Strawberries

David is home and we are enjoying just relaxing at home together. We have been going out and doing fun things, but what we have really been enjoying is baking and cooking!

I feel like I should almost make this blog into a food blog, I just love the food I have been cooking lately. 

Last Saturday, we had the missionaries over for dinner. We had super delicious french dip sandwiches. They are so yummy and easy, but dessert was what everyone was looking forward to as well.

I made CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES! And yes, they are as good as they sound!

I feel like I should almost make this blog into a food blog, I just love the food I have been cooking lately.

They are a show stopper and only took me about 15 minutes to prepare. 

If you want to make some, click here.

The only thing I would add is if I had it was drizzle chocolate over them as well. 

Today we are making homemade butterfingers for David's marines and I can't wait to try my 1!

Apple Butter

This past weekend I made apple butter. It was so yummy and easy!

All the apple skins and cores

5 1/2 lbs of apple cut up

cooking away

after cooking for 8 to 9 hours

almost 6 lbs of apples only made 2 pints!

It was a very simple recipe.

The only thing I did different was omit the cloves (I didn't have any) & I used 3 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup of honey. I also sliced up the apples in the evening and let it cook all night so it would be ready when I got up in the morning.

I then gave it away to 2 of the sisters I visit teach in my ward. (I had just enough left in the crockpot to sample on a slice of toast).

I'm making more this weekend to give to the last sister I visit & also one for me! 

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend has come and gone already! I can't believe it's the middle of September already!

I had a great Labor Day Weekend. I took the Friday before Labor day and the Tuesday afterwards off and flew out to NC to go visit David! I forgot my camera, so no pics this time!

I took a red eye flight Thursday night and slept about 2 hours waking up feeling not so well. I made it through the flight though and got some water during my layover at Washington Dulles Airport. I made it to Raleigh, NC and hopped into my rental car and off I went.

I got to Jacksonville around 1ish in the afternoon and headed straight to David's hotel, got a key and went to sleep!

When David got back to the hotel room, we were both starving so we went to one of our favorite places to eat at, Mike's Farm! YUMMY!!!! We loved going to Mikes Farm, not just for food, but for the pumpkin patch, strawberry picking and the christmas light show! You can't forget the small goat and peacock area either! But when we eat at Mikes Farm, you just can't get enough of the homemade mac 'n cheese.

After dinner, we had to go get David some allergy medicine (I think he's secretly allergic to me because every time he comes near me after a school, he has really bad allergies!) Needless to say, David fell asleep immediately at 8:30 pm his time, meaning it was 5:30 back in San Diego! I watched tv, and read, and watched some more tv. I think I finally fell asleep around midnight his time!

On Saturday we saw a good friend who I use to work with. She is now married to a Marine and has a toddler girl. I can't believe in the time I left NC, she 1. met a guy 2. got married 3. had a baby! It was so nice catching up with her and finally meeting the rest of her family.

That night, we went to another one of our favorite restaurants while living in Jacksonville...Shoguns! They are a cook your meal in front of you place (it's getting later so my brain isn't working on the right name right now). We ended up sharing a meal and the steak is to die for!

On Sunday, we were planning on going to church but I forgot to set an alarm and we slept in until noon! I don't even know the last time I slept in until 9 at home, let alone noon! David's hotel room is so dark with the blinds closed. Needless to say, we missed church. We actually missed half the day! That afternoon we had dinner with some friends who were stationed in NC after NM. It was good to see and we stayed until almost 1 am just talking and catching up. Us girls in NM use to have girls nights and our husbands were always calling us around 1 or 2 in the morning to make sure the rest of us were ok! It's so nice when you find friends who even if you don't stay in day to day contact, when you do see each other it's like nothing has changed!

On Labor Day, I was starting to feel really sick (I picked up a nasty bug on the flight out) so we took it easy and met my friend from the previous night and went to a movie. Later in the early evening we met my friend my Saturday and grabbed ice cream.

Tuesday was a sad day, I was really feeling sick, taking medicine but still feeling awful and flew home. It's always hard when David leaves but I didn't think it would be as hard leaving when I left knowing we only had a couple weeks left, but it was still so hard.

I was pretty sick all of the week after I flew home. My ears were clogged until just Monday and I  was coughing really badly and I had a fever!

