Alan, Marie and Bruce Bean

Easter and homemade granola

2010-04-14T20:50:00.004-05:00

Easter is an amazing holiday for many reasons, the obvious that it is the day to celebrate the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ! This one day of the year gives purpose for the other 364 days! The other great part of this day and weekend is getting to see family. I was blessed to spend this Easter with my husband and his mom's side of the family. Alan surprised me by bringing Bruce which was great and we really had a fun time catching up with everyone. Here is a picture we took after church on Sunday.

Me, Alan, Andy, Becki and Bart

I also made this really fantastic homemade granola recently! It was really easy to make and turned out great. I can't take the credit though, my mom made it first and actually just got the recipe off the back of the "HEB" brand quick oatmeal box. I always appreciate a tried and true recipe so I wanted you to enjoy this delicious find too!

Crunchy-Nutty Granola

2 cups quick oats

3/4 cup flaked coconut

3/4 cup chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts (I think the pecans are excellent)

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup Canola Oil

- Heat oven to 300 degrees

- Combine the quick oats, coconut, nuts, honey and oil in a large mixing bowl. Toss to coat. Spread mixtures evenly into a 9x13 inch baking dish or on a cookie sheet with parchment paper for an easier cleanup.

- Cook for 35 minutes or until the granola looks lightly brown. The darker the color the crunchier the texture.

- Spread the granola on a large sheet of foil. Let it cool and then break into smaller clumps. Store granola in a plastic bag or an air tight container.

I enjoyed the granola by itself as a snack and was really great with yogurt and fruit in the morning. Enjoy!

function vs. style... why not both?

2010-04-06T21:08:00.005-05:00

A while back I was frustrated because all of my necklaces were all either piled in a little bowl that had some of my jewelry in it or they were out on the counter, looking very messy. It wasn't organized and it caused my necklaces to get tangled which is never good. You're just asking for a chain to break. Anyways, I decided I needed something that was functional, but I didn't really want a jewelry box or anything else on our already filled up counter. Between a conversation with a coworker and an idea I saw online the idea was sparked and I was on a mission. I wanted to find a "big" picture frame that I could paint white, take out the glass and backing then use it to "frame" my necklaces. The plan was to put tacks in the wall and hang the necklaces on the wall with the frame around it for decoration. Well, I started by stopping by a Goodwill on the way home and what do ya know, I found something even better. I found a frame that had a burlap backing with no glass!!! And it was only $2.99, now that's what I call a deal. The frame was a country blue but I had some white spray paint at home that I knew would take care of that. I taped off the inside, sprayed two coats of white spray paint, let it dry for about 30 minutes and viola.

I placed the tacks where I wanted to hang the necklaces that I wanted displayed and I was a little suprised at how well they all looked together. Not only was this going to be way more functional it was stylish too... cheesy, I know. My most favorite part of this project was the fact that I now get to display some very sentimental pieces of jewelry in a way that I can enjoy them every day even when I'm not wearing them. Here's a little breakdown of the necklaces from left to right. The first necklace is a silver necklace with a round charm that says "mother, daughter, friend" my mom gave it to me this past Christmas and I absolutely love it. It is so special to me because my mom is one of my best friends and obviously, I love her so much. Thank you, mom! The next necklace was the first gift that Alan gave to me when we were dating. It was for my 23rd birthday and the dove represented purity which was symbolic of our relationship and the purity that we have in Christ... on a side note when he bought this gift he was also looking at engagement rings!!!!! The turquoise necklace next to his holds a very special place in my heart because it belonged to Gayle Clark, Alan's grandmother who passed away this past September. She is the first member of the Bean family that I met and was a little intimidating looking back on it because I know how much Alan cherished his grandmother and her opinion so if she hadn't liked me I for sure wouldn't be Mrs. Bean today. She is very missed but we are all envious because she is in heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Becki gave me her necklace and I was so touched by that gift, it will be a forever reminder of sweet Gayle. Wow, this is a little more emotional than I thought. Ok, the next one is fun. This awesomely cool key necklace was a gift from my sweet friend Erin as a thank you for helping her plan her wedding. I love things that are different. Erin has very good taste (obviously) and I absolutely love this necklace, it added a lot of personality to my collection too! The next necklace was a gift from my sweet friend and coworker, Natzyeli. She gave this necklace to me on my 22nd birthday and it is very special not only because it's from her but because she made it, can you say talented?!?! Ok, 2 more. The next necklace was a graduation gift from my momma. The diamond is from her engagement ring from my dad. She had it reset into a necklace and to be honest, the setting for the necklace really brings out the beauty of the diamond and this necklace is oh so special because of the history it represents in my life. My mom is a very strong and courageous woman who has gone through a lot for me and my brothers and sister, and when I graduated from the University of Texas it was one of those journey's that I never doubted I could get through, but the obstacles that we overcame getting to that point were indescribable and completely by the grace of God. And last, but not at all least, is a beautiful necklace from my Aunt Susan. The charm on this necklace is from a charm bracelet that belonged to my great grandmother. My grandfather was in the oil business and they traveled the world. Well each place they would visit my great grandmother would buy a charm to remind her of that place, and this charm is from Japan. It is a Torii, which is a Japanese gate that is usually in front of a shrine. We don't know why they were in Japan but it's pretty cool nonetheless. My aunt has given each of us girls in our family a charm from this bracelet for our 16th birthday's and this one was mine. I've never gotten so many complements from a necklace but every time I wear it someone says something about it and it makes me thing about my family and where I come from. So there you have it, that's the long version. Below the necklaces are some of my earrings, don't worry none of them have stories behind them. I hope you enjoyed that little DIY project and the "short" history of what's been around my neck lately.

