2010 Recap

So much has happened in the Black Family this year. We have loved (almost) every minute of it. Michael and I have grown even closer and more in love through everything we've experienced. I can only imagine that next year will be just, if not more, busy and exciting!

Here's a little recap of what we've done this year.

January/Janvier: Moved from Layton to Logan so Michael could begin his Master's program in Management Information Systems and I could finish my double music major.

February/Février: We both were called into the Young Men and Young Women program in our ward. Those teenagers have taught us so much and have been quite the experience to learn how to best teach them how important the gospel is in their lives. Our testimonies have been strengthened.
March/Mars: I performed my Senior Vocal Recital at USU in the Performance Hall! One hour of just me, singing my little heart out. It was fun and I wore a red dress. Loved it. (Oh, and there were some really pretty flowers too).

April/Avril: Michael turned 26. Man, he says he feels so old, but I assure you, he's not. He's silly, fun, kind, and as boyish as ever. We celebrated with a BIG kid-themed party. It was a blast!

May/Mai: We celebrated our 1st anniversary! Michael was able to finally eat our wedding cake (not being able the day of our wedding because of his sickly presence, hehe). Still the best wedding day story ever. Anyway, who knew the time could fly by so quickly? We're almost to anniversary number 2!

June/Juin: Summer was here! We went camping, I planted a garden of veggies and flowers, our friends Andy and Dani got married, and we were best man and maid of honor. And we can't forget, we said goodbye to Michael's shaggy hair and cut it all off!

July/Juillet: Another busy month. I went to Young Women's camp for 3 days, kept my recipe group going with a "grill" theme, and saw Paul McCartney in concert. I cried at that last event from sheer excitement. Michael heckled, along with another guy friend, at Twilight: Eclipse when we went to see it in the theatre.

August/Août: Went to another wedding, made new couch pillows, enjoyed some of the fruits of our labors (from the garden), prepped for the new semester at USU.

September/Septembre: Started our final year at USU. We went to Yellowstone with some friends and saw Old Faithful along with lots of buffalo. We also went to Brigham City Peach Days and bought LOTS of peaches. And we made yummy creations with them. I started my French class, which sparked my French Word of the Week post (something I've been slacking on, resolution?!?).

October/Octobre: I turned 23. Now I feel OLD. I'm sure some of you are laughing out there, but here's the situation, I've never been this old before! It takes some getting used to! Michael and I also enjoyed the slightly cooler weather, running through the leaves, and Leland coming home from his mission to Leeds, England (the accent was adorable). Michael also threw me an amazing Halloween/Voodoo themed birthday party. It was the BEST.

November/Novembre: We started making soup because the cooler weather warranted it. Michael and I both got a nasty bit of the common cold. Stress from many factors led to a cold sore. My father passed away and we attended the funeral in Louisiana the week before Thanksgiving. We were both so grateful for eternal families. Love my dad and that he's not suffering. Pretty sure he's super busy on the other side. And yes, we celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving with the Black family. Sweet deal on my leather boots from Black Friday.

December/Décembre: Finished the semester to much joy and relief. We decorated our home for Christmas and made hot fudge for our friend gifts. We also worked a lot and spent evenings at home snuggling. My best friend, Camille, returned from her mission to Puerto Rico!!! We babysat our nieces quite a bit and played with them, which was SO fun. Then we celebrated a nice Christmas with both the Rougeaus and Blacks, and received some really nice and thoughtful gifts (more on that in another post).

As you can see, it's been quite the year for us! As much as we loved many aspects of it, we're ready to put some things behind and move on to 2011. I'm sure it has many things in store for us. Let's just hope we're ready for it. I guess we'll just hold on for the ride.

We wish all our friends a Happy New Year!

Favorite Holiday Snacks

Since it's the holidays and all, I thought I'd give a short list of some of my favorite holiday snacks and links to their recipes.

These recipes are simple and super yummy. They aren't only used for holiday occasions, but are also favorites at any social gathering. I just mention them now because I usually see the most of them specifically around Christmas in my family. So here they are, just click on the links and you'll have the recipes right at your fingertips!

Knorr Spinach Dip

Cracker Candy

RO-TEL Dip

Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies

Crockpot Wassail

Speaking of Christmas, ours was wonderful. We've been able to spend lots of time with family (that's what it's all about). And we've also been able to relax, which is much needed. I've been reading and working on a puzzle and Michael has been doing computer-y things, playing games and such.

