The Purcell Family

"How I Thrive with Infertility"

2012-02-16T19:25:00.006-05:00

First of all, I just have to say that I have been overwhelmed by the kindness and love that has been shown by all those who have commented, or sent personal messages via email/facebook. I have rekindled old friendships, made many new ones, and felt so supported by each of you. It seems everyone has been affected by infertility either personally, or through a loved one. I receive reminders everyday of why I'm doing this. I sincerely hope my friend Kristin doesn't mind me posting this link, but I read this post today and thought, "WOW! This is why I'm trying to raise awareness about infertility. Some people are just falling on their faces with ignorance!!" Anyway, I just wanted to sincerely thank each and every one of you.

I was thought I would call this series of posts, "How I Cope with Infertility," but it just didn't feel right. We aren't striving to just "COPE" with infertility, we want to THRIVE! There IS life outside of raising children, and we are going to live it to it's fullest until we are blessed with that opportunity.

This guest post is from a close friend of mine. She is truly incredible and is one of my closest friends. She was one of the first people I told about our infertility. She had no idea at that point in time that she would, herself, face this trial. Yet, she was so compassionate, loving, and understanding.

"I think to prevent bitterness from swelling over me, it really helps to hold other babies whenever I get the chance. Even a few moments to nurture a little one and ease the ache in my arms helps tremendously. I have been volunteering at a crisis nursery where I feel I need to hold those infants just as much as they need to be held by me. :-) Volunteer to babysit and enjoy the charms of children even if you cannot have your own.

Pray to not resent those around you who have never struggled with infertility. Everyone has their own trials, seen or unseen. We are not here to turn bitter or lose ourselves. We are here to love, to serve, to care, and to grow.

It is crucial to have a support group. Husbands are wonderful, but other women who struggle with infertility will be able to empathize and understand on a different level. Just knowing I am not facing this challenge alone brings me so much comfort.

Let your bishop know. I recently told my bishop last Sunday that we have been trying for over a year, and it felt so good to tell a leader in the ward who cared. He has stewardship over you and can help. Now that I have told my bishop, he is seeking out other women in our ward and stake who may deal with infertility so that I can have that support at church.

Read "Taking Charge of your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. This book introduces the Fertility Awareness Method and provides exceptional insights to help women understand and monitor their bodies. She also provides information on technology and operations available to aid in pregnancy. Since studying this text book, I have been taking my temperature daily so that I know where I am at in my cycle. It lessens the hurt to know when my temperature drops so that I do not have false expectations that I could be pregnant. I feel more aware of my cycles than ever before, and it is extremely helpful to take my charts to our fertility doctor.

Understand that infertility is an emotional roller coaster. Let yourself cry when you need to, and allow this ride to bring you closer to your husband.

Find other ways to grow, to learn, to improve. Set goals or develop new skills, there is no need for you to remain stagnant.

Finally, the ultimate answer is always perspective. My patriarchal blessing says that my posterity will be numerous and that I will be an effective mother. Whether that means this life or the next, I look forward to the day that I can bear and nurture my own children. Keep the faith and feel the love of your Heavenly Father. If you are going through this, there is a reason for it. Speak with Him about it daily and pray to accept His will for you. You can be His instrument on earth if you do your part. And remember, every day you ache for your own children to come will only be compensated in the joy you will feel some day as a mother. I have faith that I will be a better mother because I am dealing with infertility."

Hey look, we won!

2012-02-12T21:47:00.001-05:00

Back in December Matt received an email from West Law (it's a legal research site he uses) saying that he had won some drawing. He thought it was just spam or something, but he really had won! They gave him a TON of points and we used them to add to our movie collection!

25 total!! I think about five of these were from Christmas, but the rest were from the points he won! Boo yah. :) We've been watching lots of movies around here... or were watching lots of movies until Matt started his second semester of law school.

Infertility: Dos and Don'ts

2012-02-06T20:41:00.002-05:00

My eyes water and my chest gets all tight just looking at this picture.

(Photo taken from the movie "Up." I love that infertility is being portrayed in the media more and more.)

I know some people struggle with what to do to help their friend or family member during this trial. So, I've enlisted the help of several friends who have experience with infertility, to help me come up with a good list of general "dos and don'ts." Many of these are word for word quotes or experiences from other women facing infertility.

I apologize if some of these are blunt, but these posts are meant to raise awareness and if we don't come out and say it like it is you may not know what is hurtful or offensive. At the end of the day we understand that it is our responsibility to not be too easily offended or hold grudges, but you can really help by doing your part to be sensitive and kind.

Watch what you say

It's probably not wise to ask someone, "So... when are you going to have kids?" Even if they aren't struggling with infertility!
"You'll be able to start your family someday." See, we've all already started our family. Just because we don't have kids, doesn't mean we aren't a family.
"This [pregnancy] is what happens when you stop taking birth control." Obviously this equation doesn't work for everyone.

Don't make assumptions (I feel like a lot of these issues arise when people assume something)

"When are you going to let her have a baby?" Directed at the husband as if he's holding up the process.
When someone tells you they aren't feeling well, it's best not to say, "Are you pregnant?" or "Do you need some saltine crackers *wink*?"
"We're waiting too" or "It took me a while to decide to have a baby." Don't assume that just because someone doesn't have kids it's some sort of life decision they are making. Infertility affects 10% of couples of reproductive age.

Don't make fake pregnancy announcements

April fools jokes, or any other jokes that involve announcing a fake pregnancy aren't appreciated by those who get a stabbing pain in their heart every time someone announces a "real" pregnancy.
Several women also said that a heads up from family members, if they know you're struggling, before they announce a pregnancy is always appreciated.

Avoid making suggestions

Suggestions like, "just relax" or "take those prenatals" or "try yoga" or "take a vacation" are well meant, but not helpful. There is no magic formula for getting pregnant. Trust me, infertility is ALWAYS in the back of my mind, so I know all the tricks and tips about timing, diet, etc.
If you know the person well and they have told you everything about their situation, you may consider asking them if they have ever considered trying ________. There are different types of infertility, so making a suggestion about timing to someone who can get pregnant every cycle, but miscarries, isn't very helpful. Just be cautious. :)

Steer the conversation away from babies

I think there is a happy medium on this. I realize that if you are pregnant or raising little ones this is a large part of your life and avoiding it completely can be more awkward. But, try to ask them questions about themselves or steer the conversation to other parts of life, i.e. hobbies, politics, shopping, marriage, etc. Sometimes it's easy to feel alienated in a room full of moms talking about babies and pregnancy and it reinforces the perception that "everyone but me is pregnant."
Discussing family planning (i.e. how long to wait before having kids, how many kids to have, how far apart to have them, desired number of kids), no matter how well-intended, can come across as selfish to those of us who will take anything we can get!

Don't complain

If you are pregnant, don't act like pregnancy is the worst nine months of your life. Sorry if this is a little blunt, but those facing infertility don't really want to hear you complain about being nauseated because you're pregnant. All they are thinking is, "at least you're pregnant."

Validate their feelings

If someone does open up to you about their infertility sometimes it's nice to hear someone say, "I can't imagine how difficult that must be" instead of, "Oh, don't worry, you'll have kids soon enough."

