Food and Family

Heaven forbid I ever start a blog entry without updating on weekends past. So in keeping with tradition, I give you... two weekends ago! We decided to take a family break from studying on Saturday morning and went to Logan. I've been wanting to take Travis to a fabulous artisan bread shop called Crumb Brothers and a local micro-dairy/ farmstead cheese maker, Rockhill Creamery. We've had Crumb Brothers bread several times before, mostly because the title agency I worked for used it as a gift for costumers and irresistible treat for employees. However, Travis had never been to their bakery because they close at 2:00 p.m. This is particularly important because their building is as phenomenal as their bread. The ambiance of the small cottage with earthy hewn log beams and beautiful xeriscaping is second to none. Somehow, bread eaten in the store tastes even better. If you're ever in Logan, Utah I strongly urge you to go to Crumb Brothers. It is one of the city's gems.

Me and Ethan outside Crumb Brothers.

Travis and Ethan chowing down on Decker Seed bread and peppercorn Gouda from Rockhill that we bought at Crumb Brothers. We also ate an almond croissant, they make their own pastry dough as well, that was to die for.

Later that week, Ethan helped me finish up some fresh salsa.
Mmm... garden tomatoes and cilantro....

The little man "helping" me do the laundry.
He got a little sidetracked.

Just this past Friday, Steve, Suzie, Emi, Tiffany, Tyler, Jenny and Merrilee came up to Brigham City to go to our ward's Trunk-or-Treat and spend the evening with us. I made a yummy butternut squash and spinach lasagna and some delicious herb and red bell pepper focaccia and we heeded Scott's suggestion and watched Meet the Robinsons, a purely delightful movie. Afterwards, Emi stayed overnight and we caught a late showing of Dan In Real Life, which I also highly recommend to anyone in need of a movie to see.

Everyone at the Trunk-or-Treat.

On Saturday, Tammy hosted her annual Halloween party at Steve's house and we made fresh apple cider. It was a fabulous time!

Steve cranking out the apple cider.
Note: This is the old press that my dad found on the farm in Oregon. After my sister, Tammy, lost her finger in the machine, we quit using it. When dad died, Steve brought the apple cider press down to Utah and spent a year fixing it up, making it more safe, and now we get to have fresh cider again!

My men watching the cider pressing.

Ahhh! I hardly recognized Melanie in her costume!

Ethan and Robert wearing their cousin costumes.
Ethan is a tiger and Robert is a frog. So cute!

Emi and I even dressed Barclay, Steve's dog, up in the

butterfly costume I bought on clearance for him last year.
We paraded Barclay outside to see Steve and here is Steve's exact facial expression:

Love it! I'd definitely pay $1.99 to see that look on his face again.

On Sunday Travis wanted to take a picture of me and Ethan getting ready to go to church and it ended up being one of my favorite pictures of us ever. You see, I noticed as I was going through Ethan's pictures that there a bajillion pictures of Ethan and Travis, but not too many of me and Ethan. Sure it makes sense since I'm usually the one taking the pictures, but now Travis is helping me make sure that years down the road Ethan will know I was, in fact, present for his childhood.

I must say, this post makes me so happy. As I look at all the fun things we've been doing lately, it reminds me that we're practically out of the woods, aka: done with school. I've been able to devote more of my energy and emotions towards the things that matter most to me and that makes me so pleased. We've been consistently having quality FHE's, family prayer and scripture study and, sadly, for the first time in a while I've been studying my scriptures every day. We outlined a new budget that I've been tracking and sticking to, we've both been consistently working out, and I've been cooking a lot of new recipes and perfecting others. I often find myself marveling at the blessings I enjoy and the strength I've been given to "fight" for the things that matter most. It isn't easy to change yourself and it certainly isn't easy to stick with those changes. But, as He promised, when we do our best and have good intentions, the Lord makes up the rest. I love my life!

Good Times, Good Times

At the beginning of the month, we had the good pleasure of having Bill and Connie come to visit us. Much fun was had by all and included:

Lexie getting frequent belly rubs and additional loves. I think she especially enjoyed having other people that Ethan's attention was directed towards so he bothered her less.


Grandpa Bill and Ethan enjoyed some good 1-on-1 reading time. (I love this picture) P.S. If you look outside the windows you'll see the horseman of the apocalypse: snow.


I made some wickedly delicious cinnamon rolls. I'm usually the biggest critic of my cooking, but these were honestly the best cinnamon rolls I've ever eaten and I could think of no way to improve them. In fact, they were so perfect that I will not share the recipe. Come on, I have to be needed for something!

The following weekend we went to Idaho for my college roommate's (Melissa) wedding. Travis took a day off on Friday and we spent the whole weekend together. It was blissful.


Here's E looking dapper before we left Friday morning.


The happy couple, Melissa and Phil Kunz, exiting the temple. No, that's not their child, rather an exuberant niece that ran to congratulate her uncle and made some interesting "exiting the temple" photos. :o)


Travis waiting outside the temple. I love the way the sun reflected off the car in this photo. Combined with his intentionally cheesy smile it almost looks like a Mormonad picture. Can you think of a clever caption?


Travis and Ethan outside the temple having a little father and son discussion.

On Saturday we drove around Rexburg and I drank large glasses of nostalgia while pointing places from my early college days out to Travis. That town is booming! It has changed so much since I was there last, and that really wasn't that long ago. Undoubtedly the best thing about Rexburg now is their beautiful new temple.


(Note: Travis pointed out that the sign outside this temple is using the old logo for the church with "Jesus Christ" being the same font size. Interesting, huh?)

On the drive home that afternoon we stopped in Pocatello and played on the playground to break the drive up.

Ethan blowing kisses.


Climbing the slide.

Travis being a monkey. It's a good thing there weren't any thieves around because quite a lot of booty fell out of his pockets when he executed this move.

E walking through the red tunnel.

So what exactly is this a picture of? Funny you should ask. That night, Travis offered to make dinner while I studied and I happily obliged. He served celery with peanut butter and was proceeding to eat the peanut butter but not the celery. I had to let him know that wasn't allowed, especially when you make the meal yourself. Honestly, he could have just but a spoon of peanut butter on our plates if that's what he really wanted. But anyway, he proceeded to make a celery woman who begged me to allow her to live. I caved.

Sheer Cuteness