Obsession

Whenever Aaron and Max come over, dinner is inevitably followed by 2-3 hours of playing old Nintendo games. And these are some serious games! They may just be playing super dodge ball (the game that Jason got for his 10th birthday) but they are still yelling and laughing hysterically and threatening each other like their lives depend on winning! Take a look at this secret footage I got of them.

(notice that outside it goes from being day to night and yet, they are still on the couch playing the exact same game...lol)

"All at once one day it's spring..." :)

Jason and I have been craving warm, spring weather like no one's business!! During the last two weeks (whenever it has warmed up to 50+) we've taken a hike in the canyon, rode our bikes along Provo river trail, and played tennis in the evening. On St. Patty's day we got blessed with some warm weather and took a stroll to Bridal Veil Falls. Jason wasn't as convinced as I was of how warm it was outside, so he made a studly-man cape out of our picnic blanket.

The falls are still completely frozen over (seems they haven't got the memo that it's time for spring) but we made the best of it and even found some patches of green to take a picture with. Yay for spring!

(We also found a long lost Adams family relative...Cousin It! See the resemblance??)

Bane of my Existence

I'm taking calculus right now, and though it's not conceptually as difficult as other classes I've taken (such as organic chemistry or applied physics) it is soooo time consuming and so annoying that the only words that come to my mind when thinking about it are- "bane of my existence." That got me thinking..."where did that phrase come from and what the heck does it mean?" So, nerd that I am, I looked it up. Here's what google told me:

To say that something or someone is "the bane of my existence" means
that the person or thing is a constant irritant or source of misery.
As a cliche, "bane of my existence" has lost its edge to a large
degree over the years, and today is most often applied to something
that may profoundly annoy us but is certainly bearable... "Bane of my
existence" is now almost always used in a semi-jocular, "what are you
gonna do?" sense.

But "bane" was once a very serious word. The Old English "bana" meant
literally "slayer" in the sense we now use "killer" or "murderer."
Early on, the English "bane" was also used in the more general sense
of "cause of death," and by the 14th century "bane" was used in the
specialized sense of "poison," a sense which lives on in the names of
various poisonous plants such as "henbane" and "wolfbane."

From this very literal "something that kills you" usage, "bane" by the
16th century had broadened into its modern meaning of "something that
makes life unpleasant, a curse."

- So Calculus isn't poison and it certainly isn't going to "slay" me, but it is definitely a curse and I can't wait to be done with it.

(I googled the two inventors of Calculus. Turns out if was Newton and Leibniz, a drag queen and a vampire respectively. Huh, who knew?)

Wintery Walk

Jason and I took a stroll down the Provo River Trail to enjoy the 40 degree weather and sunny sky on Sunday. Winter can be such a depressing time, but we saw some pretty beautiful sights. This trail is one of the many things we'll miss about Provo!

Loverly Suprises

Jason and I really made an effort to make Valentine's day special this year. So, we decided to recreate our first Valentine's Day together from 3 years ago. While he was gone at work, I decorated the house with balloons and trails of chocolate and left notes all over the house and hid presents for him to find. Later, while I was gone at work, he cooked an amazing gourmet meal for me out of our Cuisine magazine (which is a fabulous magazine that I highly recommend to everyone). He had a dozen roses, a bottle of Martinelli's, and my present- "Mamma Mia!" waiting for me when I walked in the door later that night. To top it all off we went dancing after dinner and had a great time. I'm so grateful for my wonderful, thoughtful husband. I love you baby! :)

Here's a video clip from our first Valentine's Day together. This is Jason discovering the surprise I left in his apartment for him.


A Scrumptious "Choco-Colada" Cheesecake Jason made: (coconut, chocolate deliciousness)


Our yummy dinner complete with french bread and balsamic vinegar and oil dipping sauce. (Jason thinks of everything!)


My recreation of our first Valentine's. (The notes were a lot more profound this year!)


Here's my personal chef in action in the kitchen: (and yes, that is HIS apron)

Oh the Cheese...

Jason and I went to a dance on Valentine's day and had a really fun time. There was a live band and lots of food and people. We had a few pictures taken at the "photo" area while there. Though this picture is so cheesy I almost gag looking at it, I thought it was worth sharing to document our night.

Healing Remedies

As the snow is falling outside and soft christmas music is playing in my apartment, I realize that something is missing! I'm not sniffling from a runny nose or massaging my neck from swollen glands and a sore throat. It's a miracle! I am almost always sick at this time of year, and actually at most other times of year too. Despite my fairly active and healthy lifestyle, I've spent most of my life under the cloud of some illness. I was contemplating what I did different this year to ward off the cold and flu season and realized I introduced 2 new things into my diet. (and don't worry, I'm a firm nonbeliever in supplements and most herbal/organic remedies. (as a exercise science/nutrition major this is almost a given since the "facts" about supplements are pounded into my head in every class) No echinacea drops or O.D.ing on vitamin C for me when I get a cold) These two home remedies are just comfort food for me and probably give me enough boost in mood to create the placebo affect that can be so healing. First, whenever I've begun to feel poorly I've made myself a cup of the most amazing, soothing drink:

Stephen's Gourmet Wassail (Citrus & Spice)



and if that doesn't work I buy a cabbage and make this fabulous soup:

Healing Cabbage Soup (recipe on allrecipes.com)



Hopefully these warm, comforting foods can help you ward off sickness and enjoy the most wonderful time of year too. :)