Things I've learned in my (almost) two months of marriage

Not listed in any particular order...

• It's easier to go to bed at a decent hour when everyone else is going to bed (aka, the Mr.). I used to stay up way to late when I lived alone... I think I just didn't like having to be the one always pointing the finger at myself and making myself go.
• It's nice to have an immediate audience to tell all about my day. Even the low key or boring stuff.
• I'm not as good of a listener as I maybe thought I was.
  
• Men and women definitely are different.
• I like FHE a whole heck of a lot more with a real family than with a singles group. (Not that there isn't a time and place, but you know)
• Budgeting is dang hard work.
• I really like praying out loud with someone else. I didn't know how much I missed that living alone.
  
• Boys eat a lot.
  
• I love (LOVE) not having to always be the driver. Thank you, Jeremy.
• It's harder to keep the house tidy. Much. How does one more person do that?
• It's fun to always have an immediate person to serve.
• Two heads really are better than one.
• It's easier to cook for two. And much more fun.
• It's great to not have to always clean the bathroom or do the dishes. Someone else sharing the load makes it a whole lot lighter.
• I love having an automatic person to sit by at church (or anywhere else, for that matter!)
• I learn a lot more from the scriptures when I talk about what I studied.
• It's fun to plan (you know, life in general) with someone else.
  

The serial comma, part II

For all you good souls who indicated that you USE and APPRECIATE and ENCOURAGE the serial (or Oxford, or even sometimes referred to as the Harvard) comma...

I APPLAUD you!

You answered right.

Yes, the serial comma is clearer, is more comfortable, is the right thing to do.

The anonymous comment from my last post (who I suspect to be Paige, my little twin in all ways) gave the best reason. If there is no comma before the conjunction, I assume those last two items have a closer relationship than the rest. And I end the sentence wondering just what else is next.

So please, please, reconsider (if you already aren't converted) using the serial comma. As you can see (from all the comments!), it makes the most sense.

And that's all I have to say.

The serial comma

Alright, friends, I just really need to know.

What are your thoughts on the serial comma?

You know, the one that goes right before the conjunction in a series (i.e. The weather was cold, windy, and overcast.).

It is, of course, debatable by "experts" and "scholars" and "them" (the men in the long dark coats with top hats and beards). No one officially knows whether it really belongs there or not. But we do. All of us, deep in our heart of hearts, know whether or not to put it in.

So tell me.

Do you use it?

Heaven on a boat

So here it finally is, friends. The long awaited for post all about our cruise on The Monarch of the Seas (big boat pictured below). I am willing to guarantee that this is by far the longest post with the most pictures I have ever done. So hang on to your hats and glasses, 'cause this here's going to be the wildest ride in the wilderness!

The boat. Seriously, I loved being on this big boat. It was just fun being part of a never-to-be-experienced-again sense of freedom and vacation and the big blue ocean. I loved walking around the deck, sticking my head out of our peek-hole window, and watching the world roll by from any window I could get myself in front of. Jeremy didn't enjoy the view as much--it sort of made him nauseous. I didn't notice any real movement until the last night when, as Jeremy puts it, the boat was about to fall over because the waves were so huge. Seriously, we were doing some tossing and turning that night, but otherwise, it was smoothing sailing :).

Our room. It was small, but just right for the two of us. They courteously pushed our two twin beds together for a comfortable queen. I loved (LOVED) having a window. It was the last thing I looked out of at night, and the first thing in the morning. Let me just say a word here for the room service. Wow. They were fantastic. Our cute little room attendant cleaned and tidied our room twice a day. When we came back from breakfast the bed looked as pictured below and the bathroom as tidied. When we came back from dinner, the sheets were turned down and there were chocolates on our pillows. Oh, and fun towel animals (that I put in way at the end, so you'll just have to read the whole post if you want to see my awesome hanging towel monkey. I promise it's worth it!)

