Cory and Michele

Jeepin' Again

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:40:00 +0000

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family! This awesome four diggin', hunter green, raccoon slaying machine joined our family on Friday night. It even already went on its first hunting trip on Saturday morning.

It is getting a bath ready to come home with us from the Dealership

It is a fully loaded, automatic everything, extremely roomy, 4-door Jeep Sahara. Cory has already ordered big mud tires for it, which will be here in a couple of weeks. Cory misses his old Jeep but is so excited that at least he has another, even bigger Jeep to take him on all of his adventures.

The Accident

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:17:00 +0000

On Friday morning Cory was on his way to Farmington Bay to go duck hunting when all of a sudden a raccoon jumped out onto the road in front of his Jeep. He slightly jerked the wheel to avoid hitting the little critter, but unfortunately when he did this it caused the small hunting boat he was towing to fish tail, which then caused him to lose control of the Jeep. He headed toward the middle of the road and then veered in the other direction toward the other side of the road, up a small hill, jumped a 20 foot drop, and went through two fences.

I took this picture a little while after I arrived on the seen. When I first got there it was really dark and you could see the silhouettes of duck decoys all over the road. Cory is just a little sore and shaken up, but overall he is doing really good. He's sad that he lost his Jeep, boat, and some of his hunting stuff all in one day. But I am just so happy he is okay.

RIP

Sadly, the raccoon was not so fortunate. Cory told me that he did survive because he didn't want me to be sad... but according to the police report he didn't make it.

Just in case some of you were wondering what my hunting addict husband is going to do without his hunting transportation. Well, a friend of his picked him up on Saturday morning at 6:00 am to go duck hunting. He also has plans with my Uncle and Cousin later this week. He still finds ways to get out there...

Another Year Older

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:19:00 +0000

Another. Year. Older. That's right! I had another Birthday and it was fabulous! I took the day off work and went shopping with my Mom and then hung out with Cory in the evening. I ate a huge, delicious cupcake from Dippidee, not to mention lots of other yummy high-calorie foods. This year, my Birthday seemed like a week long celebration. I got fun gifts and cards from friends and co-workers all week long. I also received Birthday texts, calls, and messages on facebook for about a week from my amazing friends and family. I love Birthdays.

I was spoiled rotten by Cory and my Mom. This new bedspread was part of my Birthday present from my Mom. I can tell you that this picture does NOT do it justice (I should have asked from a new camera for my Birthday since this one just decided one day to start taking crappy pictures). It is such a beautiful shade of green with a brown bedskirt and a brown accent pillow. (Ignore the puny lamp, it is being replaced.)

Another fun gift I received was from my sister-in-law Alison. She bought a 6-pack of IBC bottled drinks, dumped them out (or drank them), washed them, and then filled them with my favorite treats and decorated them. I just thought it was such a clever, inexpensive gift. I am going to steal the idea and start making them for my (spoiler ahead) friends Birthdays and other fun occasions. Alison got the idea from this fun website (click here).

Well, another Birthday... another year into my thirties... and I love every second of it. I have always heard that most people are in their prime in their thirties and I believe it. Being a thirty something is pretty great.

Now are you ready for some bad news? Well it may not be bad news for all, but it made me want to throw up a little... Christmas is only two months away! Ahhhhhhh! I'm okay... it just doesn't seem like a lot of time. I have so much to do!!

As for a Cory update, well I haven't seen him much lately. Right now I am sure he stalking ducks in the marsh and having the time of his life.

Our SUPER Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:47:00 +0000

This past Saturday was a big day for our whole family. Eddie, our youngest, turned six years old. While we were out shopping we stopped by Ma and Paw's Dog Bakery and picked him up some yummy baked treats. He couldn't get enough of the Chicken Pot Pie dog bones.

Earlier that morning, my Mom, my cousin Tiffany and her baby, Sophie, and I all went on a shopping spree. We went to the Farmer's Market, Tony Caputo's Market, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, and Spoons and Spice just to name a few. We stopped by The Blue Plate Diner for lunch and we all ordered the black bean breakfast burrito. It was so good!

