Baked Goods

Baking has become one of my favorite things to do since Spencer and I have moved to Utah. I have always liked baking the simple things like cookies, brownies and cakes while living in California with my parents. I have come to LOVE baking new recipes since our move to Utah and moving into a place of our own, where the kitchen is at my disposal. I'm still baking cookies, brownies and cakes, but I've been more creative with the types of cookies, brownies and cakes I bake. I've even learned new baked good recipes that I have made into my own. Some of these new recipes have been passed on to me from my wonderful sister Rubie. One of my favorite new recipes from my sister is her Lemon Bar recipe that is to die for. A new baked good recipe that I recently learned to make is my Pumpkin Roll. I will not reveal where I got this recipe from, but I will tell you that it's an awesome recipe.

Pumpkin Roll's baked for our family Thanksgiving Feast
I Love these Lemon Bars... also for our Thanksgiving Feast

Having a husband who loves baked goods is a blessing, because he becomes my taste tester. I always tell him to be honest with me when trying one of my new recipes. He even helps me bake sometimes, but he'd prefer to just be the taste tester.

Date Night ... with the Nonu's

Another great couples date night with my cousin Verlynn and her husband Dwayne. Spencer and I enjoy the company of this lovely couple any time we have the chance to hang out with them. As a matter of fact, we enjoy hanging out with many of my cousins and their other/better half's.
On this night, our plans were to go and have dinner at "Tucanos" then watch a movie. We made it to Tucanos at the Riverwoods in Orem, but couldn't get our husbands to the movie theater. Should've remembered that once our husbands get their stomach's full of delicious food, all they wanna do is sleep. We did however, get them to walk around the Riverwoods Plaza for a while and take pictures. We had great food, lots of laughs and funny jokes that kept us laughing and giggling all night. It's never a dull moment when my husband starts on his jokes, LOL.

Making Blankets

I've had the special priviledge of making blankets with my "Purcell" family here in Utah. I've been learning a lot of new and exciting homemaking, arts & craft ideas since Spencer and I have moved to Utah. A big part in my motivation to being a good cook and learning how to make my own blankets, clothes etc. is my beloved mother. I am truly grateful for my Aunty Rosita Letalu who takes the time out of her busy schedule to set up a day when we get together and have a little arts & crafts night. It's our GNO (Girls Night Out) thing to do ... instead of going to the movies or clubing/dancing (cause we're past that stage of life). I'm also grateful for my cousins and "sisters in crime"(lol), Verlynn and Beatrice for their support and help in teaching me the secrets and ropes to homemaking.

Our first night of crafting, we made beautiful blankets. We didn't have all the girls there, but we still had our blanket making night. Rosita, Beatrice and I had a fun time making blanket, eating chicken tostada's and listening to the guys play their card games. I was so engulfed in making my blanket, I lost track of time and didn't notice the time. Spencer and I left Rosita's house at 2:30 am that morning and I had to be at work at 8:00am that same morning. I was tired, but it was all worth it.

Just to share with you the beautiful blankets I made, I've posted some pictures of them for you. Our next craft, is making watches and brachlets...Can't wait for that night or arts & crafts. Another long, fun filled night with family.

Family Halloween Party

Spencer and I had the best time with my Purcell family in Lehi, UT. Every year, Rosita and Lokeni Letalu along with their children and grandchildren have a Halloween Party for the kids (and adults). We were invited to join them this year in their festivities for this fun holiday. All the children were in their costumes and so were the adults. We had good food, good laughs, fun games, and funny costumes. The best game of the night would have to be the men doing the donut eating contest. I posted the video up for you guys to watch and get a good laugh at. Our charades game was the best, because the guys were terrible at guessing, but awesome at acting out scenes.

I am truly grateful for my extended family and the love they have for my husband and I to include us in their activities and get togethers. I wish that my siblings (along with their families) and I lived closer to each other so that we could come together and celebrate holidays like these together.

I look forward to next years Halloween party and all the fun, excitement, laughter and good times we will have again.

Trip to Cornbelly Farms

Had a fun filled evening on Friday Oct. 22, 2010 with my nephew William, niece Isabella and sister in law Melissa. They met me at the Thanksgiving Point, Cornbelly Farms Pumpkin Patch. I actually got the idea to go here, by my sister in law (Spence's side) Siniva. I decided I wanted to take my niece and nephew and have some fun and take pictures with them. My sister in law Melissa was an added plus to have. The kids had a blast, jumping on big pillows, riding a cow train, sliding on a big slide, going into a princess club house, walking thru a corn maze and roasting marshmellows. We tried to get in as much activity as possible because they had to get back home by 8pm so my brother to get to work. It was a blast hanging out with my family. I love Fall and all the activities that come along with this season.

Infront of the little pumpkin cart as we were leaving.

Celebrating a Life!

The following Video Slideshow is one I made for the 1 year anniversary of my mothers passing. It's a short 11 minute slideshow of some family memories we had with her. We celebrated her life on Oct. 1st 2010 in Anaheim, CA, by having a little ceremony, dinner and dance in her honor. We had a great turn out and we had the opportunity to share memories with friends and family. I hope that you will enjoy watching this short slideshow because it was made with LOVE!

I'm truly grateful for the plan of salvation, knowing that I will be together again with my mother. Families truly are forever.

So Proud of MY LOVE

I am extremely proud of this wonderful man in my life. He has made a decision in his life (our lives together) to become a certified HEAVY machinery operator. I just knew that our 1 week, 45 minutes to an hour long drives (for his training) from American Fork, UT to Tooele, UT would be worth the blessings that would come later. My LOVE, Spencer is officially certified as a heavy machinery operator. I am grateful for his decision to better his skills and make our lives better.

Spencer is currently on a 4 week job with a company called "RockIt" based in Park City, UT. I can see the joy and pride in his eyes when he comes home from work everyday. I know that he is working hard to make sure that we don't have to live paycheck to paycheck every month and worry about bills. It's refreshing to see my husband work to make life better not only for me (cause I am his #1) but for the both of us.

As he continues to work at making a better life for us, I continue to smile at him and think to myself ... I am so proud of my LOVE and would not have wanted anyone else as my ETERNAL Companion.