Day 1: San Diego. So Monday we boarded the boat in LA... Tuesday we disembarked in San Diego. Here's the view from the deck. We had planned out our excursions way ahead of time, meaning we had something to do everyday. I highly recommend this. Seriously, we were always on the go. It was nice to be busy during the day because there was always some down time in the evening when we didn't want to be near the bars or casinos and could just walk around and enjoy the ocean. But if we had planned to do that all day everyday, it would have made for a boring cruise.

So Tuesday, our day in San Diego, we went to the Wild Animal Park. Despite growing up so close to San Diego, I had never been. It was way fun.

This here is the last of TWO living of it's kind (some sort of white rhino). Poor fellow.


By FAR the highlight of the zoo happened when we found a little bit of shade to rest in. What should we see on the other side of the pool? None other but a devil bird (technically a shoebill something or other). I wish I had the talent to upload videos, because this bird just about ate the little worker lady alive. As we're sitting there, she (the worker lady) opens the gate and begins to wade across the water with a bucket of fish and mice and other unpleasantries to feed this enormous dragon looking bird and his mate. But rather than a friendly afternoon lunch, the devil bird not only refused to eat, he snapped (his LOUD snapping bill) and fluttered (his BIG flapping wings) and cornered the poor little lunch lady. At one point he grabbed the lip of her bucket in his bill. I seriously wanted to start yelling for her to just get the heck out of there before SHE became the lunch. She kept her cool, however, and it all ended ok, I guess. Finally the mate showed up who did want lunch and the male devil bird went and simmered (literally he looked like he could have killed someone) under the trees. We have the whole thing on video. Alas, I just don't know how to upload it. Sorry.


Jeremy took TONS of artistic photos of the trees and flowers. These are two of my favorites. I love how you can she the sun rays in this first one.


Jeremy's favorite: the gorillas. Again, another long video I can't upload. But they were great fun. They really do look somewhat human.

At 6', Jeremy is the same hight as the average gorilla. And with his ultra long torso and short legs, he had almost the same build! He just needs longer arms and a bigger gut. Kind of crazy.

Can you see the baby getting lunch too?

Honey anyone?

Day 2: Catalina. The second day of our cruise took us to Catalina Island. I grew up squinting across the beach trying to see Catalina. I can't tell you how excited I was to finally get to go! This is the view from the top of the boat (deck 12) right outside from where we eat breakfast (mmm... the food... more on that in a minute). Catalina was bigger and prettier than I thought it would be. Our big plans for this day was snorkling. So fun! Neither of us had ever done it before, and let me tell you, I would gladly do it again. The only bummer was, we were leaving the boat in a hurry after breakfast, and I forgot to put in my contacts. So sad. Since I had to wear a snorkling mask, that meant I couldn't see many details in the water. Because of said blunder we bought an underwater camera and Jeremy took lots of pictures (that someday we will develop). Despite my lack of vision, I loved getting in the water, wearing a wet suit, and playing with the bright orange fish that were all around us.





Day 3: Ensenada Mexico. Hip Hip hooray for Mexico! This was my first time (ever) stepping foot in Mexico. Such fun. This is the view from our porthole (the morning was a bit overcast) and then a little later from deck 12 after breakfast. Our big adventure in Mexico included a tour to "La Bufadora" (or the blowhole). Neither of us had ever seen a blowhole before, and it was so rad. I loved even the bus trip out--driving past all the Mexican markets and fields. Ok, ok, so I slept most of the way, but I liked what I saw. There were little shops (totally touristy) on the walk out to la bufadora where we bought a mango with chile (mmmm...) and a big soft coconut. Dang. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. My one souvenir from the trip (besides pictures) was a small red pendant we bartered for in one of the shops. It was fun to be able to surprise people by busting out our Spanish. The BEST part about our day in Mexico, however happened when we got back from the tour. We let the bus drop us off a few blocks from the boat and went in search of the most authentic taco shop we could find. After considerable searching and repeatedly asking locals for advice and directions we found The Place. dang. Flies in the cilantro and everything... those were the best tacos I've ever had. Worth every peso.

There are only seven flags in all of Mexico this big (I don't remember the dimensions, but BIG). And one is in Ensenada. So fun.



