christmas card voting

Bethany took these of us

we were going for Anthropologie Style here.

please vote for your top 3.

it's for our christmas card.

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1.

2.
(a joke people a joke)

3.

4.

(love it)

5.

(love it too)

6.

7.

(love it except he is wearing his stupid jacket)

8.

9.

(he had just told me i was really pretty)

10.

(love the blue in the background, this was across from the coffee shop)

11.

12.

(ps it was totally snowing at this point)

13.

(love it love it love it)

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

(inside bethany's house)

19.

(drinking hot cocoa by the fireplace)

20.

21.

(kissing the baby)

22.

23.

(love it, but the fact that you can see my pores and

wrinkles doesn't make me excited for this one)

24.

(my studly husband)

25.

(love it love it love it)

26.

27.

(anthro catalog here i come)

28.

(we were SUPPOSED to look angry)

29.

(another fav)

30.

(eating a dandelion)

31.

32.

33.

(snow, not dandruff... this was in bethany's backyard, by her garage. I like this)

34.

(like this too)

35.

(love this too)

36.

Just a cute one of little ole me.

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dont forget to cast your votes on the comment.

happy 25th birthday sus!

norah jones concert 2004
i don't know 2005

1989 mayfest

happy birthday my little sister! you've celebrated your birthday in many different places: india, spain, stillwater, edmond, houston, and now africa. you are my bestfriend and i love you so so much. may you be blessed with many more years to come. i can't wait to visit you in may!

wes and becky sitting in a tree

wes asked me to make their flower girl basket and ring bearer pillow

and i was thrilled.

bethany and i picked stuff out at fancy tiger

and i got to work on them yesterday FINALLY!

their colors are "honey and plum"

wire basket from hobby lobby

fixed up with my touch :)
i weaved in the yellow ribbon through the "plum" felt

wes's last name is Gentry

the ribbon it to hold the rings on

back of pillow

in the right corner i put their date 11.28.09

but it's hidden and i kind of like that


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anyway, i loved making them, and shopping for them!!!!

CCRN

I passed my test!
I am glad to be done studying.
It seemed like a forever long process.
Now I have more letters after my name,
and more time to do nothing :)

sushi bowl

I made this for dinner Tuesday night.

It was one of the most delicious things I have ever made in my life.

SOOOO easy and sooooo good!

*found these 2 bowls at the thrift store for $1.49 each

just so happens i found them the day we were making this dinner!

the most amazing book i got for my bday

from camille!

finished!

yummy!

Sushi Bowl Recipe
I've included the instructions for cooking brown rice here, but when I'm pinched for time I just grab for frozen, pre-cooked brown rice

(freeze it yourself, or look for it in the freezer section at Whole Foods).

2 cups short-grain brown rice

3 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt

2 (4-inch) square sheets nori seaweed

6 ounces extra-firm tofu
grated zest and juice of one orange

grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons (raw) brown sugar (reg. sugar is ok too)

2 tablespoons shoyu sauce (or soy sauce)

2 tablespoons (brown) rice vinegar
4 green onions, chopped

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Rinse and drain the rice two or three times.

Combine the rice, water, and salt in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat,

cover, and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
Toast the nori in a preheated 300F degree oven or a medium-hot skillet for a few minutes. Crumble or chop coarsely.
Drain the tofu and pat it dry.

Cut the block of tofu lengthwise through the middle

to make four 1/4-to 1/2-inch thick sheets of tofu.

Two at a time, cook in a dry skillet or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high

for a few minutes until browned on one side.

Flip gently, then continue cooking for another minute or so,

until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy.

Let cool, enough to handle, then cut crosswise into matchsticks

(see photo). Repeat with the remaining sheets.

To make the dressing, set the sheets aside.

Combine the orange juice lemon juice, and sugar

in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.

Cook for 1 or 2 minute, the add the shoyu and vinegar.

Return to a gentle boil and cook another 1 or 2 minutes,

until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the zests.
When the rice is done,

stir in 1/3 cup of the dressing and add more to taste.

Scoop the rice into individual bowls and

top with the toasted nori, green onions, tofu, avocado slices,

and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Makes 4-6 servings.

i added tuna (sashimi) and omitted the tofu b/c we already had it once this week.

and it was perfect!!!

Kenosha Pass Camp Trip 2009

Kenosha Pass Backpacking Trip 2009

October 31-Nov 1

Djamel, Camille, Shiner, Kimel, Shellie, Nelson, Chad, Bethany, Stephen, Ella, Macy, Brad, Matt, Jamie, Liz, & Cameron, Schnooze
cam & stephen

it was sunny and about 45* perfect!

macy, jamie, shiner, djamel, chad, cam

beautiful!

after about 3 miles; we got to the site

the gals put up the tents, while the boys started the fire and dinner :)

getting our frito chili pies on.

and if you note the nalgene bottles full of wine :)

ella

liz

liz and macy, and her awesome "plane size wine"

our awesome wine

around the fire.

it was about 20* at this point
but the fire kept us warm

tent city
we had like 5 tents

7 of us slept in our 6-man tent + 2 dogs!

moon

pretty

jamie and liz

shellie and liz

bethany and liz

*check out her new awesome hat

camille and liz

homeless liz:

with her clove cig & plane wine & winter clothes...

ho ho ho ho ho ho (that was how i was laughing...)

shellie & macy being silly

super smokey

chad & djamel

kimel & stephen

(kimel and i have the same jacket, just different colors)

Brad, Matt, Jamie, Cam

fire

i love this pic

my cute little husband
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after the fire hang out

we went to bed...

