Thanksgiving weekend

I'm so proud of myself for our Thanksgiving dinner!! I made so many things that I hadn't made before (dinner rolls, roasted pork, a new recipe for sweet potato casserole)

We were all pretty hungry by the time dinner was ready. We had, from the left: home made rolls (I used this recipe--very low effort because you use the bread maker :), mashed potatoes (from a box), sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, roasted pork, and green beans.

I was very proud of the rolls--I've never made dinner rolls before. Even though most of the work was done by my bread maker, it was still something that I was very happy with.

The sweet potato casserole was also amazing. I used a recipe from the Columbia Stake RS cook book from over 10 years ago.

I was also very proud of the roast pork. I'm not really one for making large cuts of meat, so I was kind of nervous about making it. I shouldn't have been worried--it was very easy to stick it in the oven and let it cook for 3 hours :)

I was also pretty impressed with myself for making this beauty. No-bake chocolate mousse pie! And I whipped the cream by hand, because I haven't gotten around to getting a mixer yet...yeah, I should get on that. Here's a tip if you ever have to do that: chill the cream to make it VERY cold before whipping it; it'll make things go faster.

 And now for the pièce de résistance! We set up the Christmas tree today, according to tradition. I am so happy for the Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!

I went Christmas shopping yesterday. Everything was going fine until I got to the register to check out. I was at the self-check out area, and it wouldn't take my debit card; I figured that Austin and I must have forgotten to transfer the money from our savings account. I decided to pay by check and verify the amount in the checking account when I got home. The attendant asked for my ID, explaining that they usually don't ask for it, but once in a blue moon, the computer gives them a prompt asking for an ID. I pulled out my driver's license and handed it to her just to realize that my maiden name is still on my driver's license (long story), but my married name is on my checks. So my ID didn't work. I did have $10.00 cash in my purse, so I decided to get the essentials with that and come back later for the rest. I started sorting my things into things I needed to get this trip and things I didn't need to get, not that I had a lot to sort. It couldn't have been meant to be for me to buy these things since nothing was working out.

Then the cashier started moving money around in her cash box and said, "Nevermind! Take all of it." Bewildered, I asked what had happened. She gestured to a rather plain but kind-looking blonde woman that had just completed her purchase at another register. "She paid for you," the cashier said.

I said, "Thank you!" trying to convey the gratitude I felt for her generous act, but I felt that it was an inadequate thanks. I didn't know what more I could say or do to communicate my appreciation for her generous act, and that I appreciated the act more than the money itself or the things that I was able to buy because of it.

The woman looked embarrassed but said, "Merry Christmas!" with a sweet smile, and walked away.

Have a Merry Christmas, everybody! (This is one of very few Christmas pictures that I have)

It's Christmas In July

I woke up this morning so incredibly excited that I could not go back to sleep. I knew some sound of Levi's had woken me up, but he didn't make any more noises.

I started analyzing my feelings, and the only one I could come up with was that it felt like Christmas. Seriously. Christmas still has that delicious anticipatory feeling about it for me, even though I don't care as much about the gifts.

And why, do you ask, does it feel like Christmas this muggy July morning?

Let me show you:

I SEE MY FAMILY TODAY!!!!!!

Ok, so I won't see all of them today, but today is the beginning of it all. And the anticipation is killing me!


Also, I'm inordinately pleased with myself for being able to fit all of Levi's and my things for a week in these two bags:

What? Don't look at me like that! Clothes are squishier than you think ;)