A Week From Today....

 A week from today, I will get up earlier than I normally would to shower, shave my legs & drowned my skin in some sort of moisture rich substance.

I will spend breakfast with 60 of our closest friends and family at a local restaurant

I will kiss my cowboy on his lips one last time as his fiancé.

My nails and toes will be painted & looking very fresh.

Two of my favorite girls from Cosmo School will be on their way to our little home town to make my girls and I look beautiful.

At this exact time, 10:00 am, I’ll be spending time with my girls.

Around noon, we will be pinning curlers in our hair, painting our faces with all kinds of rich colors.

My mom and Jeb’s mom will be scurrying around finishing last minute details.

I can only imagine what the BOYS will do with a day together, after a much to long absence from each other’s company.

My cousin will drive to a neighboring town to pick up flower s to be pinned on numerous “cowboy” shirts & dresses. She’ll also pick up the flowers my two best friends & sisters will carry as they walk down the aisle.

And, she will pick up my bouquet. The one I will hold until it is replaced with my cowboy’s hands.  

I’ll slip into the dress my dear grandma spent hours and hours making just for me, and I’ll love it.

My girls will put their “grandma made” dresses too.

Then, we’ll all put on our cowboy boots!

Shalee will place my veil in my hair and spray everything one last time.

I’ll tell my mom how much I love her & we’ll wait for the photographer to tell us it’s time to take numerous pictures.

As our guests arrive I’ll wait upstairs of the beautiful Beckwith house & maybe sneak a peek or two.

The music will bellow from the speakers as my cowboy makes his way to the front with our pastor.

I’ll watch my girls’ link arms with each boy and walk down the aisle.

And I’ll look at my dad and try not to cry.

I’ll tell him how much I love him and take his arm.

I’m going to stare straight ahead at my cowboy.

Because, if I look anywhere else and see tears, streams will make their way to my chin.

When my dad and I get to the front, I’m going to hug him so tight and tell him “thank you”

And let a few tears slip.

Then I’m going to hand my sister my flowers and take Jeb’s hands.

Forever.

At the end of the day, after everyone had eaten their fill & then some,

 After the cake is cut and gone,

after the DJ has played his set,

& the photographer has had his fill of pictures.

It will just me be me and my cowboy.

We will finally, finally be married.

Birthday Part(ies)

Due to all of this holiday madness, my birthday celebration was a bit scattered, which only meant more than one!

The last Monday night dinner I had with my cousin and her family before Christmas break she made me a home-made delicious pepperoni pizza with some yummy birthday pudding for dessert. (The pudding has a very classy name… but I can never remember it.)

I enjoyed the evening so much. Full of laughter, playing “ring around the rosy” and singing our “ABC’s” My cousin made me feel very special, along with the home-made meal she made me a wash cloth and two oven mitts, with some hot chocolate and two Christmas mugs. It was great!

Then, the following Wednesday Gail came over to have dinner with my family before we all were split for the next two weeks, and I opened the gifts from my family after.

My dad finished the big chest that I had started over 2 years ago in his woodshop class for me. I was so surprised and I love that it is finished! I am so lucky to have a dad that makes (and finishes) such beautiful furniture and workings out of wood. My mom made me a door hanging that will be on our front door, wherever Jeb and I decide to call home. Lacy got me a set of make-up brushes (which I needed badly) Karly got me a cute crossing pistols ring, (I’ve worn it almost every outing since then.) I was also given a Taste of Home cookbook with 4 versions of each recipe 1. For light cooking 2. Fast cooking 3. Cooking for two 4. And a regular recipe. My mom also got me a gift card and a new stamp set (I’m so excited for it!)

On Friday Jeb and I came up to Greeley to visit my cousin Kait and her family. We had a wedding that Jeb was a part of on Saturday, and we met his brother Tyler and his girlfriend Robyn for dinner and a movie, where I was serenated an awkward “Happy Birthday” but wasn’t given my free birthday dessert (?!?) We saw Sherlock Holmes, well; Jeb, Tyler, & Robyn saw it… I slept through 3/4ths of it only waking up during the loud gun matches.

On Monday (my actual birthday) My cousin Kati invited her mom my Aunt Chris over for a Papa John’s pizza night. It was so yummy! Kati and I spent the day dyeing and cutting each other’s hair, pizza and an ice cream cake for dessert was a perfect way to end the day. My cousin got me a cute martini glass that says “if the shoe fits, buy one in every color.” & a travel size yummy smelling set from Victoria Secret My Aunt gave me the dish cloths, towels and oven mitts off our wedding registry. I am so excited to be getting things for our future home, I am so excited for what is yet to come! It was for sure a fun day.

