Long time

So i haven't written on here for quite awhile. I've posted a couple things about my amazing missionary friends.  Well my absolute best friend Elder Hardman got home from his mission about a month ago.  I was lucky enough to have him come up to visit me the day after he got home.

Yay for awkward RM's!! Actually besides making him drive alone in a car with a girl(me) there was basically no awkarkness.  Mike got the full tour of USU campus including aggie ice cream and a drive up the canyon.

Food

My Missionaries!

Elder Hardman has been out for one year and nine months while the last one to leave Elder Peterson

has barely been gone for 3 months. 

It truly is amazing that at nineteen years old these strong young men dedicated two years of their lives

selflessly serving the people of an area foreign to them.  For no person gain, just the satisfaction of following

the commandments of their Lord. 

Healthy soup

My Daddy's recipe for healthy soup
1/2 cup barley boiled and rinsed 45min
1/2 cup lintels boiled and rinsed 45min
8 cups water
4 chicken flavored cubes or 2 cans chicken broth
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1 can corn
2 cups peas
1 can black beans
2 large chicken breast

combine all ingredients and simmer in crock pot 8 hours add seasoning

Pecan Fried Chicken
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 pound pecan pieces
2 cups flour
Essence, recipe follows
1 large frying chicken, cut into 8 pieces, about 3 1/2 pounds (2 breasts, 2 legs, 2 thighs, and 2 wings)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons milk
Directions
Heat the oil, over medium heat, in a large cast iron skillet. In a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, finely ground the pecans. Combine the pecans with the flour. Season with Essence. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs with 2 tablespoons of the milk. Dredge the chicken pieces in the pecan flour, coating each piece completely. Dip the chicken in the egg wash, coating completely and letting the excess drip off. Dredge the chicken in the pecan flour, for a second time, coating the chicken completely. Gently lay half of the chicken in the hot oil, skin side down. Fry the chicken for 6 minutes. Turn the chicken over and continue to cook for 6 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the chicken with Essence. Continue frying the remaining chicken. Serve the chicken

Fathers Day! Great Example

Happy Fathers day! I just want to say how much I love my father and all that he does for me.  I wouldn't be the person I am today without his gently guidance.
Today at church there was an amazing talk and story shared that I would like you share with you guys.  This man was talking about his father and what a strong amazing person he is, but what I got out of it was what to be looking for in a future spouse.  This gentlemen speaking in church told us a story that his mother had told him years after the event.  His mother(lets call her Sara) was visiting teaching(for those of you who are not LDS this is when women in our church visit with other women to make sure that they are doing well in their life's and to see if they need any help) a women(we can call her Dawn).  Dawn was a single parent and her  daughter(Hannah) was 15 years old and had a problem with drugs.  Dawn tried to help Hannah but Hannah would just get angry and run away.  When Sara came over Dawn told her about her daughter and asked if she would help her get her daughter the help she needed.  Sara agreed.  A couple weeks later and late into the night Dawn got a phone call from Hannah who had ran away and wanted to come back home.  Dawn called Sara and asked for her help.  The plan was made for them to drive 5 hours to a rehabilitation center.  Sara and her husband Steve drove to meet Dawn and her unsuspecting daughter.  They were able to all get into the car and start the long drive.  Sara drove with Steve in the back restraining Hannah.  Hannah became a struggle and even bit Steve.  Luckily they were able to get Hannah the help she needed.  After leaving Hannah in the hands that could best care for her in this time of her life, Steve began to drive the two exhaustion women home.  Sara is desperate need of sugar asked her husband to stop at a gas station.  They were in the middle of L.A. in the late night, but Steve didn't blink an eye as he had to use 3 different highways to find a gas station in a very scary part of town.  Once he went inside Dawn turned to Sara and asked how did she find a guy like Steve.  After eveything that had happened that night he was willing to put his own wants and needs aside to make his wife more comfortable.        
I loved that story so much! I know it seems like a story about doing the right thing and helping people. Which is so great.  Its just the thing that stood out to me is how amazing Steve is.  He proved that day how much he truly cares for his wife.  Girls find a guy like Steve and you will never ever regret it.  So many young women care only for what a guy looks like.  What is truly important is how he treats you and those around you.

