A World of New Beginnings

Let's chat. I know, I know, it's been six months since my last post. Sorry.. But let me give you an update. In the beginning of May, I graduated from college. (Whoop whoop!!!) The hubby and I spent most of May living out of a suitcase, sleeping on an air mattress, and eating take out since we sent almost all of our personal belongings to Texas ahead of us. Finally, at the end of May (and after attending the wedding of a few friends and the graduation of another friend), we made our last journey from Ohio to Texas. We packed our car as full as humanly possible and drove eighteen hours to the beautiful land of heat and bugs and heat and humidity and heat. :) We love it here.

Just one week after this long trek, we left our new home to spend a week in Alaska with part of our family. It was awesome getting to travel to such a beautiful place, see so many gorgeous landscapes, and meet so many lovely puppies. While in Scagway, Alaska, we took a bus up some mountain and into the Yukon Territory to a dog mushing camp, where we got to meet quite a few dogs and even go on a dog sled ride. It really was an incredible experience, probably second only to the buffet! Oh I'm just kidding, though we did spend a lot of time eating. Despite the relaxation and vacation time, I was really ready to get home. There was so much to do and my world had already changed so much so quickly.

So by the end of June, we made it back from Alaska, and little did I know that my world was about to change again. The day after we got back from our vacation, my hubby and I decide that we should go to the local animal shelter just to look at a few puppies. The ones in Alaska were so adorable, we thought that maybe one day we would like one of our own. Yes, we took a puppy home with us that day. She is the most adorable dog in the world. Those first few days were rough, though. I had never had a dog as a child and now I was the sole caretaker of one. It was stressful. But now, almost two weeks later, little Coco is one of the best parts of my life.

As my life is changing, here in Texas, so are the lives of my family in PA. I found out recently that my sister and brother in law have received the okay from One Mission Society to begin their assignment and move to Indiana. They are leaving this weekend. Growing up, I was so blessed that my entire family was within an hour's drive. Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Cousins. They were all right there. I was the first to go. I looked forward to it with every breath I took and then when it was time, I was terrified, nervous, and a little sad to leave the home I knew. Now, my sister is going as well. At times, it feels like my whole world is being flipped upside down. My greatest consolation through all of these changes and new beginnings has been the fact that God's plan is perfect. God directed to my husband, and thus, to Texas. God led my sister and brother in law to One Mission Society. And He will continue to guide us through the uncertain future days. Trust in Him with me. 


Thanks for joining me y'all! (I have to practice my Texan accent somehow.)
Peace out. 


Oh! If you read this and decide you'd like to support my sister and brother in law at all, please send me an email or something and I'll give you the information. Thanks!

End of the Semester

So my fall semester is officially OVER! And I could not be more excited. Seriously, the end of my eighth semester is college. What could be more exciting?! Besides maybe the day I married the love of my life, (cue the "awwwwww's") or the day I finished knitting my first hat. Ok, so maybe this is the tenth most exciting time in my life so far, but still, pretty exciting. Now all that remains is to teach high school students for twelve weeks at Xenia High School. Wooooohooo!!!

Also, my parents came to see me this past weekend. It was wonderful to have my mom and dad staying in our living room so that we could have a little early Christmas. I love my parents. I could not have asked for more wonderful role models of love and marriage. With my parents, came fun gifts and food from my grandparents as well. (Thanks guys!!!!!) 

So yea, life is good right now. This first Christmas as a married woman is wonderfully exciting. :) I hope ya'll enjoy a wonderful Christmas as well! 

Long Time No See!!

I know, I know. It feels like it's been WEEKS since I was last on here. Sorry about that, but ya know, life gets in the way sometimes. So here's an update on the life.

1. I made my first soup with roux. It was incredible. Chicken and rice soup... Really, what can be better. Thank you Pioneer Woman. (I love you. For real.) You must go here and try this soup.. please please please.

2. I made my first spaghetti/pizza sauce. I thought it was wonderful, and so did the hubby. :) His only request was to use fewer onions, which I can totally do! I love knowing exactly what goes in my food.

3. I only have one semester (and three weeks) left of my college career!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure this is the most exciting. I'm finishing teaching two sections of Algebra I. Honestly, before this time of teaching, I thought that maybe teaching was just not for me. Now, I totally know. Even when I'm exhausted and the kids are killing me, I love it. It's a good feeling. :)

4. My husband and I went to PA for Thanksgiving, and let me just say, it was a fantastic break. Essentially, I slept, relaxed, played video games, and did zero homework. BEST break ever!!! 

Finally, the hubby and I just celebrated our 3 month anniversary. And by celebrate, I mean we sat on our couch and he played video games while I worked on homework. :) I love my husband. 

Have a wonderful day!

