Update

Not a whole lot has been happening lately. James and I went on a walk the other night and ended up at Target. We bought the Bourne trilogy. I haven’t seen any of them so I was excited to watch one.

We went to St. George last weekend for a trip with his family. It was so much fun to be away for a weekend! We went to Zions on Sunday for the day which was a blast! A few pictures to come soon!!

I found this picture on Pinterest the other day, and I really love it. I sure hope Utah doesn't get a fall snow so early where all the leaves are on the trees still. I want time to enjoy fall.

(source)

Happy Friday!!

Welcome October!! Tomato Tortellini Soup recipe!

Welcome Fall!!!!

I made this recipe on the first day of Fall, even though it was like 80 degrees outside, I wanted soup for fall.

Tomato Tortellini Soup - Yummy!

1 Package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini

2 Cans (10 3/4 oz each) reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup, undiluted

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups 2% milk

2 cups half and half 

1/2 cup chipped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Additional Parmesan cheese optional to sprinkle on top

Cook tortellini according to package directions (I think it would be good to cook the tortellini in the broth and tomato soup so there's more flavor in the tortellini).

Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, (I used an 8 quart stockpot since I doubled it.) combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently.

Drain tortellini and carefully add to soup. (Very slowly, you don't want it to splash on you!) Stir in cheese and sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired. Yield: 10 servings (2 1/2 quarts).

(Source) for recipe

James bought the big package of tortellini, so I decided to double the recipe. Boy did we get a TON of soup. You could easily use twice as much tortellini with the same amount of liquids if you like a lot of STUFF in your soup more than the broth. Which we do, so I think we will do that next time we make it. This recipe would also be good with shrimp. Mmm, so good.  James and I also drove up the canyon last week. The leaves are changing. It's beautiful.

We set the camera on the top of the car with the self timer to get a picture, we're so clever!!

This little heart of mine, means a lot.

Yesterday James and I were cleaning out his left over boxes from when he cleaned out his room two weeks ago. I'm in the other room folding laundry when he yells over "I am so mad at you!" I walked over to see what he was going to bug me about when he holds out his hand with this little heart. He said that mad wasn't the right word, but he couldn't believe he found this little heart. 

Four years ago, I decorated James' room for one of our high school dances with these hearts and other confetti.We were mean when we asked each other and would trash each others rooms to respond our yes or no (It was always a yes.) We cleaned them up right away, but it seems randomly we would get one stuck on our foot, or find it hooked to a sock, or just chilling on his floor. We would find one or two every time we cleaned his room too.

To find one in our new condo is insane. It has been four years and these little suckers are still hanging around. It made me smile though. I am so happy that I decided to marry James, my High School sweetheart. Finding these little hearts, remind me of when we were first dating, and how exciting life was. Now we are married and our adventure is just barely beginning.

10 things I love and dislike about Fall

Here is my list of disliked and loved things about fall. What are your favorite things? What are your most disliked things about fall?

Dislike
Winter follows Fall
Mornings are dark, Evenings are dark (Daylight savings)
Iced over windshields
Cold fingers and toes
Snow. (Most falls in Utah have snow!)
You can't go outside and lay by the pool (In Utah)
Having to rake up leaves
Waiting for the car to warm up
Ice cream just makes you more cold
Icy Roads


Love
Seat warmers
Leaves change color / Drives up the canyon
Boots
Fire places
Snuggling
Soup
Rain (This can either be a con or a pro, I love the rain so it goes under pro on my list)
Hot chocolate, tea, cider and coffee
Leaves covering the streets
Hoodies

Tomato Tortellini Soup. Recipe to come soon!

10 things to do on a LAZY Friday.

Today is definitely a lazy Friday. I don't feel like doing anything! Work is dragging, I didn't get much sleep last night and I have a headache. The last thing I want to do is call people at work all day about credit cards. Lame sauce. So I am writing this post, and making a list of things I wish I could be doing instead, and maybe you can have yourself a lazy Friday with some of these things.

