Work Christmas Party!

I forgot to post about the fun work Christmas party we had over a week ago. We met at Paula's lovely house. We then had a great time making gingerbread houses. I really liked Elise's and Jeff's house because it was so tall and unique. Our house, well, it left something to be desired, but we had fun making it anyway. Everyone enjoyed cookies and wassail, oh and left over candy from the gingerbread house making (I couldn't stop eating the gumballs I brought...let's hope no cavities are coming my way!) Here's a group shot of everyone except Wade, Paula's husband:

We were stumped. We were trying to figure out how to get our house looking snazzy without a lot of frosting left. So I ate more gumballs to get my creative juices flowing.
Still having fun!

We did a white elephant gift exchange. We were lucky enough to choose Paula and Wade's gift: a big old stack of their wedding announcements. Hhmmm....valuable, yes, clever, yes, useful, not really. But I guess white elephant gifts are suppose to be random, and Paula and Wade, you won the randomness contest in this gift exchange. I'll get you back sometime. Watch out!

All we could come up with from around our place was a box of Fruity Pebbles (we don't keep anything random because, well, Brad's a neat freak, thankfully). Well, Braden (Heather's son)lucked out because he picked that gift and no one wanted to steal it from him. Lucky for him, he really liked that cereal so it is something he'll actually use. That doesn't happen too often with white elephant gifts. Maybe if Chris is lucky, Braden will share with him.

We also did a real gift exchange between us five co-workers. Elise totally surprised me with a nice silver spoon rest and some really soft, comfy socks. I was very happy with this gift. Thanks Elise! You listen well! The funny thing is that I got the exact same silver spoon rest for Betsy! Betsy had told us about it at work and then eventually it clicked that that was what I wanted to get for her. After I had bought that for Betsy, I decided that I wanted one too. I came into work the next day saying how much I wanted Brad to get me a silver spoon rest for Christmas. Little did I know, Elise had already gotten it for me! She didn't even need my extra hints. I must say that you did a good job of keeping a straight face, Elise. No more messy counters, spoon rests for everyone!

Thanks for hosting such a fun party, Paula. We had a fun time. I think the boys had even more fun since they got their video game fix! I feel blessed to have such fun, friendly, and caring co-workers. We all seem to get along so well, and that is hard to come by in most workplaces. I've never had a job where I've felt so comfortable. Yes, it does feel like work sometimes, but other times, it just feels like I'm having fun hanging out with friends. Thank goodness for downtime! It helps us stay sane. Anyway, I think we should all hang out more, you know, besides the 40 hours a week we are together (I guess we're not all together that long, but you get the idea). Before we know it, one of us will be gone and it just won't be the same anymore. I'll make it happen. I'll invite all of you to our itty bitty apartment and we can party some more. Sounds like fun, huh!? Okay I'll stop rambling.

Happy shopping everyone! Hope the spirit of Christmas is bringing you peace, love, and charity.

Life Around Here!

Every year my company provides us with tickets to a Utah Jazz game or two. Our turn came around last Thursday (on very short notice), but it's always a lot of fun so we decided to change our plans and go to the game. We love it because we get to sit up in the company's box suite, which provides a great veiw of the court. We also get spoiled with good food, drinks, and goodies. Let's just say that Brad goes a little overboard when there is free soda and delicious guacamole available. He suffered from a tummy ache all night long. I must admit, I probably ate twice as much as I should have and did have a slight stomach ache. There's just something about free good food that makes it hard not to splurge. We both recovered quickly, but we've decided to have a little better restraint at the next game. Anyway, it was fun to be there with some of my co-workers and see them outside of work. It was a very entertaining game. They were playing the Trailblazers from Oregon. The Jazz seemed to be playing very well (to me, who doesn't know much about basketball). They must have done something right because they had a strong win. I can't remember what the final score was, but we won and that's what counts. The mascot was especially entertaining and the half-time show was pretty neat. It was a one man show. He did some cool juggling tricks, then some balancing tricks, and combinations of both, all while dancing around. He also got up on the tallest unicycle I've ever seen. He road it around the court for a while and then attempted to shoot basketballs into the hoop. Not much luck with that, but I was amazed he didn't fall off. Anyway, because it was a late game, we didn't get home until 12:15 am. Needless to say most of us were a little tired at work on Friday. But we were all glad that we went. Memories! There are some great perks to working for Nutraceutical, this being one of them. My husband enjoys it even more than I do, I think! I stole the top pic off of Elise's blog (thanks!) and I'm going to get another one from her that she took of us. I'll post it later.

