Recipe Boxes and a Recipe

Since Eric and I got married I have been trying out tons of different recipes...some good, some awful, some amazing.  I think I finally have enough recipes I will make again that I need to start organizing them into a recipe box.  

Etsy of course has so many cute ones and here are my favorites...or I may just buy a plain one and try painting it or decorating it myself.  Who knows? :)

Speaking of recipes, I think I'll share one of my favorite dessert recipes.  The first time I made it, Eric and I had just gotten married and we ate it all in about 2 days.  Amazing.  

Ingredients

4 large (or about 2 lbs) granny smith apples, peeled, thinly sliced

1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/3 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold margarine

25 Reduced Fat Nilla Wafers, crushed (about 1 cup crumbs)

1.5 cups thawed Cool Whip Lite Whipped Topping

Make It!

Heat over to 350 degrees

Toss apples with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Spoon into 8 or 9 inch baking dish

Combine oats, remaining brown sugar, and remaining cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in margarine with a 

      pastry blender or 2 knives (I just use a fork) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in Nilla Wafer

      crumbs; sprinkle over apples.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until apples are tender. 

Serve warm topped with Cool Whip.

This is so good! perfect for the cool weather and the holidays coming up! I'll be making it when Mom and Sara are here this week for our Mock Thanksgiving Dinner!

Happy recipe collecting!

Love,

Mrs.  Wise

Running

For the past year or so, my knee has kept me from running! Silly torn meniscus. I was running a ton before the wedding and then had to stop and it was awful...I HATE the elliptical.

  Well, over the past month that it hasn't been hurting very much. I mean, it used to hurt really bad after half an hour of grocery shopping! I haven't really even noticed it lately, especially after a day at work after standing all day, which is usually when I would have to ice it as soon as I got home. 

So, I think I am going to start trying to run again! Slowly, very slowly.  I am just hoping and praying that I can get back to running a good 5K.  I have come to terms with the fact I won't ever be able to run any more half marathons or a full marathon unless I get surgery, and I am OK with that for now. I just really want to get back into sprint triathlons and all I need there is a 5K.  

Since I have had the same running shoes for more than two years (that is awful, I know), I think I will ask for some new running shoes for my birthday/ Christmas.  I have done some research and these are the ones with the best reviews for people with bad knees! And they are cute!

Nike Lunar Glide + 2! Size 8. I like this color too.Hehe.  

First run will be sometime next week after my mom and sister leave! Wish me luck! :)

Our Christmas Tree

Eric and I ordered our Christmas tree!!!! Yes...ordered it...as in, we don't know what it looks like yet.  But who could mess up a standard 7-foot pre-lit Christmas tree? I bought it online from Kohl's...they were having a huge sale plus I had free shipping AND a 20% off coupon.  So I got my 7-foot Christmas tree I wanted for only $100! Yay :)  It will be here in 2 days...pictures to come.

Anyway, I have been trying to figure out what the theme should be for our Christmas tree.  I think I have come to the conclusion that we should just go to some stores and buy what we love and not really have a specific theme.  Hopefully that way we can keep the ornaments for a really long time and get all excited every year when we unpack and remember each ornament and why we bought it.  That is what I will miss most about not being able to decorate the Christmas tree with my family this year...remembering all of those Christmas ornaments that have been there for every Christmas I can remember and getting so excited to see them again!  The one that comes to mind right now is this ornament with a cute dog laying on a red and green dog bed. It's precious. And of course we cannot forget all of the homemade ornaments we made in school and my parents still have.  Love that!

So, the only real conclusion I have come to about our Christmas tree this year is that it will not, in any way, include any of the following ornaments or themes: 

Ummm, who wants a creepy Christmas tree? Seriously, Halloween is over people. 

I think Eric would actually enjoy it if this was our Christmas tree theme.  Sorry babe.

No sports team is going to make it on my Christmas tree. Sorry!

Ha.

What is this? What ever it is supposed to be, it looks like a pile of dog poo.  Not really what I want to see when  I look at our Christmas tree.

As much as a love you, Twilight, you will not be seen on our tree.

Again, i love you oh so much, burger and fries, but sorry...no food item looks cute on a Christmas tree!!!

Really Starbucks?! As if I don't already spend enough money on you during the holidays!!! I don't need a Christmas ornament of yours staring me down and convincing me I HAVE to have a pumpkin spice latte or peppermint hot chocolate RIGHT NOW!!! Or caramel apple cider (thank you Tyler Kent for introducing these to me)...or gingerbread
latte...you get the picture.

Anyway, I am so sad I won't be able to decorate our Christmas tree at Mom and Dad's house in Oklahoma this year, but I'm excited for our first married Christmas together and starting our own Christmas traditions!

Happy Christmas decorating!

Love,

Mrs. Wise

The days ahead

Tomorrow is the start of a super difficult week...I have to work 3 days in a row, have 1 day off then work 3 days in a row again.  This probably doesn't sound so bad to anyone who isn't a nurse but it's going to kill me...my back hurts so bad after just one day of work! 1 day is not enough time to recover from 3 days in a row and then have to do it again the next 3 days.  Not looking forward to this at all. 

 BUT it will all be worth it because when it is over my mom and sister will be here!!! We are going to shop at Scottsdale Fashion Square, eat out a lot, get manis/pedis, visit Sprinkles Cupcakes at least once, stay in a nice hotel for part of the time, the rest of the time stay at our house, and my mom is going to teach my how to make a Thanksgiving turkey! Perfect timing because Eric will be super busy studying for a test he has to take. I can't wait! 

Don't worry, there will be a few blog posts of their trip out here :)

Love,

Mrs. Wise

Love

Love his face watching me walk down the aisle.  Happy 8 months my love.

Love,
Your wife

One happy girl

I woke up this morning feeling like this:

I don't know why, but do I really need a specific reason? I don't think so :) 

Remember:

And if I still haven't convinced you to be happy today...

Watch this....

Love,

Mrs. Wise