Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Kangaroo Zoo

Back on August 11, 2008 I promised Jamison I would take him to Kangaroo Zoo. Now more than four months later, I have finally made good on that promise.

Yesterday we had 2 1/2 fun-filled hours with Colette and Jamison at Kangaroo Zoo in North Salt Lake. They played on all the huge inflatable toys, I took advantage of the free wi-fi on my laptop. We were each well-entertained.





(As Glover would say during his end-of-the-year, never-ending slide show..."The subjects in the photos are blurry because I kept the camera shutter open for 1.5 seconds but it creates the desired sense of action.")

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Quirky Tag

Megan didn't think she was quirky. I know I am. Or maybe it is better stated obsessive. Regardless, here are my quirks.

1. I have to have a clean and tidy house. Everything has a place and everything in its place. My bed is always made. My clothes are hung and organized in the closet by type then by color. I vacuum at least twice a week and more if it is needed. I sweep at least three times a week. The chairs are pushed in and evenly spaced around the dining table. The couches are exactly parallel to the wall. I don't really have what you would call a 'junk drawer.' Living this way helps me keep my universe in order.

2. The dishes have to be rinsed off before they go in the dishwasher. Silverware goes handle-down in the rack. And there is a long list of dishes and utensils that must be hand washed. (I thank my mother for this quirk.)

3. I can only fall asleep if I am toasty warm in my bed. So, from October to April I typically wear a t-shirt, long-sleeve hoodie, flannel pajama pants, thick socks and sleep under 2 quilts, an afghan, and a comforter. Even during the summer I wear long pajamas and use 2 blankets.

4. We have security cameras everywhere you look at my work. I usually can’t walk past them without making a funny face – it is never big or grotesque, just a little smirk or raised eyebrows, often accompanied by an abnormal walk.

5. It is against the rules of my kitchen to follow a recipe exactly. Whether I substitute ingredients or add something completely different than what is called for, I never limit myself to the words on the page.

6. This quirk is courtesy of the woman herself, Megan D. I absolutely cannot leave the house without earrings. The outfit just isn’t complete without that piece of metal in my ears.

So there you have it. I am full of quirks. Now let’s see what quirks my fellow blogsters have. Tag Charisse, Annie, and Heidi!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas Break

After working 22 1/2 days out of 24 this month, I finally get a break! Starting today at 12:00 noon I will have 5 lovely days in a row completely free of event coordinating (except the inevitable coordinating for myself, Dave, and my mother)! Life is good!



photo credits

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Sleepover

Colette & Jamison want to say...

"We had lots of fun at Aunt Chelsea's sleepover last night. We played games, watched a movie, ate lots of junk food, and stayed up late! Let's have another sleepover next week!"




Here's a photo of the movie we watched. Any guesses what it was? Here's a hint: it is a classic musical from the 1980s.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Seventeen Days

I have worked 17 straight days in a row, that includes weekends. Ouch!


Because of work and other interruptions I haven't seen my finacé for two days.


I'm taking tomorrow off!


I get to see my finacé tomorrow!


I have to go back to work on Friday.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The True Tale of the Ring

Want to know, truthfully, how I nabbed such a wonderful guy? It all has to do with a simple magic recipe for apple crisp. Here's the story behind it, courtesy of Joy the Baker.


Sit and Stay Awhile Apple Crisp
Some recipes are good enough to serve at the church picnic. Some recipes are fine enough to take to the family barbecue. Other recipes you know will satisfy your office coworkers. Those savages will eat just about anything.

Then there’s the recipe that you pull out of your back pocket when you’re looking for love.

This beautifully simple Apple Crisp recipe is that “get a man (or woman!) and hold on to him (or her!) recipe”. If you already have that man, consider this your “it’s time for a ring” recipe, or your “sorry I scratched the bumper of our new car” recipe, maybe even the “thanks for working so hard today honey… I made the house smell like warm apples with this apple crisp just for you” recipe. See, I’m looking out for you.

This recipe is the perfect balance of warm memories and good love. The warm apples tossed with sugar and cinnamon beautifully collide with the toasted, crunchy topping.

It’s a dream come true.

So the Bake a Warm Apple Crisp and Get a Man experiment hasn’t yet worked for me. That’s mostly because I haven’t tried it yet.