One woman said, "I think one of the hardest things for me was when I was brave enough to let a sister in Relief Society know my struggles, and she hardly regarded it as a heavy trial I am dealing with. That has shut me down completely from letting my ward members know what we are going through, and has only made the problem worse because now I feel more disconnected from my Relief Society than I did before. I know it is not easy for other women to understand, especially if they have never dealt with infertility. But love is always the answer. Maybe all I really wanted was for her to put her arm around me and act like she cared. I am comfortable talking about it when someone asks in a respectful way. In fact, it often helps to talk about infertility and have a friend to sympathize with."

It's also not a good idea to say things like, "It's good that you don't have kids yet since your husband is still in school," or "you're so young, there's plenty of time to have kids."
It IS a good idea to relate personal experiences. It has always made me feel better when a friend says, "It took us six months to get pregnant and even THAT was difficult."

Do invite/involve

Many women said that they appreciate the opportunity to "borrow" their niece or nephew for the night and being invited to their friends' kids' birthday parties and other events.

Do become educated!

Do a little reading. Infertility is pretty common, affecting approximately 10% of couples of reproductive age. Knowing the basics of infertility and treatments can help you relate to those facing this trial. This is a great website if you're up for a little light reading. :) You may even learn the meaning of some of the acronyms like IUI, IVF, ICSI, PCOS, FSH, etc.

I don't know about you, but I know I have probably done some of the "don'ts" on this list! I think it's just a good reminder to never make assumptions because we never know what someone is facing behind closed doors.

I'm really looking forward to the next stream of posts where we'll have guest posts from other women sharing the ways in which they have found to cope with infertility. These are some of the most incredible women I have ever met and I have no doubt they will be able to share insight for any trial you are facing.

Berries in January??

2012-02-01T19:44:00.001-05:00

Berries went on sale a couple weeks ago. It was AMAZING. We ate strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries for weeks! In smoothies, on our cereal, on pound cake, with sugar... I was in heaven. There's nothing like fresh berries to cheer you up during the dreary month of January.

Soft Ginger Cookies

2012-01-30T19:38:00.001-05:00

This is my big brother Sterling's recipe. He's the best chef ever!! ;)

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 T ground ginger

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

Cinnamon and Sugar mix (1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon)

Directions

Soften butter, cream in sugar and egg. Stir in molasses and dry ingredients. Roll into two inch balls and roll in cinnamon and sugar mix. Bake for 9-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Christmas in Utah: The Rest!

2012-01-29T22:00:00.001-05:00

I didn't take pictures of all the fun things we did in Utah or the loved ones we saw, but here are the rest of the pictures from our trip! :)

We had a fun family party after Christmas with my Mom's side of the family.

Cousin Savana and Aunt Brenley

Mom with Grandma Holden

Grandma Holden and Brenley

Mom, Grandma, Brenley

Matt and I with Nana

Sterling and Hayley :)

Matt and Cousin Jake

Jessie and Cousin Bryan

Cousin Sarah and Uncle Eric

Cute Cousin McKenna

Jessie opening a movie :)

Me and Savana

My dad took a few family pictures for Matt's family after Christmas. It was FREEZING cold, our eyes were watering, and our faces were stiff. :) It was hard to get a good one of everyone... Here is one of the adults.

This one was the best one of everyone, I had to Photoshop Christian's head from another picture because he blinked... I think it actually turned out ok. Man we have a good looking family. ;)

On New Years Eve we had really awful Chinese with my family. haha. At least it was memorable. When we complained they gave us gift cards to use at their restaurant... thanks?

Then we came home and played the Wii all night. It was hilarious. Here is Sterling playing the dancing game. :) Haha.

Matt and Sterling getting ready for a face-off...

in boxing. I love how intense they look. :) It was hilarious to watch.

We had so much fun spending time with our families over the holidays. Aren't families the best?

Christmas in Utah: Christmas Day!

2012-01-25T21:11:00.001-05:00

After spending Christmas Eve with my family we headed to Matt's parents house to spend the night. Matt was lucky enough to get some cuddle time with Chase.

Christmas morning we went to church. Then we came home and had a yummy breakfast and opened presents.

The yearly ornament - thanks Stacie :)

Dad with his head massager.

Yes, that is a real gun. Haha.

Haha, it looks like Steph's meditating.

Michael with his new guitar :)

Mom reading Michael's poems. He's such a funny, smart guy.

The girls with our scarves :)

The boys with their guns and targets. They're so cute!

We had a nice relaxing day and Grandma Palmer came up to have dinner with us.

Matt bribed Chase for a kiss. :)

After dinner we tried to get Chase to open the rest of his presents... he wasn't very interested in it--funny kid.

Chase coloring with Grandma :)

Then we watched "It's a Wonderful Life."

More to come...

Christmas in Utah: Christmas Eve

2012-01-20T20:33:00.006-05:00

Wow, I get happy just looking at all these pictures. We loved our time in Utah with our families. We had a sort of Christmas Day with my family on Christmas Eve because that was when we could all be there. It was a perfect day.

The Christmas tree at my parents house :)

Our Christmas Eve breakfast - these were the BEST pancakes I have ever had. Recipes for the syrup and pancakes are at the end of the post!

Sterling cooking bacon :)

Yum.

Mom and Dad

Sterling

Me taking a picture of Matt :)... watch for the picture I took later in this post.

Hayley with her cute note cards. :)

Whitney with her Kindle from Grandma and Grandpa

Katelyn and Mikayla with their Kindles.

Here is that picture :)

Matt's really good at writing like a little boy. :)

My husband has the BEST smile :)

I have a gorgeous sister-in-law. :) Look how cute she is?!

Derek with his early birthday present from Uncle Sterling and Aunt Hayley... haha :) If you were there, you'll know why this picture makes me laugh. Derek is the cutest.

Ryan studying the scriptures. ;)

Cute Addy with her Daddy.

Melissa with checking out her new necklace. :)

Gorgeous Melissa with her new sheets :)

This is my favorite picture of Addy. She is always so willing to "pose" for pictures. Such a cutie.

The traditional appetizers on Christmas Eve. :)

After dinner we played "Minute to Win it" games. :) I didn't get pictures of all the games, but let's just say the girls team won...

Haha, Melissa trying to get this wheat thin from her forehead to her mouth... she did it on the first try I might add.

Derek was our Joseph, Addy was our Mary with a towel as her baby. They were SO cute to sit there during the nativity story. This picture makes me want to squeeze them. :)

Addy with Matt. It's taken some time, but I've forgiven her for saying that she likes Matt better than me. :) During the prayer before dinner she walked, with arms folded and eyes squinted, to where Matt was sitting just to rest her folded arms on his leg. We love this little girl.

All the kiddies in their Christmas PJ's.

With all the craziness happening we were able to get one picture of everyone together. We sure love and miss all these people

Truck-stop Buttermilk Pancakes

(we halved this recipe)

Ingredients:

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

6 tablespoons butter, melted

5 cups buttermilk

5 cups all-purpose flour

5 teaspoons baking powder

5 teaspoons baking soda

1 pinch salt (optional)

5 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Whisk together the eggs, milk, butter, and buttermilk. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar; stir into the wet ingredients just until blended. Adjust the thickness of the batter to your liking by adding more flour or buttermilk if necessary.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side. Continue with remaining batter.

Yummy Syrup

Ingredients:

1/2 C butter

3/4 C buttermilk or cream (I used buttermilk)

1 C sugar ( I used brown at Christmas but it tastes great with white as well)

1/2 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

Directions:

Combine butter, buttermilk/cream, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes or so and then remove from heat. Immediately stir in the b. soda and vanilla. It will get frothy, but it will settle down. Just be careful not to use too much baking soda, a little less than 1/2 t would be better than a little more.