The wife

Date Night

Since my husband and I both have really busy lives (him working a full time job and a part time job and me, a full time student) we don't get to spend as much time with each other as we'd like to every day. To make up for this, we set aside a special date time each week where just get to spend time together. Tonight was that night for us. We went to Longhorn Steakhouse and let me just say, I think they have the best salmon I have ever eaten. Overall, it was a wonderfully fun evening. I really just love spending time with my husband. 

When we got home, I tried and tried to focus on homework, but it just never worked. Instead, I was distracted by a craving for something brownie-like. So I decided that I would take a moment to experience a small piece of heaven by making and eating these Cookie Dough Brownies from Kim at Lovin' From the Oven. In retrospect, I probably should have waited until tomorrow to make these so I could make a better judgment on whether or not I actually needed them, but oh well. Overall, the brownies are like a buy one get one sale. You love it because you can get such a great sale (they tasted SO good), but you hate it because you spend five times what you wanted to (I now want to throw up). They were rich. You think you've tasted a rich dessert before, but you're wrong. Unless you've tasted these. When Kim says to only eat a little at a time, listen. You're stomach will thank me. 

 Also, I finished my hat. :) It's adorable. I love it. 
Have a great day!!
the wife

Good Dinner Week

So far this week, I'm two for two. Both times I've made dinner this week (which is actually good in itself), the husband has liked it! As a college kid, it's just really hard sometimes to figure out how to go to class, get my work done, spend time with the husband, and make anything for dinner. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I have a particularly long day of class which makes the dinner situation even more crazy. So here's a rundown. 

On Monday, I planned what I like to call Poor Man's Chicken Parmesan. Whenever I was an on-campus student, I would take chicken patties and add them to spaghetti and call it a meal. It was easy and tasted great! For this meal, I used chicken nuggets instead, but followed the same basic pattern. While the chicken nuggets baked (we used Tyson brand), I could make the pasta. When everything was done, I smothered it in cheese. I know, I know. Chicken nuggets aren't real healthy, nor is this plan real original. But it tasted fantastic and that's all that matters. The hubby loved it and it took twenty minutes max. 

(And since I made dinner, he did the dishes. What a sweetheart!)

Tonight was my first night of using the new crock pot. For simplicity, since I've never used the thing before, I just cooked a little bit of chuck roast. I made some mashed potatoes and peas and carrots to go with it. My critical nature found a list a ways the meal could have been better: put salt in the mashed potatoes, cook the meat a little less, cook the peas a little more, on and on and on. My husband, however, wonderful man that he is, just turns to me in my complaining and says, "I think it's really good. Is there more?" I just love that man.

So this week, go buy some chicken nuggets for the next time you have spaghetti and remember to put salt in those mashed potatoes!!

ps. I am in the process of knitting this hat. I hope to finish it later tonight and post pictures later this week. 

(Photo and Pattern from Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller)

Have a great evening!!

The wife

Monkey see monkey do

Whenever I was a kid, I loved the days that my momma would make monkey bread. There was just something about how sweet and yummy it was that made any day so much better. 

Once I got married, I thought that my husband deserved this experience as well. So, I called my mom to get the recipe. After days of waiting and listening to the hubby beg me to make the monkey bread, the day has arrived. I woke up before he did this morning and thought I would surprise him.  It just came out of the oven and now I just have to wait for the sleepy head to wake up. :)

Thanks to my mom (and probably my grandma or some wonderful ladies at the local Presbyterian church,) here's the recipe. 

Monkey Bread

4 cans refrigerator biscuits (just the plain old buttermilk kind, nothing flaky)

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 lb. butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. (since cutting the biscuits takes so long, you could probably wait until about halfway through to actually turn the oven on) Mix 2/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a quart or larger size bag. Cut each biscuit into quarters, drop into cinnamon sugar and shake to coat. (Don't try to put all of the biscuits in the bag at one time. Trust me. You'll end up with one big lump of dough that does not make good monkey bread.) Then drop each piece into a greased bundt pan. Melt butter and 1/2 cup sugar on stove. Pour over the biscuits. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until brown. 

Once out of the oven, cool for just a few minutes and then flip out onto a plate or big cake carrier. 

Hope you enjoy! Have a great day!!!!!

-the wife

Chipotle and Crock pots

So, let's be honest. Weather in Ohio is THE WORST. Seriously. It has literally rained for the past three or four days. Despite the awful weather, I still needed to go get groceries, buy a crock pot to use the groceries, and go for the (already planned) weekly married date. So the hubby and I decided to brave the nasty weather and go out! Needless to say, we made it to Chipotle and back without getting stuck in some mud puddle or drowning to death (I love love love their barbacoa burritos) AND we made it home with this beautiful crock pot from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Can you tell I'm super excited to get to use it?!

Anyone have any fun crock pot recipes they'd like to share? I would love to have them!