Simply Us

metal filing cabinet

2012-01-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal... when we moved into our new home I made a vow to create a home that both Bear and I really enjoy. No more hanging a picture up just because it is all you have. The only things going on my wall are pieces we are in love with. I also wanted to create and find pieces that were original and unique. But I am on a huge budget. So with all those promises in mind, it has taken a little more time to get settled into our new home. Since I am trying to decorate on a budget and the thrift store has become my good friend, I thought I would share with you some of my projects. Most all of my projects have been cheep and easy. I have realized that you can do anything with a little creativity and spray paint!

We needed some type of storage/cabinet in our office. I had looked all over and nothing had caught my eye. Until I received a magazine in the mail that had a beautiful colored metal cabinet. $800 was way out of my budget. So I thought about it, did a little research, and headed to the thrift store. I found this perfect metal cabinet for $4.00. Tip: when searching for a metal cabinet make sure that the drawers open and close smoothly. I then proceeded to the craft store with a couple 40% off coupons and bought three cans of spray paint. A total of $9.00. With my research I found that it is best to use a spray paint primer on metal. That you can only get at a hardware store and runs around $5.00.

With all my paints in hand, I went to the front yard and spray painted away. It took a couple coats of paint, a couple hours for drying, and a second to carry it into our office. It turned out perfect. Exactly how I had imagined it. The whole thing cost me about $18.00.

Now go out and find yourself a lovely metal cabinet and get to work!

a few awesome things from this weekend...

2012-01-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

1. Seeing Joshua James perform... Magical!

2. Pizza night, a couple episodes of madman, and cuddling on the couch with Bear.

3. Spending a Saturday morning enjoying all the wonderful treasures at fleaology. I walked away with the best find - that amazing blue bench.

4. Taking Shento on a walk long enough to make him tired. That's hard to do.

5. Finding a fun bakery within walking distance from our house.

6. It snowed.

7. Drinking lots of hot beverages to stay warm.

8. Decorating for lover's day.

Birthday

2012-01-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Today is my Dad's BIRTHDAY!

I hope he is having a wonderful time celebrating his big day

by golfing and soaking in the sun.

Happy Birthday Dad. Thanks for being so awesome.

I love you .

waiting

2012-01-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Bear left for work this morning and shento has not left this part of the couch. he stares out the window so intensely as if he is watching something. But no, he is waiting, hoping that Bear makes a quick return. Poor dog must find me to be unbearable. I might just try to bribe him with lots of cookies. Anything to amuse him for the next five hours, or at least until mr. favorite gets home.

Honestly, I can't blame shento for thinking that Bear is wonderful. he is.

christmas wrap up

2012-01-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Grand Rapids, Michigan

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there, I am so excited to do another around your town post. Today I want to introduce all of you all to Miss Kelli Daine from Grand Rapids Michigan. She attends school at Grand Valley State University studying Hospitality (and currently works at a local hotel). In her spare time she skypes with her man (he goes to school in Virginia), hangs out with friends, takes pictures, and blogs. Go check out her blog daily polka dots here.

How long have you lived in Grand Rapids?

My whole life! 23 years

What is your favorite activity to do their?

Walking around downtown taking pictures is definitely my favorite thing to do. There is a huge lawn in front of the Gerald R Ford presidential museum that my boyfriend and I like to lay at. Summer in Grand Rapids is great, there is so much to see outside it is wonderful!

What what you say Grand Rapid is known for.

I would guess Grand Rapids is known for their arts. We are a very up and coming city and I think that is because the love for art. There are so many different fairs and events through the year for every kind of art. The largest thing they host is called Art Prize, they basically set up an art museum all over downtown Grand Rapids, anyone can enter something in the contest and then the people who go can vote for whichever they like. It is awesome!

Where would you find the best hot chocolate/coffee/tea?

Starbucks...I know everyone has starbucks but I am a hard core fan, its my favorite :)

What is your favorite thing about living in your town?

My favorite thing about my town is that it takes no more than 15 minutes to get anywhere and it is always lively but in a small town sort of way. I do not like the bigness of New York but I do like a city so Grand Rapids is great for me because it feels like a big downtown with the tall buildings and the hustle and bustle but on a much smaller scale than New York!

What is one thing you would change about your town?

I would have more to do in the winter. It gets a little boring!

If you had house guests where would you take them or what would you do?

I would take them downtown for sure.

Favorite restaurant?

Rockwells Republic. If you go get the edamame, their guacamole, and the fruit sangria!

What do you do for fun.

I like to take pictures, go bowling, and walk around in the small towns that surround Grand Rapids

What is your favorite date activity?

Dinner at Dar Divani, it is a wine bar. Super cozy and relaxed. They have all different kinds of beer and wine that they teach you about. And they have amazing food!!

Favorite holiday tradition?

Cutting down a Christmas tree

It snowed... a little bit

2012-01-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

we got our first real snow of this winter season, i can't believe that i am saying that... it's january.
we took a walk and everything was slightly dusted with a white layer (that has since melted). the snow was falling down and the mountains seemed extra big since it was hard to see the tops. It was beautiful!

California Coast, according to phone pictures

2012-01-10T01:10:00.001-07:00

an envelope date

2012-01-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal... i love looking forward to something and weekly date nights were the perfect thing. bear and i use to do weekly dates when we lived in new jersey but since stopped (remember I mentioned that in this post). date nights were one thing that we put on our 2012 goals to start back up again. so i thought i would make it a little fun and create six envelopes each holding a card with a date written on it. we went ahead and created six dates. me writing three and bear writing three. we did not show each other what we came up with. i mixed the cards up and stuck them in the envelopes. each monday we will pull that weeks date card. i can't wait to open them and see what fun things we get to do with each other.

P.S I stuck magnet strips on the back of each envelope and put them on the fridge.

P.S.S GIVEAWAY. Head over to Katrina B Photography Facebook page and enter the giveaway!

2011 in review

2012-01-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

In January, we rang in the New Year in Utah with games and fireworks (and a midnight kiss).

Ryan came to visit where we had a snowball fight on the jersey shore! we explored the local geo/natural history museum in New Brunswick, NJ. And we took lots of walks in the snow.

February, we experienced our first ice storm. I visited Janice and we toured all over D.C. and Virginia. Bear and I explored French Town, NJ and had a yummy dinner at ship inn.

In March, we visited a maple syrup farm and learned all about how maple syrup is made. We took a quick day trip into New York City for me to do a photo-session. And the best part of March was our get-together with all of our best-friends in Washington D.C.

April was filled with entertaining our house-guests... my parents. We took them to all of our favorite New Jersey/New York spots. We really enjoyed having them come see what our life was about on the east coast. We spent Easter at Rutgers Gardens and enjoyed the annual Rutgers day.

In May, we took a lovely trip to Florida to attend a friends wedding and see family. It was great to catch up and see everyone. We also had some more wonderful house guests... Bear's parents came at the end of the month. Again, we took them to all of our favorites spots and ate lots and lots of yummy food.

June was an emotional month for us. We had so much fun visiting Annapolis, Maryland and hanging out with Ryan. We ate lots of delicious crab and enjoyed being surrounded by the water. But once that trip was over, we headed back to start packing up our house for our move out west . We had a going away party with all of our wonderful friends. Bear surprised me with a day trip to Hyde Park, NY for our 3rd wedding anniversary. We ate the best meal I have ever eaten at the Culinary Institute of America, and enjoyed touring around Franklin Roosevelt's estate and Eleanor's house. We packed up all of our things and started our journey across the U.S at the end of June.

In July, we celebrated the Fourth in Ridgway, Co with Bear's Aunt Vicci and Uncle Charlie. We also settled into our temporary home at Bear's parents house. we enjoyed camping with family and taking walks to the nearby lake.

Bear started teaching his first class at the beginning of August. We celebrated Susan's birthday and Bear started fly fishing more. we also spent a lot of time taking walks and enjoying the outdoors.

In September, Bear played in a woody tournament and won best dressed. we spent a lot of time taking jeep rides and looking at the beautiful changing colors.

In October, Bear and I dressed up as Mary Poppins and Bert for Halloween. We also had a visit from our good friend Kenny and enjoyed taking him around to all of our new found favorite spots.

In November, we found our new home in Provo Utah. We signed the lease on 11-11-11. Thanks to our family's help we painted the entire house. We celebrated Bear's birthday by attending a Navajo indian rug show and eating at Shabu Shabu house. We were able to enjoy our first Thanksgiving with family (we usually spent it with friends because of living so far away). And to ring in the holiday's we attended the Ogden santa run.

In December, we started decorating and organizing our house. We went on a long holiday vacation to California and Colorado. It was absolutely amazing being around all of our family and friends. I have to say, this Christmas is going to be hard to beat!!

the california coast: part one

2012-01-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

isn't it breath taking? i think so... all of California coast is beautiful, but i think Pismo Beach is magnificent. it's basically where i grew up so i hold a special place for it in my heart... i miss terribly but have hopes that one day i (bear included) will move back.

