Catastrophe

I definitely found a new recipe that I love!  Homemade PIZZA is my new favorite thing!  I have made it like once a week for the last like 10 weeks.  It is just too good to pass up!  It is easy, and cheesy!

The other day, while making pizza, I decided to make it better than ever by adding extra cheese, extra sauce, extra pepperonis, olives, and extra bell peppers!  It was a beautiful pizza that was heavier than normal.  Seriously I was so proud of it, I called Brian and told him to skip the rest of his class and that the best pizza he would ever taste was going to be out of the oven in 5 minutes! 

I went to pull the pizza out of the oven one handed when I hit the roof of the oven trying to get to the stove top.  I grabbed the pan with my other hand, unprotected, flinched from the agonizing pain while the pizza slid off the pan back into the oven ...UPSIDE DOWN!  Yes, this is real.  There was my masterpiece pizza upside down in the oven.  Cheese was burning everywhere!  I texted brian and told him he couldn't make fun of me.  As nice as he is, he came in, saw the mess, gave me a kiss, and ate the sauceless, cheeseless pizza.  What a sweetie.

The next day, I decided i wanted to go to zumba.  I came home from work and started cooking as fast as I could for dinner.  I turned on the oven and 5 minutes later, the fire alarm was going off in the house!  I had forgotten that I had had a pizza fall back into the oven!  Needless to say, I did not make it to zumba, but cleaned the oven out for about a half an hour. 

I wish I would have taken a picture of the mess in the oven, then the mess on the floor from the oven the next day.  It was quite the adventure.  We wont be having pizza again anytime soon.

The End

Halloween, Mothers and stuffed peppers

I must admit that Friday night's football game was not fully watched by me or Brian.  Instead, we left at half time to go to our ward party.  I was happy to leave because we were losing pretty badly.  Brian and I had an enjoyable time.  He dressed up as THOR and I went as .....people called me the sexy kitten.  I meant to be cat woman.  Whatever works though.  I really had a favorite outfit, and that was for sure Kyle and Ashlan's monkey suit with their new born Madeline as the banana they were fighting over.  Ashlan made their outfits!  How adorable! 

Next we had a picture with Bat man 2x cat woman and THOR!!

Not going to lie to you..Brian was the strongest one up there for the best costume!  They had a dance off, but brian cant dance, so he did the next best thing....PUSHUPS!

 What halloween party is complete without the doughnut eating contest?  Nothing compares!!

Oh, did I tell you I am slightly a fan of this baby?  cuz I am...  

My mom came into town on Saturday. It was fun to have her for a couple of hours because she is going to be leaving in about 20 days for Cypress, in the Athens, Greece mission.  I am so happy for them.  Before my mom came, she ordered one of my finest meals for Saturday night's dinner.  We had stuffed peppers!  My mom raved about them for hours!  I was really happy with her excitement.  She really loved it and said dad would probably never eat it though.  Here is a picture of my masterpiece!!
Seriously, delish

Recipe from the Flake Family cookbook
Stuffed Peppers (Sarah Flake)

6 lg bell peppers
1lb lean ground beef
2T onion, chopped (Brian and I dont like onions..and dont put this in)
1 C rice, cooked
1tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
3/4 C mozzarella cheese, grated

Cut thin slice from stem end of each bell pepper.  Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers.  Cook peppers in enough boiling water to cover them, about 5 minutes just until soft.  Drain.  Cook beef and onion in 10 inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is brown; drain.  Stir in rice, salt, garlic and 1 cup of tomato sauce; cook until hot.  Heat oven to 250 degrees.  Stuff peppers with beef mixture.  Stand upright in ungreased square baking dish 8x8x2 inches.  Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers.  Cover and bake 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer or until peppers are tender.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve

Bridal Vail Falls

Last weekend, Brian's brother and sister, Jeff and Emily, came and visited us.  Had a lot of fun!  I am afraid they got to see the worst of me during a BYU football game held last Saturday.  The game was amazing though as the lovely Riley Nelson helped our team win!  Ha, After the football game, we went up the canyon to Bridal Vail falls.  It was beautiful!  The trees were changing and Jeff and Brian loved running up the falls too. 

 

I love how great of friends they are  :)

This picture is really nice.  You can kinda see how far up we are.

 This was a rather enjoyable hike, not too hard!

 Aww, I love Brian. 

His family is great to visit us and I love them, too!

Thanks for coming guys!

