domestic goddess

I feel like the last few weeks have been filled to the brim with homemaking and other domestic stuff. Well except cleaning. I'm horrible at that. I'll do the dishes every day but I'm no good at the rest of it. Anyhow. I've particularly spent a lot of time in the kitchen the last while and tonight I got thinking about something...

As I was canning some peach-raspberry jam for the first time in my life (!!!) I thought to myself... dang, after tonight I'm going to get a major punch in my domestic goddess card!

Then I realized something... why isn't a domestic goddess card a thing?! I mean men have their "man cards" so why shouldn't us women have domestic goddess cards? I think we should. I'm starting it right now. And here's how it works...

So men get punches in their cards for doing semi-manly/feminine things. And that's frowned upon?? Whatever. So us domestic godddess-folk... we get punches for doing feminine/domestic goddess-like things because getting punches is actually a good thing. 

And that's it!

Super simple. Tonight I got a punch in my domestic-goddess card for making and canning jam. I also made a pretty tasty dinner so that's another punch.

And I think I'll give myself a punch for every *pop* that I hear... 'cause that means the canning is working!

Sweet!!

provo eats.

Todd and I have become food snobs of a sort. We used to love eating at Chili's and Olive Garden but now there are so many awesome local food places that we basically turn up our noses at chain restaurants. We can't help ourselves... it's a generational thing. That being said we will always love a trip to Wendy's and Panda Express now and then. But really there are just so many other small & fun hole-in-the-wall joints nowadays so going to a place that we could also go to across the country, or even in a different country, is less appealing.

Here are the local joints that we love and think you should love too... (star=a favorite, repeat visits, can't love without, etc.)

1. El Gallo Giro*
2. La Dolce Vita
3. Zeek's Pie Shake Parlour*
4. 180 Street Tacos*
5. Ivie Juice Bar
6. Sensuous Sandwich*
7. Cubby's Chicago Beef*
8. Bombay House
9. Clarke's Island Donuts*
10. The Chocolate*
11. Provo Bakery*
12. La Jolla Groves*
13. Malawi's
14. Joe Bandito's Fiestaraunt
15. Mo'bettah's
16. Bambam's BBQ
17. Hokulia Shave Ice*
18. Pho Plus*
19. Shirley's Homemades
20. Waffle Love
21. Baked Bakery & Cafe
22. Mama Z's
23. Sweeto Burrito
24. Bom Acai
25. Roll Up Cafe
26. Rita's
27. Taste*
28. The Mighty Baker*
29. Sushi Burrito
30. Bruges*
31. Cup Bop
32. Molly's

And these are the places that we want to love...

1. Black Sheep Cafe
2. Hot Pots
3. Pantrucas
4. Communal
5. Chef's Table
6. Hruska's Kolaches
7. Enliten Bakery & Cafe
8. Fruta Crush
9. Station 22
10. Good Thyme

What do you think? Did I miss any??

loves.

five years of lovin'.

Over the summer my boys and I went on lots of fun adventures. We spent many a weekend in Idaho and we did our best to have fun in Provo and the surrounding areas. I'd say we were pretty successful and this last summer might have been one of the best Provo summers yet. #thesummerofprovo

One of these fun activities was going camping up Hobble Creek canyon. We only went for about 24 hours since Calvin was still a wee one but it was still enjoyable to get out and relax. Outside of playing by the creek and eating yummy camping food we also went on a little hike to find some waterfalls that Todd and I frequented back in our dating days.

Five years ago... we went on a hunt to find these waterfalls. I had hiked up to them with a group of friends the year before and I wanted to find them again with Todd. It took us a couple trips but we finally found those blasted falls. We had been dating for a few months and Todd had used the "L" word. It took me a few weeks but finally, as we were sitting on top of the falls, I mustered up the courage to drop the "L" bomb too. Okay it might have taken me like two hours of just sitting there counting down in my head 'cause I was so nervous. Haha but I said it and he looked at me with the happiest, calmest, most pleasant face he'd ever made. I panicked and ask, "Is that okay?" haha and he answered with a big ol' hug and a... oh wait, no. That kissing business hadn't happened yet haha. ;)

This time around the falls were pretty non-existent due to a dry winter. That paired with an extremely whiny and tired three year-old and the moment was slightly less romantic. Nonetheless we're on five years of lovin' and hands down it's been the best 5 years of my life.

I've learned a lot about how to really love someone. I sure lucked out that Todd has been the one on the receiving end... mostly because he has been so patient with me. And trust me guys, I take a lot of patience. 

♥♥♥

the rest of the ketsup.

Seriously though... should I keep the ketsup joke?? Either way I still have some catching up to do. And so in a typical Katelyn fashion here is a picture dump from my phone from the last week or so.

