Just a moment to gush

It's been a tough week. A family friend passed away very suddenly on Sunday and it's been difficult to process. In the midst of dealing with that and some other not-fun stuff this week I realized how grateful I am for Justin. I'm lucky to have someone who loves me unconditionally, even when I'm the ugliest crier on the planet. And even when I stain his favorite shirt with mascara. I just wanted to gush for a moment on the sweet texts, phone calls and even facebook posts (he never gets on fb) that have made a hard week bearable. 

"Without you I would be incomplete. Thanks for your love and finger shooting me everyday!"

"Good Morning cupcake! I love you!"

"Hope your day is going well. I can't stop thinking about your beautiful smile."

"Morning hottie mc hottie"

Etc., etc. I think my cheesiness has rubbed off a little ;)

Two Years

Two years ago at this exact moment I was counting down the minutes until 5 p.m. I was ecstatic to be going to my first Monday night football game at the brand new Cowboys Stadium. I had my Jason Witten jersey laid out on the bed, camera batteries charged. I was ready. What I wasn't ready for was meeting the love of my life. In fact, I was so unaware that I didn't even bother to refresh my makeup, fix my hair or anything of that nature. I had no idea.Within minutes of meeting Justin I knew there was something there. Two years later here we are. I couldn't be more thankful to have him in my life. My favorite moments currently involve just the two of us relaxing together and talking about our future. It's exciting. Thank you Robert and Kelly for being sneaky. And intuitive. And thoughtful. We are so grateful for you two!

Some photos from that fateful night:

the boys treated us to lots of yummy concessions that night



our appropriately coordinated guys

group shot





Spicy Pork Tenderloin

J and I love our meals with a little kick. Justin takes it to the extreme (my taste buds are a tad wimpier), but we share a mutual adoration for all things spicy. It came as no surprise that this recipe was a huge success for last night's supper. Mmmm. Spicy, but not too crazy, with a hint of sweetness and lots of flavor. I cooked mine in the oven because I don't have a grill. I know, it's a hard life. I also added a dash of cayenne pepper and cut the brown sugar by one cup. I even had the leftovers for lunch today. Anyone that knows me knows it must have been good. I typically don't do leftovers. So, without further adieu, here's the recipe:

  via

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons chipotle chile powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins

Directions

1. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
2. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle chile powder, salt, and brown sugar. Place tenderloins in bag and shake, coating meat evenly. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Lightly oil grill grate, and arrange meat on grate. Cook for 20 minutes, turning meat every 5 minutes. Remove from grill, let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

 

Misadventures in Cooking

I fancy myself a pretty good cook. Definitely a better baker, but I think I can cook pretty well too. I certainly disproved that last night. Justin was coming over for one of our rare weekday date nights. We aren't going to see each other much this weekend, so we decided to spend time together on Thursday. (I know I'm making you marrieds nauseous at this point ;) Anyhow, I have been dying to try Pioneer Woman's Fig Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula that she featured on her new show last weekend. I didn't really think it out clearly, as Justin's response was, "FIIIIGGG? Seriously? What does that even taste like? Oh, wait I guess I like Fig Newtons..." Thankfully this conversation happened earlier in the week so I had an opportunity to make an alternative meal (chicken parm pizza) for him.

I raced home last night to start on the pizzas. I'd already made the dough, so all I had to do was roll it out, top them with ingredients and throw them in the oven. I started on the fig pizza first. Once the dough is thinned out and placed on a cookie sheet, the recipe calls for you to drizzle olive oil on top of the dough. Easy enough. I grabbed the bottle of olive oil from the top shelf, slathered it on the pizza and proceeded with the rest of the ingredients. After I got that pizza in the oven I started on Justin's. As I reached for the olive oil I realized it, in fact, was sesame oil. UGH! The two bottles in my pantry are nearly identical and I had not even noticed that I grabbed the wrong one.

I wish I could say that the differences in the oils didn't matter, but oh did they. The fig pizza tasted like some sort of weird asian fusion dish, and not in a good way. Fortunately I made plenty of Justin's pizza, so I didn't go hungry. And I will definitely look twice when reaching for a bottle of olive oil next time. Lesson learned.

my failed fig prosciutto pizza :(

justin's chicken parm pizza. it was good.

Rat Pack Chic

our take on rat pack chic

Last Friday our favorite couple invited us to a fundraising event for Meals on Wheels. Theme = casino night. Dress code = rat pack chic. We had the best time. Justin worked the skinny tie and I decided to go vintage with my make up and jewelry. It all came together pretty well and it was fun to see every one's take on the theme. Picture lots of sequins and cool vintage hats.

Robert and Kelly's take on rat pack chic

Robert served on the committee for the event and we were so proud of his efforts! We've been to a lot of fundraising events and this was one of our favorites. By. far. Thanks for a fantastic evening Robert and Kelly! We love you guys.

Friday Night Lights - College Edition

Well, I think I've seen it all. Football-wise that is.

I grew up in a football-loving household and have turned into a football-loving adult. I remember going to a Cowboys Super Bowl watching party with my parents and watching most of the game with the adults instead of playing with the other kids. I even remember searching with all my might to try and spot my parents on tv the year they went to the Super Bowl in Arizona. I was fortunate enough to enjoy two state championship football games in high school, one my freshman year and one my junior year. (Go Grapevine Mustangs)! Yup, I've seen a lot of football games. A lot of good football games. However none of these games compare to what I had the pleasure of witnessing first-hand last Friday night.

I'm sure you've heard by now. Baylor beat TCU 50-48 in a thriller. It's an instant classic as ESPN has proclaimed it. We could not have picked a better year to be season ticket holders. I look forward to the rest of the season sitting next to some of my closest friends watching my favorite team and my favorite player of all-time.

Due to the game being held on Friday night, we took off a little early and headed south. I wanted to make it to the March of the Bears, which is basically a receiving line for the team before pre-game warm ups. Justin was a really good sport and I love him for it.

Here are a few shots that I got before, during and after the game.

that's RGII in the center. I. Love. Him.

tailgating with my faves

me and my favorite horned frog. (I'm standing on a bench, hence the extra height ;)

before our meltdown in the fourth quarter. still nervous at this point.

clinton and nat

brad and jae

celebrating the victory!