The Pepplers

2011 Redux

2012-01-08T10:10:00.001-06:00

As you have probably noticed, Adam and I didn’t send out a Christmas card this year. We were pretty busy and we just didn’t have time.

You probably also noticed we didn’t send change of address cards…we were kind of busy enjoying our new house to get around to doing that. So, if you want our new address, e-mail us.

However, in lite of not sending out Christmas Cards we thought we might do a little 2011 redux/Christmas letter on the blog. I know M will love this.

Enjoy!

In January Adam and Holly took the plunge and decided to buy a house. After much searching, they decided to build. They chose to build in a brand new neighborhood on the north side of Norman.

Throughout February, March, and April the Peppler’s were busy choosing finishes for their home. During the process, they found out they could not build the house they wanted on the lot they had picked. Through a series of events, they wound up with a wonderful corner lot at 1/2 the price!

In May, Holly was hired on full time at the insurance brokerage firm she had been working for. She began taking on client service duties as well as continuing with her marketing duties. She spends most of her time helping clients as well as updating the company twitter and writing a monthly newsletter.

As spring passed, they found little progress on the home. Due to weather as well as gas line and grading issues the home wasn’t started until May.

And because building a home wasn’t enough excitement for the Peppler’s, they decided to adopt a dog! Santo came home with Adam and Holly on Father’s Day – June 19, 2011. She is fondly referred to as the White “socks” Cub dog.

Adam and Holly spent the rest of the summer working and watching progress on their home.

In August, Adam was the best man in his brothers wedding. The Peppler’s found themselves traveling with their dog to Fort Worth, TX for the event. It was a blistering hot weekend (as it had been all summer) but the event was quite enjoyable.

As the summer came to an end, the southwest found itself in a record drought and it was taking it’s toll on everyone. As the closing date drew closer on the Peppler’s home they found out that sod would not be installed due to the drought and water bans. Only strips of sod would be put down for erosion purposes.

Finally, on September 9 Adam and Holly were able to move into their home! With the help of Adam’s family the move went smoothly. The Peppler’s were sad to leave the apartment they had lived in for over 2 years but were excited to start a new chapter in their life.

The months of September and October were filled with unpacking and moving into their home.

On October 24, Adam and Holly celebrated their 2 year wedding anniversary.

In November, the Peppler’s had their first house guest! Adam’s college roommate came to visit for Thanksgiving. He had spent the last few years in Japan and had returned to the States for graduate school. He is nearby in Texas, and Adam was excited to reminisce about old times.

December found the Peppler’s traveling once again to Illinois to spend the holidays with the Denman family. After a joyous holiday, the Peppler’s were off to Indiana to visit extended family as well as pay a visit to their alma mater – Purdue University.

The coming year will bring many exciting adventures for the Peppler family. They are planning a vacation to Florida, as well as their yearly trip back to Illinois. Holly will be taking on a new roll at her insurance firm and Adam will continue to impress his colleagues with his coding knowledge.

We hope the new year has found you doing well and we can’t wait for next years Christmas letter!

(I hope you enjoyed this M, J, and E).

An update with lots of Santo Pictures

2011-11-14T18:53:00.001-06:00

Adam and I have been busy cleaning out our guest room. We are going to have our first house guest over Thanksgiving so we are trying to get the house organized.

(And by organized I mean everything strategically placed in the closet.)

At any rate, we have been busy taking care of and decorating our new house.

The newest addition is the table we have in our front hall. I was looking for a good place to put my welcome sign and this turned out to be the best solution. We may get a coat rack and some mirrors to go on the wall, but that will come in time.

Santo helped eat the Styrofoam as we assembled the table, she felt like she was helping. She was proud.

I recently went to a craft fair with a friend and her mom. This was my big purchase:

The feathers are made of napkins and can obviously be removed. I thought it was a fun addition for Thanksgiving time.

Adam and I also recently made a trip to the newly opened Whole foods.

I’m glad we got there early because the store isn’t as big as I thought. The aisles were pretty crowded even early in the morning but it was still fun. We loaded up on a lot of gluten free goodies. We spent way more than we should have, but we had fun and it will take us quite some time to work through all the stuff we bought.

Santo decided that she wanted to participate in Halloween. She was a pumpkin.

Unfortunately we only had one trick-or-treater.

Santo was also able to have a play date with Chloe one day when our heater was broken and the house filled with smoke…yeah, that was fun.

And, Adam has taken to dressing Santo in his clothes…

At any rate, we are keeping busy and the house is looking better every day.

The grass here is finally starting to go dormant and the trees are beginning to lose their leaves. Although we are still having some pretty warm days (temps in the high 60’s and low 70’s). We are praying for a mild winter!

We will try to write again soon, hopefully after Thanksgiving when things calm down again.

Its been a while

2011-10-30T08:58:00.001-05:00

Hi all, it has been a while since I’ve posted…a month and a half.

Adam and I have been very busy with our jobs, our move, our dog, and our family.

We are officially moved into our new home and have been here almost 2 months now.

We are still working on unpacking a few rooms, but the ones we live in the most are feeling more and more like home. We have a visitor coming for Thanksgiving so the goal is to have all the boxes unpacked by then.

On another note, we have been married for 2 years! It is amazing how fast the time flies. We had talked about going on a vacation for our 2 year anniversary but one of us only has a few vacation days a year (we are working on changing that).

Now that we are starting to get settled in, hopefully there will be more time to blog!

10 years ago today

2011-09-11T08:38:00.001-05:00

New Home Tour

2011-08-28T20:40:00.001-05:00

We close in less than 2 weeks!

We took a few minutes this weekend to do a quick home tour before we move everything in and start un-packing.

http://youtu.be/9XvhSG1rNGk

Check out the video by clicking that link.

I’m no videographer so don’t judge my bad filming skills.

We can’t wait to show everyone one the home once we are moved in!

Our House is done!!

2011-08-21T10:30:00.001-05:00

Alright, it is pretty much officially done!

We are waiting on power washing as well as sod. Until the water restrictions are lifted those can’t be done.

The only two rooms that really have changed are the living room and kitchen.

We went shopping for a Fridge as well as a washer and dryer.

And Adam measured for window treatments.

We close on Sept. 9 and move on Sept. 10!! We probably won’t be able to stay at the house for a few days since we are having the furniture moved by a moving company…I’m not trying to get the couch down 3 flights of stairs…and that won’t happen until Monday.

So, now is the time to book your trips to OK to visit and see our new home!

Looking more and more like a house!

2011-07-30T22:10:00.001-05:00

Our house is looking more and more like a house each day, and Santo is getting big!

We now have tile, a backsplash, countertops, and a fence!

I love this light fixture!

We are really pleased with how big and open the backyard is! And check out that red dirt!

I still love the arches!

We have a stove in our garage!

The front of the house is almost done, just a little more paint, and railings on the porch. Sadly because of the heat and water bans we will not have any type of landscaping done before we move in. But, I guess I can’t really complain because we will be in our house in a little over a month!!!

Cabinets, trim, wall texturing, driveway, and sidewalks…oh my!

2011-07-17T08:12:00.001-05:00

Well, we have cabinets, trim, wall texturing, a driveway, and sidewalks!

The cabinets still need to be stained which should be done this week.

The walls are going to be pained this week as well!

We should have had landscaping this week but because we are under a water ban so the builders won’t landscape because they can’t water. It’s a possibility that we still won’t have grass, plants, or trees by the time we move in…pray for rain.

Our driveway and sidewalks.

Kitchen cabinetry and trim.

Living room.

Guest bathroom.

Master bathroom.

Guestroom closet.

Master bedroom.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T10:17:00.001-05:00

Happy 4th of July!!

Here’s to having a wonderful summer day filled with friends, family, grilling, and fireworks!

4th of July

2011-07-02T18:36:00.001-05:00

I love the 4th of July, the music, the festivities, the food, the fireworks. Ok, really, I’m a sucker for fireworks…I love them.

It has rained on the 4th of July every year since I’ve moved to OK and this year…finally…it looks like it won’t rain!! Hooray!! This means, we may actually see fireworks on the 4th of July. This is unless they cancel them due to the burn ban…

Ok, so maybe we really need rain. But, that’s another story.

Anyway, Adam and I plan on seeing the fireworks this year, we are hoping to cook out, and just enjoy the day even if it will be 110 degrees.

I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July filled with barbeques and fun!

On another note, the house has been dry walled!! It is finally beginning to look like a home!

And…we have a mailbox!

House Updates–Brick and Insulation

2011-06-29T20:20:00.001-05:00

The house is almost fully bricked and the insulation for the outer walls are finished!

Santo and I hanging at the new house!

A close up of the brick.

The garage.

Guest bedroom.

The living room. (Santo loves her soon to be new home!)

The drywall should be going up soon!! Yay!!

Santo Update

2011-06-28T21:07:00.002-05:00

As I’m writing this, Santo is next to me wrestling with a squeaky chew toy…thanks D and E. No really, she is having a blast with them.

Who me? I’m innocent.

Besides a few minor accidents, she has been great.
We had one rough night where she whined and barked all night otherwise she is sleeping through the night! She does great in her crate during the day while we are gone. Although, if she could just learn to not pee on the carpet we could leave her out.

She loves going to baseball games and watching Adam. She loves all the people, and of course the people lover her.

A quick update on the house, it is being bricked and insulated as we speak!! We have a guess as to when the closing will be but we aren’t holding our breath just yet. But, the contractor says things will start being installed pretty quickly over the next couple of months!!

It isn't a very good picture but we have brick!

Santo

2011-06-25T09:19:00.001-05:00

We are proud to announce the newest member of our family … SANTO!

She is a black lab/blue heeler mix. She loves to heard, play, and chew on things.

Please note the name Santo is a tribute to a great Cubs fan and player. Also please note she has White “Socks”.

We picked Santo up last week Sunday from a family who had rescued her and her 2 sisters and brother. She had been dumped in their backyard and the family decided to keep them until they all found good homes. It just so happened that we knew this family and she had the white “socks” we had been looking for!

She has done pretty well so far, only one instance of crying/barking all night. We had a small problem with ticks (we found about 25 total over 2 days) but I think that problem is solved. She also has hook worms at the moment but she took some medication for that and is getting better!

Adam has done a good job training her; she is starting to respond to her name, can walk up and down stairs, she can sit pretty well on command, and she loves to play tug of war.

Oh, and just in case you are wishing you were here to meet/play with Santo…take a look at our 10-day.

Yes that’s right…10 consecutive days of 100 degree temperatures. We will beat the record for hottest ever recorded June in Oklahoma by the time the moth is over.

At least it looks like it won’t rain on 4th of July this year.

Stay tuned for updates! :)

Happy Fathers Day!

2011-06-19T21:15:00.001-05:00

Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful dad!! Thank you for always being there Dad, I wish I could live closer but I love you no matter what!

And, for those who don’t know, we’ve had an addition to our family.

Meet Santo:

A Cat

2011-06-12T11:42:00.000-05:00

Adam and I found a cat last night sitting outside our door. It has a collar and a tag from the local no-kill shelter but no ID.

We went to get ice cream hoping when we came back the cat would be gone...it wasn't.

So, we are keeping it on our porch until we hear from the shelter or find its owner.

In the meantime, I keep sneezing.

Strange Drawings

2011-06-02T20:48:00.001-05:00

Adam and I decided to pay the house a visit tonight. Not much to really update on. Some minor pluming was taken care of and we are still waiting on telephone and cable lines to be installed. I’m not holding my breath for an early August closing date.

While we were at the house, we did see this drawing next to the front door.

Adam and I tried to decide what it was, of course neither of us speak Spanish so we can’t read the words around it. We ended up deciding it was either a kangaroo or a donkey next to either a weird looking man or an alien….

Anybody who can read spanish have any clue what that says?

We also came home to this tonight.

