What's the Fun Of Being Engaged If You Can't Look at Wedding Dresses?

Even though we are planning a long engagement, I still have to admit that I am so excited about getting married! One of the few things I do have in mind for the wedding is something laid back. Both Alan and I are casual people, so there's no reason to squeeze into an uncomfortable stuffy dress just to get a good photo-op. I want casual. I want an outdoor wedding. I can't wait.

Here's a couple of dresses I think are adorable and fit my style.

I'm not the most conventional of people, either. I love this dress. Do we think my grandma would absolutely hate it if I got married in a grey dress? ...Yeah, probably so.

Even though I know this is maybe more of a bridesmaid dress, I totally dig it for a bride's dress. Too cute.

Lovely Evening

The last few weeks, I have been having a hard time not being in school. If it makes any sense, I prefer to be behind a computer screen, my hand with a pen and notebook beneath it, and my nose in a book. I like school. I am good at it. I miss it so very much.

It is making it hard for me to focus at work and remember that in August, I will be back in the classroom, in my first semester of grad school. I can’t wait.

Tonight, I needed a relaxed night. I needed to decompress, and just hang out with Alan and sweet Shelby. And that’s exactly what I got. I made a batch of my mother’s biscuits, and Alan made Mexican Hot Chocolate. We sat on the couch and ate and drank (the healthiest meal ever, yessir!), I wrestled with Shelby for awhile, and tossed a ball around the house for a bit because it is way too cold to play outside, and then laid down with him as Alan watched the news. Have I mentioned how my sweet Shelby dog loves to lay with me on the floor while I spoon with him. It is absolutely precious. I adore this dog!

Later, Alan and I both nosed around blogs (me) and StockMarket sites (Alan) while in our pajamas on the couch together. I read through my cousin Kate’s blog and read up on her beautiful family’s life. It got me so excited to see what my future with Alan holds. I cannot wait to be married to him, to have a child someday, to have a child who gets to wrestle with sweet Shelby, and then collapses out of exhaustion on the floor together.

There is so much good ahead. I cannot wait. Forever is going to be so amazing with Alan by my side.

Since We Lasted Talked, In Numbers

Well, a LOT has happened around here since I last posted. In numbers, here's a breakdown:

MILLIONS of calories consumed.

33 presents wrapped for the Redding family Christmas that was hosted at Alan and my home.

14 times sweeping the wooden floors throughout this house that never seem to stay clean.

8 boxes of Christmas lights purchased at half price for decorating next year.

4 different soups/stews made on the new stove.

3 different Christmas celebrations.

1 engagement ring given to me from Alan!

One of the Only Ways I Like Sweet Potatoes

If there is one thing my family can agree on, it is that no sweet food is allowed for dinner. Only dessert. Does that make sense? As in...we don't eat foods with sweet marinades, no pumpkin dinner rolls with maple sugar butter, no carrots with brown sugar, no sweet potatoes with marshmallows on them. I can't even remember ever even having marshmallows in the house growing up, for that matter.

Because of the "No sweets for dinner!" rule, I never had sweet potatoes until I met Alan. I thought I hated them, only because I didn't know of other ways to cook them. Alan told me there were other ways. I was hesitant.

I found this recipe and have adapted it along the way, and it is one of my favorites. Any time we have sweet potatoes on hand, I will usually make these. They're my favorite.

PS, although I said I don't like sweet things, this recipe does have a bit of brown sugar in it. Alan also taught me that a tiny bit of sugar in recipes will help bring out other flavors and also give a good crispness to certain things when baked...like these!

Hot Crash Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1 inch thick
1 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Using a saucepan, use enough water to cover your potatoes, salt the water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and set the timer for 10 minutes – time from when you put the potatoes in, not from when the water starts to boil.As the potatoes boil, mix your spices together in a small bowl.

These ended up taking about 12 minutes, though you may need to pull some out as they feel "done". You want them to be somewhat soft but not cooked through. Stick a fork in 'em...you'll know if they're done or not. Let them cool off for 10 minutes or so – they will hold together a little better for the next step.

After they cool, squish em! I use a fork and make little criss-crosses in them, like you do with peanut butter cookies. As you do it a little bit at a time, the potatoes will start squishing down more and more for you. Try not to squish 'em too much though, you want them to hold together into disks.

Drizzle each of them with a tiny bit of olive oil and then sprinkle each one with the spice mixture, pressing it lightly on the surface. Carefully turn them over and coat the other side with the oil and the spices. Roast them in the oven, set at 375º for about 15 minutes, turn them over and roasted them another 10 minutes, till they had a nice crust on both sides from the caramelization of the sugar and spices.Aren't they so pretty? Every time I make them I add/subtract other spices. The other night I made 'em with more garlic than chili powder...I recommend sticking with the original recipe. It's tried and true!

PS: Try not to make them with those crazy huge sweet potatoes that show up in the megastores around the holidays. I get mine from the local health food center, which makes a lot of difference. The ones that are more than 2 inches in diameter are hard to squish and don't caramelize as much.

Christmas is quickly approaching

I absolutely love decorating for Christmas time. For that one month of the year, my home is shiny and pink and green and teal and red and purple and lights and ornaments and wreaths and trees. Love it. Here are several Christmas decoration ideas that I love.