Thanks.

This year I feel that I have so many things to be thankful for.

My husband. 

He is my best friend, and I can't imagine my life without him. He makes me happy. Truly happy. Happier than I ever thought possible.

My parents. 

My parents are the strongest most dedicated people I have ever met. They are so supportive of me and loving of all. They have been examples to me throughout my whole life, and they are the reason I strive so hard to live a successful and good life.

My sisters. 

These women are amazing. They are the epitome of strength.
Jeni--She has defied all odds throughout her entire life, and she is incredibly beautiful.
And Sarah--She is such a wonderful mother, friend, and beautiful person.
We may not be perfect, but we are loyal to one another, and I am so grateful for the family I was given.

The In-laws. 

My in-laws are great. I am so lucky to have such accepting and loving in-laws. We always have such a fun time together, and I have felt like part of the family since the moment I met them seven years ago.

My nieces and nephews. 

*Core*

*Emaly & Michael*

*Fatima & Rodney*

*Van & Keenan*
I love being an aunt. I have the smartest and most adorable nieces and nephews anyone could ever ask for. I love them all so much. They are so fun.

My life. 

I have been blessed. I have a good life, a beautiful home, an amazing husband, a loving family, an imperfect but good job, and an education. How did I get so lucky to be born in such fortunate circumstances?
I am grateful for the life I have been so selflessly given.

Blake and I spent Thanksgiving Day with his family at his mom's house. Our day was filled with good food, good drinks, and good company.

I went to work at 11:00PM for Black Friday. It was a super-long and hectic day, but I made it through and even found a few deals at the end of my shift. Blake woke up early, braved the cold and the crowds, and purchased a new washer and dryer for us since ours has had nearly enough.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. I hope you had a wonderful holiday.

-Jess.

P.S.--This song has been stuck in our heads all weekend. Enjoy.
Awolnation-"Sail"

Friday Steak Night.

I have a Good Housekeeping skillet recipe book that I adore.
I love taking the recipes and tweaking them ever-so-slightly. Tonight's steak recipe was so delish that I thought I would share. I also included instructions for making my Asparagus.

Enjoy!

~~~
Pan-Fried Steak with Spinach and Tomatoes
Serves: 4
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp olive oil
2 boneless beef top loin steaks (10 oz. each), trimmed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 bag (10 oz.) pre-washed spinach
*I substituted fresh garlic for 1 Tbs garlic powder since I was completely out. I also added fresh lemon juice and Worcestershire Sauce for an extra kick.*
~~~
1-In cup or small bowl, stir garlic, lemon peel, salt, and pepper (And 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon if you desire). Spread mixture on both sides of steaks.
2-In non-stick 12" skillet, heat oil over medium to medium-high heat until hot. Add steaks (as well as Worcestershire Sauce for a slight kick) and cook for medium-rare, 5-6 minutes per side, or until desired doneness (I cooked the steaks for 8 minutes each side over medium heat for a nice tender touch of pink in the middle). Transfer steaks to plate; keep warm (I find that it is best to cover with aluminum foil, or if you have a warming drawer you can transfer the steaks here).
3-In cup or small bowl, mix broth and cornstarch. To same skillet, add broth mixture, tomatoes, and spinach. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until spinach wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut steaks in half and serve with spinach mixture.
~~~
Asparagus
Serves: 4
1 bundle Asparagus
1/2 fresh lemon (sliced in half)
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
~~~
In a medium non-stick skillet, heat olive oil of medium-high heat. Add 1/2 bundle of Asparagus. Squirt 1/2 of lemon over top of Asparagus and sprinkle desired salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Cook remainder Asparagus.
~~~

Especially yummy with an ice-cold Blue Moon.

Easy and Delightful

-Jess.

The News.

Blake was offered a new position at the hospital this week. It will allow for more dinners together, sleeping in the same bed, and Xbox. 

We're both pretty joyful about it. 

Especially Blake. Even if he doesn't appear so.

I got my hair done this week.

Its colorful.

Different. A fun change.

As for Miss Indiana and Gregory.

They are as cute as ever.

-Jess.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Halloween Half.

This past Saturday was the Halloween Half Marathon.
My first Half Marathon; I trained for this race for 6 weeks.

The run started at Aspen Grove, just above Sundance Ski Resort.
From there, we all ran down Provo Canyon, past Bridal Veil Falls, where we finished just south of the Riverwoods Shopping Mall.
Once the sun presented itself, the temperatures were perfect, and the fall colors were amazing.
It was such a beautiful run. I'll definitely do it again next year.

Blake was waiting for me at the finish line and welcomed me with a hug.
It was so nice to have his support.
I just love him.

I finished in 2 hours and 9 minutes. 

So close to my goal, but not quite there. 

However, I honestly feel like I couldn't have pushed myself any harder than what I did, so I'm satisfied with the outcome.

-Jess.