But Ann, the generous lady at
Fidget who was kind enough to share this recipe with me, has had oodles of success. She wooed her husband with this very recipe and still has requests for the apple crisp from Mr. Fidget six years later. It works!

Sit and Stay Awhile Apple Crisp recipe from
Ann of Fidget

bake in an 8×8 baking dish or double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 dish

Filling:
5 to 6 medium-size apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices. (About 7.5 cups)
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1.5 tsp cinnamon

Topping:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, well-softened
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
1/3 cup quick oats

Preheat the oven to 350. Generously grease an 8×8 baking pan with butter.

Place a layer of apple slices in the bottom of the pan and dust with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Continue layering apples and dusting with cinnamon/sugar until done. Toss the apple mixture until evenly coated in cinnamon sugar. The apples should be just about to the top of the pan (they will cook down).

For the topping, place the flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon and oats in a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed. Take one full handful of the topping and toss it into the sugared apple mixture. Spread the rest of the topping evenly over the apples. (I usually end up with a dough-like topping that I just lay on top of the apples).

Bake the crisp in the dish on a baking sheet on the center oven rack until the topping is crunchy and the apples are bubbling, 55-60 minutes.

Serve hot; it’s excellent with vanilla ice cream.



Honestly, I made this recipe on a Saturday (adding pears and pomegrantes with the apples--because I never could follow directions exactly). Dave loved it so much he downed three big servings. On Monday he took me ring shopping and bought the ring! It was that simple!




And so the old adage proves true once again:
The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Story of Dave & Chelsea

This is Dave.


This is where we met.


This is where we had our first date and our first kiss (not on the same day) -- all captured on the security cameras.


This is where he took me last night.


This is what he asked me.


This is what I said.


This is what he gave me.


I am the luckiest girl in the whole wide world!!!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

How Do You...

Explain that you live within the ward boundaries but you go to the singles ward but you missed your meetings this morning and thought it would be fun to try out the local ward but you'll start coming to this ward in the Spring but you won't have the same last name at that time and this is your boyfriend but when you come again he will be your husband and no, you are not engaged yet?

You don't. You simply blend in with all the others and try not to look suspicious when they ask who is new or visiting. Some things are just too complicated to explain.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Elder Joseph Bitner Wirthlin


Elder Joseph Bitner Wirthlin passed away on Monday night of causes incident to age. How we will miss this wonderful servant of the Lord.

I believe it was Elder Nelson said today in the funeral services that as Elder Wirthlin was set apart to the apostleship he was promised that his humility would endear him to the members of the Church. We have seen that prophesy fulfilled as the entire Church mourns the passing of this quiet, remarkable man. We are all better people for knowing him and thank him for his great service these many years.

Trimming the Tree

Putting up the Christmas Tree went so fast this year! MUCHAS GRACIAS to Colette & Jamison for helping install the branches and to Dave for helping with the lights and decorations. Many hands made light work!

O Tannenbaum



Monday, December 1, 2008

Passed the Test

Want to know how much time Dave and I spent together with our families this past Thanksgiving weekend?

>> Thursday: 13 hours and Thanksgiving with the whole extended Huffaker clan.
>> Friday: 6 hours and a Huffaker family birthday dinner.
>> Saturday: 11 hours and the extended Hinckley family party and ping-pong tournament.
>> Sunday: 14 hours and church at both of our parents’ home wards (because we wanted to turn heads;).

Total: 44 hours, or nearly two full days of togetherness in one short weekend.

And guess what? We still like each other.

It must be love!


I am proud to say that Dave won the 3rd Annual Ping-Pong Tournament! Look at his shiny trophy!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Self-Portrait

Sunday on our way home from church we stopped at Temple Square and did a little self-photo shoot.






We were facing the sun and Dave was trying so hard not to squint in the picture that he pulled this face. It makes me laugh!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Victorious!

University of Utah: 48
Brigham Young University: 24


Oh, yea!

Friday's Travelogue

Forgive me in advance for this travelogue but I'm still recovering from the crazy day I had yesterday at work and I think a little blogging is just what I need to finish decompressing.

My Friday began bright and early with an ICS Training in the terrace multipurpose room and a PST Meeting in the media room. All went well!

At 10:30 a.m. I commenced making the rounds to check on my 4 lunch-hour events. (Essentially, I needed to be four places at once to make sure all these events got started but because I am only one person it was a little difficult.)