Brad and I were asked to speak last Sunday (two days ago). We spent quite a bit of time over the weekend working on our talks. I get really really nervous about preparing and giving talks. It's one of the scariest things for me. Brad doesn't get quite as nervous as I do, but he doesn't really like public speaking that much either. Well, after the long and drawn out process of getting my talk just right, I gave it, it went fine (although I know I sounded really nervous), and I didn't faint up on the stand. I felt pretty good about it. I hope that with more practice, it won't be so hard for me. Brad did a great job and took the topic in a different direction than me. It wasn't exactly the best time for him to speak, because he has five finals this week that he needs to be preparing for. But he prepared his talk in a timely manner and without complaining and it will all work out. He just called and told me that he finished his first final, which was a doozy, and he felt good about it. One down, four to go. I'm so lucky to have a husband that doesn't stress out as much as me. He handles stress quite well and he helps me stay grounded and keep things in perspective. This is probably one of the things that drew me to him. He helps calm me down and teaches me to not sweat the small stuff. There's so much I could learn from him. Hopefully his calmness and contentment will rub off on me.

We had a fun break!

Me and my Honey in Island Park!

4-wheeling with the fam!

My sister's cute little family: The Arfmann's

We went to Island Park with my parents and the Arfmann's (Ryan, Julie (my sis!), Maylie, Brianna, and Ashlie) for Thanksgiving break. We were able to get away and meet them in Island Park last Wednesday. We stayed in some condos because my parents have a timeshare there. We had a fun time swimming, 4-wheeling, eating, watching movies, making ginger bread houses, and playing games. It was very relaxing and Thanksgiving dinner was great. Brad's apple pie turned out excellent! My only complaint is that the toilet was flooding when I got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Oh, and I caught a nasty cold. Despite that, it was a nice little getaway.

On Saturday morning we headed back to Idaho Falls. We got to talk to Brian, Natalie, Kennedy, and Nathan using my parents webcam. It was good to see all of them. Little Nathan is soooo cute! I've only seen pictures of him so this was the first time I had seen him in action. We're thankful that he is feeling better. That night we went to see the movie Twilight. I've read the series and, for the most part, I enjoyed them. I thought the movie was entertaining and well done. It could have been just a little longer in my opinion (which I usually don't say), but it was good anyway. Brad even liked it! We both thought it was better than we expected. I can't wait for the next one, whenever it comes out. We stayed at my parents house that night, went to church with them the next day, and headed home Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed spending time with family and kicking back. It's so fun to watch Maylie, Brianna, and Ashlie grow up. They each have such fun unique personalities. I must say, I am jealous of Brad because Ashlie prefers him over me. I think it's because she likes it when he chases all of them around. I'm just not quite as much fun as him. I really enjoy seeing them play and laugh and learn. I can't wait to have my own set of cute little kids. Anyway, I've been meaning to post some pictures from the trip all week long and now that it's almost the weekend, I'm finally doing it. Better late than never, right?!