David comes home on Thursday evening. I can't wait to have my husband home! I have a list of things I need help with in the house!

Japanese Friendship Garden

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine and I went to the Japanese Friendship Gardens. It's a small area in Balboa Park but absolutely beautiful.

We had a pond with fish.

They are pretty big fish and very colorful.

A small tree area but were amazing as they look like the large trees. 

My dad has taken a lot of pictures of doors from the Countries he has visited and I was thinking of him as I took this photo. I love the engraving on the door and the handles.

I really loved the trees.

It was a great little area with lots of thinking time and very peaceful. It was a hot Saturday afternoon and walking through all the shade was very nice.

Special Time

This past weekend, I flew my mom in for some girl time for just us two girls. I don't know about you, but I absolutely love spending time with my mom and I never feel like I get enough time with her as we don't live in the same city. She came in town last Saturday morning. We had fun at the grocery store, making nutella crepes and then we ate at Point Loma Seafood where I will take all of my guests who enjoy delicious but outdoor casual dining. We then went to the San Diego Padres game! We had so much fun, even if we froze and should have brought blankets! Who would have though in August to bring blankets to a baseball game! We won, had a bunch of home runs and did the wave multiple times. Who doesn't love a good baseball game! 

On Sunday, we went to church as normal, but we packed a picnic lunch before we left. We came home, changed and grabbed our lunch. We were on our way to the free outdoor organ concert. It was amazing. We then walked around the little international houses that is only open on Sundays. It was fun walking through about 20 different cottages. 

On Monday, I worked all day and mom sewed all day. Mom had so much fun while I struggled to work and not play! We then went out to see The Help. It was probably almost just as good as the book. 

On Tuesday, I worked int he morning and then that afternoon, we went to our favorite place in Coronado for Pizza. I have been 3 times and mom once, every time I have had something different and have loved it.

Here is mom and I after enjoying a delicious lunch. The weather was perfect and we loved eating outside!

Afterwards, mom and I went to the zoo! If you have never been to the San Diego Zoo, I highly recommend it. It's huge and beautiful. Mom and I took the 35 to 45 minute bus tour and then had unlimited use of the express bus. It was a great way of seeing so much. We saw probably 90 % of the zoo in 2 hours. 

Here is mom & I with Monkey King Stilt Walkers. They looked amazing and were so tall! 

Here is mom getting ready to go see the Panda's. They have added an additional panda since the last time I came, a red panda. They are so cute and I just want to take them home! 

All in all, mom and I had a blast. It was a great couple of days to help me get out of my rut of David being gone and I know mom had a blast as well! I couldn't think of a better way to spend a couple of days with mom!

Busy Busy

It's been busy around here again. That's nothing new for us. It will be slowing down in a day or so as David is leaving until the end of September.

The weekend of the 15th, David & I went to the movies and saw the final Harry Potter. It was really good and I enjoyed it. Maybe when he leaves this week, I will go back to a before noon showing when it's only $6 and watch it again!

We also went that weekend to the San Diego Padres vs. San Francisco Giants game. It was a lot of fun and we won!!! It would have been better if the new doctor from UCLA wasn't bragging about himself the whole time right behind us. But thankfully, we were able to ignore him for the most part!

That Sunday evening, our good friends from North Carolina who are also relocated to California came over for dinner. It's always nice to see them and we always have a good time! Plus, they have 3 really cute kids!

The next week we didn't do much. We normally just relax around the house in the evenings after long days at work.

This past Friday, another couple from church & us went and saw the Maroon 5 & Train concert. It was really good and it was fun hanging out with another couple! It was a lot of fun and it was good getting to know another couple. It was funny because my friend Janelle and I were on our way to church one evening to print some visiting teaching reports when she asked if we liked Maroon 5. We bought tickets that night and her husband said on the way home from the concert that good things do come from visiting teaching! It was pretty funny.

Saturday, we had lots of errands to run as we were getting everything David needed for his school he going to. We came home and a couple hours later I needed to run to target. I had a few things on my wish list were on sale at Target for a really good price. We went over and came back and we were thinking, man the house is really hot. Why did we turn off the fans. We started to try and turn on fans and then lights and realized the power was out. It had been out since 3 and we got home around 4. Thankfully our computer had enough juice in it left for David to finish the last couple of paragraphs of his final paper for school. But then we didn't have internet! He had to turn in his paper on Saturday or he wouldn't get any credit for his final. We decided to drive over to McDonald's and sit in the parking lot to use the free wi-fi! After that, David said since we didn't have power and it was starting to get dark, we were going to the drive in. We saw Captain America. It was really good, except I kept falling asleep. After that we came home to find out the power had just been restored! YAY!

