One of the best soups I've ever eaten.

Josh and I bought a soup book from Tjmax the other day called 100 best fresh soups. If you don't know this about us we are major soup lovers and connoisseurs. We are determined to make and try as many soups as we can. He made this one the other night and it was absolutely to die for. I am not kidding. It was almost addictive and not to mention good for you!

So here is the recipe. Don't leave out the cinnamon even though it sounds weird!

Roasted Squash, Sweet Potato and Garlic Soup

Serves 6-8 (But we ate it for lunch and dinner....and we ate the whole pot. I was stuffed but it was just so good! I suggest eating it with sour dough bread....which we ate the whole loaf if as well...oops!)

1 Large sweet potato

1 Large Butternut squash

1 Medium Onion

2 tbsp of olive oil (or enough to brush over squash, potato and onions).

5-6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

3 3/4 cups chicken stock (About two cans).

1/2 cup heavy cream (the book said light but whatever).

Salt and pepper

About a tsp of cinnamon. (This wasn't in the recipe but Josh just sort of splashed some in there. It adds a really nice touch and a little goes a long way).

Preheat oven to 375 F, or 190 C.

1.) Cut the sweet potato, squash, and onions in half lengthwise, through to the stem end. Scoop the seeds out of the squash. Brush the cut sides with olive oil.

2.) Put the vegetables, cut-side down, in a shallow roasting pan. (We used a baking sheet with tin foil on it for easy clean-up). Add garlic cloves. Roast in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, until tender and light brown. (Josh says to take the garlic out at about 30 minutes or they will explode!)

3.) When cool, scoop the flesh from the potato and squash halves, and put in a saucepan with the onions. Remove the garlic peel and add the soft insides to the other vegetables. (Don't worry that the onions and garlic are in chunks you will be blending the soup!)

4.) Add the stock and a pinch of salt. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender.

5.) Allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor or blender and process until smooth, working in batches, if necessary. (DO NOT OVER BLEND! Josh and I just used a hand blender right in the pot. If you over blend it becomes frothy and that's gross. Blend just until the chunks are gone it should still be creamy but have some texture to it. Sort of grainy like a mashed potato you know?).

6.) Return the soup to the rinsed-out pan and stir in the cream.(Josh added a half a cube of butter....I don't know why but it was so good so do it!) Season to taste with salt and pepper (and the tsp of cinnamon), then simmer for 5-10 minutes until completely heated through.

Vuala! You have made the most wonderful soup ever! This soup is even good when it is cold! Just be careful that you don't over eat because it is easy to do.

Until the next soup.

Day #6

My favorite Super Hero and why:

Ok so most of you won't count this but I don't really care.

Captain Moroni is my super hero. Why? Because he is super....and he's my hero...hence...well you get it.

If you want to know why Moroni is awesome or don't know who he is and would like to know you can read about him here. You could skip to Alma but I suggest reading the whole thing. There are a lot of other super people in this book like Nephi, Helaman, Enos, Lehi or even Moroni (Mormons son).

Call it cheating. I call it realistic. :)

Day #5

A picture of a somewhere I have been:

I realize (since it was pointed out to me) that the caption on this photo is incorrect. Belize is a Country haha. It says Belize Mexico. Just excuse that mild error if you will. Anyways, I have been to Belize when I went on a cruise with my Dad, step-mom and step-sister in 2007. It was beautiful, and oh so hot. I actually don't have a picture of the place I wanted to show you. My favorite place that I have been outside the country so far is Guatemala. It along with Belize has some amazing jungles, beautiful turquoise oceans and white sandy beaches. I loved it. I hope to do a lot more traveling outside of the country so I can say I've been somewhere amazing. Hopefully Europe is in my future. We'll see :).

Day #4

The only problem with this 30 day blog challenge is that I have to be in the mood to blog and the past few days I haven't been. So I'm sorry that this is late...speaking to whoever actually reads my blog.

A habit I wish I didn't have:

Interrupting people. I have had this habit ever since I can remember. I just can't seem to hold back a comment or have the patience to wait until someone is done saying something. People just take too long. If I don't say what I need to say I'll forget what I wanted to. Its like a burning craze inside of me. "Muuust...comment...NOW!" Otherwise most people just carry on and on and you'll never get to say what you want to. I don't enjoy this habit. I find it really embarrassing when I interrupt unintentionally, and most of the time it is just that. Unintentional. (I promise!). So to all of you that have been interrupted by me at one time or another I'm sorry. I can't help it. Not that I like being interrupted but maybe I do it because it drives me nuts when people don't comment or reply when you say something. It makes me feel like they aren't listening. Whatever the case I'm sorry. It is getting better though, much better.