Bear, my cousin Cory, myself, and of course Mr. Shento stood on the pier for what seemed like hours just watching the waves and surfers! it was incredibly peaceful, one of those moments you wish you could freeze time and hold onto forever.

a fresh start

2012-01-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

We're back from our long holiday vacation. It was wonderful catching up and seeing so many of our family and friends. I miss everyone tremensely, but i am looking forward to a fresh start and this new year.

We rang in the new year in Colorado with Bear's Aunt and Uncle. And although Bear and I were flighting to stay awake until midnight ( I know, lame) we made it to about 12:05 a.m, just enough time to sneak in a kiss and reassure each other that this was going to be a great year for us. On our drive home yesterday we made a list of goals, plans, and activities that we would like to accomplish and do this coming year. While we have always tried to have goals for our life and fun activities planned, these past couple months seemed to put a halt to those things, and this year we are bringing them back!! Like weekly date nights, eating dinner at our dining room table (not in front of the TV), eating healthier, saying and doing sweet things for each other, and going on lots of adventures in our new town. This year is going to be a great year. I believe that, and my goal is to try to make each day lovely. No bad attitudes, or feeling sorry for yourself days. Those all can stay in 2011.

I am excited for 2012 and am very thankful for all the many memories that we made and lessons that we learned this past year.

a quick hello

2011-12-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hello there.

These past two weeks have been magical.

we have visited with so many of my favorite people,

enjoyed the sunny California weather, and have eaten lots of yummy food.

I have a lot to share, but for now I am off to enjoy a big glass of egg nog

and an evening catching up with family.

the first christmas

2011-12-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

Today, we head out on a road trip to California.

We are spending the holidays out there with my family.

Twelve hours in the car with this guy could not get any better.

This pictures is an oldie, but it brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.

It was taken during the first Christmas break (from college) that we hung out with each other .

During that break are friendship began.

We quickly became best friends with the occasionally kiss thrown in.

That Christmas was also the first time that Bear met and entertained some of my extended family.

Six years later he is still my best friend, but now I get all the kisses I want.

yeah for holidays... yeah for love... yeah for families... and yeah for road trips!

nothing a little lights, candy, and pizza won't fix

2011-12-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

we celebrated Christmas with the Brooks this past weekend, and it was just what I needed to feel the Christmas spirit . You see, I have been a little scrooge-ish. Un-prepared and scattered are two words that you could describe how I have been feeling about the up-coming holiday. But thanks to a great weekend of yummy food at Maxwells, my favorite pizza place ever, decorating the Brooks Christmas tree, watching Christmas movies, and relaxing with family, my spirits are up! Bring on this merry season. I . am . ready!

around my town. Reading, Pennsylvania

2011-12-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

I am super pleased to introduce to you 'around my town'. a new feature on my blog that will take a closer look at bloggers and where they live. Bear and I have traveled a lot since we got married and I love getting recommendations of places to eat or things to see from other blogs. That is how this little feature got started. i hope that you enjoy learning about the different towns and all the fun recommendations of places to visit and restaurants to try from bloggers around the country.

without further ado, I want to introduce to you Betsy. Born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania, a graduate student in Multicultural Education. Her blog, Heavens to Betsy, is all about photography, crafts, food, and fun.

Let's get to know a little bit more about Betsy and Reading, Pennsylvania.

How long have you lived in Reading, PA?

I was born and raised in Reading, and other than the last 4 years, have lived here all my life. I moved to Wenham, Massachusetts to go to Gordon College in the fall of 2007, but moved back home to Reading last December when I graduated.

What is one thing that you love about Reading?

I love that my entire family is here. We’re a pretty tight-knit bunch, and it’s great to not be more than 15 minutes from anyone. But I guess that’s not really about Reading. I love the diversity in landscape that Reading has. It’s situated in a valley, surrounded on all sides by mountains. You can be in the heart of the city drive five minutes and be in suburbia, and drive another five minutes and be on a farm. It’s situated right between Lancaster and Philadelphia, so you don’t have to go too far to experience some different ways of life. It’s crazy how fast the landscape changes around here, but it gives Reading a city and country feel all at the same time.

What is one thing that you don’t like about living in your town?

We don’t have an Anthropologie. (Just kidding!) While there are a lot of awesome things going on in the Reading area, the city is pretty rough. It’s not exactly the safest place around.

If you could use one word to describe your state/town/house what would it be?

Community –minded.

Favorite go-to Dinner Spot?

This is super lame, but I really love Panera & Moe’s Southwest Grill. Yeah, not exactly unique.

If you had the opportunity to take someone to only one place in Reading where would it be?

Mt. Penn. It’s one of the mountains in Reading, and houses the Pagoda and the Fire Tower. The Pagoda is literally a Japanese-style Pagoda. I think it was a hotel or something, but now it’s a museum of sorts. And right in the middle of the mountain is the Fire Tower, which you can climb to the top of and see the entire Greater Reading area. It’s easily the best way to show someone Reading, and it’s pretty cool, too.

Where is the one place that you would not want to forget your camera?

Oooo…this is a hard one. I pretty much take my camera everywhere that I go, but I’d have to say you wouldn’t want to forget it if you were heading up towards Lancaster county. The rolling hills, farms, and even Amish horse & buggies are so picturesque!

Favorite weekend getaway?

The beach! We’re about 2 ½ hours from both the Delaware and Jersey seashores. Easy day or weekend getaway!

Where would we might find you on a Saturday afternoon?

Probably out with friends, shopping or grabbing coffee, or, as nerdy as it sounds, at home, on my couch, doing homework.

Best place to satisfy your sweet tooth?

Sublime Cupcakes. I’m a cupcake addict, and Sublime makes different flavors everyday….my favorite are the Grasshopper, S’mores, and Harvest Pumpkin!

What is on your list of things that you want to do in the upcoming months?

Go up to Hershey for Candy Lane…they decorate the entire park for Christmas and they have the BEST hot cocoa. (plus, the town smells like chocolate…what’s not to love?)

Favorite blogger?

I’m a HUGE fan of Naomi over at The Rockstar Diaries. Her little family is the cutest!

the weekend

2011-12-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

Highlights from the weekend include

1. going to glades for hamburgers. This use to be one of our weekend hangout spots (the parking lot) when I was younger. It was as delicious as I remembered it being. They have this white sauce for dipping your fries (and anything else) and it is scrumptious! It's so good that I kept some and it's in my refrigerator for when I get a craving.

2. taking a walk up Hobble Creek Canyon, and then driving around looking at all the million (x6) dollar houses that are hidden up throughout the canyon.

3. watching Shento play in the snow.

4. coming home and trying out our new espresso maker. Bear made a killer pumpkin spice espresso!

5. (not pictured) Bear and I walked to center street to watch Santa turn the Christmas lights on in downtown provo. The lights were so so, but the walk was wonderful. It is great living within walking distance to downtown.

That wraps up our weekend. How was yours?

electric light parade

2011-12-02T17:00:00.001-07:00

on saturday, we took a little visit to Ogden to watch the electric light parade, santa run, and visit the city park filled with playhouses decorated for the holidays. we arrived just in time to get a hot beverage and watch the 700 plus santa look-a-likes run down main street. later, we watched the light parade, walked around the village, and had dinner at Roosters. I highly recommended eating here if you ever get the chance. it was a perfect evening out with my family. a special thanks to Bear for making us all laugh at your ridiculous jokes during the evening events.

thanksgiving

2011-12-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

we spent Thanksgiving with the Brooks family and it was wonderful. we were spoiled with not one but two turkeys... a fried and a roasted. the fried was my favorite, it was so moist and delicious. we stuffed ourselves, but that's what your suppose to do on Thanksgiving, right? Bear's mom organized for all of us to paint either a snowman or santa to get in the spirit of the holidays. it was a great idea and lots of fun. everyone's came out looking spectacular. this was the first Thanksgiving that Bear and I have spent with family, and although we missed are friends we were so thankful to be around all of our family.

curtains...

2011-11-30T23:07:00.000-07:00

it's super quite in my house right now. Bear is reading in our room and i am sure that Shento is snuggled up right next to him. i am sitting on our couch sipping some tea reminiscing about the curtains that i sewed today. i thought long and hard about how i would make them and what pattern/color they would be, and now as i am starring at them they turned out just okay. they look more blue to me than the grey they looked in the store and my seam line is not completely strait. maybe i should of just bought the ones that i was wanting instead of trying to be crafty. oh well, i am sure they will grow on me... they've got to because they are here to stay! the moving process is progressing. i still feel a little discombobulated. i put things away and then i forget where they are, and trying to find room for all of our stuff has been a challenge but the house is lovely, the neighborhood seems charming, and it's exciting starting this new adventure.

wishing everyone a joyous weekend

2011-11-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

we like bright colors.

Bear actually picked the wall color (magenta haze). You wanna know why?

Because it's 'his' color. it says it in the book of colors. it goes by your birthdate and year.