the 7 of us + 2 dogs in our tent; and the other people in theirs

shellie on the left, ella and bethany's arm on right

macy at me and cam's feet

bethany, ella, kimel, stephen
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it was super windy and in our janky tent

(*we wanted to use this big tent so we could have more fun hanging out, but we all have really nice small tents... so it's our own fault... but who cares, we could STAND in this tent :))

it collapsed on us so many times in the night, and would then just pop back up; bethany and i thought we were gonna suffocate, i felt like we were in an avalanche and there was no way out, and then it would pop back up. one of the poles kept hitting cameron in the head. but i got some sleep, others, not so much. but its a great story right????

boys packing up the tent

*still about 20*F at this time

my little angel bethany

(doesnt the light make her look like an angel?)

cameron all loaded up

still lighter than on the way in with the wood.
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we hiked out, stopped for breakfast, had to detour 285 because of a rollover, made it home, showered, picked up B for a bridal shower, went to the shower, came home for bible study, fell asleep watching Away We Go. Then started all over again today :).

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PS: another post on this later... but I got a great CookBook for my bday from Camille:

Super Natural Cooking...

got a letter!

sus sent me a letter oct 11, and i got it today!

this was on the front

Here's the day annabelle got a bath...it didn't do much, she's gotten a little bigger now. This pic is taken behind out house, it's where we hang out in the shade if it's too hot out. It was so nice to get to talk to you for so long the other day!

Yesterday it was still chilly and rainy out & the family was all hanging out in the indladla (the room where they cook on a fire) and so i sat in there with them for a few hours. Some of our conversations made me realize just how far removed from Western life we are...

Chris's parents asked if we had electricity and a fridge/ our family asked is chris's family had cows. They asked if there were black people in the US, I said yeah, Obama & many more. They asked if they could drive cars, I said of course; black and white people marry each other, they were astonished. They asked if England and America were the same; if we were ruled by the Queen. I said no, England is in Europe and America id far away, and then explained that England isn't even ruled by the Queen anymore. They asked if there were cities in America, I said yes, lots, and big ones like NYC, they didn't know what I was talking about!

Then I was showing them pics of our family and I think partly because Make (mom) was so excited to know there were black people in the US, but we were looking at the pictures of our family and from our wedding, and she pointed to Cameron and said Yeah, He's Black, I just said yeah, that's my sister's husband!!!

It's still grey and drizzling today. I made cornbread and tortilla soup last night that we'll have for lunch agan today. I finally got to smoke a clove last night (it was like heaven!). I miss you so much, I hope you have a great birthday! 8 more days til Chris's birthday da na na na na na.

Love,

Sus
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seriously, they thought cam was black?

his middle name is Freeman.... so there ya go!

YIPPEE!!!

BOUGHT IT!

*italy 1998*

I bought my ticket to swaziland!

I am so pumped!

I will be gone May 14-31

I can't wait!

there are a million and one things i want to do, but mainly see my sis!

*pics to come of backpacking on Kenosha Pass for my bday*

*taking CCRN test Thursday, send prayers and good thoughts my way please :)*

crazy snow

so we've had over 2 feet of snow since tuesday night.

and we're getting more as i type right now.

it's supposed to stop tonight i think. AHHH!!!

actual birthday

so at work (yes, i worked on my birthday)

Lauren bought me a fancy gingerbread latte and breakfast

then brought me lunch (eggplant lasagna)

and cailly and lauren (and apparently a lot of people)

were conspiring about what kind of cake to get me...

and (lauren has pics) they decided on a cake

with a large remote control on it, with a extra large PAUSE button...

(what, do they think i talk to much???)

it was super cute :)

and everyone got a good laugh!

people were so sweet to me, and it was a really good day.

i got tons of texts, emails, and facebook messages.

i felt very very loved!!!!

so, after work, some of us went to happy hour at Illegal Petes!

scott and me
miranda, lauren, scott, kendra, cam

with me added

miranda bought me a margarita!

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it was great.

thanks guys!

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ps: this is was cameron got me

i wish you could smell it.

i have been eye-ing it for a couple years, and always spray it on when i am at anthro. he knew i liked it and took a pic of it with his phone in august so he wouldnt forget... isnt that sweet :)

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i also used my bday $ to buy this to wear to a wedding in nov

dress

jacket

birthday dinner

Monday night we went to Vesta Dipping Grill

for my birthday dinner.

they have a special called 5280

(denver is a mile high at 5280 feet)

and it's $52.80 for 2 people

that includes appetizer, meal, dessert!

dinner was AMAZING!

bethany and stephen

bethany with her after dinner black russian

liz and bethany

okay, so here is my excitement

(real excitement)

from the waitress bringing my dessert with a candle in the ice cream

seriously.

still excited

see?

isnt it amazing?

it's a freaking homemade CANDY BAR!

i remembered last years candle blowing experience, and wanted this to be better, but i am not sure how much better i did.... i think i look like the hunchback...

me and bethany with the sign in the pic

stephen really wanted to get the sign in

a closer up pic :)

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yeah! bdays are so much fun!

halloween/housewarming party

my friend Lauren and her bf Caleb

had a housewarming/halloween party Saturday

I didn't take a lot of pics, but it was super fun!

he had a leaf tied to his hat and would blow it occasionally...

"leaf blower"
"Monkey On My Back"

mean looking pirate

pirate and ballerina

lucielle ball (Lauren) and bellerina

lauren's parents

Jerry Garcia & a carpenter

ghostbuster & Sheera

Andrew & Cailly

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lauren's boyfriend was fred flinstone, but i didn't take a pic of him?!?!?

we ate, drank, played rockband, and had those silly vampire teeth :)