Woah, So Much Has Happened

Yes, on this, the last day of the year, I thought I should probably let everyone know that we ARE still up and at 'em. So much has happened and I'll try to give you a quick and simple recap...

OcToBeR 2010
* Nic interviewed for the nursing program at UVU.
* Ashley applied and was promoted to a full-time Marketing position with Harmony Home Health & Hospice - - - LOVING IT!!!
* Went to Colorado with Trav & Adrienne for a little get-away. It was so fun and so needed.

NoVeMbEr 2010
* Moved to Provo. This has been really, really hard for me. But, it's also such a great blessing.
* Stayed up all Thanksgiving Eve night together and painted the front living room! It was so much work but it looks so great!
* Had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Nic's family and later that day, with my family.
* Organized and pulled off FOUR Memorial Services for our Hospice company. This was a ToN of work, but it was so worth it.
* NiC wAs AcCePtEd To ThE UvU nUrSiNg PrOgRaM sTaRtInG iN jAnUaRy 2011!! BeSt NeWs EvEr!!!!!

DeCeMbEr 2010
* Bought our home in Provo! Yay!
* Had new windows put in! Makes SUCH a difference.
* Had a Merry Christmas Eve with Nic's family and a Merry Christmas with my family. Decided to have a small Christmas with so much going on. Loved it!
* Having a happy New Year's Eve by shopping a little and having loved ones over for some fun!

Nic starts the Nursing program next week and we are absolutely thrilled about it. It couldn't get any better, honestly. We have been so blessed and we feel so undeserving. Heavenly Father is a kind, loving God. We are so grateful for our many blessings. There are so many hardships and so many blessings found within.

We certainly wish you a Happy New Year! May 2011 bring more happiness, blessings, and successes to you and yours.

ReTreAt!!!

We had a Women's Choir retreat and it was so fun!

Yay for being girly and having a good time!

Denver

Yes, we took a little vacation and went to Denver. Why Denver? Well, because silly. Flights to Denver just happened to be the cheapest we could find. So, Denver it was.

We had a great time. We didn't have ANYTHING planned. In fact, we just chillax'd most the time. It was so PERFECT.

We had dinner with a friend from high school. Nick Bishop and his wife, Christina. They are a very cute couple and it was great to see them. Nick is doing medical school and I know he will be a great doctor.

Besides dinner with our friends from long ago, we just did whatever we wanted. We saw three, yes, THREE movies. Here are my reviews, all for your reading pleasure:
Social Network - pretty good movie. I enjoyed it. But, I could have waited to see it when it was $1 at redbox. But, it was very interesting. The actor who played the main character did a phenomenal job. It was pretty good. I wouldn't say it's a must see.
The Town - Okay, this is rated R and it should be rated X. I would NOT recommend it. The F-bomb was said over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Oh, and there were two very bad sex scenes and some full-on nudity. All of which, YES, I am against. We bought the tix because the guy working said, "Oh, no. There's nothing bad in that movie." Quite frankly, I'm ashamed we saw it. I would NEVER recommend it. EVER. Don't see it. I have decided that Hollywood and all the famous (okay, MOST of the famous there) are glorified prostitutes. Seriously. Excuse me while I have a very candid conversation with the computer... but, honestly. These movie stars will do whatever it takes to make big bucks. It makes me sick. And then, they have the nerve to turn around and mock those who are prostitutes or strippers for a career. I don't support either career choice, but honestly... they're all the same. Ug. It makes me sick. I don't get how they can have "marriages" when they are sleeping with the next big star... all for a million dollars (or more). (Gag). Hello STD's. It's no wonder their marriages last all of three years (if they're lucky).
RED - So, this movie was FABULOUS. I highly, highly recommend it. Warning: the F-bomb is said one time. That's an improvement compared to "The Town". RED was not only hilarious, but it was completely enjoyable. It's a movie you go to and just chill. No thinking. No scary stuff. Just, enjoyable. It was very similar to "Knight and Day"... the movie that recently came out with Tom Cruise and that one blond chick... what the trash is her name? OH! I just remembered... Cameron Diaz. I honestly forgot her name. I wasn't trying to be funny. Seriously. I would say, YES, go see RED.

Okay, now for some fun pix of our trip.



We toured the Coors Brewery because someone told us it was cool. Maybe it would have been cooler if we actually found pleasure in alcohol. Call us lame or boring, but we can have fun without that crap. All in all, the tour couldn't have been over soon enough. "But they give FREE SAMPLES!!!" To which we say, "Who the HECK cares? We like WATER. Oh, and our livers."

