Bob's Birthday

Bob turned 27 this year! And his birthday happened to fall on Thanksgiving Day. So after all of the eating and festivities were done, we celebrated Bob. And it was EPIC.

Bob was sitting at the head of the table by the window, and couldn't see into the living room. So towards the end of dinner, I started removing guest's plates as they were done eating. Sinjin was sitting on the opposite end of the table, so I asked him to help me with Bob's birthday presents. He quickly got up to help. I showed him to a massize box covered in a navy blue sheet, and he helped me uncover it and bring it into the living room, then bring out some other smaller boxes all wrapped and set them on top of it. I added a giant bow on top of it all, and slipped back into the dining room. Lana and Uncle Bud could see what Sinjin and I were up to through the doorway, and they both just grinned while pretending there was nothing suspicious going on.

Bob hadn't even noticed that I'd slipped away, and he was still carrying on the same conversation with the missionaries that he was when I'd left a few minutes before.

Soon after that I suggested that we move into the living room where it was more comfortable and we could relax better. Bob and I were last in there. I sat on the couch, directly in front of the pile of presents. Bob sat next to me, and Sinjin sat in an armchair to our right. Bob was still carrying on with Sinjin oblivious to the elephant in the room. Sinjin glanced at me with a big grin on his face. Bob still didn't notice. Lana made eye contact with me silently asking if Bob had seen his birthday presents. Nearly laughing I shook my head no.

Minutes dragged by, all of us just waiting. 

I watched Bob's eyes until finally I saw him glance forward. 

He suddenly gasped and said, "Whoa!" 

He put his hand over his chest and threw his head back and laughed. 

"What is THAT?!" he said. 

I laughed and replied, "Happy Birthday!"

Everyone laughed and we poked fun at him for not seeing the elephant in the room. He sat there stunned for a few minutes, because the biggest box was unwrapped and everyone could see quite clearly what it was.

Then he finally went over and began unwrapping his other gifts. 

Pure joy and surprise. Best reaction EVER.

He wasn't anticipating a tv AND and Xbox....

Stoked!!

All together, he got a 50" flat screen plasma TV, an Xbox 360, 2 controllers, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, and Halo Reach.

...Oh yes, I spoiled him big time. 

Then again, his gifts were just as much for me as they are for him, and he knows it. But he's a good sport and doesn't mind sharing.

He's been so busy with work and things around the house that I've been in charge of our finances. I went over our budget several times before determining a way to afford such extravagant gifts, and after researching and talking with friends who know about TVs and Xboxes (especially one who works at Best Buy), I figured out a way to get exactly what I wanted for him. I was only planning on getting a 42" or possibly a 46" TV, but then I found a 50" that's the same parts and manufacturer as Samsung, but it's the Best Buy brand. All I'm not getting are some silver letters that say 'Samsung' on the bottom of it. And it cost the same as the smaller Samsung. That was an easy choice. (Thank you Stephanie for the advice and tips!)

Bob and I talked about it all later, after everyone had left. He said this birthday was more over the top than any other he'd ever had. I knew that, and he knows this might be his last birthday like this for a while. But I remember the times when my birthday landed on Easter. I remember my mom making sure that we celebrated the holiday, but then she always made a special time for me to make sure I didn't get forgotten about. I know Bob's had the same problem with Thanksgiving, and as I explained how important it was for me to have one day a year to be celebrated, I wanted him to make sure he never felt forgotten about on a day like that. Yes, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, but after that, it was Bob's turn to be in the spotlight. He really appreciated that, and I know he still can't believe he's now the proud owner of a beautiful 50" TV. Sure, it's just a temporal thing, but man is it fun!

Isn't it pretty??

And best of all, I'm still his top priority, as his wife and family should be. 

Happy Birthday, Bob!

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving was a success this year! The kitchen only got filled with smoke once, but it dissipated quickly and the delicious aroma of turkey and sweet potatoes soon returned. Also, I failed to get ANY photos of dinner or preparation. I'm really bummed about that. I'll try to make some of these dishes again in the coming weeks and get pictures of those to add on here later, with the exception of the turkey. I was really excited to wear one of the aprons my grandma had sent me a week or so back. It's really cute, especially with my tiny pregnant belly, and I wish I had gotten photos of that too.