Thankful Tag

My cousin Amy tagged me with a Thankful Tag. This entails writing something for which you are thankful for each letter of your name. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it is nice to take a step back and contemplate the goodness in our lives. These are just a few of the things I am thankful for:

Sisters

Home

Autumn weather

Nice Customers

Nieces and Nephew

Amazing husband

I'm getting excited for the break. I'm looking forward to good food, spending time with family, and relaxing. And of course contemplating the many blessings in my life for which I am thankful. I can't wait to make a great new recipe for a Sweet Potato Souffle (thanks to Heather)! I also can't wait to taste Brad's fabulous apple pie that he volunteered to make. He insists that he loves cooking and baking, so now I'm ready to see just how good he is at baking. I'm sure I'll be impressed. I tag Paula, Heather, Elise, Betsy, Shelley, Allison, and Julie. You don't have to, just if you want to. Have a great holiday everyone!

Another Tag!

My friend Amy Lambert tagged me awhile back and I'm finally going to complete it. It's Friday evening and I have about 1/2 hour left at work. Yeah! I'm really looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend.

10 YEARS AGO I WAS....

• 14 years old
• in the 8th grade
• a cheerleader for the boys basketball team
• excited to get my first round of braces off
• boy crazy

5 THINGS ON TODAY'S "TO DO" LIST

1. Lift weights (check)
2. Walk during my lunch break (check)
3. Go to a reception
4. Clean out the dishwasher (we'll see....)
5. Fold the laundry that's sitting in the dryer (tomorrow? hey it's a Friday night!)

SNACKS I ENJOY

• Soy yogurt (just tried this and it fulfills my yogurt cravings)
• Bananas with Adam's Peanut Butter
• Hummus with carrots, green peppers, and cucumbers as dippers
• Almonds and fruit

5 PLACES I'VE LIVED (STARTING FROM BIRTH)

1. Idaho Falls, ID
2. Rexburg, ID
3. Cambridge, MA
4. Orem, UT
5. That's all folks

JOBS I'VE HAD

• Custodian at my dad's office
• Tennis Instructor
• Teacher's Aid for a professor
• Health Care Supervisor and Logistics Manager for the Tennis Camps at Harvard
• Jamba Juice employee
• Hostess at EIRMC
• Education Specialist for Nutraceutical
• Foot Solutions employee

PEOPLE I TAG

• Heather Olsen
• Julie Arfmann

Halloween Pics

Brad and I went to our ward's Trunk or Treat on Halloween. I was already dressed in my gypsy costume from work and Brad got creative with some Smarties. As you can kind of see in the top picture, Brad taped Smarties to his pants all the way down. Do you get it? He's a "Smartie pants"! How did he ever come up with that? Oh wait, I did. But he did all the work. Anyway, we had fun eating and seeing all the fun costumes. Some of the trunks were decorated really well. Very creative. One woman had her trunk decorated with the Twilight Series as the theme. She had previews for the upcoming movie playing on a screen and all kinds of vampirish things. Well, I think due to this activity and due to the fact that the entrance to our apartment is on the side of the house, we did not have one single trick-or-treater. Poor Brad has to eat that 5 lb. bag of candy all by himself. I think that was his plan all along! We also had fun watching part of a movie on our neighbor's lawn on their big blow-up screen. Fun times.

Seven Things

My good friend Kasi tagged me a few days ago. I've been tagged several times this week, but don't worry, I'll spread them out so it's not a super long post. And so you have time to read every word, right?! By the way, I didn't list these in any particular order, so number 1 is not necessarily more important than number 7.

7 Things I plan to do before I die…
1. Go on a really nice long luxurious cruise (at least once)
2. Go to Europe with Brad
3. Have children and grandchildren
5. Serve a mission or two
6. Become a patient, kind, charitable, thoughtful person
7. Become really good at something....piano, decorating, cooking, tennis, naturopathy...I don't care what it is, just find a passion for something and enjoy the process of becoming skillful at it.

