halloween 2012!

happy halloween!

our first halloween married has included:

-pumpkin pancakes for breakfast

-a last minute ketchup & mustard costume

-memories of our past few halloween costumes

steve jobs + iphone, and britney spears + k-fed

 

-a fun halloween party with cute friends..here's a blurry iphone shot of the girls

 

-a poodle skirt costume for work today..

-our favorite black & orange dinner is planned for tonight,

-and pumpkin crepes for dessert!

...+ of course, a cute halloween note from husband found in my lunch.

happy halloween! xo

tuesday ten

10 things to be happy about

1. we are finally official costco members...we celebrated by going on an hour long shopping outing there, eating dinner {costco food is chase's FAVORITE}, and buying our favorite things...including these amazing ice cream cookie sandwiches!

 

2. we picked a good time to move to the bay...because our san francisco giants just won the world series!!!!!!!!! we know we are new to the bay, but we can still be fans. plus, buster posey spoke at our wedding dinner in a video to us, so basically we are pals with him. we loved watching them win with our favorite friends!

 

3. we've been having some good food around our apartment lately {mostly thanks to #1}

 

4. having the oakland temple as our temple is the best.

5. this is no longer happening..thank goodness for no more cold!

 

6. these are all the places my iphone says i've taken pictures in SF..umm 

how are there so many in the water???

7. love taking off our shoes when we get home from work and cuddling up on the couch before having dinner. 

8. our new gym and it's cute {mostly pink} exercise balls

9. all the mail we've been getting! fun packages from my cute aunt, friend, mom, mother-in-law, plus a darling baby shower invite. nothing better than coming home to mail! *sorry for the sweaty picture, i had just come home from a run!

 10. this stop sign. wish all of them said this!

XO

sunday notes

dear mail, getting you is the best.

dear nashville, you are the best new show on TV. hands down. 

dear bally gym, we're excited to be your newest members. 

dear halloween, we finally figured out a costume!

dear kickboxing class, you made us sore. 

dear pinterest, one of your recipes finally failed me. 

dear saturday morning crepes, your streak is continuing. 

dear temple, we always leave you feeling so much happier. 

dear costco, we are finally members!

dear laundry, can you just do yourself please?

dear california, we love you even more knowing it's snowing in utah.

xo

blog chain: i'm tagged!

i was so flattered to be tagged in this blog chain...especially because i was tagged by my favorite blog friend ginger..i have never done this before, but it's a fun way to connect and get to know other lovely ladies! so here are my answers to ginger's questions, then i will tag 11 bloggers that i want to know more about. here we go! 

{sorry ginger that it took me weeks to complete!}

1 / what do you wish you were better at saying no to? dessert.
2 / what do you love most about where you live? being so close to the beach + the best city in the world!
3 / who would you nominate as person of the year + why? my husband, for being so good at making his wife happy :)
4 / what makes your skin crawl? if my pillow ever falls on the ground or gets dirty.
5 / what was your first job? making jewelry for the lovely allison dayton design.
6 / name your top 3 restaurants. citris grill..bandera..cucina toscana
7 / would you rather age forward or backwards from this point forward? forward!
8 / how do you measure success? daily.
9 / describe yourself in 3 words? enthusiastic, happy, cultured.
10 / what is the very best smelling perfume? daisy by marc jacobs.
11 / do you prefer to read, write, or run in your free time? can i say all three?

i will tag my 11 people next week! XO

i love him because...

there are lots of reasons why i love my husband.

once in a while i write them down for him on this little sign we 

have so that i make sure he knows! this week he especially deserves this one..

this week my husband has been so especially patient with me.

i normally don't make him wait very often..i shower and

get ready pretty fast for a girl! but this week i have been sick

and slowww. my darling husband has been ever so patient

with his little sick wifey...here are some of the things he's done:

• he made dinner for us all on his own {and even put pomegranates in the salad..my favorite!}
• he waited for me every morning this week and has almost been late to work because he wanted to drive me to work himself 
• he stayed up really late with me two nights ago because i couldn't sleep with my bad cold and he didn't want to fall asleep before i did... so he turned on our favorite friends episodes, watched with me & rubbed my back until i fell asleep hours later
• he made my favorite honey-lemon tea to help me feel better

*here is the dinner he made for me this week while i was sleeping..love the note 
which says "i know something should probably go here, but i don't know how to  
cook anything else! feel better!" haha pretty impressed with what he did make!

so thank you husband for being such a gem and loving me especially when i am at my worst with a runny nose, headache, sniffles, using up all the tissue, laying in bed watching two movies in a row, and being cranky because i'm sick.

basically, i think he's more happy than even i am that my health has now returned..

