Walking

I love Fridays.

Not only did I get off earlier than anticipated (again! 2 weeks in a row...sweet!), but I got to see Bruce as well.  

We went for a walk around the falls again, which is something we did when we first started dating, so we've been in the fall, and now in the winter, guess we'll just have to keep doing this in every season (which I would be okay with, it's a pretty walk).  After our walk, we went and got a slice of bread from Great Harvest, which was tasty, and then headed back to his place.  He even let me buy him dinner tonight without too much fuss.  Still some fuss, but I prevailed.

I remembered that I had to run to the grocery store before I headed home, and I actually braved going to Walmart instead of Winco...I think I've only been in there by myself once since I moved here, I always have someone else with me when I venture in that direction, which is a little...different, but whatever.

Grown up, girl bonding time

I spent a good portion of the day thinking it was Friday, but alas...it was not.

I did however get to go to dinner with a friend tonight, and that was fun.  We met a couple months ago at church, and I've been meaning to get together with her outside of church for a while now, but life invariably has gotten in the way.  So this past Sunday I promised her that I'd touch base wither her this week and we'd go do something.  Well, once it was out there in the open, it forced me to actually follow through (fancy that), so we made plans to go to dinner.

We went to Pachangas, a Mexican place downtown, and every time I hear the name I think of the movie "Dirty Dancing"...but I digress.  From the moment we got in the car, we just kept talking, thankfully, she did most of the talking while I was driving (I don't know what it is, but I am not big on talking while I drive...I think I get too distracted), and we just kept going after we got to the restaurant.  Our waitress kept giving us looks as if to say, "Seriously, can't you two stop gabbing long enough to look at the dang menu and make a decision already?"

Anyway, I am so glad that we met up and went out, it's good to make new friends, and break the "Sunday Friends" barrier that sometimes happens with people you meet a church.  She's a lot of fun, and we have a lot in common and understand where the other person is coming from, which is nice because not everyone does.

So yay for girl bonding time!

Sleeping not-so-beauty

I just got home from seeing Bruce for the first time all week.

That's right, haven't seen the stud since Saturday.

Pretty much hated the beginning of the week.

Anyway, as I was getting ready for bed, I realized how crazy it is that because my apartment is so cold, I am forced to sleep in a hoodie, socks, long pants...sometimes actual pants, not pajama pants, because it's that cold.

I hope that wherever I live next winter, there is heat.

Week 4

Okay,  I can't believe the month is almost over, and that there are only a few more days left in this challenge.

So here are the results from this past week:

Day 22- Nice!

Okay, this one may seem a little weird to...well, just about everyone, but here is why I chose it for this category...  I purchased this itty bitty (it's only about 2 inches tall) hourglass (minute glass?) on my first trip to Switzerland.  I wandered into this little shop that was literally STUFFED with all sorts of blown glass objects, including this little guy.  The sales guy was super nice (even though I don't speak German and he spoke very little English), and he spent a lot of time going over different objects with me, and once I decided upon this one, he made sure to emphasize (about 7 times) the fact that it runs for 4 minutes.  4 minutes.  Anyway, it sits on one of my bookshelves, and I think about that trip and that nice man every time I see it.

Day 23- Bedtime

This one is self explanatory.

Day 24- My Space

There are many things/places I could claim as 'my space', but this is one of my favorites.  This hideous chair, which is lovingly referred to as "The Hole", has been with me for a little over 7 years.  It is ugly as all get-out, but it is super comfortable and a great reading chair.

Day 25- A Taste of Winter

I thought this frost encrusted bit of spider web captured the essence of winter perfectly.

Day 26- Fun Stuff!

I've been wanting to get my taxes done, but my school still hasn't released our 1098T forms.... fun stuff indeed!

Day 27- Something I Bought

I bought this pocket watch (necklace watch?  It's on a necklace...) a while back, but it is still one of my favorite accessory purchases.

Day 28- Dinner

This is my dinner for the evening as sadly, I have been tossing my cookies for 2 days and can't keep anything down, hopefully this herbal tea doesn't come back to bite me too.  That was probably more than you needed or wanted to know... Oh well, it's my blog.

Crock Pot Turkey Pumpkin Chili

So I'm posting another recipe.

Because I can.

And because it's sometimes difficult coming up with things to write about.