7 Things I can do…
1. Cook and eat good food (I'm especially good at the eating part)
2. Give good massages
3. Play piano
4. Sing
5. Sew (some help needed)
6. Dance
7. Play tennis

7 Things I cannot do…
1. Read about stuff that doesn't interest me at all, my mind wanders the whole time
2. Live without chocolate (okay I probably would survive, but I would be kind of grumpy)
3. Multi-task (I sure try, but in reality, I'm just better at doing one thing at a time)
4. See the forest for all the trees are in my way
5. Eat dairy foods (sometimes I try, and then I pay for it later)
6. Write my posts quickly
7. Live without Brad (don't worry Brad, you come before chocolate!)

7 Things That Attract Me To Brad…
1. His thoughtfulness
2. His blue eyes
3. His ability to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time
4. He's tall (to me), dark, and handsome
5. His ability to relax and not stress out
6. He's athletic
7. He's hard-working

7 Things I say most often…
1. I need a nap
2. Have a nice day. Mmbye.
3. Nutritional Product Helpline, this is Shanna, how may I help you?
4. Seriously
5. I'm sorry
6. I love you (to Brad of course)
7. I should....

7 Favorite Celebs...
1. Tom Hanks
2. Reese Witherspoon
3. Will Smith
4. Taylor Swift
5. Matthew McConaughey
6. Jerry Seinfeld
7. David Archuletta

7 Favorite Foods...
1. Hot fudge brownie sundaes
2. Cinnamon rolls
3. Italian food
4. Mexican food
5. Homemade bread
6. Chocolate
7. Peanut butter

Halloween Fun at Work!

We all decided to get into the spirit of things and dress up for Halloween. From left to right: Betsy's a cowgirl, I'm a gypsy (I forgot my big dangly earrings at home :(. And my pose is totally awkward :)! I was pretending I had a tamberine on my hip. Weird I know! Oh well), Elise is Sarah Palin, Paula is a jail bird, and Heather is a rockstar. We played a fun matching game, thanks to Heather's creativity. We matched homeopathic names to their common names, all on cute halloween paper. Don't you wish you could have played? We've had a fun day so far. Dressing up is so fun. If only I could convince Brad of that!

Remember Me?!

As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot...anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you!

Weekend Fun

Whew! This was a full and fun weekend. Friday night I went to a Relief Society enrichment activity right after work. It was called Midnight Madness. As the name implies, this activity lasted well into the night. We had a yummy dinner which included salad and breadsticks from Olive Garden, which I love!! Then it was on to the crafts. I had signed up for three different projects. I should take pictures of them to post. I think they turned out pretty well, seeing how I don't do crafty stuff all that often. I had a good time getting to know the ladies in the ward. It's been fun being in a Relief Society with women of all ages again. I love learning from the wisdom of those who have been around a bit longer than me. We've really enjoyed our ward so far. Anyway, I stayed until about 10:30 p.m. so I could finish my projects. Then I finally came home to my lonesome husband. He didn't know what to do with himself without me. Actually, I think he enjoyed being able to watch all the football he wanted without me hasseling him to change the channel to something interesting. He deserved it after a very intense week with school.

Then Saturday, while the boys/men went to the BYU football game (where Brad got very sunburned), the girls went shopping, of course. This included my mother-in-law Tammy, Shelley and Megan (Brad's younger sisters), and me. We hit up the Provo mall and the University Mall. This kept us busy for several hours. No major purchases on my part. Just a couple of pairs of earrings. Nothing really jumped out at me. Much to Brad's relief, I'm sure! It was fun just looking around and helping the others look for things. Then we went to the Sunflower Market which is the new farmer's market in town. I was telling the girls about the great deals there and they thought it would be fun to check it out. Sure enough, there were still plenty of great deals there so we all got stocked up on some cheap produce. I'm talking 10 cents per grapefruit! It was fun spending time with Tammy, Shelley, and Megan. We had a good girls day out. For the grand finale, we met up with everyone at Grandma Roper's house for a pizza party to celebrate her birthday. We had a great time talking and relaxing, and well, eating of course! I love hearing stories about Brad's younger years, and when the family gathers I'm sure to hear more about the little mischief maker that he was. Of course he's all grown up and way past that now, right?:) It's been fun having Brad's family living right here in Utah. We get to see them a lot more and we love it!

