My sweetheart and I celebrated his birthday early because I frankly cannot keep a secret for the life of me. I just get too excited and then blurt out what I want to get him or what I'm thinking of getting him. It usually ends in his favor though because he gets all of his goodies and presents weeks earlier than his birthday. There is also none of that awkward "This wasn't what I wanted" exchange either.

Bonus pictures!

The hubby got a gun for his birthday but I've already mentioned it in this post. He loves his new gun and is especially looking forward to hunting Easter Eggs this year.

I made my husband pose for this beautiful "America!!!" shot because I thought it was so hilarious. I was told to never show it to a soul. Better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, right? In case you were wondering, the objects hanging on the wall are an American flag he received for his military service and the pelt (skin, feathers????) of a bird he shot. 'Murica.

I absolutely adore my sweet husband and I am looking forward to this next year of happiness! Let's see if I can't get on the surprise birthday bandwagon at some point.
- Alex

My sweet little handsome man has been growing by leaps and bounds this past year. He is really growing into his little personality and overcoming huge obstacles - my heart is so full!

When Henry was 5, he was diagnosed with severe autism. This diagnosis was paralyzing but it was also one of the best things that could have ever happened to our family. This diagnosis has given my brother the advantage to get all of the help he needs. He now has an entire support system behind him rather than confused parents and concerned babysitters.

I will never forget the day we received his diagnosis, that day was earth-shattering. However, I will also never take for granted the amazing special education program, IEP's, teachers, therapies, and aids that Henry has been the recipient of because of his diagnosis. While one day might have felt like the end of the world, today I have felt the undeniable assurance that my sweet little guy has opportunities and abilities that are far greater than he would have ever had, had we not gotten him tested.

My cup runneth over today. Not only is this handsome man as handsome and loving as ever, but he is also reading. Yes, reading! A huge milestone for a boy who could hardly form a sentence just a few years ago.

I sat down and read with him for a half hour before I realized that I needed to get a video of this miraculous feat. Thankfully, he was fully willing to cooperate but it was also 10:00 pm so he was fussy.

He was also extremely adorable getting ready for bed.

This morning, at 6:00, I signed up for my next semester courses.

I am so giddy and nervous all at the same time! I'm finally into the nitty gritty of my major and I'm loving every minute of it! Well, not the math. Not looking forward to the math.

I'm really loving one of the classes I have this semester. It's called "Motivation and Management". In it, we are learning how to handle a classroom without resorting to treats or bribes to get children to learn. It's been incredibly interesting to learn all of the scientific studies on how children are motivated and what severe punishments and severe rewards can do to their intrinsic motivation. I've actually enjoyed this class so much, I've ordered quite a few of the books my teacher recommended. And quite a few as in 10 or 11. I've already finished 3 of them and am now moving onto the 4th book. Let's just say I am drinking the koolaid, guys.

One of the most interesting things that I've learned is how to create an environment where children can choose what it is they want to do. Obviously, they don't have free autonomy of choice, but it's been very thought provoking to see how you can run a classroom that aims to give kids choices in order to promote their own moral code.

A while ago, I read the book "Teaching Like Your Hair is on Fire" by Rafe Esquith, which I would recommend to any one who is teaching, whether it be in a school, a church, or doing seminars. He also has two other books, which are equally as great. In this particular book, Rafe mentions 6 Stages of Moral Development within a classroom. These stages are:

1. I don't want to get into trouble

2. I want a reward

3. I want to please someone else

4. I want to follow the rules

5. I am considerate of others

6. I have a personal code of behavior and I live by it

In my Motivation and Management class, we are learning how to take kids out of the first 5 stages of Moral Development and into the 6th stage. The first four stages are all about punishments and rewards. A child does something for a treat. A child answers a question to gain favor or acceptance from the teacher. A child obeys the rules because they will get punished if they do not. A child does not question the rules because then they would lose favor of the teacher. It all sort of intermingles. 