So here's how the day went.

I got up around 8am, had a nice slow and easy morning, and after a couple of hours I rubbed olive oil on three large sweet potatoes, poked each of them several times with a fork, wrapped them in foil, and baked them for about an hour.

Then I removed my turkey from its wrapping, took out its neck (but put it inside the oven bag to bake with the turkey) rinsed the turkey inside and out, dried the inside out with some paper towels, and made up a recipe for it, basing it off of one I saw on TV the other day. Keep in mind that Thanksgiving isn't about eating healthy and drinking green smoothies. It's about being thankful for what we're blessed with, eating delicious food, and enjoying life's simple but abundant pleasures. Here's my basic turkey recipe:

(Sorry, I don't usually measure of my seasonings. I just added a shake or two here and there, depending on how strong a spice or herb is--less clove and sage, a little more rosemary and cinnamon, more orange zest and pepper...)

One 12 pound turkey, thawed
2 oranges
1 onion


Combine:
2 cubes of butter, softened
salt
pepper
sage
rosemary
cinnamon
clove
orange zest


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. While raw, carefully separate turkey skin from turkey breast, making a pocket and being careful not to tear or make holes in it. Tuck some butter mix into turkey skin/breast pocket. Rub remaining butter mix over the rest of the turkey, as well as inside the body cavity. Slice one onion into large chunks, and 2 oranges in half. Place inside turkey's body cavity. Place in oven baking bag, then into large baking dish, and bake in the oven for 3.5 hours.

I got the turkey in the oven a little before 11am. Then I scooped out the sweet potatoes into a large bowl, discarded their skins, and stuck them in the fridge to cool more.

Then I had about 3 hours to clean and tidy up the house. Bob had gone surfing that morning, and around noon he called wondering if he could have his surfer friends and their family come over for a light lunch. He then clarified by asking if we could make tortilla soup with our new Blendtec. I was just excited to use that blender again, so I was excited about it. He stopped by the grocery store and bought all of the ingredients fresh, then came on home. I put everything in the blender, and pressed the 'soups' button, and in 90 seconds we had a steaming hot soup for 8 people ready to be eaten. Add lime, avocado slices, and tortilla chips, and it was perfection.

Our friends went home for their own Thanksgiving celebration after about an hour or so.

Around 2pm I made the broccoli casserole:

2 bags frozen broccoli
1 can cream of mushroom soup
cheese (I used a pre-grated four cheese blend)
1/3 C of butter
1 tube of Ritz crackers, crushed (crush them in the tube before opening it--it's easier that way)

Steam broccoli for 5-6 minutes. Place broccoli in a casserole dish, evenly distributed. Pour cream of mushroom soup over broccoli, spread evenly. Sprinkle desired amount of cheese over top of that (I'm a cheese-lover, so I used a couple of good-sized handfuls). In a separate bowl, melt butter and pour in ritz crackers. Mix well, and pour over top of broccoli/cream soup/cheese. Bake for 30 min at 350.

Before I put it in the oven, I made the sweet potato casserole:

Combine:

3 C cooked sweet potatoes (bake them for an hour, cool, then peel)

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C evaporated milk (try evaporated goat milk or try almond milk)

1/2 C melted butter (try 1/3 C coconut oil)

1 tsp cinnamon

Place in greased 8 x11 casserole. Mix topping and spread over top. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

Topping:

1 C brown sugar (try 1 C evaporated cane juice + 1-2 tbsp of molasses)

1/3 C flour

1/3 C butter (try 1/4 C coconut oil)

1 C pecans

1 C coconut

optional: sprinkle mini marshmallows on top.


Once I finished putting together the casseroles, the turkey was done. I pulled that out of the oven to let it rest before opening the oven bag and letting Bob carve it. Then I put the casseroles in. I tried a fancy variation of the sweet potato casserole, where I baked it with just the topping so it would get crispy, and then add the marshmallows and broil it for a minute or two to brown them..... And I forgot about it. After a few minutes Bob noticed smoke coming out of the oven. I pulled out the charred marshmallow topping and rushed outside with it to avoid getting anymore smoke in the house. Once it stopped smoking, I went back in, saddened by my mini-fiasco. It was an easy fix though. I grabbed a metal spatula and scooped off the blackened marshmallow topping. Then I added more marshmallows, and tried broiling it one more time. I checked it ever 30 seconds and didn't take the oven mitts off my hands until it was ready to come out of the oven, so as not to forget about it again. I saved the day and no one could even tell I had messed it up the first time. 

