The Niu Family

Almost there!

2011-08-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

39 weeks and due this coming Sunday, August 21st! I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. Everything is looking great! The docs are really impressed with my progress, my health and the health of Baby Niu. Jon has been my angel throughout the pregnancy. He is kind and understanding. He is more excited than anyone for our little guy to join our family. Jon was just hired by a metal company to be their graphic/web designer for advertising and marketing! We couldn't be more thrilled. He graduates in December and already has a job in his field! I am so proud of him. It could not have come at a more perfect time. The Lord continues to bless us with miracles and we are so grateful.

The Bump.

2011-06-27T07:05:00.000-07:00

8 weeks

16 weeks

20 weeks

24 weeks

28 weeks

32 weeks

I have been so excited to show off my cute bump. My little sister has always told me she feels the most beautiful when she is pregnant. I love it too! I have my days when I feel HUGE, but don't we all? The hubby and I couldn't be happier with this pregnancy. Everything has gone so well. We feel blessed. Due August 21st!

Home again... home again.

2011-03-24T06:38:00.000-07:00

Well hello family and friends. Can I just say that the second trimester of pregnancy is fabulous!! Wow. I've never felt so good... besides some nasty heartburn. Life has been great. We are anxiously awaiting April 7th, the day we find out whether we're having a boy or girl! Yay!! By the way this baby is moving it feels like we may have a little football player coming to the family. I've had strong feelings that it will be a boy, but I would be absolutely thrilled with a little girl. It's just all so exciting!! My tummy popped about a week ago. It's been interesting to see all the many changes. We couldn't be more excited for Baby Niu.

During the first week in February I had the opportunity to fly to Sacramento and spend an ENTIRE WEEK with my family. It was heaven. It would have been perfect if Jon could have come, but work and school took over. I'm so grateful for how hard he works for our little family. It was Dad's 50th Birthday. We had quite the week of celebrations. Enjoy lots of pictures from my visit to California!

Dad you look so lovely.

Love them.

What a sweet face! You'll see lots and lots of pictures of this baby girl.

"They're brothers... The Wishes Brothers." Oh dear, Hilly.
I couldn't stop laughing!

Great-Grandpa Hogge playing with the girls.

Dad's Family.

So, these next set of pictures are what happens when it gets late and we get tired...

Mari's best crazy face.

Mindy's best.

Sarah's best.

And Hilly's best... actually she had too many to choose from,
but I think this was my fav.

Aaron's impression of the Prince from Tangled.

Bradford was just too cool.

Dad is just so handsome. It was so different coming from
snowy, ugly, cold Utah to beautiful, sunny, green California.

I spent some time with Grandma Hogge baking and cooking.
We made Beef Wellington for the family.

We also made this divine Zebra Cheesecake.
I love spending time with Grandma Hogge.

I also HAD to bake with Mari, of course.
We make Mom's chocolate chip cookies with lots and lots of sprinkles.

Alice approved of the cookies.

For part of Dad's birthday week of celebrations we went to Leatherby's.
This is Alice's new smile. When you tell her to say "cheese" this is what she does.

Mari showing us her gigantic mouth... takes after Aunt Mindy.

I, of course, had to have my Black 'n Tan.

Alice just kinda shared with everyone. How could you resist such a sweet face.

And she thought it would be fun to spoon ice cream into Aunt Mindy's hands.

Another tradition we have is going to downtown Sac to eat lunch with Dad.
He works close to the Capitol. After a light lunch, we walked the Capitol Park.
It was a gorgeous day!!!

Goofy Sarah.

Dad loves his girls.

Alice wanted to carry around the bag of chips... and so she did... everywhere.

Beautiful sisters.

It was the perfect week.
I felt like royalty being chauffeured to my different destinations, taking naps,
spending quality time with family and eating lots and lots of delicious food.
And thank you Mom for all the pictures!

Big News!

2011-02-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

We are pregnant!!!!! I have been SO EXCITED to tell everyone. I am about 4 months along and everything has been going so well. My first trimester was accompanied by much nausea and exhaustion. I feel blessed to not have thrown up once. I strongly dislike throwing up. However, there were days/weeks I would feel sick ALL THE TIME and would have welcomed some release by throwing up, haha. Now that I'm into my second trimester I feel pretty good. I'm learning that the exhaustion will probably never go away. Mommy's body making a baby = exhaustion. But I'm loving feeling a bit normal again. I'm not showing one bit. I wish I was, but I'm sure I'll start showing soon and once I'm 8 months I'll wish I could be smaller, haha. I may feel/look a little bloated some days, but my tummy is pretty much as flat as it was before I got pregnant. We heard the heartbeat a couple weeks ago and it was such a precious experience. Jon's face lit up. He will be an incredible Daddy. We felt blessed to know there is actually something in there. The heartbeat was strong and clear. Doc said Mommy and baby are very healthy. I've been having lots and lots of dreams about a little baby boy. I guess we'll find out in another month or so. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted. Yay!! We are grateful we were able to get pregnant our first month trying. The Lord has really blessed this family. Due date is August 21st, our 2nd anniversary!

The Holidays and a Wedding.

2011-01-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

The Holidays were filled with lots of fun and traveling this year. We had a wonderful Christmas. I got my beautiful Chris Madden serveware and lots of other fun things... and the hubby got his iPad. When he opened it he thought it was a joke, haha. I immediately said, "Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, and Happy Graduation." We love our iPad.

