Jackson, WY Adventure

So we decided that we needed to start doing more activities while we are out here, because we only have one year left.  Each month we will pick at least one activity like skiing/snowboarding, museum, concert, hiking etc.

December was the month for Wyoming!

Probably not the smartest idea I've ever had going directly through the Teton Pass and the Swan Valley Pass in the middle of winter.  It was so scary!! I'm not even exaggerating there are people walking on the side of the road to go skiing and snowboarding on this curvy narrow mountain that you could just fall off of.  Then take into consideration our car being really old, the front tires are completely worn down, and the front brakes are going again.  I'm pretty sure that I had multiple panic attacks on the way down the mountain especially when our car started to fish tail a little bit!


When we arrived safely at our destination this is the wonderful view that welcomed us into the town.

BEAUTIFUL!

When we got to Jackson we took a walk through the visitors center and saw all off the displays that they have about the wildlife.

  After we went on a sleigh ride through the elk reservation.  It was FREEZING I nearly lost my nose it was so cold.

It was so fun though! We got just a few feet from the Elk, and learned all about them and it was interesting.

Afterward to warm up we went to Billy's burger and had the biggest cheeseburger with lettuce, onions, mayo, ketchup, mustard, a huge beef patty, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and jalapenos.  Along with some waffle fries and a diet coke it was the perfect ending to such a fun day with my hubby :)

We were planning on staying for the fireworks and the torchlight parade down the mountain, but we (meaning I) was just too scared to be driving through those mountain passes at 10pm at night, so we headed on home.

Before we left though we got another picture in front of the arch, almost one year later from when we took our first one :) the top is from a year ago, and the bottom one is from yesterday

My Yummy Creation and New Do

I had such a wonderful day! We got a Wii for Christmas so we played tennis for a little while yesterday and then watch Prince of Persia.  Unfortunately we both fell asleep during it, so we'll try to watch it again tonight.  We got to sleep in today and didn't bother to set the alarm clock.  We listened to our internal alarm clock and woke up when we were ready.  I desperately needed to get my hair done, because it was looking like a HOT MESS!  It look her about 4 hours to do it and give me a little trim but I really needed to do it today...

 FINAL OUTCOME

I really like it! :) 

I also made a wonderful dinner....my masterpiece....completely off the top of my head when I got home from the Salon so we could eat dinner together before... here my recipe for 2

Ingredients

2 cups of Buitoni Mixed Cheese Tortellini

1/2 cup of Arrabbiata

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 oz. green bell papper
2 oz. red bell pepper
Onion
1/4 c. fresh grated Parmesan Cheese 
8 oz.  chicken breast
Kickin' chicken seasoning
thyme
fresh basil
fresh parsley
2 cups romaine lettuce
10 cucumber slices
10 baby carrots
1/2 cup broccoli 
4 tbsp.  fat free zesty Italian dressing

Directions
1.  Boil water, add tortellini with 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil cook for 8 minutes.  Be careful that you don't overcook it.
2.  Cut up parsley, basil, green and red peppers, and mix in bowl.  Pound chicken breasts.  Coat chicken with Kickin' chicken seasoning, then thyme.  After mix chicken in bowl with the parsley and other seasonings.
3.  Saute chicken in a pan and add more peppers and onion.
4.  Drain pasta, then add the Arrabbiata and Parmesan cheese, let it sit on a low heat for 5 minutes.
5.  Make tossed salad with lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, and red peppers.  Toss in Italian dressing.
6.  Plate the salad.  Mix the pasta and make sure that it is hot, then serve the chicken over it.  

Nutrition
Makes 2 servings
Calories- 580
Fat- 16. grams
Carbs- 60 grams
Protein- 50 grams  

I'm going to call in Saboroso- from Brittany's Kitchen

Decorating Sugar Cookies

WARNING!!!! This is very messy haha, there is no way to make this not messy, so be prepared for it....you will get dye and frosting all over your hands, they best way to get it off is to mix toothpaste and baking powder and just scrub the heck out of them. 

Recipe for sugar cookies...

Makes 2 dozen

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy. With mixer running, add egg, brandy, and vanilla; mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add reserved flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
2. Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Ideal Sugar Cookies - Martha Stewart Recipes

 

Royal Icing Frosting 

5 cups powdered sugar

2 tbs.  light corn syrup

1/4 cup milk

* when your flooding the cookies, or doing to base color, make it more fluid like by adding more milk till you get the right consistency.

* when doing the details add more powdered sugar to make it thicker, you don't want the details to run

 I'm kind of dumb, and forgot to take pictures after I added the details, but they were delicious and looked cute.  The 2 dozen of sugar cookies were gone by the end of Christmas day!