1. Put your feet up and lay back to take a nap.
2. Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and sit outside to enjoy the fall air.
3. Go and have lunch at your favorite cafe. Order dessert.
4. Take a nice warm bath.
5. Make cookies or cupcakes.
6. Write a love note to your sweetheart.
7. Call someone you haven't talked with in a long time. Like a parent, sibling or a friend.
8. Have massage night.
9. Go buy yourself a prize.
10. Make a list of 20 things you are grateful for or happy about.

P.s I love my new car!!

Before and after thrift finds

In my previous post found here I found these pictures of the old shade. I apologize because these are the best pictures I had of it. We (Jam and I) decided to slice our names into the shade. It was dangerous so much fun!

Before

I was also incorrect with where I found two of the three lamps. I found a picture I had taken and sent to James to see what he thought. I got the first two at Savers, not DI. I did find the third lamp at DI a few weeks later and it's practically identical.

BEFORE

They were $8 which is really kinda pricy for me. I do think the one at DI was about $7. All my lamp shades I've gotten for around $2 or $3 which is good I think.

AFTER

Except for this shade. This shade was sooo freaking ugly, I don't see anyone wanting to buy it for $3 and planning on using this shade.

BEFORE

I mean isn't that just hideous? As I was taking it apart cutting it to pieces,  whoever made this, put a lot of work into it. Each strip of fabric was glued to each other, then they hot glued every flower on, as well as the lace.. it just went on and on. Plus it was all on top of the ORIGINAL shade. Wow.

AFTER

Muchhhhh better. Plus it adds four times the light into our room and I have all my lamps covered with my shades (wires)!! Definite plus.

New job nerves.

Luckily, I'm not the one starting a new job. Jam found a job!! HOOOOO-RAY! He starts tomorrow at 7am!! Too early. We decided (since his new job is just down the road from mine) that we would ride together and he would drop me off in the morning and pick me up on his way home. It does save a little bit of our gas which is nice.. but 7am is freaking EARLY!

I don't know if I can do it. But, at least we have two cars if I really can't.

Saturday I will thrift again and try to remember to take pictures of the things I previously bought.

This week has been good because;
1. JAM FOUND A JOB!!!!
2. We had two birthdays in James' family! Such happy days :)
3. We were able to successfully make all of our big payments. (2 car payments, Rent and my ring payment!)
4. I had a lot of snuggle time with James.
5. I made dinner last night. (recipe to come for Parmesan Chicken! Via Pinterest via the website it linked to.)
6. We got a cute lamp from his sister to "store" til she buys her home and has room for it. It is so cute!
7. We got a cute pot rack from the same sisters' mother-in-law. It is adorable. (pic to come too!)
8. I had plenty of diet coke and mountain dew this morning to help me last this 8 1/2 hour day at work.
9. At 7pm I get to go and meet James' mom and sisters for dinner for his sisters birthday!
10. I've gotten so far in the book I'm reading!! (A Painted House By John Grisham) It's pretty good.

Hooray for happiness and the week isn't over yet!

Thrift find number one.

I bought this lamp shade originally with an actual shade on it. Then I ripped it to pieces! It was originally purple and definitely not cute. The price was $2 at the local deseret industries which was a great deal, plus I got to shred it to pieces!  The hardest thing about taking the shade off was the hot glue around the bottom ring. But it easily came off with my nails. The lamp is also DI which was $7 I found two at the same time and a few weeks later I found a third! (I have great luck finding matching things at DI at different times!) I love this look because it is very industrial/vintage and it lets a lot of light through in our dark room. We have a crappy ceiling fan that takes 40 watt bulbs, not regular bulbs, but the old skinny and long antique looking ones. Fail. But I do love the fan on our crappy light! It keeps our room cool so we don't have to keep our A/C on all night. More thrift finds to come!

I never made my bed growing up.

I never made my bed growing up. Ever. When James and I got married he asked me a favor... Can I please make the bed in the morning? I laughed at him! I told him that I never made my bed growing up, and what's the point because you just get into it every night and mess it up. I told him no, but laughed and told him I was kidding. Although, I really meant it when I said no. The next morning, after he left for work and I got up to get to work, I made it for him. It hasn't quite become a habit yet, but it does feel nice climbing into a bed where the sheets are tight. It's almost as good as the first night after you wash your sheets!