This was the FREAKY stairway that should have been in a horror movie. Thanks to my husband who lead us astray. We were all locked in here. I swear to you, I thought we were going to die.



We went to the Botanical Gardens. Wow, it was beautiful. Nic always makes fun of me because I tell him I would love to live in the day and age of Jane Austen. I would love to walk in my 50 acre garden and pick flowers all day. Mmmm, bliss. Nic thinks it would be absolutely boring. He mocks my idea of picking flowers all day. To which I promptly stick my tongue out at him. STINKY!















PS If you go to Denver on vacation, just go straight to Boulder. It was better than Denver. ...just sayin'...

My Addiction

Bring on the beads!!!

Mercy's Angels

We went for a bike ride along the Nebo Loop. It was beautiful. I'm still biased to the Alpine Loop, but this one was still beautiful.

I love the mountains. It makes me feel close to heaven. I can't help but feel that heaven must look a lot like this... natural beauty, enjoyed by all the special angels. Please excuse our helmet hair. Hehe.








Bessy says hi.

Mwah! Grah-tzie!

We made homemade pizza and bread sticks and they were TO DIE FOR. Oh my, trust me. These were not only beautiful to look at but they were beautiful to eat!




Is your mouth watering? It should be.
Here's the recipe for the dough. Try it. You won't regret it.
This is the recipe for one pizza:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tbsp honey or sugar (we did honey)
3/4 cup cooked grains (do a one or a combination of many kamut, oat groat, wheat, whole millet, whole quinoa, spelt, barley, sweet rice, etc.)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp yeast
Mix well. It will be a little runny. Let it sit and sponge for 10-15 minutes. Then stir to release the air. Then add:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup flour (to separate sponge from salt)
1 tsp salt
Mix/Knead. Add flour a little at a time while mixer is kneading until dough pulls away and cleans sides and bottom of mixing bowl. Knead 10-15 minutes.
Form into a ball. Spread oil all over ball. Let it relax 5-10 minutes. Roll out to desired size and thickness. Place it on a piece of parchment paper.
Bake a couple of minutes. Pull out of oven and place toppings on dough. Put back in oven. Cook a total of 5-9 minutes in an oven at 450 - 500 degrees. Mmmmm!

I'm Gonna Go Out and Wrastle That There Li'l Piggy

Yeah, it's been pretty busy. Here are a few pics to keep you entertained...
Before the big PIG WRASTLE (Luke, Trav, Kody, Nic):

and After the big PIG WRASTLE (Kody, Nic, Luke, Trav):

Showering offered by the fire department

Grrr! These pretty boys are squeaky clean now!

It was very, VERY entertaining!

The Dog Days of Summer

We had a big double wedding in our family. It was so beautiful and absolutely perfect! So happy for you Luke & Andy and Justin & Ashley! They are beautiful couples and I know they will find much happiness... I was, of course, excited because I got a cute new (modest) little black dress. It's pretty much the most comfortable dress ever! I got it from Shabby Apple. They have such cute stuff!








(The picture above is Luke & Ashley, Nic's siblings. Obviously they aren't the ones who were married to each other... they were married to other people... just wanted to clear that up for any of you who might be looking at this picture going... "huh?")






We celebrated my sweet Grammie's birthday by getting the chocolate molten cake dessert at Applebee's (the only thing worth getting there, in my humble opinion). We also celebrated Trav's birthday by going to Rumbi Island Grill for dinner (food is mediocre and the price is too high... but company was priceless). Nic and I decided to try out The Red Mango for some ice cream. Mmmm... it was okay. The pomegranate wasn't that delicious. Sorry.


We also had our Sherwood Family Reunion. Barely anyone came, but I'll tell ya, we still had a kickin' good time! We went to Park City and I LOVE PARK CITY! It was so beautiful up there! In my husband's words, I'm "spoiled". Instead of camping (like we were supposed to) we stayed at the Marriott. It was fabulous. We enjoyed "being one with nature" (which, I honestly don't mind, so long as I have a nice warm shower and in-door plumbing at my fingertips. Hehe.)




My brothers, of course, had to get their trademark wrestling moment in. Don't worry. They only wrestle until one of them gets injured in some way. Luckily, this was a very mild wrestling match. PS Please ignore the fact that one of them is in his underwear (typical man).