Monday, May 16, 2011

3 Months

I don't know whether I'm in awe of how quickly the past three months has passed, or whether I feel like it's been so much longer? Tomorrow is Rob and my 3 month anniversary. I always thought it was pretty pathetic when people would celebrate every __th month anniversary during their first year of marriage, but now I am a part of the club. Thanks for accepting me!

So yes, the past three months have been amazing, disorganized, challenging, fun, and unlike any other three months of my life. Like every newly wed couple we are learning how to be married and how to combine both of our busy lives and schedules into one. What a challenge! But every day is a wonderful day and we are still as in love as could be.

I stumbled upon this quote from President Monson's Priesthood Session talk in this past General Conference and will never forget it. It is something I will always remind myself of:

"Choose your love, love your choice!"

I am so grateful to have found Rob and to be the girl he chose to marry. I'm grateful for the choice I was given to marry him, and I will forever and always love my choice!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Mmm Mmm Chocolate Cake

I've had so much fun since we've been married finding fun recipes to cook and bake. Now that I'm cooking for more than just myself I find quite a bit more motivation to actually do it and to do it well. One of the treats we made recently is called Chocolate Creme Cake from the Lion House Classics cookbook that I got for Christmas from my sister, Kristen, a few years ago.

It is to die for! Well, maybe not die, but it is delicious. If you're looking for a yummy treat and a fun baking activity, you should make this...

* WARNING: Hazardous for only two to consume. May gain weight if you don't share...


Because I think it is so good, I will share the recipe with you. There is a recipe for the cake, whipped cream, and chocolate frosting, but all three are extremely easy. Easy enough that Rob make the frosting all by himself while I tackled the whipped cream.

Cake: 1 package Devil's food cake mix

Follow package directions to prepare and bake the cake in two 9-inch round layers. Cool and split layers horizontally. (Only three of the four layers are used in this recipe.)
* Rob and I decided the more cake the
better- so we used all four layers.
While the cake is baking, prepare chocolate frosting and stabilized whipping cream.

Chocolate Frosting:
4 tablespoons cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In mixing bowl, mix cocoa and powdered sugar. Add softened butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Stabilized Whipping Cream:
1 envelope (1 TBLSP) unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In small saucepan, combine gelatin with water;
let stand until thick. Stir constantly over low heat until just dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly but do not allow to thicken. In large mixing bowl, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until slightly thick. On low speed, gradually add gelatin, then beat on high until cream is thick.

Assembling Cake:
Place one layer of cake on serving plate. Spread evenly with half the whip cream, to within half an inch of edge of cake. Place another cake layer on top of cream; then another layer of cream. Alternate cake and cream for a total of five layers, ending with cake layer. Gently press down on top layer to set layers together. Frost entire cake with frosting. Garnish with chopped walnuts if you desire.
Doesn't it look so YUMMY!!! Well, if it doesn't look yummy, you're wrong, it was. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! But take my warning seriously... share the cake if you don't want an extra pound or two :)

Monday, May 2, 2011

Easter

One of the fun things about being married and starting a life together is developing our own traditions. Easter is the first major holiday that we have shared as a married couple, and it was a good one to start with!

Rob and I talked about traditions that our families had growing up. We also talked about things we liked about them that we wanted to keep in our family, and also things we wanted to add or change. During my childhood my parents never pretended to be the Easter Bunny, or give us Easter baskets. Instead we would go to Grandma and Grandpa's for the annual Easter egg hunt, and that was the extent of the Easter Bunny festivities. Instead, we would get a new Easter Sunday outfit. At first I was disappointed to see all of my friends get fun gifts and have to hunt for their basket, but as I got older I became grateful to my parents for putting more of the emphasis on Sunday and the Savior. Rob's family played the Easter Bunny role and they had to hunt for their baskets on Sunday morning.

As we talked we decided that it would be fun to do Easter baskets, but to do them on Saturday. Unfortunately, we didn't have time Saturday because of running around to family parties, so it happened Sunday- but in the future, Saturday it is. This will allow us to still have fun with the Eater Bunny, but allow Sunday to focus on the Savior and his resurrection.

It was fun to get stuff for each other! We set a limit of how much we could spend each, and then for FHE we went to target and wandered around giving each other some good ideas of things we'd enjoy.

I ended up getting a yoga mat and weights (The Jillian Michaels workout kit), and lots of yummy candy! I later went and bought the Jillian Michaels DVD that goes along with my kit, and I'm starting the workout tonight! It's called 30 Day Shred. Lets just say after two years of recovering from surgery that I hope I shred some of that weight in the next 30 days! I am an avid Biggest Loser watcher, and even though Jillian would make me cry if I were to work out with her in person, I've come to love her! Plus, I think I'll be able to keep composure if she stays in the T.V. Rob got the movie "Rudy", and a new frisbee, along with lots of candy!

Until we have our own family we will enjoy spending lots of time with our families in SL and joining in on their celebrations. It was a great first holiday for the both of us!