The Living Room - updated

2010-04-01T19:33:00.014-05:00

I get it, I promised I would give you updates and I haven't. I'm a slacker. I realize that I'm more into reading blogs than updating my own blog. It's a problem. I get that. There is a bigger problem too, I'm going to start a blog for my business so I have a feeling this one will suffer even more. Who knows, maybe I'll get more efficient at blogging and I'll get better at this one rather than getting worse. Ha. Anyways, so last time I mentioned my obsession with home blogs and have had some decorating inspiration as of late. Well here are a few pictures. I did just a few small things and it really can make a big difference. We live in an apartment so until we have a house my decorating can only go so far.

The mantle before

after:

Picture frames: wedding gifts from Pottery Barn, Dried rose: Alan gave it to me the night he proposed, Painting: I painted it when I studied abroad in Italy, Vases: tall one from Goodwill $1.99 and smaller amber one from Ross $3.99, "B": a wedding gift and was gold, I spray painted it white.

Total cost: $6

really poor before picture of the top of the bookshelf before:

after:

Large vase: Hobby Lobby $15, White candle holder: Goodwill $2.99, Books: took the covers off of books we already had, white elephant: ironically a "white elephant" gift exchange present, free

Total cost: $18

no before picture, but here is the after

Green Pillow: Target, White pillows: Pottery Barn $12.99 (cover) had the inserts other white pillow from Ikea $8.99 (cover) $6.99 (insert), Yellow pillow: Ikea $10, Blue pattern pillow: Target $19.99, white book box: Z-gallerie $15.95, green flower tealight holder: $9.95

Total cost: $85

The book box is a great holder for the remote and coaster. They no longer have to sit out on the coffee table.

The comfy reading chair corner before:

after:

White picture frame: Goodwill $1.99 (painted it white), square mirror: Salvation Army $.99, wood frame with bridal picture: had it, brown throw: gift from Pottery Barn, White pillow: Pottery Barn, Yellow Pillow: Ikea $10, white picture frame of Bruce: Target, ottoman: Target, side table: Urban Outfitters (temporary and looking for a replacement), lamp: Ikea

Total Cost: $13

Grand total: $122

So, that's what I've been up to lately. I put costs above for the items that I've bought since I've been updating our living room. All other items not priced we already had. I hope you enjoyed this living room update. Be looking for a little jewelry holder DIY project soon.

Ready? Set? Go...

2010-02-26T12:10:00.007-06:00

Are you ready for this?!?!?! We're going to go way back in time and play a little catch up on our lives. The last time I remember being told I need to update our blog was back in October 2009... yes, I just said October, when two of my beautiful friends got married. Jenna and Mark tied the knot on October 3rd and Rachel and Cody sealed the deal on October 9th! Here's the short version of the past few months

Cody and Rachel Linn

Cleveland, OH

Mark and Jenna Crail

Buda, TX

I helped Jenna with the planning and execution of their big day and had a great time working with her and helping out when I could! The wedding was beautiful even with the rain! Yes, it rained but it didn't stop us from having a great time! The next weekend I flew to Cleveland for Cody and Rachel's big day and also had a blast! Both weddings were incredibly beautiful and so much fun!

November... I ran and completed the San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon! Yes, I ran all 26.2 miles!!!! Now that it's over I can say it was an amazing experience and who knows, I might do it all over again one day :) For now I'm gonna stick to 10K's... We almost bought a house, then didn't (praise the Lord). Alan and I turned 25!!! I know it's not old, but it sounds old. I feel wiser... ok, maybe not but it's different to say you're 25. We're half way through our 20's. I'm not sure what I thought I would be doing at this point in my life but I know that God has me right where he wants me and I'm grateful for that. Ok, moving on. We went to Dallas for Thanksgiving with my family and had a blast. Got to see my Aunt Susan and Uncle John's new ranch north of Dallas, Bruce got chased by their longhorns and by their donkey's. It was an adventure for him to say the least.

yes, my brother is bald... on purpose.

December... the usual, Christmas parties, traveling. Bruce turned 1 on the 19th, he's a big boy now! Since we had thanksgiving with my family we went to Amarillo for Christmas. On the way we drove into a huge winter storm and had to stop at a roadside motel in Tulia, TX at 3am because it would have taken us a few more hours to get to Amarillo at the speed we were going and it was only 50 miles away. We had a wonderful Christmas with the Bean family :) Bruce loved the snow.