I first made this chili back in October I think, and I made it again yesterday.  It's good for cold fall and winter days.  It's a very mild chili as far as overall heat is concerned, but you can adjust that to your taste preference (which is one of the best things about making soups and chilies).

The best part is that it's made in a crock pot!  I've only ever made one pot of chili on the stove. Ever.  I always use a crock pot.  Best invention ever...

Crock Pot Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 cup taco seasoning (or to taste)
• 2 (15 oz) cans white beans (rinsed and drained)
• 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Cook ground turkey in a large saute pan, breaking it up until it is white and cooked through.  Add to crock pot.  Add oil to the saute pan and add onions and garlic.  Saute 3-4 minutes.  Add cumin and saute another minute or so.  Add to crock pot along with beans, pumpkin, chilies, broth, spices and bay leaves.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Remove bay leaves and adjust seasonings if necessary before serving.

I like to top mine with a little cheddar cheese, but you can also top it with sour cream, green onions, cilantro, or whatever makes you happy.

You should seriously try it though, it's tasty!

Returned

We're back from the cabin trip!

It was fun to get away for a little bit.  There was lots of junk food, which I was thankfully able to avoid for the most part, lots of talking, sledding, snowmobiling, laughing, cooking, and freezing our derrieres off.

I didn't sleep very well the first night, and both Bruce and I hit our social quotas on the second day, so we decided to come back that night rather than staying til the next morning.  This incidentally worked out rather well since I was then asked to fill in at ward council, and was the only member of the Relief Society Presidency in attendance at church today.

I do think that my favorite part of the weekend was when Bruce let me take the reigns of the snowmobile. I haven't driven one in 10 years or so, and it was fun to just take off at 70 mph...until I couldn't feel my face.

I will admit that I was all too happy to sleep in my own bed again though.

Away

Happy Friday!

Today has been lovely thus far.

I only had to work until 10:30, got to go to lunch with Heidi and Rumel, got some good girl bonding time with just Heidi, and later Bruce and I are headed to a friends' cabin for the weekend with some other people which should be a fun time.

We come back on Sunday morning, so I'll be incommunicado tomorrow...I know you're heart broken, but I promise we can work through this when I get back.

Done

I have been WAY too emotional lately.

Not that there wasn't call for the emotion, but wow, pretty sure that bursting into tears 3 times in one week is a bit ridiculous, especially since I can count on one hand how many things made me cry in the whole of last year...and still have fingers to spare.

I hope I'm done.

The usual place

Have you ever noticed that in TV shows that the groups of friends spend an inordinate amount of time in a specific bar, diner or coffeehouse?

Who actually does that?

How ridiculously pricey would that be?  Seriously, you'd be spending tons of money every week if people actually did that.  If they took the money they'd theoretically be spending, they could actually afford those really nice apartments that they all seem to live in (yet don't have well paying jobs).

Not sure why that crossed my mind.

That Rainy Place

I received an email from my sister this morning letting me know that her husband has officially been offered a position with Amazon in Seattle, so their family will be moving to the Bellevue area in early March or so.

We had earlier discussed the possibility of my going over to Switzerland before they move this way, and we'd take a trip to Istanbul or Vienna.  Alas, a trip across the pond is not really in the financial cards this year, BUT I will be able to go up to Seattle when they get here and help them get settled (aka: watching the little misses while they get things settled).

I am super stoked that they're moving back to the states, and that I will be able to see them and help them out for a few days.  Having them in Washington will also make going to visit that area more likely as well, which is something I've been hankering to do for a long while now.

Week 3

Here are the results of week 3 a day early!

Because I can do what I want...

Day 15- Black & White

This adorable little woodpecker was searching for some bugs to eat while I was on a walk.  He moved pretty quickly, so I was glad to get this shot of him.


Day 16- Sun

The sun was shining through the trees on a crisp day, the camera caught this neat solar flare too, so that was fun.


Day 17- Tiny

I always thought the tiny filaments and workings for light bulbs were pretty neat.  But I'm weird like that.


Day 18- Happy Place

The Temple has always been one of my favorite places, I'm excited to go to the Rexburg Temple tomorrow for the first time with a friend.


Day 19- Breakfast

Okay, let me preface that I do NOT eat stuff like this normally (and I actually only had about 2 bites of this before I had to call it quits), but these are birthday pancakes...with sprinkles...just for fun.