After a few hours of shopping, we went home to prepare for round two. One thing I love about Conference weekend is the fabulous sales that begin around 6:00 pm on Saturday night. Tiffany and I had planned our strategy all week long and knew exactly where we needed to go and the time we needed to be there. Tiffany, her Mom Denise, me, and my Mom, plus a bunch of friends met at Zupas for dinner and then headed to Rod Works. We got there about five minutes to six and there was a long line in front of the store that went down to the end of the strip mall. Once inside, it was elbow to elbow women trying to get the door busters (one door buster is seen below). Also, Rod Works was offering 50% off any item. I picked up a couple of items and jumped in line. While standing there, I talked myself out of getting one of the items and picked up another item while I was moving along the wall. After about 20 minutes, one of the Rod Works employees walked by with a mirror that she had taken off the wall asking if anyone was interested in purchasing it because she didn't want to hang it back up. Several women were admiring it and I said "I'll take it," not even knowing at the time where I would put it. It is a beautiful large mirror with metal tiles around the outside in bronze, gold, and silver. It's going to look great in our room... once I convince Cory to hang it.

After Rod Works, we ran by Tai Pan and then headed over to Roberts. Again, both stores were packed with women looking for a good deal. Even though my Mom and I were fighting off a cold, we still managed to stay out all day and had so much fun!

Saturday was especially exciting for Cory - it was the first day of the duck hunt. He stayed up all night on Friday night preparing for exciting day ahead. He came up and kissed me goodbye at 3:30 am and headed to Farmington Bay to meet my uncle Terry, my cousin Tyler, and his friend Sean. Terry and Tyler have never experienced opening day, so Cory was even more excited to see their reaction. When the clock struck 8:00 am they could begin shooting. They described it as looking and sounding like a war zone. They all shot ducks and Terry and Tyler each got thier first goose (see above). Cory stayed out until 8:00 pm and then came home and crashed. He said it was one of the best hunting days ever.

It really was a SUPER Saturday! It took all day Sunday for us to recover.

Fall Is Here

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

I am sitting here drinking a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks to celebrate one of my favorite days of the year - the first day of fall! I can't believe it's here already! What happened to summer? Seriously?

We have been super busy this past summer doing lots of projects and traveling about. It's been a very fun, but very fast summer. I can't believe that I didn't even blog once in August.

Anyway, here is a recap of all the events I missed telling you about:

I ran/walked a 5K! I convinced my Mom into doing the Wasatch Woman Love your Body 10K/5K race with me. Signing up for a 5K and actually finishing it feels like such an accomplishment. I didn't do as well as I had hoped because I didn't train very much. But next year when I do the 10K I will be ready.

Right after the 5K, we went to Las Vegas on vacation. We wanted to get away somewhere fun before the end of summer. Will someone remind me that it's way too hot to visit Vegas in the summer next time? Thank goodness for pools and air conditioning.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was eating at Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace. Serendipity 3 is a restaurant from New York City that is known for their outrageously divine Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. See the amazing concoction below. It was the best drink/dessert I have ever had. Also, I posted a picture of the bacon cheese burger and waffle fries I ordered too. The food was amazing!

ser.en.dip.i.ty (n) The art of making happy discoveries, or finding the unexpectedly pleasant by chance or sagacity.

Another highlight was visiting the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. It was pretty incredible. One room looks like a you are standing in the middle of a ship wreck and you are pretty much surrounded by glass. We also got to pet/touch sting rays, which was pretty cool.

Last highlight of our trip was a visit to The Cupcakery (because of course I have to visit at least one cupcake shop per city). This place was very cute and the cupcakes were delicious and unique!

Last, but definitely not least, we celebrated our 8th Wedding Anniversary. This year our trip to Vegas was our gift to each other. We had a wonderful year, probably the best one yet, and I look forward to many more years together.

Well, that is all of the things we have been up to lately. I promise to be a better blogger now that fall is here. Happy Fall!

Sunday Brunch

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:05:00 +0000

On Sunday, my Mom, Cory, Tiffany, Colton, Sophie, and I all went to La Caille for Sunday brunch. I have always loved the ambiance of the La Caille at night, so to see it during the day was something completely different. It's such a beautiful place. The grounds, the ponds and streams, the vineyards, and the building are breathtaking. We had three wonderful servers that attended to our every need.

Darling baby Sophie loved the food and being outside in the warm sun. Every time the sun would move our servers would move around three giant umbrellas so that we would be covered.

