Proud of Our Soldiers

As of Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, at least 4,362 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

The figure includes nine military civilians killed in action. At least 3,476 military personnel died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

The AP count is the same as the Defense Department's tally, last updated Tuesday at 10 a.m. EST.

The British military has reported 179 deaths; Italy, 33; Ukraine, 18; Poland, 21; Bulgaria, 13; Spain, 11; Denmark, seven; El Salvador, five; Slovakia, four; Latvia and Georgia, three each; Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand and Romania, two each; and Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan and South Korea, one death each.

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 31,557 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Department's weekly tally.

nytimes

defense.gov

Happy Birthday Kylie!

For my cute sister whom I will forever be jealous of...

I made this music video for your birthday.

Our home videos are way better.

Happy Halloween!

FUN WEEKEND

This weekend we visited our good friends Karl & Arica for their baby Macy's blessing.

They live in Tucson, but we visit each other as often as we can.

Here are some pictures of Macy. She's a cutie!

I love food!

Amber wanted me to blog about food because she likes eating the food I make her. I think she just likes the fact that I cook for her.

This meal is from last Christmas, you notice the Christmas coke can (thanks mom and dad, never can have too much). Nothing goes with a "Mexi-Coke" better than enchiladas with a fried egg!

Next we have one of my favorite styles of cooking. Stealing ideas from other recipes to make your own or just be really creative (sometimes it works, sometimes... not so much). This is bread crumb chicken fried in Olive oil and baked with sliced jalapeños*, green onions and to top it off... some Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of honey before baking. Serve with of butter garlic noodles.

Amber also wanted me to list other things I have made for her so here it goes:

Rice pudding, white chocolate moose parfait with strawberries, raspberry jelly roll, home made brownies, red potatoes in olive oil and rosemary, coconut cupcakes (my personal favorite), Lemon mu range pie, chicken noodle soup, potato soup, stir fry, etc. I think the meal that we eat the most here would be the red enchiladas with beans.

Now this is just a picture of what I ate on our 2 year anniversary dinner. I like sushi, but she can only have it once in a blue moon. So Amber, my wonderful wife, took me out to AH-SO, a sushi and tepenyaki** restaurant. I took advantage of it and got their dragon roll, the one with the salmon and avocado and Amber had the chicken dinner that was cooked right in front of us. (AH-SO is OH-SO COOL!)

I thought that we had more pictures of the food that we cook but I guess not.

'So to end, a toast! To fine cooking! Great friends! And family!'

*Please consult your physician before cutting jalapeños followed by rubbing your eyes.

**Sorry, I don't know how to spell that.

Married Life

I'm not usually one to blog about my thoughts or feelings, nor am I one to talk about them, but tonight I'm up thinking while Bret is asleep and I know I won't be able to sleep until I clear my mind, so here it goes.

People always ask me, "How's married life?" And I guess I usually reply with something like "It's fun". We've been married now for 2 1/2 years and in that time I feel like we have, and still are, faced with any and all trials a newly married couple can possibly face. Honestly. But as I look back at these past couple years and at my life now, I feel like it's been a breeze. Aren't couples supposed to argue and fight every now and then? I'm not saying that we've never had a disagreement, but I can count the times when we've really been mad at each other on one hand. Our trials have made us sad, but have brought us closer together. The truth is, I have a really great husband. He is patient and always kind. He listens to me and keeps nothing from me. I think he lives just to make me happy. If I cough he jumps up and gets me a glass of water. If I'm making dinner and realize I'm out of eggs he doesn't hesitate to run to the store so that I don't have to. I should be getting used to these things by now, but I don't think I ever will.

Before I met Bret I was very independent. I dated, but rarely had a boyfriend, had friends, but few close friends. I just didn't feel like I needed them. I was totally self centered, I had my life and my goals and basically did whatever I wanted to do. I worked out and shopped and had hobbies and I thought doing those things was what made me happy. Now, I don't remember the last time I did any of those things, I've gained weight, I'm as white as a ghost, I'm terrible at the piano and I am happier than I have ever been. Being married is fun, we are best friends, but it is so much more than that. The Spirit is strong in our home and relationship, and I feel like as a wife my life has had more meaning than ever before.

So when you ask me how married life is, I will probably continue to tell you it's fun because if I always answered the question with everything I've said in this blog, I would definitely run out of friends.

A Classic.

Last night I watched The Music Man with Bret.

BAD IDEA!

The Talk

I'm babysitting a 4 yr old girl and a 7 yr old boy.

Sydney: I want a Unicorn.
Brooks: Sydney, there's something I have to tell you about Unicorns...
They can actually be very dangerous.

Feeeew! I dodged a bullet!