Alan and Andy got matching shirts just like their dad's for Christmas

January... we went to Odessa the weekend after Christmas for Brooke and David's wedding. Alan was a groomsman so that was a lot of fun for him. David is one of Alan's best friends from middle school, they go way back to the Canadian days (that's the town in Texas not Canada the country). While at their wedding Alan got to catch up with old friends and did a little networking and landed himself a job. Get ready for it... in the panhandle!!!!!!!!!! So back to before we were married I always knew he wanted to move back to the panhandle. This was no surprise, I guess in the back of my mind I just thought it would be like 5 or 10 years down the road, not a year and a half. So, there you go my friends, words out... we're moving to Canadian! I'm not gonna lie, I struggled with it for a little while. I love Austin, my family is here, I love my job BUT we were very certain this is where God wanted us so I'm excited! We've met lots of awesome people in that little town already and we're excited to start the next chapter of our lives there. Alan has actually already moved up there and started his job with a commercial construction company based out of Elk City, OK. I'm still in Austin as I look for a job in Canadian but I'm hoping to start my own event planning company so I'll keep you posted on how that goes. For now I'm a single mom to Bruce and Skype is my new best friend :) Other January happenings, there were several birthdays, Bart, Susan, Gram, Mom and baby Riley entered the world. So fun!

February... Happy Valentine's day! Alan moved this month, he left on the 5th for the Panhandle and that was a sad day. Fortunately I was busy with the Verge conference for our church so it kept me busy and no time for being sad. I also had lots of support from friends and family which was super helpful! Bart and Becki flew me up to see Alan for Valentine's weekend and that was a blast. We went to a reception in Canadian at The Citadelle and met lots of people and overall just had a great time!

my new friends, Lanie, Becky and Cassi :)

Now that I've gotten you all caught up I can now get to the fun stuff! My latest obsession is reading home blog's like this one http://www.younghouselove.com/ and this one http://allbowerpower.wordpress.com/page1/ so I've been doing a few projects myself. Look for some of those updates soon. Well bloggie friends, it's been great visiting. I must get back to the daily grind.

I'm a slacker...

2010-02-15T16:05:00.002-06:00

I know, it's been so long since I've posted that we no longer have any readers and might as well not have a blog. But we have so much going on that an update post is in order. And, surprise surprise this isn't it. I just wanted to let you know that you (whoever you might be) can look for a post update soon. Some things I'll be updating - I'm way into home decorating so I'll show some of my latest finds and newest decorating fun around the house, we've got some big changes coming up (no I'm not pregnant) and perhaps a recipe or two will show up. Sorry, but that's all for now. See ya soon!

~ Marie

His Presence Known

2009-09-30T23:15:00.009-05:00

For those who don't know or haven't heard my Grandmother passed away September 10th, 2009. She battled cancer for two years before our Lord called her home. This blog post isn't about her death, it isn't about her life, it isn't even about the impact she had on my life or the love we shared but it is about God's presence. This story is about his love, his grace, and his comfort even in the toughest of times. I think sometimes we forget how real and present God is in our lives. May this story be a testament to His love.

As I mentioned my Grandmother had been fighting cancer for a few years and as August came to a close it seemed things were beginning to go downhill quickly. My wife Marie had purchased the new Chris Tomlin CD in early September and as I work out of my truck a lot I asked if I could borrow it to give me something to listen to. Track number 5 "I Will Rise" really had an impact on me as I was struggling with my Grandmother's life coming to an end. The song brought tears streaming down my face as I pictured the words coming to life and my Grandmother acting those words out. I had my wife listen to it and she agreed it was a perfect song for this situation. Fast forward a week and my Grandmother passes away. We drove up to Amarillo to spend the night with my parents before going over to Miami where I was born and raised, living a mile down the road from her, and stayed a few nights there with our whole family & extended family before the funeral.

While in Amarillo that first night however I played the Chris Tomlin song to my parents and told them what it meant to me while fighting off tears. I said I'd like to have it played at the funeral but figured that all of that was already figured out and it was a little late to add the song. Two days later while sitting in the pew attending my Grandmother's funeral one of the members of the church came up and sang "I Will Rise" in the middle of the service. Wow, what a memorable and touching moment while that song was being sung. After the service my Mom asked me what I thought of the song, she was like, "that's the one you played the other night isn't it?" Well come to find out my parents didn't request the song. I wasn't able to talk to the lady who sang but the pastor told me she had been praying about what to sing earlier that week and he didn't have a clue which one she felt led to sing until she was up there.

What a peace to know such a loving and gracious Savior. God's presence could not have been felt any more than her singing that song September 14, 2009.