Baby Nathan

My brother, Brian, and his wife, Natalie, recently brought a new baby boy into this world. His name is Nathan Charles Call. He was born on Friday, October 10th. He was 6 lbs. 7 oz. and 19 and a half inches long. He came a little bit early, but everything went fine with the delivery. I'm so excited to have a nephew. He is sooo adorable in all of his cute tiny outfits that I can't resist the urge to post a few pictures. I love how he even has matching shoes. Good job, Natalie! We can't wait to see the little guy, but it doesn't look like we'll be making it to Florida anytime soon. So until then, we'll enjoy pictures. While I'm at it, I'm going to post a really cute picture of Kennedy, Nathan's big sister. How can an aunt resist showing off her nieces and nephew when they are this cute? Congratulations Brian, Natalie, and Kennedy!

Funny Blog

There is this blog that is pretty funny that seems to have been getting a lot of recognition around here. Sounds like she's even on a radio show. Some of the things she posts you just have to let roll off your sleeve, or you might be offended. For the most part, it's pretty clever. Check it out for a good laugh.

http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/

Conference Weekend

We had a great time last weekend. Friday evening we went to Brad's mission reunion. It was fun to see some of Brad's old companions and friends from the mission. Brad has been home from his mission for three years now. He's accomplished a lot in that time. After the reunion, we stayed with my parents in a hotel overnight. The four of us had tickets for the Saturday morning session of General Conference. So Saturday morning we headed to the Conference Center. It pretty much rained the whole day. We were very silly and left our umbrellas in our hotel room. I wanted to take them but Brad was like "It's just drizzling." Thank goodness for my hooded wind breaker. Anyway, it was so nice to be in the Conference Center and hear the Tabernacle Choir in person. In between sessions my parents took us to eat at Olive Garden (yum yum!) and then we headed back to the hotel to listen to the afternoon session. My mom and I had a fun time visiting while Brad and my dad were at the Priesthood session. Brad and I headed back to Orem that night. We enjoyed watching conference on Sunday from our comfy couch, while Brad was recovering from a nasty cold (which I feel like I'm getting today :(.) Thanks to mom and dad for treating us to a fun weekend. We enjoyed your company.

As I pondered about what I learned from conference, I realized something of significance. When searching for answers to concerns I have about health, diet, exercise, politics, etc. I'm always looking for the most up to date information. I don't like outdated material because there are always scientific breakthroughs and research is constantly being done. I'm always searching for that new information that is going to be the answer to my concerns. What I realized is that when it comes to the Gospel, it is unchanging. What was once true will always be true. Sure we'll have talks that might be more applicable to one period of time than another, but the basic doctrines and principles will always be the same. I think that is why it is often referred to as an anchor. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the one firm thing we can hold on to when everything around us is chaotic and confusing. It is the one thing we can be sure of. I find that very comforting and with this realization I've decided I'm going to put more time and energy into strengthening my testimony. No one can ever take it from me. With all of the chaos in the world right now, I need that sure foundation. I'm ever grateful for these Conference weekends. I seem to find a renewed strength and faith to keep pushing forward.

My First Tag

Okay Jules! I'll answer your tag already. I'm just not a very quirky person, you know. J/K. But I'll try to drum up something. So my lovely sister Julie sent me my first tag. Here goes.

Rules: 1. Link the person who tagged you. 2. Mention the rules on your blog. 3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours. 4. Tag 6 other bloggers by linking them.