Today when I came to work my co-worker told me she tagged me in an article on Facebook. I clicked on it and it directed me to this article. Now I will have to go home and show James and tell him he had the right idea all along. Then I'll go - bahh-humbug.

Oh the surprises of marriage.
I am now stuck making my bed for the rest of my life.
Maybe I will like it after a while.

But that is okay, because we love each other. - Cheesy!

Becoming Unemployed.

Jam is unemployed. He quit. He hated his job. So why keep working there? He worked from 7:45am to 6:30pm most nights Monday - Saturday. Minus Tuesday most weeks. It has been almost two weeks of him not having a job, and not having any luck finding another. It is nice having him home during the day and I can go home for lunch and be with him. Plus when I come home at night after work, he's usually tidied up a bit. (Like making our bed.. just the sheets because our bed spread ripped from our bed frame! Vacuuming! Laundry!) Honestly, he just gets sick of looking for a job constantly. So I made him lists of other things he can do when he's not looking.

I found this funny picture off of Pinterest! This is just like James' list! Bahhhah.

I really am dying to go thrifting today. I got to work about 7:50am this morning.. and I was going to go back home and take a nap.. but I don't think that will happen today. I'll let you know what goodies I find!!

Honestly, I hate journals.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love the idea of journals and the fact of keeping memories and hardships. But I honestly I hate the feeling of having to write in a journal. So I came across a picture on pinterest (of course) of a book called "One Line A Day" from Urban Outfitters. I decided I would buy this book and keep "one line a day" while we are married. About a week after we were married, I told James about it and asked if he wanted me to get him one. He said he wouldn't mind one (that's a definite yes). So I went searching for our books. I decided to buy it on amazon because it was cheaper. I got it in the mail and we quickly went over the days since we were married and caught up. We decided that we would read each others on our anniversaries over the years. The book goes for five years!! I really do love it.

The other night, we were laying in bed writing in our books. James glanced over and noticed how much I was writing (if I run out of room, I will go around the sides and up around the date at the top of the page. He looks at me and goes, "Why do you write so much? If I run out of room.. I just stop." Hahah that's not how it works for me. I need to get a piece of every part I want to write about. So I told him this and he said, Why don't you just write in a regular journal? I told him because it's not as fun as this one is. He said that maybe in five years when we get new books, I can look for one that says A Paragraph A Day. He is so dang cute.

Bridals - Only to catch fire a few weeks later.

These pictures were taken in Alpine, UT. A few weeks later, it caught on fire! I want to drive over and see what it looks like now. I am glad that I got to take pictures there when it was so beautiful.

My wedding centerpieces - Wedding Teaser

Everything in my wedding centerpieces came from thrift stores, or eBay. Oooh I love good deals!!! I opted to buy my own center pieces different from the reception centers because I knew what I loved, and they didn't have it. These are just the pictures taken from the reception center and I can't wait to get mine back from my photographer!!! 

Alaska and Ben and Jerry's ice cream!

I got an email from James!!! I was so excited when I saw it on my phone last night. It was short and sweet but it was nice to hear that things are going good! I also got a few pictures from his dad; I have to say… my husband is adorable.  (On the right)

Last night, my brother invited me over for dinner. I hadn’t seen him or his family since my wedding and it was nice hanging out with them. After dinner, we went to Chuck E Cheese’s for the kids to have some fun. Honestly it was fun for me too. I had no idea it was so cheap! Then we went to Target and picked up the movie 17 Again and some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. I picked Red Velvet Cake and oooooh it was so good.

I really needed the ice cream, I have been a little down with James gone and it was a nice comfort! I can't wait to finish the other half!

Clocking in at 10:40am, and yeast infections and pregnancy tests in section two.