Ok. Now something must be said about the food. Wow. The day excursions were fun, the room was nice. But dinner? It beat all. Seriously, I looked forward to dinner all night long (and lamented the fact that it was over every night). Dinner was in a big dinning hall with assigned seating (our fellow table mates are pictured below--there were six of us). No jeans or shorts were allowed, so every night I donned a skirt and Jeremy put on his khakis. We had two fantastic Indian waiters (everyone working on the boat was international--it totally added to the exotic ambiance). When we showed up (at 5pm sharp), they would put our napkins in our laps, pour us some water, and give us the nightly menu. On the menu were always starters and entrees. You could have as many of each as you wanted. Things like chilled watermelon soup or es cargo as starters, things like Rosemary Lamb Shank or King Crab Legs as entrees. There were at least 10 of each every night, always different. The first night we were a little penosa and only had one starter and one entree... not for long. It was only a matter of time before everyone at the table had at least two starters and we were sending back from someone else's entree of choice that looked too good to pass up. And then there was desert. Not going to lie, most of them had alcohol, but I was content with my nightly dish of sherbert, so I didn't mind! I just loved that dinner was such an event. It took at least an hour and half. Our table was fun, our waiters were fabulous, and the food was divine. Seriously. And I haven't even told you about the buffets upstairs all day long or the room service (we loved the cheese plate) at night. Dang. You honestly couldn't go out to such a nice restaurant so many nights in a row for the price of the cruise.

I don't remember their names (oops). But these two were fun. They were neighbors who came for some convention. I loved sitting with the "older crowd."
Harmony (not a good picture, sorry), and Gail, her mom. Harmony was a little chatterbox and made any initial awkwardness of sitting with people you don't know disappear.

Here they are! The long awaited for towel animals. Here is our monkey and puppy dog. I, sadly, didn't get a picture of the elephant. But you can just imagine it was very awesome.

And there you have it, folks. More than you ever wanted to know about our cruise. I left out at least a hundred pictures (which I'm betting your grateful about). All I have to say is that it was WORTH IT. Seriously, if you are trying to figure out what to do for your honeymoon... go with a cruise! If you are trying to figure out what to do for an anniversary get away... go with a cruise! I don't know that I would recommend kids--although people had them--it's just that your room is so small. And the big things to do the boat are gambling and drinking... not good family activities. We were content walking around the deck and watching movies on my laptop in our room as an alternative. Anyhow, I hope you've enjoyed the show... until next time :).

Dang

One of my favorite things growing up was the ever unexpected, always anticipated bread making day. My mom makes dang good white bread. But it wasn't something she did all the time. Because it was a five hour process, and because we downed a loaf in no minutes flat, she saved it for special occasions. But I always loved it when she did. The whole house would fill up with that mouth-watering smell of goodness. I would sit at the counter and watch every step of the process. I loved watching her roll them out into perfect loaves. I loved helping her spread butter across the warm tops right after getting out of the oven. I loved getting to eat the heel--slathering it with butter that melted immediately into it's soft, spongy whiteness. Mmmm. I love that bread.

So, you can be rest assured that bread-making is high on my list of things to master. I want my kids to experience it like I did. I am not quite ready to try to my mom's recipe (dang, it seriously did take five hours. I only have two loaf pans anyway, so it will just have to wait). But I did try a 60 minute bread recipe yesterday that turned out fabulous. Here's proof.


I made homemade bread (said with a grin). This stuff seriously can't be good for you. And I made homemade veggie spaghetti sauce. And it was good (and it was easy-peasy). Even you can make it. Here's how:

The Bread (taken from Best of Country Breads, pg 50)
Technically this is called "60-minute mini bread" because they tell you to do it in two mini loaves. I did mine in one big loaf for the same time and it turned out great. You may do as you please.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg quick rise yeast (I used a Tbs)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbs. butter or margarine

1. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. In a saucepan, heat the water, milk, and butter to 120-130 degrees (I heated it until the butter melted). Add to dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough..
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. (Note: I was using beaters with bread hooks, so I just beat it for four minutes, it still turned out great.)
3. Do not let rise (the best part!)
4. Roll out into a 16"x10" rectangle (for one loaf, not two). Roll up, jelly roll style, starting with the short side; pinch to seal. Place, seam side down, in a greased loaf pan. Fill a 9"x13" pan with 1" hot water. Set loaf pan in water. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes.
5. Remove loaf pan from the water bath. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
6. Cut while still slightly warm and savor its goodness.