His happens to be magenta haze so he thought why not paint the office that color.

it's bright, but i think it will be fun and energetic when we are complete.

what do you think of the mock up?

have a happy weekend.

we will be un-packing and putting together our new home.

we shall be moving

2011-11-16T08:00:00.001-07:00

wish us luck today!

we are packing up the u-haul and movin are stuff to provo.

ahhh....

ready. set. GO!!!

our new home on e street

2011-11-15T20:18:00.001-07:00

our house is coming along nicely.

the walls have been painted, the carpet has been cleaned, and the kitchen has been scrubbed.

we owe a HUGE thanks to both of our parents for helping/doing a lot of the work.

we will be loading up the u-haul and moving all of our stuff tomorrow.

let the craziness of un-packing and decorating begin!

and lastly, no this pictures has nothing to do with moving, provo, or even bear and i. it was taken in park city of some random donkeys that i thought were cute!

happy birthday my love

2011-11-13T00:00:00.007-07:00

thank you for being my best friend.

i love you.

Love, me

welcome home

2011-11-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

whew, yesterday was a whirlwind. we signed the lease, got the keys, and started painting our new home. the new coat of paint already brightens up the rooms and makes the house look a lot more charming. i have a million ideas for decorating and i am anxious to start moving our stuff/boxes in. today, we are heading back to the house to paint. the more time i spend in the empty house, the more it feels like our home.

Road Island Diner

2011-11-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

Awhile back Bear and I took a drive to Oakley to visit the Road Island Diner.

It's an actual old streamlined art deco diner car that was moved here from Elizabeth, NJ.

Now you see why we had to visit! It has ties to NJ.

The car is filled with bright colored seats, neon signs, a jukebox,

and of course the curved aluminum ceiling. The waiter even wore a hat replicating

the ones that were worn in the 1930's by waiters.

We had chocolate malts and boy were they tasty (and huge), we should of shared..

Everything on their menu looked good, but the breakfast looked especially yummy.

I think we will be visiting again soon to try out the breakfast.

Hello

2011-11-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello, hello,

this past week was busy. so many little things in our life are happening and it started feeling overwhelming. we have been afraid of jinxing it so we have stayed quite, but we have found a cute old house (to rent) that we will call our home sometime next week. the house is everything we could ask for. two bedrooms plus an office, tons of natural light, a fenced in back yard for Shento, and the best part, they allow dogs! it feels good to have finally made a decision and to know that this is the start of our new adventures in utah.

in other news, we still miss nj. isn't that the craziest thing? i miss our routine, all of our favorite restaurants, and our friends. i am so thankful that we took full advantage of living there. i have strange flashbacks when we visit local stores that we frequented in nj. i sometimes have to remind myself that we are no longer back east. i think that i am ready for a trip or i am ready for our friends to come visit us (Janice). we have a nice house and i will be a great host. yes, i am bribing everyone to come visit us.

also, i am excited about the snow. this weekend i was ready for the predicted blizzard that we were suppose to have but it didn't happen. it was just cold. but this cold is great. in nj when the temperatures dropped you seldom went outside. the humidity made everything unbearable. now we can go for winter walks without feeling like we are going to freeze to death.

and lastly, the house gets a fresh new coat of paint and we are in the process of picking out the colors. that task is harder than it seems. we stared at all the paint color samples hoping for one to jump out at us. instead we left about a dozen different choices.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious....

2011-10-31T15:41:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween!!

a drive through the mountains

2011-10-31T15:02:00.000-06:00

Provo

2011-10-26T10:01:00.000-06:00

hope that you are having a great week thus far.

I feel like ours has been productive.

we have checked things off of our never ending to-do list.

We have been moving along with the job search, house search, and grad school.

And after much debate, thought, and stress

we have officially decided to call Provo our home for the next little while.

And while I never thought that I would ever live in Provo/Utah County,

I am starting to except and like the idea.

It's beautiful here and we have potentially found an awesome Indian food restaurant

that I am super excited about (as long as I can find me some good Indian food, I will be great).

The house search is proving to be more challenging than we thought.

Especially in this area because everyone here is dog haters.

How can you not like dogs? Doesn't make any sense to me.

I couldn't even image life without my adorable Shento.

We are in Provo today. I am actually sitting in the student library typing this. Bear is teaching his class.

I am really hoping he hurries up because my stomach is starting to rumble.

Breakfast is sounding yummy right about now.

Any suggestions on awesome things to do in Provo?

We are going to go exploring today.

Pumpkin Monkey Bread

2011-10-26T07:41:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 Tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup warm milk

1/4 cup warm water

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Coating/Layering:

1 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

1 block cream cheese (not softened)

12oz pecan pieces

Whisk together the flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, water, pumpkin, melted butter, sugar, and yeast.

Add wet ingredient to the dry and mix together

Once both wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, it’s time to knead the dough. You can either turn the dough onto floured surface and knead by hand until elastic (about 8-10 minutes) or using a kneading attachment for your mixer. You’ll likely have to add flour a little at a time during the kneading process in order to get the elastic consistency that is the mark of good bread dough.

Once the dough is elastic, transfer to a bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Flip the dough over so that the top is coated and won’t dry out. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until double in size or about an hour.

While the dough is rising you can go ahead and do a little prep work for the assembly process. Cut a block of refrigerated cream cheese into tiny cubes. You’ll need to get 20-30 cubes out of one block so slice small. You can also mix together the cinnamon and sugar for rolling the dough balls and if you feel really ambitious you can melt a stick of butter.

Once the dough has doubled in size, it’s ready to be divided into small balls.

Pinch dough into balls that are 1 1/2 – 2 inches in diameter and tuck a cube of cream cheese inside. Dip each ball in the melted butter then roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Place one layer balls in a Bundt pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans on top then add another layers of balls. Repeat dough ball/pecan layers until Bundt pan is a little over half full. A tighter packed pan makes cake-like, sliceable monkey bread whereas a lightly packed pan (ie just laying the balls in the pan) makes for pull-apart monkey bread.

After layering is complete, sprinkle any leftover butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture on top, cover, and allow to rise again for about an hour. Once the dough has risen for the second time, bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

After baking, let the monkey bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes (no longer or it will get stuck!) then flip onto a serving platter.

Enjoy this yummy treat. It is really good for breakfast!

Original recipe found here.

a day filled with baking, music, and laughter is always the best type of day

2011-10-25T17:53:00.000-06:00

we had a day date.

the smell of pumpkin filled the house.

and Bear entertained with the sounds of his guitar.

I tried to sing along (but that just hurts our ears).

we laughed and talked about our future

and we made dinner together.

these types of days are the best.

and remind me how lucky I am.

a little music to start your day

2011-10-19T08:39:00.000-06:00

this lovely song came on this morning and i instantly fell in love with it.

and i hope you will too. Drew Tabor is the talented lady behind this amazing music.

Go check her out on youtube. She covers a lot of different artists and also sings some her own songs.

this was just what i needed for my Wednesday morning.

Enjoy!

Cascade Springs Drive

2011-10-18T10:33:00.000-06:00

A couple weekends ago we took a drive with Bear's parents up to Sundance and back around through Cascade Springs and into Midway (personally, I think that this is the prettiest drive to take to see the fall leaves). It was breathtaking. The bright reds on the tree leaves were covering patches all over the mountains. And yellow was just starting to peek through. This is truly my favorite time of year. And taking drives through the Utah mountains is something that I am grateful that we get to do now that we are back.

Happy Saturday

2011-10-15T12:34:00.000-06:00

Hey Hey.. I never write on Saturday because this time should be used to hang out with the Mr. or to be enjoying the outdoors. However, the Mr. is gone this weekend at a conference and I thought this would be a good opportunity to get some photography things done. Awhile back I did a giveaway on this lovely blog. The giveaway was for a free photo session. Pretty awesome huh! I met and photographed the couple who won the photo session this past weekend. They were pretty adorable and their session was super cute and romantic. You might even know her.. she writes the blog redhead memories.
Anywhoo, to see more of their pictures go to my photo blog. Become a follower and you might be the next person who wins a free photo session. Also, I am offering mini sessions through the month of November. Perfect for your upcoming christmas cards.

outside my window

2011-10-14T21:13:00.000-06:00

7:30 a.m

the moon was still out and the sun was just starting to rise.

The bright colors have seemed to fade and snow is still on the top of the mountains.

nothing beats a chocolate malt

2011-10-12T10:11:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago we had a double date with my adorable Grandparents. We had lunch at one of

our favorite places in Kamas, High Mountain Drug. The hamburger and chocolate malts are amazing...

I crave them for weeks afterwards. Thanks to my Grandparents for making our double date so fun.

Can't wait for the next time.

Mr. Best Dressed

2011-10-11T10:38:00.000-06:00

a little while back Bear played in a woody tennis tournament.

everyone involved played with the old wood racquets and were suppose to dress the part.

you probably noticed that Bear pulled the look off like a champ.

he won a trophy for his awesomeness. Best dressed.. that's my hubby!

he also did great playing tennis.