I started at the main floor auditorium with a CHH Lecture. My client and the A/V support weren't there yet so I opened the door, turned on the lights, and sent a few text messages to the key players letting them know I was around checking on other events but to call if they needed anything.

Next I ran up to the west observation room and was glad to see that catering was already there working on their setup for the FCH Luncheon. Then I crossed over to the east side and things looked good there too.

Back down to the street I made a dash for the ICS Luncheon at the Devereaux House (which is more than 3 blocks away). I was running late but catering was on time and had the building opened for my client. Then we noticed the screen for the projector was missing. A/V scurried over but in the meantime the client decided they could use the wall just as well as a screen. So much for the panic call to A/V.

Once they settled in I walked the 3+ blocks back to the east observation room to personally greet this client at their MIS Luncheon. I found chaos. Apparently, the client felt the tables were too crowded, so an extra table was added and then a glass of water toppled over, drenching the tablecloth and everything around it...and the lunch was only five minutes away from starting. Catering worked hard and fast to put everything back to order.

I was about to go back to my office to eat lunch during a 30-minute break when my client for a 5th meeting called to order more chairs at their ICS Guest Lecture. I didn't want to bother staging so I detoured back to the Relief Society Room and set out the extra dozen chairs myself. By the time I finished it was too late to grab lunch. Catering soon arrived and my client arrived. Then we realized that only half the food order had been delivered and we needed a trash can. Some very last minute phone calls were made and the issues remedied. However, there were still a whole lot of empty chairs when I left.

Finally, I had a respite at my desk to eat lunch and answer emails. Sadly, that wasn't the end of the day. Later in the afternoon I ran to the recording studio and horseshoe to check on those event setups and then right back to the Devereaux House to start an ICS Dinner. They needed some homey ambiance and wanted all the fireplaces lit. That took some doing and still two weren't working by the time I left.

Phew! It was an exhausting work day and I am so glad to have it over with. And many thanks to you for being a listening ear while I got all this off my chest. :)

Friday, November 21, 2008

Now Open

We took in a late dinner last night at the new Iggy's Sports Grill in Centerville. Granted, it was late in the evening; however, the place was dead. I think we were one of three tables.


So, we promised our server that we would spread the good word:

Iggy's of Centerville is Now Open!
The Food is Great!
The Prices are Reasonable!
The Service is Friendly!
The TV playing the Game is Huge!
And No Waiting to be Seated!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

It was a success!!!

Thank you to all who came to my little party on Monday. We had a great turnout and nearly ran out of food, but didn't....Now that is a successful party!

However, I'm not sure how many people were actually there to see my house and how many were there to meet my wonderful sweetheart. Either way, thank you for coming and sharing in the excitment of all things good in my life right now.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Come One, Come All

What: An Open House

When: Monday, November 17 from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Where: in Foxboro North of North Salt Lake, Utah

Why: Because you've all been so supportive of me and shared in my excitement to become a homeowner.

How: Sorry to be so cryptic about the location but I don't want any uninvited guests. Please call or email me or my parents for directions.


Hope to see you there!!!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Random Tidbits of Information

I feel like it has been a long time since I blogged. Maybe just being so busy at work and not having the Internet at my house makes the 9 days that have lapsed seem that much longer. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to play catch-up with random things that have happened over the past week.

Tuesday, November 4
This was the first night of taping A Brand New Year, without an audience. I had things to do but I didn't have 21,000 people to take care of, so I invited Dave down to spend the evening at the Conference Center with me. That, I must say, was a genius move. I think he finally understands this demanding job that I have and why I have to work so many nights and weekends. We were able to sit and watch most of the concert but I still had plenty of moments on the phone, running around the building, taking last-minute orders, and making executive decisions. For any of you who work in the event industry, I highly recommend that you allow your significant other to spend a night chasing you around your place of employment so they can see what you really do.

Wednesday, November 5
Our second night of taping was just a little disastrous. I forgot to order craft services for the control room. The girl that does water for the ushers decided not to come into work. The cast ate the parking attendants' dinners. I completely wore out our sweet catering lady, Marge, who made extra dinners and took the water jugs around the Conference Center all by herself. She truly deserves an award for all she did Wednesday night. Besides food-related issues and the snow that fell throughout the day, we had more people show up for the event than we had seats. We scrambled to get an overflow venue set up but in the end many people were turned away.

