Weekend Fun

We had a great weekend. My little brother, Braden, came to town on Friday night. He got here around 9:30 PM and by 9:45, he was already out with his friends. I guess he wasn't too excited to hang out with an old married couple. The only time we actually saw him was Saturday evening when he took us out to dinner. We all went to the last Cowboys football game of the season, but he sat with his friends down in the student section with all the "crazies", so we opted not to sit by him. The weather was amazing on Saturday for the game, and although the Cowboys lost the ol Bronze Boot (I think that's right?) to CSU it was still fun.

I convinced Steven to go to Twilight with me so we had planned to go Saturday night, but we both ended up not feeling well or like going by the time it rolled around. So instead, I watched a whole lot of HGTV and Food Network while Steven studied for his exam today. I was lucky enough to get a show of Steven's version of Michael Jackson's Thiller dance. Probably the funniest thing I've ever seen! I wish I would have got it on video...maybe I'll convince him to show me again.
I ended up not feeling well most of Sunday, so I missed out on church. Steven was pumped to go to nursery without me :)

Speaking of Twilight, we just got back from the movie. I'm glad I was able to get all of your reviews of the movie before seeing it so I knew what to expect. I think I'm in agreement with the majority of people who thought it was good, but not great. I jumped on the whole Twilight bandwagon a little late. I'm not as "die hard fan" as a lot of people, in fact it took me a long time to get through the first two books, but I was determined to finish them all before I saw the movie. I actually just finished Breaking Dawn this morning and have two things to say about it:
1) Renesmee? What an awful name. It drove me nuts throughout the entire book. I see how it makes sense, but I officially hate this name.
2) I thought it was a little on the racy side. I'm glad I don't have a pre-teen daughter, because I would never let her read it at that age.
But other than those two things, it was a good ending to the series. I'm glad I finally read them, even if I was a little late. I'm such a follower!

Steven had a huge exam today (as in 50% of his grade) and I am happy to say he passed with flying colors! He is dreading finals week, as am I :) We are so excited and ready to go home tomorrow for Thanksgiving break. Which reminds me, I have lots of packing to do! I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Nothing Too Exciting

I haven't posted for awhile, but honestly there hasn't been much to post about lately. We lead a pretty unexciting life around here. Steven has been super busy with school for the past few weeks, and I'm sure it will only get worse as it gets closer to the end of the semester. He's been really diligent about studying and his hard work has paid off with his exams. I'm proud of you, babe!

We went to the Denver temple last Friday. It was a great way to spend the afternoon and was definitely something we needed. I love being able to leave all my stress and worries at the door and feel the spirit and peace within the temple. This was only the second time I've been to this temple, and although I have a hard time considering it "my temple", it's really beautiful. After our session, we stopped at the Deseret Bookstore, and then ate at TGI Friday's. On our way home we stopped in Loveland at the outdoor mall. We got some great ideas for Christmas (which I'm getting SO excited for!).

Last night we went to a comedy show on campus with a couple of Steven's pharmacy friends. There were a few comics, but the headliner was Christian Finnegan. If you've ever watched Best Week Ever on VH1, you'd know who he is. The whole show was funny, but Christian was definitely the best of them all. It was fun to get out and do something during the week!

Between job hunting, housework, and my one online class I've actually been pretty busy myself the last couple weeks. I've found a new love of cooking and trying new recipes. For those of you who know me well, this might surprise you. Trust me, nobody was more surprised than me, with the exception of my mom. :) As much as she tried to teach me, I really had no desire to be in the kitchen as a teenager and even when I went to college. I guess when you have somebody to cook for and your own kitchen, things change. A few weeks ago when I was home I went to Relief Society in my parents' ward. They had just had Super Saturday and had recipes from the soup luncheon they had. I grabbed this one from my mom's neighbor, Sister Baird, and tried it the other day.

Tortilla Soup

-Cut 8 corn tortillas into narrow strips and fry in oil until crisp. Drain well on paper towel.

-Head 2-3 TBSP vegetable oil in saucepan and add one small onion (I used half an onion and it was plenty for me) and a little dry garlic. Gently fry for 2-3 minutes until soft. Do not brown.

-Peel and chop 1 cup fresh tomatoes. Add to onions and cook for 2 minutes.

-Add 1 cup frozen corn

-Stir in 6 cups chicken stock

-Add some cilantro, fresh or dried

-Add tortilla strips and simmer for a few minutes.

-Serve immediately with grated cheese on top.

This made a lot of soup for just the two of us. It was really good, especially on the cold day that we had it. Next time I'll probably add some chopped up chicken breasts. Try it out!

Well, that's what we've been up to lately. We're excited for Thanksgiving, both to spend time with our families as well as have a break from school.

Help!

