Minor Differences

A little list of things that Tony and Jeri Lin do differently.

1. Jeri Lin uses the bath mat to dry her feet off after taking a shower.  [DIFFERENCE]  Tony dries his feet off with his towel before stepping onto the bath mat.

2. When washing hands, Tony gets his hands wet and then gets soap.  [DIFFERENCE]  Jeri Lin gets soap and then gets her hands wet.

3. When brushing teeth, Tony gets his toothbrush wet and then gets toothpaste.  [DIFFERENCE]  Jeri Lin gets toothpaste and then gets her toothbrush wet.

4. When unloading the dishwasher, Jeri Lin stuffs all the silverware into her hands and then places it in the drawer.  [DIFFERENCE]  Tony takes the silverware holder over to the drawer and puts the silverware away.

5. When doing laundry, Jeri Lin puts the clothes in first and then adds a dryer sheet.  [DIFFERENCE]  Tony puts a dryer sheet in first and then adds the clothes.

6. Tony stirs his chocolate milk with a butter knife (nice and long...).   [DIFFERENCE]  Jeri Lin stirs her chocolate milk with a spoon (plenty long...).

There is no right.  There is no wrong.  There is only [DIFFERENCE].

Happy Sunday!

Crunchy Ranch Chicken Fingers

I had a request from a friend to post some of the recipes Tony and I have tried out that we really like.  I think I'll try to do that from time to time.  I know I always like learning about new recipes, especially ones that are easy and inexpensive.  So, for today, I share with you the recipe for delectable

Crunchy Ranch Chicken Fingers

1 cup crushed corn flakes

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 packet ranch salad dressing mix
Butter
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, and ranch dressing mix in bowl.  Cut raw chicken into strips.  Dip chicken into melted butter, then dip into corn flake mixture.  Place on baking pan.  Sprinkle any remaining corn flake mixture on top.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.  Enjoy!
[Thanks for this delicious recipe go to Brenae Porter, a friend of my sister-in-law.]

Tony and I like to dip the finished chicken fingers in ketchup, honey mustard, and ranch.  A yummy salad helps balance out the meal.  French fries never hurt, either.

Today was a Fairy Tale

Sometimes we get going so quickly with this and that and all the things we have to do that we forget to see how each day is a fairy tale.  A fairy tale is nothing more than being with your best friend, doing things you enjoy.  The best part about our fairy tale is that the "happily ever after" is eternal.  Here are a few of the adventures we've enjoyed lately...

For Valentine's Day we went to The Cheesecake Factory.  We had the most scrumptious appetizer, their Buffalo Blasts.  If you like spicy, cheesy, fried goodness...YUMMY!  After the appetizer we skipped right to the cheesecake (the true reason we came).  Tony tried out the Key Lime cheesecake and I had the Snickers cheesecake.  We enjoyed them quite a lot, but enjoyed being together most of all.

Tony's been enjoying his work at The Home Depot.  I still haven't seen him in his snazzy orange apron (he keeps it in his locker at work), but one of these days I'll have to sneak in there and get a good picture of his handsomeness to share with y'all.  Tony's also been going to the Methods of Teaching Seminary class and will soon have the opportunity to go into a classroom to teach.  Our goal is for Tony to be offered a student teaching position next school year.  After that he would have a chance at being hired full time.  Being a seminary and institute teacher is our dream job!  As for me, I spend my extra time at home cleaning and organizing.  I've already made a lot of progress and our little nest is going to be all ready when this tiny prince or princess decides to arrive.

With Tony's extra income and me working more hours, we've become addicted to paying off debt.  It feels so good to know that your net worth is increasing with every car payment and we're that much closer to being debt FREE!  We'd really like to get the car and student loans paid off so that we can save up for a down payment on a house.  We still have no idea where that house will be, but one of these days we'll figure it out.

All my organizing has opened up a lot of space for food storage.  We've become addicted to that, too.  Our two week water supply is well on it's way and we have the goal of a 1 month food supply for three by the end of the year.  In addition to shopping the sales and buying things to fill our empty shelves, we've been helping with the garden and Mom and Dad's.  I'm excited to eventually have some fresh produce that I don't have to pay for because I grew it myself. Mom and I are also going to can salsa with home-grown tomatoes, cilantro, peppers, etc. etc.