Christmas in Utah: Baking Day!!

2012-01-17T22:54:00.000-05:00

I wasn't the best at taking pictures of all the fun things we did, or places we went over Christmas. I didn't even write them down so I could post about them... but I did take some pictures of the main events, so I'll try to post them in segments.

It is tradition to do a baking day with my family before Christmas every year. It's the best. Seriously. Messing up the kitchen, making tons of yummy treats, and spending time together. Plus, we usually go out to eat or something first since we don't want to bake AND cook.

Here are all the participants in the messy kitchen :)

(We are missing Melissa and Ryan, but it's harder for them to make the trek all the way up from where they live with all their cute little munchkins - more pictures of them later :))

Sterling and Hayley hard at work :)

When Sterling realized I had just taken the last picture he wanted to make sure I captured that they were having FUN baking. :)

I think these soft ginger cookies were probably my favorite this year... I'm planning to make some more soon and can even post the recipe if you'd like. They were SO chewy and delicious.

Shortbread is always a must, and one of my favorites... doesn't beat the shortbread you get in Scotland though.

(If any of my cousins want to know what to send me for my birthday... this might help ;))

Turtles - yum.

Our delicious baked goods.

And of course, Matt and Sterling made sure to get some of this in... until my mom reminded them of the story of the Little Red Hen..

"a mom."

2012-01-12T23:05:00.002-05:00

I was one of those little girls who would take her doll everywhere... until I was 11. Yes, my parents were embarrassed. :) When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say, "a mom."

Photo via.

I never thought that goal would be so hard to reach, but after three years, infertility has become a reality for us. I believe that one reason we face challenges in life is so we can help others. I hope that if you are struggling with this, you'll know you're not alone - you're far from alone. If you don't struggle with this, I hope I can at least provide some awareness because I can pretty much guarantee you know someone who is, even if you aren't aware of it.

I've been through my fair share of trials, but this one takes the cake. The emotional roller coaster every month is exhausting. Every twinge of nausea makes you think you might be pregnant... and then you're late... two weeks late, but not pregnant. You go through doctors, surgeries, failed treatments and more. Our doctor says we have about a 3% chance of getting pregnant on our own, 8% with IUI, and a really good chance with IVF. But, I know it doesn't have anything to do with "chance." I know that the Lord will bless us with the opportunity to become parents someday.

Although this has been extremely difficult I have learned how to be more patient, how to have more empathy, and how to trust in the Lord. And, I know that when we are able to become parents we will appreciate that opportunity even more.

I hope to do posts periodically to raise awareness about infertility. Some will give advice on how to help those you know who may have infertility. Others will share ways I've found to cope and hopefully they can help you as well if you find yourself in a similar situation.

If you have any specific questions, want to talk, or just need someone to listen you can always email me at stephaniecpurcell@gmail.com. I'm far from perfect in all of this, but I'm always willing to listen.

BFFs

2012-01-06T13:57:00.000-05:00

I've heard it said that a friend is someone who knows everything about you and loves you anyway. Katie is one of those friends.

It all started with watching our favorite TV shows together. Then we would paint our toenails - she would usually do mine for me because she's so good at it. It evolved into shopping, frozen yogurt runs, and chatting for hours on end about anything and everything. Bonus--our husbands are good friends too so we would drag them along sometimes for game nights, etc.

In July they moved to California and we moved to Indiana. I cried when we drove away.

Despite the miles between us we have managed to spend hours on end talking on the phone about anything and everything. It makes life a lot easier if you have a good friend to talk to when times get tough. I love this girl and I'm so glad I got to see her while we were in Utah for Christmas.

Christmas Toes

2011-12-19T17:06:00.000-05:00

Christmas toes are a MUST this time of year. :) Whew, now I'm ready for Christmas!

Cross-Eyed?

2011-12-17T14:07:00.000-05:00

I'm going to apologize in advance for this hideously close, out of focus picture.

On that note: Matt and I discovered the other night that I am physically incapable of crossing my eyes. Matt thought I was just talented and could cross one eye... but was somewhat disappointed to find out that I'm just a mutant. When I try with all my might to cross my eyes this is what happens...

I feel like my entire childhood was spent living in a false reality. When I thought I was crossing my eyes... I was really only crossing one eye.

Soup Marathon! :)

2011-12-15T16:36:00.000-05:00

Matt's nose has been stuck in a book, or rather several really big books and colorful, tabbed outlines that look fun, but aren't. Meanwhile I've been looking for anything I can do to make his life easier which includes making lots of yummy food. :) If you know Matt, you know he LOVES food. Of course only the healthy kind and in the right portion sizes... ;) So, I decided it was the perfect time of year to make some yummy soups. If you have already seen these recipes then I'm just adding my recommendation that you try them - they were ALL delicious.

I LOVE this website. I haven't tried a recipe here that I haven't liked. Here is the link for the Baked Potato Soup recipe.

The next one I tried was also from the same website. Here is the link for the Black Bean Soup recipe. (SO yummy with avocado on top).

And last but not least I made a yummy Creamy Chicken Noodle soup that is one of our favorites. I got the recipe from a friend, but I've altered it a little bit because I thought the original recipe was far too confusing. I didn't take a picture before we ate it all so here is a picture I found online that looks like the same soup.

image via

And, here is my version of the recipe.

Ingredients

4 tsp. chicken soup base

8 C. water

3 C. chopped carrots

3 C. chopped celery

1 C. chopped onion

2 cans cream of chicken soup (I usually only use 1.5 cans)

1/2 C. milk (I use 2%)

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 pkg. frozen egg noodles

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Boil chicken in water with chicken soup base until fully cooked. Remove chicken and set aside. Add frozen egg noodles to water and base and cook for 10 minutes (assuming they need to be cooked for 20 minutes). Then add vegetables and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Shred the chicken while waiting and add back into the soup when noodles are cooked and vegetables are tender. Then add cream of chicken soup, milk, salt, and pepper. Warm through and serve.

We had the chicken noodle soup with the World's Best Dinner Rolls.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

2011-12-09T12:13:00.000-05:00

CHRISTMAS! :) We finally had a legitimate snow fall last night and woke up to this beautiful sight! We couldn't be happier about it. To celebrate we are staying inside all day (while Matt studies :P) and I'm going to make soup (more on my soup marathon and yummy recipes later). I love this time of year.

The Graham Family

2011-12-08T11:26:00.000-05:00

Oh. My. Goodness. I just can't get enough of this gorgeous family! Click here to see more from this fun family shoot over at my photography blog!

I just LOVE Will's squished face in this first photo. :)

Will - 6 Months

2011-12-05T15:20:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things about Will is how excited he gets. Sometimes he screams at his toys or bites them because he has so much energy built up in that tiny body and doesn't know what to do with it. I think we are kindred spirits because I've been known to bite Matt (gently) when I get scared or excited. Click here to see more!

Check out those cheeks!! :)

Christmas Decor

2011-12-03T18:26:00.000-05:00

Remember when we thought we were getting a one bedroom apartment, but ended up with a two bedroom? Well, we gave our Christmas tree away before we moved thinking we wouldn't have room for it in our new apartment. I'm not too sad about it since we'll be spending a lot of the Christmas season in Utah with our families, but it leaves our decorations looking a little sparse this year. :)

The several small decor items we do have, along with Michael Buble's new Christmas CD, are doing the trick to bring the Christmas spirit.

