"Birthday for Sammi-kins!"

My baby turned 8 today. I'm still processing it...we watched old videos of her when she was born and her first year. Wow. I am so grateful to have this special little girl as my daughter. She's amazing! Happy Birthday, Sammi!

"Maiwage, is wat bwings us twogeva..."

Wow. 10 years. You hear about how quickly time passes as you get older...(or is it "when you're having fun"?) Well, both cases are true. 10 years ago, today, I married my best friend and the hottest guy on the planet. :)Although I couldn't see into the future, I had some predictions:
1) I knew being married to Matt would be great
2)I knew that we'd have our challenges (because that's what everyone says..."marriage is hard.")
3)And I knew our kids were going to be AWESOME.




Well, the result are in:
1) Being married to Matt has been not only great but FANTASTIC!
2)We've definately had our challenges but have also discovered that we are eachother's best sidekick and champion. Bring it on!
3)Marriage IS hard, but worth it. Being Matt's wife is the best part of my day. :)
4) Our kids ARE AWESOME! :) Good gene mix, I'd say.

So, looks like my predictions were spot on. However, I couldn't predict just how perfect a match Matt is for me. I have grown as a person in so many ways, just by being his wife and friend. He's a pro at loving me and our kids and being my best buddy. I love you Matt! Happy Anniversary!

(This is now Matt Writing!! I have broken into Dy's Blog and thought I would write a message of my own).

I too thought marriage to Dyanna would be great! I was not prepared for HOW GREAT! My wife is exceptionall at everything she does. She is constantly becoming a better person and by doing so has made me better. I am proud to call her my best freind and eternal companion. I could not have married someone more perfect for me and my weekneses (by now you can tell that one of my weeknesses is spelling...you see if dyanna was here right now she would have corrected all of my spelling problems. However, she is not here...I am hacking into her blog. For this reason I fear that you will be stuck with my poor spelling and grammar until she checks her blog and corrects my mistakes.)

I love my wife and am grateful to her for all of the things she does for me.
I LOVE YOU DY!
Happy 10th (tin) anniversary!

Matt

Bo-oooooook!!

Matt's aunt Miney put on a "Witch Niche" party that was FANTASTIC! We were all to come adorned in our best witch garb. I schemed with Katy and Abbie and we came up with an excellent depiction of the Sanderson Sisters. Too fun! The decorations and overall event was awesome! Thank you Miney!

Onto the finals....

Sammi sang "Der Holle Rache" at the semi-finals and made the cut for the finals. I was so proud of her - she has improved so much in her "stage presence" (she's more nervous about talking to people than singing) and we're all having fun sharing these experiences with her. The finals will be November 29th at the Festival of Trees. Good job Sammi!

Broccoli Cheese Chowder

This recipe is from "The Essential Mormon Cookbook" by Julie Badger Jensen. I LOVE this recipe book. Everything is GREAT! Anywho, I had a lot of people ask for this recipe, so here it is!

BROCOLLI CHEESE CHOWDER
2 bunches (about 1 lb) fresh broccoli
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup butter
4 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli just until tender. Do not overcook. (I steam mine for about 8-10minutes). Drain and cut into small pieces; set aside. Saute' chopped onion in the 1/4cup butter until tender; set aside.

In a large saucepan or soup pot prepare a white sauce: melt the 1/2 cup butter over medium heat, then stir in flour until well-blended. Gradually stir in milk, chicken broth, and salt. Stir constantly (this is important! Stir constantly or it will scorch!) until mixture reaches a boil. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened. Add broccoli and onion. Stir in cheese. Cook briefly over medium heat. Avoid bringing to boil (this will scorch it also).

Serve immediately or keep warm over low heat. Makes 6 to 8 servings. (this serves enough for my whole family with leftovers the next day).

Bon appetite!