, but it's weird. It's weird because it's now ok to say things like 'Matt and my kids, will look like etc' or 'When we're married, etc.' I love it. I love meeting my in-laws. I love Matthew so much. The separation right after engagement was a really terrible idea though, because now I just want to be married RIGHT now. I don't want to sleep alone anymore. I don't want to be Lana Pewitt. I want to be Lana Cole.

Today we went to a huge water park. At said park was a giant swing contraption where you are harnessed and a rope pulls you up 15 stories or so and then you free fall and then swing. It was terrifying. But it was also so much fun.

Have I mentioned I'm in love? Absolutely I am, Right now I get to baby sit an adorable baby. So blogpost over.

Worried?

Today I had to pack up Matt's apartment and store all his stuff in my car because he's supposed to be out by the 14th, and he's not coming back until the 19th. Luckily, I'm a really good fiance, so I told the management I was his sister and they let me into his apartment to move out for him. It was pretty tedious, but I know he'll make it up to me. Make it out with me?

While I was packing up my fiance's things I found a few interesting oddbits. I picked up a model human skull and it fell to the ground. The top plate came off and out rolled some brass knuckles. Not kidding; who has brass knuckles? And WHY? Next, as I cleaned out his closet I came across a squirt gun, a toy motorcycle and... a box of legos. Who am I marrying? Should I be worried?

I love him. And we'll have lego family night when we're married. And he'll hang up his picture of The Kramer and I'll hang up my picture of The Audrey, and we'll have a happy little home full of oddbits. [I shouldn't judge him too much since I am in the possession of a tutu (yes a real tutu) and a kimono (also, yes, real), and two pair of awesome Thai pants that I ordered from Israel.

He has legos; I have dress up clothes. I guess we're just two kids getting married. Worried? Not at all.

Wedding Folder inspiration photos

On Engagements

I did love Matthew quite a bit before we were engaged. And the act of proposing and accepting, in and of itself, is no remarkable physical action. But since I've said 'yes' and have worn this ring, everything feels different. I feel more attached to Matt, not like in an obsessive way at all, but in a we're linked together by the official intent to marry sort of way. I can only imagine what sort of sealing feeling there is to being married. I had to take the ring off today to do a lot of really gross dishes at work and I instantly felt weird. My hand felt odd and I kept rubbing my ring finger where I should feel (even if dissipated by sensory adaptation) that little circlet of gold. It's only been on for 3 days. Pathetic. :p

He's hiking mountains in New Mexico and I wont be able to talk to him for at least 10 days. I'll certainly get a lot of reading and wedding planning done, though.

Engaged!

Last night, July 26th Matthew asked me to marry him.

He is leaving for Philmont for 2 weeks and I wont be able to talk to him or see him, or even text him the entire time. He kept telling me he wanted to have one more real date before he left. Yesterday was the day he planned. He kept every detail of the date secret, he likes to do that, but it started to rain and he had to say, if it rains my plans will be ruined. Without further clues I guessed that we were going to go on the lake in paddle boats and have a picnic. He was really disappointed that I guessed it (with frustrating accuracy he says), and he seemed a bit put off. We went to the lake anyway but after waiting a very long time dealing with Alpine Rentals we discovered that the paddle boats were all broken! Someone had some in and trashed them. Poor Matt! All his plans gone awry! 

We sat by the lake and had our picnic anyway. We talked about how lovely the overcast sky was and how it would be nice to live near a body of water. We threw bread to/at the ducks. I told him that I was really sorry that I had ruined his plans by guessing them. He said, "You didn't guess all my plans." I asked him what other plans he had and everything went still and he said, "Lana, will you marry me?" Without even responding, I took the ring from his hand and sobbed on his neck. I managed to choke out 'yes' but mostly I was crying.

 

This ring is perfect. It's rose gold with wheat scrolling on the sides and it's from Provo from around 1900. The diamond is the diamond that Matt's dad used to propose to Matt's mom. It's an antique, it's an heirloom, it fits perfectly, and I love it.

I feel just awful though because earlier that day I had a 'serious' talk with Matt about not taking positive steps forward toward getting engaged. I think I would have made him feel bad if he hadn't had all this in cache. I feel so badly about it now. He loves it because he thinks it's funny, and because it proves that he's sneaky and that I really can't guess all his plans.

I'm in love. It's super weird being engaged. I've wanted this for a long time, but it's very strange being there suddenly. I know we'll be wonderful together. The date is December 21. We'll have a reception in Redding, and a reception in Flower Mound. 

I hate being tickled

 

Recently (yesterday) I was tickled. The perpetrator, who will not be named, was relentless. As a consequence my favorite glass that I've had for 3 years was knocked off the coffee table and smashed to the floor. I am not amused.

I can't stop posting!

 

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? Very well, Thank you.

I'd like to introduce you to, Onion stalks and Peas. Peas are very sweet and well mannered. Onion stalks still have a bit of growing up to do.

And this is String Beans. String Beans are growing fast and taste delicious with some butter and garlic. But then, what doesn't?

Here is Lavender, Chives, Basil and Cilantro. Chives is a little behind the rest, but is growing fast. Cilantro is growing too fast. It's already gone to seed! It's so tasty though.

Behind Lavender you can see Mint.

And over here you can see Carrots, and Strawberries. Strawberries grew up too fast, and all the ants ate away her delicious fruit.

You can't see them in these photos but Pumpkin is growing SO FAST! Lauren is against it, but I'm going to milk feed one of my pumpkins this year. Isn't that a funny idea? I read about it in Little House on the Prairie. I'm going to do it and that Pumpkin is going to be huge! You also can't see Spinach, Jalapeno, Butternut and Lettuce.

I love Summer and I love gardening and I love eating the fresh veggies and herbs. Yum.

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?

The best parts of Summer

sitting in my cool basement apartment reading a book -for hours.

the second (other) best part of summer?

being in love. 

It does the job

Tonight:


"How's your pork, Matt?"

"Uhm, it does the job I guess."

"What?!"

"It's just a fork."

miscommunication disorders are already setting in

But mostly I'm happy

Today I'm really happy. I don't have a lot of food (and when I'm not at work and can't eat there) I have to be creative. Because, lets face it I could afford more food, but I've been in a really cheap mood since I paid off my credit card! Today I made fried apples and onions. It sounds super weird, I know. I read about it in Laura Ingalls Wilder's book Farmer Boy. It was Almanzo's favorite dish. And it was really tasty. I just thinly sliced an apple and a red onion, fried it in butter until the apples were soft and toasted and the onions were nearly translucent. It was really delicious. I'm in love.

Sometimes I get scared

Sometimes I just "think myself into a hole" as Rudy would say. I take things I know are true and I think about them way too much until I can't separate verite from faux.

Luckily, I have a guy who will take me to In-N-Out after I've been throwing up and sleeping all day. A guy who tells me it's ok that I'm insane. A guy who is sure and who knows and yet has been patient with me from the very start. A guy who tells me he will wait for me.

I don't know that I'll ever stop being insane, but someday I'll stop being scared.

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.