Day 20- To Do List

All in a days' work...


Day 21- Blue

This is a music box that I got on my second trip to Switzerland, the flowers on it are Edelweiss, and the tune it plays is...yeah, you guessed it... "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.  It lives on one of my bookshelves.

Knock it off

Sorry, but this particular post is going to be a quick vent...

I am so sick of people who feel the need to push their own agenda on you, assume the worst about you, cram their arrogance and conceit down your throat, and characterize you as an apathetic idiot who only wants the superficial things in life.

Seriously, don't pretend you know who I am.

You don't.

Do not attack my gender.

Do not assume that because you've had to put up with obnoxious, superficial, bloodsucking women that I am one of them.  Stop lumping me into that ridiculous category.  Stop assuming the worst about people.  And stop cornering me to have these asinine conversations where you bash on women in general, and me specifically.

And you wonder why I've been avoiding you?

Criminy...

Get up and go

The Justy must be getting old and senile.

It had a rough time getting started a couple times this evening, and it makes me nervous that it's trying to kick the bucket this year.  I mean really, 21 years old isn't THAT old...well, maybe it is.  If my car were a person it could legally drink...that's a sobering thought.

I really hope it doesn't give out on me though, because I'd be up a creek.

Walkabout

I took a walk around the greenbelt today after work.

I haven't been there since Bruce and I went back in late October, so things looked a little different. The river and falls are almost completely frozen over and many of the walkways are covered in ice, making it slightly treacherous in certain areas...especially if one is wearing high heeled boots...which one might have been.  I being "one".

Anyway, I loved going back for my walk and taking some pictures.  It was a nice change to my normal routine after work.

A Galaxy Far, Far Away...

I'm still getting used to my new phone.

Did I mention that it's a smartphone?  I don't think I did.

Fear not, the world is not coming to an end, Hell didn't freeze over, and I promise pigs are not flying...that I know of.

Yes, I have finally "entered the 21st century" as Kelly put it.

I like it for the most part.

Except that it doesn't like me to send or receive group messages.  Which is annoying.  Really annoying.

June

Somehow the month is half over.

Really not sure how that happened.

It seems like just yesterday that it was June or July, and now here we are halfway through January of the next year.  It's been a whirlwind these last few months, a wonderful whirlwind, but a whirlwind nonetheless.  I am amazed at how quickly time has passed, and something tells me that it's not going to stop any time soon.  Before I know it it'll be June again.

Week 2

This is what week 2 of my photo challenge produced:

Day 8- Lucky Number

Not so much my "lucky" number as it is my favorite number.  Always has been.

Day 9- Natural

We have some pretty beautiful sunsets here in Idaho.  I love looking at the clouds and how the sky gets painted.

Day 10- Man-made

I love books!  I own many of them, I think they're beautiful.

Day 11- Looking Down

There is an overlook down to the river here that is gorgeous in the summer, it doesn't look so beautiful now, and I almost froze to death taking this picture, but it's still a majestic view.

Day 12- Colorful

I didn't know what to do for this category, so I decided to bust out some watercolors and paint this picture, so this one was double duty in that I painted it and then photographed it.

Day 13- Makes Me Smile

Cooking, baking, and trying new recipes makes me happy.  This particular blueberry tart was made for Bruce's birthday, and since he always makes me smile, it works.

Day 14- 3 Things

Technically, these are autumn decor, but truth be told, I have them out all year round.  They sit on the bookshelves in my office.

Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing Recipe

Below is the recipe for my Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing.

I've been making this for a number of years now, but was always annoyed by how runny it was and how easily it separated when in the fridge.  To mitigate this, I added a Hidden Valley Ranch mix packet which gave it more thickness and prevents the separation.

I love how easy it is to adjust this recipe to your own personal tastes, so go for it!  This dressing is great for salads, on chicken, rice, in burritos, as a dipping sauce...try it wherever!

Cilantro Tomatillo Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup buttermilk

2-3 tomatillos (quartered)

½ bunch fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic

3 tsp lime juice (adjust to taste preference)

1 jalapeno (seeds removed for less spice)

1 green onion

¼ tsp cumin

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch mix

Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until well-combined.  You can adjust the flavors to suit your tastes (I prefer more lime juice, more tomatillo, and no seeds from the jalapeno).

Refrigerate.

