Rampant Bellytants

Guess who got a cute pooch? We did!! Her name is Truffle (her previous owner's name for her) and she just had some puppies a few weeks ago. She's a sweetheart of a dog, very intelligent, and she's just happy to be here. Here's a picture the shelter posted for her:



And here are some pictures of her chillin' on her dog bed (it took a few tries, but we convinced her she can't sit on the couch--she's such a smart dog!).





At any rate, she's a poodle/schnauzer mix, and she's probably about six inches shorter than a doorknob...I think. She only barked once so far that we have heard, and that's because there was a huge aggressive dog lunging for her. I would've peed my pants, not just barked back at him. We found her online on petfinder.com, and she was living in a shelter in Park City. We drove up today intending to only look, but...well, we brought her home! Hooray for Truffle!

Come one, come all to see her if you want, she's very quiet, good with kids (says the shelter and how she behaved around other people at the shelter) and likes to play hide-and-go-seek and "chase that person!'

I've been tagged by my cute cousin Abrielle...thanks Aubs! You're cute and we miss seeing you.

What television show or movie did you want to be in when you were little? The Little Mermaid

Which character or star? Rudy on The Cosby Show

Most embarrassing moment your friends will never let die? Your husband or significant other or family? They're all too nice to let me remember such things

Your proudest moment or accomplishment? Coming out of the Bountiful temple feeling so supported and whole with my family.

Who was your first kiss, where was it and all the other details? Josh Johnsen. I kissed him after the Valentine's dance my junior year in high school.

What adult did you have a crush on when you were little? Um...does Prince Eric count?

What habit or personality trait do you have of your mother or father that you swore you would never do? I am passive!! Dang it.

What did you want to change your name to when you were little? I was actually pretty happy with Ruthie, thanks though.

What are 3 adjectives that someone from high school or middle school would use to describe you? Tall, shy, floods!

What hairstyle, clothes, or other accessories did you rock back in the day when it was cool? Let's see...nope, I can't remember anything except one day I doubled up on the socks to try and be cool.

What job did those long and annoying surveys in school say you would be good at? I don't remember

And what did you try and make the test result outcome be? An optometrist

What made you laugh harder than you have ever laughed before? Cody James Higbee, I love you

Favorite memory of hanging out with your best friends? Making videos in the summer like Tycee Can Cook or Cornbread with Ed, watching Anne of Green Gables or While You Were Sleeping with my sisters

What's the most trouble you have ever got in with your parents? Hmmm...I think when I told my dad he could afford another car. Didn't like that.

What was your 5 year plan when you had to write it out in high school? I don't remember, how anti-climactic

And last but not least...

What is your 5 year plan now? Start our family, stay in our condo, and shape up my Etsy shop.

And I'd like to tag: Mary, Rebecca, Sarah, and Tycee ;) You're alphabetized and everything.

So, for Valentine's Day Cody and I went up to Providence Inn, a cute little bed-and-breakfast by Logan. For you Office fans, it wasn't a beet farm or an asparagus farm (the Stalk Inn!! oh, I miss you, Office, come back!), it used to be an old church. And an old, pretty church it is.

We froze our butts off and my refusal to wear proper winter shoes kept my nice cotton flats soaked, but it was worth everything, even the two hour delay on the freeway! We got the Van Gogh room, it was the room I liked best. It had little Van Gogh prints everywhere, and there were free cookies by the kitchen...yay! We did find a surprise bag of Udon noodles out the window when looking for a place to stash our leftovers...that's what I'm holding by the window in the picture below. Anyway, I think we might have started a tradition! We both loved our time there. Go check it out!

So, we accepted a counter-offer on a condo! I'm pretty excited, it's a nice place and will work for us for a few years because it's a 3-bedroom, 2-bath and it's got all the awesomeness of us not having to do outside repairs and maintenance like we would in a house. I would link to the HOA page, but 1. I just can't find it and 2. I'm scared of the Internet. Anyway, it's sweet. You should come and visit if you get the urge!

All right, I never have these cookies long enough to take their pictures, that's how good they are. Cody and I eat them for breakfast sometimes 'cause they taste that good (and actually seem a little healthy...for cookies, anyway). Anywho, here's the recipe:

Mix and store in a plastic bag for up to three months:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar (you can use raw or brown or granulated, they all work great)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon if not freshly ground)

When you're ready to mix the cookies:
1/2 cup room-temperature butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat thoroughly, then add the flour/sugar mix and mix just until combined. Add in:
3 cups oats (old fashioned or quick, I want to try steel cut sometime)
*and add one addition, then mix again:
1 cup chocolate chips
OR 1 cup cranberries plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon
OR 1 1/2 cup raisins

In rounded tablespoonfuls, bake on cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until just browning.

Happy eating!

There's this cute little dollar theater on main street in American Fork. It's awesome! They actually have treats for $.50 and less, Ring Pops and Tootsie Rolls and all sorts of deliciousness. At any rate, they always have the "family friendly" movies there. I don't think I have ever even seen them display an ad for an R-rated movie. Crazy, non?

To get to the point, Cody and I went to go see August Rush there last weekend and it's such a good movie! It has almost an ethereal quality to it. Peaceful, full of faith, and beautiful all describe it well. The little dude that stars, Freddie Highmore, is such a great actor already and he does a great job. When the credits rolled up, I said to Cody, "This is totally worth owning!" and he agreed, which is amazing because we only own about 6 movies (we buy more but always sell them on eBay 'cause we get sick of having stuff lying around). I think it's mostly 'cause Robin Williams plays the antagonist; Cody hates Robin Williams.

Anyway, I highly recommend it. Even to you, Mom!