"I WILL RISE" by Chris Tomlin

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say, It is well

Jesus has overcome
and the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise
When He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise, on eagle's wings
Before my God
fall on my knees,
and rise...
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
when this darkness breaks to light
and the shadows disappear
and my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
and the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise
when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise, on eagle's wings
Before my God
fall on my knees,
and rise...
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing
Worthy is the Lamb!
And I hear the cry of every longing heart
Worthy is the Lamb!

And I hear the voice of many angels sing
Worthy is the Lamb!
And I hear the cry of every longing heart
Worthy is the Lamb!

I will rise
when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise, on eagle's wings
Before my God
fall on my knees,
and rise...
I will rise....
I will rise....

Spinach Black Bean Lasagna

2009-09-30T09:22:00.008-05:00

I made this recipe last night and it was fabulous! Alan said it was one of the best lasagna's he's ever had, and I must say I agree with him. I served it with a delicious whole grain bread and it was a hearty but not heavy meal.

Spinach Black Bean Lasagna:

2 Large eggs, lightly beaten

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, divided

2 (16 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (2 lb., 13 ounce) jar pasta sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

9 precooked lasagna noodles

Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; set aside.

Mash beans with a potato masher or fork in a large bowl; stir in pasta sauce and cumin. Spread one-third of bean mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mixture, and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; repeat layers. Spread with one-third bean mixture; top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining bean mixture.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish, if desired.

Enjoy!!!

Longhorns Survive Air Raid

2009-09-20T01:05:00.004-05:00

What is it about playing Texas Tech each year that leaves me with this feeling of uncertainty? We can be destined for a national championship ranked #2 playing an unranked Texas Tech team and my stomach would still be in knots. My senior year in high school (2002-2003) Texas lost to Texas Tech in Lubbock,TX. The next four years while attending UT we defeated the Red Raiders on each occasion. The year following we made it five in a row. Then came the catch heard round the world that any Longhorn fan would love to have back in 2008 when Michael Crabtree dashed all hopes of a national championship with a last second touchdown to send Tech past Texas in Lubbock. It is no wonder then that as I attended tonight's match-up against the two teams I felt a bit light headed and sick to my stomach. It could've been partially due to lack of food or lack of sleep but any Longhorn fan knows that when Texas plays Texas Tech nothing is guaranteed.

Tonight's game was one for the books alright. I hadn't seen Colt McCoy so off in any of his previous collegiate starts. Come to find out after the game he had missed a day of practice and was battling flu-like symptoms throughout the week. You could see it in his step and his throwing ability, or inability finishing 24-34. To his credit his two interceptions were both tipped by Texas receivers before finding the hands of the Tech defenders. Excuses aside Texas was able to do one thing right tonight. Run. It was exciting to see a Texas offense come up with run after run. Tre Newton looked good... he looked real good. With a balanced offense Texas was able to control the game during crucial drives late in the game. Another highlight of the evening was the Texas defense. Texas Tech got their typical 400+ yards through the air people expect out of a Mike Leach offensive system but what was missing was the running game. They finished with -6 yards in the rushing category thanks to a steady Texas pass rush that caused sacks, fumbles, and timely interceptions.

The highlight of the night in my opinion came when Sergio Kindle sacked Potts deep in Texas Tech territory causing a fumble recovered by Texas. It was a huge hit that rocked Tech's Potts as his helmet rolled on the field to the shouts of over 101,000 attendees. The largest ever crowd to witness a game of football in the state of Texas sure made things difficult for the Tech offense. They continually shot themselves in the foot with untimely penalities. To their credit and a tribute to Potts' resiliency they drove the length of the field late in the fourth quarter to climb within 7 points before Texas kicked a field goal to seal the victory.

In my mind it was a classic Texas/Texas Tech game. Never underestimate the Red Raiders. I'm excited about the remainder of the season and happy to come away with the "W" no matter how many knots my stomach had in the end. If we take care of business the next few weeks it should be a classic matchup against OU with national championship hopes on the line come October.

Ruidoso Recap (wildlife)

2009-09-16T23:51:00.005-05:00

Mountain photography isn't complete without a few pictures of the local wildlife. Now while Marie was hoping to see a moose or a cheetah I was more practical with my expectation level. Actually she always complains about not seeing any wildlife while in the mountains but on this trip she was in luck. Lets start off with the infamous, if not overpopulated, mountain hummingbird(s).

Mr. Photogenic immediately goes into his best swan impersonation for the camera.

Mr. P decides he has had enough camera action and shakes his tail feather at me to ward me off.

Undeterred, I continue to take pictures until he flips me the bird and I figure I'd better let him finish his dinner.

Below the deck we threw corn down for the local mule deer and they came in numbers. I think I counted 10 at one time with 3 or 4 fawns still with their spots on.

I went down for a closer look but I think I may have blown my cover. Check out those radar ears!

I caught this little guy searching for food.

One of the highlights of the trip was Marie and I hiking up in the national forest. On our way back down the trail I spotted these two mule deer on the mountainside. The larger of the two looked like an 8 point that could easily grow into a 10 with the little guy a 4 pointer. I couldn't believe how close I was able to get and my telephoto lens didn't hurt either.