A Quick Note

Today I got to help Heidi & Rumel move into their new apartment here in Idaho Falls.  It will be so fun having them close.  I don't think anyone realizes the kind of hijinx we can get up to when Heidi and I are together...need I mention the infamous prank war that went on for forEVER?

After returning home, I worked on some recipes and freezer meals so that I don't have to keep coming up with things to cook for a while.  My biggest issue with cooking is figuring out what to make and having the follow through of actually making it...so my freezer now has a plethora of new items awaiting use in the future, and my fridge has things for a few more I need to prepare sometime in the next week or so.

Tonight was also the night we celebrated Bruce's birthday with his familia.  We went to his parents' house for dinner, dessert, and as always, fun conversation.  Afterwards, Bruce, Jimmy, Sarah and I went back to the Batcave and watched "Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom", arguably my least favorite of the Indy flicks, but still has a number of great moments.

And now I'm ready for bed, my eyes are heavy.

Girl Time

Tonight I went out with some of my girlfriends, It has been a long while since we've all hung out together...or rather, since I have hung out with them.  I'm kinda lame like that.

It was good to see Erin before she leaves for New Zealand next week. Super Crazy!

So even if I inadvertently created some drama with who I did and did not invite tonight, I'm glad I got to see the people I care about.

Please hold, Your call is very important to us...

I ordered a new cell phone at the end of last month, and it was supposed to be delivered the other day.  However, it has not yet arrived.

The USPS tracking number I was provided with doesn't work either.

So I've been on the phone off and on with T-Mobile Customer Service trying to figure out where the contraption is.  All that has done is give me a headache and reinforce the stereotype of annoying and dim-witted customer service representatives.

I just want my phone, dagnabbit!

Public Speaking

I've been working on a presentation for work, and today was the day that I had to deliver everything.

I don't enjoy public speaking, and I quickly learned that giving a presentation over the phone isn't much better, I still got pretty nervous, but it went well, and I'm glad that it is done.

After all, how enthralling can a presentation on Quantitative Analysis for Business be?

Not very.

Week 1

My first week of the photo challenge is done!

Here are the results of my first seven days of shooting:

Day 1- Lunch

Put quite simply, this was my lunch.  Exciting, I know!  It was Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato soup, and it was tasty.

Day 2- Begins with G

These are my favorite pair of garnet earrings that my little brother gave me for my birthday last year.  Garnet is my birthstone, and I've always thought they were pretty.

Day 3- My Town

I've only lived here for a little over 6 months, but I really like my tiny town, even if it is "out in the boonies".

Day 4- Words to live by

These are some quotes about family that I had around the house.

Day 5- Found

For this day I decided to take a picture of one of my crosswords.  I love crossword puzzles, finding which words fit where, and exercising my brain creatively.

Day 6- Happens Everyday

Bruce and I exchange text messages, it's my favorite part of each day.

Day 7- Upside Down

I had a hard time coming up with something to shoot for this category, and while it may still not exactly work, I don't really care.  And as a plus, I think the shoes are sassy.

Photo Challenge

So in light of me attempting to take more photos this year, I am doing a photo challenge that I found online.  Essentially, there is a list of things/ideas that you take a picture of each day.

I decided that I would post the results at the end of every seven days, so the first posting should be tomorrow.

Here is the list I am shooting from:

Jenny, don't change your number

I was pulled from my sleep this morning by my cell phone ringing.

It was an unfamiliar phone number, but with a familiar area code, so I answered it.

I was delighted to find that it was my sister Jenelle (who lives in Switzerland) on the other end of the line!  I haven't talked to her since August, and I was surprised to get her call.  It turns out that I had the wrong number for her in my phone which is why I didn't realize it was her calling.

It was fun catching up with her and just chatting for a bit.

I'm excited for them to move back to the states!

Cataloging

It's been a long time since I cataloged my DVD's.

Like, since before I moved...so I decided it was time to update the list I have on my computer a bit.

I learned that I apparently struggle with my ABC's on occasion, and found a few items slightly out of order both on my list and in my binders...the binders I can blame on other people messing with them...the list however, that's all me, so there's no good way out of that one.

On top of my spelling skills (or lack thereof), I was actually shocked to discover that I do not own "Star Trek".  I could have sworn I owned it!  I find it incredibly odd and slightly suspicious that I don't...

Oh well, I guess since it's been so long since the movie came out that it should be a fairly inexpensive purchase, so it'll all work itself out.