That is Adam’s snake plant, he has had it since his early college years. I did some reading and it turns out it takes some pretty special conditions to get it to flower. The flowers aren’t very pretty but boy are they fragrant. We learned that in order for it to flower, the plant must be mildly stressed, receive just the right amounts of sun and water, as well as be root bound. It also seems that this plant doesn’t mind being root bound (well according to what I read on the internet). We are planning on transferring to a bigger pot this weekend…we don’t want to chance it dying.

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-30T11:48:00.001-05:00

Adam and I took time this Memorial Day Weekend to take a mini-vacation/getaway. Partly, we were just itching to go on a “vacation” and partly to celebrate my passing of the State of Oklahoma Insurance Licensing Exam.

Anyway, we spent a few nights downtown OKC at the Colcord Hotel.

The Colcord is over 100 years old. Though it wasn’t always a hotel, it was a magnificent place to stay…very chic.

Friday night we decided to walk the river walk, and enjoy the weather.

Saturday morning, we planned to visit the Myriad Botanic Gardens before we ate an early dinner at the Melting Pot. But, before we could head out for the day, we needed breakfast. The room service prices at the Colcord were amazingly reasonable. Even with delivery and excess charges as well as a tip, we still didn’t spend anymore than had we gone out to eat.

After breakfast, we headed out to the botanic gardens which were just across the street from our hotel.

The outdoor portion of the gardens are still being remodeled. The gardens have been closed for over a year for renovation but the Crystal Bridge had finally opened earlier this year. So, we enjoyed what we could of the outside, but we really wanted to see the Crystal Bridge anyway.

The Bridge was mostly tropical plants but there were some desert plants as well. The plants were beautiful but boy was it humid! (I guess I had expected that though).

We had a great time though, we’ve been waiting to go to the botanic gardens for over a year now and we were excited to finally check them out. We plan on visiting the outdoor portion again when its finished (the outdoor attractions are all free by the way but the Crystal Bridge does charge a fee).

We headed back to the hotel after we perused the gardens and took a short walk through Bricktown again. We were exhausted! Afterall, it was only 111 degrees outside. Needless to say, we needed a nap!

After our nap we headed to the Melting Pot where we enjoyed Spinach and Artichoke cheese fondue:

Steak and Chicken cooked in their Mojo broth:

And, a Flaming Turtle for desert:

I think Adam was getting tired of me taking pictures. Haha.

Despite the 100 degree heat that evening we walked Bricktown again, all the way from our hotel to Bass Pro and back. I even found a t-shirt and some shoes at Bass Pro that Adam got for me!

Sunday morning we woke up, had breakfast and headed out for the Zoo. Our hopes were to see everything at the zoo before it got to hot for not only us but the animals as well.

(The giraffes made me think of you Linski!)

The OKC Zoo actually just brought their elephants back from the Tulsa Zoo. They were on loan for a couple of years while the OKC Zoo renovated their habitat. They even have a baby elephant now!

By the time we left the zoo, it was only about 98 degrees so I’d say we accomplished our mission!

Today we decided to take it easy and relax. Tomorrow, it’s back to work…

The House–May 22, 2011

2011-05-22T11:48:00.001-05:00

A video at the house.

We have been trying to take video for a while now but every time we are at the house the video camera isn’t working or we get an error message saying the memory is full. At any rate, we took this video on the digital camera.

Here is what the house looks like so far:

And for a tour, check out the video:

A LOT of progress…finally!

2011-05-08T21:36:00.001-05:00

Alright, I’ll just cut to the chase…there has been a lot of progress on the house in the past two weeks! We are very excited to see the house actually being built…we can’t wait for it to be finished!

So, without further ado…

This coming week we should see a roof, the support beams removed, rough electrical and plumbing, as well as rough mechanical and A/C finished!

House Update

2011-04-22T10:40:00.001-05:00

Well, its about time I wrote an update.

Adam and I have been very busy (or not very busy depending on how you want to look at it) dealing with the house.

Ground was supposed to be broken March 31 and as I sit here and write this, ground still hasn’t been broken. Luckily, yesterday they started digging for conduit. However, rain is in the forecast so we aren’t holding our breath. We haven’t had rain in central OK since late January and now Mother Nature has decided to grace us with rain…

Just the other day our contractor did lay out where the house would be.

If you look closely you can see little white squares on the ground, that is the house…or the beginning stages of a house at least.

Adam standing on the back porch. Our backyard won’t be as deep as we were hoping but, we will have a garage that fits both of our cars!

Hopefully in the next few days we will see a lot more progress and have a lot more pictures to share.

We hope everyone has a very Happy Easter!

The Pioneer Woman–Ree Drummond

2011-03-06T14:49:00.001-06:00

Some of you may have heard me talk about the Pioneer Woman before.

She is from Oklahoma, she cooks, and she lives on a ranch.

She recently wrote a book about when she met her husband, Marlboro Man. It is a comedic love story.

Ree originally posted this story on her website and when I first moved to Oklahoma I began reading it. She added to it over time and eventually turned it into a book.

This past weekend, she was in Norman signing her book.

I actually had three books signed…one for me, one for mom, and one for Jody.

I brought my fellow Okie friend, Angela, with me. I think she was skeptical at first but she had a blast too!

It was worth waiting in line for, and it was a great night!

Hooray for the Pioneer Woman!

The next couple of weeks should be busy as construction on the house will begin soon! I will be sure to post pictures and keep everyone updated.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-02-27T20:26:00.001-06:00

Today’s is my mom’s birthday! I know the day is almost over but, head over to her blog and wish her a happy birthday!

Adam and I visited our new plot of land today…a few photos follow:

Looking East.

Looking North.

Best shot we could get of our entire piece of land.

More updates to come in the next few weeks when they break ground!

A Big Announcement

2011-02-05T10:42:00.001-06:00

And now, without further ado…

We are buying a house!!!!

Well, actually we are building a house!!!

That’s our little piece of land, it may not be much but…its ours!

Our lot faces north (I’m standing in the backyard taking this picture), the footprints are about where the west side of our lot is, and to the right of the dumpster is the east side of our lot. The picture doesn’t really show the size well but you get the idea.

When all is said and done, out house will look something like this:

We’ll keep you updated as the process moves along. We are both very excited!!!

Groundhogalypse

2011-02-01T11:08:00.001-06:00

As trademarked by R, this is Groundhogalypse 2011.

It’s currently still snowing.

I know I haven’t updated. I have big news but I’m waiting to share. It’s just to cold to share news today. Maybe sometime this week.

Last night we had thundersnow. I wasn’t able to get any of the actual thunder/lightning on video but you can hear the ice pellets falling in this video.

And, as always, a few pictures:

Those were both taken last night when the ice was coming down.

The following were all taken this morning. And, no we have yet to get rid of our pumpkins from October. In our defense they weren’t ever carved and I actually think they were pie pumpkins anyway.

There is a car stuck in the above photo, its hard to make out though. I’m not really willing to venture out past my patio yet…too cold.

Indoor Garden

2011-01-15T19:56:00.001-06:00

I know, I’m horrible at posting. I have 2 jobs though…give me a break.

I thought I’d post real quick about a gift Adam got for Christmas that we hopefully will get to taste soon!

I bought Adam an Aero-Garden. He enjoys growing herbs but in the apartment we just don’t have the room. So, I thought this was the perfect solution.

It’s been 3 weeks since we planted the seeds and this is what it looks like:

We are growing 3 varieties of basil, oregano, thyme, dill, and mint.

I can’t wait for more mint to add to my tea!

I’ve been doing a lot of crock pot cooking as well, so the thyme and dill will be wonderful to add to those.

The basil plants are looking really good though, hopefully we’ll be having some homemade spaghetti sauce soon spiced with fresh basil!

2010–A Year in Review

2010-12-31T10:37:00.001-06:00

With the New Year just around the corner, I thought now would be a good time to look back at the past year.

Adam is still loving his job, he even made a lot of great advances this year. He is basically running his team now and seems to really enjoy it. He has made himself the go-to guy in his department which I think is awesome.

After starting out the year unemployed, I found a temporary job then eventually found 2 part time jobs that I’ve been at since September.

Other than our jobs, we think we had an awesome last year so I think the best way to go about it is to just recap the last year month by month.

So, here goes…

January:

Last January started out fairly balmy. Which was a nice change after the snowstorm we had had. However, the month closed with an ice storm (my first official OK Ice Storm).

You can check out pictures from that storm here.

Other than the ice storm, January was fairly uneventful. Adam and I had just returned from a cross country trip and I think we both just wanted to stay put and relax.

February:

Last February I started my temp work with Adam’s company. I really enjoyed the work I did there. Sadly it didn’t become a full time position. However, it was nice while it lasted and it was a lot of fun working in the same office as Adam.

March:

The month of March was mostly occupied by our apartment renovation. At first we were very opposed to the renovation but I guess in the end it was for the better. It was a pain in the butt though. I think it ended up consuming about 1 week of our life.

We were living in basic chaos the whole time. And this was after they moved the renovation several times.

If you’d like to relive the experience, you can read about it here.

April:

In April, Adam and I spent a lot of time gardening. We really enjoyed getting out in the warm weather and getting all of our plants repotted for the spring. We can’t wait to have a house because we both enjoy being outside and gardening.

April also brought a wonderful wedding gift from one of our groomsmen. I am still in love with this gift all these months later. It amazes me at how wonderful he is at art.

Read about it here.

My dear friend Ashley was also married this past April, which of course took us on a road trip to Indiana. I was lucky enough to be a part of her wonderful day and we had a wonderful trip.

May:

May started with Adam’s brother K graduating from college. And of course, that meant a trip to Texas.

May also brought us a tornado. I was (un)lucky enough to see it. It was quite an experience. If you want to see pictures go here.

June:

In June Adam began playing co-ed softball. It ended up consuming our summer weekends. But, I shouldn’t really complain because I loved spending Sundays at the ball park.

Speaking of baseball (ok it was softball I was speaking of but whatever)…we took a trip down to Arlington to the Rangers ballpark to catch a game. We were able to see #17 of the Orioles pitch. Sadly, it was one of his worst games of the season.

We also took a road trip to Des Moines in June to see J and meet H. You can check out pictures here.

July:

We once again were on the road in July. This time we were heading back to IN for another wedding. This time however, Adam was in the wedding.

We were also able to take in a Cubs game while we were in the midwest. It was great to take Adam to Wrigley…I had so much fun!! Check it out here.

D and M also came to visit in July. You can read about that more here.

The end of July found Adam and I once again on the road but this time it was for our honeymoon!! We were lucky enough to get to travel out west and stop at a ton of places. We had so much fun, we’d both do it again in a heartbeat if we had a chance.

Sadly, there are to many posts to link of the honeymoon. So, if you’d like to see those, they are all archived here on the left side of the blog under “August”.

August:

August started with Adam and I ending our honeymoon. Then, just a few days later I set out on yet another trip.

A plane took me to Chicago where I then got in a car with E and J and road tripped it out to the east coast. After that trip, I was ready to rest for a while and couldn't wait to get back to OK.

September:

September was a quiet month. It was a nice change from our busy summer. Luckily (after having been unemployed for a few months) I was able to find 2 wonderful part time jobs that I was able to begin in September.

October:

October was possibly one of the best times of the past year (with the exception of our honeymoon).

Adam and I celebrated 1 wonderful year of marriage. We had a wonderful time thinking about all the great fun we had had a year ago at our wedding.

November:

November was a slow month for the both of us. The end of the month brought us back home to IL though. We were lucky enough to see old friends, and family all in one trip. Its always a great time spending a holiday with family.

December:

And that brings us to December. It has been another slow month for both of us. I think its nice to end the year on a quiet note though.

We both had a wonderful Christmas and it was kind of nice to have a warmer Christmas this year after having experienced the blizzard last year. I am however still waiting to see snow this winter. But, maybe I shouldn’t complain.

