Monday, February 28, 2011

a good day!

YAY! Today was a good day, we got a letter in the mail from Touro Univerity in Henderson NV telling us that they accepted Ryan into their Physical Therapy program starting this July!


We are so excited to finally have an acceptance. We're still hoping that our alternate acceptance turns out at the University of Utah, or that we hear a 'YES!' from Nova Southeastern in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Florida is and always has been our top pick and we are still really holding out for it!











Anyway, right now, we are just so excited for Touro!

Congratulations Ryan, I'm so proud of you, and SOO in love with you! I can't wait to start the next big adventure in our life together!

This summer is going to to bring us 1. a new baby! 2. a new and final school! 3. a big move!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

in the salon! FINALLY!

I am so excited to let you all know that I am now working in the brand new salon

The Center Street Salon by Jane
87 West Center Street Logan UT

It is a gorgeous salon that has been completely remodeled and everything in it is brand new and beautiful!

I'm now booking appointments for Monday's Wednesday's and Friday's. You can leave me a message here, or on facebook, or call, or text, or email me for an appointments.

801-791-6549, annadoyle8@gmail.com

  • I have specials running this month on haircuts.
  • Haircuts are now and always will be included with any color service.
  • Military service men and women will always receive a discount as well.

Please help me spread the word to your friends as well!!

I appreciate all your support and I hope I'll be talking with you soon and then see you soon after that as well!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

lovey lover face day!

I hope everyone had an awesome Valentines Day! We had a fun, low key day, which was perfect! I was on call at work, so all day we weren't sure we'd even be able to do anything together that night. But luckily I didn't get called in, and soon after Ryan got home from a long day of school and work! He had gotten me some pretty flowers, I'm in love with the light pink rose, I think it's so cute!

I had made Ryan a "deck of love" it's a deck of cards, with reasons why you love them on each one. It was a fun project to do, and fun to think about each reason you love your spouse as you write them.

I'd also made Valentine cupcakes...they were delicious! Devil's food with cream filling and chocolate ganache frosting! mmm! I'll post the recipe below!


That night, Ryan and a couple of the other husbands from one of our groups of friends, had planned a surprise dinner for all us girls. We ate yummy Gia's Italian and had my cupcakes for dessert and played games. It was fun to be able to spend Valentines not only with Ryan, but with 6 other fun couples as well!

After dinner, we came back home and watched the Lord of the Rings, Two Towers...haha, not the most romantic movie, but we're in the middle of watching the whole trilogy.

It was a perfect day, and I feel so blessed to Ryan by my side through everything. I love him so much and can't imagine what I would do without him! I'm so excited for our future together, and can't believe that next year I'll have two Valentine's to celebrate with!


Devil's Food Cupcakes with Cream Filling and Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Make your favorite kind of prepared cake mix, or from scratch. I just used Betty Crocker's Devil's Food, and they were perfect. Let cupcakes cool completely.

Cream Filling

7 oz container marshmallow cream
1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt

With an electric mixer beat ingredients together until creamy, add a few drops of food coloring for whatever the occasion. (pink for Valentines Day, green for St. Patricks...)

Attach a large round tip to pastry bag (I just use the tips in the corner cut out of a zip-lock) and fill with cream. Insert tip into cupcake and fill until cupcake slightly expands

Ganache Frosting

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream (not half and half!)

place chips into a work and pour cream over the top. Heat in microwave until chips are soft. Allow mixture to sit a minute in container to continue melting the chips. Stir well. Let come to room temperature. With electric mixer beat until fluffy.

Attach large star tip in pastry bag and fill with frosting. Pipe onto cupcakes.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

help haiti heal

Haiti definitely holds a special place in my heart...

About 4 years ago, my sister and her husband told us they were adopting two beautiful kids from an orphanage in Haiti. I remember coming back up to my dorm in Logan, from hearing the news in Ogden, and being so filled with excitement and love for these two kids, and I didn't even know them yet. A year later, in October of 2007, Michelle and Scott were able to travel to Haiti, and spend time in the orphanage getting to know they two kids before they brought them home to America. The first time we met them, it was amazing to feel the overwhelming love for these beautiful kids! They didn't know any English, and you could tell they already loved their mom and dad so much as they turned for them for comfort, even when they didn't understand a word they were saying.


