So we sort of (actually totally) broke our budget for "eating out" last month, and that was excluding all the food we ate on vacation. So we pretty much ate like crap and spent a lot of money doing it. So in an effort to do better this month, I am going to be cooking a lot more!

Monday, I sat down and planned out about 15 meals for the next few weeks or so. Took me almost all day finding recipes that sounded good enough that I knew we would feel like eating instead of going out. That is usually our problem: even though there is plenty of food in the house, I don't feel like cooking or eating whatever we have, so I convince Parker to take me out (bad I know). The truth is, I actually like cooking a lot, I just have to be enticed by whatever it is I am making... and I usually hate making the same thing twice, so I am always looking for new recipes.

So far, so good.

Tuesday night I made tomato-basil parmesean soup in the crockpot. The recipe, you can findhere. It was actually in the BYU-Alumni magazine (wierd that I am an alumni, right?) and a friend recomended it. I really like a lot of the recipes that this gal does on her blog,http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/. She did a full year of only crockpot cooking and so there are a ton of recipes. Plus, I love my crockpot. It's so easy on days that I work. I get it ready the night before, have Parker turn it on when he wakes up, and I come home to a nice hot meal.

Anyways, the soup turned out amazing if I do say so myself. haha. I really liked it. Parker and Charlene did too so if you're in the mood for some hot tomato soup on a cold winter day, try it.
So anyways, sorry if I post a lot about food this month but at least you'll know why. If you have recipes for me, share!

San Diego

Sorry...More pictures from the trip... I could sit on the beach all day, listening and watching the waves crash in. It's so therapeutic. I take after my mother. Mark + Jen

Park and me...don't judge. Ate at Anthony's Seafood Grotto after a long day of golf. yummy shrimp. Oh... the crab cooker. delish. Oh wow. The Beach Break. A-mazing. You can probably tell we thoroughly enjoyed our food on this trip. I'm pretty sure I gained 10 pounds. Thanks to Mark for sharing this gem.We took a little trip down to the San Diego Temple. It was gorgeous and good to spend some time in the temple.We visited Old Town and the Mormon Batallion. We went on a tour in the visitor center about the Mormon Batallion with a class of 4th Graders. The Church does such a good job with their visitor centers. I would recomend going if you are down that way if you like historical stuff even a little bit. Seaport Village was kind of a bust. We were hot and tired and sick of walking around/shopping. So we headed over to Coronado Island to check out the huge hotel and relax, again, on the beach.

The end

Torey Pines

We took a little trip down to San Diego last week with Mark and Jen. Mark and Parker had their hearts set on playing Torey Pines-site of the 2008 U.S. Open. We got there super early so these two could warm up... We also had to get there early to get our name on the "twilight" list (play after 1:30) so it wasn't as ridicuously expensive. They were so happy to get on the course before 2:00. For a monday, the course was packed and I swear I saw Phil Mickelson.Eating Lunch before hand. We got delicious sandwhiches at a little shop down in DelMar and ate them at the course while we were waiting to get called on. These two were a nervous wreck before tee off. I think it was a combination of playing at such a "historic" course (as they kept reminding us) and paying that much cash for a round of golf.

I'm really glad Jen and I went along, if only just to see the view. It was a little hazy out at sea but there were so many gorgeous views.

We caught a gorgeous sunset on hole 17. The boys finished the 18th hole just as it was getting pitch dark. It was a great (long) day at the golf course.

missing

I miss dr laura. I used to plan my grocery store runs for between 1-4 so I could listen to her show. Now she's gone and stinking Sean Hannity took her place. No offense but I'm just not a fan.

On the upside, Conan is back!! Watched the premeire last night and couldn't stop laughing. I love this guy.

so long sister mcdonald!

Amy left us today for the next 18 months to serve a mission! She will be serving in the Iloilo Philipines mission. We are really going to miss her but it was a pretty happy day because she is just so excited!

{parker taking pictures... Melissa on speaker phone through the whole thing}

Sister McDonald.

The literal curbside drop off.

I think she is in good hands.

ali + roberto

In an effort to watch less smut recently, we decided not to watch this season of the bachellorette. Plus I was never an ali fan. BUT we did end up watching the last couple episodes of this season, and last night was so worth it. that was some great great TV. loved every minute of it. love ali. love roberto. loved it. loved it so much, i watched it again this morning. seriously, i love them.

did anyone watch?

the cabin tree swing broke...

Madison swinging on it 2 weeks ago. yikes.

it's true. after many many exhilarating rides, not without many many injuries, the Davidson cabin tree swing broke. I'm just glad I wasn't on it.

Our True Identity

I was just on lds.org ordering ourselves an ensign subscription. We haven't had one for a while and we always say, "well we can just read it online," because you can..here... BUT I really really enjoy reading from the actual magazine and I just don't do it when it's online. Now I am really excited to get our copy. I saw this video while I was on the church's website and loved it. I think we all need to be reminded of our divine nature.

melissa and eli

melissa + eli

I'm itching to get down to st. george to see melissa before she heads back to michigan for school. I wouldn't mind seeing this little guy either!

bear lake vacation

we spent last weeek in bear lake with the davidson family. The first day was windy and a bit chilly but it warmed up plenty by the last day when we were all sun burnt. the camping wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be although my air mattress went flat every night and our food tent got raided by skunks (we woke up to two of them screaming at each other in the middle of the night, fighting over our food i guess). Luckily, no one got sprayed. it was good to finally get some sun this summer too. we went in the middle of the week and avoided most of the crowds.

on another note...parker's business partner just took a full time job with another company and parker bought him out of his share... so parker has recruited me to be his "partner" for the time being or he likes to call me his admin assistant. HA. we will see how it goes. wish us luck!

oakley rodeo

the oakley rodeo is one of those annual events parker's friends always make a point of going to. it's just a great event. rodeo's are great. we had a great time.

we ate at the road island diner before the rodeo. it's a cute little diner that literally came out here all the way from road island.

heather + matt

yup. they got married. it was a beautiful day.

I don't know how these are the only pictures i managed to get of those two.

the yard looked beautiful.

taking off on the harley. i love these two. they are so good for eachother. we a couple weekends ago up in Idaho with them and they are really such a great couple and i'm so happy for them!

see more pics here.