We ordered the Petite Pain a la Francaise (La Caille's version of French Toast baked Creme Brulee-style), which also came with Amuse Bouche, which is like a quiche, Freshly Baked Croissants, and Swan Profiterole (see above). The swan was just a big delicious banana cream puff. The food was amazing!

Here are three beautiful pictures taken of the grounds (by photographer Cory):
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We had such a wonderful time! Thank you Mom, Tiffany, Colton, and Sophie for coming with us.

Girls Craft Night

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:50:00 +0000

Hey craft night girls - Tiffany and I found our next craft! We are going to make wine cork frames. A winery in Idaho gave me a bunch of corks to finish my wine cork board, so we should have enough to make six of these! We need to set a date ASAP. Tiff and I will work on collecting extra corks just in case we need them. Cheers!

Disclaimer (for Mom and Father-in-law): I promise we won't be the only ones drinking the wine in order to collect more corks. We aren't lushes, I promise.

Yellowstone and The 4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:50:00 +0000

This year we didn't do our normal traditions on the 4th of July. Instead my Mom, Cory, and I along with my Uncle and Aunt and most of their kids (and their kid's kids) all went to Yellowstone (11 adults, 2 babies, and 2 dogs). We arrived on Friday afternoon, checked in to the hotel and then all headed up to Old Faithful for Ice Cream. There was a beautiful rainbow right over Old Faithful, but we didn't have our camera. We saw a few Elk, Bison, and a Bald Eagle along the way.
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The next morning we got up early and headed back into Yellowstone making many stops along the way. We went on a couple "mini hikes" to see some falls, mud pots, etc. There were so many of us that we had to take three cars and just follow each other. My aunt was brilliant enough to bring radios (aka walkie talkies) so we could all talk to each other. My cousin Tyler kept singing some "Caravan" song along the way.

I don't think the man standing behind the buffalo understands that they are in fact wild and dangerous animals. He almost acted like he was going to walk up and pet it. Now THAT would have made the day a little more exciting.
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Honorable mention to Dragon's Mouth. The smelliest, most sulfury smelling pot in the park. I love it!

Here is a pic of some Mountain Goats we saw. I have never seen Mountain Goats or Wolves in the park, so this was fun to see. I have seen Big Horn Mountain Sheep, but not Goats.

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That night after getting back to the hotel, we went over to my Cousin, Tiffany, and Colton's RV trailer to BBQ garlic burgers. West Yellowstone always puts on a great firework show on the 4th, so we found a good spot and watched the show.

The next day we drove 20 miles back to Island Park to float the river. We floated from Big Springs down to Macks Inn... which takes about 3 hours. It's only a couple of miles but the water is so slow and calm. The weather was perfect and it was so relaxing.

Tyler, Tiffany, baby Sophie, and Colton

Denise, Terry, and Grandma Darlene (Denise's Mom)

Troy, Tory, and Ashley

I will get a picture of Cory, my Mom, and I plus our two dogs from one of my relatives and post it because that was a site to see. Cory took pics on this trip and captured a lot of animals and random things, but not a lot with people in them.

It was such a fun trip! I am so happy that our fun relatives came with us this year.

Strut Your Mutt 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:10:00 +0000

This was an amazing year for No More Homeless Pets of Utah. It was their 14th Annual Strut Your Mutt walk and fundraiser at Sugarhouse Park on May 30. There were 2500 dog lovers with their 2500 plus dogs that walked the 1.5 mile course. They raised a record breaking $170,000!!

It was my 10th year participating in Strut your Mutt and Eddie's 4th year. He had to be carried almost the whole way because of his little back issue. He called on huge dogs, marked almost all the territory he could mark, and ate lots of snacks. The dogs had a great time and went home and took long naps all afternoon.

My Mom's dog, Madison, was a little less crazy this year because of the bark collar (which shocks her slightly if she barks - it was so nice because she does get a little over stimulated at events like this).

This year was the first year ever that we were part of a dog pack. A dog pack is 5 or more people that sign up to be a team. We were part of The Dog's Meow dog pack (with our good friends that own our favorite pet food store, The Dog's Meow). Once they post our dog pack picture online, I will post it on here. We heart No More Homeless Pets in Utah and the Strut your Mutt event!