That's funny

Today Bruce and I finished our foray into the extended editions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  And I have to say that I really enjoyed them, there are a lot of really good scenes that were taken out, some that really aided and enhanced the story line, and a number of really funny one-liners from Gimli, which are always appreciated.

Now I'm working up the gumption to go grocery shopping...

This could take some time...

I approve

Tonight for our date, Bruce and I went to Johnny Carino's, an Italian restaurant that is here in town (and by "here", I mean Idaho Falls).  We actually ran into my friend Erin when we got there, it was fun to see her, even if for just a minute.

Our food was good, Bruce managed to get things that were delightfully accented with bacon, so he was definitely a happy camper.

After dinner, we went for a quick walk downtown, and then went to see "Gravity" in 3D at the cheap(er) theater.  It was a really good movie, very intense, gripping, and just an overall good watch.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I went into it expecting it to be a pretty good flick anyway, but it was even better than I was anticipating.

YoA

So last year was the YTC, or the Year of Taking Control.

Little did I know when I gave that title to my year, how appropriate it would actually be.  2013 was a doozy of a year for me, but as I outlined last January, YTC is about taking control of my life and not letting the negativity of others and bad situations control my life.  And boy, did I take control...

I turned a corner spiritually and made decisions that have greatly influenced my life for the better.
I moved on from a bad relationship and didn't let it bring me down.
I moved to a completely different state, where I knew no one, and I did it alone.
I forced myself to be social and make new friends when I moved (which is hard for me).
I read books that I've been wanting to.
I tried my hand at new recipes and expanded my horizons in the culinary realm.
I did a lot of dating once I moved and met some great (and some not so great) people.
After a slightly bumpy start, I started dating Bruce, who is the most incredible man.  He makes me insanely happy, makes me laugh, helps me look at things in new ways, and pushes me to be a better person just by being a spectacular individual himself.

So after a little bit of pondering, I have determined that 2014 is going to be the YoA, or the Year of Awesome.

I think that this is going to be an awesome year, and I hope to be able to document it better than I have in the past by taking more pictures (something I've been working on), blogging (yep, working on that too), doing fun things with friends, experiencing new things, places, people, and ideas, traveling, laughing freely, and just doing things that will make the year, in a word, awesome.

First day

Kelly and I stayed up way too late on New Years, we actually didn't get to bed until a little after 3:00am...which if you know either of us and our deep and abiding love of sleep, you know that's pretty insane.

Anyway, after about 6 hours of sleep, my body (and my dinging cell phone) decided that I had had enough sleep and that I should definitely start my day... My mind was less obliging, but it eventually caved and I got up to make waffles.

After breakfast and a shower, Kelly and I went to a movie and then got some lunch, after which Kelly made her way back to Utah before it got dark (always a smart move).

Later this evening, Bruce, Jimmy, Sarah and I went to dinner at this place called Rusio's, they do soup, salad and sandwiches, kind of like Zupas (which Kelly and I used to frequent a bit when we lived together).  After dinner, we went back to the Batcave (Bruce and Jimmy's apartment) and watched the newest episode of "Sherlock".  I am excited for the new episodes, I think the show is so brilliantly done.

Anyway, it was a good first day of the year, even though I spent a good chunk of it being exhausted.

Though I recently got my second wind...

Out with the old

So as was mentioned, Kelly came to visit for New Years!

She arrived in the mid-afternoon, and it was fun catching up.  She brought me some sweet Christmas presents too, so now I have a gorgeous new calendar, pop-up post-it notes, Junior Mints, 2 movies, some pretty earrings, a food processor, some warm Christmas socks and some other fun goodies.  She's awesome and knows me so well!  Though she says herself that I am incredibly easy to shop for because I'm really easy to please.

So last night, Kelly, Bruce, Jimmy, Sarah and I rang in the New Year together.  We are a very casual bunch, so we chatted, messed around with some Would You Rather cards, watched Cool Runnings, and then at midnight we popped some non-alcoholic bubbly and deemed the new year officially rung in.

I love casual things.  I'm sure all the fancy parties are fun and an awesome experience, but there is definitely something to be said for lounging in a sweatshirt and watching a movie while sitting next to your boyfriend who is completely passed out from exhaustion instead of having to get gussied up and make nice with people.

But that could just be me.