What I've Been Up To

2011-12-02T00:24:00.001-05:00

I recently designed some labeling/packaging for my photo discs and I think they turned out pretty cute, so I thought I would share. :)

Thanksgiving

2011-12-01T12:26:00.001-05:00

We had a pretty laid back Thanksgiving this year. Our friends, Eric, Cambria, and their baby Will came over to eat with us. Great Friends + Yummy Food = a Great Thanksgiving.

The table all set for dinner :)

I didn't take pictures of all the yummy food, just some of my favorites. Matt LOVES these rolls and asks me to make them pretty much every day. Recipe found here.

We decided to just make turkey breasts since we don't really like dark meat. This recipe was amazing.

This is my favorite jello salad of all time. You can find the recipe for Frog Eye Salad here.

Baby Henry

2011-11-28T19:59:00.002-05:00

I've been a blog slacker lately - sorry. I've been finding so many fun things to keep me busy! I will do better. I have several fun posts planned, but until then, hop over here to see more pictures from Henry's newborn shoot. (Don't forget to "follow" my photography blog!) He has the chubbiest cheeks and cutest little toes!

*CAUTION* These pictures may cause severe baby hunger.

The Stewart Family

2011-11-19T13:17:00.000-05:00

This gorgeous family was almost more than I could handle! Here is a little sneak peak of what you'll find on my photography blog. :)

Make sure you stop by and "follow" that blog too! This will help me a lot because when people search "photographer in South Bend" I'll be higher on the list! And, while your at it take a second to "like" Stephanie Purcell Photography on facebook. Thank you so much! :)

Let me know what you think of the new blog!

It's that time of year...

2011-11-13T16:04:00.001-05:00

The time of year when you find these in the store...

I've already purchased 12 and we've devoured 7 of them. :) I look forward to Pomegranates all year long!

TIP: *Score the outer peel, then place underwater in a big bowl while breaking apart and removing the fruit (this prevents juice spraying), then strain, rinse, chill, enjoy!*

3.5 Anniversary

2011-11-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

On November 2nd, Matt and I celebrated 3 1/2 years of marriage with sparkling grape juice...

a yummy dinner, and amazing chocolate cake for dessert... This picture is tempting me to go and buy more of this cake...

Happy 3 1/2 years babe!

The Final Days

2011-11-11T18:29:00.000-05:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to finish the posts about my parents visits! So let's wrap this up because I have so many other posts to catch up on as well. :)

On Tuesday morning we woke up and made the drive to Shipshewana (a local Amish town). The drive was beautiful with Fall being at it's peak. It was fun to see all the little buggies and the flea market. We also ate lunch at this restaurant that had been recommended for having amazing fried chicken. They had amazing fried chicken!! Oh and the cream pies? To die for.

We spent the evening relaxing and eating more delicious food and desserts.

On Wednesday we slept in. We had a yummy breakfast and then headed to Notre Dame to hit up the bookstore for some souvenirs. We were planning to go on a campus tour, but it was chucking rain, so we went out to lunch instead at Red Lobster. :) Yum. Then we came home to get ready to take mom and dad to the airport. :( Their flight was delayed and they would miss their connecting flight, so they ALMOST got to spend another night with us, but they found a flight with another airline just in time to make it back for work the next day - BOO! :) We sure loved having them come and visit and welcome all visitors to South Bend!!

The Windy City

2011-11-05T23:25:00.000-04:00

On Monday we woke up and headed to Chicago for the day.

The view as we approached the city

My dad took this amazing picture after we arrived in Chicago

Photo by Judd Pinegar

Me, Matt, and Mom before entering the Willis Tower

(formerly the Sears Tower)

Matt and I on our way up!

The views from the top were incredible!

Dad and Mom

(Not the best lighting for portraits though)

Matt and I

Me, Matt, Mom, Dad at the top of the Willis Tower

Mom was brave and actually stepped out onto the glass ledge... Matt and I wouldn't go near it! :)

We then headed to Giordano's for Chicago style pizza - amazing.

(thanks to the Stewarts for the recommendation)

Ya, it was probably even better than this picture looks - if you can believe that.

After lunch we decided that we could walk from Giordano's (which was near the Willis Tower) to Navy Pier.

ATTENTION: Do not attempt that walk. :) At least it was kind of funny and we'll never forget it. Plus, we got to see pretty much the entire water front!

And, I know I posted this already, but we had so much fun making fun of people riding segways. I'll tell you what though, by the time we arrived at Navy Pier, I wished we had rented some segways despite their nerd factor. :)

The water was almost turquoise! It was crazy!

Navy Pier - so close... yet so far.

Mom and Dad at Navy Pier - finally.

Dad chillin' with a statue.

Matt and I at the Pier

More fun to come!!

Soup, Our Lady, and Heaven

2011-11-03T20:54:00.000-04:00

On Sunday we woke up and went to church with my parents. It was fun to show them where we go to church and have them meet all our friends and their cute babies. :) After church we had Chicken Taco Soup.

Then we headed over to campus. We thought it would be a good day to show them around when it was less busy. We had so much fun touring the campus, the law school, and one of the lakes.

In front of the law school - look how cute my parents are!

We really should have had someone take a picture of the four of us, but here's one of Matt and I too to prove we were there! :)

And I took a few pictures inside the law school to document where Matt has been slaving away since August.

One of his classrooms

The courtroom

Part of the law school from the outside

Campus is looking amazing with all the changing leaves - I LOVE fall out here... I think I might have mentioned that.

Every part of the law school is pretty incredible.

This is where Matt likes to study a lot - it's easy to see why!

Did I mention how pretty the campus looks right now?

Mom and Dad - I love this picture of them :)

Matt and I

This is where Matt leaves his bike each day.

The Basilica

Some scenes from our walk around St. Mary's Lake

This squirrel was chowing down and it was hilarious - so we took a picture.

Mom and Dad walking around the lake.

This squirrel pretty much charged Matt. You might say they are tame - I say they are dangerous!

I was up in this squirrels grill and he didn't even flinch. Mom tried to pet it's tail.

Then we came home and ate some amazing four-layer dessert. This is the "Heaven" part of the title of this post. This isn't a very good picture, but it's amazing! See recipe below.

Layer 1

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

2 sticks of butter (or margarine if you're lame)

Mix together and press into 9" x 13" pan. Bake at 325 for about 25 minutes or until barely brown. Don't over cook! Cool

Layer 2

Ingredients:

16 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat together until well mixed. Spread over top of cooled crust.

Layer 3

Ingredients:

3 cups milk

1 small package instant chocolate fudge pudding

1 small package instant vanilla OR chocolate fudge pudding

Beat until thick. Spread over cream cheese layer

Layer 4

Ingredients:

2 pints fresh whipping cream

2 Tbsp. sugar

Vanilla to taste

Whip and spread over pudding layer. Top with grated chocolate if desired. Refrigerate and enjoy! Seriously.

Attention Fellow Bloggers - Lightbox is Annoying.

2011-11-02T19:16:00.000-04:00

Here is how to remove it... again! Even if you followed the instructions I posted last time, they have changed it again, but now it's just a matter of changing your settings. I despise the Lightbox thing and I'm hoping all of you do to because it's annoying. It makes clicking on pictures pointless because they don't get any bigger than they already are on your blog. Plus I like to read the text between your pictures, not just look at your pictures within the post all at once in the Lightbox viewer. So, please click here to follow these SIMPLE instructions on how to remove Lightbox once and for all... hopefully. :)

Pancakes. Beaches. Shopping.