It's finally over!! :)

Yes the semester is OVER!  We are so happy, are grades came back pretty good I didn't get the grade that I was aiming for with my math class, but I gave it my best.  It was a Crazy semester, and I was getting super stressed out toward the end.

Story with my math grade....

Well my teacher sent out an e-mail a week ago and said the days that we could take our final, then I had to work the whole day so I didn't check my e-mail.  Then the next day I didn't check my e-mail but that was the day my teacher sent out a correction saying that the final actually closed THAT DAY!!

So I wake up the next morning check my e-mail and then I see the e-mail that he sent yesterday, so I missed my FINAL!! I immediately started crying and Ben just runs into the room, and I was pretty much hyperventilating.  I finally calmed down and called my teacher directly on his cell phone that he gave us his number too in case of a math emergency (they are apparently more common then you would think).  See says that I can go and take it right now but I'm going to get 25% off automatically.  So I ran up an took it, did terrible because I was stressed out.  Oh on top of that, when I was dressing to go and take the test I realized that the night before I somehow only put on contact in my case and the other one sitting on the counter.  They were my last stinking pair, and I lost my glasses like a year ago.  Thankfully I had a pair of colored contacts that I could were temporarily until my real ones come in.

Back to the test....So I get back home after taking and and I get an e-mail from him saying that they don't have my scores for the 2nd test I took...HOW?!?!?!?!?! Please someone enlighten me on how you loose the test scores.  So he told me that I could go in an take it again....OH this is the wonderful part (JK) I will be getting  25% off of that one to!!!! ARE YOU FO REAL?!

ANYWAYS, I'm so happy the semester is over....I get a nice break, and I'm excited for next semester.  I'm not going to be a manager at t-bell, because I don't want to work 30 hours a week, so I'm dropping down to 20 a week.  Ben's off track so he'll be working full time so it will be all good.  And I don't think I'll have a problem picking up hours if we need too.  

SO all is well on the home front....

Exercising has been WONDERFUL! I shaved over a minute off my mile! :) Yesterday I did 1.5 miles in 12 minutes...that's pretty good for me!  I did a total of 4 miles between jogging/running, and just 5 miles on the bike.  I feel awesome! 

I'm finally reaping the rewards! I lost 4 lbs. and dropped a pants size, and honestly I just feel fitter which is good.  I didn't gain the freshman 15, but I did gain the engagement 15... and it doesn't help working at t-bell....So I just try to bring food with me, always eat breakfast, and tell myself that I will feel so sick when I'm at the gym later if I eat that...so it's really not worth it to me.  But sometimes I indulge in a little bean burrito! :)  

BABY FEVER...that's all I have to say

Eat Healthy America

Working at T-Bell has really opened my eyes though about taking care of my body.  It's not like a vain thing so people will tell me I look good, but it's more like I want to be really healthy when I get pregnant, and just live a healthy lifestyle because parents are the bets example for their kids! And we want healthy kids!

We were talking the other day in the car about how much money the state and federal government must spend on fighting obesity and promoting a healthy lifestyle ($148 Billion just to treat the ailments in 2008, it's increased since then!), and I was getting so upset because I feel that the biggest reason children are having to be taught how to eat right and exercise by their schools and programs is because parents aren't doing it. I don't mean to offend anyone, but I think it's a parents responsibility to teach their children how to be healthy.  We don't have any kids yet, so it's probably hard for me to understand, but I would feel just terrible if I was setting a bad example for my kids.  To me there isn't a huge difference between smoking in front of your child and eating a big mac on a constant basis in front of them.  I'm all for having treats once in a while, and not depriving yourself and everything in moderation, but for adults to constantly be eating that food and then getting it for their children too, I just think it's not the same plan that I want to have when we start to grow our little family.

Alright.....so now I'm stepping off my soapbox!

On the bite side of things, I've found this awesome website called http://www.eatbetteramerica.com
it's simply wonderful!

Tonight were going to try a Chicken, Rice, and Beans Bake
 

Prep Time:20 min

Start to Finish:1 hr 10 min

makes:6 servings

1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks), skinned
2 tablespoons oil
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato juice
1 package (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen whole kernel corn
2/3 cup long grain rice
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

1  Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, the salt, and pepper. Add half of the chicken pieces. Seal bag; shake to coat. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

2  In a very large skillet, brown chicken on all sides in hot oil over medium heat about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside; discard drippings in skillet. Add beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, the cayenne pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Bring to boiling. Transfer rice mixture to a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole. Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture.

3  Bake, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170ºF for breasts; 180ºF for thighs and drumsticks) and rice is tender.