My brother Michael has been in town and we've seen him a little bit. He's so funny and silly. It's cute to watch him laugh about the littlest of things and to catch up with him on his life. He's got a lot going on! Right now, he's at the Jazz game, which he loves. We're going to take him to the airport in the morning and then we'll hopefully see him soon, maybe in the summer ;)

I still have much to do throughout this break, like finish a couple more books and watch Seasons 2-5 of Grey's Anatomy on Hulu Plus. It's going to be great. How are your Christmas/holiday celebrations going? Any favorite party recipes you'd like to share?

The Story of the Boots

Once upon a time, a boy named Michael tried to convince his wife Rebecca to buy some sexy black boots. She was not sure if she was ready to embark upon such a journey towards black leather, high heels, and zipper sides. Michael assured her that she could totally pull it off. She finally decided that after a few years of deliberation, it was time. And so, the hunt began...

The perfect pair of boots were found, at Macy's on Black Friday, but no stores in Utah had her size! The sales associates searched and found a list of stores all over the country that had a size 6 in stock. They tried to call for over half an hour, but were unable to get through, owing to the fact that this was the biggest shopping day of the year. So, numbers and information were given to Michael and Rebecca, along with instructions to call the stores themselves later in the afternoon.

When the pair reached home, Michael called a store in Santa Rosa, CA and was immediately able to get in touch with a sales associate there. The order was placed and the credit card charged $40 for boots that were originally $80. Free shipping was also included because of the Black Friday deal. The boots they were told, would arrive within a week.

A week passed and no boots had arrived. Eventually, Michael received a call from Macy's in Santa Rosa. The sales associated apologized for their mishap, stating that the order was placed, but instead of sending the boots directly to shipping, they were placed back on the shelf and forgotten about. For this grievance, they were prepared to offer two options as a remedy. Free 2-day Air shipping, or another 50% off the boots. Michael took the latter seeing as there was no rush for them to arrive and it was a better deal money-wise (standard shipping was still free).

So, all was taken care of and the boots arrived within another week, safe and sound onto Michael and Rebecca's doorstep. $20 for $80 sexy knee-length black leather boots (with a 4-inch heel). Rebecca was overjoyed and began arranging outfits to suit the new boots, along with mastering the art of walking in the highest heels she had ever worn before.

The End.

Christmas Gift Reveal...

The wait is over and it is finally time to fill you in on the Black's Christmas Gifts for 2010.

Here's the actual (FULL) picture of our inspiration for this year.

That's right! Homemade HOT FUDGE. And it is oh. so. good.
Thanks to the ladies at Our Best Bites, we are blessing our friends with quite the yummy gift.
It was super easy to make and we both enjoyed the process of cooking, canning, wrapping, and decorating our "goodies".

So, for your viewing pleasure, I included a few photos of our finished product.

Pretty cute, huh?

Pint-size glass jars in quilted pattern. Green organza ribbon.
Cute and unique laser cut gift tags. Handwritten labels.
And, of course, the star ingredient: Hot Fudge.

I just love the bottles all nestled next to each other! I don't think anything can look any happier. I thought that ours couldn't get any cuter than what the inspiration picture displayed, but once we put everything together I got giddy. I kept saying, "Awwww, isn't that just the cutest thing you've ever seen?" I just love homemade gifts and I was excited to break away from the typical plate of goodies that gets passed around and that Michael and I put together last year. We feel that something like this is more unique and just plain adorable. Can't wait until next year when we create a new gift to share with our friends and loved ones!

You didn't think I would leave you without the super easy recipe did you?

Homemade Hot Fudge

Ingredients:
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (3 squares of baking chocolate, or about 1/2 C chocolate chips)
1/2 stick butter
1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions:

1. Chop up butter into small pieces and, if using baking squares, chop up also. This just helps everything melt easier.
2. Place butter, chocolate, and condensed milk into saucepan on medium heat and melt it all together. Stir occasionally.
   
3. Once melted, place into airtight container and store in fridge.
   
4. When ready to use, just pop the top off and microwave for 20-30 second intervals until smooth.

Serve over ice cream or as a quick and easy fondue!!!

Christmas Gifts

Michael and I finally decided what we are giving to our friends for Christmas!

Here's a hint as to what it is...


Sorry, can't actually show the full picture, we have to keep the element of surprise intact!

We're really excited about it though. I'll share ALL the good details once the gifts are handed out to our dear friends.

For now, you can just speculate as to what that sneak peek contains!