Shanna's Unspectacular Quirks
1. I love the show "Monk". It's on USA. Give it a try, I think you'll like it. I just get a kick out of it. And somehow I can relate to Mr. Monk. Don't worry I'm not that fargone :).
2. I love editing. Anything from papers, to books, to exams, to powerpoints. I have an eye that picks out anything that is wrong. For example, I loved the Twilight Series but it really bugged me that there was some kind of a typo every few pages.
3. I don't feel completely dressed and ready for the day unless I have earrings on. They make me feel cuter, somehow.
4. Before I leave the house each day I have to make a special mental note that I turned the stove off, unplugged my straightener, and locked the door. If I can't remember doing these things it will bug me for a little bit.
5. I like different foods like hummus, yams, quinoa, buckwheat, spaghetti squash, and almost any vegetable, especially home garden grown.
6. I fall asleep really easily, and usually when I'm not supposed to. One of my nick-names in high school was "narcky", short for narcoleptic.

I'm sure there are a lot more quirky things about me, but that's plenty of quirkiness for one post. I tag:

Elise
Betsy
Heather Olsen
Paula
Amy Lambert
Amy Anderson

Have fun and I'll be watching for your posts!

Scrumptious Alfredo Sauce Recipe

I had a couple of requests to post the recipe for the alfredo sauce I mentioned in my last post. I originally got this recipe from Paula (thanks for the recipe:)), but I have since retrieved it from the internet. It is very rich and probably not so good for the waistline, but I figure moderation in all things, right!? I added sauteed mushrooms and cooked bacon to it, and served it with chicken, brocolli, and fettucine. We both really liked that combination. Oh and I did add some garlic salt to the sauce for a little extra flavor. It would be great served with chicken, shrimp, fish, brocolli, artichokes hearts, capers, diced tomato, olives, or just plain with any type of pasta...whatever suits your palate! Enjoy! Here's the recipe:

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cooking Directions: In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Simmer this for 15 to 20 minutes on low. You may wish to season with a little salt and pepper. It has been made with half-and-half, but heavy cream is preferred.

Feel the Burn!!!

I have a membership at Gold's Gym, which I use quite often (sometimes I just workout at home because it's quicker, but I try to make an effort to get to the gym). I've tried classes here and there, but lately I've just been doing my own routine of weights and cardio. Nothing hard core but enough to feel like I'm active and healthy. Well today I decided to try out another class. It was called Power Pump. It involved a little bit of cardio, but it was mostly resistance training. We used barbells, dumbbells, resistance bands, fitness balls, and a step. Basically the works. I'll need to get there five minutes early next time just to get set up. I expected it to be tough, but wowza! I'm going to be sore tomorrow. We did so many lunges and squats, my legs still feel like rubber. I definitely felt the burn. I would have liked a little more upper body, but other than that I was pretty impressed with the class. I think I'll try to go to it a couple of times a week for the next month and see what I think then. The thing I liked about it is that it pushed me to workout harder than I would on my own. And it helps me stay on task and get more exercises squeezed into an hour than I would messing around with different weight machines. This instructor did not dilly-dally around, which I really like. When I wake up to go to a 6 am class, I want it to be worth my while. And I feel like it was, so I'll be back for more. Hopefully I can walk tomorrow!

So the dinner I made for Brad's birthday turned out awesome! Brad didn't get home until 8:15 that night so I forgot to take pictures. We were in a hurry to eat. Brad wanted some kind of creamy pasta goodness so I made a super yummy alfredo sauce recipe that I got from Paula and I added sauteed mushrooms and bacon to it. Then I found a great chicken recipe on the Olive Garden website. Then I steamed some brocolli because brocolli's always good with alfredo. Oh, and fettucine of course. It looked way better than the above picture but you get the idea. Boy was it good! What a tasty treat! We both loved it. We stuffed ourselves so it was a good thing I didn't make a cake. For those of you that know me well, you will know that I'm lactose intolerant so creamy sauces are not a regular part of my diet. I did have a little discomfort for a day or so, but it was so worth it. Every once in a while I just have to splurge! That has to be one of my favorite meals. I recommend it. We had a great time celebrating Brad's birthday and opening gifts. So it seems that the month of birthdays is coming to an end. That's probably a good thing because I don't know if my digestive system can handle much more splurging!

Happy Birthday to Brad!!!