I sat on the side and cheered for mr. best dressed.

our saturday

2011-10-10T11:39:00.000-06:00

the weekend has come and gone, it always seems to happen so quickly. this weekend was a busy one. i'm starting to feel the effects of being married to a grad student once again. luckily, i was able to snag Bear away from his computer and hot beverage for a Saturday afternoon together. we ventured out to the thrift store and local park. we were able to escape the thrift store with only a few items. One of which was a woody tennis racquet that we played with that evening. the park city local park is beautiful and is quickly becoming one of my favorite areas to walk and bring shento. you will always find other dogs eager to play, which makes shento extremely happy. there is a music garden tucked away off the walking path, that is Bear's entertainment (who doesn't love beating on logs and metal things), and the scenery that surrounds that area is breathtaking.

out my window

2011-10-10T10:48:00.000-06:00

I didn't post on friday but I did snap the picture. It snowed.. All the beautiful colored leaves disappeared underneath a thin white blanket. The air was bitter cold and sweaters, a fire, and hot chocolate made their appearance. The snow came too quickly. Although it is beautiful, I am hoping for warmer weather this week. I need at least one more jeep ride with the top down.

Pumpkin Bread

2011-10-06T09:42:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly bean
16 ounces canned unsweetened pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 9x5 loaf pans. Stir together sugar and oil. Stir in eggs and pumpkin. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients and water into wet mixture, alternating. Divide batter between two loaf pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Baking Tip: The bread bakes more evenly if it's baked in a glass bread pan. Get creative with ingredients... Add chocolate chips or nuts to add a little texture and yumminess.

This recipe made me an awesome housewife. See, recently the amount of cooking and baking has decreased due to our living circumstances. Husband loves baked bread and used to always ask or beg for me to bake pumpkin or banana bread. The other day I exceeded his expectations and baked scrumptious pumpkin bread. My mom and I got together (because we can do that now that I don't live across the country) and decided that a fall cooking/baking party was in order. And whala... that is how pumpkin bread in the Brooks home came to be!

pumpkin head

2011-10-05T07:36:00.000-06:00

I am back and feel refreshed. It was a nice break. I have been working non-stop on marketing and starting up my photography business here in Utah. I was starting to go fuzzy eyed with the amount of time I was spending staring at the computer screen. I had to focus and unfortunately my focus needed to be on photography. But I am recovered and ready to blog.

First off, happy October! I’m loving the crisp air and vibrant colors that are displayed on the mountains. Bear and I have been trying to take full advantage of these fall conditions by enjoying many jeep rides and drinking our reasonable share of hot pumpkin spice beverages. Truthfully, anything pumpkin I have an attachment to. From my little pumpkin sitting outside our door, to the pumpkin bread my Mom and I made the other day, to my pumpkin spice candle that burns almost non-stop because the smell is just so lovely.

Bear and I are attending a Halloween party this year and we have been brainstorming up costume ideas. I think we have come to an agreement. However, Bear is thinking our idea is a little boring, I think the idea is adorable. You see, I love fall but Halloween brings out a fear that I have… Masks! I have a real panic attack when I have to deal with anything that covers someone’s face. Yes, this stems from something that happened as a child but we wont get into that. You see, this is not just a small fear, it makes my heart race and tears build in my eyes. The other day as I entered the market I faced my fear head-on. well, kind of. Upon entering the market I noticed a life-size fake human dressed in all black with a simple white mask. To enter the store you had to walk right past this fake human. I panicked and almost left the store immediately. I looked around to find another way to enter. But to my dismay there was another life-size person on the other side of the store. I stood there. Thinking to myself that this is pretty stupid to act and feel like this. I didn’t know what do I do? I figured I could ditch my cart and grab a basket. This way I could enter in the middle of the store through the check out lane. Yes, brilliant idea! I faced my fear!! Avoidance. It worked, but now you know why I am a little apprehensive about going to a Halloween party, and why my Halloween costume idea is cute and adorable, not scary or abnormal.

out my window

2011-09-30T12:10:00.000-06:00

oh my, i love this time of year. the leaves are beautiful, the weather is perfect, and the aroma of pumpkin spice is all around. i feel giddy inside just thinking about it. i intend on enjoying as much of this fall beauty as i possibly can. do you have any wonderful plans for the weekend? i was thinking a hike or drive up in the mountains! i am sure it is beautiful way back there. and tonight i will be cheering on my amazing tennis player hubby in a woody tennis tournament. i am pretty excited to watch everyone play with the old wood tennis rackets. i am going in hopes of making new friends. because we all know, we could use some friends here in Utah! have a wonderful weekend. i will be back in october.. ha ha ha - wednesday to be exact.

a blogging break

2011-09-29T15:10:00.000-06:00

did you notice i have been on a blogging break. That's okay if you didn't. I am technically still on this break from the blogging world. However, I wanted to pop in to say that I will be back on Wednesday.. ready to go! Until then, enjoy the rest of your week. Oh... I might show up tomorrow to bring you the weekly picture. The leaves have sure changed a lot in one week!!

Friday Picture

2011-09-23T11:08:00.000-06:00

taken on my porch
at 8:00 a.m
on the first day of fall

Go see last week's picture here.

the thoughts for the night

2011-09-19T00:15:00.000-06:00

it's getting late and I should be cuddling up with the Mr. but instead, a burst of energy hit me while I was lying in bed and my mind wouldn't relax. although I am not thinking about anything in particular nor anything important I just can't settle down. So instead of being a nuisance with my tossing and turning, I decided to get up, make a cup of tea, and write some emails. Yeah for getting a head start to the week! But I got distracted from my emails and decided that writing sounded better.

How was your weekend? Our weekend turned out fantastic. All of my family has been in town and we took full advantage of being around them. Nightly gatherings, day trips, and wonderful lunches were on our agenda the past couple days. I will write more about their visit later.

I had a wonderful photography shoot this evening. Every single time I go on a shoot I feel so blessed that I get to do what I love. I LOVE taking people's pictures. It makes my heart so happy!

While I was thinking about my photography and how delighted it makes me feel inside, I started thinking about other things that make me happy. So I created list and I thought I would share it with you all. Have you seen rockstar diaries 'Happy Lists'. Reading them makes you happy and grateful for all the small things in life that make you smile.

Here's my Happy List

1. The memories that Bear and I made the past two weeks with my Grandparents.

2. Feeling the warm sun on my skin

3. Pumpkin spice lates

4. The smell of my pumpkin spice candle

5. When Bear apologized for loosing my to-go box yesterday (silly husband)

6. Thinking about decorating a new house

7. A rainy evening cuddling with Bear & lots of blankets

8. Waking up in the middle of the night and feeling my puppy by my feet

9. Finding new recipes

10. and of course, taking pictures

and ten things that I want to start doing. That will, in return make me a happier person!

1. Send more letters and post cards

2. Kiss my husband more

3. Re-initiating our weekly date nights

4. Organize our bedroom

5. Find new ways to market my photography business

6. Start doing more yoga

7. Make new friends here in Utah

8. Paint my fingernails

9. Bake these yummy looking treats

10. Start taking Shento on more walks. We need our us time!

Goodnight.

Happy Friday and Happy Fall

2011-09-16T16:37:00.000-06:00

The leaves are really starting to change colors here in Park City. It feels like summer went by too quickly. I think all the moving and stress made us not fully enjoy the summer months. Oh well, I am super excited for fall and have a list of things that I am delighted about. Apple picking, Sunday drives through the mountains to see the colorful leaves, hot chocolate, oversized sweaters, cuddling by the fire, knee high boots, and anything that smells like pumpkin. My Grandma just bought me a pumpkin spice scented candle and I already have it burning. The smell is wonderful!

I had an idea, something that i regret not doing in New Jersey, so I decided that I am going to start it here. Every week, I will be taking the same picture at the exact same time. I want to see how quickly and drastically the seasons change. I started today. At 8:30 a.m. I went outside and snapped the pictures below. Do you see the spots of color?

the great outdoors

2011-09-13T17:08:00.000-06:00

we took a birthday camping trip with the Brooks many weeks ago. i apologize for feeling lazy about uploading these photographs until now. the trip was wonderful, beside the fact that Bear got sick the first night and we ended up making the trek home every night to sleep in an actual bed. we were still able to enjoy the outdoors (and family) by relaxing by the river, fishing, eating yummy food, and celebrating my sister-in-laws birthday. do you see the hammock picture? that is where the campsite was. isn't it beautiful?

weekend report

2011-09-12T12:20:00.000-06:00

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Ours was lovely.

Shento turned five... where did the time go?

We celebrated his big day

by going on a long walk.

The air has been so crisp and clean,

it is definitely starting to feel like fall around our neck of the woods

We also stopped by the doggy bakery

and picked out a peanut butter cupcake.

We loved on our not so little puppy anymore

and reminisced about the past 5 years.

Shento has truly been the best pup

we could ask for.

My family has been in town

and we have been visiting and hanging out.

It's fun being around all of them and catching up.

I have some pretty silly Uncles,

they make us all laugh pretty hard.

Since being in Utah, we (okay, so I think I need to leave Bear out of this) have been on the search

for a good bakery. I am in need of a moist, scrumptious donut.

I am sorry to report that I have not found one.

I tried this weekend.. but failed.

I am going to gain 5lbs just on my quest to find that perfect bakery.

If you know of one in Utah, please share.

Happy Monday!!