Adam and I both hope that the New Year finds you happy and healthy. We are both excited about all the things we have planned for the coming year. We once again have a lot of trips planned as well as some very exciting things planned for the coming year.

So, I will leave you with this:

Happy New Year from Adam and Holly!

OK CityScape

2010-12-29T17:17:00.001-06:00

Today, because Adam and I know how to live large and enjoy your afternoons off, we visited the OK CityScape exhibit.

OK CityScape supports Oklahoma Educare which helps low income children with their schoolwork by providing them books and tutoring.

The exhibit is completely made of legos and showcases the most well known Oklahoma City buildings.

I took a lot of pictures but here are just a few:

That’s the capitol building (in case you hadn’t guessed that). Completely made of Lego…pretty cool isn’t it?!

The Devon Boathouse. This is where rowers launch their boats onto the Canadian River.

The Ford Center

Bricktown and the river walk.

The Devon Energy Building

The tall building is the the new skyscraper that is being built downtown. It will be the new Devon Energy Building.

The Skirvin Hotel.

The Chesapeake Energy campus.

St. Anthony Bone and Joint Hospital, complete with helipad and patients!

Automobile Alley. This building is where the exhibit was.

The Myriad Gardens and the Crystal Bridge. They are currently under construction for renovations.

And of course, the OKC Bombing Memorial.

The exhibit was a lot of fun. It was amazing to see all those things built out of nothing but Lego. And of course, it all went to a good cause.

Pomegranates

2010-12-28T21:23:00.001-06:00

Today I discovered the wonders of pomegranates. Ok, I didn’t really discover them…just tasted them for the first time.

After reading this, I just had to try one. Aren’t the seeds an awesome color?!

It was quite a chore opening them up and getting the seeds out. But, in the end it was well worth it.

I highly recommend you try a pomegranate. If you aren’t as adventurous as I was, you can purchase the seeds either in the frozen section or the fresh produce refrigerated section at a lot of grocery stores.

If you like cranberries and grapes, you’ll like pomegranate.

Oh, and I froze mine. After taking all the fruit out I placed them on a cookie sheet that was lined with wax paper and let them freeze for a couple of hours. I plan on buying more and doing the same thing so I have them for a snack.

FYI: Pomegranates are “in-season” here in the US from about October through January or February.

Holiday Wrap-up

2010-12-27T14:58:00.001-06:00

Things have been crazy around here in the last several weeks. Between traveling, work, general stress, and the holidays I haven’t really had time to post.

Life here in OK is good. Adam and I had a very enjoyable holiday and we are ready for the new year to begin. This next year should hold some exciting things for both of us and we can’t wait.

I thought I might share some holiday photos with you. These of course are not all the pictures we too, but a few that we’d like to share.

Christmas morning after skyping with my family back in the Midwest! It’s amazing what you can do with technology!

Mom made these wonderful stockings for Adam and I. If you hadn’t already guessed, I love snowmen. Aren’t they beautiful?

We even have Purdue holiday decorations, there is no escaping from our alma mater. This was also a gift from mom and dad. You can’t ever go wrong with a Purdue themed gift.

Adam and I made these with my mom and sisters when we were home at Thanksgiving. I made this one so of course it didn’t look as nice as the one Adam made, which we gave to Grandma : ).

The bamboo was a gift from Adam : ). I had had some bamboo that somehow died while we were away on a trip. I’m not sure how it happened but it somehow got a disease and there was no going back after that. Anyway, he made this wonderful arrangement for me!! (And again, can you tell I like snowmen?).

Isn’t the welcome sign awesome?! We have it hanging in our entry way. It comes with all sort of different magnets that you can decorate it with based on the season/holiday!

Lego has become a staple in our house, they are growing on me more and more everyday. I however will never be quite as creative as Adam is with them. (Love you Adam!)

I plan on getting back to blogging now that things are starting to settle down again. It is amazing how little time you have when you work 2 jobs though. But, I promise to try and keep up with the blog so you all know what is happening down here in OK.

I will leave you with this note…it is currently almost 50 degrees here, we haven’t seen a single flake of snow so far this winter here (a big difference from this time last year), and as always the wind is blowing.

Merry Christmas for the Oklahoma Pepplers!

2010-12-25T19:55:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas from Adam and Holly!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with family and cheer.

Adam and I had a wonderful 2nd Christmas as a married couple together. Sadly, I didn’t get the white Christmas I was hoping for. After spending 23 years up north where its cold it certainly took a little getting used to not having snow on the ground this year. (If you remember, last year we had just a little snow here : P).

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Back by popular demand…

2010-12-24T13:54:00.001-06:00

Below is a picture of our Christmas tree. Last year I posted a picture and asked everyone to find the pickle hidden in amongst the branches.

This year, Adam has hidden the pickle. Good luck.

The first person to e-mail me with the correct answer will win a prize that will be mailed out sometime between now and the first week of the new year.

If you click on the picture, you can make it bigger.

While I’m at it, I will take the time to say:

Merry Christmas from Oklahoma!

A Soldiers Christmas Poem

2010-12-23T20:46:00.001-06:00

I think of this poem around this time every year. Thank you to all those who serve our country and, especially to all those who serve our country and are unable to be with loved ones this holiday season.

   TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
   HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
   IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
   PLASTER AND STONE.

   I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
   WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
   AND TO SEE JUST WHO
   IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

   I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
   A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
   NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
   NOT EVEN A TREE.

   NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
   JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
   ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
   OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

   WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
   AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
   A SOBER THOUGHT
   CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

   FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
   IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
   I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
   ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

   THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
   SILENT, ALONE,
   CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
   IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

   THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
   THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
   NOT HOW I PICTURED
   A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

   WAS THIS THE HERO
   OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
   CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
   THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

   I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
   THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
   OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
   WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

   SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
   THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
   AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
   A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

   THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
   EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
   BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
   LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

   I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
   HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
   ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
   IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

   THE VERY THOUGHT
   BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
   I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
   AND STARTED TO CRY.

   THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
   AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
   "SANTA DON'T CRY,
   THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
   I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
   I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
   MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
   MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

   THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
   AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
   I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
   I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

   I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
   SO SILENT AND STILL
   AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
   FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

   I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
   ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
   THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
   SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

   THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
   WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
   WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
   IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
   ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
   AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
   "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
   AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

It’s been a while

2010-12-16T20:35:00.001-06:00

I know I know I know.

Its been a rough past month, believe me.

If I told you the story, you wouldn’t believe me.

No really, you wouldn’t.

I promise that after the holidays I’ll post again. I’m excited to share what I bought Adam but obviously can’t until after Christmas.

‘Till then…

November

2010-11-13T12:10:00.001-06:00

Adam and I have been busy, or at least it seems that way.

We haven’t had many lazy weekends since mid October. Seems our weekends are filled with errands, cleaning, family events, and work events.

Now that I am working 2 jobs I seem to be more busy than ever. Adam is loving his job still and seems to take on more responsibility every day. In short we are both busy.

Adam’s last softball game for the season was last weekend. As much as we both loved playing or watching I think we are both glad its over. I know I am anyway. I really enjoyed spending my Sunday afternoons outside, but it will be nice to relax as well.

We are heading on a trip to see family and friends in the near future and we are both very excited. Vacations for us are always exhausting because of all the driving but we enjoy seeing family.

The weather here is finally starting to feel more like fall. The forecast for the area is in the 60’s and the trees leaves are beginning to turn beautiful colors.

We are both starting to get ready for Thanksgiving. Things will be a little different this year for sure because we are going to try to make sure Adam has a GF Thanksgiving. But, so far I think we have a pretty good plan so hopefully he doesn’t get sick.

I probably won’t be posting until December so for now, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying autumn!

What’s in Your Cup Tea Contest

2010-11-04T12:26:00.001-05:00

Last week I won a contest put on by Teavana.

I’ve talked about Teavana before. I’m pretty much in love with it.

Every now and again they have a contest called “What’s in Your Cup?”, and I’ve entered a few times with no luck at winning. But this last time…I WON!

I guess it makes up for the fact that we lost the decorating contest at Halloween.

So, here is the picture Adam and I took to win the contest:

We had noticed that people put together elaborate pictures and tend to incorporate as much Teavana paraphernalia as possible. So, we followed the lead and created a Halloween themed photo.

We featured the Wild Orange Blossom-Youthberry combo in our picture. And since our photo won we get 2 oz. for free! It works our perfectly because even Adam likes that blend.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T10:56:00.002-05:00

In honor of Halloween J told me I should post these to the blog. She and H carved them.

And sadly Adam and I didn’t place in the complex Halloween decorating contest even though the 3rd place winner didn’t have any decorations out. Yes, it is a little suspicious, and yes we are a little bitter haha.

So anyway, if you enjoy Halloween then Happy Halloween! If you are more like me and you aren’t really that into it then hopefully you are having nice weather today and at least you have that to look forward too.

One Year Ago Today

2010-10-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

One Year ago today I married the love of my life.

We had a wonderful wedding.

We had a wonderful drive to our reception hall.

We had a great time eating, dancing, and being with family (despite the fact that at the time we didn’t know what Adam was sick with and our dinner was filled with gluten…but that’s behind us now).

We even had a beautiful sunset.

So, here’s to 0ne wonderfully happy year and the many more to come.

I love you Adam!

Some new toys.

2010-10-23T14:20:00.001-05:00

Adam and I went to Penn Square this morning and decided to treat ourselves to a few new things.

Adam was excited about the Lego store.

He was particularly excited about the lego wall where you can mix and match and buy exactly which ones you want.

Its hard to tell from this picture but this is what he ended up with:

That’s a 20 oz. cup filled with legos. We were told the lid didn’t have to “shut” it just had to “fit” and that they would tape it shut for us so lego’s didn’t fall out.

Overall, I think we were pretty successful.

I on the other hand was more excited about Teavana.

I purchased a mug for my blooming tea so I can take it to work and enjoy it.

I also bought some Youthberry Orange Blossom tea. It is heavenly. Even Adam loves it.

It has an orange color when you brew it and it tastes even better when you add lots of sugar!

We also stopped by Williams Sonoma. I couldn’t help it, its just such a fun store to look around in.

We ended up finding this gadget.

It’s takes the core out of the apple without cutting the apple into pieces.

I had seen this gadget in a magazine with recipes accompanying it. I’m excited to try them. most of them involve filling the apple with various fillings and baking it.

We had a wonderful morning, nothing beats spending a rainy day with your husband just having fun and enjoying yourselves.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-13T14:15:00.001-05:00

Wow we have been busy!

S came to visit last weekend and I feel like whenever she is here we are in a constant state of go go go . Its kind of frustrating because it would be nice to just relax with her sometime.

Anyway, we all went to the pumpkin patch. The weather here has been great the past week or so, so it was a great excuse to get outside.

Adam is apparently tall. I on the other hand heard nothing but short jokes. I was apparently so small Adam and to zoom in so you can’t see the whole “How tall this fall?” sign.

Its okay though, I’ve come to terms with it. I think I’ll be able to deal.

Other than visiting the pumpkin patch we have both been busy with work and other side projects and commitments.

And of course, its worth a mention here on the blog. The Jet Fighters and Butterflies won both of their softball games this weekend! They even managed to run rule the second team!! Way to go!! The team is certainly improving.

I’ve been busy at work testing out new GF recipes too. I recently was given the book, Cooking for Isaiah by Silvana Nardone. I’ve tried one recipe so far and it’s been a hit. I’ll have to write another post on that sometime soon. This book seems to be a keeper though with a lot of “normal” recipes for the everyday GF person. A lot of recipe books call for so many abstract ingredients that its not worth it but this one seems to use the same few ingredients which is nice.

Alright, well that’s all I have for now. Hope you are enjoying the fall weather and you’ve had a chance to go to the pumpkin patch!

-HP

Help!

