Thanksgiving

This year we won't be having a big, traditional Thanksgiving meal. At first I was a little bummed because we LOVE Thanksgiving. But, what is replacing our feast this year is much more important and exciting, it's also the #1 item on our "Thankful List". In just a couple of hours we have our first official IVF appointment. It's just the orientation meeting but still, we will learn about the procedure, the drugs I'll have to take, go over the dozens of forms we had to sign and get our official plan of action. It's been a really long road to get here (9 months and countless tests, dr. appointments, consultations and weeks of nervous waiting for funding approval) but it's is oh so fitting that it falls on today because honestly, we are truly grateful for this opportunity. There are a lot of things that are hard about living in a foreign country and being so far away from family and familiar things but we consider it a massive blessing as well. We have so much to be thankful for and today we are most thankful that we are tax paying ex-pats who qualify for treatments from the NHS. My productivity levels this week have been terrible because today's meeting is pretty much all I can think about. Just think, maybe next year our #1 thankful item will be a sweet little baby. Or 2.

Let Me Count The Ways...

Yesterday was Brent's birthday! It was a big one too, he turned 30. In honor of my truly spectacular hubby, I thought it would be fitting to list 30 of the reasons why I think he's so great. This should have been posted yesterday but his German Chocolate cake took longer to make than expected. So here it goes (in no particular order):

-Say the words, caramel, peanut butter or maple and he's all over it.
-He still has a favorite superhero, even at 30.
-He's so smart.
-The few things he doesn't already know, he learns quickly.
-He puts up with my taste in music. I can only think of a handful of times he's asked me to change the station or skip a song.
-He always lets me have first dibs on the window seat when we fly, if I want it.
-He watches girl movies with me without complaining.
-He is dedicated to his church callings.
-He's an eagle scout (one of the items on my future husband list that I didn't think would actually get fulfilled).
-He loves children as much as I do, which is no small feat.
-He is super fun and knows how to just be silly sometimes.
-He is a good driver and can drive any car on any side of the road that he's asked to.
-He gets excited EVERY time he realizes there is ice cream in the freezer.
-He's starting to adopt British lingo and spelling because he uses it so often at work.
-He refuses to wear a scarf because he thinks they should only be for girls.
-He is never shocked or upset when I come home from a "quick trip" to the shops for "one thing" with a bag full of spoils.
-He likes to try new things whether food, activities or travel.
-He loves to travel, pretty much anywhere.
-He plays a musical instrument, or 2.
-His smile.
-He speaks a foreign language.
-He served a mission (the only item on my "future husband" list that was non-negotiable).
-He honors his parents and family.
-His dad is his hero. I think every boy's hero should be his dad.
-He knew someday he would have a wife and kids so he chose a career with that in mind and is diligent and committed to finishing the requirements for that career (read: exams, exams and more exams).
-He has some hobbies and interests that are totally separate from mine which keeps our marriage dynamic and interesting.
-The way he snuggles me when I feel icky, or any other time for that matter.
-His sisters look up to him because he is a fun and caring big brother (albeit a skilled teaser).
-He can grow a full beard in less than a week.
-He likes to do the dishes and vacuum which happen to be my 2 most hated chores.

Happy Birthday to the most amazing and wonderful husband that I could ever have!
I love you!

Soup of the week

That's right folks. It's back! And none too soon, in fact a little late. I've been travelling and/or recovering from travelling non-stop since the end of September so I've barely cooked any meals since then and they've all been quickies or reheating leftovers. I was pretty excited last night to get a chance to cook a real meal and since it's cold now, we had soup. This week, I used a recipe that I got from my mother-in-law.

Creamy Vegetable Soup
skill level: easy peasy
time: 30 mins to 1 hour (depending on how fast you are at chopping vegetables)
yield: 4 quarts (10-12 servings)

1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 quarts chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 tsp celery seed
1-2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups light cream

In large kettle, saute onions in butter until transparent but not brown. Add the sweet potatoes, zucchini and broccoli; saute lightly for 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Stir in broth; simmer for a few minutes. Add potatoes and seasonings; cook another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cream and heat through.

Review: Use a really big pot. I used my 5 quart and it was getting hard to stir before I had even put in the cream so I had to break out the monster pot and transfer. I didn't really "chop" the veg, per se. More like cubed or chunked. Since there is no meat in this soup I wanted it to feel more hearty. Also, I forgot to shred the potatoes, they got chunked as well. It made the soup extra chunky but the broth was a bit thin because of it. I'll shred next time. I left out the celery seed because I'm not a fan and I don't have any and I didn't want to clutter up my spice shelf even more with something I'll never use. I also stuck to the low end of the cumin measurement because again, not a big fan, but I actually kind of liked it this time. I added garlic powder because I think most recipes should have garlic in them. I don't know how much, I just dumped 'til it smelled right. Maybe like 1-2 tsp?

We had it with crusty rolls and that was all. It made a ton. We both had huge servings and there was enough left over for 3-4 lunch servings and an entire big tupperware with enough for another whole meal that got put in the freezer. I was expecting Brent to want something else as a side but he didn't even seem to notice that there wasn't any meat so that's a good sign. Big hearty, healthy vegetarian soup. Yum!

The Most Beautiful Woman I Ever Met

Once again, this is mostly taken from Cami's blog...



The most beautiful woman I ever met was my grandmother. By the time I got to know her, she was comfortable-looking, with steely gray hair that never did turn all the way white, big, round kissable cheeks, and twinkling grandma eyes. For most of her life, though, she was arguably the most beautiful woman in the world.