Less than 4 months!!

My absolute best friend is coming home from his mission in less than 4 months!!  I met this amazing guy 4 years ago through mutual friends.  We both ran cross country and track in high school. The last couple months before he left we tried to do everything we could.  We went hiking almost every weekend and he promised me more hikes when he gets back:)  He is the best guy I know! I love reading this letters and feeling the strength of his testimony grow. I don't know where I'd be without him and his constant support.
Love you Elder Mike Hardman.

This was from one of our many hikes:)

This is the most current picture.  Isn't he so cute? I love a man 

who is willing to give up 2 years of his life to serve our Lord

http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/all/college-7575205

First year of college online scrapbook:)

Must Listen- this song is adorable

He is we - All about us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7Gf2SOmz5Q

My Bucket List

·    Not in order  

            Trip to Italy

·         Trip to Austraila

·         Trip to France

·         Trip to Hawaii

·         Trip to Ireland

·         Climb a volcano

·         Visit the great wall of china

·         Learn to do a front hand spring

·         Visit one temple from each state in the U.S.

·         Go to the top of the tallest building in the world

·         Visit the Largest mall in America

·         Ride an elephant

·         Gallop horses on the beach

·         Go skydiving

·         Hike Tallest mountain in American

·          Run in marathon

·         Swim with dolphins

·         Get married in the temple

·         Go to an opera

·         See a musical on broadway

·         Climb up the statue of liberty

·         Go on an older couple mission

·         Index 1000 names

·         Marry my best friend

·         Be debt free

·         Pay off a good home

·         The same year I am married start retirement fund

·         Once each kid is born start a college saving account($50 month)

·         Go on a date once a week with hubby

·         Never be late with loan/credit card payments

·         Have: family pray, family home evening, family reading scriptures, family game night.

·         Stay friends with: Jessica Floyd, Heather Bascom, Tiffany Anderson, Lauren Ruth, Michael Hardmen

·         Keep standards

·         Raise my children to love God above all else

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)

Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss

He Is We - All About Us ft. Owl City

Sunday Dinner

My roommates and I take turns making Sunday dinner.  This recipe is super easy!

Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients
1 can chicken broth
2 Tbsp butter
3 potatoes
1 pack frozen broccoli (or fresh)
1/4 C milk
3 Tbsp flour
seasonings
2 C cheese
1/3 C onion

Directions:
1. Boil potatoes and cut bite size pieces
2. Cook onion in butter til tender
3. Add flour
4. Add broth and milk
5. Bring to boil
6. Add seasonings and broccoli
7. Once thick add potatoes and cheese, turn heat down
8. Once cheese melts serve

A Beautiful Talk

One of the first things I want to post on here is a quote given to me earlier today.  It is from the talk "Beauty for Ashes" by Bruce C. Hafen

"They taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good." (Moses 6:55)  I think this is a really good way for us to look at our trials here on earth.  Something amazing would not seem so amazing to us if it happened to us everyday.
"the hope, which blesses us with the state of mind necessary to deal with the gap between where we are and where we seek to be."  "The gift of hope offers peace and perspective"  Sometimes I feel like the things I really want are so far away, that's when I need to stop and realize what I have right now.
"The truth is not that we must make it on our own, but that he will make us His own"

I know that my savior lives and that through him and only him we can come to live with our Heavenly Father again.

Why blog?

I've decided to start a blog mainly to keep all the things I love in one spot.  I'll post: recipes, quotes, scriptures, pictures, crafts, and whatever else I find that interested me.  This is basically for me to combine facebook, pinterest, weddinggawker, and foodgawker.