Hope you're all enjoying this Christmas season so far; I know that the Black family is! Now that finals are officially over for our 2nd to last semester, we can breathe, relax, and enjoy the holidays. It's really wonderful.

I have a GIANT list of books to read (Scarlet Pimpernel, Secret Garden, P&P, S&S, to name a few) as well as several seasons of Grey's Anatomy to watch. (I'm taking advantage of the Hulu Plus 1 week free trial and watching as many I can in that week!)

It's shaping up to be a wonderful Christmas break. We have big plans for sledding, snowboarding, taking a stroll through downtown Logan, sipping hot chocolate, spending time with friends and family, partying it up, decorating Christmas cookies, and fitting in some swimming and workouts in between all the food.

Also, I'm getting into, and helping others get into the Christmas spirit by singing twice this week! I'll be singing Sally Deford arrangements of two Christmas classics. Tonight, at our Relief Society Christmas Dinner, I'll sing Silent Night. And on Sunday for Sacrament Meeting, I'll sing What Child is This. It should be beautiful and fun. I haven't performed since my senior recital in March, and although these performances are NOTHING like my recital, I'm still excited to share my love for music with others.

Yep, as I'm listening to Ella sing Winter Wonderland, I can't help but feel all warm and cozy. Course, part of that warm and coziness might result from the fact that I'm currently snuggled in between the covers of our bed. Ah, the joys of the holidays!

Classic Christmas Cartoons

Here are some classic cartoons that my brother and I grew up watching on VHS. They can't help but bring a smile to my face as well as take me back to my childhood. Christmas was so magical back then through the eyes of a child. Enjoy a glimpse into my childhood memories!

This first cartoon is called "The Peachy Cobbler". We LOVE this cartoon in our family. Hilarious. It gets me laughing every time I watch it!

This cartoon features one of my favorite characters, Donald Duck. I love the intense snow fight he has with Huey, Dewey, and Louie. As a child, I always dreamed of recreating that exact event!

{l'amie} French Word of the Week

l'amie = friend (feminine)

So, my dearest friend, Camille just returned home last night from her mission to Puerto Rico!

I have missed this girl like crazy. Seriously missed her. She has been my BEST friend up here in Utah and Utah State in general. She left on her mission just 8 days before Michael and I got married. So, in her heart, and while she was in the MTC, she was an honorary bridesmaid!

Anyway, I'm so glad to have her back in Utah! I just love her. We have been keeping up some wonderful correspondence throughout her service in PR. Next to my brother, she is the only person who I have faithfully written in a consistent manner throughout the mission. I never imagined how fun and excited I would get every time a letter would come in the mail. Michael even could tell how much I LOVED getting her letters. He'd come in from checking the mail and be like, "Rebecca, I have a present for you!" Then, of course, I'd run down the stairs and practically rip the letter open right then and there to get to all the good stuff within. So fun.


Camille and I have spent some incredibly fun times together over my years here in Utah. She's one of those people that I just can't imagine living life without knowing. For instance, I feel like my moving away from Louisiana to Utah was for a number of reasons, one of which is to meet and know Camille. She was seriously a lifesaver to me in so many ways. She'd keep me silly and happy all the time (notice above picture). And she is always so REAL. If I was ever stressed about something, she was like my own personal "therafriend" bringing me back to reality. True friend right there.

How many times can I say that I just love this woman? Never too many I think! I'm excited for what life has in store for her in the future. She has just completed a selfless and sacrificing mission for her Heavenly Father and I know she's loved it. Her letters were always so cheerful and so enthusiastic about the gospel and those she was sharing it with! I know she is blessed and will continue to be blessed for all her hard work and perseverance.

Can't wait to see her cute self on Sunday, when she gives her homecoming talk in Kaysville! It should be perfectly AMAZING!

Camille est m'amie! (Camille is my friend!)

Fry Bread

Dani,

This one is for you. Sorry it took me so long to get it to you. Crazy week at school.

Fry Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. Milk
1/2 c. Potato Flakes
1 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
2 heaping tbs. Baking Powder
4-5 c. Flour

Directions:
Mix ingredients in listed order to create a dough (will be slightly sticky, but not so sticky that you can't work with). Roll it out about 1/4 in thick. Cut into various sizes. Fry in medium hot oil until golden brown.

Suggested Toppings:
Chili, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream
Or serve with honey as a dessert.

The Sun'll Come Out...Tomorrow

This video is one of the most hilarious and amazing things I have ever seen. Christina Bianco is SPOT ON with her vocal impressions of famous singers. She imitates Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Bernadette Peters, Celine Dion, Kristin Chenoweth, Julie Andrews, and Eydie Gorme.