My sister asked me to help her out and post some information for her. She is trying to get her Mary Kay business started. If she can get 10 or more people to spend $10 or more, she can get a huge discount on her starter kit. So if anyone uses Mary Kay products, go to this link and help her out! Don't worry that the website says Laurilyn Morrison, she's my Aunt and is giving Kyle her points to start out on. If you purchase a mascara, your name will be entered in a drawing for a prize (I'm not sure what it is yet). Thanks!

It's been awhile...

It has been forever since my last post, so this might be a long one. A lot has happened with us over the past few weeks. Some of it may not be extremely interesting, but bear with me as I feel it is important to document these things.


The weekend of October 10th we had the opportunity to go home to Lovell for my nephew Ross's baptism. It's crazy to me that he is even old enough to be baptized. He called Steven a few weeks earlier and asked him to baptize him, which I thought was pretty cool. Ross and Steven have been buddies since we dated in high school and Ross was just a baby. Steven was really excited to do this for him, and honored that Ross asked him.

Ross before the baptism

Ross and Steven

The baptism went very well and, for me at least, the spirit was very strong. I had the opportunity to participate in the baptism by leading the music, as well as singing a song with my little brother Braden. During the closing song, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives", I looked down at Ross all decked out in his new suit with his hymn book open and singing at the top of his little lungs and my eyes filled with tears. I love every one of my nephews and my niece, but Ross has and always will have a special place in my heart. He was born during a hard time between my sister and I, and he helped repair our relationship and bring us even closer as sisters. Kyle also worked a lot when Ross was little and I had the opportunity to babysit him all throughout high school. I am so proud of him and his decision to be baptized. I know that Ross knows the church is true and that baptism is the first step in Heavenly Father's plan.

Here's more pictures of our weekend at home:

http://s374.photobucket.com/albums/oo182/destinyhultgren/?albumview=slideshow

The Friday after we got home (October 17th) my mom called to let me know that my Grandma Morrison was moved from the nursing home to the Lovell Hospital and things weren't looking good. She told me she would keep me updated, and when she called me the next Monday there hadn't been much change. I felt like I should go home and help out where I could, as well as see my grandma while I had the chance. I was able to go home Tuesday afternoon. When I went to see my grandma on Wednesday, I was shocked at what I saw. The little body in the bed looked nothing like the woman I had grown up with, and it was then that I knew it wouldn't be much longer. I was able to sit with her and hold her hand for a little while. There was a special spirit that could be felt in that hospital room. At around 4 PM Wednesday October 22, 2008 my sweet grandmother, Louisa Mickelson Morrison, passed away at the age of 93.

I have so many memories of Grandma that I don't even know where to start. We spent a lot of time at her house growing up and loved every minute of it. I remember sitting on the green couch cuddled up with her reading books. She actually taught me how to read. I remember going out to the backyard to pick strawberries and going for nature walks with her while at the cabin.

Grandma was such a girly girl. She always had her hair and nails done, and was always rocking the red lipstick. My sister was able to do her hair and make up for the viewing, and she did an amazing job that Grandma would have been proud of. When Steven and I were home in August, Kyle and I had the chance to spend an afternoon with Grandma at the nursing home. Kyle permed and did her hair and makeup while I did her nails. She was so happy and loved being pampered. I will always hold that day with Grandma close to my heart.

Kyle, Grandma, and I

My beautiful grandmother

I'm so grateful for the chance I had to spend a few minutes with my Grandma Morrison before she passed away. She was an amazing woman that was loved by many. Her funeral was held Saturday October 25, 2008. It was a warm and beautiful fall day, and the spirit was once again very strong at the services. I'm thankful for the knowledge we have of the Plan of Salvation and that we will be able to see Grandma again someday. I know she had been waiting for almost 13 years to see my Grandpa Morrison again. I'm sure it was an amazing reunion for them and the rest of her family who were waiting to greet her on the other side. I love you Grandma!