Almond Blueberry Macaroons

2011-09-12T11:02:00.000-06:00

One thing that I have been fiddling around with is vegetarian and raw food recipes. Bear actually picked up an amazing cookbook, The Vegetarian Gourmet’s, which is filled with easy international recipes. We have tried a handful of them and they all have been delicious. I am also intrigued with learning more about raw food recipes. Although I could never go 100% raw, I like my warm foods too much, I would like to include more raw foods in our diet. When I started researching recipes online, I found so many tasty looking snacks and desserts that were all raw. So I am here, sharing one with you.

Bear love almonds but I must admit, I am not a huge fan of them. I will occasionally have a handful just to be healthy! So when I was researching a recipe, I wanted to make something that incorporated almonds but was also a good snack. I came across these macaroons and twisted the recipe just a little bit. Because these are raw you don’t cook them. However, if you wanted to be a rule breaker, they would be scrumptious baked at 350’ for about 15 minutes, and then (I have not done this but in my mind it sounds wonderful, and I will be doing it next time I make these) drizzle a little bit of honey on top. These make good grab and go snacks or are yummy as a dessert.

Almond Blueberry Macaroons

■2 C Dried Coconut (Unsweetened)

■1/2 C Almonds, processed into a coarse meal (I used a little more than 1/2c.)

■1/2 C Dried Blueberries, chopped (you can use any type of dried fruit. The original recipe called for dried cherries)

■1/2 C Agave

■1/4 C Coconut Oil (cold pressed virgin)

■1 t. Almond OR Vanilla Extract*

Place almonds in food processor and process until a coarse meal texture is achieved. Add coconut, dried berries, coconut oil agave and extract*. Process until mixture starts to hold together. I use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture out and press into a ball. Place on dehydrator sheets (or wax paper) and dehydrate until desired consistency is achieved. 8 – 10 hours.

Makes approximately 2 dozen.

we will always remember

2011-09-11T18:14:00.000-06:00

we will never forget all the lives that were lost on this day ten years ago.
this commercial tells the story of how New York feels now. amazing!!

a weekend in the woods

2011-09-05T22:26:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the long relaxing weekend. We sure did! Last minute, Bear and I decided that we needed to take advantage of the long weekend and beautiful weather. We packed up the car with camping gear and headed up Mirror Lake highway. No destination planned out… we rolled down the windows, let the breeze blow through our hair and sang as loud as we could to the music playing on the stereo. It was wonderful. We found the perfect spot nestled in between trees and right near the Provo River. Bear fished, I read a book, we hiked, and Shento loved splashing around in the water and chasing squirrels. Those poor squirrels had to deal with life and death experiences with Mr. Shento being around. Our spot was very peaceful, and being in nature away from everyday life was refreshing.

Both Bear and I think that living in the woods next to a river would be lovely. We even have this great big plan of one day buying a piece of land, with of course a river on it, and building a tiny house. I would love to be surrounded by nature all the time. My only request would be to have a real bed. Sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags is only fun for a couple of nights. I sure do hope that our dream comes true one day!! But for now, I am off to go cuddle with my hubby and watch a little tennis. Goodnight my lovelies.

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because everyone loves a camp fire

2011-09-01T10:55:00.000-06:00

Photography Update

2011-08-31T17:28:00.000-06:00

Listen up... you can get 20% off any photo session. All you have to do is become a follower of my Photography blog (NOT this blog). Or go 'like' my Photography Facebook page.

That's it folks. Easy Peasy!

we had a birthday

2011-08-31T10:34:00.000-06:00

Bear's Mom had a birthday and we celebrated in style.

We ate like kings and queens.. lobster and steak!

It was a great night. filled with friends and family.

even the doggies got in on the action. How cute is her face?

Happy, Happy Birthday Susan.

We were thrilled to (finally) be in Utah to celebrate with you!

this shall pass

2011-08-31T08:54:00.000-06:00

Moving has been hard and exciting all wrapped up into one bundle. It has been a challenge, and has tossed us many hurdles to jump. This move has not gone exactly the way we had hoped for. And at times both Bear and I feel like this decision of moving out West was not in our best interest. Our home is back East, our daily routine and life is still there, and at times, it feels like who we are stayed, while our bodies drifted west.

It’s funny, since moving, things have been such a roller coaster. And recently it has taken the ups and downs more forcefully. Things were looking good- Bear went in for an interview for a position that he loved, we found the perfect house, and I was in the interview process for a job that seemed appealing. The interviews went great, the house checked out, and we were feeling like things were turning around for the better. And then wham, within days of each other everything feel through. The job that Bear would of loved was given to someone that had fourteen years experience (but he was their second choice), the house was given to the people who turned in their application right before us, and my potential job was not looking good. To say the least,

I was feeling rather down about our situation, wondering if and when things were going to change.

But then I remembered all the blessings that we do have. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table, wonderful company that has been so gracious about us living with them, our good health, a puppy that loves us dearly, and each other.

This situation that we are going through shall pass, and we will walk away stronger.

This quote from an unknown source says it all “ if you feel like your life is in turmoil, remember that this too shall pass. No matter how dark it gets- this too shall pass my love. Focus on what you want to create. And take one baby step at a time. Keep moving towards where you want to go. After darkness… there is always light.”

I think I will create something today- and maybe even write a list of all the wonderful things in our life.

I will try to remember that when we look back on these memories we will remember the hard times, but also everything that those hard times taught us- and I am sure we will be grateful for these moments.

our weekend

2011-08-29T16:29:00.000-06:00

Our weekend was relaxing. It started out with a late night picnic under the stars with a yummy Wendy's hamburger. Half way through our 'romantic' picnic the sprinklers came on in the park... not once, but twice. The first time we ran fast and didn't get very wet. the second time, we weren't sitting at our blanket (we decided to play some tennis) so I braved up and ran through the sprinklers to save all of our stuff from getting wet, that resulted in me getting soaked. But we continued our tennis game and laughed at the silliness of our midnight soak.

We attempted to go fishing but the storm beat us, so we rescheduled for the next evening. However, I was able to get some cool pictures of the storm rolling in. The next day we did go back to the river. I read and Bear fished. It reminded me of spending those hot summer days at our favorite spot on the river in New Jersey. Those days always seemed perfect.

The first day

2011-08-29T09:02:00.000-06:00

Dear Mr.Brooks,

Today you started your first day of school. But this time it's a little different. You aren't the student. You are the one in charge. The one that stands up in front of the room full of youngins who are ready to learn. Those youngins will call you teacher, or maybe even Professor. You should not be scared or nervous, you are an amazing teacher. And I know that because you teach me everyday. I look forward to when we have kids of our own and you get to teach them. I hope they show as much appreciation of learning as you do.

I love listening and watching you talk about a subject because your love of knowledge, learning, and passion are so apparent . And although you doubt yourself at times, your accomplishments shine through brightly. You should be proud. I am. Do you remember this day and this day. Look how far you have come!

And yes, I realize that you think I am a big dork. I had to take your picture on your first day of school. The thing you don't realize is, it was for my benefit. Now I get to stare at your handsome face all day!

Love you tons,

Your wife.

Etsy Shop Updates: Kalovely

2011-08-26T13:03:00.000-06:00

It's time for an etsy shop update.

I changed and moved a couple things around with my etsy shop, so please be patient with it as I try to get everything in order. However, with the moving and changing came my brand new shop kalovely! Go check it out here.

This shop will feature my photography as well as some other fun homemade items. I will be frequently updating and adding new things, so check back often.

I take custom orders as well, so please feel free to email me if you have something in mind that you would like made. I would be happy to work with you!

Enjoy the shop.

Red Geometric Earrings.

$10.00

Click here for more info

Circle necklace in neutral colors

$21.99

Click here for more info

Hello

2011-08-22T15:27:00.000-06:00

I have so many new things to share with you. However, I have a great big excuse as to why I have not been posting or sharing all of the fun things on a regular basis. My computer gets the blame. It’s old and slowly dying. And although I still love my small white companion, I had to replace it with a newer one, and today is the day it shall arrive! So that means that my post will be more frequent and will always include pretty pictures. I hope you are as excited as I am.

For now, I will leave you with some phone pictures from our fishing adventure we had the other day. We went to the lake for Shento to swim. Bear thought it would be fun to bring a fishing pole and try his hand at lake fishing (he usually fly fishes). About a minute after he cast his fishing line into the water a fish bites. We released it and continued to fish. Catching eight fish by the end of our day.

my morning walk

2011-08-11T13:16:00.000-06:00

sick day

2011-08-09T21:26:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and body aches and have been in bed ever since. At least I was able to be entertained by Oprah for most of the day, thanks to her new network! I have also been enthralled with the book Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Wall. She is one of my favorite authors, and once I start reading her books I can't put the book down until I am finished.

Sometimes being stuck in bed is not all bad. I actually can say that today has been pretty lovely and I think that my body purposely didn't feel good for a reason, because as I have been lying here I have been thinking about life. And although times right now seem so stressful and as if there is not an end in site, I feel so blessed. it hit me like a ton of bricks that everything is going to be alright. Bear and I should feel so grateful that Bear got the opportunity to teach 2 classes at the local University. He starts this month and I am so excited for him. he has such a passion for teaching, and even though I have never sat in on one of his classes (maybe this semester I will) I know from seeing how his past students reacted to him that he is an amazing teacher and mentor. he has worked very hard and I am very proud!