2011-10-30T23:29:00.003-04:00

On Saturday morning we slept in and then made our way to the very highly recommended "American Pancake House"...

(Sorry this isn't the best picture)

Photo via.
Let's just say the recommendation remains in tact. It was AMAZING. We drive past it pretty much everyday and I stare at it longingly. I had the french toast and the fresh squeezed OJ. Matt had the egg, bacon, and cheese panini. They were both incredible. And the best part was that we didn't feel sick after like we usually do after a big breakfast.

After breakfast we made our way to Silver Beach on Lake Michigan. One word: WINDY! It was crazy, as I'm sure you'll gather from the pictures. It was still gorgeous and I'm sure we'll never forget it because of how windy it was. Matt and I can't wait to go back in the summer. I really tried to capture the beauty and the wind.

The waves were massive!

There were some really cute houses along the pier.

And some interesting artwork. :)

Walking down the pier.

Once we were back in the car and removed the sand from our shoes, ears, eyes, hair, etc. we made our way to the outlet mall in Michigan City. We spent about three hours in the car this day, but it was one of our favorite parts. The scenery was beautiful.

Later Saturday evening we walked the five strides or so to Meijer.

Photo via.

My mom had been talking about going since the moment she saw it and I'm pretty sure she snuck out to go shopping there in the middle of the night a couple of times. :) I think she just liked that it was so big and SO close. Matt and Dad were so patient while we perused every part of the store and bought some more junk food (as if we didn't already have enough). These five days were filled with SO much yummy food.

More fun to come...

Siam Segway

2011-10-26T20:49:00.001-04:00

We miss my parents so much. :( As soon as they left it was back to real life with endless studying and full-time work!... But, as busy as we are, I feel the need to document all the fun things we did while they were here. I'm going to do this in days since there will be too many pictures, etc. for one post.

On Friday, October 14th at ~5:00 pm we picked them up from the South Bend Airport. It was so nice that they flew right into South Bend since the airport is only five minutes from here.

In Utah we have a favorite Thai Restaurant called Thai Spice (AMAZING if you ever have the chance to go there - we love the standard yellow curry. It's on 7200 South in Murray). So, since my parents were in town, we thought it might be fun to try a local Thai Restaurant here that we had never been to. Siam Thai seemed like a cute little place and I'd heard some good things.

Photo via.

I LOVED it. I ordered the Siam Noodles. YUM. My dad got the Masaman curry and it was also amazing. I highly recommend Siam Thai to all you Thai food lovers out there.

After dinner we made a little trip to the ND bookstore.

Photo via.

And of course had some fun at the bookstore...

All he needs now is a segway ;)...

More fun to come...

Yep, Still Loving Fall...

2011-10-15T09:41:00.000-04:00

The Simple Things

2011-10-10T19:56:00.001-04:00

It's Clinique gift time! :) Look how cute my new makeup bag is, not to mention the amazing eyeshadow pallet that came with it! So fun.

Sometimes life is about finding joy in the simple things. Like, driving with the windows down and feeling that crisp Fall air on your face. Or, simple evenings like these...

One of my favorite talks during General Conference was Elder Uchtdorf's talk in the General Relief Society meeting when he referenced the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory:
"Some feel that their entire future happiness depends on whether or not a golden ticket falls into their hands. In their anxiousness, people begin to forget the simple joy they used to find in a candy bar. The candy bar itself becomes an utter disappointment if it does not contain a golden ticket.

So many people today are waiting for their own golden ticket—the ticket that they believe holds the key to the happiness they have always dreamed about. For some, the golden ticket may be a perfect marriage; for others, a magazine-cover home or perhaps freedom from stress or worry.

There is nothing wrong with righteous yearnings—we hope and seek after things that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.”⁴ The problem comes when we put our happiness on hold as we wait for some future event—our golden ticket—to appear."

I LOVED that talk and ever since I've been taking time each day to just enjoy being outside, whether it's my brisk morning walk to work, or driving with the windows down. It's a beautiful time of year and instead of hoping, waiting, and wishing for some future blessing or event I'm taking time to enjoy my life just the way it is in this moment. I challenge you to do the same. Life is good. Embrace it.

It's Fall :)

2011-10-01T01:08:00.000-04:00

I couldn't wait any longer to put up all our Fall/Halloween decor. We love this time of year as it's filled with so much anticipation. We have been loving having BYU football parties, visiting the farmer's market, and talking walks in the brisk Fall air. I hope your taking time to enjoy this wonderful time of year.

P.S. My parents come in 2 weeks!!! :)

Why buy deli meat??

2011-09-21T18:11:00.000-04:00

Ok, so Matt and I used to love turkey/chicken sandwiches made from turkey at the deli, until we tried this. The average turkey/chicken breast meat at the deli costs $5.00/lb. The chicken breasts we buy at Walmart cost $1.88/lb... Chicken breasts are way cheaper, they aren't processed, and this recipe is a SINCH! Who doesn't love left over Thanksgiving Turkey sandwiches?? This is kind of the same thing, but better!

See?? :) Now imagine that on a sandwich...

Wait! You won't have to :)

You can also use the chicken for chicken quesadillas!

Recipe for the Chicken

Chicken Breasts (You can bake as many chicken breasts as you would like)

Olive Oil

Salt

Cracked Pepper

Misc. Chicken Seasoning (optional - I use a Garlic and Herb Chicken Seasoning)

Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place tin foil over a cookie sheet

3. Place defrosted chicken breasts on the cookie sheet

4. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice (if desired) over the meat

5. Sprinkle with salt, cracked pepper, and seasoning (if desired)

6. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes (I find that 30 minutes is usually just right in my oven - careful not to over bake!)

7. Let stand for a few minutes and then shred

8. Store in the fridge and use for chicken sandwiches or chicken quesadillas

Here are the toppings we like on the Chicken Sandwiches: Chicken, Mayo, Mustard, Lettuce, Tomato (I do anyway :)), Cheese, with Chips and a Pickle on the side.

For the Chicken Quesadillas we use: Tortillas, Chicken, Black Beans, Cheese, and dip them in our favorite salsa or taco bell sauce.

Cami, Brooks, and Baby

2011-09-20T16:11:00.019-04:00

I thought about naming this post, "And then there were four..." But to avoid the obvious confusion that we might be having twins or adopting a pair of goldfish, I decided on this possibly less compelling, but definitely less confusing, option. :)

A few weeks ago I was able to take some maternity shots for my good friend Cami. She told me before the session that she is not photogenic and gets very awkward in front of the camera. I think these pictures will tell you otherwise. Let's just say, I had a really hard time deciding which ones to post because she looks so darn cute in all of them!! I was glad she brought her little boy, Brooks, along because it made these pictures even more fun. His big dark chocolate eyes are to die for.

How to get rid of that stupid picture viewer on blogger

2011-09-20T16:00:00.000-04:00

Go here and read the first answer! Worked for me! :)

Kung Pao Chicken

2011-09-19T21:29:00.001-04:00

Sadly this Kung Pao Chicken wasn't as good as it looks. I'm going to keep searching and post the perfect recipe when I find it. Until then, here is a recipe you can try from allrecipes.com, if you're feeling adventurous. Let me know if it's any good if you try it before I do! :)

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 ounce hot chile paste
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
4 ounces chopped peanuts

Directions

To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

One of those moments

2011-09-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

The other night we experienced one of those moments. When you see something so amazing you want to hold on to it forever. We walked out onto the balcony and Matt said, "Quick! Grab your camera!" Thanks to miracle the of photography, I am able to share this with you.