I was definitely the student that wanted to please my teachers. I was absolutely heartbroken on the days where my teachers were gruff with me, gave me a B on an assignment, or didn't pay attention to me. I was that annoying little suck up who lived within walking distance of the school and stayed after every day to get my 5 minutes with the teacher so that I could have praises and hallelujah's pronounced upon my little, eager brain. I was definitely a stage 3 and 4 student. I'd like to think that there were times when I reached the 5th stage or 6th stage because I was really doing it for myself, but I was mainly just concerned about what others thought of "that good little student, Alex". Thankfully, as I grew up a little and moved on to middle school where I had 8 different teachers, 200+ different classmates, and 1000 different assignments, I realized that nobody was going to pay any attention to me. The most recognition awarded in middle school was a "Good job" written on top of your paper, which nowhere near amounted to the praise I had received just a summer before. I think having this sort of background has helped me to make informed decisions on what it is I have learned in this class.

Many people are very shocked when I first start explaining the idea. Lot's of people are fine and dandy when you say "... and no punishment and no treats" but then, once you start mentioning that praise and compliments constitute as rewards, people lose it. I found that really interesting. There is a girl in my class who cannot handle the idea of not complimenting someone on somethings everyday. Her conversation went a little bit something like this:

"But I like to compliment random people as they walk by. It makes them feel good and I feel good knowing that I am doing it." - random girl
"So, you're saying that you get satisfaction knowing that you are making someone else feel good?" - Hawk-eyed Sister McManus
"Well, yeah. I like knowing that I make them feel good." - random girl
"That's the point. You are only doing it because you like the recognition you get from doing it. Chances are you don't really care about the jeans they are wearing or the lipstick they have on. You are saying it because you like making people feel good." - Sharp-tongued Ms. McManus
"But I don't get any recognition. They are mostly complete strangers. It makes their day!" - girl
"Well, what would happen if someone replied, 'thanks for telling me how I need to wear my hair in order to impress you.' Would you feel good then?" - Quick-witted Sister McManus
"No, I wouldn't feel good then, but no one has ever said that." - very confused girl
"See, the problem with compliments is the fact that you are essentially telling someone how they should dress to impress you. You are saying these things because you get to feel good about yourself by saying them. If someone were to say to you 'Your hair looks nice today' would you think 'Well, gee. What does my hair look like on other days?' Compliments such as 'Is that a new hairdo?' with a smile on your face can be a good way of complimenting someone without saying 'This is what you need to do to please me'. See how that works? We aren't telling someone what we think is attractive. We are noticing a change and if we feel the need to make a comment on it, comments should be non-judgmental." - Sister McManus

I think the most interesting thing about this course is learning how to use language in a way that isn't imposing on other people and yet is very thoughtful and constructive. It's definitely something that makes more sense when you really delve into the literature alongside the lessons. So far, I've read the books "Drive" by Daniel H. Pink, "Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes" by Alfie Kohn, and "Teaching with Love & Logic" by Jim Fay and David Funk. They have all touched on these topics - many not even in a school setting. These ideas are easily replicated within a home on a regular basis.

I have 5 more coming in the mail. I'd recommend picking one up if you are at all interested in learning how to run a home, a classroom, or a business without resorting to goodies, competitions, or other incentive plans!

Meanwhile, I'll just be here reading, dreading the rest of this semester, and looking forward to the next!

- Alex

While out with my sisters, Abbi and Ciara, we decided to do some shopping. I figured since I am a grown woman, it was time I bought my first lipstick! I got two; one nude and one in fushia. Abbi and Ciara picked out everything to be honest. I just kind of sat back and made sure we stayed on budget.

I also got some bronzer, a concealer stick, 3 cream eyeshadows, and then 2 nail polishes that aren't pictured but are absolutely gorgeous!

I also decided I'd finally open a box of trial perfumes I got from three Christmas' ago! Yes, you heard right. Three Christmas' ago.

Lately, I have been very interested in cooking new things! I've challenged myself to make a new recipe every week, whether it be for dinner or just a snack! So far, I'm loving the recipes I have done and I've decided to share them with you! Cooking recently has reminded me of how much I am like my mother, and I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing! One thing that I do know, is that it means that I don't measure anything out. I add things in amounts that just feel "right". Therefore, some of these recipes might drive you absolutely crazy if you are someone that needs actual measurements. Sorry about that!

Chicken Cordon Bleu:

This Chicken Cordon Bleu is a masterpiece, and I'm not just saying that because I made it (; I gave it a breadcrumb/cheese topper and it was melt in your mouth delicious. 

Ingredients:

Enough Chicken Breasts for each person in your party. I tripled that amount so that we could have left overs

Two slices of Ham for each Chicken Breast. I used deli ham and it worked great!