Then I made the stuffing:

I sliced a granny-smith apple and added it to a Stove Top mix and 5 minutes later it was done.

My mother in law had made the cranberry jello sauce and rolls the day before, Aunt Wei Wei brought Chinese dumplings (made from scratch, and she's Chinese so these are legit and SO good), fried rice, and 2 pies from Costco--one pumpkin and one pecan. We all sat down and ate at about 4pm (even though it was all ready by 3pm.... Family always shows up late, you know...)

So here was our dinner menu:

turkey

stuffing

sweet potato casserole

broccoli casserole

cranberry jello sauce

dumplings

fried rice

rolls

pumpkin pie with whipped cream

pecan pie

juice or water for drinks

Not bad for planning and preparing my first Thanksgiving nearly all on my own! I think delegating is the key--the less I had to cook, the more I kept my head on and enjoyed the day.

We had a wonderful time visiting together: 

myself,

Bob, 

Lana (my mother-in-law),

Aunt Wei Wei, 

Uncle Bud, 

Sinjin (Bob's cousin and Bud and Wei Wei's son), 

David (a Chinese guy who is renting a room in Aunt Wei Wei's house), 

and the two missionaries from church, Elder Geier and Elder Kirchoeffer. 

We had a good time visiting with family, telling stories, and getting to know each other better. It was memorable and really made me appreciate the family I married into.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2 Years!

On November 21st, 2009, I married my best friend. We've been through a lot in just 2 years of marriage. In some ways it feels like it's been longer, while in a lot of other ways it still feels like our wedding was just a month ago.

2 weeks into our marriage, our apartment flooded.
1 month in, my cousin lived with us for 3 months so she could get on her feet out in UT.
6 months in, I quit my job, then went to Singapore by myself for a month for school.
9 months in, a close friend lived with us for a month so she could straighten out her life.
10 months in, we moved to a better apartment and I got a better job.
12 months in, we celebrated 1 year of marriage & took a road trip to visit family in CA.
15 months in, I quit that job because it wasn't actually better.
16 months in, I really did get a better job.
17 months in, I postponed school until I could figure out what I want to get a degree in.
18 months in, Bob finally quit his demeaning and awful job.
21 months in, we found out I'm pregnant & moved to San Diego in a big leap of faith.
24 months in, we celebrated 2 years of marriage.

And throughout the whole thing, Bob has been patient, kind, and loving toward me. I've made incredible progress in coping with my diagnosis of PTSD and the challenges it brings, all due mainly to Bob's help and support. He's made progress with his diagnosis of ADD, and together we've learned to make the weaknesses it's caused him into strengths that he can use to his advantage. We're happier now individually and together than ever before in our lives.

Allow me to brag a little bit  some a lot about how amazing of an anniversary we had.

We completely splurged. It's our last wedding anniversary without children (until we're old and retired), which in our minds also means we only have a few months left to use our money irresponsibly until we need to use a big chunk of it for this baby boy we're having in a few short months.

So......

We went to the Loews Coronado Bay Resort. 

I'd never been over to Coronado before, so let me tell you about it. It's a small island right off the bay by downtown San Diego. It's got a very elite-feeling little city on it, with adorable little shops and houses lining the streets, a small military base, and several hotels and resorts strewn along it.

We checked in on Sunday around 6pm. We told them it was our anniversary and that I'm almost 5 months pregnant, so they upgraded us to a better room with a better view--3rd floor, king sized bed, and a bay view from the balcony. It was magnificent!

I didn't take this picture, but this is what our room looked like (thank you Google!).