Phoenix and Wicked

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:49:00 +0000

Well, our first vacation of 2009 is already over and we are looking forward to the next one (Yellowstone). Phoenix was amazing. It was warm, sunny, and beautiful! Here are some of the highlights:

My Mom, Cory, and I, along with my Mom's Jack Russell, Madison, and our Chihuahua, Eddie, took a road trip down to Phoenix just so we could get away and see the sun. Along the way we stopped at Lake Powell to walk the dogs and stretch our legs. It was in the 70's and beautiful. The water was really cold which is why it must have been so dead. We only saw a few other people, which generally is not the case at Lake Powell.

I didn't know really what to expect when I got to Phoenix since I was 12 the last time we visited. It was much greener than I remembered. There were also a lot of ponds and rivers in the Phoenix area. It was in the 80's the whole time with hardly a cloud in the sky. It was so beautiful.

Cory was so excited because he got to visit a Bass Pro Shop for the first time. He bought a sweatshirt, two hats, and a gun lighter (which he loves). He wanted me to post this pic on the blog because he loved it... "Welcome Fishermen, Hunters, and Other Liars"

Scottsdale was by far my favorite part of Phoenix. It had a lot of fun restaurants, shops, and spas. I loved the Scottsdale Mall, which had a Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, and lots more. We also ate at the PB Loco Cafe in the mall. It's a cafe that only serves PB Loco Peanut Butter... on everything!

Again, here is another pic of the lovely landscape. The rocks weren't really red like in this sunset picture. They actually don't have red rocks in Phoenix (which surprised me).

Okay... I wasn't going to post anymore about cupcakes, but I had to share this amazing cupcake place. It is called Sprinkles Cupcakes Beverly Hills located in Scottsdale, AZ. The cupcakes were so yummy. And notice the two miniature cupcakes sitting there?

The miniature cupcakes are dog cupcakes! Eddie really enjoyed his mini cupcake (he better have for being $2.50 a piece).

It was an awesome trip! I loved everything about it. I would LOVE to live in Phoenix one day (hopefully that day is soon, I am done with cold weather). :)

And last, but not least... I finally went to Wicked!! It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! It was everything that I hoped for and more. I have seen several Broadway plays and this one is my new favorite. My cousin, Tiffany, and I went to Settebello's for dinner and then to see Wicked! It was the best girl's night out ever - Pizza, Gelato, and a darling play about witches. Loved it!

Girl's Night Out

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:35:00 +0000

At least once a month my friends (Amanda, Kimberly, Carrie, and Becky) and I get together for dinner or some other activity just to catch up. This month we met at Settebello Pizzeria in Salt Lake City for dinner. I heard how amazing this place was from a couple different people so I was really excited to try it out. I ordered the Margherita Pizza with Artichoke Hearts. It was honestly the BEST pizza I have ever tasted. It had crushed tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese sprinkled on the top, large pieces of basil, chunks of mozzarella, and extra virgin olive oil... and of course, Artichoke Hearts which I ordered extra. But, the crust was the most amazing part. It was thin, crispy, and had an amazing flavor. Two of the girls ordered salads which they both said were wonderful.

From what I have heard, the owner of Settebello trained in Italy to learn how to make authentic Napoli Style Pizza. The oven, which you will see when you walk in, was brought in from Napoli Italy. It is made of brick and heated from 800-1000 degrees, which means it can cook a pizza in 45-60 seconds!

After dinner we all ordered Gelato. I had Nutella Gelato which was very creamy and very good. It was a really fun Girl's Night Out - good conversation, wonderful friends, and great food! Settebello is located at 260 South 200 West (next to Red Rock Brewery). You can view their menu here.

Easter And Other Random Things

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:00:00 +0000

The Easter Bunny visited our house this year! Cory got a whole basket full of candy, jerky, and other fun Easter treats, and I got some treats and a book called No Regrets - 100 Fabulous Things To Do Before You're Too Old, Married, or Pregnant. This book has 101 ideas on how to live your life to the fullest from learning how to love champagne to making up with a lost friend, learning a foreign language to leaving an unfulfilling job. I can't wait to start reading it and making my own list.

Also, on Easter we went to my Aunt and Uncle's house for lunch and an Easter egg hunt. My Uncle Terry and Aunt Denise always put so much work into the Easter Egg hunt. They put money in some of plastic eggs and then the "real" eggs are worth money too. All of the kids (ages 17-34, with a 2-year-old in the mix) have a blast searching for the eggs all over the yard. Next year I will have to video tape it and post it on here for your viewing enjoyment. It is hilarious!

