I Left My Heart in San Francisco

Spring break was wonderful. Going back to school today felt like it was a new school year. The break was long and fun and I was well rested and ready to take on the dreaded CRT's.

What was so great about this break? Well along with going to Jane Eyre with my mother (amazing), quilting, napping, eating out with friends, and pleasure reading, Stephen and I went to San Francisco.

Stephen often travels to Palo Alto for work so I went with him. Wednesday-Friday we were there and Friday night through Sunday we were in San Fran, Oakland, Berkley, etc. I have never heard anyone say they didn't like the bay area and now I can see why.

We rented bikes downtown and biked across the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito....

We went to Ghirardelli Square 

(I think I could live there)....

And we got to go sailing in the bay thanks to our new friend Josh who Stephen met through work, he just happens to live there and be an avid sailer and willing to take us on this amazing ride around the bay...

Stephen's really rockin' the volume in this one...

It was just one of the greatest things I have ever done. All in all, one amazing week off of school and one amazing trip. 

Very Proud

I finished my first quilt that I have made all by myself! Ok, not all by myself. I had a lot of help my mom and the ladies at the Material Girls. Still I am very proud and glad that I went through the whole process and learned a lot, I think I will be able to do a lot more of my next one without so much help.

I gave it away today to Nicole, my sister-in-law who is having a baby boy in July. It was a fun shower and I was so excited to give it to her. Quilting has been a fun hobby for me lately and I loved making a quilt with a person in mind to give it away to, it makes the gift so much more special. Too bad I get so attached to my projects after the hours I spend with them, I just want to keep them all.

I am making one right now that will be my first full sized quilt and I will keep it but after that Stephen has kindly suggested that we have more quilts than anyone can reasonable use, I'll have to think of more special people to make them for! Here are some pictures of that ole' baby quilt:

March is the Month for Birthdays!

Stephen and I were both born in March so it's quite the month of celebrations for us. Not only do we get to celebrate our birthdays but my sister Lyndsay and Steve's brother Jake.  Thank you to all of our friends and family who made our birthdays great this year! This weekend we got to use Steve's gift from his dad for the first time, it was delicious. Thank you Mark!

Fresco Tomato and Basil Bisque

I got this recipe from a coworker and it's delicious! I love creamy tomato soups but have never made one fresh before. I highly recommend this recipe, obviously.

1/4 c butter
1 T salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 1/2 c chopped onions
2 c milk or cream (I used fat free half-and-half)
2-3 cloves of garlic minced/pressed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
4 c trimmed and cut tomatoes (or 2 cans of diced tomatoes)
1 1/2 T sugar
3 T uncooked rice
2 c water or chicken broth (I used broth)
1/4-1/2 c fresh chopped basil

In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute the onions. Add the garlic and the red pepper, saute for one minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, rice, and water/broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add basil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Puree this whole mixture in a blender or food processor (unless your machines are huge, I suggest doing this half at a time to save yourself the explosion and kitchen cleaning I may have gone through). Return blended soup to the saucepan. Add warm milk, salt, and pepper. Simmer 2-3 minutes and serve with toasted bread and parmesan cheese, veggie sandwiches, or eat it by itself! It serves probably 6-8, we had a lot left over.

Yoga

P.E. is the bain of my teaching week, I am bad at it and it is awful for me and the kids.  This week P.E. was wonderful.  I bought an app for my student's ipod touches called Pocket Yoga and let them play with it during P.E.  It was just one of the cutest things to watch them all, they have few inhibitions and if it's on their ipods they love it.  I felt like it was good enough for P.E. when some of my "tough" little athletic boys were saying it was hard.  I think we'll be doing some more yoga for P.E. this year.

Skiing, Quilting, and Reading

Over Human Rights Day, Stephen and I went up to Logan for the ole' annual Champlin family cross country ski.  We've had better snow in the past and it's always sad that Spencer isn't with us (mission) but it was fun nonetheless.

Then a couple of weeks later, Stephen came home with passes to the Park City resort from work and we got to spend the most BEAUTIFUL Saturday imaginable on the slopes.  After several years hiatus from downhill skiing I was quite pleased that I could keep up with Stephen and it was fun and not painful.  Stephen took this picture with the not-so-great camera phone but I thought it was kind of cool.

I've also started a new project that I am in love with...

Anywhere you see carpet in the middle will be gray and then I'll have some boarders and it'll be beautiful!  I will post pictures in the coming years when I finish it.  I got this far and haven't touched it because I'm reading the Hunger Games series and I am so roped into them.  I am just starting the third book so the end is in sight!

Mormon Housewife Blogs

Stephen came across this article written by a "young, feminist atheist who can't bake a cupcake" and loves reading mormon mother's blogs.  It's a really funny article.  If you feel so inclined...enjoy!

Click here to read the article (and don't ask why my links are no longer showing up as another color, of course I have no idea).

Jazz Fans... Be Impressed

Last week Stephen moved his office to Huntsman Corp.  On his first day of work there weren't many people around because of the holidays so he got offered Jazz tickets in the Huntsman Corp box, sweet right?  We got there and they had an awesome dinner for us and the first half of the game was great.  At the end of half-time one of the Huntsman guys there came up to us and asked if we wanted to take their FRONT ROW SEATS that they switch off, for the third quarter!  So begrudgingly, we accepted.  It was really rough.

Sadly, we'd met up straight from work and didn't have anything but the ole' camera phone but take a look none the less.

Just Trying...

I am so bad at blogger! I try not to change things on my blog because if I do I end up feeling like an 80-year-old trying to send an email. I have come to grips with the fact that my blog will probably never look as fancy as many of my incredibly talented friends but I can still try. I was supposed to grade papers tonight but instead I revamped the ole' blog. I am proud to say that I kept my cool and I am content with the finished product, simple as it may be.  We'll see how long I can stay satisfied.

Happy Holidays

It's been so wonderful to have time off work and be with both of our families!  I am very sad to see the holidays go.  Here are a few of my highlights....

We took this family picture just after talking to my brother in Argentina, it was so great!

My mom, sister, and I took a sewing class and made these stockings.  I thought mine and Stephen's turned out great (thanks to all of the help I received).

Stephen got me a sewing machine and table for Christmas!  I was very excited and I have already started my first project, pictures to come.