2010-10-05T21:35:00.001-05:00

I know its a little early for Christmas. But, I need some help on a Christmas project.

I am working on something that will take a little while to complete. But, I need some opinions.

So, Help!

Snowmen:

Reindeer:

Elf #1 and Elf #2 (Both are the same outline just different colors):

So here is where you come in:

Which one is your overall favorite?

Do you like Elf 1 or Elf 2 better?

Do you like the red and green theme or should I make the snowmen different colors too?

Anything else you have to say about them?

Thanks!!

Hello October!

2010-10-03T09:36:00.001-05:00

Most of the country has already been experiencing autumn for about a month now but, here in Oklahoma autumn has just arrived.

Just this past week we have had cooler temperatures, north winds, but of course we still have had an abundance of sunshine!

This morning however, was a completely different story…

Adam and I have been leaving the windows open at night (a super nice change of pace since the AC has been running since late May). Well this morning we had a cold wake up call…literally. It was only 46 degrees outside!! I wasn’t quite prepared for that. So needless to say, we closed the windows and are now just enjoying the sunshine flooding in the windows.

Before I finish this post, I have to share something that I forgot to share when Adam made it. Although, it is appropriate for October because in 21 days (3 weeks!!) we get to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary! Boy how time flies, it feels like just yesterday we were still doing last minute preparations.

Anyway, Adam made this a few months ago for me (not sure why i didn’t share it then) from my wedding bouquet.

Isn’t it awesome?! I know I’ve said this before but isn’t he awesome at flower arranging?!

And I received a package this week. This is one of the things that was in it:

Something fun to set out for Halloween.

There was also a t-shirt (courtesy of E, even though she has no idea what I’m talking about :P) and an iPhone case! Both were awesome but I don’t have a picture of them.

Hope everyone is enjoying October and the cooler weather!

Gluten Free Cooking (and not so Gluten Free Cooking)

2010-09-19T14:33:00.001-05:00

This morning, I was making Adam a GFPBJ (that's Gluten Free Peanut butter and Jelly for those wondering) and realized I hadn’t blogged about my recent adventures in my GF cooking.

Well first things first. You are probably wondering why I was making PBJ’s on a Sunday morning. I asked myself the same thing, so you aren’t alone.

Adam’s company does something called “Fun-Day.” Well today is the Fun-Day he signed up for – some sort of video game tournament. And well, everyone planned on order lunch/dinner (this is an all day thing folks!) and we’ve learned over time its better to just pack a lunch and play it safe. So my friends…that is why at 10 o’clock this morning I was making GFPBJ sandwiches.

This past week I experimented with some new recipes.

K and C bought me a GF cookbook for my birthday that I hadn’t yet had a chance to try. GF cooking can be really easy or a real pain in the you know what so I am always slightly hesitant to try something new.

The thing with GF cooking is, it often times requires several different types of flour. Companies have started to come out with all-purpose flours but they haven’t been perfected yet and don’t always work for everything—especially cakes, cookies, and certain breads.

So, with that in mind, I found 2 recipes I wanted to try that both called for the same type of flour.

White rice flour was called for in both recipes. We have tried using brown rice flour in cakes before and it wasn’t so good. I was a little hesitant because these flours aren’t cheap. Usually these run about 7 or 8 dollars for 24 oz (or about 4 cups). In part this is because of the part of the country we live in as well as the fact that there is only one store in the area that sells them. Online they are fairly reasonably priced but until we find a flour we really like I’m sticking to buying them in smaller portions. After all, I don’t want 25 lbs of a flour I will never use.

Anyway, I usually purchase Bob’s Red Mill flours (as well as cake mixes) so I went with that brand again for White Rice Flour.

I made both yellow cake and Pumpkin Bread.

Yellow cake is Adam’s favorite and we haven’t been able to find a box mix we like since going gluten free. So, I figured I would go ahead and try making it from scratch. If it turned out well I figured it was worth the extra time so he could have his favorite type of cake.

In the end the cake was alright. It had a bit of a corn bread consistency but the taste was fine. We may keep trying mixes though because I’m not sure it was my ultimate favorite (and hey I have to eat this stuff too :P)

I also tried pumpkin bread. Adam isn’t a huge fan of pumpkin bread. He likes it, and he will eat it, but he’d much rather have a pumpkin pie. I on the other hand, hate pumpkin pie and love pumpkin bread. So, I tried making GF pumpkin bread.

I don’t really keep regular flour in the house anymore. I’m a little paranoid about cross contamination and on top of that, if I were to use it for a cake or cookies, I’d never finish them all myself. So, I just don’t buy regular flour anymore and in turn that means no pumpkin bread.

Luckily though, I found this great recipe. It also calls for xanthem gum and corn starch. But, those were both things I ironically had on hand.

This bread was AMAZING! Even Adam’s brothers loved it. It tasted just like the real deal. I was so happy I almost did a dance in the streets. It is certainly something I will buy again.

So, if any of you have an inkling to make this bread feel free to ask me for the recipe. Otherwise it can be found in Easy Gluten-Free Baking by Elizabeth Barbone.

On another note, the other day I received my birthday present from T and A. (Yeah, only about 2 months late but that's pretty good for T!! Haha, I love you T!)

I was thrilled to get this package in the mail – A frozen Lou’s pizza!! I rarely get pizza like this anymore. For one, I don’t live anywhere near a Lou’s and well nothing here even comes close. And two, Adam and I don’t eat much pizza anymore…much to my dismay. But, this was an awesome treat and it tasted soooo good!

And today’s venture—Scramble! Since Adam is gone all day and I’m home enjoying the Bears game I figured I’d whip up some Scramble. Now if only I could make that G-Free…

Fall Softball

2010-09-14T11:00:00.001-05:00

Adam is playing softball again. He decided he would try the fall version in hopes that it would be cooler outside than the summer. So far, that plan hasn’t been working so well.

Hopefully as the season goes on, it gets cooler. It sure would be nice to spend a cool Sunday afternoon outside instead of sitting in the sweltering Oklahoma sun.

I guess I shouldn’t say that though because then it will get cold and we’ll all be complaining we want it to be warm. I guess no matter what we can’t win.

Anyway, he is having fun and the team is getting better which I think makes it more fun for everyone.

They were short a guy this weekend (it’s co-ed and in order to play you have to have at least 5 girls and 5 guys present) so N filled in. It was a lot of fun to see both of them play.

Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of fall, and the temperatures near you are starting to cool off.

9/11 – Today we Remember

2010-09-11T10:24:00.001-05:00

In memory of all those that lost their lives, all that are giving their lives fighting overseas, and all that will sadly lose their lives.

This afternoon the following words will be spoken at Ross Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, IN before kickoff. These words have been spoken before every game at least since I was a student at Purdue and today they will have a special meaning.

BOILER UP!!

2010-09-03T19:02:00.000-05:00

In honor of Purdue football starting tomorrow:

Teavanna

2010-08-29T12:00:00.001-05:00

I love Teavanna!

Since I last blogged about Teavanna I’ve tried a few new things. I figured I’d share.

For my birthday (I blogged about this before) I got this mug.

Let me say, its wonderful. I also like to use tea bags and tea infusers but for today’s blog this is the mug I recommend! This mug is perfect for the blooming teas. It lets you see how wonderful the blooming teas look.

My first new blooming tea is the Peach Momotaro Artisan Tea.

For those interested, my mom blogged about this one too!

I actually tried this tea because my mom purchased it while she was here visiting in July. I won’t lie, it is a little expensive but hear me out before you decide not to buy it because of the price.

I brew this tea for about 4.5 minutes. It is recommended to brew for 3 but I like my tea a little stronger. I also add some German Rock Sugar to my cup for a little more sweetness.

This tea is awesome first of all for the taste. The amount of peach taste is just perfect and it smells wonderful. For people who don’t like strong tasting tea it is great but, its also great for everyday tea drinkers who are a little more daring with their tea choices. (For those interested, this is a white tea).

Secondly, this tea is beautiful when it blooms. It has a great yellow flower and little white blooms as well. Its fun to watch and makes the tea drinking experience that much better.

It’s important to note that the blooming teas can be use more than once. I usually brew a cup and leave the bloom in the infuser for several days before throwing it out. I do keep it in the fridge to keep it from going bad and have found I can use it about 5 times before it loses its flavor. This helps defray the costs a little because when you think about it, if you buy 8 balls that is about 40 cups of tea!!

The second tea I tried was Strawberry Misaki Blooming Tea. (This tea is a white tea as well.

My mom purchased this tea and gave me some to try as well. We both decided this tea was better iced than hot but its still a great tea.

As a hot tea it sort of had a tart strawberry flavor. It wasn’t bad but wasn’t as sweet as I thought it would be. Even after adding a little sugar it was a little tart.

However, as an iced tea it was great!! I brewed a 2 qt. container of this tea with about 1 tsp of rock sugar and it was awesome!! It had a nice sweet, cool, refreshing flavor to it.

If you are looking for some new teas to try I definitely recommend Teavanna. The sales staff is usually really friendly and willing to help. Sometimes they are a bit over helpful but I guess that's better than being rude.

You can check out their locations here. If there isn’t a location near you, you can always order online as well.

If you do go into the store, they often have tastings going on (they are free). The tastings are a great way to try new teas without committing to buying at least 2 oz (the smallest amount you can buy). My mom and I actually fell in love with Peach Momotaro this way!

And, if you are on facebook check out their fan page, they have a tea of the week each week that usually seems to be on sale. (You can also sign up for emails with deals and information about what’s on sale.)

Fall is right around the corner.

2010-08-26T11:52:00.001-05:00

The temperatures here have started cooling off drastically.

Tuesday the high was 105. Yesterday the high was 84. That’s a huge difference.

It may not be here to stay – this weekend we should be in the mid to upper 90’s. Not that I’m complaining, that’s a lot better than 105.

Anyway, in honor of fall being so close I got out one of my fall decorations.

The bowl is from my mom and dad. I’m pretty sure I’d mentioned that before but they got it for me on their way down to visit in July!

Don’t you love the awesome fall corn?! I thought a candle added a nice touch.

By the way, the picture is on its side. I used my phone to take this picture and lately has been turning all pictures on the side like that. If anyone can explain what to do to fix this, I’d forever be in love with them. (I did put the picture in a photo editing program before adding it here and it was right side up but once I added it it flipped right back around…)

What a weekend!

2010-08-22T19:48:00.001-05:00

Last Wednesday I got back from a vacation with my sisters. I'd share some pictures but the only ones I have include J and E and I know they’d have a fit if I posted them.

E did take this one cool picture though at the beach.

Of course when I got back Adam was busy with work so I had the apartment to myself for a couple days. It was sort of nice to have a couple quiet days to unpack and clean up. (I may have still had things laying around from our honeymoon that needed to be put away :P).

Our plan for this weekend was to relax and not have to worry about anything. Well…those plans changed fast.

K’s girlfriend was in town and she is so adorable that I can’t pass up a chance to see her. S is a dancer and had been dancing all summer so we hadn’t seen her in a while.

Now, while we were on vacation K and D moved into a house together near campus. They spent 2 weeks fixing little problems, painting, and cleaning up. So Saturday night we all headed over for dinner to check out the new place and enjoy some time with family.

Earlier in the day some roofers had been by and started to put up a new roof (it’s a long story so I’ll just stick to the story that the house needed a new roof).

Because we live in Oklahoma, it gets hot in the afternoon…VERY HOT.

The roofers decided to try and get out of the heat and call it a day sometime in the afternoon saying they’d be back around 7. Well, about 15 minutes before 7 it started to rain. Now, it hasn’t rained here in over 5 weeks so we were amazed at the downpour that was ensuing.

As soon as the rain started outside, it began to rain inside. At first it was just a few drips here and there but soon it began to come down in buckets. There weren’t enough pots, buckets, or tupperware in the world to catch all the water.