Eddie, our Chihuahua, didn't have a great Easter this year. He has another pinched nerve in his back. We had to take him to the Vet and get a Cortisone shot and he is also on pain meds and muscle relaxers twice a day. He is doing much better today, but he still has to take it easy. The Vet told us that some dogs are just prone to this sort of thing. Poor little guy.

Encanto Park - Phoenix, AZ

Also, we have finally made a decision about our first vacation of 2009. We were going to go to Tennessee with some of our family, but since we owed on taxes this year we decided to stay a little closer to home. We tossed around the idea of going to Vegas, but that is pretty expensive too. So, my Mom, Cory, and I (and the dogs) are going to Phoenix, AZ. We are driving down next week, staying a couple of nights, and then driving back home. It's only going to be a scorching 90 degrees. Yay! Also, I have been researching places to shop in Phoenix and there is a Crate and Barrel, PB Loco Cafe, Trader Joe's, and lots of other fun places we will have to visit. We are so excited to get away - we really need a mini vacation ASAP.

Cupcake Obsession

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:01:00 +0000

My Mom used to make me Cupcake Ice Cream Cones when I will little. You just bake the cake batter in a cake cone and then put frosting on top to look like ice cream. Delicious!

I have been searching the web trying to find fun cupcake recipes and decoration ideas. I came across much more than I expected... cupcake undies at Victoria's Secret, stationary, gifts, and tattoos (click on the word, if you want to see what I am talking about). Tattoos? Of a cupcake? I don't even know if my obsession would go that far. I found a lot of these links on a really cute website called All Things Cupcake... and they are not kidding, there is a lot of cupcake stuff on this site. I just thought I would share since, come to find out, a lot of my family and friends are obsessed with cupcakes as well.

"If eating a cupcake for breakfast is wrong, then I don't want to be right"

Spring Is Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:57:00 +0000

First, I have to apologize for being a blogging slacker lately. We have been really busy. A couple of weeks ago, when it started warming up outside, we both got a serious case of spring fever. Cory has already started yard work like planting flowers, pruning trees, and power raking the grass. He even detailed both of our cars (he's the greatest!). I on the other hand have been going room to room, cleaning out every closet, drawer, and anything else that could possibly be cleaned out. I have been throwing things away, taking car load after car load to Deseret Industries, and recycling everything else. I have been organizing everything! Next step is to deep clean our house until it smells like spring (to me, spring smells like clorox and flowers).

This picture, out of the Pottery Barn catalog, was my inspiration. I was flipping through and saw all of their organizational and storage items and I caught the bug. I love how this one has a weekly menu, monthly calendar, key holders, a place for invitations and pictures, and a docking station that you can charge your cell phones, iPods, and more.

It seems like every spring my "Domestic Diva" side comes out. I clean more, I bake more, and I cook dinner more than once or twice a week. These are some of the cupcakes I whipped up this weekend. I am still playing with cake batters and frosting designs - nothing to brag about yet.

We couldn't be more happy that spring is here (I refuse to look outside right now, since it is lightly snowing - I am imaging blue skies and birds chirping). Happy Spring!

Wicked

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:20:00 +0000

My amazing cousin, Tiffany, managed to get two tickets to the completely sold out Broadway play, Wicked. What is even more exciting, she offered one of the tickets to me! I was ecstatic because I have wanted to see this play FOREVER, and now I finally get to see it in May. Wicked is the untold story of the Witches of Oz and how one witch, with emerald green skin, becomes wicked. Oh, did I mention they are 8th row tickets?

Well, little did I know my Wicked ticket would come at a price. Yes, the ticket itself was very expensive (but WORTH every penny), but that Cory would ask for something in return. He said that since I was spending SO much money on a "ticket to a little play" (I gave him a piece of my mind about that), that he wanted tickets to the Ducks Unlimited Annual Spring Meeting. Two tickets cost the same as my one ticket to Wicked. I thought, fair enough, he and his buddy should have a good time. Oh, no... he wanted me to be his guest and... are you ready for this... wear camo! What? He said I wouldn't fit in if I didn't because all the guys and their wives wear camo. Good for them, I thought. Fine, I will get pink camo - a pink camo shirt that I will wear with jeans under a hoodie. Ha! They are serving a prime rib dinner, there will be an open bar, and they have a lot of drawings and prizes - I guess I can handle it for a couple of hours. After all, Cory lets me drag him to all kinds of places that he really doesn't want to go.

