Monday, May 7, 2012

The Western Caribbean Honeymoon Cruise....Day 2 Boarding Day

We went to bed Saturday night hoping to wake up to a sunny day that would allow us to play in the pool and layout once we got on the ship. Well that was a funny wish. It rained all night and we woke up to more and more rain. 

The dang rain messed up our plans of walking to a Sunday Brunch at a local resturant. We figured the taxi fair would be more then the hotel breakfast would be. So we ate at the hotel watching the down pour of rain.

Eventauly we decided it was time to brave the rain and head to port. We caught a taxi and had the fun of checking in for our cruise. 

Did I mention it rained all day!!! I think we had a break from the rain after dinner. But basically we had to camp out inside the ship all day. Fortunatly Carnival Glory has a retractable roof over the adult pool deck. So we could still enjoy ourselves. We spent a good amount of time exploring and going on a spa tour and spa raffle.

The view from out hotel and the "Sunny"morning we woke up to.




A glimpse into  what check in looked liked.













Our Ship ready and waiting for us. 

Our "sunny" day on ship during check in day. 




Views of South Beach from the ship.







Heading out to Sea.

The Western Caribbean Honeymoon Cruise....Day 1 South Beach Miami Florida

It was finally honeymoon time for us!! Ok we did go to Park City the weekend of but this was our real honeymoon. Do you remember me saying last summer how I was going on a Western Caribbean Cruise in April of 2012 because I was single and could and would not let getting married stopping me from going on this girls week out cruise. Well I went on the cruise but instead took my best friend ever....my amazing hubby Kyle!!

We flew out early Saturday morning so that we could enjoy a sunny day at South Beach in Miami Florida. We arrived to Florida around 3:30 and found it not so sunny. It was the beginning of what was to be a stormy weekend in Florida.

We enjoyed some beach time, exploring South Beach and then some fun swimming in the ocean until it started getting to late in the night. (I was kind of worried about sharks because we were swimming at dusk, and on a stormy day...a big no no)

We stayed at the Richmond Hotel, which was right on the beach. Very nice and fun. Ok it was a weird hotel but I would stay there again.

Enjoy the picture over load (there are lots to come)

Im breaking our Cruise into a post for each day.

A creepy cool Jelly Fish (kind of freaked me out about going into the ocean.











Sunday, April 15, 2012

Oh So Yummy Sunday Dinner

Because I love to cook....Because I love new recipes...My Weekly Recipe!!!

Home Made Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

To roast garlic:

Heat over to 350

Pill outside layer of garlic off, cut off 1/4 an inch from top sprinkle with olive oil and wrap in foil...bake for 1 hr. When done cooking unwrap to cool and squeeze out garlic clove

Mashed potatoes:

Add 1/2 stick for small pan or 1 stick of full pan of potatoes of cream cheese to pain

Add dash of milk

Add roasted garlic

Mash and mix together

Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups
recipe image
Rated: rating
Submitted By: Monica
Photo By: Ry@n
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 55 Minutes
Servings: 4
"Boneless chicken breasts are rolled around fresh asparagus spears and provolone cheese, then given a Dijon mustard flavored coating and a topping of crisp panko bread crumbs. The dish is baked in a hot oven."
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves
4 slices provolone cheese
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Grease a baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, tarragon, salt, and pepper until the mixture is well combined. Set aside.
2. Cook asparagus in the microwave on High until bright green and just tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Set the asparagus spears aside. Place a chicken breast between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken breast with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts.
3. Place 1 slice of provolone on each chicken breast, and top the cheese with 4 asparagus spears per breast. Roll the chicken breasts around the asparagus and cheese, making a tidy package, and place, seam sides down, in the prepared baking dish. With a pastry brush, apply a coating of the mayonnaise mixture to each chicken breast, and sprinkle each with panko crumbs, pressing the crumbs into the chicken to make a coating.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crumbs are browned and the chicken juices run clear, about 25 minutes.





















Saturday, April 14, 2012

Why I "needed" a Kitchenaid




So I could make homemade pasta!!! It was fun and easy.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Easter Camping Trip....Capitol Reef Style

Easter Camping Trip....Captiol Reef Style


This weekend Kyle and I went on our first camping trip as a married couple.!!


We hadnt really intended it to be a Easter Camping trip it was just the best weekend to go before our cruise and we were itching to use all of our new camping gear.


We headed down to Capitol Reef for an over nighter trip. Some good off roading river crossing fun, new hikes and some good old traditional ones.


Enjoy the photo over load. (Some of them look funny..I forgot I messed with the color settings)


Cassidy Arch


Hiking Cassidy Arch










Making us some yummy grub...aka camp food.








Me over looking Cathedral Valley.








Cathedral Valley...Tower of the Moon




Cathedral Valley







Coolest scenery ever!!!
















Very proud after crossing the Fremont River in our SUV. I tried to put the video on but really cant figure it out.