K’s room was filling fast with water. Luckily the pant tarps were still at the house so we tried to cover everything as best we could.

While we were doing that, water started to fill the living room. We quickly tried to move things to the back of the house where there was no leaking. Everything had to be moved. There were 9 of us there plus one dog and believe me it was chaos! Everyone was running around, grabbing what they could carry and just tossing it somewhere dry.

Finally all that was left in the living room was a couch and a rug. The boys quickly started to grab the couch and get ready to move it out. The living room was quickly filling with water and we soon noticed a large crack forming in the ceiling. Before we knew it the ceiling was starting to collapse. In the end, N suffered a mild concussion from drywall hitting his head and whiplash from trying to move out of the way. Luckily that was the biggest injury of the night.

Almost everything in the front of the house was soaked in water, there was drywall all over the floor and insulation everywhere.

Luckily a cleaning crew was sent out that night to take down all the insulation and drywall, fans and dehumidifiers were set out and ran all night long.

This morning things didn’t look great but were starting to come back together.

The roofers were there bright and early and finished putting up the new roof. And luckily the other 2 bedrooms in the house weren’t touched so the boys still have a place to sleep and study.

Needless to say, our relaxing weekend wasn’t so relaxing…maybe next weekend.

Day 10, 11, and 12 – Tucson, AZ, Alamagordo, NM and Lubbock, TX

2010-08-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

After L.A. we decided to head to Tucson to visit the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.

We were both excited to see the museum.

We arrived at the museum at 2:20 PM. By the time we drove down the long drive to the entrance it was 2:25.

We were excited to get out of the car and spend some time walking around. As we got out we saw a sign… “museum closes promptly at 2:30 daily”.

Go figure.

So sadly, we weren’t able to see the museum. We did see A LOT of Saguaro cacti though. It was amazing…they lasted for miles and miles and just covered the landscape.

I have a video but unfortunately haven’t downloaded it yet so will have to share it with you later.

The last 2 days were travel days and there isn’t much to say about them. We did get to drive through White Sands Missile Range though.

Overall the trip was wonderful and we really enjoyed ourselves. It was so nice to relax and spend time together just the two of us. We were sad to leave because we were having so much fun. Hopefully we can get a chance to take a vacation like this again, maybe next time we’ll head farther north to more National Parks.

Day 8 and 9 – Beverly Hills/Los Angeles/ Hollywood/Santa Monica, CA

2010-08-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

The 8th and 9th days of our trip we spent in Beverly Hills with Adam’s aunt. We had a blast in the beautiful weather and doing all sorts of touristy things.

For the most part the pictures are all self explanatory so today I’ll just go ahead and share some photos.

One of the first things we did was visit Rodeo Drive. To rich for my blood but it was fun to window shop!

After Rodeo Drive we decided to go for a drive and look what we saw…an elephant. This was just a few blocks from the main drag on Rodeo, pretty amazing!

I even managed to snag a video of it! The music they were playing was pretty cool.

After our elephant encounter we went to see the Rose Bowl.

And finally, we ended our first night with a trip to the Hollywood sign and the walk of fame.

The next morning we started the day off with Sprinkles Cupcakes and Sprinkles Frosting Shots.

A drive past the Beverly Hills Hotel (aka: Hotel California).

On our way to Santa Monica Pier we passed Purdue Ave. There were several streets in a row named after universities. They were all Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc…) We were proud Purdue made the cut!

And then a stop at the Pier and the beach.

We had a great time in Beverly Hills and the weather was wonderful. We were afraid 70 degrees would seem cold be it was a great refreshing change from the heat of Oklahoma.

Oh and of course, to top the weekend off we saw Charro at church on Sunday night! Haha. Only in Beverly Hills.

The last installment will be tomorrow so stay tuned!

Day 6 and 7 – Phoenix, AZ

2010-08-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

We made a pit stop in Phoenix to visit some of Adam’s family. We had a blast while we were there. The last time I saw that part of his family was during the wedding, and well things were a little busy then so I didn’t get to spend much time with them.

We didn’t do to much while we were there, it was mostly a stop to relax and enjoy family time.

We spent time relaxing in the pool and watching baseball.

We did see some awesome cacti while there:

And we also saw some Javolina’s (Peccaries) and Quail. Check out the video’s below to see those. And boy do the Javolina’s smell!

Tomorrow I blog about our trip to Beverly Hills!

Day 5 – Arizona Meteor Crater

2010-08-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

On the 5th day of our trip we visited the Meteor Crater in Winslow, AZ. This crater is the first discovered and best preserved crater in the world.

Adam and I were really excited about going here until we found out the admission price ($15/person). Once we found out the cost we thought about not going. But wow, am I glad we decided to go!!

The Meteor Crater is located just a few miles off I-40 about 40 minutes east of Flagstaff, AZ in Winslow, AZ.

The crater is privately owned and operated and in my opinion, was well worth the drive and price.

Adam and I took part in the rim hike that is offered once an hour. The hike was about 1/2 a mile there and back and about 30 minutes long. We learned so much about the crater and how it was discovered that even in the heat it was awesome!

Now some interesting facts about the crater:

You could fit 20 football fields on the floor of the crater and still have enough room for 2 million spectators.

The NASA Apollo missions trained in the crater because it is said to be very similar to that of the moons surface. Now, if you are M you can ignore this because that means you don’t believe men landed on the moon. :P

At the bottom of the crater there is a wooden man and flag (life-size) to represent the astronauts that trained here. The crater is so large that you can’t even see these in any of my pictures.

The U.S. Government didn’t want to buy the crater because at the time they were asked if they wanted to purchase it, they said “we already bought one big hole in the ground {the Grand Canyon} why would we want another one?” And, that is why it is privately owned even to this day.

The largest piece of metor that still exists from when it hit Earth is on display at this museum (Adam is pictured with it above.)

And, for those of you wondering why I posted a picture of a parking lot here is the reason. When the meteor hit Earth it was the size of that parking lot.

It truly is deceiving how large this crater is.

For example, the boiler (in the center to the left) at the bottom of the following picture is 10 feet long, 8 feet wide and 5 feet wide. Doesn’t look that big does it?!

The large rock in this picture is the size of an average house.

Pretty amazing isn’t it?!

Stay tuned because tomorrows installment talks about our stay in Phoenix!

Day 4 – The Grand Canyon

2010-08-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

The best way to describe the Grand Canyon is…SPECTACULAR!

There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world and you really do have to see it to believe it.

The hiking is wonderful, the views are great, the colors amazing, and basically just takes your breath away.

Adam and I hiked the rim trail, which is possibly the most populated but for someone afraid of heights it was perfect.

Not only did we hike the rim trail but we also spent some time riding the buses and exploring the different villages in the grand canyon.

Riding around for a bit was worth it not only because we were warm and tired but it was nice to be able to see more parts of the park that would take to long to get to by foot.

We did drive into the park but we parked at the visitor center and then took advantage of the busses instead of driving throughout.

I would certainly go back to the Grand Canyon given the opportunity. There are so many other places in the South Rim I’d like to visit as well as visiting the North Rim all together.

And of course a video:

It is important to note as well that while we were at the Grand Canyon we weren’t the only visitors there.

I know, you’re thinking; “of course they weren’t what does she think we are, stupid?”

Our visitor was a pretty high powered guy – Vice President Biden.

While we were a little frustrated that his departure delayed us it was pretty neat to see his motorcade pass by (after 30 minutes of waiting).

We did manage to get a video!

I hope you are enjoying reading about our trip and going along on this journey with us. I am having a blast reliving the trip.

Tune in tomorrow for Day 5 – Arizona Meteor Crater.

Day 3 – Flagstaff, AZ

2010-08-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Day 3 started early again as we wanted to not only make it to Flagstaff that day but take a pit stop at the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest.

These two national parks are actually one and you are able to drive through them both, taking pit stops, and still staying close to I-40.

Adam and I started at the North end and traveled to the South end, but you can also do the trip the other way around. However, if you begin at the North end you can get a CD to play in your car as you drive that explains each of the stops. For us, it was well worth it because we not only got to learn what we were looking at at each stop but it also helped us to decide which stops we didn’t want to stop at.

We were originally told the drive would take an hour, but it took us 3! We didn’t even stop at each place either or do any of the big hikes!

While we didn’t get to do any of the hikes (most notably we had to skip the Blue Mesa hike) we still had a load of fun and it was a great experience. There are no words to describe this area of Arizona but I will try to put it into words just for you.

Our first stop was at the visitor center and the painted desert.

As the sun moves through the sky the painted desert seems to change colors, hence the name. It is really a beautiful area of rolling dusty hills.

Throughout the desert we kept seeing ravens. They would just sit on the signs and make terrible noises at you. They refused to move and you certainly didn’t want to get close to them.

The coolest thing about this national park is that you get to drive through, chose the stops you want, take your time (or not), hike if you chose to, get out and stretch, and get a little exercise. But, you always get to go back to the cool comfort of your car!

There are a total of 20 stops inside the 27 mile park, the first 5 being a part of the painted desert and the rest a part of the petrified forest.

The petrified forest, as well as the painted desert, are some of the coolest things you will see in your life. Ok, who am I kidding, everything we saw on this trip was some of the coolest things we’ve ever seen.

Anyway, moving on.

If you want to learn about petrified wood, check this out.

The following picture is of the Agate Bridge. It is now reinforced with concrete to hold it up for people to see but it is important to note that with or without the concrete the petrified wood will some day crumble.

The story behind the Agate Bridge is unverified but goes like this. Way back in the day (I forget the date) 1 cowboy challenged another cowboy to cross Agate Bridge on his horse. If the cowboy made it across he would be entitled to bragging rights as well as a gold piece. If the cowboy failed, the 1st cowboy would win the 2nd cowboys boots and saddle. Luckily for the 2nd cowboy, he made it across!

The above pictures are of the Blue Mesa (named for the blue color of the the clay) area in the Petrified forest. These large rocks are know as the “Tepees” for obvious reasons.

The next big area we stopped in was the Jasper Forest. This area has several hundred logs and was once popular with collectors. Of course now, collecting in the park is illegal. However, it is amazing to me to know that this area was once filled more than it is now. Check out the pictures below. That’s A LOT of petrified wood!

The final notable area we stopped in was the Crystal Forest. The crystal forest has several logs that contain quartz and purple amethyst. Sadly, this area was also “mined” before the park was protected so many of these logs and pieces have now disappeared. Luckily though, some do still remain.

For those that want some video, check these out:

This one is a little weird but really cool because you really get a good look at petrified wood!

If you want to check out more videos, check out our youtube site.

On tap for tomorrow: The Grand Canyon!

Day 2 -- Albuquerque, NM

2010-08-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

We started our day in Albuquerque by going hiking at Petroglyph National Monument.

The monument consists of 3 different areas and 5 volcanoes. Unfortunately due to time and construction we were only able to visit one area.

While we were only able to visit one part of the park we had a great time! It is truly amazing to visit an area where people had been living hundreds of years before.

Many of the petroglyphs in the park are believed to be from the ancestors of the modern Pueblo people. It is hard to tell exactly how old the petroglyphs are but you are able to tell which are real and which are fake by the color. The real petroglyphs are orange in color because of the oxidation that has occurred over the years. Because of this oxidation, you are able to tell what is graffiti because it is typically grey in color.

Nobody can be sure what any of the petroglyphs mean but it is believed based on the drawings you can sometimes tell what season they were drawn in or take a guess as to what they meant.

Adam and I walked the Boca Negra Canyon Trail which consists of 3 different trails. The main trail rises 1 mile above sea level and boasts dozens upon dozens of petroglyphs as well as a view of the volcanoes from the top. We spent about 45 min hiking from top to bottom looking at drawings and the landscape.

After we were finished hiking the main trail we took about 30 minutes to hike the other 2 trails which didn’t have as many petroglyphs but gave us the opportunity to see more wildlife!