Tony and I enjoy cooking together.  We've recently tried out a few new recipes and have a few more on our upcoming meal plan.  Mexican pizza, Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken, Crunchy Ranch Chicken (Tony's new favorite)...the list goes on and on.

We went to some of stake youth conference last weekend.  We enjoyed playing games and eating ice cream with the youth on Friday night.  We were lucky enough to be the "coaches" for one of the groups.  We also went to the dinner and dance on Saturday night.  We ate hamburgers, danced a little, hung out with some of the other young couples who are involved with the youth, and enjoyed watching the kids as they interacted with the developmentally challenged individuals from the Arc, who came to enjoy the night with us.

Life is good.  It started out as once upon a time and every day we have a happily ever after.  We're grateful for the little things each day that make life so great.

Food Loves

My whole pregnancy people have been asking what I crave.  It gets pretty annoying saying, "Nothing."  So I've decided to start craving things now that I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant!

Craving number 1:  French Fries with ketchup...lots of ketchup.  The other night when Tony was sick I made myself half a bag of crinkle cut french fries and ate them with ketchup...lots of ketchup.

Craving number 2:  Ice cream.  Not just the regular vanilla ice cream.  Not even just vanilla ice cream with caramel and chocolate.  I mean REAL ice cream.  Thanks to my wonderful visiting teacher who brought be a Coldstone gift card so that I could eat sweet cream ice cream with brownie and caramel.  DELICIOUS.

Craving number 3:  Sonic Route 44 Cherry Limeades.  Alas! I have not had one since I decided to start craving them, but one of these days I will get one and it will be yummy.

So, now people ask me what I crave and I can tell them but now they ask how come I don't look like I've gained any weight (besides the belly, of course).  Well let me explain...Tony and I live on what we call a budget.  Each month there is a certain amount of money set aside for food.  Unfortunately Fortunately, that food budget does not allow for frequent trips to Walmart for crinkle cut french fries and ketchup...lots of ketchup, Coldstone or Dairy Queen, or Sonic.  So while I crave, I do not give in and I will enjoy my healthy 25-35 pound weight gain.

This Sure Ain't the Love Bug

It's February and there's a bug going around but it sure ain't the love bug.  Here's how our morning went...

5:30am - The alarm goes off.  Tony is supposed to work at 7:00 so we're up and at 'em early.
5:33am - Tony: I feel weird.
5:40am - Tony:  Will you make me some cream of wheat?
Jeri Lin:  I thought you wanted breakfast burritos this morning.
Tony:  I'm not feeling so great, let's just do cream of wheat.
5:50am - I'm making cream of wheat and Tony is looking totally miserable.
5:53am - My mom calls.
Mom:  Munchkins #4 and #5 are sick and throwing up.  Can I have the school call you if Munchkin #6 decides she's sick too?
6:00am - I'm eating my cream of wheat happily and watching Tony warily.  He's eating very slowly but says it tastes good.  That's a good sign.
6:20am - He is still eating slowly.  I ask what time he has to leave for work.  6:30.
6:28am - Jeri Lin:  It's almost 6:30.
(Tony groans.)
6:30am - He comes out of the bathroom and sits on the floor.
6:31am - Tony:  I just decided I'm not going to work today.
6:35am - He calls in sick.
6:37am - He's back in bed.
6:38am - Text message from Mom:  Nevermind.  Munchkin #6 just threw up.
7:00am - Jeri Lin:  My tummy's doing somersaults.
Tony: Oh great!
Jeri Lin: Oh wait. That was baby. [GRIN]
9:37am - Text message from Munchkin #3:  Are you working today? I don't feel good.

My goodness! This sure ain't the love bug.  Tony's been miserable.  This is his explanation of how he feels...

I'm feeling okay and then I don't know...maybe I don't feel okay but I feel mostly okay and then...no, I don't feel okay...I feel miserable.  [Trip to bathroom.]  I feel okay.  Poor guy.  I feel bad for the Munchkins at home, too.  Tony says the worst part is that he can't ask for kisses.  No.  Sorry, but I don't want that "love" bug.

So we've been in bed all day.  Him, so he'll hopefully start feeling better.  Me, mostly to take care of him and so I can ask him questions as I apply for jobs for him (we're still looking around to see if there are better opportunities out there).  I think I might read him some Percy Jackson and The Titan's Curse.  Maybe later we'll watch a movie.  It's a hip-hoppin day at the Browns'.