If you know these classic singers and their unique styles, you will LOVE this video. I can't stop watching it.

I'm pretty sure the Bernadette Peters impression is my favorite. Heehee. Enjoy!

The Christmas Tree

Here is our beautiful Christmas tree, in all its festive glory!

Once again, we borrowed an artificial tree from Marlene, Michael's mother. She has so many at her disposal, and she is always kind and willing to share one with us. And for that, we are very grateful.

We did have the discussion today, as we were walking into Smith's, that when we have kids, we HAVE to buy real trees every year. The smell is amazing, and the nostalgia calls us back to times growing up when our families had real trees each year. There is just nothing like it in the world. But, for now, seeing as we are poor college students still and renting, we are perfectly happy to borrow an artificial tree for our use. We're just happy to have a tree at all!

Each year, I like to buy one or two cute ornaments from Six Star (the glorified dollar store where I work) to add to the tree. They are inexpensive and make our tree unique.

This "Better Not Pout" ornament was my choice for this year. I just love it for a couple reasons. One, the words are from a song, so that brings music into the picture. And two, it reminds us to be good girls and boys.

This little nutcracker is so ME. For Christmas, there are collectors of Santa, Snowmen, etc. Well, I collect nutcrackers. As long as I can remember, my mother and I would go to see "The Nutcracker" each year around Christmastime. I, of course, love the classical music by Tchaikovsky and knew it all by heart, even when I was as young as 4! I guess you could say such a tradition sparked my interest in nutcrackers in general and they are displayed in my home every Christmas.

I bought this little ornament for Michael the Christmas when we were still dating. He laughed when he saw it. Reminds me that I need to go out and find some mistletoe... :)

As you can see, our color scheme is very traditional with reds, golds, and greens. We love the simplicity of it all. When we picture Christmas like in old movies and books, we see colors and tones similar to what we have on our tree. We also love to mix white lights with colored lights. A little trick I learned from a friend (Thanks Jake!) a long time ago. The colored lights are best brought out by some white, which lighten up the tree.

As for the presents, I am SO close to being finished with my Christmas shopping for Michael. I know, I'm amazed and proud too! Of course, it couldn't have happened without the amazing Arianne on Tuesday. We went on a serious shopping spree in the afternoon, all the while catching up on some much needed girl time. It was one successful and extremely fun outing!

I love this new wrapping paper, also purchased at Six Star. It's so old fashioned and only cost me $1!!! Many people don't realize this, but Six Star is THE BOMB.

Lastly, I just couldn't help but post a picture of this adorable BAG nestled by our tree. It came from a box of Christmas gift items purchased at Seagull Book a couple years ago. The box included 24 different sized bags, 12 different kinds of wrapping paper, treat bags, gift card pouches, tissue paper, gift tags and sticky labels....all for just $10. Steal of a deal. I don't even have a gift in the little penguin bag, I just wanted it out for decoration because it is ADORABLE!

There's our Christmas tree for the year of 2010. I'll post more pictures of other decorations/creations to come. Love this time of year!

Just need to vent

I'm tired of helping those who don't help themselves.

I'm also tired of making effort to do something, then no one picks up his/her end of the agreement.

I am not superwoman.

I can not be in 10 bazillion places at once and do everything for everybody.

I choose my battles and try my best at what I can, and am able, to do.

I expect others to TRY and work hard because that's not only how I am, it's part of the plan of happiness. (Note the word happiness)

Laziness, albeit nice and needed from time to time, should not be a lifestyle.

Please don't make lame excuses for your actions.

And, lastly, a phrase my father used to always say and one which I feel is perfectly fitting for this moment...

"Pee or get off the pot!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. I am not going crazy. I love all my wonderful friends who support me. Just needed to get some emotions out, blog style. It helps a girl feel much better!

The Gobble Dance

This dance made us laugh and kept us entertained while we waited in line for Sports Authority to open at 4 AM on Black Friday.

We shook a "turkey leg" and did "the Gobble".

Hilarious.

{la neige} French Word of the Week

la neige = snow

So, Michael and I come home from Louisiana, where it's 70 degrees and clear skies to snow and cold weather. (see picture above)

A blizzard is coming in, as I write, to cover Utah with lots more snow and frigid temperatures. Like, we're talking in the single digits. Brrrrr!