Overall, the petroglyphs were a great way to spend the morning and get some exercise.

After the petroglyphs we spent the afternoon at the Albuquerque Botanic Garden and Aquarium.

Finally, we capped a rainy afternoon off with a drive around the University of New Mexico. (Of course, we had to make stops at each university we were near :P)

Stay tuned because tomorrow we go to the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, and Flagstaff, AZ!!!

Day 1--Amarillo, TX and Albuquerque, NM

2010-08-04T20:14:00.001-05:00

Day 1 started off early with a 5 hour drive to Amarillo, TX. Adam wanted to show me the BIG TEXAN.

For those of you who aren't familiar with it, the BIG TEXAN is the home of the 72 ounce steak challenge. I however didn't feel the need to try this, I personally opted for the 6 oz. steak and Adam has a Ceaser salad.

The 72 ounce steak challenge consists of eating 1 72 oz. steak, 1 baked potato, 1 side salad, and 2 dinner rolls all in an hour or less.

To give you a little perspective, here are some fun facts we learned about the resturant:
Klondike Bill, a pro wrestler, at 2 of these meals in under 1 hour in the 1960's.
The oldest person to complete this challenge was a 69 year old grandmother.
The youngest--an 11 year old boy.
The current champion is Joey Chesnut. He has eaten the meal in 8 minutes and 52 seconds.

For more fun facts, read this.
For offical rules, read this.
To read about the legend of the 72 oz. steak challenge read this.

It was a fun place to stop, certainly worth it for the atmosphere and to say we have been there. A lot of people here in Norman will actually drive there on a Saturday just to go out for a steak. Personally, I think that's a bit extreme.

After the Big Texan we headed onward toward Albuquerque, NM.

We had a lot of rain as we headed west but that didn't stop us from having fun. We arrived at the hotel right about dinner time and spent the night relaxing and walking around Old Town.

The best part was the view of the mountains from our hotel room.

Stay tuned to find out what else we did in Albuquerque!

Vacation

2010-08-04T17:55:00.007-05:00

Well, we are finally back from our honeymoon!! We had a blast and it was well worth the 12 day road trip!

I have so many pictures and video that it may take some time to sort through it all but, I'm going to try and post once a day until I have all the stories told, every picture posted, and every video embedded.

Okay, I'm kidding about the pictures. There are way to many for that.

If you want to see them all feel free to ask and I'll post them on shutterfly maybe.

On another note, while we were gone, to conserve energy and keep our energy bill costs down we cranked up the A/C. That may not have been the best move for summer in Oklahoma.

It was over 100 degrees every day we were gone and came back to a toasty apartment.

I take that back, it wasn't that bad since it was 85 inside and 100 outside.

However, after having been sitting for over 2 hours it's starting to feel down right warm. The A/C has only dropped 2 degrees. We may have to turn it off here for a bit just so we don't have a problem with the A/C. Hopefully we can sleep tonight in this heat.

Alright, that's enough rambling. Keep a look out for posts over the next few days!

Birthday

2010-07-21T11:41:00.000-05:00

Monday was my birthday, and in my previous post I mentioned my parents were in town for the morning. I thought I'd share the the fun stuff they brought me! (If you want to see some old picture of me check out Mom's blog).

These are coasters for your car. If nothing else they are super cute!! They are so much fun to have in the car :)

They also stopped at a store on the way down that sells these wonderful bowls. I can't wait to fill mine with something fun and set it out on my coffee table!

Isn't that a beautiful bowl?!

Mom and I also stopped at Teavanna on Sunday and she got me this wonderful mug.

Its great for blooming teas. We tasted this blooming tea in the store and bought some. It tastes wonderful and its so fun to watch it bloom. Not to mention this tea is great for re-use. I've used the same bloom 5 times now and it still tastes as great as the first time! If you like peaches you'd love this tea.

Thanks Mom and Dad! I'm so glad I got to see you on my birthday!!

D and M Visit

2010-07-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

My mom and dad were in town this past weekend for a visit. They traveled Route 66 from Chicago to OKC, and had a good time.

It was nice to have them in town.

We headed to a Redhawks game (they played the I-Cubs and I'm happy to report the good guys won) on Friday night. It was a blast but boy was it HOT!

Saturday Mom and I headed to the SNMONH to check out the Chocolate exhibit. Unfortunately we couldn't take pictures but mom got some other good pictures. Check them out here.

Sunday we headed to Pops in Arcadia, OK on Historic Route 66. It was a pretty short drive and a lot of fun to go somewhere like this. They had over 500 varieties of pop and good food. It was a fun little stop. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the giant pop bottle lit up since we weren't there at night but it was still fun.

Later that afternoon we headed to Adam's softball game. Thankfully, it was less humid and a bit cooler.

Mom and Dad left on Monday but we did get to have breakfast with them. It was nice to get to see them on my birthday even if it was for a little bit. :)

Weather

2010-07-12T12:59:00.000-05:00

Its been quite rainy here. We have had rain on and off since the beginning of July. There have been a day or two of sun thrown in there but for the most part it has been rain.

So, it got me thinking...since I moved to Oklahoma there have been quite a lot of weather phenomena.

Last summer - Incredible long lasting heat waves. I'm talking days, even weeks, of 100+ temps. The temps themselves are not that unusual here but the duration was.

Last winter - 2 blizzards. Ok, 1 wasn't really a blizzard by my standards but it was still A LOT of snow.

Early Spring - A snow storm. That's right, in march, in Oklahoma, we had a snow storm.

Mid/Late Spring - An outbreak of tornadoes. I think in one week we had 3. This may not be that unusual but I wasn't a fan.

Late Spring/Early Summer - Flooding. And I mean flooding. Peoples homes were destroyed.

Mid Summer/Today - More rain. More flooding.

I'm not sure I should have moved here haha. I may have caused all this somehow. Hmmm.

A Wedding and 4th of July

2010-07-12T12:23:00.000-05:00

Its been a while, I know.

We've been busy.

We've been traveling.

We've been resting from traveling.

Traveling is hard work.

Over the 4th of July, Adam's cousin got married so we took a trip to Illinois/Indiana for the wedding. I've made that drive so many times I'm pretty sure I could make it in my sleep.

Anyway, despite some craziness, we had fun.

On Friday (July 2) we went to a Cubs game!!! Adam's first. He has been since banned from Wrigley; not for legal reasons but for the fact that the Cubs lost 12-0 when he was there. Sadly, he won't be welcomed back with wide open arms. He did however admit that he had fun (partly because the Cubs lost). He really did like Wrigley and I finally have him convinced that not everyone goes there to drink and there aren't any large rats roaming around.

Note how dark the above picture is. I'm not sure if E or J took this one but somehow they managed to get every picture of Adam and I shrouded in darkness. However, the pictures I took of them (in the same exact spot only seconds before) turned out just fine. I'd post one for comparison but I know they wouldn't be happy.

The day after the Cubs game we headed to Indiana for the rehearsal and wedding.

The rehearsal had a Mexican theme complete with mariachi (sp?) band and pinatas.

Adam of course hit the pinata and burst it open.

The wedding itself was nice, there were fireworks which I loved seeing as how 4th of July is my favorite holiday due a lot in part to the fireworks. I don't have any pictures at the moment of the wedding but we had a good time.

On the 5th we got a chance to spend the day with the entire Peppler side of the family as well as a good part of the Matusz side. It was nice to see everyone and catch up.

The Cubbies

2010-06-25T16:22:00.000-05:00

In honor of this weekends Cross-town Classic:

Softball

2010-06-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning we woke up early--really early. We were in Iowa for the weekend but Adam has softball games he didn't want to miss so we woke up to make the 9 hour drive back to Oklahoma in time for a 3 o'clock softball game.

It was warm out. I think it was easily 102 or 103 at that point. I got a sunburn (even while wearing spf 70). Adam has so much fun playing though it's well worth it. His team won the first game but lost the second. But hey, after playing one game in that heat it was kind of expected.

Des Moines, IA

2010-06-21T12:08:00.000-05:00

Adam and I were in Des Moines this past weekend visiting J. Here are a few photos from the weekend.

The best pictures are the ones of Adam and J, but I know J wouldn't be pleased if I posted those.

I was told we had to have a picture with the bulldog...

And then there was this fountain. Adam almost pushed me in.

This was at some Iowa History Museum in downtown Des Moines. Great photo op huh? And aren't my shoes AWESOME! (J, didn't like them :P)

What can I say, I like planes.

This is at the same museum as the above pictures. That's all lego's folks--44,000 of them. Adam says he could easily build that if only I'd buy him more legos.

Put-put!

It was warm...and HUMID. We don't have much humidity here so I've turned into a baby when it comes to humidity. I was not a happy camper.

I'm in love with the Flint Foothills in Kansas. Such beautiful green grass and blue sky's everywhere. Whats that...I'm turning into a country girl?! What has living in OK done to me!!

You can't tell me that's not a beautiful site.

Alright, terrible picture I know. But that bridge if for cattle. That's right...cattle, not cars. I mean the cows need to cross the road somehow right?!

In the words of J, "The End."

I need opinions

2010-06-16T15:30:00.000-05:00

I'm going to a wedding in July.

It is in Indiana.

I need a dress for the rehearsal dinner and one for the wedding.

What do you all think of these dresses? I won't tell you which one I'm leaving towards for the wedding. I want to see what you say.

I have a favorite for the rehearsal too but I think I may already have something I like just as much...and hey I'm all about wearing stuff more than once. But what are your opinions anyway...which would you choose for the rehearsal?

Dress 1:

Dress 2: (I'd have to have it hemmed so don't look to much at the length):

Dress 3 (again, I'd need it hemmed):

A little of this, A little of that

2010-06-09T21:31:00.000-05:00

We lead a pretty pathetic life around here. I'm just saying.

Last weekend we went to the church picnic. It was Hot. (That's right, it was Hot with a capital H).

Adam's brothers had been raving for weeks about this place called Eskimo Sno. From what I understood it was just a plain ordinary snow cone place. They operate under the same principal as a stand alone DQ, open only in the summer months. Now, mind you summer here lasts from Mid May to Late September but that isn't the point. Anyway, this place was at the picnic so I figured I'd give it a whirl. I was all excited to try these AMAZING snow cones.

Alright well here is the deal, they aren't actually snow cones. They come in cups. And, while it was good it didn't live up to the hype they had been portrayed at. There were a ton of flavors and all, but no way does it beat a Rusty's concrete. And for the record, a Rusty's concrete doesn't even come close to beating a DQ chocolate dipped vanilla cone...just sayin'.

Anyway, after that little debacle I found this recipe. I think I'm going to try it. Looks fun and refreshing anyway. Plus, that recipe is lactose and gluten free!! I mean really, how can you beat that?!

Hot Town, Summer in the City (ok well maybe not in the city)

2010-06-06T10:52:00.000-05:00

Its HOT. And I mean HOT. Yesterday we hit 100 degrees. Ok, the heat index hit 100 but that still HOT.

A little over a year ago I moved here and I remember saying how crazy I thought people were for having their A/C on in June. Well after this past week I know understand why people here turn their A/C on in June. I guess having come from cooler states the warm temperatures were a welcome change, but not this year. We are about 12 degrees above the average which does make a huge difference when that pushes temps into the triple digits.

Even with the warm weather, Adam and I have been busy enjoying the nice weather. We've been taking the bikes out a lot and enjoying the pool. Plus the occasional game of catch.

Adam's brothers recently bought a new puppy, Pete, as well so we have been spending time outside with the dog. Its made us start thinking about a puppy. Maybe that will be in our near future, we'll see.

We have a lot of trips coming up this summer and while we aren't looking forward to the drives we are looking forward to seeing family. And right about now I'm looking forward to cooler temps as well.