Dorothy Florence Brown was born on April 24th, 1925 in Alpine Utah to parents of Pioneer descent. She spent her early life deeply entrenched in the Great Depression, as her family clung together to survive against all odds. Her father had been a very wealthy sheep herder, but he lost his lands and his sheep when the banks failed, since his brothers had used both as collateral for their big houses in town. It probably wouldn't have worked out well in the end regardless of their financial state, however, because around that time there was also a big frost that killed off all the Spring lambs. He was to spend the rest of his life scratching out a living on the little bit of land they had left in town (which is now where the Elementary School sits), and working for Geneva Steel.Dot was the second of 5 children, smart, beautiful, and quiet. She contracted Rheumatic Fever when she was in the fourth grade and her parents were told she would never make it to adulthood, or if she did, she would be permanently crippled. Her Scottish grandmother made her a homemade back-brace and spent hours doing rudimentary physical therapy with her to rehabilitate her after the fever passed. She miraculously made a full recovery.She spent her childhood years playing in fields, picking berries, caring for the 3 younger children, studying hard in school, and dreaming about the big-wide world beyond the borders of her quiet mountain village.When the War came, she moved away from home (at age 17) and got a job working first in the Arms Factory and then later in the War Offices. She met a young man at a USO dance, and they corresponded regularly. He was stationed in France and Germany, and drove a tank. He was very brave, and very handsome. When the War in Europe ended, he was sent home. He came straight to Salt Lake City to meet up with his sweetheart. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever met, and he was not going to let this one get away.

They eloped to Illinois. Grandma's dad was not exited about the idea of her marrying a strange boy from outside their religion, who lived far away. Grandma was 20 so she didn't need her parents' permission to marry. Grandpa was 20, so he did. He bought her a diamond ring with the money he was payed when he was discharged. They bought a train ticket out east. They were married in August, 1945. They took their honeymoon in Chicago and Flint, Michigan. Grandma told me once that she remembers how the dining car on the train was giving free food to the GI's, so Grandpa would sneak her sandwiches so they didn't have to pay for meals on the trip. She remembers how kind everyone in the hotels were to them, how they would put flowers in their room, etc. Everyone was smitten with the handsome soldier and his beautiful, beautiful bride. She told me the hotel room in Flint was a suite with a marble bathtub and a balcony overlooking a river, and how they took a cruise up the Mississippi from Chicago. When they got back to Thompson, IL, his family threw a party for them. It was not the traditional whole-town affair, because a lot of people were suspicious of this Mormon girl from Utah. She won them over, though, with her sweet nature, quick wit, and dazzling good looks. Grandma and Grandpa were married for 24 years.

She waited for him, pregnant with their first child, as he was re-deployed (serving in California). She waited for him, pregnant again, to finish his college degree on the GI bill. Then she waited for him to finish his Master's degree, pregnant with her third and fourth children. She supported him, cared for him, kept his house clean and lovely, raised his 4 daughters, and got a college degree of her own. She worked in the Relief Society, Primary, DUP, and was the most beautiful woman in town. Their family photos look like advertisements from a catalog. In 1968, they moved to Cairo Egypt so that Grandpa could teach at the American University there. She traveled Europe, visiting France, Italy, Russia, England, and more. She taught English classes. They divorced near the end of 1969.


Grandma moved to Atascadero California and worked for the Ramona School District, as a single mom with 2 girls still at home. She taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. Her principal was a truly dashing older man who drove fast cars and who became totally smitten with the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He courted her, and they married shortly after.

In nearly every photo I have of them, Grandpa is staring adoringly at Grandma, still smitten with her beauty and charm. Grandma worked for 20 years in the Ramona School District. When she retired she moved to Lake of the Pines outside of Auburn California. By this time, her beauty had faded somewhat, but had matured into a face that I rarely saw frowning. Her eyes always, always twinkled. This is the grandma I came to know and love so well. Together she and her sweetie battled cancer when she was diagnosed in the late 80's and again in the late 90's. They fought tirelessly against Alzheimer's when Grandpa was diagnosed in 2002. They clung to each other for strength and support. Shortly before Gil died in October of 2009, she made him promise that he would come back for her. They still had more work to do together.

I didn't know my grandma as well as some of her other grandchildren. I lived in Texas most of my childhood, with my dad and my step-mom. We always visited her, though, on Christmas and the 4th of July, and she always sent me cards, letters, and photos. This summer Grandma was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She passed away from heart failure on Friday morning. I was in Idaho for my Step-mom's funeral. I will always be grateful that I came to see her one last time, less than 2 weeks before her passing. While I sat next to her in her favorite armchair, she recounted to me several stories I have heard all of my life and several new ones. She reminded me that she has always thought of Cami and I as Snow White and Rose Red and even wanted some of the fairy tale read to her.

I know for certain that she is with her beloved Gil again, and that they are anxiously engaged in good works. The hallmarks of her life were her dedication to family, tradition, culture, and beauty. She radiated class and style, and truly lit up any room she entered. She could spin a story, captivate an audience, and command a crowd. She loved entertaining and would spend hours talking about the old times, impersonating perfectly the old folks from Alpine. She spoke in a sing-song voice, which was frequently punctuated by laughter and actual song. Her eyes always sparkled, like the myriad jewels she always wore. She was laughter, flowers, perfume, music, and glitter. I will miss her greatly. She was my hero, and the most beautiful woman I ever met.

Dorothy Florence Brown Nihart

April 24, 1925 - October 15, 2010