We had dinner at one of the little restaurants there that night, called the Market Cafe. I ordered what was called the chicken duo (and it was, by the way, the best chicken dish I think I have ever eaten--seriously!) and Bob had braised short ribs with truffled potatoes, bone marrow (yes, it was a cooked bone sliced open showing the marrow to scoop out and eat), and steamed seasonal vegetables. We got an additional side of grilled asparagus, because I love that stuff--especially when it's cooked right. It was all SO good! Later we got some chocolates for dessert, and just explored around the resort for a little while before relaxing in our room for the rest of the night.

Monday morning was our anniversary date. I woke up around 6am to the most beautiful sunrise! 

The horizon was bright orange and I could see across the bay to the city of San Diego and the mountains behind it raising up out of the low-lying fog.

Look across the bay at all of that fog covering San Diego!

After taking those pictures, I laid back down in bed and dozed for a few more hours until Bob woke up. We ate muffins and yogurt in bed for breakfast, then got up as slowly as we wanted. I had a prenatal appointment at 11am. We went and heard our son's heartbeat again. He's strong and healthy and so am I.

We went to lunch at City Deli in downtown San Diego, just a few blocks from my doctor's office. 

I got the BBQ brisket sandwich, and Bob got a Reuben.

I'm such a carnivore sometimes...

A messy carnivore.

Mmmm..... Look at that amazing Rueben....

Last bite!

Then we walked enjoyed downtown a little. We went to Village Hat Shop for about an hour and tried on dozens of fun, weird, and stylish hats. Bob bought me a really cute one that he wouldn't let me put back once I tried it on.

Here I am sporting my new hat while admiring these cute little birds in a huge birdhouse at Loews.

We drove back to Loews, relaxed a bit, and then Bob sent me to the spa for a 50 minute prenatal massage while he stretched out and relaxed in the spa hot tub. The Sea Spa itself was amazing. I was handed a comfy robe and sandals when I checked in for my appointment. The halls and rooms were filled with candles and lounge chairs. The locker room was the classiest locker room I'd ever seen. The showers were complete with fantastic shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and even shaving cream. There were complimentary lotions, shower caps, razors, hair spray, deodorant, and a hair dryer. And my massage was exactly what I needed! All the stress and tension in my back, legs, and feet had disappeared and I felt like my age had decreased by several years.

While I was at the spa, Bob had snuck back down to the car to get my anniversary present that he'd left hidden behind the back seat. When we made our way back to our room, I walked in and there on the bed was a big box wrapped in gold wrapping paper. As I changed and put on my robe, I pulled out a little sealed envelope for Bob, feeling silly at how small my gift looked compared to his. We ordered room service for dinner, since we were far too relaxed to go anywhere, and then while we were waiting for dinner to be delivered we opened our presents.

Bob got me a Blendtec blender. I've been wanting one for years! And let's be honest, it's just as much for himself as it is for me, not that I mind.

I gave Bob a home-made card, and inside I'd folded up 2 vouchers for a paddle board class. Bob's been wanting to try paddle boarding, so I bought 2 so he could decide if he wants to take me or take one of his friends. Of course he wants to take me, so my gift to him is just as much for me as it is for him.

What perfect presents to celebrate being married--we get to enjoy them together, not just separately. 

Our dinner showed up, and it was incredible! Bob really wanted hot wings. So we got some hot for him and some mild for me, along with some parmesan french fries on the side. I ordered an Italian pasta dish. We brought some sparkling cider with us so we got some wine glasses along with dinner, plus some complimentary chocolate covered strawberries. It was absolutely lovely and so romantic to have an intimate meal in the privacy of our own room.

After eating and letting our food settle a bit and before going to bed, we took those drink vouchers downstairs to the lounge, and enjoyed some delicious non-alcoholic drinks, mixed nuts, and M&Ms. We both got these drinks called Blushing Bubbles. They came in champagne flutes with a little lemon rind twist decorating the top and were utter bubbly-raspberry-lemony bliss.

Tuesday morning we woke up and had muffins and hot chocolate on the balcony. 

Then went back to the Sea Spa to enjoy the free amenities before we checked out of our room. 

Ahhh.... The fresh morning sun quickly warmed up the chilly morning air.

We might have spent more money than we probably should have... But--my goodness--it was worth every penny! We did enough that we felt accomplished instead of lazy, and that's what has made me feel so good about or stay-cation. That's what made it feel longer than just a couple of nights. And none of it was stressful--we had no schedule, but we had lots of possible activities to enjoy.

