Celebrating 15 years of Marriage

Our Wedding Day

I remember looking at him that morning and thinking that I could never love this man more than I did as I looked into his eyes at that moment.  I stood there gazing into his eyes silently praying my bitchy soon to be Monster in Law would not interrupt the ceremony.  (shockingly she didn't interrupt but she did show up halfway through our vows.) We have been through so much together as a couple through the years and even when things threatened to tear us apart, we became closer in the end. I look back now and am astonished at just how much more deeply in love we are. 

Best advice I can give to any couple is Communicate.  Speak up when you are upset, don't let it fester inside. When angry don't say hurtful things and always say your sorry. Don't talk bad about your spouse to anyone, it doesn't make you feel better to vent.  It just reinforces the negative feeling.  Be their cheerleader, crow their good deeds and accomplishments.   Declare your love for each other often and express it even more.  You are now a part of a whole.  Treat them as the other half that makes you whole.  Continue to always date each other even if it ends up being a bag of popcorn and a shared movie in bed after the kids go to sleep.  Never leave the getting to know you phase.  You will both be growing and changing through the years. I know I am not the same person he started dating almost 18 years ago.  

Senior Prom

Junior Prom

Looking at our pictures here I swear his face has changed more than mine. My change has all been in hair color. I now sport a super awesome racing stripe of silver grey near my temple. I'm slowly starting to look like some comic book villain or leader of a secret group of super hereoes. 

It was at my Junior Prom that he proposed to me for the first time.  They had stupid little fake wedding ceremonies going on at prom. (I don't know why.. Vegas I guess)  Standing there laughing with my friends about how stupid the fake ceremony is and how it is our teachers doing these cheese fest ceremonies.  When Dan gets down on one knee and asks me to marry him.  Instantly I feel like everyone is watching us.  I blush deeply and tell him, "Yes, yes let's go get in the stupid line get off the ground."

I am blessed to say that my husband is my best friend.   He's my Addiction too.  It's really not my fault.  It's his fault because he's mostly amazing.  I say mostly because he can sing, dance, really good sense of humor, and has great looking into his 30's (no grey hair yet.. the lucky bastard) He is no paragon he has his annoying habits as well; like shedding clothing like Bruce Almighty (they stay where they fall) or hair from shaving is always left as evidence that he actually did shave.  

I'm no angel either. I'm sure I annoy the crap out of him some of the time. (okay a lot of the time, but he says I'm worth it) I'm so grateful this man fell so deep in love with me.  He says the moment he met me it was like time stopped and everything else faded away.

We rarely go out, with 5 kids can you really blame us?  Instead we spend our time together playing Final Fantasy 11.  I joke that he only had me start playing because he needed a healer.   This way sure is a lot cheaper of a date night than to get a babysitter, movie tickets and have to be around annoying people coughing /sneezing.  ::throws a gummy bear::
My idea of a great date night is take-out in bed with netflix/video games.  Dessert of chocolate fondue and a late night of laughing.  It works for us, it may not work for you. Find what fills your cup as a couple.   Do more of that. Be open to trying something they like, you never know.. you could enjoy it as well.

Gunnerace and Lunarine on Leviathan server FFXI

Food Facts ~ Pumpkins

Pumpkins

Did you know that a pumpkin is technically a fruit but is often referred to as a vegetable in cooking?

Speaking of cooking pumpkins. The pumpkin traditionally used in pie is the Sugar pumpkin or cheese pumpkin. It has a stronger pumpkin flavor as well as less grainy texture making it perfect for pies and puree.  If you really can't find anything but jack o lantern pumpkin to cook with, increase the sugar 25%.

The Early settlers learned from the Native Americans to use the abundant pumpkins in cooking.  In efforts to make the pumpkin a tastier treat, Colonists used to slice off the pumpkin top; removing any seeds and then filled with milk, spices and honey.  After being baked in the hot ashes of a fire, it is said this is the origins of the pumpkin to our dessert tables.

Pumpkin pie as we know it today was first introduced in it's pastry shell by the French Chef, Francoise Pierre la Varenne, in his cookbook that was first published in 1653.  The pie recipe eventually spread to American cookbooks in 1796.

To make you own Pumpkin Puree

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the stem and split the pumpkin in half lengthwise.
Scoop out all seeds and pulp.  Reserve seeds for making Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
Lightly oil the pumpkin halves and a 1 inch deep baking pan.
Place pumpkins cut side down on pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes.
Pumpkin will easily spoon out of the shell when completely cooked. Run through a food processor blender or food mill.  It will store in your Refrigerator for 1 week and in your Freezer for 3 months.

Love the fresh baked Pumpkin scent?
I do. Thankfully Scentsy has some amazing scents to blend to make it smell like I have my own Pumpkin bake shop.  Mix and match to make your own recipes.  To order your scent blends visit my website  Utopian Scents @ Scentsy 

Swagbucks~

 Swagbucks it's Internet Searching that Pays off!
Have you heard of Swagbucks?  It's the Internet Search that rewards you.
You earn rewards bucks searching the internet, answering surveys, playing games and much more.
I love getting the Amazon gift cards. They are great stocking stuffers.
I don't know about you, but I am searching things on the internet all the time.