Christmas time!

We went to see the lights at Temple Square with the singles ward. We enjoyed sitting in on a few of the musical performances in the Tabernacle and the Assembly Hall.

  

Here is our Christmas wreath I made this year.

We didn't get snow for Christmas but we got some decent frosts leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Eve we enjoyed a relaxed evening.

Simon played his cello for a bit and I was 'not' listening. He plays beautifully. I love hearing him and wish he played more.

I made a chocolate pie for Simon and he is enjoying it immensely! 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Changing Seasons

I've had fun decorating our door. I bought this wreath as is at a thrift store for $1.50 or $2 with the intent of using at the base for my Christmas wreath. But it seemed seasonal, so I put it up for halloween and decorated with ghost and black cat cut-outs from my Maceys grocery store paper bag. The tape didn't stick very well, so some fell down by Halloween.

After Halloween, I wanted to have an autumn theme. I took off the orange and maroon raffia and put two straw figures that the girls in the singles ward used as table decorations for a pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving. 

 I think they look pretty cute together.

We also decorated our table and shelves with gourds and corn and pumpkins. 

Time passes quickly. No sooner do I decorate than it changes yet again. Yesterday I spent hours cleaning and rearranging furniture so that we can decorate for Christmas. I moved this shelf, so that our Nativity is now more centrally placed. 

 We went out last night (Saturday) to find ourselves a Christmas tree. We decided that since we have all the decorations and lights and stand to splurge. We paid $35 for our tree. We bought it from a family-owned stand and decided that it would help support them. Isn't it beautiful?

We hung our stockings over the fireplace :-) 

Simon loves our 'stove' heater. I do too.

 We laid our rug back down across the floor after everything was set-up. It's amazing how cold the wood is against our feet. The outside temperature has been resting between 20-35 or 40 degrees.

We're looking forward to the holidays. We get to spend Christmas in Utah this year and we decided to deck our apartment festively. 

Amy's adorable kids

I've had the neat opportunity to spend time with my cousin Amy's kids throughout the last year. There are so many fun moments we have together and I never have my camera with me. But, I often have my phone in my pocket and while not the best camera, it works!

June 23, 2011

We took a walk one hot, summer day to a nearby park. We had an adventure finding it...taking several wrong turns and making the trip there about twice as long as it otherwise would have been. 

We came upon an injured butterfly. It had a hole in its wing. Using a stick we picked it up to put it a bit higher in a tree instead of stuck in the grass. The butterfly climbed up the stick and onto Olivia's arm. Ethan then also wanted a turn. I strongly cautioned them NOT to touch the butterfly's wings. They obeyed.

June 30, 2011

One of Olivia's and Ethan's favorite places to go is Jumping Jacks. We've gone a couple times and they've LOVED every minute. 

Afterward, we stopped by the snow cone stand for treats.

November 1, 2011

And for the past several weeks I've gotten to watch this bundle of joy. Grant is almost always a delight. He smiles and laughs and loves his brother Ethan so much--he idolizes him and watches his every move.  He is ALMOST mobile. He desperately wants to be crawling and walking and scoots along the floor.

November 8, 2011

Grant was a bit more stoic today. He only napped half his usual time and so wasn't as giggly and smiley, his normal temperament. Ethan and I made chocolate chip and a few pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Halloween Carvings

Our first pumpkin carving of October was with the singles ward. Simon and Brother Reese judged the many pumpkins. 

Our second interaction was with the Married ward. We collected pumpkin seeds at both and yummy!

Finally, we carved our own on Halloween night.

We carved our pumpkin this halloween while watching Nightmare Before Christmas.

We found one pumpkin at Maceys grocery store for 2.50. The larger one we found at a family stand while driving along a backroad. They had a sign posted requesting exact change to be put in the box. If you don't have exact change now...bring it by next time. Wonderfully honest, trusting, people. We also got some small pumpkins and other fall gourds and corn husk from them. All for a $5 bill.

Cozy beside the flicker of flames

Mum, you expressed concern that Simon might need persuasion to make use of this due to the electricity consumption. Rest assured, no inducement neccessary.

Nothing is more cozy than a fire.

Thank you!

Fall's Arrival

 

Colors above the Y

Fall is coming and our garden is beginning to fade. The tomatoes got a plant virus of some kind and began fading about a month and a half ago.

 Changing colors on the trees met with snow during the first week of October.

