Candles.

Yesterday was our best friend, Matt Roberts' birthday, and we had a mini celebration for him. 

Unfortunately David and I couldn't eat the birthday dinner with them last night--midterms ugh :/

BUT we got to watch random youtube videos and sing to the birthday boy!

Here's a little recording of us singing :) 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT

Hope you had a good one :)

While we wait.

ok, I admit it...I love blogging.
It's so addicting! Don't worry though mom, I finished my homework first (ehehe)! :)

Today, I decided to make some banana chocolate chip muffins. I didn't think it would be that great because last time I tried, my chocolate muffins/cupcakes turned into brownies...

This time they came out super fluffy and delish!

heart-shaped muffins <3
I will post ingredients and instructions at the end of this post!!

 I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Best meatballs I have EVER made.

I can probably eat this every night. 

David making our hot choclate--he's an expert.

And yes, we drink hot chocolate in Hawaii too. 

The pair-cup David and I got for Christmas from my brother.

Thank you Ken, these are my favorite cups!

We had a super lazy weekend because of the crazy wind and rain. 

It was literally raining tunas and turtles out there! We didn't want to leave our apartment. 

So instead, we did homework, watched movies, made good food. All is well :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with foil muffin liners. Mix mashed bananas, egg, melted butter and milk in medium bowl. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. 

Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients just until blended (if using a kitchen aid, just add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients--it doesn't really make a difference). Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide and fill each about 3/4 full. Bake muffins until tops are pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out with some melted chocolate attached but no crumbs, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffins to rack; cool.

Cookie Jar

I have a new found hobbie: baking.

Before marrying David I did not know how to bake. at all.
I had tried baking cookies, brownies, and cakes, but it never seemed to cook right the first time.

Well guess who's the baking champ now? :)

I wanted to surprise David with some chocolate chip cookies the other day, so while he was working on our truck, I was working hard in the kitchen.

First, cream the butter, white sugar, brown sugar together.

Next, beat one egg at a time into the mixture (Use two eggs)

At this point, I got a little bit messy and forgot to mix the cocoa powder and the flour together first...but it turned out fine so I don't think it matters a whole lot. 

Add flour, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla in to the mixture.

Dissolve the baking soda into hot water and pour it on in!

My secret ingredient! I didn't have enough chocolate chips, so I decided to add some Japanese caramels! Hollah to my mama for sending them to us!

If you haven't tried these caramels, you should give it a shot :)

Chop up the caramel and throw them in!

Is your mouth watering now?

Because it should be. 

This made 36 cookies. I made them five days ago, and we still have about half left. 

I guess next time I should half the recipe... :) 

Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts/caramels

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, cocoa powder and caramel/nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned. 

 Copyright to allrecipes.com

Better together.

Deciding to go to Cartagena, Colombia for our luna de miel was probably the best choice we've ever made (besides getting married). We finally had some one on one time, and absolutely loved it. We had the best time over there, and never wanted to leave...

August 15th~21st 2011

 look at us cute little newly weds! so happy!

 the food was to die for. 

below: Arroz Mixto

 

chiva bus: took us on a tour around cartagena

 During the tour, we stopped by this awesome market place called Bóvedas which had EVERYTHING (on the left). We also stopped by to get David's favorite arepa con queso. :)


On the right is a picture of David standing at the top of La Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. twas a beautiful view.

Below-we started to sing the mario dungeon song down in the tunnels...we're addicted.

 

 pescado de tres quesos

lots and lots of pigeons. everywhere.

We fell in love with the limonada

Probs my favorite picture taken of the whole trip

aquarium!

 

David pretty much planned out everything we should do in Cartagena. 

My favorite adventure the volcano trip where we climbed into a super dense mud bath,

it's called the "Volcán de Lodo El Totumo"

We literally could not go down the volcano more than to our chests. 

First I thought to myself, "I am NOT getting my face muddy".

 

And then I thought, "alright, the face is alright, but NOT the hair for sure"

and then...as you can see, I gave up.

we got completely soaked in mud. 

 

 Our last breakfast in Cartagena. We ordered so much food, I ate it all up and was suuuuper satisfied :)

Probably David's favorite meal of the whole trip. Arepa con huevo. mmm :)

I want to go back to Colombia SO BAD! I loved every single second of being there. I loved the people, I loved the food, I love the sights, and especially loved being their with my hubby!

All at once

Sometimes I feel like my life is a fairytale. I found the perfect man, and have the best family and friends. ever.

My dear David and I were hitched on August 13th, 2011. We've been living a  sweet life over here in Hawaii. BYUH, spear fishin', early morning and afternoon runs, occasional dips in the ocean, and eating creative food pretty much ALL the time with our best friends. We've had some pretty good times...I thought I'd go public with what David and I have been up to since we got married!

HENCE, I decided to start this new blog. :)

Here are just some pictures of the wedding/reception:

I love the way he looks into my eyes...

We went with a Japanese reception theme.

First thing I thought of: Ramune drinks. mmmmm!

   

Our reception was bomb.  The whole family helped us make the reception look beautiful.

Everything I had imagined turned into reality.

 

 

We were tearing up even before the daddy-daughter dance. haha. that's so like us!

 

I love my dad. 

  

Look how cute they are!

I surprised David with a little song (no, I didn't write it)! 

Copyright to Colbie Caillat and her song You Got Me

For those of you thinking about singing a song to your lover, Colbie's got some great songs.

And the kissing begins.

and again

and yet again.

Look at the mommies!

So proud of their babies getting married :) 

I love them both with all my heart!

Only some of my beautiful bridesmaids :)

I love this family. Too freakin' awesome.

LOVE THIS.

I've always wanted to be a princess, and this day, I really felt like I was Cinderella, 

from the poofy dress to the handsome prince...

oh, everything was just perfect!

Don't even get me started with the awesome experience we had in the temple. To sum it all up, there were lots of tears and crazy emotions, lots of lovin',

 and most of all, the thought that we will be together forever; 

no words can describe how happy I am that we won't ever have to be apart. 

At the end of the reception, David was tired of having to say "THANK YOU" to every "CONGRATS!" out there, so when the reception was over, we sped off to LA in my father-in-law's BMW. So fancy!

 And so it was, David and Rebecca Stephan were finally married,

 and are planning to live happily ever after.