A close up of the beast. The antlers were still in velvet which was pretty cool to see.

Ruidoso Recap (deck)

2009-09-16T23:27:00.005-05:00

I've finally uploaded all of our vacation pictures and want to share a few of the better ones with y'all. These are all taken off of the deck where I spent most of my time relaxing and watching the clouds roll in.

Post rain rainbow that Marie caught on camera just before leaving for date night.

Looks like rain is on the way. Cool pic that Marie asked me to take with the clouds down in the valley. Glad I listened to the wife. ;)

Dark clouds rolling in that ended in one heck of a lightening storm. Too bad I have no clue how to capture lightening bolts... believe me I tried. Left with a bunch of black pictures.

Babysitting Duty

2009-09-10T18:47:00.006-05:00

In order to give Brad and Amy a dinner date out on the town the only two available to babysit were these Beans! Now it took some persistent persuasion for Marie to warm up to the idea (see picture below) but I finally talked her into it.

As you can see Marie is honing in those motherly skills that someday (say 2-10 years from now) she will use on our children! ;) While Marie is no stranger at taking care of babies, since she did help raise her two younger brothers and younger sister, I on the other hand am far from a pro. I'm what one might consider a spectator, at least that was until last night. Let me reflect on the experience if I may. There were quiet a few highs as I apparently am pretty funny, or at least funny looking enough to cause Ainsley to smile frequently. I'm also pretty good at making weird noises that kept the baby happy and wondering what the heck I was doing. You can only do so much though and after awhile my antics grew old and Ainsley grew HUNGRY! Without Mom around we had to improvise with a bottle of the good stuff Amy had left behind. While Marie was busy preparing the bottle I was left to keep an ever growing fussy Ainsley happy. It was a loosing battle and luckily Marie swooped in bottle in hand right in time for me to save what little hearing was left. After feeding the baby we were able to enjoy some more play time with Alan acting the idiot and Ainsley loving every minute. By this point she was getting a little tired and we had to resort to turning on the tv for a brief distraction. Low and behold the tv was tuned into MTV and Snoop Dog was performing on stage. Well Ainsley seemed content enough but to spice things up a bit I decided to do my own little dance that seemed to boost her happiness even more. My wife on the other hand thought I was complete nuts but isn't that what babies do to people?? We changed Ainsley's outfit before her parents arrived back so she was all fresh and clean (after Marie changed the diaper) and that about sums up our 2 hour baby-sitting experience. As Borat so eloquently puts it, "GREAT SUCCESS"!!

Now off to our own date night! Badda-bing baby!

The Bean's Mountain View

2009-09-08T19:26:00.006-05:00

ALAN'S UPDATE FROM RUIDOSO:

While most were able to enjoy a three day weekend thanks to Labor Day these Bean's have been blessed to take a whole week off! Yeah we know, you're probably hating us by now but in our defense we've needed a break like this for awhile now. We were invited up to Ruidoso, NM to spend the week with Brad, Amy, & Ainsley Bean at a family friends cabin and just couldn't pass it up. We departed ABIA Sunday morning bright and early and as you can see from the pic we had one happy first time flyer!

Since arriving at the cabin mid-afternoon on Sunday we've played cards (Marie dominated rummy I hate to admit), spent some great time in prayer & scripture, walked the streets downtown, sipped coffee while watching the sunrise, got some altitude training in, watched some college football, cooked some good food, and last but not least RELAXED. To give you a glimpse of the view from the deck check out the pic below:

Two things in particular have stuck out since arriving regarding the weather. One has been the temperature in the 50's at sunrise and high in the low 70's and the other has been an abundance of afternoon rain showers. It honestly doesn't get much better than cool weather, clean crisp air, and an afternoon thunderstorm in the mountains. You can most definitely see the hand of God at work and we have been blessed to witness it during our trip thus far.

We'll try to post another update later in the week as we hope to take at least one hiking trip that should make for some good photo opportunities. I've got to get the grill fired up for some burgers and crack open a cold Coors Light as should be the case in the lower rocky mountains.

ADIOS!

That Bru

2009-09-02T12:57:00.005-05:00

I realized the other day that besides mentioning we have a dog I haven't put up any new pictures of him lately. He is no longer the adorable little puppy he was when we got him, but now he's an adorable big puppy and has so much personality. He keeps us entertained constantly. We have lots of nicknames for him, here are a few that come to mind - That Bru, Brudy, Bruha, Bruce Bruce, Brucey, Joosey Bruce, Bru pup, snags, double snags (see pictures below) and others that I'm forgetting at the moment. Here are some of my favorite pictures of him.

Bruce getting a ride from dad

Just like a baby... but you can leave this baby in a kennel :)

I'm pretty sure he thinks the couch belongs to him, and it kinda does

the first night we got him he slept in this basket, now he barely fits

Hanging out with dad on the front porch!

"Snags"

"Double Snags"

This is what he does while I get ready in the morning, talk about a life of leisure!

it's not just ravioli...

