OCTOBER 23RD (Sorry - I'm a week late!)

I just wanted to post some pictures from the past week. I've been working a lot, but these are from my birthday. Jack surprised me with gifts in the morning. (I don't know when he had time to sneak and get them..) Schmoopie is an inside joke from Seinfeld :] Olive Garden was delicious and seeing Jenny and her mom was definitely the icing on the cake!! Hope everyone is having a great week!!

The best birthday present of all!

I get to spend it with my husband!

Jack was supposed to go to Illinois for

work next week, but at last minute gets

to stay in Idaho! I am so happy!

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

New Job & "Pretend Olive Garden!"

I've been so busy looking for jobs I haven't had time to update. So here's a few things going on with me:

1. I got a few job offers, but I accepted one at Big 5 Sports, a new store opening in Rexburg. They pay better than anyone around town and will work around my school schedule starting in January. But the best thing is that it's in Rexburg, so I won't have to commute in the snow!! Us Southerners don't really know much about that, huh..

2. I got a new email: erika.maxfield@gmail.com -- so update or add me, I love hearing from everyone and getting forwards. In other news: my mom got a blog, so check it out: valenciadinkins.blogspot.com . I am so excited that everyone is internet savvy, so when we're all busy I can still see how everyone's doing. (But honestly.. I call my mom every day.. so I still know everyone's secrets! Ha!)

3. My birthday is in a week in a half -- the BIG 2-1! And although Jack will be gone, my cousin Jenny will be here and I'm really excited for that!

4. This Sunday, Jack and I start our Temple Preparation class. It seems like time is flying and before we know it we will be able to get sealed. How exciting :] !

5. Jack and I found a great alfredo recipe -- it tastes exactly like Olive Garden, so we had seafood alfredo tonight and it was AMAZING! So.. I'm posting the recipe at the bottom, I swear by it -- delicious!

Well, I better hit the sack.. we have a lot going on this weekend! I'll try to update Sunday with some new pictures and how I like my job. I love everyone -- Have a great weekend!

Alfredo Sauce Recipe:


Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese - (to 3/4)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cooking Directions:

In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer thisuntil all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and Garlicpowder. Simmer this for 15 to 20 minutes on low. You may wish to seasonwith a little salt and pepper. It has been made with half-and-half, butheavy cream is preferred.

Ok, well.. the "dogs" outta the bag...

So.. Jack & I got a puppy about three weeks ago to try out, and we didn't want to tell anyone until we were sure we were going to keep him. (Especially my mom... she wasn't too fond of the idea) but we've grown pretty attached to him. However, my mom heard him barking while we were on the phone!! Ha! His name is KING LOUIE (like the Jungle Book -- we're really into Disney) and he is a cockapoo mix. Anyway, I had to post this picture because we bought him this really cute bed and this is where he ends up every night.

I have the best husband :)

I've been feeling a little under the weather, so Jack has cooked for me two days in a row. He's so sweet to me!

Yesterday we had corned beef and cabbage. I'd never had it, but I was very impressed!

And tonight was grilled marianated chicken and flavored rice. We're trying to get some good use out of our grill before the snow takes over for the winter. I'm a really lucky girl.

Old friends and Taboo

Last night I got to introduce Jack to my friends from my first semester. We all met up at a friend's apartment and played Taboo, it was so much fun! Then they came over and saw our house. The guys had been on their missions, so it'd been a really long time. I had such a great time!!

Let it snow -- but maybe in a month or so!!

It snowed today for the first time this winter. I tried taking some pictures, but the snow wasn't sticking, so they didn't really turn out. It is SO COLD!!! It's hard to believe that it's no where as cold as it will be. I better get some warmer coats.

This week was a little rough. The tire blew out on the Honda while Jack was on the way back from a meeting in Twin Falls. I am just so grateful he didn't get hurt. I don't have a cell phone yet, so there was no way to tell me why he was so late -- I was really worried. We got two new tires, but as y'all know.. the cash doesn't really flow when you're 20 and married so we had to miss my friend Jessica's wedding down in Utah yesterday.

As if that wasn't depressing, we found out Jack has to go to a school for work in Illinois October 22-27. My birthday is October 23rd. At least Jenny will be up here to have Olive Garden with me. (Thank goodness!!) It's sort of becoming a joke because Jack and I never get to spend my birthday together! This is three in a row!!

Anyway -- enough with the bad news! Being married is so much fun! I'm so glad to get to spend all my time with my best friend! We've been pretty lazy this week now that things have calmed down a little. I absolutely love cooking for Jack! Our favorites so far are: spaghetti(with Dr. Pepper in the sauce), grilling steak and chicken, roast, asparagus, cupcakes (I make when he has a bad day), and those little pigs in a blanket. Haha! Cooking together is really fun -- tonight we're making potato soup for the cold day. Random: Grey's Anatomy premiered this week (everyone knows I'm addicted).

I wanted to put up a few wedding pictures since I hadn't yet. Thank you, Cindy for the sweet comment on my last post!!