Our camp!!






Friday, April 6, 2012

Friday, March 30, 2012

A Broken Record with a Broken Goal

Thats right I am going to sound like a broken record here....

I WANT to get into shape and lose weight again.

I WANT to be back to my formal atheltic body.

Its not just about wants its about needs.

I NEED to get into shape and lose weight.

I NEED to be back to my formal athletic body.

Why do I need to...cause thats when my body is at its best. Thats when I feel best about my self. Thats when I felt most confident and attractive. Thats when Im not obssessed about the number on my scale. Thats when I feel at peace, calm and gitty happy (yes more happy then I am now) because of all the feel goods that run through my body.

Why do I need to.....because my body needs me to. I feel like I have been sicker, more injured, more lazy, more tired sense I put on weight.

Why do I need to.....I want to start a family in the future but want to carry a baby in the healthiest body possible for the healthiest start possible for that child.

Why do I need to....Becuase the junky food, candy, and soda I now have a bad habbit of eating is litteraly poison to my body. Its an ok treat....but a poison when consumed daily.

Why do I need to...I want to live a long life and fend off heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Why do I need to....I cant afford to buy a new wardrobe if I get to big for what I currently own. But I a whole wardrobe set for me when I retrun to my former weight.

Why do I need to....my budget cant support junk food and gas station runs when I would rather have money for adventures and dates with my loving husband.



So here I go!!! I have spent this week as a practice week. I have meet my work out goals...now to get back to full sling working out and not juse my slow return to it this week was!! I have worked hard to eat better during the work days!!

I know I can do it so now its time to go public and hold my self publicly accountable.


And for inspiration when I want food, or any of you who want to join me in this feet should read.


My body woke me up when the sky was still dark and my house was quiet.

Take me for a walk?

It asked.

I shuffled about in the shadows of my house putting on shoes, finding a shirt, throwing on a jacket, pulling up my hair.

Outside was spring-like, not the bone-chilling reception we've had these past few months.
The birds were up too, perched high in the bare trees, chatty, noisy little things.

I walked and walked, talked myself into climbing up an inclined street until I reached the top and looked out onto my still, frosted town. The red-roofed library, the stacked Kimball tower, the dark sky-scraping Nu Skin building, the white rounded temple, all in my view. I stopped and listened to the drumming of heartbeats in my ears.

That's when my body started talking to me.

You've got to trust me.

It told me.

When I am hungry, I will tell you.

You'll hear it in chambered echoes, grumbles and moans.

DON'T FEED ME until you hear my call.

When I am lonely, I will tell you.

A lump will well up in your throat, like you've swallowed cotton, and tears will form in your eyes.

DON'T FEED ME. Try making a connection with the fine collection of friends you love.

When I am anxious, I will tell you.

Your heart will beat fast, your breath will struggle to leave the lungs and you might feel full of fire.

DON'T FEED ME. Instead, sit down and fight for those breaths. Let the oxygen pour into you — clearing the veins and vessels. Close your eyes. Identify the fear that is squeezing you.

When I feel depressed, I will tell you.

There will be a significant lack of energy, a slumpy reaction to bed-leaving. My mind will slow down and thoughts will become like black puffy clouds.

DON'T FEED ME. Instead, fill your head back up with new thoughts, ideas from books and discussions. Replace the dirty fuel in your mind with clean energy.

When I feel stressed, I will tell you.

Like rubber bands squeezing around your cranium, your head throbbing, your stomach turning, your muscles tightening.

DON'T FEED ME. Instead, write it all out, everything you are feeling. Look over the list and examine.

When I feel sick, I will tell you.

Fevers, aches, pains and physical discomfort.

DON'T FEED ME. Take care of me, bathe me, give me lots of water and put me to bed.
When I feel happy, I will tell you.

Goose bumps infiltrate your skin, you will feel light and airy, propped up on energy, buzzing in your blood.

DON'T FEED ME. Use the excess vivacity to spread your sentiments to someone else.
When I need exercise, I will tell you.

Your legs will ache to be walked, your back will beg to be stretched, your heart will ask to be throbbed.

DON'T FEED ME. Walk me. And don't exercise me until I say so, please, or we will battle.

When I feel lazy, content, competitive, peaceful, overwhelmed, snippy, snappy, hot, cold, tired, frustrated, thirsty, full, beaming and bright, I will tell you.

DON'T FEED ME. None of these sentiments require food. Excess surplus will have to be stored. I will have to make more of us — human shelves in rolls and lumps — to organize the overflow intake. Don't make me do that, please. There are babies to feed, children to squeeze, a husband to kiss. Right now, we don't have a lot of steam to become a storage facility as well.

But when I feel hungry, I will send you a message of emptiness of stomach, dizziness of head, a sensation in your mouth extending into your throat that reads, I NEED FOOD. PLEASE DON'T STARVE ME.

Then, feed me.