Today, things are so different with Savannah and Jordan! They are both in school, and can't get enough of it! They have such fun unique personalities and an amazing love for life! I honestly can't imagine them not in our family, they fit perfectly and are meant to be in their home here.

Last year, when the earthquake hit Haiti and took so many lives. I couldn't help but feel that much more blessed for these two being in my life. I am so glad that they were here safe and sound! But there were so many others in Haiti who were hurt by the earthquake, and now a year later as they are trying to rebuild, it seems impossible to help in anyway. But even the smallest things can help. Praying, sending small donations, even just a moment of them in your thoughts.

Yesterday while out shopping with a friend, I came across these t-shirts at American Eagle. All proceeds of these shirts go to help the Haitian community rebuild their schools, and train teachers. It broke my heart when the store clerk told me they had been marked down in price from $15.50 to $9.95 because no one was buying them. They aren't listed on their online store any longer because they were a special during the month of January. But they are in stores! Go get one, and Help Haiti Heal!




Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Babysitting Weekend

This past weekend, Jan 28-30, we had Ryan's older sister's 4 kids stay with us here at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was their dad's 30th birthday, and Kristen had planned a big surprise party for him, so we got to have their fun kids all weekend!

They got here on Friday night, after Norm and Kim went to pick them up, we had pizza and sodas, and then watched Horton Hears a Who! Such a cute movie! I wish I would have gotten a picture of the boys watching, you could tell they were so tired, but didn't want to miss a minute!

Saturday morning, Grandma Kim made them all a yummy breakfast, and then Julie and her two kids Ty and Maddie came to meet us/pick us up to go to see Tangled at the theatre. Ryan had to study, and Kim stayed home with Navi. So it was me, Julie, and Norm with 5 little kids. Luckily we got to the theatre early enough to get them all settled in with their little bags of popcorn portioned out, and the root beer distributed to the right amount of sippy cups :) They loved the movie!
Daxon and Maddie

Griffin, Mason, and Ty

During the movie, we had a funny experience. Daxon asked me to take him to the bathroom, so we went. And he just stood there, and kept saying he didn't want to flush it cause it was too loud, and he wanted to go in his potty at home...I'm sad to say, I didn't know what to tell the poor little guy, and he ended up not going that round. About 20 minutes later, he REALLY had to go (about 4 sippy cups of root beer in him at this point) so Julie took him. I figured as a mom she might know what to say to help him feel more comfortable. It worked! He finally went, and as she was on her way back to the movie with him, I was on my way back out with Griffin and Mason. Haha! oh the joy of potty breaks!

After the movie, we decorated some Valentine sugar cookies, they all had a blast, and had fun picking out different colors and sprinkles for each cookie. Maddie loved to frost, lick off the frosting, then frost again...and lick the spoon! She is so funny!
The boys!

Daxon


Griffin


Mason (loved it so much he couldn't even look up for a picture, haha)


Maddie's cookies! (with a big lick through the middle one!

After cookies, Julie and Jaab packed up their kiddos and went skiing, and the three Dahl boys were getting worn out. We made a bunch of floor puzzles with them, then turned on Shrek, and Dax was a goner! He fell right asleep during the movie. Ryan and I went on a date that night.
building puzzles with Grandma Kim


Griff


Mason

Sunday morning, Norm had to speak in church, so Kim went with him. Ryan and I stayed home and watched the kids. He was in charge of the boys, and I was in charge of Navi. She is such a happy and easy baby! She hardly makes a sound besides giggles!
cute Navi!

Once Norm and Kim got home from church, they packed up the kiddos and took them all back home. We really had so much fun, and I don't know how Kristen does it every day! We were all so exhausted, and we had 4 adults here to 4 kids! She is an amazing woman that's all I know!