 Brrr.. bitterly cold...Fortunately the snow in the mountain tops melted and we got several more warm-ish and pleasant weeks of fall.

We drove around the alpine loop to see the colors changing.

 And then a couple weeks later took a hike up Battle Creek Canyon.

I'm loving fall!

Kitchen Mandoline Slicers: Wolfgang Puck v. Oxo

     Shortly after we married, we purchased a cheap $10 mandoline (slicer) from Bed Bath and Beyond with a gift card (Progressive Mandoline).  It cut pretty well and we were quite pleased with our purchase, but over the last year the teeth on the julian slicing piece have broken through the bottom and no longer works well. It was very versatile.

     We decided it was about time to replace our original purchase and this time decided to look at something a little more durable and of a better quality. After our research online and looking around at different models we narrowed it down to the:

 Oxo Good Grips V-blade mandoline slicer and the Wolfgang Puck stainless steel mandoline

     Every mandoline review, regardless of brand, said it was a dangerous kitchen implement--so we disregarded all those comments--besides, sharp is how we need the mandoline. 

     We've been pleased with our other Oxo products:

               Silicone turner

               and the smooth edge can opener.

     However, people who reviewed the mandoline online said that it did not live up to other Oxo products.

     The Oxo mandoline seemed to store all the blades pretty well underneath (this helps to keep it tidy...but might also get them dirty with use) and seemed simple to adjust and the non-slip feet and angle seemed sturdy. We also thought an angled blade might work best.

     In considering the Wolfgang Puck mandoline...it seem the stainless steel would be easier to clean and the blades came with a separate storage case which was convenient. It seemed to also have a fairly sturdy base to prop itself up. I watched videos online and it cut very well.

Retail price:
  Wolfgang: $50
  Oxo: $40

*Other considerations:
     We had a coupon for 20% off a single item at Bed Bath and Beyond (Oxo)
     We have a $65 gift card to  Dillards (Wolfgang)

     Ultimately, they both seemed about equal--the Oxo was a little cheaper, but we'd be paying $34. Initially I wanted to give it to him for Christmas, but since our current Mandoline is in its death throes, and Simon uses it almost every time he cooks, I thought it might be better to acquire before Christmas. I wanted his opinion and therefore could not surprise him. After we narrowed it down he told me to decide. I considered more and decided to use the gift card. I bought it and wrapped it in Christmas paper and told Simon to open his present when he came home. He wanted to know what it was but said he could wait till Christmas. I didn't want him to not like it and be unable to return it in a couple months if he'd really wanted the other. He wanted to know why he should open it and knew he'd like whatever I got for him and so didn't want to open it. I knew he'd figure it out when he kept asking about what mandoline we should get over the next several days and it wouldn't be a surprise anyway if I saved it till Christmas.

     We went on a hike up Battle Creek Canyon, where we got engaged a year and a half ago. We stopped by the grocery store on the way home and got some fruit. As we wandered through the store I saw cheap hash-browns and we grabbed the bag for $0.88 and I absent mindedly commented, 'oh, but we can make these now.' (since our julienne blade is broken on our mandoline).

     About 20 seconds later Simon exclaims "I know what it is!!!" I was confused. He prodded, "Think about what you just said----What's changed so that we can now make hashbrowns!!!!"


     He said I could save it till Christmas. I really wanted to know if it was the one he'd want and I rehearsed the pros and cons I'd thought about for each and when we arrived home I had him open it.

     It was the Wolfgang Puck.  He was sooo excited and immediately decided to put it to use.  We slipped the blades in the side slot and adjusted the height. They didn't seem to slide in all the way, but it seemed good. He picked up a potato and--- it wouldn't cut it. Online some people had complained about dull blades but we thought that was the fluke for theirs. We tried a carrot...with the same result. Instead of a flat blade, the blade was serrated. Serrated knifes make a nice cut when you pull across but not quite as good when you go straight into a food.

     We cleaned up the mandoline and washed it and shined the steel and put it back in the box to return. Two manufacturing defects: the juliene blades not fitting in right...and all the blades not being sharp enough to cut. Simon returned it and we once again have $65 on our gift card.

     Yesterday I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and picked up the V-blade Oxo mandoline. Simon was excited to try this one. It adjusted easily and sliced potatoes wonderfully. The julienne aren't exceptional, but do cut.

     Perhaps  our Wolfgang Puck mandoline problems were a fluke. Simon is very happy with the Oxo.