2009-08-27T10:38:00.003-05:00

Veggie Ravioli:

I've made this dish twice and it's really good, and easy! There isn't an exact recipe so i'll just explain the steps and it can be varied to your liking. The first time I made it I didn't add the zucchini or squash but I had some I needed to use up so I added it this time. You can really add or take away any of the veggies.

1/4 of an onion, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves chopped

handful of baby carrots sliced (or 1 large carrot sliced)

1-2 celery stalks sliced

1 medium zucchini sliced then quartered

1 medium yellow squash sliced then quartered

sliced mushrooms

1 can pasta sauce or 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 and 1 can tomato paste

1 package Buitoni Whole Wheat Four Cheese Ravioli

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cut up all veggies. Heat pan to medium, saute onion and garlic in coconut oil* (or olive oil). As onion and garlic starts to cook down a little add carrots and celery, saute a few minutes, add zucchini, squash and mushrooms. Saute until veggies are mostly cooked through. If they start to stick to the pan go ahead and add tomatoe sauce(s). Season with italian seasoning or whatever herbs you have (basil, oregano, parsley, etc) Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a dash of sugar to the sauce, this gives it a nice sweet flavor. While sauce continues to heat, in a separate pan bring water to a boil. Cook ravioli according to directions. Add cooked ravioli to sauce and serve with freshly grated parmesan on top. Enjoy!

Graduation weekend and a new recipe!

2009-08-12T11:59:00.006-05:00

Well last weekend we flew to Lubbock for Andy's graduation! It was a great weekend. Friday evening Bart and Becki treated everyone to dinner at Cagle's Steakhouse where Andy works. Dinner was amazing and we had a really great time visiting. We had a private room which made a huge difference in being able to carry on a conversation without yelling. After dinner we went back to the hotel and hung out in the lobby for a little while before heading to bed for an early morning the next day. Saturday we met at 8am to head to the graduation ceremony. For a summer graduation it was surprisingly long but so worth it to see Andy graduate! Congrats Andy, we're so proud of you. We had a nice picnic lunch at Andy's house before getting on the road back to Austin. My mom watched Bruce for the weekend and I think he was a little more out of control for Nana than he is for us. We found out he pee'd on the floor and when he pees in the house, he doesn't just stand there in pee's he walks around thus leaving a trail, for quite a ways Lauren said. He also wanted to play with Duke instead of sleep and he ran off chasing a dog down the street, those were just the stories they told us, I'm sure there were others. Anyways, we really appreciated them watching our little fur baby. He was exhausted once he got home on Sunday.

Andy with the delicious cake Becki made.

Andy, Grandmother and Alan

Andy and Grandmother

Andy at his graduation

NEW RECIPE:

Last night I made a pizza recipe that I make often and I thought I'd share it. I got this recipe from my old roommate Jessica, it's a recipe her mom makes and it is delicious!

Artichoke Pizza with Feta and Thyme:

1 tsp Olive Oil or Coconut Oil

1 sm. red bell pepper chopped

1/2 sm. yellow, orange or green bell pepper chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 tsp. crushed pepper

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 - 9oz. can artichoke hearts (quartered)

1 pkg. whole wheat naan bread (2 pieces in package)

Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup crumbled Feta

dried thyme

Saute peppers and garlic in oil, set aside

Combine next 4 ingredients in food processor or just chop and mix

Top pizza with artichoke mix, then peppers, cover with mozzarella cheese, sprinkle feta and thyme.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, or broil until cheese is melted and pizza is heated.

Enjoy!

Am I a good steward?

2009-08-05T12:34:00.005-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about how great God is! I mean really amazing... I was listening to a sermon by pastor Mark Driscoll this week about stewardship and how everything we have belongs to God we are just stewards of what he has given us. He started talking about "rich" people and pretty much if you're American, you're rich! We have more at our disposal than any other country, yet we're so wasteful with what we have. How often do I find myself wanting this or that and how rediculous it is when I have already been blessed with more than I deserve. I'm learning to count my blessings instead of worrying about what I "need" or don't have, and when I say need it's probably just a want, there is definitely a big difference. When you look at where your money goes it shows you where your heart is. I think a good question to ask is, would Jesus want you to spend his money this way? Just some food for thought...

Anniversary numero uno!

2009-07-29T10:57:00.004-05:00

It doesn't seem like just one year ago we were walking down the aisle and saying our vows... yet here we are now celebrating our one year anniversary! It is amazing how fast time can really go by, it makes me wonder how much quicker each year will go by. Before you know it we'll be celebrating 5 years, then ten and so on. Hopefully we'll have kids by that point, haha. We had a great weekend celebrating. Since we were making a weekend of celebrating I planned our day of activities on Saturday and Alan planned Sunday.

