True love...........at 2:00 a.m.!

I think I've mentioned a time or two how amazing Jeff is. He is so sweet, and always doing nice things for me. I try my best to do the same for him. Although I think he wins for the most part:)

However.......On Sunday night I did surprise him....at 2:00 in the morning.

That evening we went to his sister's to celebrate her little girl's birthday and ate dinner. So when it was time to make Jeff's lunch I didn't have anything prepared. With a lot of guilt I made him a box of macaroni and cheese and some frozen chicken, and sent him off to work.

At about 10:30 our texting conversation went like this:

I'm not sure what had gotten into me but I felt like surprising him with a lunch at home instead of having him eat at work. He told me I could make a frozen pizza if I was too tired. Has he MET me?

I looked in my cupboards and freezer and decided to whip up some homemade chicken Parmesan. I took a bit from a recipe online, but basically just made it up as I went along (including homemade sauce:))I think it turned out pretty fabulous! I also thought while I was at it I would set the table nice. Usually when we eat it's on the couch watching tv!

Here's my hard working husband enjoying his meal. Disclaimer: If you notice the top of his dinner it's loaded with Parmesan cheese from the CAN. I had a lovely bowl of freshly grated Parmesan for myself but my weird husband PREFERS the can. It makes me sad every time he sprinkles it on his food. We enjoyed a nice meal together and started "Season of the Witch" before he left. I DO NOT recommend starting that movie if you're scared of the dark and sleeping by yourself because your husband is leaving back to work at 3:00 a.m.

I love you honey and thanks for working so HARD!!!!

While Jeff was asleep today........

Today after getting home from church and eating lunch, Jeff was rooting around the kitchen for something sweet to eat. Now, this doesn't happen very often. My husband would probably eat meat and potatoes for every meal and be perfectly happy. As luck would have it there wasn't anything around he wanted. So he went off to bed unsatisfied.

Lucky for him I have been planning for about a week to make homemade mint milanos. This is one treat that Jeff REALLY loves. So, I looked on the web for a recipe. I found one that didn't look to hard and I gave it a go. There weren't too many ingredients and were simple to put together. This is the dough chilling in the fridge

........On a side note, if you look closely you can see a blue Fanta in the fridge.....Jeff and I had a really fun adventure yesterday at a Greek deli buying Bulgarian cheese, hummus and Macedonian Fanta. Jeff always likes to try the weird drinks and food he sees. Ask my sister about the candy he ate in July:) This tangent has nothing to do with cookies, but it was the funnest day!

Back to the cookies........I think they turned out pretty delicious if I do say so myself. You'll notice a cookie in the back with a chocolate smear......it was bugging me so bad I almost threw it away. But I knew Jeff would freak out if I told him. And I'm working on my OCD:)

The only thing I wished I had done is cook them a little bit longer so they were just a tad crispier. Next time I make them that will be easy to fix. I also had the idea to use up some crushed peppermints for some of the cookies. And man was that a yummy addition!

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon while my tired husband is sleeping!!!

Recipe:

http://www.eatliverun.com/mint-milano-cookies/

Christmas List

Jeff and I are writing out our Christmas wish lists for each other. It will be nice this year to actually have jobs and be able to afford to buy a few things for each other:) I've seen Jeff's list and it has things like cologne, sweaters, a Bulgarian Hymn book, etc.......as I sat down tonight to write my list I could only think of 1 thing I REALLY want........

I sent an email to Jeff labeling it Christmas List and added this picture. Jeff opened it and said, "but I don't know how to find this baby."

I guess I better stick with perfume and kitchen tools this year:)

BOOMER!

Hello. My name is Alicia and I'm married to an OU-aholic. Really. Our first "fight" was over OU. For those of you who know me, know I can be well.....stubborn:) When someone tells me I have to do something, or like something, I'll dig in and do the opposite, even if I secretly want to go along. There is something in my nature that just won't let me give in.

I can't remember exactly how the conversation/fight got started but it was something along the lines of me saying: "I will never cheer for OU. I didn't grow up here. You can't make me change who I root for." What a brat....I think I was just trying to control something in my life that at that moment had so many HUGE changes ,that I felt like I was spiraling out of control. Quite a bit of drama for a conversation about football!

Any who, since then I've come a long way because I know it makes Mr. Fix-it happy when I cheer for them. I even had an OU party for their first game this year! I also have an OU blanket that my wonderful (I seriously love her) mother-in-law gave me. I snuggle up with it when I'm on the couch watching TV.

And last week I got to go to my VERY first game. And I have to say, I was completely swept up by it. The pageantry of the pre-game, the crowd, the stadium, our wonderful seats, my cute husband's excitement, the delicious hot dog I ate, the way OU CREAMED Ball State (I know I've never heard of them before either. I loved all of it. I may have even teared up during the opening festivities. Hey, I'm not embarrassed. I cry sometimes:)

Plus how cute is my husband?I would do just about anything to make him happy, EXCEPT for giving up watching "Toddlers and Tiaras."

I can now say I am officially an OU fan, unless they are playing BYU (Jeff even agreed on this!)