The Veggie Spegetti Sauce (from the Betty Crocker Sunday Dinner Cookbook, pg 128)
Seriously, even you can make this, Tasha. Who needs meat in their spaghetti anyway? Even Jeremy (the meat-eater) loved it.

2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 Tbs olive oil or veggie oil (I just sprayed my pan instead)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 small unpeeled zucchini, chopped (1 cup)
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp parsley
Parmesan cheese to taste

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package
2. While pasta is still cooking, heat oil in 10" skillet, medium-high heat. Cook onion and carrot in oil 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook 5 minutes.
3. Stir in zucchini and basil and parsley; reduce heat to medium. Cook about 5 minutes (I think I did 10 or 15), stirring occasionally, until sauce is desired consistency. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Sop up excess sauce with amazingly good homemade bread in left hand, fork in right hand.

What to do with a day filled with nothing but time?

Oh how I love holidays! Today and tomorrow are "UEA" days (gifts from the Utah Educators Association) and Monday is a "Harvest Holiday" (aka go get a deer day). And me? Well, let's just say this all adds up to a little more sleep for Miss Carly Jane. I am looking forward to...

• tidying up my little abode (oh how I love a clean room in which to sit)
• finishing Repunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale--my birthday gift from Tasha--who doesn't love Shannon Hale? Honestly.
• watching Anne of Green Gables while finishing thank yous
• taking a nap
• having the energy (after taking the said nap) to actually make something for dinner (it's been a rough week in that department)
• starting Chalice by Robin McKinley--my birthday gift from Paige--who couldn't be excited about a new McKinley book?? She's only one of the greatest authors of YA lit. Ever.
• go to bed early (yes, this weekend looks to be including lots of desired sleep and I couldn't be happier about it).
• work on my Redwork quilt (I'm plugging right along still)
• run an errand to two. But only the necessary ones.
• perhaps (just perhaps) start working on Christmas projects (any good sites or ideas out there?!)
• be sure to take another nap.

I hope your weekend is looking just as lovely (even if it is more adventure filled).

First SNOW!

Yes, you read that right. IT IS SNOWING IN CEDAR!! This is me posing right outside our door (next to Jeremy's bike... that he won't be using too much any more, and in front of my cute little hatchback, "Rudy"). What you can't see is that the flakes are coming down like there's no tomorrow. And that smile on my face? Yup, it's real. I am one happy girl! Come winter! Come snow! Come mittens and wool sweaters and scarves! Come hot chocolate and heating bags in my bed! Let the cold weather begin!

Where oh where have I been??

I am sure some of you have begun to wonder just what has happened to Carly Jane. I used to blog at least 2-3 times a week. I was diligent and dedicated and occasionally funny. And then I got engaged and then married and I have become a lost soul on the blogosphere. I post once a week if I'm lucky and I comment once a month if you're lucky! Lame. If that's what you're thinking, well, you're right on the money.

Not that I believe in excuses (in fact, I don't), but let me explain just a little bit of a day in the life of Carly Jane.

5:40 Phone alarm sounds. Hit snooze twice (five minutes each).

5:50 sneak out of bed so as to not wake up Jeremy. Shower, dress etc.

6:20 Head down stairs (yes, my little Cedar City apartment--for just $500 a month!--has stairs) and put away the dishes from last night (or do said dishes), engage in scripture study. At some point I put toast in the toaster and eat the morning meal.

7:15 Family scripture study (folks, this really is the best part of the day)

7:40 head out the door and walk to work (just a short 3/4 mile away--hooray for morning leg stretching!)

8:00 Begin a morning at Iron County's Adult Education. The morning is all Even Start. I plan my parenting class (yup, despite not being a parent), and my ESL class. Teach my cute little class of Mexican mom's who come to learn all I've got to give 'em. Do planning and correlation meetings etc. Try not to eat the fig newtons we always keep in the back cupboard (did you know I LOVE fig newtons? I do.)