Thursday, November 6
The final night of taping A Brand New Year went over perfectly. We had more than enough dinner for everyone, the ushers received their water jugs, the control room was fed, and just enough people showed up to fill the Conference Center. I watched most of the show from the back of the house. It was a blast to watch the all excitement and energy in a sea of 21,000 teenagers.

Friday, November 7
Dave and I doubled with another couple and went to a CD release party for this young man. (Because I wasn't particularly impressed I won't mention his name but you'll find it on the other side of the above link.) Later Dave asked me what Simon Cowell would have said if he had been there. My guess is that the boy probably wouldn't have been given a golden ticket to Hollywood. Oh well, he gave it a good effort and I wish him luck with his new CD.

Saturday, November 8
We had a great night at the movies on Saturday. We went to the IMAX at Jordan Commons to see Madagascar 2. About 20 minutes into the show the projector went down. They eventually got it up and running again but in the meantime we all received free tickets to return and see another movie. Two flicks for the price of one, with just a little inconvenience. Sweet!



Sunday, November 9
Had to be just about the best Sunday I've ever had, ever. (In part because the Colts and the Giants won!) Nothing to announce right now but let's just say you'll probably, hopefully, be seeing a lot more of this...


Saturday, November 1, 2008

BYN at the CCB

At this very moment I am about half-way through a 14-hour rehearsal for A Brand New Year at the Conference Center. Yes, it is going to be a very long day but this is actually a great show so the time is flying.


The event is being recorded next Wednesday and Thursday and will be released on DVD to stakes and districts throughout the United States and Canada for them to use at local New Years Eve celebrations. There are 500 teenagers on stage and another 40,000-plus are expected to be in the audience between the two nights.

I have to say that I have been incredibly impressed with all these youth. They truly understand why they are here and what they are doing. Their testimonies of the gospel shine in their eyes.

For more information on A Brand New Year, click here. Also, stay tuned for New Years Eve activities involving the upcoming DVD in your local units.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The Maiden Meal

Monday night I invited Dave over for dinner and used my brand new gas range and oven for the first time to prepare the inaugural meal in my new home. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos but the menu went like this:

Main Course - Lasagna


Vegetable - Cooked Carrots


Side Dish - Garlic Bread


And for Dessert - Chocolate Chip Cookies


I am happy to report that my oven works very well. Everything turned out great! And I even think Dave enjoyed his first taste of my cooking. However, I still have lots of left over lasagna. If any of you need to pack a lunch this week come on over...just bring your own container.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Home Ownership

So, I think I'm just beginning to figure out all the actual financial responsibilities of home ownership. After making a 10% down payment and writing a check for the closing costs not paid by the builder, I thought my money-spending was over until the first mortgage payment came due. Boy was I wrong.


First came the window blinds. Mind you, I have 13 windows in my 1600 square-foot house. That's a whole lot of windows and 5 of them in my master bedroom/bath alone. With construction workers on site just across the street those blinds were very necessary.


Next was the water softener. I could have had the builder put one in but it was triple what I ended up paying. Even still, it was an expense -- one that I thought I could delay a little but my skin started screaming after washing only one sink of dishes.


I thought I was well prepared with everything I needed in the kitchen. I have literally been buying and storing things away for nearly 10 years. However, when I suggested we heat up a can of soup for dinner the night I moved in, Dave asked if I had a can opener. No! Can you believe I forgot something so simple and important?!


Then I have also had to buy groceries. I never realized how much I took my mother's well-stocked kitchen for granted.


And my list of small incidental things needed continues to grow...TV cable, clothes hooks, nails to hang pictures and a hammer to pound them in the walls, scrub brush for dishes, stamps and envelopes, etc, etc, etc. Not to mention the larger purchases I'm dreaming about...coordinated bedroom furniture, rugs and accent pillows, coffee table and entertainment center, garage storage units, patio furniture, backyard makeover, etc, etc, etc.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

It's Official!

After paying an exorbitant amount of money, signing and initialling about a hundred papers, promising to send in a monthly check for the next 30 years, and receiving a set of 12 keys, I can officially declare myself a Homeowner!


Take a look at the journey!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Fruits of My Labors

It all began around 4:00 this afternoon...






Twenty pints (less the one we lost in the hot water bath) and 6 hours later.

Say hello to the first items in my food storage!