Friday, September 28, 2012

lately

dear blog,

by "lately" i mean the last 2 months... be prepared for an overwhelming amount of pictures.
here's what i've been up to (among other things...)
going to megan's wedding!
watching these sillies lose at ultimate frisbee
being best friends with joe cool
enjoying this nook at work
NOT giving up my top knot...
visiting the library once a week
playing dolls with becca and this cutie
making peach pie
and making peach pie
planking at the new city creek center
playing with this cutie
driving with this cuddly bear

making friends with geoff
making friends with geoff
singing with jeff and clara

being obsessed with this cool cat

spending a lot of time with hula girl waiting for the bus
trying frozen hot chocolate... yum
spending time with my keys waiting for the bus
practicing how to avoid hugs... very important.
cuddling this puppy
signing up for a provo city library card
loving when this boy falls asleep
spending time with my cuhrazy family
enjoying my new bff, holmes
reuniting with lanae!
did i mention my family's crazy?
watching anne of green gables
saying good bye to baby girl
covering the walls with jean ralphio
dancing with new friends
wearing all red on rivalry day... woops
sleeping in the most comfortable bed in the universe
spending all day with this lady
but seriously, i love when he falls asleep on my lap.
telling bedtime stories
spending more time with this lady
doing family sealings with my family
life is busy busy busy and getting busier, but i kind of love it.

love,
rochelle

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

park city

dear blog,

last week my roommates made plans to go to park city on friday night. i was watching kellie's kids so i had to get a babysitter (thanks, mom!) and i got the van to drive so we could all go together (thanks, mom!) and we set off after work to go up and have dinner and hang out. basically we got there with no real plan in mind and wandered for a little bit. we wandered into a cool/weird gallery and then into a boutique next door that was filled with religious artifacts, antiques and art. louis (a new friend from our ward that came with us) suggested that we talk with the man that was working about where we should eat that was reasonably priced and he suggested that we go to this vietnamese place across the street that he always orders take out from. so we headed over. when we got there they were kind of closing up but the owner asked the cook if he wanted to cook for 7 and he said sure! then jessica had the genius idea to have them cook whatever they wanted for us. they loved it and cooked us an awesome family style meal. it was seriously so fun. and then when we were finished eating the owner came up and told us that ron, the man who had referred us over, had paid for all of our meals!! i was so touched and overwhelmed with gratitude (i may have started crying on the spot.) someone then had the idea to thank ron by buying him chocolates and writing him thank yous.

it was such a simple evening, but it was so positive, fun and uplifting.

i LOVE experiences like this that reaffirm that there is good in the world and buoy my spirit so i can handle dealing with the not-so-good in the world.

love,
rochelle

p.s. i was telling kathy at the distribution center this story and she mentioned how the fact that we said thank you to ron reminded her of the story of the ten lepers and how only one returned to thank Jesus. I'm so grateful for my awesome roommates who are such a great Christ-like example!

p.p.s. becca and lindsey were wearing their dollar sign bling from our dance party the other night and one of the ladies asked where we got them because she thought her granddaughter would love it. haha!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

maternal instinct

dear blog,

one of my earliest memories is of going on a walk with my uncle Carl and my baby brother. I remember that richie was really young and was still in a stroller and I was walking and for whatever reason uncle Carl got super frustrated and left us. all I remember is first feeling afraid for myself, but that was soon replaced by an overwhelming need to protect my brother and get him home safely. I remember going to a nice looking house, knocking on the door and expressing my situation. it was kind of a disaster because we had been at my grandparents and I only knew my home address and phone number but somehow, and probably by some act of God, we made it back safely. to this day I wonder sometimes how/when I became so matronly, and after lots of reflection I think my maternal instinct kicked in in that instant when I had to protect my brother and in all honesty I don't think it ever turned off. 

love,
rochelle

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

this bread is bananas

dear blog,

you know that time of year when school has begun, but it's not quite fall yet?
pumpkin bread seems too hearty, but summer salad seems too light?
this is the perfect season for banana bread, don't you agree?

here's the recipe i've been using:

Banana Bread
(i changed it a bit, but it's originally from smitten kitchen)
3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted salted butter
1 cup light brownsugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 cup of flour
chocolate chips
chopped walnuts

preheat the oven to 350 degrees. peel and mash the bananas.
with a wooden spoon (which i didn't use in these pictures so... ignore that) mix melted butter into the mashed bananas.  
mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla (which we are out of... woops) and the spices.
add the flour and mix until incorporated.
the i added chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. i honestly couldn't tell you how much of each...
pour the batter into a buttered loaf pan and bake for an hour or so (depending of your oven) until you can pull a knife out clean. (this loaf was a liiittle well done on the outside, but it was still delicious.)
invite people over or you might eat the whole thing yourself.

love,
rochelle