Just thought you needed to know...

that this makes me happy every day.

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Andy's New Truck

Andy bought a new truck and this is it:

I love it. It is a much smoother ride. And it is so nice to have the 4 doors. One time a bag of hand-me-down clothes from my mom flew out of the back of Andy's old truck when we were driving home from my parents' house. This new truck has space for his work guys, luggage and babies (someday).


This is his old truck that we sold to a high school boy. Andy misses it. After being parked for 2 days in front of Andy's shop, it was sold.

Philly Cheese Steaks

We made philly cheese steaks for dinner last night. We started with olive oil, onions and green peppers.

Then we added mushrooms and steak.

We melted provolone cheese on it all and put it on toasted buns with a little cream cheese.

Sorry this picture is so bad, but we were too busy eating them at this point! You can see the big bite I already took. They were pretty good.

Travel Story

When I was on my travels for work, something kind of hilarious happened to me that I have been meaning to share.

I was traveling in the ever-so-swanky State Dodge minivan. I had planned to stay the weekend with my parents in between the two weeks of graduate fairs to save some traveling and to save SUU some money (this proved to be a very bad idea because I was away from Andy for waaaay too long).

After the BYU Idaho Graduate Fair, I drove home to Randolph. As is very usual for me, I urgently needed to go to the bathroom as soon as I arrived. I stuffed the keys in my pants pocket and ran for the basement toilet. After I went to the bathroom I reached behind me and flushed the toilet while still seated (I always do this). Then I stood up, pulled my pants up and all of a sudden I heard a "clank". I turned my head to look at the toilet and the keys were long gone. I went into panic mode and called Andy. I got a wire hanger and tried to feel for the keys but nothing. I assumed the keys were in the septic tank by now. The next day I made arrangements to have Andy get an extra set of keys from the Motor Pool at SUU and he overnighted them to me.

We kind of forgot about it and didn't use that toilet until about 24 hours later when someone did use that toilet. It wouldn't flush - we were in a mess. My dad got home from his meetings and ended up taking the whole toilet apart. He emerged from the bathroom with a pair of pliers holding a very nasty looking set of keys. It was all pretty hilarious and when I got back from my trip everyone on campus had heard the dilemma and we all had a good laugh.

So my new motto is "Keys in the purse - not in the pocket."

The Air Show in Las Vegas

This past weekend a group of us were in Las Vegas and went to the Air Show at the Nellis Air Force Base. Can you see the writing in the sky in this first picture? Click on it to make it bigger so you know what I am talking about. Can you believe there are 5 airplanes flying in a row making the little dots that create the words? Crazy.


Me standing in front of a giant cargo plane.

And our friends Randy and Emily were here from Texas for all the fun too!

Happy Birthday Mylee!!

Kickin' butt and takin' names.

That is Mylee's motto. This little girl is IN CHARGE and I love it. She has so much energy - I wish some of it would rub off on me. Mylee refers to Andy and I as "Coco-Annie". And we are one and the same: I am "Coco-Annie" and Andy is "Coco-Annie". I don't think she knows the difference between us, but I don't care. I just love it when she gets excited to see us and squeals "Coco-Annie!". Mylee is on her way to having hair just as beautiful as her sister Ally - it is LONG and soft. She is a fun little girl to be around and we love her! Happy Birthday My.

My Birthday Dinner

So, my birthday landed on a Sunday this year and I felt a little bummed that we probably would not go out to eat. Instead, Andy made me a birthday dinner. I should have known it would outdo any restaurant dinner we could have found.

COURSE 1: Spinach and Cheese filled Ravioli with homemade Rose Alfredo.
I was skeptical about the sauce, but it turned out to be THE HIGHLIGHT of the meal. Andy pureed a fresh tomato and some fresh basil in the food processor. He sauteed some fresh garlic, added the tomato, basil, a little cream, sugar, salt and some fresh Parmesan cheese. So fresh and yummy.


COURSE 2: Spaghetti Squash.
Baked spaghetti squash with butter, Splenda brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Delicious.

COURSE 3: Beef Tenderloin Steak.
Marinated and cooked to perfection.


One more of the many reasons I love my husband - he knows how to cook up an outstanding meal. Aren't I lucky? Thanks babe for making my birthday weekend so great.

Happy to be home sweet home

Being away from my husband for 10 days was nearly torture for me, but I survived and am so tickled to be home. While I was away, I visited 6 universities and talked graduate school with many students. Definitely worthwhile. I also managed to squeeze in a little shopping and:

Fortunately my mom accompanied me on the long drive to Rexburg, Idaho. We had great conversation and ate at Maddox on our way there. (Yes, I dyed my hair).

The next day we met up with Brie and went out to dinner.

Holly, Ally, Mylee, Amber, Natalee, Noah, Mom, Brie and I all went and saw High School Musical 3. It was hilarious, but keeping Mylee focused was the challenge. After, we went to a boutique. This picture is my mom and Natalee after the movie - they have similar taste in shoes.

As much fun as all of this was, getting home to Andy was just what I needed. As soon as I got home, we threw on our Halloween costumes and went to a Halloween party. We were Wilma and Fred Flinstone.


Isn't that Fred cute?