Bountiful Baskets

Brian and I have been purchasing half of a bountiful basket with Trever and Mandy for the past 3 weeks.  It is so fun to have all the produce we have been getting! Things we usually wouldn't buy, like pears, avocados,  plums, broccoli, cauliflower, etc, etc, etc!  I swear it is genius.  The only issue I have found is the fact that we have to go and get the produce at 7:15 on a Saturday.  It is worth it though because Trever and Mandy get it every other week.  HA.  So this week was our week to go get the basket.  We got there at 715 and went in with our basket.  As soon as we got in line, a guy yelled at all of us in line for not volunteering and that we should volunteer every third time we get produce.  I wanted to say to him, HEY DUDE, ITS OUR FIRST TIME TO ACTUALLY COME GET PRODUCE! haha, even with the guy yelling at all of us, the produce is still cheap and delish!  Here is a picture of the full basket.  We keep half and Trever and Mandy get the other half.  Thanks guys for splitting with us!

 Last, but not least, I have been practicing my favorite meal a lot.  Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy and corn on the cob!  It definitely has been a feat trying to get the gravy to turn out right, but you know what?  I think I actually got it to not be clumpy for once!  I had to get the camera and take a picture.  Oh, the apron is one that I made this summer with my sister in law, Carin.  She helped me get it looking so cute!  Thanks Carin!!

One day, I will have this meal totally mastered.  :)  For now, Brian is just going to have to keep getting experimented on. 

My Bri-guy had a birthday :)

So last week was Brian's birthday.  I love that boy so much!  Last year, I was so nervous for his birthday because I could not think of one darn thing that I wanted to give him or anything he even needed.  He always says he has everything he needs.  This year though, I was ready for him.  I was listening for anything he mentioned he needed so I could get it. I definitely listened and figured out what he needed.  He kept seeing the online statements and was wondering what in the world I was buying for him and he was getting a little nervous.  The night before his birthday, I got all his presents from under the bed and wrapped them.  I got too excited looking at the presents as I wrapped them.  I loved making the excuse the night before Brians birthday that we should open up just one of his presents..So we did..Then we opened all the other ones....oopsie!

 One of the gifts was a blender.  No this is not symbolic of me being the bread winner and him being the homemaker (get off my back, Father of the Bride).  He just loves making smoothies...and ours broke recently.  I used one of our wedding gift cards that we still have and went out and got him one! Although he did not specifically say he needed anything for his birthday, just like last year, I heard him say he needed a new backpack.  I also know that I am going to be driving to and from work and he will be biking for clinicals at 5am, so I got him a bike light so he wont get hit by anyone. 

He said his birthday was perfect as we went to green lantern, out to texas roadhouse, ate ice cream with friends, etc.  Yesterday though, I realized what he truly was looking forward to...He ordered this last week around his birthday..  Hmm..He doesnt want anything?  Apparently, that is not true.. Look what we got in the mail yesterday...

Lol...He sure is cute..Im happy he got something he wanted and not just things he needed.  Happy Birthday, Boy.  I love you.  :)

Experimental Foods

So, whatever you have heard about me is not true. I do make foods every once in a while!  Spaghetti, tacos, burritos, ramen (so my favorite food), potatoes in any form (especially chip)!!  Before I got my new job, I had a few hours a day without Brian as he went off to school.  I did something I have never done before..I planned meals for a whole week, grocery shopped for those foods (only chose recipies where I had mainly all ingredients), and successfully made everything on my list!  One night we had stuffed peppers, which turned out REALLY good.  Thank you family cookbooks for awesome recipes!  I will have to make it again and take pictures...SO good.

About the third night, we had PIZZA!  for our wedding, a family gave us a pizza pan with a Quick pizza dough recipe.  Needless to say, we were eating that pizza within 45 minutes!  We have had this pizza a good four times within the last 3 weeks.  This was taken on the second make.  Must I say, twas delish. (half was a man's pizza, meat thrown on top)

 It sure looks good!  Im proud of myself.. :)

Onto one of the the next things I made.  I was able to make 100% whole wheat bread!  I have never made bread in my life, let alone GRINDED MY OWN WHEAT!  A few weeks ago, Brian and I went to his family's house.  Brian has been hinting to me that he would love it if I learned a couple of things from his mom.  Welp, first on the list was the homemade bread of course!  Brian used to take half a loaf to school for his lunches, he obviously likes it.  While at Brians house, his mom pulled out a huge bucket of wheat, a grinder, and a bread maker and said we were to make bread!  It was a lot of fun (and way messy) as we grinded the wheat and made the bread.  After making the delicious bread, Brian's mom handed me the bucket of wheat, the grinder, and the bread maker and said I could have it!  I am so grateful!

First attempt all by myself without her help.

How did I do!!?  Although it was a little burnt, Brian said it was pretty good!  Thanks hun!

Also, Brians family visited...and I wanted them to think we are healthy....

I think I may have gone overboard....