Michael and I drove down to his parents in SLC around noon because we weren't sure if we'd make it through the canyon later. USU campus was officially closed at 2 PM. You know it's serious when they close campus. We NEVER get snow days here.

I'm excited to spend time during the Thanksgiving holidays, snuggling in front of the fire with Michael. We're going to eat LOTS of food and probably gain a few pounds. Oh boy.

Il va neiger beaucoup.
(It is going to snow a lot.)

Going home...

...to Louisiana later tonight (well, technically early early tomorrow morning, 12:50 AM to be exact).

Love that place and all the beauty there. Wish it was under better circumstances though. Traveling there will never be the same from now on. That makes me sad.

But, as always, I'm so grateful for the promise of eternity and that this is not the end.
I love my daddy. I'm glad that he's in a happier and pain-free place. I feel comforted knowing that he's happy and now free from all the pains, struggles, and hardships life has thrown at him.

Viewing will be at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in downtown Alexandria from 6-9 PM on Friday. Funeral will be held at the LDS Alexandria Stake Center at 10 AM on Saturday.

Thank you for all your support, love, flowers, and kindness. I know I, as well as my family, appreciate it.

Creamy Bacon Potato Soup

What do you get when you combine...

this...

...with this?

A super yummy creamy bacon potato soup! As if the title of this post didn't already give that away. ;)

Michael and I love, I repeat LOVE this soup. We created it about a year ago, combining our favorite ingredients and components of potato soup recipes found on the internet and in cookbooks. So, it is truly representative of all we like and must have in a potato soup. Plus, it's just DANG good.

We had our friends, the Svedins, over for dinner last night and served this in homemade bread bowls. It was the perfect dinner to warm everybody up in this colder weather. I think it was one of the real reasons we ended up having a ghetto dance party in our living room after playing a few intense rounds of UNO. Jen and Bryant loved it so much, they are MAKING us share the recipe with them. In honor of our sharing with them, I'm sharing it with all of you, my dear friends. Aren't I so kind?

Creamy Bacon Potato Soup

Ingredients:
5 med. potatoes, diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 large onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4-6 slices bacon, diced
2 cups hot milk
1/4 stick butter
Pepper
Salt
Thyme
Celery Salt

Directions:

1. Cook bacon in 4 quart pan until crisp. Remove from pan onto paper towel lined plate. Drain off excess fat. (Per Michael's advisement, don't drain. This is good stuff! But if you're going a bit healthier, then DO drain.)
   
2. Saute' onion and celery with butter, just until onions are translucent. Add in potatoes, soup, bacon, and milk. Season with pepper, salt, thyme, and celery salt to taste.
   
3. Make sure vegetables are covered with liquid. If not, add in a soup can's worth of water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked.
   
4. With potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash about 1/2 of the potatoes within the pot, to give the soup a more creamy texture. (Or choose not to mash, that's what Michael prefers!) Finish any last minute seasonings before serving, and enjoy!

*One thing I love about this soup and soup, in general, is that you can basically add whatever you want and it'll turn out great. You can feel free to alter bits and pieces of this recipe to your tastes and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will be a culinary success.

{le papier} French Word of the Week

le papier = paper

For my French class this week, we had to write a short 150-word paper about "Chez moi et ma famille", which is "My house and my family". Michael thought it was so fun and cute that I should share it on the blog.

It's no masterpiece, so be nice! And if you need a translation, ask me or Michael. I just didn't want to write it all out here :)

Ma famille est petite. Le nom de ma mère est Narayne et mon père est Thorsell. J’ai un frère, Michael. Mon mari appelle Michael, aussi. Ma mère a 53 ans, et elle est très jolie. Ma père a 86 ans, et il beau. Ils sont divorcés. Mon frère est grand, sympathique, et très drôle. Il aime jouer du sport. Il aime le basket, le golf, et le football américain. Mon mari est blond, grande, beau, et charmant. Il adore l’ordinateur et les voitures vieilles. Il parle Français avec moi. Je m’appelle Rebecca. Je suis petite, sociable, et sensible. J’adore la musique et mon mari, Michael. J’aime le jogging et le foot.

Mon mari et moi habitons un appartement à Logan. Il est petit mais comfortable et mignon. Il a deux chambres, la salle de bains, la cuisine, la terrasse, et le séjour. Mon père et mon frère habitent à Louisiane, et ma mère habite à Logan. Nous sommes une famille très heureuse.