Two pieces of Bacon for each Chicken Breast

One slab of Swiss Cheese for each Chicken Breast. Any cheese will work. We actually blended three cheeses together in total

One sleeve of Ritz Crackers

Shredded Cheese

Toothpicks

1 small can of Chicken Broth

2 dollups of Sour Cream

Thyme

Parmesan Cheese

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, 200 degrees Celsius. In a bowl, crush up Ritz crackers. This will be a breading layer, therefore crush up however many you need to make a nice crumb layer on top of the chicken. I personally only used 8 crackers for 6 chicken breasts. Once the Ritz crackers have been crushed, add Sour Cream, Chicken Broth, Thyme, and Parmesan Cheese In a separate bowl, soak toothpicks in water. A good way to make sure they absorb as much as possible is to put a spoon into the bowl that pushes the toothpicks to the bottom.

Step 2: If you want thinner chicken slices to then roll up like a cinnamon bun, pound your chicken flat. I personally love having my chicken thick and juicy. Once you have decided what you are going to do with your chicken, place all of the breasts on a large baking sheet. I put mine in a casserole dish so that the crumb layer could be spread throughout the entire casserole dish. 

Step 3: Cut your strips of bacon in half and place 4 halves on each slice of chicken breast. Cover the bacon with two slices of ham folded up so that it conforms to the general size of the chicken breast. Then, layer on your slabs of Swiss cheese. If you decided to roll your chicken breast, now carefully roll them into a ball. Make sure to secure everything with your wet toothpicks.

Step 4: Take your crumb layer mixture and slather it on top of each chicken breast. Don't feel timid! This is seriously the best part! After you have slathered each piece, take your shredded cheese and add a final cheese layer. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until chicken is browned and thoroughly cooked through.

Baked Asparagus:

This baked asparagus was absolutely delicious. I made this as an appetizer but it was so lux I wish I had made a steak or something to go along with it! Be warned, this recipe is not long lasting if you overcook the asparagus!

Ingredients:

Asparagus

Salt

Pepper

Grill Mates Steak Seasoning

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

Large Ziploc bag

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, 200 degrees Celsius. Cut off the hard ends of your asparagus. If you feel the asparagus, you will notice that there is a natural place where the stalk becomes tender and indents. Cut right at that point. This step is optional.

Step 2: Place the asparagus in a large Ziploc bag, add in enough olive oil to light cover each piece of asparagus. Then, take the grill mates seasoning, salt, and pepper, and sprinkle enough in the bag for a nice even coat. Work the bag with your hands until each piece of asparagus is coated in seasoning and olive oil.

Step 3: Take the asparagus out of your bag and lay them flat on a baking sheet that you have sprayed with non-stick spray. Lightly sprinkle lemon juice on the asparagus.

Step 4: Bake in oven for 12-20 minutes depending on preferred crunchiness. Serve hot.

Homemade Pizza Rolls:

These pizza rolls are great for several reasons. One, they don't scald your mouth. Two, you can make as many as you would like. Three, they take about 10 minutes to make from start to finish!

Ingredients:

1 can of Pillsbury Rolls

Prego Sauce

Pepperoni slices

Pizza seasoning

Shredded Cheese

Olive or Vegetable Oil

Step 1: Preheat Oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, 162 degrees Celsius. Spray non-stick spray on a large baking sheet.

Step 2: Unroll your dough from the can. I prefer using crescent rolls because they aren't as buttery as the dinner rolls. Either way, flatten your rolls into a large oval shape. Make sure to not pierce through the dough. Keep the dough a little bit thick. 

Step 3: Cover one side of the dough with desired amount of Prego sauce. Add two pepperoni's to each "pocket". Finally, fill with shredded cheese. Place filled pockets on the baking sheet so that they are not touching. 

Step 4: Oil the tops of each pocket and sprinkle pizza seasoning and shredded cheese. Bake in oven for 8 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Serve hot!

Spinach Artichoke Pasta:

This pasta is great as either a side dish or a full meal. Being a poor college student, it is easy to whip this up and not worry about adding a meat to the dish. 