Nutritional Information 

1 1/3 cups: Calories 350 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 600mg; Total Carbohydrate 44g (Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 5g); Protein 28g % Daily Value Vitamin A 15; Vitamin C 30; Calcium 6; Iron 20 Exchanges 2 1/2 Starch, 2 1/2 Lean Meat, 0 Fat Carbohydrate Choices 3

It's the Christmas Season!!

I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!

It just seems to me like everyone is in a better mood.  We put up our Christmas tree a while ago, but I never blogged about it. 

We love it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

What an awesome time of year to be able to show your gratitude to all the wonderful people who bless our lives, and for the opportunities and blessings that our Heavenly Father has given us.  I got the idea to have both me and Ben share what we are grateful for individually

Britt- I'm so grateful for the missionaries that taught my family and that I have been baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I'm extremely grateful for the knowledge that Heavenly Father loves, and cares about me and any trials that I face .  I know that Jesus Christ died for me, and that through the Atonement and the sacrifice of my Savior and Heavenly Father I will have an opportunity to return and live with Him again.

Without the gospel in my life, I would be empty and wouldn't know true joy.  I don't think I would be nearly as happy as I am now, and have a wonderful husband.  I'm so thankful for missionaries who are spreading the word of God to all of His children around the world, and I love having missionary opportunities.  I love the temple! I'm so happy to have made covenants with God, and learn His doctrine and strengthen my testimony.

I'm so lucky to be able to get such a great education and to learn!  I actually really enjoy school, and it feels so good to work hard and see the outcome.  I hope that one day everyone will be able to gain a good education and use it to better their lives.  I'm so excited to see where my degree takes me, and to have the opportunity in life to work hard and help make a good life for our family.

I'm so grateful for my job!! Thank you good people of rexburg, who love tacos and burritos.  Without your desire I wouldn't be able to work and pay for school, and just life!  HATS OFF TO YA!

Lastly, I'm so thankful for my husband and my family.  I'm grateful for all of the fun experiences we've shared and the trials that we have faced.  I know that everything really does happen for a reason, and all of our trials have a purpose.  I was completely heartbroken when we miscarried and I felt I would never overcome my grief.  I thought about it everyday, but then one day I didn't.  Then that turned into a few days, then a weeks, then a month.  It get's easier.  I know it has because I feel so much comfort when I pray and ask for help.  This trial has strengthened our marriage, and it has made me so excited to add a little bundle into our family!  I love my family and I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful mom and dad, and sisters that love me, and the cutest niece in the whole world. 

Ben- Thanksgiving has always been a day of gratitude and thanks for the blessings god has given me.  This year a huge thing that has stood out to me is seeing the Lord's hand in our family.  Because we are both in college, and work on a tight budget, I have seen the insight and protection of the Lord over and over.  One very recent example is when our car broke down.  The timing was absolutely perfect, the repair costs were minimal, but we found several key problems with our car that we would not have known if it had not been worked on.  These problems would have caused an accident on the already dangerous roads of Idaho, and I can't reiterate how lucky we are to have those problems found so quickly.

The second thing I am grateful for is Brittany.  She is my everything.  I have never loved somone so fully in my entire life.  Everytime, I see her face, my heart literally swells, and I get so happy.  Usually this gets expressed in a fit of kisses, random songs about her, or something annoying, but I can't help it, she makes me happy.  One of the things I'm grateful for in Brittany is that she is a good manager of our home.  She has beautiful decorating sense, something I could never get.  She is hard working and smart, she's been getting great grades this semester!  When we go to bed, we usually have 5 minutes of tormenting each other with tickles, cover hogging, and teasing--my ideal way to go to bed :-).  She and I have joy in our life together, something that is essential for me. Lastly, when we have kids, I know without a doubt that she will be a perfect mother.  I have already learned from these 7 months in our marriage that she has the motherly instincts to raise them in a home with peace, joy and the spirit. 


I love her because she makes my heart sing, and sometimes its annoying for her to endure my bursts of song, but she's learned to smile and cope with it.  I love her because she makes my life complete, and that is what I'm most thankful for this thanksgiving.

 We had such a great thanksgiving! We weren't able to be with family down in Utah, but we celebrated with my Taco-Bell Family instead! It was so nice just to get together, and there was an insane amount of food.  I brought a couple of dishes, funeral potatoes, an apple pie, and a spinach and strawberry salad....Which is delicious by the way!

Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Bag of spinach
1 quart strawberries, halved
Glazed walnuts
Slivered almonds
Handful of craizins
and some Raspberry Vinaigrette

I'm going to try to make another pie on Sunday, and hopefully it won't get burnt ;)