love you chase t! thanks for putting up with me this week! cheers to a fun weekend ahead full of halloween parties, finding costumes for those parties, football games, the giants getting closer to winning the world series, an outing to the oakland temple, and spoiling my cute husband for taking care of me this week! happy weekend!

xo

7 cheapest healthy foods

hi and happy thursday! i am especially happy today because i'm 
coming off a bad cold, and appreciating my health more than ever! 
in honor of being healthy again, i put together a little list of some 
great healthy foods...that are also cheap! so many healthy foods 
are spendy, and we splurge on them a lot..but these are great 
{and cheap} staples to have around the house!  
*i picked our favorites off a couple different lists i've seen in prevention magazine!*

   7 cheap & healthy foods

1. oats
oats are the best! they lower cholesterol, protect the heart, & have been proven to lower your risk of getting sick! buy a cheap case of oats, then have oatmeal for breakfast with fruit, honey, pure maple syrup, pb, or other mix-ins!
2. celery
everyone gives celery a bad rap and says it has no nutrients...but eating four sticks of celery a day can produce reductions in blood pressure. it also takes more calories to chew it than eat it, so why not have it on hand for a healthy snack? i always put some peanut butter on it and munch away when i'm craving a snack!
3. sweet potatoes
these are probably our very favorite things. they are SO YUMMY and we make them in all different ways: baked, mashed, sweet potato fries, and especially our favorite sweet potato black bean burritos. sweet potatoes can lessen risks of a heart attack. they are high in vitamin c and vitamin d. they have iron and magnesium as well!
4. beans
forget expensive meat... dry beans and lentils offer a low-fat protein based from plants. just one cooked cupful can provide as much as 17 grams of fiber. beans are also loaded with protein and dozens of key nutrients, like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. beans are tied to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers. soak dry beans overnight and rinse them before cooking. put them in anything! breakfast burritos, quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, as a side with rice, etc. 
5. garlic
this relative of onion can decrease high blood pressure and can lower rates of ovarian, colorectal, and other cancers. in order to boost garlic's health effects, be sure to crush the cloves and let them stand for up to 30 minutes before heating them. also--extend the life of your garlic by storing it in a paper bag in the refrigerator.
6. onions
this bulb boasts far-reaching health benefits, including immunity-boosting compounds that can help prevent everything from the common cold to cancer. Onions are also rich in quercetin, a flavonoid shown to keep your blood healthy. It's also a must-have for natural allergy prevention. Tip: Store your onions somewhere cool and dry, such as a dark cabinet or unused closet, and that two-pound bag will last for months.   
7. tomatoes 
tomatoes are the most common source antioxidants that can protect against heart disease and breast cancer. we stock up on tomatoes at farmer's markets but one day i want a garden! fresh tomatoes are best, because canned tomatoes can contain BPA. we use tomatoes in salads, on paninis and sandwiches, in pastas, and more.   

what are some of your favorite healthy foods?
speaking of health, i just discovered this 5 minute morning yoga routine that i love...try it out for the mornings when you need a quick stretch/warm up!

XO

wednesday words

xo

tuesday ten

ten tuesday thoughts

1. it's much easier to get up early and get ready for work 
because of my cute husband and his little mirror notes

2. we finally put our new crepe maker to use 
and made crepes for breakfast..easily my favorite food! 
this maker is the best because it comes with the little
crepe wand they use at stands, and they cook perfectly!
we paired with nutella, banana, pb, and powdered sugar.

3. tennis season is officially over! it was so fun to coach this
year, and my cute players surprised me with this cake and cards.

4. my mother-in-law is darling and sent us a little halloween package...
nothing like getting mail from home! we've already eaten all the treats! thanks shel!

5. a little hiccup in our week: husband's bike was stolen last night while we were downtown. we rode our bikes to the gym and it was locked up and right in front on a busy street but somehow someone got away with it cutting the lock and taking it! i guess that is what happens in the city. hopefully that person needed it more than us! these are the times we miss little salt lake...

6. just found out that this pretty friend of mine is coming out here to visit
 in a few weeks!!!! yay! counting down the days until you come millie!

7. it started raining here this week, making this soy hot chocolate necessary.

8. i'm in love with these bowls!!