Aside from that, we've been testing out lots of new G-Free recipes. My latest endeavor was g-free meatloaf. It didn't go so well. Apparently G-free bread crumbs just don't work the same as the regular kind. We ended up with a very runny, undercooked (it was in the oven for almost 2 hours....) meatloaf. I guess we need to find a new kind of bread crumbs.

Other than the meatloaf, the g-free diet seems to be going well. Adam is feeling MUCH better and we are both getting the hang of reading labels and learning to cook. The biggest change really is having 2 of everything. We need to have 2 peanut butters, 2 butters, 2 jellys, and just about 2 of anything else that could possible get cross contaminated. I've also been banned from the toaster (ok, not really) since we are trying to not contaminate commonly used things. Luckily, I don't really use the toaster anyway.

That's about all that's new here in our neck of the woods. Before I sign off, though, I'd like to congratulate all the grads we know (I think we sent out 10 graduation cards!!) and all those that were confirmed as well! Congratulations everyone!!

Updates and Pictures

2010-06-01T20:13:00.000-05:00

I know I promised I'd post more but having only one computer makes that a little rough. So anyway, here's and update.

We have been finding a TON of gluten free foods and places to eat. I recently found this cupcake place and I'm dying to try it.

And then there is this place. A great place to find gluten free restaurants!! We are so excited that we are finding so many gluten free resources.

And now for some pictures.

More Oklahoma Storms:

Our trip to Arlington to see B. Matusz (#17):

An Update

2010-05-14T08:05:00.001-05:00

Alright, so what have we been up to; I'm sure you are wondering.

As you probably know, a tornado went through parts of Norman on Monday. I got to see it, I'm not sure how I feel about that yet.

For those interested, this is a video of the tornado Adam and I saw from the windows at work. This video was taken from across the street but you'll get the idea.

At about 0:47 you can see the rotation and the tornado in the clouds. Around 1:00 you can see the dust cloud on the ground if you look carefully enough. Around 2:06 you can see some debris flying around (if you think thats cool) because the idiot who took the video is standing outside. After that just take a look at those winds. They were about 90 mph.

Here are some photos of debris we saw. Most of these photos are from closer to the Moore area. I have more posted on Facebook if you are interested and have access.

(Its hard to see on the above photo but in the middle of the building near the roof, the entire side of the wall is caved in. I'm assuming from high winds).

Other than that, we've recently made a trip to IN for a wedding:

A trip to Dallas for a graduation (sorry no pictures of that :()

I've been experimenting with gluten free foods. I found a chocolate cake that, believe it or not, actually tastes like chocolate cake. I mad home made gluten free mac and cheese. And, on top of that we have found several restaurants that are great to catering to those who have gluten allergies.

We bought new furniture (here's a picture of the coffee table):

And Adam has been playing in a recreational softball league.

Clearly we have been busy as you can see. Hopefully I will get back to updating the blog on a more regular basis again. We have a lot planned in the next month or two so there should be lots to post about.

We hope everyone is well!

I know, I know, I know

2010-04-21T16:38:00.000-05:00

I know it has been a LONG time (9 days I believe) since I updated.

We've been really busy here and with the weather getting nicer we have been spending a lot of time outside.

Plus, its wedding season, and confirmation season, and graduation season...so really what I'm saying is we've been busy.

I have lots to post about but it will have to wait until the beginning of next week (or end :P).

Another Wonderful Wedding Gift

2010-04-10T20:49:00.000-05:00

One of Adam's good friends stopped by today with a wedding gift for us.

He was in our wedding, and a VERY talented artist. He said his gift to us was that he was going to draw a picture for us. We got to choose which picture we wanted, and he drew it.

The picture had been done since December but between vacation, losing phones, and school work (for him), and jobs we hadn't been able to get it. Anyway, today he brought it over.

Pictures can't really do it justice. It is an amazing piece of art. But, for now, this will have to do.

The whole picture:

A little more zoom:

Look at the amazing detail!!!:

Easter

2010-04-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

This is a bit overdue, but hey...I'm a working woman...I don't have a lot of spare time anymore.

And, this one is a little blurry, but it's all i have.

2010-04-04T16:16:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter from the Oklahoma Pepplers!

Adam's Birthday and A Package

2010-04-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Adam's 24th Birthday. Happy Birthday Adam!!

We didn't do to much to celebrate, I had given him his gift a week or so early and we've been having a blast with it.

I got him a 2nd PS3 controller, a charging station, and Trivial Pursuit for the PS3. It has 3 different "games" you can play and its a lot of fun for something silly but different to do.

And yesterday, I got a package from Mom. Look what it had in it:

How beautiful huh?! I told her it was too bad its now April and 80 in Oklahoma but I'll keep it sitting out for a bit anyway. And the purse almost matches my favorite Fossil purse that broke a few months ago!

And, last but not least, a shout out to E. She just had shoulder surgery, so get well soon E!!

Plants, Plants, and more Plants!

2010-04-03T09:42:00.000-05:00

Last year Adam and I acquired some new plants. We had them temporarily potted in small hand me down pots. Well...they outgrew their little pots so it was time for new pots, and 2 new plants.

Over the winter, my beloved Ivy died. We had a horrible month with gnats that kept eating it and we tried EVERYTHING to get rid of them. Anyway, we picked out a new plant to try--A Vinca Vine. We'll see how it goes.

We re-potted our Aloe plant that had completely outgrown its little pot.

We also re-potted our Agave. Last summer we started with 2 agave in a little wicker basket. We got the agave from Adam's house. They had a huge one and it had several "baby" plants starting to grow around it. In our efforts to get one or two out of the big pot, we yanked all the roots off of one of the baby's. We decided to try planting it anyway and go figure, its the biggest one we have now. Our 2 little agave also sprouted a 3rd baby agave so now, we have 3....

I used to have this awesome little plant called an Elephant Bush. I bought this one summer, on a whim, while living in Lafayette. And go figure, the stupid gnats killed it as well. So, of course, I have no idea where to find another one so we replaced that plant with some Basil. Adam likes basil, and we use it a lot in recipes so figured we'd get our own plant and use fresh Basil.

And of course, we still have Adam's huge Mother-in-Laws Tongue plant he had from college. After we gave it some fresh soil and got rid of the dead parts of the plant last summer it is thriving!

The Medieval Faire (A long overdue post)

2010-04-03T09:22:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday Adam and I went to Normans Medieval Faire. Apperently it is quite a grand tradition here in Norman.

We had fun walking around, despite the gale force winds.

We decided to get a little excersize and ride our bikes there. Bad idea. We probably should have thought that one through a bit more. We rode INTO the wind the entire way there on flat tires.

Anyway, here are some pictures:

And, not the best picture of Adam and I but hey when you take a picture by outstretching your arm they aren't ever very good anyway.

And, the renovation is finished!

2010-03-27T17:43:00.000-05:00

Finally the renovation is finished!

The appliances were put in earlier this week but we have been so busy I haven't had time to post about it.

Doesn't it look good?! The stove is a solid surface top stove which is a little odd but we are getting used to it.

I was planning on posting this week about a trip I was supposed to take last weekend; however, a late season freak snow storm prevented me from going. And go figure, this past week has been sunny, beautiful, and windy.

This past week we have both just been busy with work and other obligations. Hopefully tomorrow we are going to go check out the Medieval Faire here in Norman. Adam says it is something everyone who lives here should do at least once. At least it will be something different to do.

Our Reno

2010-03-19T21:17:00.000-05:00

I know I promised pictures of our apartment renovation. Well, there is a reason I haven't posted.

All renovations were supposed to be done Tuesday. As you have probably guessed, they are still going.

Monday: New floors were put down.

Tuesday: The rest of the renovations (counter tops, cabinets, appliances, french doors, faucets mirrors, lights, towel bars, door knobs, ceiling fan, and a thermostat) were supposed to be completed. Nobody showed up at the apartment until almost 4 pm...they stayed until almost 10... French doors were put in (sans deadbolt lock), lights were redone, new mirrors, a ceiling fan put in, and all faucets replaced. Keep in mind the ceiling fan wasn't installed right and is pretty much hanging from the ceiling by a thread...literally. We also got a new dishwasher, which wasn't bolted to anything so when you opened the door it fell out.

Wednesday: We contacted the office, they assured us EVERYTHING but the appliances would be done today as for some reason they didn't have our appliances yet. The only thing accomplished was the fixing of the dishwasher.

Thursday: Once again contacted the office, they assured us EVERYTHING would once again be completed except the counters because they had now decided not to do them (a totally different, long story with those...we are still waiting on them). New cabinets were put in and towel bars were done. Still no deadbolt, and the ceiling fan is still hanging from a thread.

Friday: Adam and I both contacted the office with the concern that we still didn't have a lock on our door. That was fixed but nothing else touched. Later we were told the maintenance guys were sick this week and are WAY behind on their work (read: This renovation won't be finished anytime soon).

So, for those interested here are some before pictures (including what our bedroom and office looked like because they are currently being used as storage):

And now, the sort of after pictures:

For those of you wondering about our weekend in OKC...you'll just have to wait haha. I'm to tired from this madness to write anymore.

Go BOILERS!!

Legos and Reno's and Birthdays

2010-03-13T09:45:00.000-06:00

First off I should wish J a Happy 21st Birthday!

Secondly, our apartment is being renovated Monday and Tuesday. We will be living in a construction zone so it better look good in the end. Pictures will follow later this week.

Finally, Adam's new toy. Well, not new, old actually, but new to the apartment.

He is just like a little kid, but he is having fun and he works hard so he deserves to do whatever he wants.

A Mech he made a long time ago. How awesome is that though?

Only some of the legos that have taken over the office.

The lego base. And really, what lego base doesn't need an alien or two? Of course, George is watching over the legos.

And of course, a tank, because the base has to be protected somehow.

This afternoon we are heading to Toby Keiths I Love this Bar and Grill 'cause who doesn't need to eat at Toby Keiths restaurant haha. Then, we are going to spend the afternoon walking around the Riverwalk. Its great that the weather has finally warmed up.

And of course, the main event, the Purdue game is on tonight. Adam said he is going to cheer for Purdue and the Illini tonight because he knows Purdue can beat the Illini for the title. Go Boilers! ILL-INI!

Happy Birthday M!

2010-03-09T19:29:00.002-06:00

A post just for M.

Happy Birthday!!

And, since you asked:

More Flowers

2010-03-06T21:05:00.000-06:00

As promised, I'm updating. I know I said I would yesterday but, as it turns out I work Fridays now.

The job is going well. It has become a 40 hour a week job which has its ups and downs. I was looking forward to having a little free time to look for an aviation job but on the other hand it is great to be working and making money. Overall the job is good, I haven't gotten bored yet and I keep busy.

I did have the afternoon Friday off to take care of some things that had to be done and took a little time to get my hair cut...very exciting I know.

Adam and I finally scheduled the renovation of our apartment. We will be getting hardwood everywhere but in the bedroom and office. I'm a little disappointed we are getting hardwood in the living room, I'm a fan of carpet, but what can you do.

And last but not least, Adam made me a spring bouquet! I love the flowers he makes me and its nice that it is finally spring and I have something to remind me of that!

And, lets not forget the Boilers! Big 10 Champs!

A Weather Teaser

2010-03-05T16:34:00.000-06:00

Just a little teaser for those of you up North.

Busy Busy Busy

2010-03-03T22:12:00.000-06:00

I know it has been a few days since we last posted. Things have been pretty busy around here what with me working and all now, plus coming home and only having one computer doesn't help. We may go on a mission to fix one of the 3 broken ones we have this weekend. At least then I could blog, check email, and check facebook without having to bug Adam to let me borrow the computer of doom.

Anyway, I have Friday off so hopefully a better post then and in the mean time, don't forget to BOILER UP!!

New Jobs, New Clothes, and a Present from Adam

2010-02-28T10:07:00.000-06:00

So, I start my new job tomorrow and go figure I'm sick. Adam had a cold for about a week and of course I caught it. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be feeling better. Starting your first day of work is no fun with a sore throat!