I know that everyday as we slowly start figuring out life here in Utah things get better. Our relationship is growing, we have been able to enjoy the family that we missed out on for the past three years, and we have been fortunate enough to take our time to find a place to live. Eventually we will find 'our' perfect place and we will make it home. I have already been collecting design ideas and my father-in-law and bear designed and built a coffee table. those little things get me excited about the future. I know that together Bear and I can do anything and the stress and un-known just makes us stronger.

While today was not the most productive day, it made me feel happy. I hope that tomorrow I feel better because a walk with Bear and Shento sounds perfect. But for now, I am off to bed!

the music weekend

2011-08-09T13:54:00.000-06:00

we spent our weekend going to two amazing concerts. Friday night we cuddled under the stars and listened to Joshua James. have you ever heard this man sing live? His voice is incredible and listening to him really hits you deep into the soul. the concert venue was great. held on top of a parking deck that looked out over the valley made for a beautiful setting! after the concert, bear and i decided that shakes were in order, and headed over to the famous malt shop for some delicious ice cream shakes and order of fries (i just could not resist). Saturday we spent a good portion of our day up on the hill side of the Canyons Resort awaiting the musical bunch The Infamous String Dusters. this band has been a favorite for awhile. when we first moved to New Jersey Bear's aunt and uncle gave use tickets to go see them perform at a small venue. it was our first real outing (traveling to a different city) while still getting settled. Now in Utah, still getting settled into life here we went and saw them perform. they are going to become our welcome to a new state (and home) band! One of my favorite things about going and seeing a band is watching them up close, and we were sure able to do that Saturday night. We danced right up in front listening to them perform and watching their amazing talent. Both nights were great and full of wonderful music, perfect weather, and good food!

rocks have an inspiration factor

2011-08-04T11:08:00.000-06:00

i love to craft. and one of my favorite feelings is when something inspires me and gets my creative juices flowing. yesterday i woke up feeling quite inspired. i new that a trip to the local craft store was in need. to be honest, i was inspired by our camping trip and the collection of the rocks that I acquired while my hubby fished. the texture, shape, color , and feel all had me fascinated.

i have always been a collector of rocks. every time Bear and i would go down to the Jersey shore i would collect the most sleek looking white rocks and the occasional black rock. i had a collection of the Jersey rocks placed in our living room. for some reason rocks have always caught my attention. and now i am using them as an inspiration to my creativity.

i enjoyed my craft store outing and started right away on working on my creations. i think i will be adding some new things to my etsy shop very soon. stay tuned.

Taco Date Night

2011-08-01T23:18:00.000-06:00

hello August! I can't believe that you are already here.

the summer has gone by so quick that I feel like we haven't even had a summer. I guess the stress of moving has taken up a lot of our time.

we were able to enjoy a little family camping trip this past weekend. Bear got to go fishing,

we roasted marshmallows,

and really enjoyed being around family.

and last week, Bear took me on a taco date night. the tacos were amazing

and the company of my hubby was even better.

Things in Utah have been good.

There are times when the thought of New Jersey comes into mind

and I start missing friends, our routine, our favorite restaurants, and local spots.

However, we still think this move was a good choice.

and once we get our life squared away, I know we will enjoy being here even more.

we went for a picnic

2011-07-27T09:58:00.000-06:00

the farm land

2011-07-25T21:42:00.000-06:00

I have been feeling a little bit discourage lately, and a little bit useless too. It could be because everything we own is packed away in boxes and that gets frustrating when i need something. Or maybe it is because i keep waking up in the middle of the night tossing and turning for what seems like hours. Whatever the case may be, I am trying my best to snap out of this mood.

See the beautiful scenery above, i get to call this place home. That is amazing! Plus, my in-laws and parents have been so loving and encouraging towards this new step that Bear and i are taking. and right now, i am listening to the rain drops outside while cuddling with my puppy.

that makes me smile.

i am already feeling better. thank you for listening.

a little bit of this and a little bit of that

2011-07-25T09:46:00.000-06:00

it seems as if this past month was played out in fast motion.

it was a whirlwind of events.

we failed to really document our trip out west, besides some measly phone pictures.

but being that it was our 4th time driving across country; we knew the scenery, had already gotten souvenir post cards from each state, and the excitement factor faded after the 2nd across country trip.

here are those measly phone pictures documenting our life this past month.

here we are, driving across the plains of Kansas

Entering Colorado and the beautiful mountains.

Shento enjoying a little fresh air before getting back into the cramped u-haul

we spent a couple days with Bear's Aunt and Uncle in Ridgway Co.

we enjoyed the small town festivals for the 4th of July.

and watched the traditional fire hose fights (above).

i was also lucky enough to celebrate my birthday 3 different time.

thanks to everyone who made me feel very loved and special.

and lastly, while house searching in salt lake, bear and i tried the new smash burger.

the selection of buns are impressive and it was nice to be able to sit outside.

one thing that we have really loved about being in Utah is all the outdoor

activities, scenery, and fresh air.

waking up to the beautiful mountains

and crisp lake every morning

is a refreshing change from New Jersey.

favorite finds: I've got the beehive thing going on

2011-07-22T10:40:00.000-06:00

In honor of us moving back to the beehive state (Utah), I decided that dedicating my favorite finds feature to bees would only be appropriate. I was browsing etsy and came across the awesome bee pillow (above), which started the theme off right. Wouldn't it be a fun collection to accumulate items that represent the state you are living in?

1. Outdoor bumble-bee pillow $25.00

2. Beehive (sadly, this item got sold already. but she still has some adorable items)

3. Bee print on vintage dictionary $6.00

4. 60's beehive salt and pepper shakers $20.00

5. Leather Wallet $17.00

Utah, as of lately

2011-07-20T11:03:00.000-06:00

The settling in process has begun. We have filled a storage unit that contains our stuff until we find permanent residents. We have started job searching, and we have looked through many different areas and houses around Salt Lake City. The housing search has been tedious, but we have narrowed it down to the area that we would like to call home. So we are keeping our fingers crossed in hopes that a house comes up that we adore.

As for now, we are settled in at my in-laws house, enjoying the company of our families, the delicious dinners, and the fact that we are blessed enough to have this opportunity to stay at their house and not have to rush into any quick decisions about home buying/renting, and jobs.

In other news, Shento seemed to be affected by the move the worst. His schedule was all mixes up which caused him to go into a slight panic mode. His tummy was bothering him, he was extremely needy, and he was not acting like himself. I realize that this is a dog that I am talking about. However, he is part of our family and we were worried! I am happy to announce that as of a couple days ago, he is back on track and seems to be doing lots better. Shento loves that he has a non-stop play date with one the cutest boxers ever, Ali (my in-laws dog), he is crazy about his swims in the near by lake, and there are a ton of people around here that give him loads of attention. I would say that he is living the good ‘doggy’ life.

Everything around here is going good. And we are happy to be in Utah surrounded by everything that we love. Here’s to Utah and the adventure that awaits us.

we have arrived

2011-07-07T16:41:00.000-06:00

after 41 hours
speeds of 30 mph
a u haul packed full
a flat tire
a wonderful visit with family in Colorado
and lots of laughter and conversation
we arrived in Utah at 3 am, and was immediately welcomed with family hugs..

The journey was long and emotionally draining. But we are slowly settling in and enjoying being around all of our family. we are missing New Jersey and all of our friends back east, but we feel that this is going to be a great move for us. I will keep you posted on the journey to come. However, for the next week I will be away from the blogging world as I try to get feeling settled in our new home in utah.

happy 4th of july

2011-07-03T12:55:00.000-06:00

Happy 4th of july weekend from ridgway, co.

we had such a good day

2011-06-24T18:59:00.000-06:00

we had such a fun and special 3rd wedding anniversary. i was feeling less than inspired to do anything, and really wanted to wait and celebrate once we got settled in our new home. but Bear insisted that we take a day off from packing and do something for our special day, and i could not of been more thankful. the day was planned out perfectly and it consisted of all of our favorite things.

Bear and i have started reading this extraordinary wonderful book, "No Ordinary Time". The book is an illustration of Franklin and Eleanor and the influence that they had on American Society. FDR grew up in Hyde Park, NY and that is where we spent our 3rd wedding anniversary.

we first toured around Eleanor's house. the house was dark and musky but ornate and cozy at the same time. all the original furnishings were in the house. it was very neat to look at all of her family pictures hanging on the wall. and i found it so fun that she use to frame Christmas cards and hang them in her dining room.

Bear had made reservations for lunch at the culinary institute of america. the campus is amazing with views looking over the hudson river. the food was so dang good. but the dessert was even better.

after our scrumptious lunch we headed to Franklin's house. the rooms were filled with expensive decor and floral drapes. it showed Franklins collection of just about everything; birds, british comic strips, and paintings. Again, everything was original and kept the same way as it was when he lived there.
the grounds were spectacular, filled with rose gardens, a barn, and lots of trees. Franklin planted over 500 trees while living there.

the day was filled with history, outdoors, adventure, and laughter... a perfect combination for an anniversary outing. we did no gift exchange (not even cards) but i did get a big kiss when i woke up and a day that was thoroughly planned out by the best husband in the world.