1:00 Walk home. Usually I call Tasha on the way or read my book (yes, I know the route so dang well I have only once gotten hit in the face with a branch while reading and walking--and I think that was because it was a windy day). At this point I enjoy my little break in the day. I eat lunch, write thank yous, read (I succumbed... the thank yous aren't done, but the books are being read just the same. Dang.), tidy up, read a blog or two, make dinner, and, if I'm lucky, I take a short nap.

3:40 Head out the door and walk back to work.

4:00 Begin my afternoon Adult Ed duties. Mondays and Wednesdays I teach classes (Basic Literacy and GED prep.), so these days I do prep work and then teach. The other days I head down to the library where I hope (and pray and cross my fingers) that students are in need of my expert (who am I kidding?) help. If there aren't many to help, I make phone calls to those who haven't come in recently, make plans for other lessons to be taught soon, familiarize myself more with the curriculum the students are doing through packets, A+, and Plato. (oh, and talk to Jill, the TA).

8:00 Mr. Christiansen picks me up and we head back home. He finishes homework--sometimes i help quiz him etc as test prep. I eat some of the dinner I left on the counter for him earlier. If I am lucky, I read a little. We spend some quality time together.

9:30/10:00 the bed is screaming my name and I gratefully slip into it. Usually to not fall asleep for half and hour to an hour.

And there you have it. More information than you EVER wanted to know. Sorry. But there is this beautiful little thing call the weekend. And for me, that starts on Friday. Today is my day to run errands, do the laundry, clean house, and breathe. So far today's be accomplishment includes making granola (and writing this post). Next is laundry. I think a nap should fit in there somewhere. And maybe my book (Watership Down). And I blog. So far it's been the only day I blog...

But I make a pledge to do better about blogging. I will not only read your blogs in google reader, but I will comment. I will not only look at the comments on my own blog, I will write more posts! I've missed my little place in the blogging world these past few months.

Chef Carly

When Jeremy and I got engaged, we were living in Blanding. He was living at home and thus was able to enjoy his mom's AMAZING cooking. I was invited over to dinner frequently and immediately began to worry (as if I wasn't already) about my cooking skills. After a delicious Deb dinner I would often remind Jeremy that life in our house just might not be as scrumdillyuptious. After all, the entire year I lived in Blanding I lived off Stove Top, peas, and popcorn. Every now and again I would make a simple casserole or a pan of pizza. That's it.

Since we've moved to Cedar I have made great efforts to up my cooking skills and menus. I believe in eating family dinners together; thus, I am determined to cook. Almost daily. I have found in the process that I LOVE looking in cookbooks (thank you to all you generous gift givers who stocked my cookbook shelf!) and I love trying new things (which isn't hard since I hadn't cooked much before).

Anyhow, today I did my weekly planning and shopping (hooray for not working on Fridays!!) and thought I would share some of my planned meals with you. Tasha used to post her weekly menus, and I used to love reading them. I still go back and find some of her old menus when trying to think up dishes for the week. I am pretty excited about what is coming up (since just about all of them are untried recipes). Perhaps they won't come out exactly in this order, but this is what Mr. Christiansen has to look forward to this week:

Tonight: Beef stir fry and spinach salad (with lemon pound cake for dessert--we have company coming)
Saturday: pulled pork sandwhiches (crockpot style)
Sunday: (more pulled pork? Just maybe.) Chicken noodle soup (I love soups these days!)
Monday: Greek Chicken
Tuesday: Chicken dumplings (I think... the recipe looks good, but I'm not sure what they are)
Wednesday: spaghetti with homemade veggie sauce.
Thursday: pork and swiss sandwiches
Friday: Go to the store? Eat leftovers?

ps. I am pretty sure I should be able to get this pulled pork to last more days--since it is 2.5 pounds of meat! (and postpone some of these dinners into the next week--which is what I really want to do)--any ideas for what to do with leftover shredded pork??