Well, It was fun to be home for two weeks and make a few plates of food.  I really am going to have to put the pizza dough recipe up soon.  It is SO good.  Thanks for reading!
-Michelle

Oklahoma City Zoo

Brian and I went to the Oklahoma City Zoo before we came back to Utah.  It was a ton of fun as we walked around in the heat that could kill a person.  All the lions were put inside because of the heat.  113 degrees is no laughing matter.  Disappointingly, We did not get the chance to see lions, but we saw a ton of other animals!

My favorite friend was this big Grey backed Gorilla.  I think I liked him the most because he slept right by the window for us to see.  One of the lady gorillas poked him in the bottom and he sat STRAIGHT up!  He was staring at me in the window..we were face to face.  ;)

 This is just a good looking pic of us in the Zoo.  I liked it

 Cant go to a zoo without seeing Zebra!  That was fun too

Although it was hot, and most of the animals acted dead, it was very fun to go and see one of the top Zoos in America with Brian.

You know when you have a Case of the MONDAYS

All you wanna do is lay in bed alll day!  but you have to go to work.  Work will be over in 2 weeks though, which is so nice.  We will be heading back to Provo in about 3 weeks and we plan to PARTY until Brian starts school again.  After working so hard this whole summer, Brian and I have decided within the next 5 weeks we are going to:

Go to Six Flags over Texas

Go to Nauvoo with my parents (maybe)

Move back to Utah

Hike Squaw peak

Hike the Y

Go to 7 Peaks

Go mini golfing to our hearts content

Go to Idaho for Brian's good friend, Nate's wedding

visit Brian's family

Ride horses 

Get another job

switch my name to Hayes finally

Make our apartment cute

One goal I have that will start in the next month or so is to be more social with people!  Make new friends and have home made Ice Cream parties every week!  Christensen cousins ice cream parties every month (with a little dibby dip)

These next five weeks will be so great!!  I am excited for a little time off from reality.  Brian and I definitely need it.  :)

I will definitely miss this girl, however....  

Family fun

Oklahoma has been pretty exciting

 We enjoyed swimming at the Christensen Reunion.

 Erica Carin Kim and I are just enjoying the sun in our cool sunglasses.  :)

 Me with my nieces Whitney and Shantelle.

 This picture is fun as my mom is taking a picture of Carter, there are 58 kids on the merry go round

Spinning them as fast as we can!


During our reunion, I realized that our family has 54 people in it!  I have 34 nieces and nephews, 8 siblings plus their 8 spouses!  That is insane!  Its also fun to look at the order of arrival into the Christensen family.  I am number 11 (counting my parents as numbers 1 and 2).  Brian however is number 52!!  Thats pretty crazy!!  Our family will only continue to get bigger!  Hopefully we will always have as much fun as we did this year for our reunions. 

One year!

Brian is my best friend and I am happy to say that we have made it a full year together!  I love how so many people say the first year is the hardest, but I just don't see it!   There are so many reasons why I love that guy. 
He always puts a smile on my face, even when I dont wanna smile.
He makes me want to be better physically mentally and spiritually.
He helps me budget when all I wanna do is spend
He loves me so much and always says goodnight princess.
He will put his book down he is reading when I ask him for attention.  This is big because no Hayes can put down a book, even if the house was on fire.
He never misses the opportunity to open a car door for me
He loves kids SO much.  He is definitely even more irrisistibly attractive when he plays with my nieces and nephews.  They always run up to him and say UNCO BINUN!!!!
He will seriously do whatever it takes to make me happy.

What a great husband he is.  The list goes on and on.  I didnt even get to his good looks!  :)  one year ago I made the best decision of my life. I love Brian and cant wait for years to come.  Life wont be perfect, but with him, surely it will be close.