Strawberry Torte

2011-06-24T10:38:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago we had a progressive dinner with some of our neighbors. We made the appetizers and dessert and they made the main dish. It was fun going from house to house. We even ended up sitting outside having a fire in our fire pit.

Anyhow, the dessert was tastier than ever, and I wanted to share with all of you the recipe. You can Find it here. I promise you, you will eat the whole thing by yourself in one sitting. It is that good. Enjoy!

The boxes

2011-06-23T18:05:00.000-06:00

What a crazy and exhausting week this has been thus far! Packing, cleaning, maneuvering around boxes, and selling things on craigslist has been slightly overwhelming. I think that this is the most miserable part about moving. Everything (at least almost everything) we own is sitting in boxes, taped up, and labeled with a black marker. It is like a large box fort around us as we watch TV.

I feel bad for Shento, he might be experiencing the worst of this move. Every move he makes he is afraid that a box is going to fall on top of him. His bed has been moved and he has to go in between boxes to get to his food. His life and daily routine has been messed with, and he is not a happy puppy at the moment.

We have somewhat planned our road trip to Utah. We have researched and come up with some interesting stops and yummy eateries along the way. Did I mention that Bear, myself, and of course Shento, will all be cozy up in the front seat of a 17 ft. uhaul (plus car trailer). What an adventure this will be. An adventure that I am actually in a weird way looking forward to. Road trips are always exciting with Bear. Plus, we have these fun conversation cards that ask really interesting, personal, and entertaining questions. we will be pulling those out frequently to get a laugh at one another.

In other news, we are looking forward to our hot dog roast this Saturday with all of our closest (New Jersey) friends. The weather has been strange here and right we are having some type of misting rain effect. I hope that it clears up and is beautiful for the hot dog roast.

Anyways, Bear and I are going out for some rainy day Pho at one our favorite places. We have to eat up at all the favorites before we move...

the best 3 years

2011-06-21T07:51:00.000-06:00

Today is our 3rd wedding anniversary... and I can honestly say that being married to Bear for the past 3 years has best years of my life.

Isn't funny how you can grow and more and more in love with someone everyday?

I still wake up and go downstairs with a big smile on my face because I am giddy to see my husband.

I hope that never changes.

I want to thank Bear for always being there, loving me unconditionally, and working so hard to understand me and my feelings.

Love you forever my babies...

Annapolis, Maryland

2011-06-20T21:15:00.000-06:00

The ocean is always such a calming and relaxing thing. It is something that both Bear and I grew up with and we miss everyday, our hope is that one day we will live near the great blue body of water. However, for the time being, it is such a nice place to visit. We spent a long weekend on a yacht in the Annapolis harbor with one of our closest friends, Ryan. When we arrived, Bear and I enjoyed touring around St. Michael's and eating our share of crab.

Later, we met up with Ryan in Annapolis and enjoyed a night out on the town. The weekend consisted of eating lots of yummy food, boat rides, exploring the downtown of Annapolis, and hanging out with friends.

As the weekend ended and we started our ride home, we could not resist taking a small detour to go visit Oxford and their delicious homemade ice cream.

Crabbing in Maryland

2011-06-17T15:59:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we took a weekend getaway to Annapolis, Maryland. This is just the start of all the fun pictures that I took. Things have been a little crazy around here... packing, getting things together for our yard sale, and hanging out with friends. More about this wonderful trip coming soon. For now, I leave you with some pictures of us eating the best Maryland blue crabs ever!!!

Photography Summer Special Happening Now!!!

2011-06-17T11:41:00.000-06:00

Click here to go to my facebook page!

You "like" Katina B Photography facebook page or refer people to "like" it

and you get $3.00 each time towards a session (don't forget to leave a comment on facebook letting me know you "liked" it or you sent people who "liked" it). Good Luck.

Hopewell, nj

2011-06-10T07:14:00.000-06:00

here are some photos from our day yesterday. we have been wanting to go explore this area more and learn about the history. Since we are moving, we feel like we need to go take it all in, and i am so glad that we did.

first, we ventured to rockingham historic site. George Washington called this place home for 4 months during the revolutionary war. the house is filled with furniture and belongings (replicas) from that time period. it was really interesting to see how they lived during that time.

Later, we made our to Hopewell, a small quant town with a lot of history. we grabbed sandwiches and the best coleslaw around at the local grill. we then toured the museum, learned all about the town (John Hart lived here), and walked through the cemetery.

it was a beautiful day, and Hopewell was a great town to visit.

a couple things to make me smile

2011-06-09T11:08:00.000-06:00

Hello, hello,
This past week has been a rush of different emotions. Starting to pack up our home, the home that we created together when we were first married, has been harder than we thought it was going to be.

As people come in and out of our house each taking (buying) a piece of our furniture, our home is starting to look bare. Almost is if it is not ours anymore.

We are excited for our new house that we will create into our home, and we truly can't wait for more adventures in a new place. But for now, the empty house is getting us down.

So every time I feel sad, I think of something that makes me happy, and I SMILE! Here is my list as of right now...

1. hanging out this weekend on a boat with Ryan
2. getting feet tickles from Bear
3. planning our road trip...
4. taking/editing pictures
5. going to my favorite thrift store to see if i can find any good clothes
6. starting fresh (this move is really good for us).
7. being able to go camping in some of the most beautiful places ever
8. making new friends
9. thrift store & garage sale shopping in utah for new furniture and fun home decor
10. being able to see our family whenever we want
11. watercoloring
12. exploring Salt Lake City, Utah
13. making a red bow tie for Bear to wear on 4th of July.
14. finding a fun small town (because we will be driving to Utah) to celebrate the 4th of July
15. BBQ's
16. Bear... he always makes me smile

the little spot next to the river

2011-06-07T18:12:00.000-06:00

As our time here in New Jersey is coming to a close, I want to keep with my promise and show you a little bit of our favorites. The things that have really meant something to us. Let it be food or places. Remember the hamburgers? Anyways, this little spot quickly became our summertime favorite. Ken Lockwood Gorge. Bear found it on a random fishing adventure. He talked about it for weeks, telling me how it was one of the most beautiful spots he had ever seen.

After much anticipation, Bear brought me to his great find. This little spot, hidden away by trees, tucked away in the hills of a beautiful gorge, and has become our favorite. we would pack up a picnic and head to the river to escape the East Coast heat. We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary next to the river with a bottle of sparkling lemonade, Shento started getting comfortable with the idea of swimming, and we enjoyed lots of lazy afternoon naps/reading under the big tree.

We plan on visiting this river a couple more times before we say goodbye for good. But we will never forget all of the memories that we have made while visiting the little spot next to the river.

i have not forgotten

2011-06-06T08:51:00.000-06:00

Our blog has not been forgotten about... promise! We have been busy enjoying a fun filled week with family, and now that they are gone, we are busy packing up our house. It's a little chaotic around here. brown boxes have taken over and everything seems to be scattered about. I assure you blog updates are coming... once I figure out how to get around my house without running into a box. For now, I leave you with a cute picture of Bear and his mom on one of our many adventure filled days.

we love us some hamburgers

2011-05-25T12:00:00.000-06:00

We have exactly 37 days until we say our goodbyes to New Jersey. We have a love/hate relationship with this area. We love it because we have made it our home, lots of memories have been created here, and we have a list of our favorite spots and eateries to go to. For the next couple weeks we (yes, hubby is getting involved in this as well) will be spotlighting some of our favorite places that we have grown to love and enjoy.

First up is Blitzburgers... we randomly found this little hamburger joint as we were walking around downtown New Brunswick. They are best known for their (many) creative hamburgers that you can choose from. My favorite is the pesto burger, layered with swiss cheese, spinach, and mushrooms. Before we leave, I am hoping to try the rowdy rueben burger, the name just sounds fun!
As most of you know, Bear and I love of us some hamburgers, and this quickly became one of our favorite little spots to go when our craving came on. it is simply delicious. and as an added bonus, it is only a couple miles away from our house.

Gainesville, I miss you everyday.

2011-05-23T11:39:00.000-06:00

When I moved to Florida, I was nervous, anxious, and excited. That decision turned out to be the best choice I have ever made. I love Gainesville, and miss it every day. The memories that Bear and I made are still so fresh in my mind. At some point in my life, I would love to move back to the sunshine state. But for now, we were so lucky to be able to go back and hang out with old friends, walk around the campus, and visit some of our favorite spots. It was a absolutely wonderful and I can’t wait to go back!!

Florida

2011-05-20T11:45:00.000-06:00

Last week we headed to Florida to visit family and attend a wedding. We had a wonderful time!

We ate yummy food, hung out with wonderful family, Bear got to see (I got to meet) a lot of his old high school friends, we spent time on the beach, and enjoyed wondering around the UF campus.

We took lots of pictures and I will be sharing them with you soon...

Some fun finds

2011-05-19T12:14:00.000-06:00

We are home from Florida... and we had a lovely time.

I am missing the sunshine, beaches, friends, and family.