I hope you had an incredible weekend. :)

Macaroni Salad

2011-09-15T19:37:00.001-04:00

My mom used to make this all the time when I was growing up and I LOVE it. It may be a bit of an acquired taste though (aka Matt hates it :) ). Last week I decided to make an entire batch just for me. It feels good to be selfish sometimes. ~~I even ate it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner one day~~. I seriously love this stuff.

So, this recipe is more of a list of ingredients that you can add according to your personal taste. If you like green olives, you should try this salad!

16 oz mini pasta shells

sliced green olives

sliced green onions (smaller the better)

chopped green peppers (smaller the better)

cubed cheese

mayo

dill weed

YUM! I think I'm going to make it again next week...

New Climate

2011-09-14T19:52:00.001-04:00

I'm loving our new climate (but you might want to ask me again when January rolls around...). During the last rain I decided to snap a few pictures of the raindrops and the moss.

Do you see the moss on our patio?

We love all the trees and how green it is here. I'm looking forward to fall when all the leaves start changing.

Wings and Mac

2011-09-12T22:18:00.001-04:00

Matt has been wanting me to make buffalo wings and baked macaroni and cheese for a little while and I finally tackled it! :) (I bought the corn at a local farmers market and it was AMAZING!)

I would post the recipes, but I feel like they aren't quite to where I want them to be. I'll post them once I perfect them. :)

She ROCKS!

2011-09-04T16:03:00.001-04:00

My Mom might very well kill me for posting these, but I jut had to show off how awesome she is. She just finished her first triathlon and did an amazing job. Look how cute she is too! :)

Thai Peanut Noodles

2011-09-03T22:26:00.001-04:00

Several of you requested that I post the recipe for the Thai Peanut Noodles we made the other night. These are amazing!! I did add the chicken as it suggests you can and it was amazing! Happy cooking!

All pictures and recipe information obtained from ourbestbites.com.

Thai Peanut Noodles
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1-2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite, 1.5 is medium, 2 is hot)
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
8 oz. Udon or linguine noodles
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
2 limes, cut into quarters
Chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in salted water. In the meantime, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Toss cooked noodles with sauce and divide among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and garnish each serving with 2 lime quarters. Before eating, squeeze lime juice over noodles and stir to combine.

*If desired, you can add meat to this dish by stir-frying shrimp or very thinly-sliced chicken (partially freeze it first) in some olive oil with a couple cloves of garlic, some fresh ginger, some green onions, soy sauce, and a small squirt or two of Sriracha chili sauce

Our Pets

2011-09-01T20:07:00.003-04:00

Our pet heron ate our pet fish. Our pet bunny better watch out.

Picture taken from our balcony, courtesy of Matt.

First Day :)

2011-08-29T10:22:00.009-04:00

Here is Matt on his first day of Law School! :)

(He loved that I was taking this picture by the way)

And I haven't seen him since... you'll find my replacement below...

He has been EXTREMELY Busy! He was up and running at 5 am this morning! But, he has been doing a lot of his studying here since I don't distract him... too much.

Dinner in the Press Box!

2011-08-27T11:51:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday as part of Matt's Law School Orientation we were able to have dinner in the Notre Dame press box. It was a really fun experience, I'm so glad I had my camera so I can share it with all of you! :)

The Stadium.

Walking through the tunnel.

Looking back at the tunnel.

Matt and I in front of the field (I think they shoot you if you step on the field or something - they are really serious about their grass :) )

The friend we made just moments before this picture was taken, Panashe.

The Notre Dame Stadium! We are really excited to go to football games next year when we buy season tickets.

The press box.

Our view while we ate dinner. Matt has already started counting down 'til football season; this just increased his excitement.

Some of Matt's classmates.

Me and Matt - Thank you South Bend for your awesome summer rain. I actually love the summer rain, apart from the little number it does on my hair. :)

View of campus on the other side of the box.

I'm sure this was a once in a lifetime experience, but we loved it. I would love watching a game up there, especially if we had some more of that delicious food they served! :)

"I kind of feel like a pioneer."

2011-08-25T14:03:00.002-04:00

On August 6th, the day after Matt's birthday we made the three hour long trek to the Chicago temple. (Chicago itself is only about two hours away). After spending ~$50 on gas and tolls to get there and back and spending six hours traveling Matt said, "I kind of feel like a pioneer." (Minus the fact that we rode in a car with AC... :)) But, it was a gorgeous day and it was so worth it.

I also snapped this picture of the city as we were passing through. We were planning to stop for Chicago deep dish pizza, but the GPS lead us astray and we didn't realize it was just taking us home until it was too late. :( We got pizza anyway and figure we'll be making the trip again soon.

Our home in South Bend :)

2011-08-23T20:32:00.004-04:00

First let me say how much we LOVE it here! :) We love our ward and have already made so many new friends. There are quite a few student couples in our apartment complex and even more in our ward. Our ward was so nice to help us move twice and then we have had 6-7 dinners with people in our ward since we have been here. We love the location of our apartment! It's 10 minutes from campus, 20 minutes from church, right near three grocery stores (within walking distance). I wasn't able to relax until everything was unpacked. Matt was so good to help out and we were completely unpacked within three days of our second move. It's been really nice to get all settled in. Here are some pictures of our new place so you'll know where to picture us!

The family room.

Family Picture Wall

The Family Room: We love our balcony.

The New Ikea Entertainment Center: Matt and I built this and it only took us like 6 hours.

The Balcony: the pond was feeling a little sick for a while, but it's doing a lot better now and looking a lot less green.

We love how this family room has quite a bit more space than our last one and we are able to have our desktop computer out here where we'll use it more often.

Our Bedroom: We love that it's right by the Family Room

Our Dresser

The 'Master' Bath... I'm not sure if I can call it that since there isn't a tub, but it's the bathroom that's connected to our bedroom, so we'll call it that.

The Dinning Room/Kitchen

The Kitchen: LOVING the gas stove!

And my personal favorite: The Laundry Room! I will never be able to go back to not having our own washer and dryer. It has saved us so much money and it's so nice to just pop a load of laundry in whenever you feel like it rather than waiting until you have 10 loads!

Bathroom #2: I think I would rather have 1 bathroom, personally. Less to clean. But, it will be nice when we have guests!

The Spare Bedroom! This is our random room, as you can see. Weights, Drying Rack, Bookshelves. It also has a huge walk-in-closet which is great for storage and this is where guests will stay. :)

So, that's it! We love it here - come visit and we'll show you why! :)

Humidity Hair

2011-08-23T08:41:00.001-04:00

Soon after arriving in South Bend, I got a taste for how my hair would do in the humidity. I had straightened my hair that morning and had hardly been outside! I've learned to accept the waves and style my hair so that when the waves come it looks like they were meant to be there. :)

Moving to ND

2011-08-22T12:20:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, July 28th, early in the morning, Matt and I hopped in our Penske truck and began our drive to Indiana.

Have you ever seen a white Penske truck before?? I hadn't but now I see them all the time. We were lucky because our truck was pretty new.