Playing Mom

Well, I am on one of my last days of babysitting for Bryan and Donna's eight kids.  I really have enjoyed the time I have been here.  There have been up sides, and downsides.  I feel like I have learned how to wake up to kids in the night and not be upset about the beauty sleep I could be missing on.  I have learned to be careful when yelling..kids get scared!  Aunts should never yell at their nieces or nephews.  Oh my, and keeping a kitchen clean is pretty much impossible! Another thing I have learned, by the point a family reaches eight kids, the first three kids are way helpful with cleaning.  it is amazing what six extra hands can do.  2 hours of work can easily turn into 30 minutes. 
I have a new respect for mothers.  They sacrifice their time, energy and sleep on their kids.  Donna is so patient with her kids.  Hopefully I havent scarred them too much since I have been with them.  They definitely know what I dont like.  Just the other day when I got home, one of the kids hands were in the chips. He hid them behind his back and started walking backward. They give me this look like..uh oh!  Aunt Michelle is here.  Dang I am mean.  I just dont want them to spoil their dinner is all!  :)
Carter-the youngest boy who is 3 has definitely grown on me since I have been here.  When he asks me for a cookie and I say yes, the sweetest smile comes to his face as he jumps up and down and yells "YAY!"  There are those times...like just now..when he asks and I say that he can after dinner.  He proceeds to cry. Dang, I am mean.  On the upside, he forgets quickly!  :)
Gretchen-Okay the reason I am talking about the 14 year old is because she has been a lot of help with the two youngest kids. For instance, on Saturday morning at 5:30, after staying up until three with the oldest, Shantelle (yes i am that responsible) I heard a cry outside of my door.  It was Carter.  I just knew it!  I crawled out of bed with only 2 hours of sleep and gretchen was sitting by Carter.  Gretchen looked at me and said I got it Aunt Michelle, go back to bed.  The only thing I did was say Okay.  I was back in bed asleep 30 seconds later.  Wow, gretchen is more responsible than I am!  Sadly last night the same thing happened but this time poor carter didnt want Gretchen.  Gretchen came into my room so I could help Carter. Brian tried, but to no avail.  I was in there within 2 minutes.  Gretchen also helped so much with putting the 3 little boys to bed.  She slept with carter in her bed one night.  :) what a nice sister.
All in all, this has been very educational and there have been many fun times while here.  I loved playing mom for a week.  Now I know what I have to look forward to..

Watch for the Women on Saturday Night!

Women are crazy.  I will tell you why.  When men go to Priesthood session in Utah, all the women gather to Deseret Book.  Let me just say, it is madness!  Why you ask, did I get caught up in this madness?  One: 20% off everything, Two: Lottery for prizes, Three: Grand prizes were three $400 pictures.  Four: my good Friend Staci was working there. Bonus: Door Prize for the first 200 people, hence the line..

 I am glad I got my friend Mandy to come with me!

 I thought about taking pictures with one more grand prize to go..  It is beautiful and in the bottom left corner of the next picture..

 I was sad I didn't win the grand prize, so I bought a new temple bag and some good books!  I did however win a CD which made my day.  :)  I dont know the lady, but she was there and I had her sign it.  :)  sweet!

THE END. 
(Next Post, GRADUATING SENIOR)

Missing Australia

 

I wish I could be back in Australia.  I dont like these finals looming over me.

 I miss my big brother, Mark.  On big trips we used to be partners cuz we were the only ones not married.  I am glad we both married awesome people though.  :)  I like my roomie now 

 I miss the koala that I pet.  He was a cool guy..pretty chill

 OH AUSTRALIA.  Let me go back someday..this time with Brian!

Finals, you are not my favorite

March 25 Blizzard

March 25th, what a day!  I woke up startled by my alarm clock going off.  I couldn't figure out why it was going off in the middle of the night.  I grabbed my phone and looked.  It was indeed 6:45 and time to start waking up.  You know what though?  It wasn't even light outside, so i pressed that snooze button.  Finally after 6 snoozes, Brian and I got up and ready for our 8 o'clock classes.  Brian walked outside and came back in saying that it was pretty cold out there.  I decided its okay to pull out a big jacket one last time before I really put my coats away for the summer.  We left home, made it to our classes on time and I sat in my class for 50 minutes.  I had to walk to my next class, which is entirely on the other side of campus.  There was definitely some small rain drops coming from a very gray and cloudy sky.  another 50 minutes went by, then I was on to my next class, which was in the first building I was in today...THE OTHER SIDE OF CAMPUS.  It was freezing outside and drizzling.  50 minutes pass.  I head to the library, which is the center of campus.  When I walk into the library, my hair was soaked and my black coat I wore today was completely covered in white.  I walked up to Brian who is studying in the library.  He says, oh it looks fun out there...so i shook my body, yes i did..and I got him alllll wet!  It is currently 11:45 and I am in the library looking out the window at the snow falling listening to Garth Brooks and dreading going to my noon class...what a day..  Come on Summer

Senior in College!

Well, it is my senior year of College!  Yes, I am almost a College Graduate!  And yes, this means that senior night saying goodbye to Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery was the night they said goodbye to me as a lowly college student.  Brian and I had to leave an hour ahead of the game just so we could get in our seats at the very tip top of the rafters.  Thanks to Sarah and Kurt, we were able to get that close!  ha!  Below are some pictures of the game.  It will start with a bowl of fruit..  I just wanted to show how healthy I was..thats all..  Whoo!

 My husband is so cute

 So when we walked in, they were handing out basketball cards.  I got three decks!

 We saw Rachel and David climbing up to the tippy top with their cute baby.

 Miss Sarah Van Wagenen..i may have gotten the last name wrong..sorry!  I like you though

And the basketball game was a winner!  We got over 100 points!

What a fun game..  and what fun company!