TV Stand transformed

So, I have always loved food and cooking for that matter. I loved to pretend to be a waitress at a restaurant and "cook" up creations for my brother when we were little. I believe we even created a restaurant called "Michael's" one summer, with a menu and everything.

I think this is just about the coolest play kitchen I have EVER seen. Seriously. A TV stand transformed into a kitchen. How ingenious, and cheap to do!

I'm thinking Michael and I need to create something like this for our children someday. Knowing me, we will have a little girl just like me, interested in all things food. And what better place to inspire creativity and spark an imagination than in this imaginative piece of creativity?

{Before}

{After}

{Inside}

Too cute. I love the curtains and little picture window. Who wouldn't want to bake, cook, microwave, refrigerate, and wash dishes in this? Go here for step-by-step info and such.

Common Cold

This is what I look like right now.

And I'm afraid I've given it to Michael too.

Sneezing, runny nose, lots of tissues, headache, and general ickyness.

I think some chicken noodle soup is in order.

Green Chile Meatballs

This is what we had for dinner tonight and it was REALLY good.

I, of course, improvised a bit, seeing as we haven't made the full conversion over to quinoa, but it came out well.

I'm loving this site and all the great recipe ideas for healthy eating it has to share. I'm really trying to implement what I've learned into our lifestyle. Cause, the fact of the matter is, we need to eat better. Less sugar, more whole grains and raw foods. I can seriously tell the difference in my mood and how my body just feels when I'm eating better. If I splurge on something overly processed and sugary, my body lets me know that it does not like it. Funny how that is huh? Taking time to pay attention to what your body tells you is so important. It fills me in on what it needs and all I have to do is just pay attention!

Bottom line, eating healthier is the bomb. Enjoy the recipe!

Birthday Presents

I scored this year with some great presents, from my mother and the Mr.

I'm dying to share them with you, so I'm going to get right to it.

This amazing set of classic novels was from my mother. She purchased them at Deseret Book. They are beautiful and appear to be quite good quality. The books include: Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and The Secret Garden. The last two I listed I've never read, so I'm excited to crack them open when I have a free moment. And by free moment, I mean, when the semester is over and I can read for personal enjoyment.

These books have already found a nice, cozy home on our bookshelf. Now they're just waiting for me to open and explore them. Waiting. They're waiting and I'm waiting. Ah! Can you tell that it's practically killing me to not have the time to read them right now?!? Patience is a virtue...


There's a bit of a story behind this cookbook. Michael and I were in Borders a few months back, reading and browsing. Michael looked around the entire store while I, of course, made a B-line for the cookbook section and remained there for the entire hour or so we were in the store. No surprise there as I compiled a huge stack of cookbooks I was interested in, and started reading each one like any other person would read a novel.

As Michael and I were walking out of the store, we stopped in the bargain section and apparently, he showed me this cookbook and I thought it was way cool. (I said apparently because I actually don't remember that particular event of our day in Borders) Anywho, Michael remembered and purchased the book a bit later, saving it for my birthday MONTHS later. He hid it in his office where I wouldn't find it. Sneaky sneaky.

Long story short, he gave me this HUGE novel of a cookbook for my birthday and I love it! It has 1327 pages which is the most I've ever seen in a cookbook. Course, it does say that it's the "Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking", so that kinda explains it. One thing that is super cool about this cookbook is the way the recipes are categorized. All by season. So, if I want to cook something in Winter, I can go straight to that section and find a recipe that coordinates with what ingredients are currently in season. A.k.a. healthy and fresh. Also, there are special sections for particular meals that are cooked on Holidays in Italy. I might try something new for this year at Christmas!


This last present made me giddy and literally jump for joy. Those who know us, know that Michael and I love Le Roi Soleil, a French musical about King Louis XIV, The Sun King. The music is amazing, as is the staging and entire spectacle. We included the song, "Je fais de tois mon essentiel" on our wedding CD because it's special to us. I guess you could say it's "our" song.

Well, I bought the CD from the musical for Michael's 25th birthday and we listen to it quite a bit off and on. We've never been able to find the DVD in the US, so we kind of gave up on locating it any time soon. Until now. Michael had the brilliant idea to search Amazon France and found it! It came to us straight from Paris. The only problem we ran into is the region issue with the DVDs (as France is in a different region than the US), they won't play in an American DVD player. But, Michael, being the computer smarty that he is, found a program which would allows us to play it!

We watched most of it last night and it really is spectacular. Seeing the sets, staging, and acting combined with the music makes so much more sense and brings the whole thing together. It is fantastic.

I LOVE my birthday presents.