Tuesday I went and made Christmas candy with my Grandma who gave me the rest of my cowboy towels that she started last year, with a big glass Tupperware bowl (also an item off our registry!)  My cousin took me out to dinner and some dancing, we had a great time! Maybe a little too much fun because I was useless all day Wednesday, but hey, you only live once & I knew I was in good care with Kait!

My family is so important to me; I am so blessed to be surrounded by people that love me. Now if the snow will stop I could actually see them!

Soon enough Jeb and I will be on our way to see Jeb’s extended family, and as sad as I am to not spend my last “Childhood” Christmas with my family, I am beyond excited to meet all the people who love and care about my Jeb.

Everyone out there in the www. world, Merry Christmas. I hope your holiday is filled with all the love and joy that has been a part of mine this far.

Don’t forget the true meaning of this holiday. More than ever am I thankful for the love and forgiveness that has been given to me from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

WEDDING NEWS!!!!

My Grandma finished the “pre wedding dress” dress, and she told me that we need to find the lace for my ACTUAL dress very soon!

Wife in Waiting

This weekend I made Jeb some pumpkin cookies with maple icing.

I didn’t realize that I was going to make over 5 batches.

My original plan was to drizzle the cookies with the maple icing, but after the first batch came out of the oven, I decided that the cracker like cookie and the thick icing would make a better sandwich.

 My sister Karly made these same cookies a week ago and hers turned out fluffy and full, but I used a piping bag to dispense the dough so mine turned out flat and a little crunchy, but still soft.

Here are the recipes:

Pumpkin Cookies

From: My Grandma <3

2 cups Sugar

2 cups Shortening

1 16 ounce can pumpkin

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon all spice

2 cups raisins (optional)

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

I didn’t add the raisins or nuts.

Maple Frosting

I just Googled “maple frosting” and used the first one that came up.

8 ounce package of cream cheese

¼ cup of butter

4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon maple flavoring

Cream together the cheese and butter.

Stir in the confectioner’s sugar and flavoring

Mix well

State Fair

Labor Day weekend was the last weekend of the annual sate Fair in Pueblo.

The State Fair hosts a horse show that weekend, and Jeb got to attend with his boss.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the State Fair.

I love:

The food

People watching, (Jeb’s boss said: “If you are ever feeling a bit down on yourself, just come to the state fair” and he is right, characters galore!)

The Vendors

The Food

Sugar loaded lemonade

The food

Usually the concerts but this year we didn’t attend one because the lineup was pretty poor.

The food

Oh and… deep fried pieces of heaven with generous amounts of powdered sugar on top.

This year, since Jeb was working from Thursday to Monday, I drove down between my work shifts to spend a few extra hours with him.

What I didn’t realize was that he was going to be extremely busy with all of the show horses.

So, I drove down after work on Thursday and Friday to catch the tail end of the horse show both days and to have a fair food dinner with my man.

My sister Lacy was kind enough to let us stay at her house all weekend, so we would head over to her place after all the horses were fed and taken care of for the night. (This was usually around 11:30 or 12.)

Both nights Jeb insisted we rent a movie to watch once we got to Lacy’s place, both nights his eyes were shut before the opening credits.

Jeb had to be at the fairgrounds by 6a.m. and I had to be at work by 7a.m. So, we were up bright and early by 5a.m. for a quick trip to the gas station for a coffee, and then I dropped him off and headed back up the hill for a few hours.

After two late nights and two early mornings, my 6 hour shift on Saturday seemed to take forever. Plus, Jeb’s parents, brother and brother’s girl friend were all down at the fair, so I was itching to get down there as fast as I could.

Tyler and Robyn decided to stay the night with us at Lacy’s Saturday night so when Jeb was finished working for the day the four of us walked around the fair and rode some rides.

I just love that the four of us can do things together.

Tyler’s girlfriend is such a sweet girl. She is so easy to get along with, and she fits right in with my sisters and me.

When you grow up with two sisters, (one 16 months younger than you) you learn to share everything.

I mean EVERYTHING.

And Robyn joined right in.

 Tyler and her hadn’t planned on staying in Pueblo overnight so neither of them had a change of clothes.