Happy happy birthday Bradley dear!!! Hope you're having a great day. Sorry you have to spend it studying, taking a quiz, taking a test, and studying for the next test. At least you have a yummy dinner and presents to look forward to! I appreciate all you do and I feel so blessed to have you in my life. I couldn't keep it all together without you!

Today is Brad's 24th birthday. September is a month of birthdays for us. It seems like we've been celebrating all month between get togethers with his family and my family and spoiling each other. In fact, Grandma Roper was so kind and took us out to Sizzler last night to celebrate both of our birthdays. We had a great time visiting with her. It's been a fun month. Hate to see it end. Oh yes, we do have one more birthday next week...my dad's. Too bad we won't be in I.F. to celebrate with him. Anyway, we've got a little more celebrating to do tonight. Brad didn't want a cake, so I spent the extra money to make a special birthday dinner. I hope it turns out and mostly I hope he likes it. Here's hoping he'll have a few minutes to relax and enjoy a little tonight. The hectic life of a student...I don't miss it at all. But Brad just seems to keep pushing through it, with minimal complaining, and he does just fine. Thanks for all your hard work, honey. It will be worth it!

Yummy Recipe!

Okay, okay I'll blog already. I guess you could say I'm blog challenged. I never know what to blog about. I'll get the hang of it eventually, I'm sure. But I do have a yummy crockpot recipe to post for all of you that like curry. I happen to be a huge fan of curry dishes, unlike my husband. He did say that he liked this one alright. I love it! I think this is a nice simple dish and it is very tasty. Oh and you can put more or less chicken in if you like. I just used two large frozen boneless chicken breast (Tyson is the best!) and it turned out great. The actual recipe calls for 8 chicken breast halves with bone, skinned. I thought that sounded like a lot of chicken for the amount of curry mixture. I think 3-4 chicken breasts would work the best. Anyway...here goes!

Honey Curry Chicken

1 large onion, halved and sliced (1 cup)
4 chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 large red sweet peppers, cut into bite-size strips (2 cups)
4 cups hot cooked white or brown rice

1. Place onion in slow cooker. Place chicken on onion in cooker. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a small bowl stir together honey, mustard, butter, and curry powder; pour over mixture in cooker. Add sweet pepper to cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
3. Remove chicken and vegetables from cooker. Strain cooking liquid. Serve chicken and vegetables with hot cooked rice. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over top to moisten.


So there you have it curry lovers! It's there for the taking. I like to make this when red peppers are on sale. Hopefully Brad will acquire a taste for curry some day. It does grow on you.

Brad's been busy getting back into the swing of things with school. And he's being sooo helpful at home too. Thanks honey! The other day I got home and he was on his second load of laundry with dinner cooking and almost ready. It was such a nice surprise! I do love fall...the nice weather and getting back into more of a steady routine. So refreshing after a hot summer. It's nice to go outside during my lunch break and enjoy the light breeze and sunshine. The office where I work is right by a nice little park so I take full advantage of that and go for a walk during lunch. It really seems to help me relax, especially with the nice little river flowing right next to the walking path. I sometimes like to just sit and listen to the soothing water. It helps me get a little nature each day, which I think is therapeutic. I'm trying to find little things here and there that are relaxing and calming. Any suggestions? I think the hard part for me is finding the time (or motivation) to do all the little things that I know would be really good for me. But I know I've got to start somewhere. So for now I'll start with enjoying the warmth of the sunshine and the light breeze and the sound of running water. That's a good place to start. One day at a time.

What a Great Birthday!

So once again, no pictures but I've got to recover from this blogging drought. I just want to give a shout out to my hubby and to my co-workers who helped me have a fun birthday. The girls at my work were so thoughtful and brought fruit and vegie platters instead of birthday cake. It tasted great and it was a completely guilt-free birthday party. We ate fruits and veggies the rest of the day! They know I watch my carbs for health reasons and they were trying to help me out. They are so great! I couldn't ask for better co-workers. You girls really brightened my day.

