Picnic Date

A few weeks ago (when the weather was really nice) Michael and I went on a picnic. It was so nice to chill on the grass after a long week of sitting in class and at work. We picked up some Chinese food and got to use our new picnic blanket (a wedding gift) for the first time. It was a nice evening out. Unfortunately the swings we occupied by little children, next time I guess. I cant wait until this summer- I plan on spending many evenings outside. Especially since I will be in an office everyday, 8-5!

 Michael thought the food was REALLY yummy! 

 It was sunny enough for sunglasses! I am so glad that winter is over!! 

Self-Portrait

Time for some summer tanning, don't you think?

Joe's Cafe

A while back, more like the end of February, I had to "do something different" with a spouse or significant other for a class assignment. Michael had been to this hole-in-the-wall place with his boss called, Joe's Cafe. He had been raving about it every since and kept telling me he would take me someday. So we decided to do kill two birds with one stone and went one Saturday morning for a "breakfast date". And he was right....It was DELICIOUS! We finished off our breakfast date with a trip to Costco. Romantic. I know. But really, I love grocery shopping with Michael, he makes sure I stick to the list! :)

 

 My plate...hash browns, sunny side up eggs (my favorite) and 4 super thick slices of the best bacon I have ever had! oh, and a side of toast

 

 

Michael with his food. He got a super big omelet, with a whole bunch of yummy mix-ins.  He finished it all, and managed to help polish off mine as well. Lets just say we were both so full, we didn't bother eating again until dinner!

Pictures

A while back I was told that a certain, adorable nephew of mine wanted to see more pictures of his Aunt Joci and Uncle Michael. So here are a few just for Tyler and whoever else cares to look. 

At a BYU Basketball game. It was pretty cool to see the infamous Jimmer play in person. 

(ps. sometimes its hard to get Michael to take a serious picture) 

A Date Night In...Movie and some homemade cookies. 

Yummy!

 

 No bake cookies. A recent favorite in our house. Half with chocolate, for me. And half without, for Michael (and yes I know it looks like I have more, but I just made mine smaller)

Ready to settle in for a Movie one night. 

Funny Story...One time Michael had a paper due. He started it the night before it was due. Stayed up till 5 am and then got up at 7 am. This is the result of a long day of class and work on only 2 hours of sleep.

Making Valentine's Day dinner. Michael thought it was really tasty! 

Michael and his yummy Valentine's dinner for me. I didn't get home from class until 7. He was in the kitchen making some tasty sweet and sour chicken. He is quite the gourmet! (and I love that he is!) He also had picked up a pie for desert, and a movie and popcorn for the remainder of the evening. Not only did he make a special dinner for Valentine's, but he makes dinner every Monday night, since my class doesnt get out until late. He really is so sweet!

A Typical Night in the Coon Home

This is what we have been doing for the past 4 months. 

Homework.

Thankfully the semester is almost over. 3 weeks to be exact. Michael graduates the 21st/22nd. I am so excited for him! Then we get a wonderful 4 months of summer, no classes, just work and lots of  fun in between. Until then, we both have projects, papers and finals to tackle. The end is so close...We cant wait!

Baking Gone Wrong

Friday night Michael and I got home from work a little after 5. We had a ward activity that started at 6:30 and had just enough time to make our treat, congo bars (a chocolate chip cookie bar), eat dinner and go.This is how it all played out:

1. I got started on the dessert. Realized we didnt have enough brown sugar. Went to Smith's to get some more.
2. Get back. Michael takes over so I can eat dinner.
3. Cookie bars in the oven and we are only 15 minutes behind schedule
4. Timer goes off. Check the bars. Perfect on the outside. Runny on the inside....Now what do we do??
5. Put them back in for a little longer. Maybe that will help.
6. Nope. They were still just as runny. And I dont mean doughy (because I rather like doughy cookies) these were runny like yogurt consistency...GROSS! 
7. We couldnt take them to the activity and we we already late so we just left them on the counter. Had a great time at the activity, played Ticket to Ride and met some more people in our ward.
8. Came home with a redbox, put the cookies back in the oven and watched our movie. 
9. A long while later, Michael says "the cookies!". oops, we had forgotten to check on them. I go to pull them out, expecting them to be totally burnt. Wrong, just a bit more golden on the outside and just as runny on the inside. I was very disappointed and reluctantly accepted that that was as good as it was going to get.

Well, it was either our oven, the recipe was typed wrong, the recipe was read wrong, or the higher altitude (they always turn out normal in CA) which messed it up. Whatever it was, lets just say I probably wont be trying this recipe again for a while, at least not until I am ready to experiment and find a possible solution. 

Check out these pictures I took the next morning.

 Dont worry, the top looked normal until we started picking at it. 

The top at least was cooked and tasted normal.

 The outside was so crunchy it came out of the pan all in one piece! 

Michael to the Rescue

Picture this: Sunday night. About 11 pm. I had just finished up the last of my homework for Monday. Then it hits me! I forgot to write my Shakespearean-like poem on a scripture story for my History of Creativity class. Now I hate writing poems. And this one had to be 14 lines, follow a specific rhyme pattern and have 10 syllables per line. This was going to take me all night!  After a momentary freak-out and exclamation of frustration, Michael says, how about this for a first line, "There was a studly young man named Nephi". Good. Great. It was 10 syllables and was a start. What's next? I am happy to say that we whipped this baby out in like 20 minutes. We make a good team! I am truly grateful for my wonderful husband and his sweet rhyming talent, something I didnt know about him till now. 

Oh, and as a side note, recently while going through some of his childhood things he found a ribbon for 4th or 5th place in a poetry contest...GO Michael!! Thats way better than I could have ever done!

Check out my our finished product:

A Modern Shakespearean Interpretation of Nephi

There was a studly young man named Nephi

He was the fourth son of goodly parents

and received revelation from on high

Lehi loved him, it was so apparent

Laman and Lemuel thought he was stuck-up

Therefore they ignored his divine warnings.

They treated him like an ugly pup

and once they tied him up in the morning.

He prayed to the Lord that he might be free.

Laman was angry, but then bowed down  

“Oh Nephi please forgive me” was his plea,

“I do”, now repent to receive your crown.  

Upon their return Sariah rejoiced.

Lehi sacrificed and many thanks voiced.

Courtesy of Daisy Sour Cream

Jump for Joy. Its good Exercise.

Very nicely put, Daisy. I am jumping for joy because I get to make taco salad (my favorite) with my husband tonight. And my birthday is in 4 days. And it snowed today, so maybe Michael and I can finally try our hand at making snow ice cream. Yumm!

 

What makes you jump for joy?