All in all, it has been a good couple of weeks.

Calm

Stella, for the first 2 to 3 years was known as the opposite of calm. She was always running and making her funny sounds at us.

But since she turned 3, she is still crazy, but we have a calm between the craziness. Here is one of Stella's calm moments. I love it because her teeth are showing...lol! She has turned into a big lover, on her terms, no one elses. 

Pictures

Being a military family, we seem to move at least every three years (and at the last 2 duty stations, even more within the city).

We can usually unpack the boxes quickly except for a couple that we seem to never unpack (and they are always the same boxes but I don't have the heart to throw them out).

One of our big struggles as a husband and wife is figuring out where to put the pictures. We are slowly putting up the pictures, but it takes us time. We have 1 up in the kitchen, 1 up in the dining room, 4 in the office, quite a few going up the staircase.

This morning, I decided the perfect spot for this lovely sign my sister made me for Christmas. I have been wanting to put it up for a while, but didn't know where. I was up before David and it was about 9 this morning. I got out the hammer and a small nail and started to put the nail in the wall when David came down. I woke David up this morning by nailing in the nail, but the sign is up and I love it! As soon as I'm done with this, I'm going to ask David to put up a new family portrait we had taken 2 weekends ago.

I'm excited for this house to become our home slowly but surely. We have put up curtains, our things throughout the house and now we are finally getting all the pictures up! I guess between all these moves, David & I don't rush to get everything up anymore, but we love it once everything is up!

Freedom Rules

This Fourth of July was a fun quick 3 day weekend. The Hansen's came to town and arrived Saturday Afternoon.

It started off fun, the boys & David got "marine cuts" up on base. We then came home and made Easy Hawaiin Kalua Pork Pizza and it's amazing! We had a nice easy evening of just hanging out and playing around.

Sunday morning, we went to sacrament meeting. We had a lot of fun listening to testimonies. For the Hansen's, they said it was nice being in a military ward and not in Utah so it was focused on America's freedom rather then the Pioneers as that celebration is also in July. One of the first testimonies was from a 12 year old boy and he talked about how he was glad we won the Revolutionary War so we could have the freedom to practice whatever religion.

After Sacrament Meeting we came home real quick, put the dogs in the kennels and left to go get some lunch and play downtown. We went to the The Corvette Diner and us adults all ate some yummy cheeseburgers! We then went to downtown and caught a 2 hour cruise around the bay. It's always lots of fun and we enjoyed seeing everything. We then went to the Maritime Museum where we toured a Russian Submarine & an American Submarine. Made me really appreciate being an American when differing the living conditions!

We finally made it home late that night and David cooked us up some amazing carne asada that we put in burritos. I'm going to say it, David is amazing with the grill! We then had ice cream cone cupcakes for dessert and they were yummy as well!

Monday morning, we all got up around the same time, but we took it easy. Donna & I made us French Toast with Berry Butter and replaced the half & half with buttermilk. We also didn't have enough maple syrup so we made Buttermilk Syrup. I had never had buttermilk syrup, but I don't know if I will ever be able to go back! It was so good.

That afternoon we headed to Coronado Beach where we had a fun afternoon and that evening we went to the La Jolla Fireworks. They were beautiful, felt like we were right under them!

We had so much fun this weekend and are missing then Hansen's when we woke up Tuesday morning. Thanks for visiting!

Pillow Hog

Moose is a HUGE pillow hog! Every night, after brushing my teeth, I come to my bed and Moose is in my spot taking both of my pillows! In the above picture he is not only snuggling with the pillows but the nice warm clean clothes! He does know the good things to snuggle with. As I write this he is snuggling with the arm rest.

Stella the Clutz

Stella recently cut her paw on something in the backyard. She didn't like us when we bandaged her up! But it's healing really well!

Company

Life is good when Moose is surrounded by gorgeous women! 

David had a Birthday!