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your friends. Copy then change all the answers so they apply to you, then post on your blog. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:30
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamond's are a girls best friend :)
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Tropic Thunder I think
4. Favorite TV show? The Office, Heroes, Iron Chef America, or House Hunters
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? cereal or pancakes
6. What is your middle name? Melinda
7. What food do you dislike? lunchmeat, pickles, seafood, mushrooms. I'm picky, so I'll stop there :)
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Secondhand Serenade and Taylor Swift
9. What kind of car do you drive? Mine got totalled, so I've been driving my Grandma's 1992 Mercury Grand Marquis. It's awesome.
10. Favorite sandwich? Cheese
11. What characteristic do you despise? Cockiness and dishonesty
12. Favorite item of clothing? A pair of capris from Old Navy, but it's too cold for them now
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Italy and Greece
14. Favorite brand of clothing? Hmm...probably American Eagle
15. Where would you retire to? Anywhere close to my family
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? My 22nd, because Steven called me, and the rest is history :)
17. Favorite sport to watch? Baseball or Volleyball
18. Furthest place you expect someone to look at this from? I honestly don't know
19. If you had a superpower, what would it be? I haven't figured that out yet, maybe invisible.
20. When is your birthday? May 16th
21. Are you a morning person or a night person? I'm an afternoon person
22. What is your shoe size? 7 1/2
23. Pets? No, I'm definitely not an animal person
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? Not that I can think of
25. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher, a gymnast, or a dentist.
26. How are you today? Let's just say it's been a long day and I'm ready for tomorrow
27. What is your favorite candy? Gummy Bears, Licorice, or Skittles
28. What is your favorite flower? Lillies and Tulips
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Thursday when we go to Lovell
30. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Mint Chocolate Chip
31. What are you listening to right now? Steven's watching ESPN
32.What was the last thing you ate? Reduced fat wheat thins
33. Do you wish on stars? Not usually
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Green
35. How is the weather right now? Windy and cold
36. Who was the first person you talked to on the phone today? My mom
37. Favorite soft drink? Diet Cherry Pepsi
38. Favorite restaurant? Olive Garden, Corona Village, or Texas Roadhouse
39. Real hair color? Dark brown
40. What was your favorite toy as a child? Little People
41. Summer or winter? I like Spring best
42. Hugs or kisses? Both please
43. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla
44. Where was your last vacation? Lovell, if that counts. If not, Denver
45. When is the last time your cried?Last week
46. What is under your bed? Absolutely nothing
47. What did you do last night? Watched Heroes with Steven, cleaned up the living room, read a book, and went to bed.
48. What are you afraid of losing? Family
49. Salty or sweet? I probably eat more sweet
50. How many keys on your key ring? 3 or 4
51. How many years at your current job? I've been the cook/maid for 4 months :)
52. Favorite day of the week? Sunday
53. How many towns have you lived in? 3
54. Do you make friends easily? Yes and No, I can become friends with a person quickly but it takes me a long time to open up and become really good friends.

It's Official!

I'm officially Destiny Hultgren, RDH! I got my license on Tuesday! Turns out, without a job, a license is pretty useless :) I really am anxious to get out and start working though. I sent out all my resumes and called the offices I've interviewed with, so hopefully something will come up soon.There are a few offices that are hiring right now, so I'm crossing my fingers. It's a good feeling to know that I've finally accomplished a goal that once seemed so far out of reach. You couldn't pay me to do the dental hygiene program over, once was plenty! Steven has been really busy with school the past week, so we decided to go out on Tuesday night. We went to Corona Village (YUM) and celebrated my licensure, his amazing job on his exams so far, and the fact that the White Sox FINALLY won the AL Central Division Title by beating the Twins Tuesday night. (Steven loves the White Sox and gets grouchy when they lose, so this was a huge plus for me :) ) We took some cute pictures, but Steven recently cleaned the office, and my camera cord is now missing. That's a good enough reason to get a new camera, right? Maybe when I get a job! We're looking forward to conference this weekend and going to Lovell next weekend. Anyway, that's what we've been up to!

Tagged Again

8 TV shows I like to watch:
1. The Office
2. Heroes
3. Iron Chef America
4. House Hunters
5. Brothers and Sisters
6. Sportscenter
7. General Hospital (guilty pleasure)
8. Friends reruns


8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Olive Garden
2. Texas Roadhouse
3. T.G.I.Fridays
4. Corona Village
5. Cracker Barrell
6. McAlisters Deli
7. Linda's Kitchen (AKA my Mom's)
8. Becky's Kitchen (AKA My Mom-in-laws)


8 Things that happened yesterday: (Oh geez, this is asking a lot!)
1.Slept in with my husband, loved it
2. Spent too much time on the computer
3. DIDN'T waste my time/money to watch the Cowboys play
4. Cleaned the apartment
5. Took Steven lunch after being stuck behind a family of 10 at Subway so he could eat while he studied ALL DAY
6. Prepared Nursery lesson
7. Went to General Relief Society Broadcast, loved it too :)
8. Grabbed a few groceries on my way home


8 Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Getting my dental hygiene license, if that ever happens
2. Getting a job and using my expensive education
3. Going home for Ross's baptism in two weeks
4. The Holidays, love them
5. Motivation to lose 5 lbs to find me....soon please....
6. Steven's graduation
7. Moving to Powell
8. Starting a family....eventually

8 People I tag:
1. Amy
2. Andrea
3. Kara
4. Karissa
5. Lindi
6. Shannon
7. Susan
8. Whoever else wants to do this :)