James left for Alaska yesterday. It’s only been a day and a half but I miss him. I’m sad I was mad at him the night before he left. Unfortunately/fortunately, there is no phone service or internet where he is staying. Yesterday, my day consisted of cleaning the house, watching TV at my mom’s (due to us not having cable), taking out a foot and a half by 8 foot crochet blanket to start over, and watching Sweet Home Alabama. It wasn’t very eventful. Luckily today, I have work to busy me for 8 hours. A huge plus with James gone is that I can sleep in more. He wakes up at 7 every morning so normally I wake up with him and just get ready and go to work. Today, I rolled into work at 10:40am – go me.

James is on the right, with his dad in the middle and his brother on the right.

On Saturday, I saw a sweet orange tabby cat as I was leaving our condo. She ran right up to me and was running around with a collar bouncing with her hops. Today, there is a missing sign posted on our building for her. Poor kitty, I hope she comes home.

Warning, this next section will talk about yeast infections and pregnancy tests.

I feel like I have been on a plethora of antibiotics lately. First of all, I’m on one for acne which is doing quite well so there’s plus one.

Then I had a bloody bladder infection. Again. I now have to go and see a bladder specialist to make sure there isn’t anything wrong. Plus two.

Two weeks ago, I got a tetanus shot. I get them in my leg because it’s a bigger muscle to absorb such a harsh shot. (Maybe I’m crazy but I don’t feel it gets as sore.) It then got infected and became a huge hard golf ball on my quad. Then, my lymph nodes in my groin swelled, and I got a fever. Plus three.

Now, with all these antibiotics going on at once, my body welcomed a wonderful yeast infection. Oh the life of women and antibiotics. All itchy and uncomfortable... you know what I'm talking about.

Now I believe it was the third antibiotic that naturally made me nauseous for over a week and half. Which then made me think I was pregers. Even James was beginning to wonder if we’ve created a honeymoon baby.

When I went to buy the pregers test, I was casual and went to the female cashier. She had to ask me if she could bag the milk and the test in the same bag since the milk might leak on the test and mess it up. I told her I wasn't worried. She seemed at least partially sympathetic. 

Now I did it the easy way. You pee into a cup and then dip the test in. Much easier than trying to pee on the stick while magically controlling your body to stop after five seconds. Now it was negative, although a small part of me hoped I was positive. But the realistic part knew I wasn't.

I've now officially created a little kid board on my Pinterest - judge me or not but I'm excited to become a mom.

Two weeks and counting.. up.

James and I have been married for two weeks and one day.
I love him more every day.

He leaves drawers and cupboards open every chance he gets.

I follow him through each room and shut them all.

He gets frustrated that I don't have an organizing system for my mail.

I'll sit with him and go through it all.

Our married life isn't much different then when we were dating. 

After being together for over three and a half years,

we haven't gotten sick of each other yet.

I love coming home and having him there.

I love being able to fall asleep with him next to me.

I love the love.

Work, work, work

So at my job, we have a new list of clients to call each week.

There are a handful that have hilarious names, and I wanted to share those with you.

Last name winners:

Diggle
Harju
Fortenberry

First name winners:

Marigaye
Theodorus
Patricka

High Hopes

So there comes a time in your life, where responsibility really shows through. Whether it's starting a job and being on time, or starting college (high school really doesn't count because you can still pass with hardly going). I would say mine began my Sophomore year in high school. My parents had separated that November and my sister and I had to change schools. After a few months passed, I had gotten a car, started a job, and was now the sole driver to take my sister and I to school ten miles away, and myself to my job to pay for gas. Ever since, I think I have always had an expectancy for my responsibility and others I surrounded myself with.

I hate when things are out of my control. Especially, when something falls out of my expectancy for someone else's responsibility level.

Example number one: High hopes that person will move out of your lane completely the second they turn on their turn signal. NEVER happens (unless you're the one following me! :) )

Example number two: Everyone in the family of the person you're dating will love you. FALSE, someone will always have a problem with something.

Note to self.. don't get your hopes too high that they are unreasonable.. you can't do anything about anyone else, but can make due with what you do have.