Here's a little recap of the weekend. Saturday morning I drug Alan out of bed at 7am to get ready for a long run. We went down to Town lake and had a nice 9 mile run. We saw Darren Brown and his girlfriend Megan running. There were so many people out running when we got there, I almost couldn't believe how many there were. It did make for a much more interesting run than just around our neighborhood. It's fun to see the different types of people out there and the many types of dogs, so fun. After our run we went home to get ready for the rest of our day. I made breakfast for Alan then we took Bruce to doggy day care, aka Susan and Barry's house! He loves to go play with Mack, their 2 year old chocolate lab. We didn't buy each other gifts but decided to go shopping for some various things we had been wanting, well I ended up getting 3 pairs of shoes, not the typical first anniversary gift but I was excited. I know your'e probably thinking I got some girly shoes, but quite contraire I got some sperry's which I had been wanting for a while and 2 pairs of running shoes! they're more practical for my marathon training than some heels would be, ha. Alan got a pair of running shoes as well and some clothes he's been needing. After our shopping extravaganza we checked into our hotel, the Mansion on Judges Hill, and took a much needed nap. The combo of the shopping and the run took it out of us, so it was nice to take an afternoon break. We did have lunch at Whole foods during the shopping part of the day so that was fun. After our nap we went to one more store then decided to get some drinks at Vivo since our dinner reservations weren't until 8:30. Vivo was great, I think they might have the best chips in town. We had dinner at Fonda San Miguel and it was DELISH! We had a great salad and appetizer called Angels on Horseback, it's bacon wrapped shrimp with these marinated veggies that are so yummy! Alan had fish for dinner and I had a chile relleno, the food was excellent and we had a nice red wine with our dinner. We had planned to go play darts at Crown and Anchor after dinner since that was one of the first places we hung out but we were too full and tired after dinner so we just went back to the hotel. Here is a picture from dinner:

"Dinner at Fonda San Miguel"

Sunday was our actual Anniversary day and we started by going to Church! Matt preached a great recap sermon of 1 Corinthians chapters 1-6. After church we went home to grab a quick lunch and change clothes to go to Barton Springs but we had some cards and one of them had a check from my mom so we decided to go spend it! We took a quick trip up to IKEA to get a mirror i've been wanting for our room and we also got a lamp to go next to the chair Bart & Becki got us for our anniverary!!! We are so blessed to have such amazing family! Alan had never been to IKEA and he was a little overwhelmed to say the least. I could have spent a lot of time looking at stuff but he managed to get me out of there before I did too much damage. Good job babe! We finally made it to Barton Springs and was it crowded! The parking lot was a mess, but fortunately it wasn't too bad once we got in. Barton springs is another great place for people watching, so many interesting things to see! We had a great time reminiscing over our first year of marriage and setting goals for this next year :) Alan ended a great day with going to dinner at North, which I have to say might be our new favorite restaurant. We have found this dish that we love to get there and we now get the same thing every time and it's always amazing! I almost made the mistake of considering dessert after dinner when Alan reminded me that we had one year old wedding cake at home! We ate some cake when we got home and much to my surprise it was good, I mean really good, especially for being one year old. I thought we would take a bite and throw it away but I haven't thrown it away yet because I keep thinking I might eat a little more. I probably shouldn't but you never know. We had an amazing weekend and the most amazing part was just spending time with my husband! I'm already looking forward to what this next year will bring our way. Here are a few more pictures from the weekend.

"North"

Our Cake!!!!

It's been a while... to say the least

2009-07-20T14:04:00.004-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been busy but minus that excuse just a little unmotivated to blog and not sure why. I'll try to get better at this. Since the last time I blogged, I've gone to Chicago with my mom, sister and Aunt Susan. Alan and I went to Canadian for the 4th of July to see Bart & Becki. We also got to see Charles and Gayle in Miami and Andy came to Canadian too! It was a lot of fun. I'll post a few pictures from those events. This past weekend I went to Dallas with my family to attend Susan and John's annual pool party. We had a really great time except Lauren started feeling sick so we ended up coming home that evening, it was a quick trip but I felt bad for poor Lauren. The highlights were getting to see Britney, Megan and Chloe!!! Chloe is super cute :) Susan asked when we were going to have one of those and I informed her it will be a while, I think she understood. I am in the process of planning our 1 year anniversary! I can't believe we have already been married one year! God has truly blessed us during our first year of marriage and I am looking forward to the many blessings, memories and exciting adventures we'll experience this next year! Highlights of our first year of marriage - spending all holidays together, being table leaders in the Newly Nearly Wed Class at church (a class we took when we were engaged and was truly beneficial to our marriage), getting a puppy, moving into a 2 bedroom apartment and having more room to grow, house hunting and deciding against a house, and I think mostly just learning more about each other has been the best part of this first year! I think between Alan's spontaneity and my predictability we complement each other and make a good pair! I love my husband!!!!

Delicious pizza at Pizzano's!!! Yum.

"The Bean"

Grant Park

"Navy Pier"

My beautiful sister Lauren!

Sisters - Mom and Aunt Susan

Lauren with the delish pizza from Giordano's

at Wrigley Field

The whole Bean family!

handsome Bean men!