Here we are with our truck and car all loaded and ready to go :)

Just a minute or two before we drove away - this was so exciting and scary!

Haha.

Matt and I in the Cab where we would sit for the next few DAYS!

My mom was so great to help us get all our food ready for the trip, here is Matt eating a snap pea :) We didn't really stop at all to eat - no time! I would just make the food and hand it to Matt to eat on the road.

We surprisingly really enjoyed the drive out there. Our audio books were kind of a bust, but we enjoyed the scenery and the adventure anyway. One of my favorite parts of the drive was the gorgeous sky! Check out these clouds!

And then we came upon the dreaded Nebraska... :) We actually liked this part of the drive - could have been because we stopped half-way through. As my sister-in-law said, speaking from experience, "Nebraska is an annoyingly wide state." :)

I had to snap a few pictures of the fields of Nebraska to prove that it's not as ugly as people say it is. :) There may be nothing but fields in sight, but they were pretty none the less.

And I had to snap a picture of the Mississippi as we passed. Matt loved the houses on the banks.

And on Saturday morning we finally reached Indiana!!

We arrived in South Bend around 10:00, returned the car trailer and picked up the keys to our apartment just in time for the elders quorum to show up at 11:00 to help us unpack our truck. When we stepped in to our new place I wanted to cry (I might have actually cried) because our apartment smelled like an ash tray... literally. The carpets were GREASY from the smoke. It was disgusting. We went back to the apartment office and they said they didn't have any more apartments like that one available and couldn't get us in to a two bedroom that day. We made a spur of the moment decision to move our stuff in and see if we couldn't get the smell out (I wasn't aware of the greasy carpets until I spent the night there). We unloaded all our stuff and Matt started helping me unpack the kitchen. Suddenly we both sat on the floor and decided we didn't want to live there for three years!! So, we stayed there until Monday morning when we moved into another two bedroom apartment. It was frustrating that we had to move again and pay a lot more than we were planning to in rent, but we are SO glad now that we did. The ward was so great to help us move TWICE and we were invited to dinner on Saturday and Sunday nights by some kind friends. We love our new place, the location, the layout, the clean carpets, and that it smells good in here. So worth it.

While we were staying in our first greasy apartment and didn't have a place to sleep, we made a little makeshift bed with the couches. Matt thought it was kind of like a fort and we loved it. We set up our laptop with a movie at the end of the bed and had yummy treats. I guess all you can do is make the best of a frustrating situation sometimes.

More on how much we love our new place later!! :)

Time with Family (Part II)

2011-08-18T14:51:00.003-04:00

Here are all the pictures from the time we spent with my family before we moved. We miss them so much already!

Feeding the ducks :)

Dad, Mom, Matt, Hayley, and Sterling

Playing Monopoly Deal - best game ever.

Sterling, Hayley, Dad, Mom, Matt

Playing Bocce Ball - some nice action shots :)

Who needs two cars to go get frozen yogurt when you can cram into one??

Matt, Me, Sterling, and Hayley

These next pictures are from our walk around silver lake. It was a gorgeous day and we loved spending some time in the mountains before we said goodbye to them for a while.

Eating at Crown Burger for the last time :) Haha, love these two.

And Matt's Priceless face.

Grandpa Pinegar. Haha, yep, my grandpa is hilarious.

Family the night before we left

Sterling, Hayley, Matt, Me, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa Pinegar

Matt and I with Grandma and Grandpa Pinegar :)

Hayley, Sterling, Matt, Me

Matt and I with Mom and Dad

We loved having five days to spend with our families before we said goodbye for a few months. We miss living so close to them but we have been getting good use out of skype and we are loving it here in Indiana! More to come on that in the next few posts. :)

Time with Family (Part I)

2011-08-16T18:22:00.004-04:00

We packed up the moving truck with the help of family on Saturday, July 23rd and spent the next five days with our families. It was perfect to be able to spend some quality time with our families before the big move. I've decided to do one post of the time we spent with Matt's family, and then "Part II" will be the post about the time we spent with my family. :) We miss them all so much already.

Grandma Palmer, Mom, Michael, and Matt eating pizza after helping us move.

Matt, Dad, Mom, Steph, and Michael after eating yummy hamburgers :)

Michael, Steph, Mom, Dad, Me, and Matt in front of the "UP" House - If you haven't seen it, it is AWESOME! :) I probably wouldn't want to live in it, but it would be fun to have a little playhouse replica someday.

Matt and I also found a chance to go down and visit Grandma and Grandpa Purcell before we left. Grandpa Purcell gave Matt some good advice about law school and of course made us laugh by talking about how he's so old. Aunt Janet said every morning when he wakes up and realizes he's still here he says, "D*** it!" :) When uncle Bill was taking this picture he kept saying, "Don, look at the camera." Grandpa said, "Why would I look at the camera when I've got this beautiful little lady sitting next to me?" And if you know him you can just HEAR him saying that. :)

Matt, Me, Aunt Janet, Uncle Bill - We'll sure miss watching all the BYU games with you guys! :)

Saying goodbye to everyone on our last night in Utah

Matt, Me, Mom, Dad, Stacie, Christian, Stephanie, Michael, Gma Palmer

Me, Matt, Mom, and Dad

Thanks for a good time you guys!! We love and miss you lots!

Good Bye Nelson...

2011-08-15T20:06:00.004-04:00

Good Bye Nelson Apartments. We'll miss you. Thanks for all the fond memories you helped us create here.

With our favorite neighbors :)

Here's to all the good times with the four of us going to dinner, playing games, going for walks, and talking until all hours of the night. And to all the good times Katie and I spent talking, shopping, painting our toe nails, and watching Grey's Anatomy. We miss you guys so much!

Chase-Man

2011-08-12T13:06:00.001-04:00

A couple months ago and took some 18 month shots of my little nephew, Chase. Get ready to die from his cuteness.

I love how his personality really shows through the faces he makes.

And of course he started break dancing as soon as he heard music.

Ha, I love this one. Look at his cute teeth!

So Mischievous

Look at those big brown eyes! What a heart breaker!

And some with his gorgeous Momma...

How cute is that?!

What do you think? Pretty cute huh?!

Wedding Bells

2011-08-11T15:25:00.002-04:00

Matt's little sister, Stacie, got married to her high school sweetheart on July 1st. She asked me to help them document the day through photos. I had a hard time narrowing it down, so you can just enjoy the picture overload. :)

It was a gorgeous day!

The Groom and Bride!

Stacie and her Brothers

No words can describe this gem.

Oh how we love these two - what a great day!

Saying Goodbye to State Farm

2011-08-05T11:30:00.002-04:00

My Boss Bobbie took us all out to dinner at La Caille after my last day of work. It was great to spend time with the people I have worked with for the last 2 years. I tried smoked duck for the first time and we even had little ducklings running under our chairs during dinner. The two events were not linked.

Joanna, Bobbie, Evans, Matt, Me, Chelsea

Joanna, Bobbie, Evans, Matt, Me, Chelsea, Nick

Playing House

2011-08-04T21:03:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago Matt and I babysat Matt's little cousin Finn over night. He was ADORABLE - we loved it!