In honor of my first day of work, I got a couple of new shirts to wear to work. My favorite one is this one:

I don't know why, but I just love this top. I call it my "cowgril" shirt...I feel like a complete Okie wearing it for some reason, but thats ok.

And, in honor of my job Adam got me a present!!

Boy does he know me or what?! And isn't that detail awesome!! I'm so excited about it :)

As far as the job goes, I'm excited to start on Monday. I'm excited and nervous since I haven't worked in a few months even though I know it will be fine. I'm ready to learn exactly what I'll be doing and have something to do everyday now!

And as always...BOILER UP!!

Spinach Stuffed Shells from Betty Crocker

2010-02-23T12:01:00.000-06:00

So yesterday around 2 I said to Adam, "So, any ideas on what I should make for dinner?"

To that, Adam replied, "I'm feeling like something Italiano! Maybe, Lasagna?!"

Now, as strange as it may sound, I've never made lasagna before, but I was up for the challenge. As we continued to decide what to have, the topic of stuffed shells came up as well. I saw a recipe for Spinach Stuffed Shells in my Betty Crocker cook book and have wanted to try them for some time. I never actually attempted to make them though, because I hate squishy gooey cheeses. Anyway, I figured I'd give it a shot!

After deciding we were going to try for Stuffed Shells I got ready to make a trip to the store, afterall I don't keep that stuff on hand. :P

So, I head downstairs, get in the Cubs Mobile and go figure....it won't start...again...

I gave Adam a call, he ran home, I borrowed the truck while he went back to work and once again we were on our way to making stuffed shells.

Here is what you'll need:

Here is what you'll need to do to make these delicious shells:

Brown ground beef in a skillet. This is optional, if you'd prefer you sauce without meat you can skip this step.

Boil water for your noodles, and cook according to the package. When you add your noodles, be sure to add more noodles than you want to use. Luckily I did this and it was a good thing because a couple broke and one even escaped my hand and took a trip down the garbage disposal. I ended up with 18 stuffed shells when all was said and done and I believe I cooked 22.

While the noodles are boiling prepare you sauce. I use tomato paste, a spice mix, olive oil, water, and a splash of red wine to make my sauce. When the sauce is finished, mix your hamburger in.

While your noodles are boiling, and your sauce is cooking prepare your spinach. I ended up having to use canned spinach but frozen or fresh work well too. If you use frozen or canned make sure you squeeze as much liquid out as possible or your filling will be runny. If you use fresh, make sure you cut the pieces up small enough that they will mix well.

In a bowl, combine 8 oz. ricotta, 1 to 1 1/2 cups of italian cheese blend, spinach, and 2 eggs.

Once your noodles are done, drain, rinse them in cold water, drain again. Fill each noodle with the cheese and spinach filling. I used a soup spoon to fill mine and used about one spoonful per shell.

Set the noodles in a glass pan.

Once all noodles are filled, pour your sauce over the top.

At this point, you have two options. You can either bake your shells in a 350 degree F oven for about 40 minutes (be sure to cover them) OR you can freeze them. If you choose to freeze them, either let them thaw or add 15 minutes to their cooking time when you are ready to eat them.

When noodles are done...ENJOY!

They were delicious, I will certainly make these again. Heck, I may even try my hand at lasagna sometime!

Saturday Night Dinner

2010-02-21T13:11:00.002-06:00

Adam found a recipe lately that looked good, so we decided to give it a try.

This recipe is from Ree Drummon, The Pioneer Woman, and we found it online. Supposedly an Australian recipe (maybe just came from an Australian and not really a traditional Australian potato recipe...Jody would probably know :) )

At any rate, these are called "Crash Hot Potatoes".

The Recipe (with pictures):

Boil red potatoes until tender. (Our pot was a bit too small but hey, we have to make do in our little kitchen):

While your potatoes boil, get yourself a cookie sheet, olive oil, salt, pepper, herb of your choice (we used thyme), a pastry brush, and a potato masher:

While you are still waiting for your potatoes to boil, turn your oven to 450 and put some oil on your cookie sheet. If you don't have a non-stick pan, be generous with the oil because it will help your potatoes not stick.

Once the potatoes have boiled, place them on the oiled cookie sheet.

Smash each potato slightly. We think we used to large of potatoes so ours turned out a little messy and didn't stay together to well. Next time we'll use smaller potatoes.

Once all the potatoes are "smashed" brush oil on top of each; use salt, pepper, and herb on top of each as desired.

Pop the potatoes in the oven at 450 for about 20 or 25 minutes. The tops of the potatoes should be crispy.

The finished product should look something like this:

Despite how pathetic ours looked, they tasted great!!

Caution: Sports Talk Ahead!

2010-02-21T12:20:00.000-06:00

How about them Illini?!

--Adam

February in Oklahoma

2010-02-18T16:05:00.000-06:00

Now this is exactly what I pictured, and was told, February in Oklahoma would look like.

To bad it isn't going to stay like this...

Stay tuned because on Sunday night (if I don't get around to posting anything else until then) Adam is cooking dinner! He found an awesome recipe for potatoes and tells me he is going to pair it with some sort of chicken dish. Yum!

A little bit of everything

2010-02-16T12:08:00.000-06:00

Adam and I have been pretty busy lately. Our apartment complex is going to be renovating our apartment soon and we have to each room cleared of stuff when they come. So, we have been slowly cleaning up some things, throwing stuff away, and taking stuff to his parents to store until after the renovation. Boy will I be glad when its over. As nice as the apartment will be when its done, I'm really not looking forward to it especially since I'm okay with the way it is now. I'm sure once it is done and over we will both be happy with it though.

On another note, we tried a new recipe last night. At Christmas time we bought a new cookbook and we've been trying new recipes lately and last night we tried "Brazilian Chicken." It was pretty good, turned out a little bit dry, but it was good for something different. Plus, its been so cold here it was nice to have something that sort of reminded you of someplace warm!

Speaking of the weather, hopefully it will start to warm up here soon. The average temperature this time of year should be about 50 or 60 degrees and we have been in the 30's. I'm 100% convinced I brought winter with me. The average snowfall in a winter for this part of Oklahoma is something like 2 inches and we have had 20 inches. Just more proof that I brought the winter with me.

On the plus side, you know its unofficially spring when baseball season is about to start! I plan on still rooting for the Cubs even from way down south, and of course Adam is rooting for the White Sox...why I don't know. It will be fun this year though since we are both now Orioles fans as well. We are hoping to make it to a few games this season to see Matusz pitch. We are lucky they will be coming to both Ranger Stadium and Kaufman Stadium this season. At least I'll be able to get to see a little baseball this year, even if it isn't the Cubs.

Stamping

2010-02-12T10:00:00.000-06:00

Well it has been a while, as I was informed by J, since I've written something new.

I'm working on a wedding gift right now that takes up a lot of my time. I also spent yesterday afternoon putting a scrapbook together that took up some time. Sadly, I don't have pictures of either to show you.

But, I do have a picture of the card I made last night that I can show you.

Last night I went to a Stampin' Up party with Adams Mom. It was actually more fun than I thought it would be. Similar to a Creative Memories party or a Tupperware party they are trying to sell you things so in order to get you interested, you make a card of your own. Cards seem to be their specialty but they also do some scrapbooking things as well.

Adam's Mom and I found a cute Snowman/Elf/Reindeer Stamp set she thought I needed so got for me. So, I guess next Christmas I am going to try and make my own Christmas cards.

A Request From M

2010-02-01T09:50:00.000-06:00

After talking to M and being curious myself, I found the setting on my Live Traffic Feed that shows a map of where people have visited from.

After dquilts posted a link to the blog I've had people from all over the world visiting and checking out my ice pictures (if you are here for that, look just a little farther down).

So, here are the maps of where my visitors have come from:

First, a world map: (click to enlarge)

A US and Canada Map:

An Australia Map:

And, a map of Europe:

Pretty cool if you ask me. Thanks everyone for visiting!!

Even more pictures

2010-01-30T12:13:00.000-06:00

We ventured outside this morning and this is what we found:

This is the door handle on Adam's truck...you can't even get your hand in there to open the door. Looks like we aren't going anywhere for a while. The car is worse.

The tire is frozen.

These things look deadly.

This is one of my favorite pics.

Even the flags froze.

Look at how thick the ice is. This leaf snapped right off the tree when Adam touched it.

A tangled icy mess!

An Update In Pictures

2010-01-29T17:55:00.000-06:00

(If you can find the Cubs Mobile you'll notice I'm the only one that backed into the parking space...a little trick my Dad taught me ;) )

Ice, Ice Baby

2010-01-28T15:12:00.000-06:00

So, so far, no snow at all and just a coating of ice is starting to show up on things.

This morning when the ice started (above) then as the day progressed (below)

The Blizzard of 2010

2010-01-27T11:50:00.000-06:00

Just to keep everyone informed, and in case you were wondering, a "winter weather event" is supposed to hit Norman tomorrow and last all day. I figured I would post what they are saying on the weather just to compare what happens after this storm hits.

The always trustworthy weathermen are saying the storm will begin at 6 AM Thursday morning and last until 6 AM Friday morning. The metro area will start with rain, that will turn to ice. Everyone has been informed to stock up on bread and milk. No really, on the news they said EVERYONE should go grocery shopping today because we may not be able to get out for a few days...I kid you not.

At any rate, around 10 or 11 the temperature will drop causing the rain to turn to sleet and everything to freeze into a giant mess. At this point, EVERYONE apparently will lose power as we were told if we don't own a generator we NEED to go out and buy one. Finally, around 12 or 1 the snow should begin and linger the rest of the day and into early Friday morning.

So, we will see how this actually plays out. I don't mean to make it sound funny, it could actually be serious if everything comes to fruition but after the last "blizzard" I'm skeptical. I may be proved wrong, we have yet to see.

In all seriousness though, there has been some real problems with ice in this area in past years. Ice storms seem to be what really hits here so I think if anything that will become our problem.

Sam Noble Museum of Natural History

2010-01-23T13:31:00.000-06:00

Adam surprised me this morning and took me to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History (SNMONH). It is right down the road from the apartment and I've mentioned a few times I'd like to check it out. Admission was only $5 so it was a good thing to do on a dreary Saturday morning.

Adam was a fan of the dino fossils (he has always loved Dino's). I never knew that some dinosaurs had hollow bones filled with pockets of air, you learn something new everyday I guess!

The museum was filled with things mostly only from Oklahoma, which was really cool. It was interesting to see what kind of animals lived where I live, but 1000's of years ago.

While the first floor was mostly dinosaurs, the second floor was history on the Native American and the Trail of Tears. Their pottery and clothing always amazes me.

And finally, to top off a fun morning, lunch at our favorite place...T.E.A. Cafe!

Is it really January?

2010-01-19T10:59:00.000-06:00

This past weekend Adam and I ventured to the Oklahoma City Home and Garden Show. I was really excited to go and see some interesting things, but I should have known better...this is Oklahoma after all. Adam and I both wanted to see a lot of gardens and flowers but sadly only one building had anything to do with gardens and it mostly dealt with pools. However, not making me feel any more safe, I saw several displays of tornado shelters. Above ground shelters, garage shelters, in home shelters, underground shelters, bathroom shelters, small shelters, large shelters...there are all kinds. Needless to say, I've told Adam when we get a house that is something we are looking into, or finding a house with one already built in.

On another note, the weather here this weekend was wonderful. I finally got a chance to get outside and wash the car from our road trip in December. The salt just wouldn't come off, and the dirt was sticking to the salt making for a gross mess. At any rate, the car looks wonderful now!

With the weather being so nice lately, I'm hoping I can get back on my bike and do some riding outside. Anything above 50 I think I can deal with, so the 60's we've had the past couple days are certainly something I can hack.

That's about it for now! Go Boilers!