9. can't stop with the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

10. we NEED a puppy! 
we even facetimed with my family's dog this weekend..that's how much we miss her!

xo

what are some of your thoughts today?

homemade macaroni & cheese +butternut squash

this weekend we were in need of a good fall recipe to make for watching football 
with friends. homemade mac & cheese with butternut squash turned out to be the ticket! i kept seeing mac & cheese recipes, but my friend made one that was similar to this and so i decided on it. since husband is a southern boy he especially loved it! i made it a little healthier with whole wheat noodles, and with the squash it was amazing! we recommend it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. elbow pasta {whole wheat or regular}
½ cup unsalted butter {i used a little bit less}
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
5 cups milk
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Topping:
20 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta "al dente" {this means that it is cooked, but not quite soft since you are still going to be baking it}. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, then add the onion powder, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and the mixture begins to boil. *It does take a minute for it to thicken, and it seems like it will stay liquid..so have patience! It will thicken.* Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat the pasta.
4. Pour the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix together the crushed Ritz crackers and the melted butter until all of the crumbs are moistened, and then sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Let it cool for 10 minutes and serve.

 as for the squash, carmelized butternut squash may or may not be an obsession of mine every time fall rolls around. so i cooked this on the side but ended up mixing it in to the mac & cheese- yum!

 Caramelized Butternut Squash Recipe

1-2 medium butternut squash {4-5 pounds} 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2-1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
--Preheat the oven to 400°F.
--Cut off the ends of each butternut squash, peel the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut the squash into small cubes, then place them on a baking sheet.
--Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
--Toss all of the ingredients together and spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet.

--Roast 45 minutes to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize.
{Turn the squash while roasting a few times with a spatula to be sure it browns evenly.}
--Adjust seasonings if needed.
--Serve hot and enjoy!

 

we added roasted cauliflower, salad, and french bread as sides. 

make it for a meal this week! yum! 

xo

what are your favorite fall recipes?

sunday notes

dear modern family, you are amazing this season.

dear tennis season, i can't believe you end tomorrow!

dear homemade crepes, you made this morning ten times better.

dear college football, thanks for entertaining us all day yesterday.

dear home, it's so nice to finally spend a relaxing weekend with you.

dear new gym, we are giving you a try this week...hope you impress us!

dear butternut squash, you might be tying with pumpkin for  best fall food.

dear husband, thank you for leaving cute notes on our bathroom mirror for me to read in the morning.

xo

he said, she said

happy friday! we were sent this cute husband-wife q&a, so we each filled it 

out separately, then put our answers together to compare! it turned out to be 

a fun little activity. now let's see if our answers matched up!  

**do this with a spouse/significant other for a fun date night to see if your answers are the same! **

how long have you been dating and/or married?
she said: we've been dating for almost 4 years now, and married for almost 4 months!
he said: we've dated since 2009 and finally tied the knot this june.

what did you think of each other when you first met? was it love at first sight?
she said: i told my best friend i thought he was cute the night we met, but love came later!
he said: that she was adorable. we were just friends at first.

when did you know you had found "the one"?
she said: when i left to intern in london after we had already been long distance for months...the second my plane touched the ground in london i felt like a piece of me was missing and i knew i had to end up with that boy.
he said: when i flew to dc to visit her for the first time. i got in really late but instead of going to bed, we stayed up and walked around all of the monuments and talked all night long. i knew she was the only girl i could marry. then it took me 2 more years to convince her of that.

what have you learned from your relationship?
she said: i've learned more than i would have ever thought. i've learned what it really means to love. i've learned about myself. i've learned how happy you can be by putting someone else's happines above your own.
he said: i've learned that being married is the best, and it's even better when it's to your best friend. i've learned i enjoy nothing more than sharing and building a life with this girl.

who makes the decisions in your relationship?
she said: me! haha
he said: i let her think she does.

what is the best advice you have to offer a new couple?
she said: i still feel like we are a new couple! fall in love over and over again. focus on always finding new reasons to fall in love with your spouse.
he said: support each other, be each other's biggest fan. pray together. i find we're the happiest when we're consistently doing both. 

what was your first date?
she said: a date night with my sorority...yes i asked him out first! :) it was country dancing at a barn for our famous "shin dig"
he said: chi omega shin dig 2009. she asked me.

what are five words that describe emi?
she said: happy, enthusiastic, passionate, loving, germ-a-phobe
he said: gorgeous, classy, savvy, bright and loving.

what are five words that describe chase?

she said: charming, handsome, thoughtful, clever, well-rounded

he said: handsome, smart, amazing-husband, smart and handsome...?

what's one thing your partner does that makes you feel most loved?

she said: he still courts me...takes me on dates, brings me flowers, leaves me notes, rubs my feet at night, and always kisses my forehead in the morning when we wake up. :)

he said: she always takes care of me. thanks to her we have breakfast together every morning, she makes my lunch and then i come home to the most amazing dinners. i don't know what i'd do without her. she's honestly the best wife in the world.

XO

**speaking of our love story, we just {finally} updated the "our story" 
section of our blog..check it out on the top tab or click here!