Such a sweetheart

Going on a walk

Lucas

2011-07-28T22:52:00.001-04:00

Life has been crazy busy, so it has taken me forever to get around to posting these. About a month ago I had the opportunity to take pictures of my friend's little boy. Lucas is only two and already has SO much personality. We have loved being able to spend time with him and his parents over the last year or so and are going to miss them so much when we move. He is always making us laugh. Especially when he comes over without any pants on, knocks, opens the door, opens our fridge and says, "Cookie?" Or when he knocks on the wall we share and we knock back... over and over again. Or when he puts his forehead up to mine and we squish each others faces and say, "I don't knooooow" and he thinks it's the funniest thing ever. Or when we are babysitting him and he pees on Matt from the other side of the room (on accident). Yep, he's hilarious.

And like most two year old boys he doesn't sit still for a second...

and he was just sure that every hole needed it's own rock...

Peek-a-boo is pretty fun too...

Lucas pondering... :) Love this profile shot and his cute nose.

And there is nothing better than cuddles from mommy to comfort him when he's sad.

Lucas was enthralled with the birds and kept putting his arms up and calling for them.

Best Friends

He's such a sweetheart.

Now can you see why we LOVE this little boy so much??

Happy 4!

2011-07-08T15:16:00.002-04:00

We enjoyed spending time celebrating the 4th with family this year, even if it was a few days early. :) We went to a family reunion (previously mentioned) and then lit fireworks.

The Firework Lighter (James)

Picture James dressed like this, Matt dressed in a light pink polo, riding on the scooter together... takes us back to the Monico Court days when Steph and I sent them to get something at the store and stood there laughing while they rode into the sunset... should have taken a picture. Dang it.

Stephanie and Chase Watching Fireworks

Chase Helping his Dad

Such a Stud

In Awe while Watching the Fireworks

"I wanna try!!" :)

Matt and Dad

James, Matt, Dad

Michael, Mom, Stephanie, Chase, Steph

Michael, Mom, Stephanie, Chase, Steph, James, Matt, Dad

Mom, Stephanie, Chase, Steph, Steph, Matt, James

Chase and Ketchup

Chase and his Momma

Matt and Chase Just Chillin'

Purcell Family Reunion

2011-07-06T20:32:00.002-04:00

All the attendees :)

Purcell siblings and grandpa and grandma Purcell

Sarah's Wedding Dinner

2011-07-05T14:44:00.002-04:00

Matt's cousin Sarah was married to her husband Bryan last weekend in the Las Vegas temple. We were unable to attend the wedding and reception in Vegas, but we were able to attend the family wedding dinner in Salt Lake on Tuesday night. I'm sad that I didn't sneak over to James and Stephanie's table to get a picture of them as well, but I did get pictures of the Purcell siblings at our table.

Aunt Stephanie with baby Chase - Aren't those big brown eyes to die for?

Michael

Stacie and Christian

Matt and I

Temple

2011-07-02T15:20:00.001-04:00

We were able to go to the temple with Matt's sister Stacie for the first time on Saturday. It was such a great experience to be there with the family. We are so happy for these two.

Grandma Palmer, Me, Matt, James - Brother, Stephie Lynne - Sister, Janet - Aunt, Christian - Fiance, Stacie - Bride, Mom, Dad, Grandma Purcell

Holden Family Reunion

2011-06-30T22:33:00.001-04:00

My mom's two brothers and their families flew in from Canada over Father's day weekend to have a little reunion and see my cousin, Jacob, return from his mission in Cambodia. It was a fun-filled weekend and I didn't take near enough pictures, but I tried. :)

Derek (my nephew) wearing Matt's sunglasses on our way to dinner on Friday night.

Derek and uncle Matt - he kept grabing Matt's face and saying, "You're funny!" They are little buddies.

Far side: Melissa - Sister, Ryan - Brother, Sterling - Brother, Hayley - Sister

Near side: Cody - Cousin, Ashley - Cousin, Kelly - Cousin, Dahl - Cousin

Brenley - Aunt, Eric - Uncle, Mark - Uncle, Jane - Aunt, Mom

Shane - Uncle, Brenley - Aunt, Eric - Uncle, Mark - Uncle, Jane - Aunt, Mom

Me and Derek

Jacob came home on Sunday and if you would like to see pictures of that you'll have to click here.

On Sunday we went to Jacob's "homecoming" to hear him speak. He did an amazing job and we are so proud of him. It was so amazing to hear all the stories he had to share about his time in Cambodia. I can't believe I didn't even get any pictures of him - slacker. But, we also took family pictures on Sunday so I'll post those as soon as we get them back. :)

Grandma Holden reading her scriptures after church. She is why we are all here and she is such a great example.

My aunt Brenley put out quite the spread for the open house they had after church. She is an amazing cook.

Kelly - Cousin, and her sister Heather

Matt and Dad partaking of the delicious food. Matt wanted to make sure we knew it.

Cute McKenna - Cousin, look at those gorgeous eyes!

Brenley created a slide show of pictures from Jacob's mission with music. We all squished on the couch to watch it after dinner.

We really enjoyed spending time with everyone and when we get the family pictures back I'll try to post those as well. :)

Bridal Shower

2011-06-28T16:03:00.052-04:00

Stephie Lynne, Aunt Janet, and I threw a bridal shower for Matt's little sister Stacie. Christian and Stacie met in eighth grade and remained friends through high school and throughout his mission. On Friday they will tie the knot forever and we were so excited to throw a shower to celebrate the beginning of their life together. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I'll keep the text to a minimum.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Strawberries and Dip

Ariel - Cousin, Stacie, Courtney - Cousin

Stacie being showered with gifts

Stephanie - Sister

Baby Finn - Cousin and cutest baby ever.

Grandma Purcell, Janet - Aunt, Me, Stephie Lynne - Sister

Mom, Grandma Purcell, Aunt Janet

Stephanie - Sister, Stacie - Sister and Bride, Me, Stephie Lynne - Sister

Most of the people at the shower - I took the picture :)

Thanks for letting us celebrate with you!

Purple Toes

2011-06-27T23:17:00.002-04:00

Katie and I love to paint our toenails when we hang out. Last week I went purple - what is your favorite color of nail polish?

18 Years

2011-06-27T00:13:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week we were able to have dinner with one of my best friends and her husband. Annie and I became friends at 4 and have stayed friends ever since. She was my first college roommate and has been a great friend throughout the years. She and her high school sweetheart (now husband, Pete) were sometimes there when guys would pick me up for dates. I would always ask for their opinion - they liked Matt. :) Annie and I lived with 4 other girls - all foreign, none speaking English. It was tough. But, thankfully we had each other to laugh with. We would have "nap times", study together, write in our journals together, share clothes, and tease each other. And as a first in the history of roommates - we never disagreed with or annoyed each other. I cherish those 4 months that we spent as roommates.

Meet Annie :)

Pom Poms

2011-06-15T00:26:00.004-04:00

Katie and I made these cute decorations for Stacie's (Matt's little sister) bridal shower last week. They were super easy and turned out really cute. Go here for the complete tutorial. I'll be posting lots of fun pictures from the shower soon.

P.S. I feel bad to throw these away, but can't move them accross the country - please let me know if you want them - there are 12 total!!

Spoiled?

2011-06-15T00:18:00.002-04:00

Definitely. It was like Christmas. I couldn't decide which ones I wanted, but since we got such a great deal Matt let me get them all.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3

Adobe Production Premium Package

Including...

AND

Adobe Web Premium Package

Including...

19 programs total - not including a few duplicates! It looks like I've got my work cut out for me to learn/re-learn all these new programs! We figured I'll need something to keep me busy while Matt is slaving away in Law School.