He's just NOT that into you

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:48:00 +0000

I give this movie 5 stars!

I went and saw this movie with a friend last week and I loved it. It was so funny! I found myself crying, I was laughing so hard. Well, this past weekend my Mom and I went to see Confession's of a Shopaholic and ended up seeing 'He's just not that into you'... again. I saw it twice in just a couple of days... and to be honest, I could see it again today. Cory doesn't like to go to movies, especially chick flicks. He said that after it comes out on DVD, then he will watch it with me.

My Dough Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:48:00 +0000

My Mom's good friend told her about this really cute place she drove past called "My Dough Girl." Well, if you know my Mom and I, we always have to know about really cute places... so we headed downtown today in search of this fun new place (even though we had no idea what they sold there).

Well, come to find out, they sell cookie dough. No, not just any cookie dough, gourmet sent-from-heaven cookie dough. The owner, Tami (seen above), gives free samples of her home baked goodness. They sell already baked cookies and also frozen cookie dough by the dozen. You can bake one or all twelve cookies for 15 or so minutes at your convenience. Brilliant!

Each cookie has a girly name like Gabrielle, Audry, Margo, Vivianna, and others. I tried a bite of the following cookies:

Margo

Chocolate cinnamon dough with a milk chocolate mint center, rolled in cinnamon sugar. Hellooo Margo!

Audrey

Almond dough packed full of adoration, almonds, cranberries and white chocolate

Betty

Oatmeal dough with mangos and almonds - I think... this cookie is new and not on the menu

I couldn't even tell you which cookie was the best. They were all wonderful!

You'll have to check out this darling new local store (and say hi to Tami and Rick - the owners). They can be found at 770 South 300 West, Salt Lake City. Or visit their website here.

My Dough Girl's Philosophy
Pursuit of the palette we say! If it isn’t wonderful, it doesn’t belong in your mouth. As far as we’re concerned, it’s a sin to add any unnatural ingredient that would compromise the wholesome goodness we demand. At every turn we use the finest ingredients, from our selection of eggs and dairy, down to our choice of high quality chocolates, and premium dried fruits and nuts. Come fall in love all over again with truly enjoyable cookies!

The Last Day

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:44:00 +0000

Cory, my uncle Terry, and my cousin Tyler went out on the last day of the duck hunting season. It's both a sad day because it's over, but a fun day because they stay out all day long trying to get their limit of seven ducks per person.

The Sunrise Over The Marsh

Tyler and Cory (only 4 more to go...)

Cory had a really fun time this duck hunting season. He is always so sad when it's over. Now he has started the countdown for the next season... only 9 months left!

The Renovation Bug

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:30:00 +0000

This past weekend, my Mom convinced me to repaint my living room wall. I painted the wall purple five years ago when we moved into the house and I have been wanting to repaint it ever since. Inspired by my new clock from Rod Works and a new frame that Troy (my bro) and Kelly gave me for Christmas, I decided to paint it green (it was a tight race between red or green).

Before

After

The paint is from Home Depot, the decorations are from Rod Works (my favorite home decor store), and the throw pillows are from Costco. I redid the entire look of my living room for under $200. I really love the way it turned out!

Thank you, Cory for hanging all of the new decorations and thank you, Mom for inspiring me to finally do it.

Cupcakes!

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

We love cupcakes! We think they have to be the world's best (and cutest) food. They are tiny portion controlled desserts that taste great. Two of our favorite cupcake places we love to visit are 'So Cupcake' and 'Mini's Cupcakes.' We have also been told about some new cupcake places that we can't wait to try.

Some of our favorites at So Cupcake are:

Starry Starry Night Vanilla

Vanilla Cake with Electric Blue Butter Cream Frosting Sprinkled with Multi-colored Sprinkles

Irrationally in Love

Strawberry Cake with Fushsia Strawberry Butter Cream Frosting Sprinkled with Hot Pink Sanding Sugar

Some of our favorites at Mini's Cupcakes are:

Margaritaville

Fresh Lime Cupcake soaked in Tequila with Margarita Frosting with a Sugar Rim and Fresh Grated Lime

The Diva

Dark Belgium Chocolate Cupcake with Pink Cream Cheese Frosting

Well, I personally love cupcakes (borderline obsessed)! I thought, "Why don't I just start making my own?" No, not with a boxed cake mix and store bought frosting, but fresh, made-from-scratch yummy cupcakes. So... for Christmas, Santa Claus brought me cupcake cookbooks, cupcake pans, liners, frosting applicators, etc. I am going to make lots of cupcakes! In the beginning, Cory, my Mom, and my co-workers will benefit the most from this new hobby. They will be my tasting panel. I will post cupcake recipes that I am willing to share. (Some recipes may not be shared because maybe one day I will open a cupcake store of my very own.) Oh... I heart cupcakes!