David had his birthday this weekend. We had a lot of fun. On Friday night, I made his cake. It was 15 layers...yes 15 layers! I was inspired by Bakerella at this website http://www.bakerella.com/fourteen-for-the-fourteenth/

Look at all those cake pans!

Fifteen layers! They look like pancakes but so yummy looking at the same time.

With cute star candles!

It looks massive!

Then after we had cake for breakfast and David opened his presents, we went to the USS Midway downtown.

It was a lot of fun and lots to look at. I recommend the USS Midway if you come to San Diego.

Then we had lunch at Hard Rock Cafe and went to the movies. We came home around 7 and the missionaries stopped by around 8 ish and made them eat some delicious cake! All in All, I think David had fun turning 30 this year!!!

Warmth

Sometimes Stella likes to lay down with me while I work. This day, she obviously wanted to lay on me while I worked.

Flower Fields

This past weekend, David & I went up to Carlsbad, CA for the Flower Festival. It was so pretty! It's just field upon field of flowers. We took a tractor ride to the top of the hill and on the ride we could see the ocean from our seats. Here are a few pictures of our fun time.

The Fields when we first get through the entrance

A tractor I saw on our tractor ride

Our Tractor...love the Starwberry Shortcake

A really pretty tree

I love the rows and rows and rows of flowers

You can see the ocean!

A little bit of white

Us

What You Looking At?

Mom, Seriously...another picture!?

Corvette Diner

Tonight, David came home from work and as I hadn't left the house other then for grocery shopping on Tuesday and church on Sunday, I hadn't done much this week other then work...a lot of hours. I was aching from working all week, not wanting to cook tonight and David needed some new socks for his hump (a long hike) that he has tomorrow. One of my really good friends asked if we had ate at the Corvette Diner yet, which we hadn't. We had received an awesome military coupon in the mail this week for the Corvette Diner, so we decided to go on over. It's not super close, about 10 miles away, but we are always up for trying out new places. 

This place was AWESOME! We were seated in a black lighting area and the tables glowed after some pressure was placed on it. When I picked up my silver wear, it was bright green! Our server was a bit loud, but she made sure our drinks were filled. The food was pretty good, the dessert was delicious! 

Some of the things that made the place so AWESOME:

1. They had a REAL DJ playing 50's music

2. They had a dessert that was a platter of cotton candy. We saw it, it was a platter of cotton candy...it was way cool!

3. They had a guy who made fun things out of balloons. I got a blue dog with a leash!

4. The wait staff danced with pom poms. 

5. They had a game room (we didn't go in it.)

Lets just say, the place rocked. If you have kids or just 2 adults, it's a way fun place to eat at.

Looking Good

Easter

This Easter, David & I went to Sacrament meeting and then left. We drove up to Santa Monica, CA to meet David's youngest sister for Easter dinner. Bekah drove down from Santa Barbara, where she is in her last semester for school. It was about half way for both of us, which was nice and we were able to have a great time. We walked the Santa Monica Pier. I can't believe how much weight that pier can sustain!

We then walked a little bit around the Promenade area (not the whole thing) as we didn't want to miss our dinner reservation.

We ate dinner at this yummy Italian Place that had the best bread! Some of the bread even had olives cooked into it! That was all mine as Bekah doesn't like olives and David just didn't take any. We shared a "salad" for an appetizer. It was grilled tomatoes with fresh mozzarella on top. It was SO good! This is something I am going to have to learn for an appetizer when family comes to visit. DAvid & Bekah had ravioli, I believe different kinds and I had a fluted pasta, with vodka cream sauce with bacon. It was to die for! We all got the small sizes, so it was just enough.

After dinner, we continued to walk the whole promenade. It was fun to see the street performers. Then afterwards, we went for dessert at Pink Berry. It's a frozen yogurt spot with toppings. It was extremely yummy as well and would recommend it to anyone

After that, we said our goodbyes and headed home. It was really nice to see Bekah and just have a fun afternoon together.

Padres!

This past weekend, David & I had a ton of fun.

On Saturday, we took the trolley and saw San Diego Padres play Philadelphia. It was a lot of fun sitting next to everyone. People jumping up and down, dancing, booing when the opposing team would come up to bat. It was a lot of fun. We lost in the 11th inning. Here are some photos from the base ball field.