Lacy had a big t-shirt that she lent Tyler, and dressed Robyn in a whole outfit. (It’s also a plus when you are close to the same size as your sisters.)

I made breakfast for Lacy and her two room-mates on Sunday morning as a “thank you”, we had “monkey bread” and “green monster smoothies.”

We spent the morning finishing the movies that Jeb had rented the two nights before and getting ready to once again head over to the State Fair.

We walked around and watching different parts of the horse show, and indulging in some more lemonade and a few turkey legs 

Lacy Tyler and Robyn went back up to Westcliffe in the afternoon, so I soaked up some sun in the bleachers.

Jeb was given the night off so that we could get some real food into our bellies, not deep friend and smothered in butter. We went to Chili’s to split two appetizers and then over to Lacy’s so Jeb could catch a few extra hours of sleep.

Monday Lacy had class so Jeb woke me up before he had to leave and I spent my Labor Day watching the end of the Colorado State Fair Horse Show.

That evening we had to go our separate ways, back to Alamosa for my cowboy and back to Westcliffe for me.

The only thing that will make next year’s State Fair better is that my last name will be Stoltzfus and we will get to go to OUR home together.

Tudesday Night Dinners

We started doing weekly dinners with my cousin Leanne and her family. Its been fun thus far and I am looking forward to all the Tuesdays to come.

Here are a few pictures from a few Tuesdays ago, it was one of the last dinners that Jeb got to go to.

Happy New Years!

This year I didn't have to rush off to NJC for a J-Term class and got to spend some extra time at home.  My parents always try to make a nice big yummy dinner, this year was no different.  Lacy also taught me how to make truffles from the restaurant she worked at this summer.  Jeb and his brother Tyler came over for dinner and their mom came over for games afterwards.  I had a great time, it was a very fun night.

Dinner tonight

Working in the lobby at "Herbie Hall" is by far the easiest and easily the best job I have ever had.
  I sit on a couch my entire shift (plus)
  I control the flat screen's remote (plus)
  I can bring my laptop with me and do whatever my heart desires, tonight: looking at different blogs (plus plus)
 the entertainment I partake in to who walks in and out of the main doors all night, you'd be surprised at how much drama that has the ability to create (i can't decide if that's a plus or not.)
{This may be the best plus}
    Living in "Herbie Hall" is unique being the "ag" dorm on campus means a few different things.  I'll just tell you about one for now.
          *particular boys make random appearances at unexpected times, from outside where they have been for hours on end ropping "dummies" just to warm their hands on the back of 3 extra squeamish girls [one of the boys being extra cute always tries to tell me that his lips are cold and only mine can warm them up <3 he's my favorite]

Tonight on the other hand, the lobby was quiet and the only boys in the lobby were playing pool and were conversing with themselves about, pool. {BLAHH}

But, then my dinner arrived! kept warm inside the Styrofoam house waiting for me to open it and devour the whole thing.

 
 Yep that's right a pork burrito, fresh, hot french fries, with a side of ranch, and a diet.  5 star dinner right there!
Here's how this works,  I gave the boy with the cold lips a card that my boss wrote on saying I was in fact working, that he gives to one of the caff employees in return for a Styrofoam container, cup and plastic silverware.  Cold lips boy then calls me and tells me about the caff's "wonderful" selection of food for that evening and I in return give him my choice which tonight was
*2 pork burritos
*a diet carbonated beverage (its diet right?!? that should count for something!)
*dessert (whatever is available)
since the caff opens at 5 and cold lips boy didn't make it to the caff until 6 dessert is gone {BOOO!} and there is only enough pork left to make ONE burrito
(that's where the fries come in... and my very favorite caff staff member which I like to believe is in fact, Jamaican.)  Cold lips boy asks him for fries and hands him my Styrofoam house.  Jamaican cook says that he is all out of fries, then sees the Styrofoam, asks cold lips boy if he can wait for a fresh batch.  After cold lips boy replies, Jamaican cook makes me and my Styrofoam house our very own special batch of fries. He then proceeds to wrap up my burrito (which another caff staff member just slopped inside the Styrofoam, and wraps the side of ranch in surran wrap.  Did I mention that he is my favorite?

Cold lips boy told me all of this when he brought this to me, in the lobby of "Herbie Hall".  After he stole a kiss, and before he proceeded to go back outside into the cold to spend another hour or two ropping with the other silly "Herbie Hall" boys.