Then when I got home, Brad had dinner all ready, along with a dozen roses on the nicely set table. He made homemade pizzas, completely from scratch. He made both Hawaiian and Supreme. I have been craving pizza, so I requested it. I can't even remember the last time I had pizza. This totally hit the spot. He did such a great job! And I could tell it was made with love. That makes it way better than any old pizza bought at a restaurant. Thanks honey! Oh and he totally surprised me with a gift card for i-tunes in addition to the gifts (clothes and jewelry) I already knew about. He knows how much I love new music! Hmmm...now I have to come up with a brilliant surprise for his birthday. Any ideas? It's just a few weeks away.

So basically, it was a nice birthday. Lots of calls from family, which I love. And I'm excited because my parents are coming to visit this weekend. We are going to shop, play, and eat good food. Will the fun ever end? I hope not!
Shanna

Roper Family Reunion '08

So a few weeks ago, we went to a fun Roper Family Reunion in Altamonte, UT. But of course I forgot our camera because it was still boxed up from our move. Anyway, I stole these pictures from some relatives. As you can see in the picture on the top, we're sporting our reunion t-shirts. The bottom pic is Brad and Jerod, our brother-in-law, showing off their snazzy rockets. I made one, too. Then we sent them super high using a rocket launcher. We had a fun time with it, especially DeLaney(sp) who is about 3. She made sure she had a turn after every few people. She thought it was the coolest thing ever! She's so cute! Anyway, we had a fun time visiting with everyone and eating good food. I especially enjoyed holding baby Madeline, our niece. She's one of the cutest babies I've seen. Thanks to all the Ropers who made this fun getaway possible, especially Grandma Roper. Can't wait to see you all again!

Roper Family Pictures

These pictures were taken last Christmas when we were visiting Wisconsin. Cute family, huh? It was a lot of fun spending the holidays there and getting to know Brad's family better. We look forward to many more Christmas's with the Roper clan!

Just for Fun

I don't have a lot of recent photos (because I keep forgetting to take pictures...shame on me!), so I thought I'd at least get something posted. And it's always fun to remember such a special day. We've been married almost a year and a half and I have to say that I love my husband now more than ever.

Fun at Work!

I thought y'all might want to see where I work and who I work with. I answer customer questions about products over the phone for a massive dietary supplement company called Nutraceutical Corp. This picture was taken during a baby shower that we threw for Paula, our manager. From left to right there's Amy, Betsy, Paula, me, Heather, and Elise. Amy left us for her husband's schooling (we miss her!) and Paula's gone until October because she's busy being a new mom (of course we miss her, too!). So there's just four of us left, which means we're pretty busy when someone goes on vacation. I just love these girls! We have so much fun talking in between calls (sometimes I probably talk a little too much!). I couldn't ask for more pleasant company all day long. Although, sometimes I get a little discouraged after a tough call, I really feel so blessed that I found this job. It works out really well for our current situation. By the way, Paula's little Wyatt turned out to be pretty darn cute!

The Books Everyone Talks About

I've heard everyone talking about the Twilight Series so I decided to read the books for myself. I finished Twilight and New Moon. Now I'm about a hundred pages into Eclipse. I have a love/hate relationship with these books. There are some things that just really irritate me about Bella. Also, the books can be overly sappy and possibly a little innappropriate for the young reader. But just like everyone else, I'm hooked. I just have to know how the story ends. So I'll definitely be finishing the whole series and seeing the movie. She is a pretty good author, so I might just have to read her other book, The Host. I better get reading since the 4th book comes out soon!

It's Our Turn!

Wow! I can't believe we're finally starting a blog. I've enjoyed looking at everyone else's blogs so much that I decided it was about time for us to start one of our own. Maybe it will encourage us to take some pictures so I have some to post! Anyway, I don't have much to put on today, but I just wanted to get started. Happy blogging!