My other bad habit is repeating myself. My family has pointed this out to me numerous times, more times than I can even remember. I don't even know why I do it. It's like if subconsciously I don't think I explained something right, didn't make it sound cool enough, or I didn't get the right reaction than I always repeat it in another way. It drives my husband nuts. I don't even realize that I'm doing it a lot of the time, but a lot of the time I do notice it....it is just usually too late by that time. It is something I have started to pay attention to. I try to think about what I want to say a little bit more so that it comes out right the first time. Just like writing. Everything I write on my blog is somewhat premeditated, or at least I can correct it as I go. I try to do that more often when Im speaking. Anyways, I digress. I will do better :)

Day #3

A picture of you and your friends.

This one is a bit tough because I don't really have any recent pictures of my friends.

But this works:

These are the best friends anyone could ask for!

Day #2

The meaning behind my blog name:

Well unfortunately i'm not very creative so my blog name for the next few months is pretty self-explanatory.

We just really, really love fall!

(Thank you Dani for the picture, it was too good to pass up!)

Day 1

15 interesting things about myself...

I thought this was kind of funny because to answer these you have to find yourself interesting. I will do my best.

1.) When I am having a bad day there are a list of things that always cheer me up. I have never told anyone. Josh is the only exception. Here it is: Sharpened pencils, new crisp notebooks, slippers, pajama pants, new good smelling hand soaps, buying do-das, a hand written letter or note, a back rub, my hair played with and a good cry.

2.) I have always interrupted people. I can't stop. I've tried. (But it is getting better :)

3.) I secretly hate that I need to be the center of attention sometimes.

4.) I love taking pictures and having my picture taken.

5.) When I was little I wanted to name my kids Tommy and Emily and often made my siblings play house using those names.

6.) I am afraid of heights but LOVE rock climbing.

7.) I loved High School Musical

8.) I secretly wish my life was a musical so I could have background music to everything I do, everywhere I go...also so I could randomly break out into song and instead of getting weird looks from people they would just join in. I love to sing; in the car, in the shower, around the house really loud and silly, and especially opera because it makes my husband laugh.

9.) I love to draw, but I'm not very good at it so I would rather color. (Yes color. Like in a coloring book).

10.) I like almost every vegetable besides parsnips and brussels sprouts.

11.) The idea of a hot bubble bath always sounds wonderful but I can't stand sitting there for more than 10 minutes.

12.) I once told a stranger that my husband was over seas so I wouldn't feel stupid going to a movie alone. (Which I secretly love to do).

13.) I lOVE shopping with my husband and he has a better fashion sense than I do.

14.) I was obsessed with Barbies as a child. When i'm shopping alone I sometimes wander through the barbie isle and pick out in my mind the ones I would have wanted.

15.) I love to travel.

Looked like fun...

30-Day Blog Challenge

I am stealing this idea from a friend who stole it from a friend. I thought it sounded like fun so we will see if I can stick to it. This is the list so you know what to expect, and so you can join in too if you would like!

1. A recent pic of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
2. The meaning behind your blog name
3. A picture of you and your friends
4. A habit you wish you didn't have
5. A pic of somewhere you have been
6. Favorite super hero and why
7. A picture of something/someone who has the biggest impact on you
8. Short term goals for this month and why
9. Something you are proud of in the last few days
10. Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad
11. Another pic of you and your friends
12. How you found out about blogs and why you made one
13. A letter to someone who hurt you recently
14. A pic of you and your family
15. Put your ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
16. Another pic of yourself
17. Someone you would want to switch lives with for 1 day and why
18. Plans/dreams/goals you have
19. Nicknames you have, why
20. Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future
21. A pic of something that makes you happy
22. What makes you different from everyone else
23. Something you crave
24. A letter to your parents
25. What I would find in your blog
26. What you think about your friends
27. Why are you doing this 30-day challenge
28. A pic of you last year and now, how have you changed
29. In the past month what have you learned
30. Who are you?

Fall Happenings.

I don't know about you, but to me this last month has absolutely flown by. I can't even believe we are into the fall months and that we are coming up on Halloween!

It seems like yesterday we were complaining about the broken swamp cooler and now we are turning on the heat for the first time this year.

Its fall! Which means it's football season. I won't get into it but BYU has had a rough start this year. We did enjoy going to the second game of the season, and although we got slaughtered we enjoyed sun-baking and watching the game.

