Yummy Apple Crisp

I just made this apple crisp for our dessert tonight and it turned out way yummy. I thought that I may as well post it because I am always looking for new tasty dishes. It's simple too!!

Ingredients:

4 medium tart apples sliced (about 4 cups)
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. oats
1/3 c. butter (softened)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
Grease or spray bottom of a square pan (or I use an oval shape pan.)
Arrange apples in pan. Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over apples.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown & apples are tender.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

This is a perfect recipe for this time of year. I sure miss my grandpa's tasty apples in his orchard this year. He always had so many he made sure everyone got some and trust me they are VERY tasty.

I also had a few requests for Todd's favorite ice cream cake called "Cocoa Freeze Mint." But as I said before it's a family recipe and Todd really doesn't want me to give it out. Sorry for those that really wanted it. I feel so lame not being able to share the love of ice cream to everyone.

Fall Projects

I love decorating in general, but it's extra fun for the holidays. It's been so great having a fireplace to decorate with. I can't wait for Christmas, I have so many ideas.
Here are some cute necklace pendants I made just recently. My good friend Kristen was the one who came up with the creative idea and I have loved making them. They are easy and make cute gifts.

I have a gym pass again!!!!

I am so happy to say that my husband got me a 2 year gym pass for my Christmas/Birthday present this year!! I have been whining to him ever since we left Utah about missing all my favorite classes that I have been going to for over 7 years!! The best part about it all is that it's literally across the street from our townhome. So we walk right to the gym, how healthy is that?? Other great perks is that it's THE nicest gym I have ever been to in my life. Each cardio machine has it's very own t.v and headphone hookups, it has a cardio cinema room, a pool for lap swimming, an aerobic room, free weights of course, and the best spinning room ever!!! I know it's a dream come true for Ashley. If you know me well you know I love my spinning classes, power pump classes, and the pool to do laps. I got my pass on Monday of this week and I have already been to pump twice, a spinning class, and used the cardio equipment. I know I don't waste any time. There are a few girls in my ward that have passes so I can't wait to go with them. I have to give my new friend Tauyna two way big thumbs up for taking me there one Saturday with a free pass to try out the power pump class. From that day I was hooked again. So thanks to my sweet husband for the best gift he could ever give me. He knows I will use it faithfully.

Happy Birthday Todd!!

Todd's turned 29 yesterday on the 11th. We both can't even believe that we are getting close to our 30's. We hate to even talk about it. Unfortunately, Todd was feeling sick yesterday so we didn't get to celebrate it like he would have liked to. But we did get some food to go and rented a movie. Today I made him and I a nice dinner and topped it off with his favorite dessert. It's an ice cream cake called "Cocoa Freeze Mint." The recipe is from his wonderful Grandma Christensen and we will carry on her recipe for many years.
This is only a small portion of the 13 by 9 pan I made up. He will be eating this dessert for the next two weeks. Trust me, he wouldn't have it any other way, he loves this dessert and so do I.
Todd and I taking a self portrait like we always do since it's just the two of us.... and Scout of course.

Todd doing his studies at our kitchen table. He is so smart he amazes me. He is always teaching me new info he has just learned and it's usually way over my head but I still listen and try to understand.
We are very lucky to have the Columbus, Ohio temple in the same parking lot as our church. Today the weather and skies were perfect so I had to get some pictures of the temple. I have yet to go through there with Todd to do some work.

Just one of many shots of the amazing trees changing around here in Columbus.
These next two shots were taken from the window of the 12th floor of my new job. We have such an amazing view of the city I had to get a few pictures. The day I took these it was slightly foggy so it's hard to see all the vibrant colors.

$2.88 a Gallon for GAS???

I had to post the highlight of my day. On my way home from work I always look at the price of gas at Sam's Club close to our house because that is were we get our gas and it always seems to have the best deal around. Luckily, it has been going down over the last few weeks. I was SO surprised to see that today was the lowest I have seen it in a long time. Only $2.88 a gallon!! I was tempted to fill up my car even though I had only used a 1/4 of tank. I just didn't want to pass up this opportunity of getting a sweet deal. I should have taken a picture of the price so I could prove to everyone how amazing it was. Who knows what the gas is like back at home in Utah but I am so stoked about it here in Ohio. I commute to work now and that has been very different from my 5 minute drive to work at my previous job. It has it's pro's and con's for sure. The con's are: rush hour traffic, wrecks, and stupid drivers, high gas prices(not for now). The pro's are: I get that 15-25 minutes to just unwind and think about life or nothing at all, I take that chance to call family and friends to talk to, I get to enjoy the beauty of Ohio's sunrises through the fog or the gorgeous fall leaves changing in the trees. I think the best part of it all is that it has made me more patient on the roads. If you know me I can get road rage sometimes when I want to get some where and QUICK. So this may be a lesson for me to learn and I feel like I have done very well if I don't say so myself.

My point to all this is I hope gas prices will stay this way and or maybe go down even more. I sure hope that the economy gets better soon. So many people are suffering because of it.

I love the Fall

No this is not a picture I took of a pumpkin patch here in Ohio but I found it on the web and wanted to post it because I love this time if the year. The air is so crisp, the colors of the leaves are changing, the aroma of pumpkin spice cooking in the oven, and all the fun crafts that I get back into because of the colder weather.

Since we have moved here about 6 weeks ago Todd and I have made and played with so many friends in our ward. While the guys love watching and yelling at any football game the girls get together and work on some sort of craft. I LOVE IT!!! There are SO many talented and creative women in this ward I can't wait to have them teach me lots of things I have never made before. Right now a few girls in my ward are making up some cute burp rags and these little blankets they can use while they "excuse me" breast feed. They actually call them "Hooter Hiders." I had never heard of them before last night and they seem like they would be pretty cool if you were a nursing mother. Apparently they are being sold for in stores for like 50 bucks. So they have learned how to make them and give them away as gifts to the 21 girls pregnant in my ward. Yep you heard me right 21 women pregnant and that is not to say the ones who are and haven't told us yet. I wonder what's in the water in our ward but I need to get me some of it!!!