AH hooray!! Instagram for Andriod!!

Now, I am definitely an apple/mac girl. But I have an Android phone, and we finally have Instagram!!

Noodles and Companies Pasta Fresca!! :)

James in his Jeep!

So James and I were catching up on his greatly needed homework.. he was getting mad at finding the correct map of Central Asia without Northern Asia.. he made this face.

Kills me every time!

Engagement

James and I got engaged on February 14, 2012. I cannot explain how excited I am to marry him. Here is a sneak of the ring.. story to come soon!

The beginning of James and Tiffany - part 1

Here is the beginning of my love story between my sweet James and I.

I couldn't help myself, I am madly in love :)


I was a Sophmore in high school, he was a Senior, and I needed a ride to school. My friend that was originally giving me a ride to school couldn't anymore on B days. So he suggested James to give me a ride on those days. James and I had met earlier that summer at a pool party he threw. I was dating one of his friends so it was a casual meeting. I remember that August afternoon as I approached James with at least four other girls already walking with him to ask him for a ride. I caught up with him and embarrassingly asked him if he could give me a ride on B days. His Jeep only had two seats and he was already giving another girl a ride, but he said he could anyway as it was a short way between my house and the high school. I had no problem at the time riding in the back of his jeep, as the other seat was taken by the other girl. Pffff. Yha, yha, I was jealous a little.. haha no hard feelings to the girl of course.

(Most recent trip to Moab, November 2010. I worked my way up to get the front seat :) hahah )

For some background information, an ex boyfriend had recently started talking to me again and we were thinking of going out again. He had broken my heart before, so I was skeptical and wanted to keep a distance so we only remained friends. I wasn't really looking for a boyfriend and didn't even realize I liked James at all until August 28, 2008. I was with this ex boyfriend when my one of my friends called me and asked if I wanted to go to a football game. I wanted a night out so I left my ex and went with her to the game.

We were watching the game from the railing in front of the stands when I got a text message. It said something to the effect of "Way to say hi to me". It was from James so I turned and looked around and there he was on the stands waving to me. He got up with his friends and walked down to us. We began talking for a bit, but then went our separate ways as the game went on. Every time we saw them we would talk a minute and one of the boys could never remember my name, so I kept telling him different names, Emily, Megan, Heather, it was too funny and James enjoyed watching him suffer as he was so confused.

My friend had driven us to the game and she parked in the Burger King parking lot across the street from the high school. At the end of the game we went to get the car, but it had been towed. I asked James if he could give me a ride home and he said he would. James and I all climbed into his Jeep, when his two other friends ran up and jumped in the back. We started driving down the streets with my hair flying as he didn't have his top to his jeep on. (I later found out from James that he was going to try to kiss me that night, so soon I know!! I wouldn't have let him anyway :) But then his friends decided to ride with us, he says he was so upset. What a goofball :) )


We drove down the road listening to the Atreyu remake of the Bon Jovi song You Give Love a Bad Name (I know we are hard core). Of course, with me being a huge Bon Jovi fan, I knew all the words and sang along. I hope he was impressed haha. The next time we hung out, James and and one of his friends boxed each other in James' basement. What a "I want to show off" moment. We even recorded it, and he would kill me if I posted it hahahaha. It was the best. We were slowly hanging out more and moreeee.

Now, you can't forget the ex boyfriend in the background. We were still hanging out, but I was beginning to realize I liked James a lot more. Now, please, please remember that we were not "official" so I wasn't cheating on him with James at all. I was single, and dating around.

Another week or so went by, and it was my friend birthday. I explained to the ex boyfriend my plans for the night and he seemed fine. For her party, we all meet at a close by high school for what I believe was their Homecoming football game, and afterward we would go to her house for a sleepover.  I don't remember how it worked out, but James drove me out there to drop me off. He decided he would walk around with me until I found my friend.

James and I were walking around looking for my friend - holding hands. We were walking around for probably ten or fifteen minutes when we got to a point and turned back the other way. It was then that I was face to face with my ex boyfriend, holding hands with James. Can you say awkward?