Let's jump right in!

We went to the Studio C season 6 premiere and got great seats right on the 50-yard line.

The boys didn't love the tween screaming very much but the bubble soccer game and sketches were pretty funny. And yeah about that tween screaming... it's hilarious! I mean we really like Studio C. Mostly because all of it's members were a part of Divine Comedy during our undergrads so we've been watching them do comedy for years. And one of their best-of shows was our first date. (: Not to mention that Matt was our next door neighbor and he almost ran over me with his truck once. But yeah teenagers nowadays are obsessed.

We've also started sleep training. Or should I say we've completed sleep training?? JK I don't want to jinx anything but Calvin has done an awesome job. He cried it out for maybe an hour tops the first night and cried less by ten minutes intervals for a few nights... and now he either fusses for a few minutes or goes right to sleep! I'm so proud of him! We didn't know he'd do this well so last week we took our neighbors giant cookies and ear plugs to sweeten them up before Calvin potentially kept them up in the middle of the night.

Last week we also got to meat Daniel Tiger!! (Insert more tween screaming.) Peter only got a tiny bit nervous when it was our turn to take a picture with him. Good job Peter!

These two love tummy time... bunch o' weirdos.

GOTHE was this weekend! SOO much stuff for SOO many people! I love being a part of this event. We walked away with some clothes for the boys and a nice fully loaded pack'n'play. Initially I felt guilty taking it because we already have one but ours is so old and gross... but I'm glad I did because when I brought our old one back to donate it the first girl in line was so excited to see that there was going to be a pack'n'play inside! And heaven knows the nice one was going to be gone before she made it in there for general student shopping. I'm glad I could help her out. (: 

Lastly... last night was the MBAA opening social. These parties are also fully loaded. Catered food, face painters, balloon artists (?), and tons of games and treats.

My inner child jumps right out of me anytime there is face painting going on within ten miles. I don't know why I like it so much... I think this stemmed from all those times at amusements parks and state fairs, etc. when I would beg my parents for one... oh wait, this is the churro story from my last post. You get the point haha. Anyway... I asked the painter lady what kind of designs and such she did and she listed off some fun animals and flowery things then mentioned that she is practicing her tribal warrior patterns. So of course I was like, "Go for it!" She warned me that I'd look like Mike Tyson...

... and she wasn't kidding! Haha! Once she finished she asked if I wanted glitter on top to which I obviously said,

"Absolutely."

recent doings... playing ketsup style.

Did you get my joke? I'm playing catch-up... 'cause I haven't blogged in a while. Hahaha I crack myself up.

Anyway.

School started guys! Which means we've gotten significantly busier. Not busier with all of that fun summer-y stuff but busier with like events and busy business stuff. Stuff that I don't really want to blog about... 'cause it's busy. Haha.

We are still having fun though, don't worry. Last weekend, for example, we went to Festival Latinoamericano! And it was DELICIOUS! How could it not be?? And honestly all we go for is the awesome food. And maybe a balloon and some freebie stickers. We did not go for the Zumba performers. Alas they were performing in front of like the only seats in the whole place. So we watched while we enjoyed our (need I say it again??) DELICIOUS(!!) food. And again I was reminded how I am absolutely not a Zumba person. And that's okay.

So this food. Of course we took pictures of it...

Peter had a taco de pollo. It was surprisingly spicy but he still loved it! And it came with two 'tillas! Lucky kid.

I enjoyed a Peruvian queen's avocado. I can't say no to anything with avocado. It's my weakness. I could eat them all day. This special avocado was stuffed with a chicken salad like something with spicy sauce on top. All on a bed of lettuce. Sounds not all that awesome but it was so light and refreshing and I absolutely would have gone back for more.

Todd hopped on the other end of the spectrum and got a Peruvian papa rellena. A deep fried stuffed potato. Yeah, there's such a thing. And it was gooooood.

After lunch we picked out a couple treats. A Brazilian passion fruit pie and a doce de leite stuffed churro. Now you have to understand something about me and churros. They're like my fantasy food. I just hear the word churro and my mind says, "I wish... maybe when you're a rich old person, Katelyn." I think this stemmed from all those times at amusements parks and state fairs, etc. when I would beg my parents for one and never got one. They might deny that and say they occasionally let me have one. But I only have one vague memory of eating one single bite of a churro in my entirety of childhood-dom. Maybe they did get them but ate the whole thing before I could have a bite... something I would totally do to my own kid. We all have our flaws.

So yeah... churros are incredible. Especially when stuffed with dulce de leche. Oh be still my heart!

I think this picture accurately captures my feelings.

And that was our food adventure last weekend. Until next year Festival Latinoamericano... you and your churros will be greatly missed.