I will post pictures soon. Until then, here are some wonderful etsy finds.

Aren't these the coolest things? They make them for other states as well.

And the heart... I am in love with that little detail. It is custom to where you want it.

For more information go here.

This print can't help but make you smile.

I think it is perfect for a kitchen. It would greet you every morning.

Go take a look at this print here.

I love finding things for Shento. These collars are so cute.

This store has so many different options of prints and colors to choose from.

This one reminds me of all of our time spent in nature.

When I saw this print I fell in love...

The illustration and typography is amazing.

Her shop has a ton of prints. Go see for yourself.

To get more info on this print, go here.

And lastly, the Whale t-shirt. I feel like whales are making a come-back. Do you think?

When I see this shirt it makes me think of one of my best friends...

I really like that it has all the different types of whales.

And as a bonus, all their shirts are eco-friendly.

Go see their fun etsy shop.

Florida Love

2011-05-10T21:02:00.000-06:00

We are off bright and early tomorrow morning to Florida.

We have not been back since we moved away... 4 years ago.

It is going to be wonderful playing on the beach, seeing family, and hanging out with old friends.

And of course, going to all of our favorite spots. Florida has a lot of memories for Bear and I.

It is where we adopted Shento. Too bad he is not coming, next time.

Be back soon!!

Weekend Recap!

2011-05-09T09:23:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was rather lovely.

Some of the few things that we enjoyed.

Baked a strawberry cream roll up cake for our progressive dinner with friends.

Enjoyed an outside fire.

Long walk at the Raritan River Tow Path.

Picked ticks off Shento.. Yuck

Gave Shento a bath

Enjoyed Saturday morning relaxing outside in the sunshine.

Put fresh flowers in my vase.

Went to a 'we made it another year' dinner with some Grad School Friends.

Had a picnic.

Threw sticks in the river for Shento.

Cuddled up in blankets because it got a little chilly at the river. Yes, even shento was shivering.

Went and got a warm beverage after our picnic.

Sat and talked under a magnolia a tree.

Watched the old watermill.

Enjoyed a Sunday drive through the farm country.

Yes, I must say our weekend was wonderful and relaxing.

I hope yours was too.

Mother's Day

2011-05-07T09:52:00.000-06:00

Happy Mother's Day Mom. Thank you for all of the lessons, guidance, and advice you have given me though out my life.

Thank you to my Mother-in-law for creating such a beautiful, kind, and loving person. Her son, and my husband.

Happy Mother's Day to our beautiful, brave, and wise Mothers.

I can not wait to be one someday....

We played hooky and spent our day at the river.

2011-05-05T17:23:00.000-06:00

After Monday was over, Bear was not only exhausted from staying up all night writing a paper, he was also emotionally drained from the constant stress of the end of the semester. With only one paper left to write, we decided that there was a (huge) need for a relaxing and stress free day. So we played hooky from all responsibilities on Tuesday. We made our way up to one of our favorite summer time locations, Ken Lockwood Gorge. We started out on our drive with an cream cone and singing to good music. We brought books and magazines to entertain us, but it had been so long since we had just enjoyed each other's company, that Bear only picked up his book when I went wondering around taking pictures. It was absolutely beautiful in both the weather and the surroundings. It was a perfect day to spend together.

Rutgers Day

2011-05-02T12:19:00.000-06:00

Rutgers Day took place this Saturday; a festival put on by Rutgers University that brings together student's and the community. We have attended every year, it has become something that we look forward to. This year, the weather was extremely beautiful, which made it even more awesome. We walked around looking at all of the student's booths and exhibits, ate some delicious pickles, and found a pleasant spot on the grass to lay our blanket out and listen to the live music.

did you watch....?

2011-04-29T08:07:00.000-06:00

With the rest of the world as Kate and William said I do. My neighbor and I snuggled up in our blankets, ate cranberry lemon scones, and drank tea as we watched the royal wedding take place (at 4:30 this morning). To some, it may be overrated, and a bit of an overload on the media coverage. But to me, it was an exciting event to watch as all the details unfold from this historic wedding.

P.S I thought Kate looked stunning and elegant in her Sarah Burton wedding dress.

Picture found here.

USA Print

2011-04-28T12:44:00.000-06:00

Love this USA print designed by Haley.

How accurate is each state’s one-line motto? I think they are pretty correct.

4

2011-04-27T21:02:00.000-06:00

4 shows I watch:

Grey’s Anatomy, Parenthood, 30 Rock, and Law and Order SVU

4 things I'm passionate about:

Photography

Bear

Art in Education

Decorating

4 phrases I say a lot:

Humm… i don’t think that I have any amazing catch phrases?

4 things I've learned from the past:

Things never go the way they are planned, and that is okay.

Nothing is a crisis.

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Take advice, but make your own decisions.

4 places I'd like to go:

Peru

Mexico

Backpacking through Europe

Tahiti

4 things I did yesterday:

Edited some really adorable newborn pictures.

Ate lunch with Bear under a tree.

Hung out with our neighbors.

Made a yummy dinner for Bear and I.

4 things I'm looking forward to:

Experiencing parenthood with Bear.

Watching Bear grow and continue becoming an amazing professor.

Moving closer to our families.

Developing my photography business.

4 things I love about summer:

Barbequing

Sitting outside in the evening

Picnicking

Having the windows open and feeling the fresh air.

4 things on my wish list:

Making my business a profitable company.

Bear getting a good job in a town that we will enjoy.

Making healthy babies.

Being able to design/remodel a house.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed

2011-04-27T18:31:00.000-06:00

The moment my feet hit the hardwood floor I was annoyed. What I was annoyed with, that was the unknown question. I tried talking myself out of this unpleasant attitude. However, every step I made the day seemed to be turning more and more against me. I stubbed my toe as I was walking into the kitchen to get my morning joe, I cut my thumb while cutting my breakfast bagel, I choked on my bagel until tears were coming down my face, and at that point it was not even 9:30 in the morning. It was already predetermined that my day was not going to be a glorious one. The streak of accidents and clumsiness throughout the day led to a burnt hand, a broken plate, starvation (because I did not pack a lunch), and loads of frustration.

Finally, the day ended. I was still annoyed by the time I crawled back into bed. However, the source of the annoyance was still unknown.

I woke up this morning with a slightly better attitude (huge emphasis on slightly), at least I did not have multiple accidents before 9 am. I decided that I needed to relax and have a ‘me’ day. I thought that might just do the trick into chasing away my distasteful mood.

I ran to the store and bought Bossypaints by Tina Fey. I hurried home, got myself some water, and went to go sit outside in the beautiful sunshine. I sat, read, and was hysterically laughing for 10 minutes. If you want to laugh until your insides hurt, go out and buy her book. It’s relatable, funny, and very accurate about life’s issues.

In any case, as I was laughing I was unaware of the humongous black cloud that doomed over me. The sun managed to go into hiding and the sky turned dark. Within minutes it started raining. My perfect, sitting outside day just turned for the worst. I started laughing.

I took this time, thanks to the rain, to work on my never-ending to-do list. Crossing things off slowly relieved something inside of me. The bad mood gradually drifted away. It was wonderful. I started singing around the house, secretively wishing that I were part of glee (I am pretty sure I am somewhat tone deaf).

It is now evening time and the house is quite. Bear is out doing school stuff. I am missing him and hoping that he will come walking through our door any minute. It did eventually clear up and turned into a beautiful evening that I am fully enjoying by sitting outside.

Onto the better half of the week .

Easter Sunday

2011-04-26T16:16:00.000-06:00

We spent Easter Sunday at Rutgers Gardens. It has become a tradition since moving to New Jersey. Every year we have gone at least for a walk around the gardens. Looking at all the beautiful blooming trees and flowers. This year was no different, besides we went spent the entire day relaxing and enjoying the beautiful 80 degrees weather.

The last of their trip

2011-04-25T16:37:00.000-06:00

While my parents were in town we spent a day in New York City. And although it started raining just minutes after we arrived (and it never let up), we had such a fun time showing them all over. I think the rain made it more fun (and a lot more funny). My Mom had to buy a poncho to stay warm and dry, Bear was dripping with water from head to toe; he was the only smart one to wear a rain jacket, and my Dad and I were like Mary Poppins with our umbrella's swaying in the air.

We walked through Time Square, went into St. Patricks Cathedral and Grand Central Station. We showed them Rockefeller Center, Ground Zero, and SoHo. We stuffed ourselves with Lombardi's famous pizza pie and frozen hot chocolate dessert from Serendipity.

As the day went on we continued to get rained on. It was raining so hard that even our umbrellas weren't doing much good. We quickly walked through Central Park and around FAO Schwarz toy store. Shortly after, we called it a day. Making our way back to the train station proved to be pretty comical. It was rush hour. Everyone had umbrellas. Puddles were ankle deep and everyone was trying to get a taxi. We walked, getting more and more soaked with every step. We caught the train just in time. We all looked like we had just stepped out of the shower by the time the day was over.

The next day we took a walk around Rutgers Gardens, walked around the Stadium, and enjoyed my parents company. Thank you for all the wonderful meals that you cooked (and bought) for us. We loved having you guys visit us.