Daring Cook

As you know, I had plans to join the Daring Cooks and the Daring Bakers.
I've joined them both and my first challenge has begun.
As per the rules, I can't let it be known to my (non-existent) readers what the challenge is yet, but I am VERY excited.
At first there was some confusion. I thought last month's challenge reveal was the recipe I was supposed to be making for this month (a yummy salmon version of a beef wellington), but when I went on to the website to get my ingredients list, the confusion was cleared up. Good thing I hadn't already bought the salmon!
On that note, my stomach is protesting in all it's force at my having slept through dinner, so I bid you adieu.

I should be sleeping.

Okay... so..

Chapel - booked
Caterer- found something promising
Photographer - unofficially booked (no website yet)
Dress - found and bought a pattern...





Also... The December challenge for The Daring Kitchen looks delicious.

I'm prepared to admit I have an addiction.

Sur la Table?
Williams Sonoma?
Heck, even JoAnns and Michaels!

If I see something food related... a new gadget or a novelty cupcake liner, I have the hardest time in the world not buying it.

I spend my procrastinating time listlessly going from site to site, looking at all the food stuff I wish I could get. Silly, huh?

As I said.. I have an addiction.

My very close friend Keely is trying to talk me into pursuing my life-long dream of owning a bakery. It would give me an excuse to buy the cute cupcake wrappers and new flavor extracts, huh?

I will leave you with a picture that I took at work last night:





Christmas is coming!!

The Endearing Ways of Boys and Girls

As I was looking through my pictures, I came across this picture that I took this last spring of my nephew and the girl who lives behind us. I hope this picture warms your heart as the weather gets a little colder outside.

Can we do it?!

So... wedding budget = $2000 (excluding dress)
Can we do it?
I think so.
Our guest list is immediate family only and the reception hall and chapel are one and the same.
If worse comes to worst, we can just serve our families pasta during the reception and leave disposable cameras on the tables.
:-)
Time to get creative.
Any suggestions?

Cheesy Bacon Wild Rice Soup

Tonight (today? 3am), I made a soup to divide up into containers and take with me to work this week. I work nights and so cooking all of the time drains me a little. Besides, it's just me. If I cook a big meal for myself, I'm bound to have leftovers for work. :-)

I'd type out the recipe on here, but I'm not sure if I'd be going against a copy-write law. It's from the book A Taste of Autumn, a Gooseberry Patch cookbook... Gooseberry Patch makes my favorite cookbooks!

It has onions, bacon, wild rice, half and half, cream of potato soup, and shredded cheese in it. Yum yum!

Here are a couple of pictures:

How it Happened

The proposal story

I have been dating Michael since the end of February/beginning of March time frame. We don't have an exact date or so of when we started dating, but we were pretty exclusive from the very beginning.

Michael deployed last month, but thankfully we've been able to talk almost every day on the webchat thing. Well, the week before last we were talking and he was buying Christmas presents for his son, Gabe, online. He told me that he was sending my Christmas present too, so if a box came, not to open it. Pretty ordinary, right?

Last Wednesday a box came and, as promised, I didn't open it. I left it unopened on my bed and went to work Wednesday night. Thursday morning, when I came home from work, Michael and I got on the webchat and were having a very normal conversation. A little bit through the conversation, I remembered that there was a box on my bed, so I showed him the box while saying "look what came today."

Michael- "Aren't you going to open it?"
Me- "You told me not to."
Michael- "It's okay, because I'm watching."

That is not an unusual response to me. If anyone has ever received a present early from me, they know that I made them open it early too. Because of that, his wanting me to open the box didn't raise any suspicion.

So.. I opened the box. Inside the box was a bubble wrap bag. Inside the bubble wrap bag was something wrapped in gold striped tissue paper. Holding the ends of the tissue paper together was a seal... a jewelry store seal. As soon as I saw the seal, I put it down and just looked at Michael.

Michael- "Aren't you going to finish opening it?"
Me- "A-a-are you suure?"
Michael- "Oh yes"
To which Michael proceeded to encourage me throughout opening it. I'm one of those meticulous present-openers, so I'm sure I drove him crazy with my neatly pulling up all the tape and unwrapping without tearing. Not to mention, I was a bundle of nerves so I was going even slower...

Inside of the gold striped tissue paper was something wrapped in really pretty dark purple marbled wrapping paper with a red gossamer ribbon tied in a bow. Inside that was a red box with a lid. Inside the box with the lid was a jeweler's box. And inside the jeweler's box... well... you've seen the picture.

So I sat there, staring at the ring. Without looking up at him I asked (of all things) "Can I try it on?"
Michael- "No"
Me (looking at him now)- "What?"
Michael- "Well, I want to be able to ask you first."

The way he said that made it seem like he was telling me I would be holding on to the ring, without trying it on or anything, until he gets home from deployment and asks me himself. Disappointing, yes, but understandable.
"Oh, okay" I say as I look back at the ring.

Michael- "Will you look at me"
So I look at him.
"Angela Christine Drouin.."
My breathing stops.
"Will you marry me?"

I thought I said yes. I was screaming yes in my head. Apparently, though, I wasn't saying anything intelligible. Just smiling a crazy wide smile while my eyes were welling up with tears.

Eventually I got the yes out and put the ring on my finger and, from what I remember, asked him if this means we're engaged. "Yes" he laughed.

So I was proposed to, via Skype video chat and the UPS, from Iraq at 3:31am on Thursday, November 12th. And you know what? I wouldn't change a thing. Other than, of course, I'd like him home. I can wait, though. He's got a lot of built-up excitement and joy waiting for him.

And no, we don't have a date. We just got to the point where we absolutely know, without a doubt, that we are going to marry each other. "When" will have to wait. For now.

:-)