"If you are what you eat, eat something cute!"

Goodbye 2008! Hello 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 23:00:00 +0000

2008 was a great year for us! We worked hard, we played hard, and we have no regrets. We also had a lot of major things happen that were life changing this past year.

Here is a recap of our year:

We Lost My Grandpa

Grandpa Finn passed away at 86 years old. It was devastating! We still miss him everyday. This picture is my Grandpa at his 80th birthday party. He almost hit his son, Terry, in the face when he popped the cork on the Champagne.

We Met My Dad and My SIX Amazing Half-Siblings and Their Families

I couldn't imagine my life without them now. We all have so much in common. I feel so blessed to have each and every one of them in my life.

We Bought a New Car

Not only a new car, but my dream car! I finally have the Audi A4 I have always wanted.

I Went Back to School

This was HUGE because I never thought I would do it. Now that I have, I love it. I got a 4.0 both semesters. I only brag now, because when the harder classes kick in I won't be able to.

We Went on Fun Trips

This year we went to Yellowstone in July (pics are here) and the Oregon Coast in September (pics are here, here, and here). This was the first year since we got married that we didn't go to Mexico. I think we need to book a trip in 2009.

This next year we are going to accomplish a lot of great things. We want to start a family, eat healthier, work out, take a trip to Cancun, buy a new house, be "greener" and just live every day to the fullest. We can't wait to see what 2009 brings!

Tagged!

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Here's a gooey, romantic game of tag. Here's how it works: I will answer questions about Cory and I. At the end of the post, I'll tag 3 people and post their names. Then, those three people can do the same thing on their own blog and so on and so forth.

What is your husband's name? Cory
How long have you guys been married? 7 years
How long did you date? 6 years
How old is he? 34
Who is taller? Cory
Who can sing the best? We both can’t sing.
Who is smarter? It depends on the topic.
Who pays the bills? I do
Who does the laundry? I do
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Cory does. It’s closest to the door. I'm afraid to sleep there.
Who mows the lawn? Cory does
Who cooks dinner? Both of us.
Who is the first to admit when they're wrong? Cory. I will never admit I’m wrong.
Who kissed who first? He kissed me first.
Who wears the pants? I would say… me.

Thanks Reggan!!! I tag Michelle, Erin, and KD (and whoever else wants to play).

Dancing Elves

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:16:00 +0000

My co-worker Paul coordinated this little dance for our work Christmas party. The dancers include me and two other co-workers, Andrea and Darren. Click here to see the show.

Since we were such a hit, we also did an encore performance (that included Paul and the Commissioner). Click here.

Enjoy!

Important Health Issue for Women

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:55:00 +0000

Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist if Margaritas is right for you.

Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas.

Margaritas may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include: Nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, attraction to the same sex, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke.

WARNINGS: The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not. The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them. The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing. The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.

The Festival of Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Cory and Michele) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:37:00 +0000

My Mom and I attended the Festival of Trees which is a wonderful event that helps raise money for Primary Children's Hospital. There are hundreds (I mean hundreds - my feet felt it) of trees to look at - most of them with very touching stories about loved ones that have passed on or loved ones that have fought battles with different diseases and won. Each story is very touching.

Here are some of our favorite trees this year:

The Glass Tree

This tree was so incredible. It had lights and music and it was just beautiful to look at. The presents under the tree were glass too (the are sitting off to the side).

The Twilight Tree

This is one of four Twilight-themed trees this year. All of the Cullen's have a present under the tree - there is even one for Jacob.

The Little Twlight Tree

The Wicked Tree

This tree is really cool. It had a lot of creepy crawly spiders on it, but it was really pretty anyway. I was really drawn to this tree because 'Wicked' the Broadway play is coming in the Spring... and I am so excited!