Watch the following clip and just try to say it's not a pretty cool team to root for with all it's tradition and winning ways:)

You can hear at the end of the video Jeff saying "On-side kick?" And I think I said "Nice" Oops! I guess Ball State knowing what they were in for: A 62-6 drubbing, thought they would try a trick play. I think it just made the OU players want to murder them!

Great Support

I think I've mentioned a time or 2 how much I love my husband. He is so wonderful. And he is also such a great support to me. A couple weeks ago I started Weight Watchers (last night I was able to zip up an old pair of jeans!!!) and I've been saying for those couple of weeks how much I needed a scale to weigh my food so I can be accurate in my serving sizes. Well guess what my sweet husband brought home from work this morning? A scale! And if you look closely, you'll see a perfect 90 grams!

I told him not to bring me home any more delicious prizes like: Flaming hot Cheetos, sour straws, star crunches and such, and he hasn't. The prizes have kept coming they're just the non-edible type for the most part. And if they are edible it's usually bananas or diet Dr. Pepper!

Last night we had little Caesar's for dinner. Don't worry I kept it within my point system. I love their Italian cheese bread which is 4 points a stick. I ate 4 and made Jeff take them away from me. A few hours later when I was angry at the Red Sox (don't get me started) and hungry. I told Jeff he either had to go put the cheese sticks away out of my sight or give me the rest. I told him it was up to him. After looking scared (he wanted to give in) he went and put them away. I need someone like that who will help me achieve my goals.

I love him SO much. I love that he loves me the way I am but will support me in helping me be healthier. Plus, he tickles my back when I fall asleep at night. I'm one lucky Wife on the Prairie.

Mama says take care of your sister.......

Yesterday was probably one of the hardest days I've had in my life. I won't go into details but I will say I have never felt more betrayed, attacked and hurt in my life. I don't think I have ever felt so lonely as I did yesterday. When I needed someone to talk to I thought of Jeff.....But he was asleep....And he is the only person in OK I can turn to. BUT I know I have a whole BUNCH of people I can turn to that I trust with my whole heart who I know will always pick up the phone and listen to me cry.

My sister Carole gave me this globe for my birthday. It is titled "Mama said take care of your sister." And boy do my sisters take care of me. I turn to each of the them for different needs.

Carole: When I need someone who loves me enough to give it to me straight I call her. When I'm in the wrong she lets me know it in a way that makes me know she loves me. She also sides with Jeff a lot so he loves her:) She is the PERFECT oldest sister. She takes such good care of her 5 sisters. She is one of the wisest people I know. She also gives such sound advice. I tend to get emotional.....and she grounds me. Plus, she's about the most amazing homemaker in the world. We call her Martha.

Kelli: She is loyal like NO other. I remember a time in high school when a boy broke my heart. She instantly hated him for me. I remember her helping me tear up some roses and flush them down the toilet. I can call Kelli day or night and she will pick up. And she will listen and listen and listen. Once you mess with her family that's it for you. And she also curls my hair better than anyone! Plus, anytime I need a pick me-up I call one of her little girls and you can guarantee I'm laughing in no time.

Becky: My sister Becky is really struggling right now. She's not in a place where I can just pick up the phone and call. But I can write her and I know she will read my letters and care about what's going on in my life.

Stephanie: When we were little and had to share rooms we didn't always get along so well....But now? She's my best friend. She was my maid of honor. We promised each other when we were young we would name our first daughters after each other. She just fulfilled her promise....I hope to fulfill mine soon:) When she makes you a promise, she will keep it NO matter what. If you tell her something in confidence you know it will stay that way.

Anjali: She has the best attitude. She was born with cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. But that has never kept her down. You can count on her to always smile....Even when you've just injured yourself....Inside family joke! She also loves to read like I do. I love that about her!

My mom: There are NO words to describe my mom. She's the most amazing mother on this planet. I absolutely know she is always there for me when I call her. There were MANY Sunday nights when I called her crying thinking I would never get married. She always just listened to me and soothed my sadness and gave me hope. If you hurt one of her kids it's not going to be good for you. She's the most protective mother I know. She taught her girls that protectiveness of each other.

I'm SO grateful for my mom and sisters. Without them I would be lost. And even though I'm far away from them. They are always only a phone call away!

Guess what you can do with 2 trillion pounds of almonds and a brand new Food Processor?

So my really awesome brother Ryan runs an almond farm in California. They have a gazillion almonds. Look at this picture I took last fall when I went to visit his family:

So when I need almonds, I know who to call! I asked Ryan awhile back to send me some almonds to give to my mother-in-law. Well when I opened the mail this is what I found:Plus a whole bunch more! I've had this in my freezer for awhile so they wouldn't go bad. And tonight it hit me! ALMOND BUTTER! I love almond butter and I thought that with my fancy shmancy new food processor, I would try to make some!

It took twice as long as the recipe called for, but it turned out AMAZING. And seeing as how I joined Weight Watchers tonight, it can help me have a delicious snack that's good for you!

The plate is a tribute to my OU obsessed husband:) And when I say obsessed I mean it. My ears are STILL ringing from last Saturday He has an unnaturally loud clap when he watches football!