Ingredients:

16 oz or 1 bag of either Penne or Macaroni Pasta Noodles

Shredded Cheese

15 oz of artichoke hearts (1 jar)

Dried Spinach leaves

Parmesan Cheese

1 cup sour cream

Half of a chopped onion

Cayenne Pepper

Garlic Powder

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325. In a large pot, cook the noodles. Recommended that you bring the water to a boil before adding the noodles. While cooking the noodles, start chopping up the artichoke hearts and spinach leave. I personally used an electronic dicer to speed up the process. Chop up your onion to your preference of size. If you like the taste of onions, feel free to change the amount used.

Step 2: Drain the noodles completely. In the same large pot that you cooked the noodles in, combine diced artichoke hearts, spinach leaves, onions, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Add the noodles back into the pot and stir all contents until the noodles are nicely coated with the sour cream mixture. Add a pinch of Cayenne Pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste. If this is going to be the staple of your meal, I recommend adding a stronger flavor. To accomplish this, I added more garlic powder than I normally would. I also added some Season Salt. Optional things to add to make this a base meal: extra seasonings or spices, minced garlic, and/or tuna fish from a can. 

Step 3: Pour the noodle mixture into a baking dish that is safe for the oven. Cover with a layer of shredded cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. If you want to eat this dish cold, heat in the oven until the cheese melts.

Barbecue Pork Stir Fry:

This dish is time consuming to make but it tasted so good that I immediately wished I had doubled my recipe. The taste alone makes up for all of the now dirty pots and pans that went into it!

Ingredients:

Instant Rice or preferred rice

Pork Shoulder

Barbecue Sauce

Kikoman Soy Sauce

Frozen Stir Fry bag

Step 1: Cube the pork shoulder, making sure to cut away any fat as necessary. I purchased a pack of 6 pork shoulders and only used two of them for this recipe. Once the pork shoulder is cubed, place in a oiled pan and begin to cook the meat at a medium temperature. Once the pork is added, add Kikoman Soy sauce and Barbecue sauce. For the Kikoman sauce, add what you would normally add if you were eating that much meat alone. For the Barbecue sauce, add enough that each piece of pork is covered but not drenched. Feel free to add more sauces as the pork cooks if needed. Stir occasionally. 

Step 2: Start defrosting or drying off the stir fry vegetables. They should not be wet when you cook them or else they will become soft and mushy. 

Step 3: Begin preparing the rice. For 2 people with hefty appetites, I boiled 2 cups of water and added in 2 cups of rice. While the water for the rice is boiling, in a separate deep pan or wok, heat oil until it starts to lightly smoke. I used the highest setting on my stove. Make sure you keep your range hood fan on! Once the water for the rice boils, add the desired amount of rice, take it off of heat, and let it sit. 

Step 4: Once the wok or deep pan starts to lightly smoke, add the vegetables. Stir them occasionally for the first few minutes they are in the wok. Once they start to get very hot, stir them around very often to ensure that nothing gets burned but that they are each crispy. 

Step 5: As soon as the vegetables are hot and crispy, lower the heat to keep them warm while the pork continues to cook. Once the pork is cooked through entirely, serve hot. 

I guess you could pretty much consider me a shoe-in for the next Top Chef competition. Hopefully you enjoy these recipes as much as my cute little husband does!

We seriously have just one more month left in the semester. It is the most glorious feel in the world to know that the end is so near!!! Not only just one more month until the semester ends, but one more month until it gets warm, one more month until my next semester starts and then I'm done for the rest of the year with school, one more month until Mitch is out of school!

I feel like this semester we have been pretty high strung. Not only has Mitch's work load about tripled from what he was doing last semester, his classes are getting harder and harder. I can't even look at one of his math assignments without being confused beyond belief.

As for my classes, the pace has pretty much stayed the same but my teachers are finally starting to talk about our finals and I am fearing for my life. Literally scared right about now! However, I have still managed to find time to work and tour some of the buildings around campus.

It's safe to assume that Mitch has the emotional range of a teaspoon. If I had gotten something that I really liked, I would probably jump through the ceiling. Not this guy, he pretty much just sat in the car and held the thing. I had to keep on asking him questions or else he wouldn't have said anything!

He also took the gun with him to dinner at our Bishop's house. I'm not sure what kind of message we are spreading to our lovely ward. "Oh hey, Bishop. Let me just set out my gun on the dinner table! Eat away!" I think it's the redneck in him. He just doesn't really know how weird that is, bless his heart.

Here's a photo dump of our week!

 My sweet husband, mid burp. What a charmer

Aren't we so cute?!
- Alex