Memorial Day Camping

WE LOVE CAMPING!! Each year Dave and I can't wait for the weather to warm up so we can head out into the great outdoors for fun filled weekends of campin' and fishin'! Last year we were so excited to camp that we even went in March, brrr! This year we've waited a bit longer to go, and we thought that this past weekend would be a great time to getaway. So Sunday afternoon we headed out! We set up camp at a beautiful place just east of Huntsville called South Fork. We had sooo much fun!! It was so nice to escape into the mountains, even for just a day. We hiked, fished, ate and just relaxed. Lilly is quite the little camping dog, haha. Dave, being the Eagle Scout that he is, made us a roaring fire where we roasted chicken tin foil dinners. Yum! It was so nice to just sit by the fire and talk into the night...and of course we made the best s'mores :) That night the temperature dropped and it got pretty chilly. We woke in the middle of the night to fierce winds and rain! We stayed warm and dry in our tent throughout the night.....until morning! It rained all morning which ruined our plans to hang out at the lake :( We hurrily packed everything up and headed home. We definitely should have checked the weather report, but a little rain didn't stop us from having a blast!!! Here are some of the pics:

cute boys

We always love getting together with the Murdock's. They have the cutest kids, Judson and Caden. The best part is that not only are they darling, they are so well behaved! It's so much fun having them over :) (You guys are welcome anytime!) Here are some pics from a few weeks ago.

david cook wins!

It was a close one...but David Cook was crowned the new "American Idol". I really thought they were both awesome and would have been happy with either one. But Cook was one of my fav's from the beginning.

So with The Hills ending last week (until August) and now that American Idol is over I was feeling kinda sad. And just when I was starting to think that I might have to find something else to do with my time, I remembered that tomorrow night is the 2 hour premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance?" Yay! Gotta love reality TV! (actually it's pretty sad, haha)

wake-up smoothie

I'm typically not a breakfast eater, but I made this yummy smoothie this morning for Dave and I that was fabulous! Give it a try :)1 large ripe banana
1 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, or kiwi (about 2)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey

Place all the ingredients in the blender and process on high speed until smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds.

heritage

I was called to serve in the Young Women's Pres. in my ward last August. It's been a great calling and has been really good for me. It's a lot of fun teaching and interacting with the girls. One of the things I love about being in Young Women's are the fun activities we have each Tuesday night. Tonight was "Around The World" cultural night, where we celebrated everyone's different heritages by sampling different foods from around the world.

I thought that it would be fun to share a little bit about where Dave and I came from....Dave's mom, Janet, was born and raised in Biddulph England. Janet visited the United States in her early 20's where she met and fell in love with Dave's dad, Max. They married, and she has lived here in the U.S. ever since. She is such a wonderful woman and very proud of her English heritage. I remember the first time Dave's family had me over for Sunday dinner Janet had prepared Yorkshire Pudding. If you guys are like I was, you will have no clue what Yorkshire Pudding even is! Well, it's an English dish that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Armitt family. Dave's "Grand-dad" would always make it for them whenever he visited from England. I liked it alot when I first tried it, and I was surprised that I had never tasted anything quite like it before. It's pretty easy to make and tastes great with pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy!! Janet makes it way better than I do, but the picture above is my attempt at it. I think I did pretty well for my first try ;) It was fun to share this recipe with the young women who loved it, and ate every last bit!

My maiden name is McGarvey, and my heritage stems from Ireland. St. Patrick's Day has always been a BIG deal in my house. The leprechaun always came in the night and turned all our food green and left us little surprises and treats :) Attending the St. Patty's Day Parade is also a tradition in my family. My mom, Karie, makes the best corned beef and cabbage!
Some of the other heritages that were celebrated tonight was China (ham fried rice), Holland (fruit danishes), Puerto Rico (tostones?), Germany (sweet breads), and Mexico (guacamole, chips and salsa). It was a fun night, and also very interesting. I think that it's important for everyone to first of all know what their heritage is, and to second be proud of it! I am definitely grateful for my ancestors, who because of them I am living where I am today...and I am definitely proud to be an American!!

YORKSHIRE PUDDING

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups milk

3 large eggs

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large baking dish on top of the stove. Beat all the ingredients together very well. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil into the hot baking dish and immediately pour batter into dish. Let it sit for about 1 min. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 min. (or until golden brown).

This past week was Dave's Alumni basketball tournament at Fremont High School. They played one game a night and sometimes even two back to back. They beat every team they played until the last round where they lost in double elimination. So they took 2nd place which is GREAT!!! It was so much fun watching Dave and his friends play! He is a really great basketball player! He is already looking forward to playing again next year! Here are some of the pics:

new book!

So when the "Twilight" series of books came out by author Stephanie Meyer I read each of them in like a day, and loved them!!! I can't wait until AUGUST 2, 2008 when her fourth and last book in the Twilight series, "Breaking Dawn" is published! But until then, there is a new release of a book by Stephanie called "The Host". It was just released on May 6th. I havn't started reading it yet, but if it's as great as the twilight books, I'll be posting about it soon. I'm so excited to start reading it tonight! Here is a little bit about "The Host":
Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.One of the most compelling writers of our time, Stephenie Meyer brings us a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the very essence of what it means to be human.

Sounds good, right? Happy reading!

ABC TAG!

A-Attatched or Single?- very attatched!
B-Best Friend?- dave wayne jackson :)
C-Cake or Pie?- i love coconut cream pie!
D-Day of Choice?- sundays are the best
E-Essential Item?- my cell phone (what did we ever do without them?)
F-Favorite Color?- hot pink (if you couldn't tell)
G-Gummy Bears or Worms?- neither
H-Hometown?- Centerville, Utah
I-Favorite Indulgence?- sleeping in late
J-January or July?- july
K-Kids?- no kids.....for now
L-Life Isn't Complete Without?- an "i love you" from dave everyday
M-Marriage Date?- february 3, 2007 (best day ever!)
N-Number of Brothers or Sisters?- 2 younger brothers
O-Oranges or Apples?- oranges
P-Phobia and Fears?- phobia: public restrooms (YUCK!!) biggest fear: losing loved ones
Q-Quote?- "Life is not measured by the moments-but by the moments that take your breath away!"
R-Reason to Smile?- because i am so blessed
S-Season of Choice?- spring & autumn
T-Favorite Treat?- sour patch kids...mmmmm!
U-Unknown Fact About Me?- i'm scared to fly! :( although i still prefer flying to driving long distances.
V-Vegetable? peas :)
W-Worse Habit?- leaving wet towels on the floor (i'm getting better though!)
Y-Your Favorite Food?- pizza and tacos
Z-Zodiac Sign?-Leo

I am Ariel!

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

dave and ashlie

lilly

What a pretty dress!!


She's soooo little!

Sleepy puppy

Lilly's new chew toy!