Well earlier this month mom mentioned to me that herself, Grandma and Grandpa would be heading down to Utah from Alberta Canada to do some shopping for their mission. Grandma and Grandpa have been called to serve in Fiji. I was very excited to see them. I always look forward to General Conference but it is even better to enjoy it with family. While I was on my lunch break the friday before conference, mom and Aunt Julie called me and told me that while they were shopping Grandpa had passed out and that they were taking him to the hospital in an ambulance. (Who would have thought he hated shopping so much?)

Knowing Grandpas health history and knowing that he had never really been sick in his life I didn't think too much of it. His Doctors tell him he has the heart of an athlete. Come to find out later that he had a stroke and it wasn't a small one. (Really Grandpa you could have just faked a cold or something!).

Things were kind of up in the air there for a couple of days not knowing what was going on or what to think. I was really glad that mom, Aunt Julie and Uncle Dale were all there at the time and that we could be with each other during the uncertainty of it all as well as the rest of the family through phone calls and e-mails. Although it was unsettling and we weren't sure what the outcome was going to be we all pulled together as a family and helped each other through. Grandpa spent a couple of days in the ICU through weekend and then was moved to a regular floor for a few more days. Our family has been blessed to not have had to deal with these sort of complications in the past. It was really hard to watch someone we all love struggle and feel so terrible being hooked up to all kinds of machinery in the hospital where no one wants to be. It was however really interesting to watch numerous blessings take place as the days went on. One being that Grandpa was here in Utah, in one of the best stroke hospitals in the country, with one of the best stroke specialists in the country and NOT in Fiji on some island or on the road driving like he had been a few days before. Also, his family doctor just happened to be down here in Utah staying with family for conference and was able to come to the hospital and help. Grandma and Grandpa were so blessed by the courtesy's and love of so many people and not to mention Heavenly Father.

It was amazing to hear the conference talks this time around. It seems to me that the general authorities often repeat gospel principals and topics each session. But, isn't it interesting how certain things will stick out to you that didn't before? I always find that you hear what you need to hear at the time. There were many things that stood out to me while watching conference at home and at the hospital with Grandpa. One message in particular was something along these lines: "If you are currently serving a mission, planning on serving or are preparing to serve; don't worry about finances. Things will work out and you will be blessed!" It is so true.

Grandpa is still recovering but has since returned to Aunt Julie's house. He will be here for a couple of weeks so that they can monitor his health before he goes home. There have been no residual effects and he is expected to make a full recovery. I saw him on Sunday for Canadian thanksgiving and from what I could tell he was back to his old chipper grandpa self, and boy am I glad.

Grandpa, don't you think for a second that anyone would be happy without you around. We sure love you and are certainly grateful for the blessing that you are in our lives. :) I love you! And don't you dare do that to us again!

I am so grateful to have Grandparents that whether they know it or not are such great examples to their grandchildren. I have always looked up to them and have always known that I can look to them for guidance in my life. For a long time I lived off their testimonies combined with that of my moms. I was telling Josh the other day how to me Grandma and especially Grandpa are the most spiritually in tune people I have ever met and that I am always impressed with their abilities to turn any discussion to the gospel. That must be where mom gets it ;). Grandma and Grandpa know the gospel is true and live it in every aspect of their lives with faith that Heavenly Father will provide, no matter the circumstance and especially while you are in his service. I really have a testimony of my own that in times of need and in every day life Heavenly Father does provide and take care of the small details. We may not notice and overlook these little daily blessings but if you stop and look for them they really add up. I am grateful for trials and moments of difficulty because usually they are when I recognize the blessings I have been given the most. Aunt Julie has a quote above her window that says: "Joy is what happens to us when we realize how good things really are." I have been striving to make this a point in my life each day to find joy, and to know how good things really, really are and to realize how blessed I truly am. I have a job, a wonderful husband, a humble home, a family who loves me and a Heavenly Father that knows me by name.

Josh and I have sort of unconsciously established a family motto: "Tis neither good nor bad; but thinking makes it so." It is a good reminder to have faith and know that I choose to be happy. Life is great.

Mom I didn't forget you! Mom turned 35 over the weekend and although we didn't do what I consider enough celebrating she did let Josh and I take her to dinner and make her a cake! Mom, thanks for being so wonderful. We love you! Happy belated birthday!

Uncle Dale it was SO good to see you! You don't come 'round as much as we'd like :)

We didn't notice we were all holding hands until after. haha.