Just Thinking...

...I can't wait to go to St. George!! If we ever get around to booking a hotel. We both have the days off, and St. George here we come for our One Year Anniversary!!!!!

I can't believe we've been married for almost one year already. Time has gone by so fast, and I have learned so much in our first year of marriage. It's nice, looking back. I can measure how much food we go through in one year. Now I know how much to have in food storage. I can measure how long halogen light bulbs last. Exactly one year, or maybe more. Then they all die. I can measure how long it takes me to realize that I have gained about, oh, 15lbs and really need to start getting myself into shape again. Don't worry. I've already lost 3 *wink*!!

I have also learned how to measure love in one year. I now know that it is officially impossible to measure, because with every day more that I spend with Scott, I love him more and more. It's like when you think you have a balloon filled, and then you blow in more air and it seems to stretch even bigger!!

I have learned many valuable tricks and trades in the kitchen. I have learned how to cook! Not that I didn't really know how to before (it's not very hard to follow a recipe!) but now I can actually understand everything that I am doing and figure out how to make some of my own stuff (which, so far, doesn't really turn out and I have to stick to old recipes). I have learned why flour is so important in a kitchen, even when you're not baking. Especially when you're not just baking. I have learned that too much corn starch is not good, and food smells really bad when you keep it in the fridge for too long.

I have also learned the value of a microwave. No, I do not promote microwave dinners/food, but when all you have are leftovers from your real meals, or you forgot to take the meat out to thaw for dinner, the microwave can become your best friend. You quickly find this out after it dies and have no meat taken out of the freezer for dinner. That is when you finally give in and use your cash to go to Sonic. Did this happen to us last night? Yes, yes it did.

The funny thing about being married a year is that you get to see how long things really last. If things survive after that first year, then you know they are quality material. If you have money left, then maybe you are doing a good job at managing your money. If your water heater or microwave suddenly dies after being in business for over 20 years (OK, the microwave was only 10, but still!!), then maybe you are using it a bit too much, or maybe it was just its time to go. Who knows.

I love looking back and seeing how much milk we have gone through. How much time we spent driving back and forth from Orem to Springville. How much money we've spent on gas...

But most of all, I love the memories. I love laughing with my husband. I love cuddling in the early morning hours of Sunday, cherishing the fact that we finally get to sleep in until 7:00am! I love studying the gospel with my husband, and reading "stories" to each other from the Book of Mormon every night. I love going out to eat or just taking a drive with him. I just love being with him. My husband completes my day. He really is that better half of me that keeps pushing me to do better. He fills in the holes that I don't know are there until I don't get to see him until late at night. He is my Scotty Potty and I love him very much, and I am so grateful for the fact that we are sealed to each other and will be married to each other for the rest of eternity!!

And...now that I've wasted a bit of my time blogging instead of doing homework and cleaning the house like I should on my precious days off, I am going to leave you with one last bit of thought.

I love "How to Train Your Dragon" so much it is the best movie in the whole entire world and I love listening to the soundtrack every day in the car and I love watching the movie every day and I think you should watch that movie all the time too because it is the best movie ever made.

The end!

Party Soup Recipe!

This is a very yummy recipe for Potato Chowder. This soup is really the base for Clam Chowder and/or Cheesy Potato Chowder. I made this for my Birthday Party on Saturday, January 15! Many apologies for this recipe being posted so late!

I also have pictures, but seeing as how my computer has decided to not upload them, those will have to wait.

Potato Chowder (with Clam Chowder and Potato Cheese variations)

(this recipe is courtesy of my sister-in-law Liz :) )

Soup Base:

1/2 cup butter (no subs)

3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Melt butter in sauce pan over low heat. Add flour, salt, pepper to make paste.

Then add:

*2 cups warmed cream (1 min microwave per cup)

4 cups scalded milk (1 min microwave per cup)

Stir constantly until it comes to a boil over medium heat.

Meanwhile:

Boil 20 min, no more...

6 potatoes cubed

3 celery stalks chopped

1/2 onion minced

(You'll want to start these first)

Drain and add to cream sauce. Then add (2-3 cups cheddar cheese -or- however many clams you want)...until cheese melts. Enjoy!

This is the exact amount I made for my party. It makes quite a bit, so if you are making it for only two people, I would suggest halving it. It stills makes enough for you two and leftovers.

*You don't have to use cream. I grew up never using cream. If you want a richer, creamier texture/taste, use cream. If you want healthier, use all milk. For the party, I did 1 cup cream and 5 cups milk. As long as there are 6 cups of something, it really doesn't make a difference what it is (You can use all skim milk if you want! I don't know how it would turn out, but I'm sure it could work fine if you tried...).

Good luck making this and call if you have any questions!

And a big Thank You to everyone who came out to my party last Saturday - I really had a blast!! Once my computer decides to cooperate, I will post my pictures from the party, including my awesome multi-colored cupcakes!!!