Happy 2-year anniversary to us! 

We sure know how to celebrate, if you ask me. We'll see how much we can simplify our celebrations in the coming years as we tighten our belts while having kids and preparing for the future. I'll be perfectly happy to go to romantic restaurants instead of having all-out extravagant evenings.

All I really want is to be with Bob for a few special hours while we reflect on our courtship, our beautiful wedding, how strong our marriage is, and the reasons why we're still madly in love with each other.  <3

It's a boy!!

We had an appointment with an ultrasound technician on November 14th. It was an anatomy scan, so along with checking our baby's size and health, we found out the gender.

We went in and within 5 seconds of using the ultrasound machine the technician had this shot:

Yeah, there's no denying that. 

It was as if he was saying, "Yeah Mom, I'm a BOY!! Not a girl like you've been thinking."

My first thought was, 'Oh... Wait... Our baby's not a girl..?' I was kind of stunned. 

And then it hit me. 

We're having a boy. 

We're having a BOY!!! 

Bob is so proud. 

We can take him fishing and teach him how to use a pocket knife. We can take him hiking and camping. We can teach him to play soccer and lacrosse. He can get hatchets and crazy tools and knives from his uncles for Christmas. We can teach him the gospel and pray that he'll serve as a missionary for two years at age 19. Bob can baptize him at 8 years old and he can become a Deacon and pass the Sacrament at church when he's 12.  He'll be our oldest child, and he'll be loving and protective of his siblings--especially his sisters.

I shed some tears as I looked at the computer monitor and saw those images of his little body squirming and wiggling, then relaxing and resting.

"He's a really beautiful baby," the technician said multiple times, admiringly.
"You can tell that in those pictures?" I asked.
"Oh yes!" she responded. "He's got great features and really is good-looking."
I was sure that she says it often to most expectant mothers she sees, but she made sure that we knew she wasn't just saying it. She absolutely meant it.

As the she was checking his measurements and organ processes, he got the hiccups. It was so cute! He also decided to show off and he flexed his muscles for us, proving his masculinity that much more. We laughed. Bob held my hand and looked thrilled, torn between looking at me and looking at the images of our son with sheer joy on his face.

What a special moment.

Here's his umbilical cord.

His little legs!

One profile shot.
You can see his left hand by his chin and his umbilical cord next to that.

Look at his face--those teeny features are adorable!

Little forehead, nose, and mouth... I think he was about to start sucking his thumb here.

Not sure what this is, but it's him!

Wait... I'm  human... Does that mean that Bob's an alien!?
His little skull is even kinda cute, even if he does look alien.

His little arm and hand. So tiny and cute!

This is my favorite shot. Look at how much of him you can see! Head, arms, hands, torso, leg...

And now we have to decide on boy names. We're not in any rush. 

We are open to suggestions--who knows how we'll find his name!

We'll know it when we hear it or when we see him face to face for the first time.

20 weeks. I'm halfway there!

Halloween 2011

Bob is really clever. 

He's also got a cheesy sense of humor. 

He loves old-man jokes, corny punch lines, puns, and plays on words. 

I've listened to him tell a 20 minute story he made up just so he could say a well known string of words with a few mixed up letters so that the meaning is completely changed from what we're all familiar with. 

It's the kind of thing 80% of the population might roll their eyes at, but I laugh every time.

So it's no surprise that Bob had a silly, although brilliant, idea for Halloween costumes this year. 

He said it, and then I made it happen. 

We're a good team.

Bob the baker.

The bun in the oven.

I used a box, my Leatherman and a box cutter, packing tape, spray paint, hot glue, magnets (to keep the oven door closed), aluminum foil, and the knobs are juice bottle caps with round white stickers on them. 

Buy a box of honey buns, put one inside, and the costume is complete.

It's a fun pregnant-lady costume, and wouldn't have been complete without the proud pastry chef. 

I love dressing up in epic Halloween costumes every year. 

We'll have to out-do ourselves again next year, and we'll have an additional tiny family member to incorporate into the mix. We're already planning it out. It will be epic--I can guarantee that much.