Bart & Becki

What I love about Austin

2009-06-01T15:04:00.003-05:00

There are so many great things to do in this city. Alan and I decided we needed a relaxing weekend with no plans except the one's that were a game time decision. We ended up doing some really fun "Austin" things. Friday I stopped by Central Market on my way home and got some really great fresh whole wheat linguini and pesto for dinner. I bought some veggies and just threw it all together and it was great! We rented a movie after dinner and called it a night. Saturday we got up and drove down to town lake for a nice 4 mile run. It was nice but a little on the hot side. After our run we went home and relaxed for a while then changed into our bathing suits and headed back downtown. On our way we dropped Bruce off at the doggy day care, aka Susan and Barry's backyard to play with Mack their 1 1/2 year old chocolate lab. From there we headed to Whole Foods, if you've never been to the Whole Foods downtown you're missing out on a great experience! It's the perfect place to go when you want something healthy but aren't sure what. They have everything you can think of, so it's great for us indecisive people. We settled on sushi, salad with a hodgepodge of goodness and some fruit. We found a table out front and enjoyed people watching and reading some Austin magazines while we ate. After lunch we went to another Austin favorite, Barton Springs. Since the weather was so great it was a bit crowded but that didn't deter us. We found a sunny spot that was nice until we couldn't take the heat any longer. So we sat on the side of the pool with our feet in the chilly but refreshing water. We ran into Todd and Olivia Engstrom, friends from church, who were there enjoying their 5th anniversary along with a day without their toddler, Micah. Olivia is due to have their second little boy in 2 weeks and you would have never thought she was eight and a half months pregnant, she looked great! After visiting with them for a while we decided we had gotten enough sun and headed home. That evening we enjoyed a relaxing dinner at Z-Tejas. We waited a little while to get a good table on the balcony and it was well worth it. We had just sat down when I told Alan I thought I had seen lightning, he told me I was crazy. Turns out there was a lightning storm out west that we got to watch during dinner and it was amazing! Sunday we went to the early service at church and enjoyed a great sermon from Ronnie. The afternoon was relaxing and now I'm looking forward to another great week. We get to see little Ainsley this evening so that will definitely be the highlight of my day!

Long weekends are the best

2009-05-26T15:54:00.004-05:00

We stayed pretty busy this weekend despite our need to rest. Friday we had dinner with friends. Saturday we went to the Farmers Market downtown which was really great. I had never been so I dragged Alan to it and we found some great stuff. We went kind of late so I think there would be a better selection earlier in the morning but there is a lot of great locally grown organic food. I got some beets that I cooked last night and are fabulous, home grown tomatoes and some homemade raspberry jam that tastes just like my grandmas. Saturday afternoon Alan went camping with some friends while I took Bruce home to play with Duke and to see Nana! He was worn out by the time he got home on Monday. It was great to see lots of friends and float the river in New Braunfels. I'm looking forward to more floating trips this summer.

the latest and greatest...

2009-05-21T15:41:00.000-05:00

the latest is that I've decided to run a marathon in November with one of my best friends Kacie :) She asked if I'd want to do it with her and I caught her off guard by saying yes. I've decided to start eating healthier and while I'm training so I tried a few new recipes this week, surprisingly they all turned out really good... that doesn't always happen. The oven baked sopes were delicious and I highly recommend them, enjoy!

Oven Baked Sopes

Sopes are small, round, tarte-like cakes made with masa harina, the flour used to prepare

tortillas. Instead of frying the sopes on a griddle, they're baked for ease. Topped with Zucchini-Com Filling, they make beautiful appetizers or you can serve a trio of stuffed sopes as an entree.

3 cups masa harina

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, optional

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 Tbs. vegetable oil or olive oil

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together masa harina, Parmesan cheese,

if using. baking powder, and salt in bowl. Stir in 2 1/2 cups hot water until mixture forms soft dough. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir egg, then oil, into dough.

3. Roll 1/4 cup dough into ball. Press into 3-inch disk on prepared baking sheet, pinching together any cracked edges. Press indentation in center of disk using small drinking glass, then shape 1/2-inch edge around indentation with your fingers. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. Bake 10 minutes, or until sopes begin to look dry. Sprinkle each indentation with 2 tsp . grated Monterey Jack cheese. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese has

melted. Top with Zucchini-Corn Filling.

PER SOPE (UNFILLED): 86 CAl; 3 G PROT; 4 G TOTAL FAT

Zucchini-Corn Filling

This ultraversatile filling works just as well in tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas as it does as a filling for Oven-Baked Sopes (above).

3 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (2 cups)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup cooked black beans

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

2 Tbs. lime juice

Chili powder, for sprinkling

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese, optional

Heat oil in skillet over med ium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute 7 minutes. Add zucchini and corn, and cook 7 minutes more. Stir in beans and cook 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Spoon into Oven-Baked Sopes or tacos, and sprinkle with chili powder and cheese.

The other recipes I made were Salmon burgers and an Asparagus and Shiitake Mushroom pasta, i'll add those recipes later.