After spending Christmas in Utah we drove up to John Day, Oregon on New Year's Eve to visit my Great-Grandma West. Mom was born in John Day and as a family we used to visit the beautiful, little town each summer. Grandpa Joe (Mom's Dad) passed away a few years ago. I haven't visited John Day for 5 or 6 years!! It was definitely time for a visit. Luckily, my sweet husband suggested we go before the wedding. Grandma West is timeless. She is in her 90's and still sharp and beautiful. It was so good to be with her. We love you Grandma West!

While in John Day we stayed at my great uncle's cottage. We felt like royalty!

After a relaxing weekend in John Day we headed to Eugene for the wedding! Yay!! I was so happy to be with my family. We all stayed in a beautiful home and enjoyed each other's company... food, games, movies, sleeping... bliss.

Congrats to Joey & Julie Hogge! They were married on January 4th in the Portland, Oregon Temple. Yay for weddings and eternity!

With the handsome groom. Little brother all grown up.

Handsome Hubby.

Goofy Dad.

Can you guess what color we were asked to wear?

Beautiful Sisters.

Scary-eyed sisters. Sarah wins!

Baby brother Bradford. Isn't he cute!

Gorgeous Grandma Hogge. I keep crossing my fingers that I will age as well as the older women in my life have!

More gorgeous Grandmas! Plus Hilly.

Grandpa Hogge performed the sealing. It was perfect.

Such good-lookin' guys!

Sweet Auntie Joyce. Love her.

I wish I had the guts to cut my hair just like Hilly's.

We really had so much fun at the reception. It was nice to spend so much time with Joey.

Mari loves her olives.

Okay, can you say PRICELESS! I love Alice's sweet face!

I have the most beautiful and selfless parents.

How can you resist that face?

Yay for families!

Well hello...

We hope you all had a most wonderful Holiday Season!

An Attitude of Gratitude

2010-12-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

We drove to California this year for a brief Thanksgiving trip. I was so excited to have time with my parents, siblings, grandparents and of course my nieces! They are growing up so quickly and are beautiful girls. What I enjoy most about being with my family is spending time with them. It really doesn't matter what we do as long as we're together.

'Tis the season to think more of our blessings. Lately, I've been thinking more about how I can better enjoy my blessings. Just after he was called to be our new prophet, President Monson shared his thoughts on how we can find joy in our journey:

He said, "I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now...

"Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future...

"Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important--and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, 'They do not love that do not show their love.' We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us...

"Said one well-known author: 'Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our concious choice which secret garden we will tend... when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present--love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]--the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth...

"The ancient Roman philosopher Horace admonished, 'Whatever hour God has blessed you with, take it with grateful hand, nor postpone your joys from year to year, so that in whatever place you have been, you may say that you have lived happily.'"

I have enjoyed this season by living better in the present and not worrying so much about the future. I would love and have tried to plan my entire future, haha. Life is so much better this way. I feel excited about each day and about my blessings. Each day is a gift.

I love how Mari's eyes are huge. She looks like she could be ours.

It tickled Mom and me to watch how giddy Dad was about having help with the lights.
He's not too fond of that ladder.

Spencer was ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood.
I love Jon's face in this picture, so cute.

Dad & Grandpa Hogge.

Mom is such a good Grandma.

Spence with the girls...lucky man.

My beautiful Grandma Hogge and sweet aunt Joyce.

Mom found the top of our wedding cake frozen and in perfect condition.
It tasted amazing after 1 1/2 years of marriage!!

Auntie Hilly with sweet Alice. I have never met a sweeter baby girl.
Posing with her new outfit from Aunt Mindy. Love her.

Happy Halloween

2010-11-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

Halloween kicks off my favorite time of the year. The holidays! Halloween also just happens to be the hubby's favorite holiday. We were the younger versions of Jon's parents. I love, love, love this time of year. The baking, the music (yes, I listen to Christmas music before Halloween), family time, the colors, the crisp, fresh, cold air, the scarves and sweaters, and the decorations! Last weekend I put up ALL 5 pieces of our Christmas decor. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Enjoy some fun pictures from the day. Happy Holidays!

The witches.

An Emo and a Tongan doing the Haka... interesting.

He was so excited to be his Dad for Halloween. It was pretty cute.

The three bears with Grandma and Grandpa Niu.

I love that sweet face.

The three bears and brownie locks.

Leilani LOVED the candy and would get so mad when we'd take it away.

Sweet Blake.

The best part of Halloween this year was watching Jon's new obsession with carving pumpkins. It's all he thought about. I have such a talented husband.

Happy Halloween!!

Lovey Dovey Pictures

2010-10-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

Just before celebrating our first anniversary we won a photo session from a good friend. It was so special to take pictures for our anniversary. Our friend, Liz, is a talented photographer from Utah. Check out her blog here and her website here. Liz and her husband already have two beautiful little boys. Because of complications they can no longer have children and are trying to adopt. They are selling jewelry and prints to raise money for a new addition to their family. Check it out here.

We had a blast during our session with Liz. She did such a great job. It happened to be smoldering hot that day. We took pictures in an old barn barely a mile away from our home. I love my husband. Enjoy the lovey dovey pictures!

"Of Things That Matter Most"

2010-10-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that every 6 months the LDS church comes together for a worldwide two day conference. During this conference we are instructed by our beloved prophet and leaders. With the ending of each conference comes renewed strength, resolve, hope and faith to be better. As with most conference weekends, my family comes to Utah to visit and attend at least one session at the Conference Center in Salt Lake. Now that there are three of us Hogge kids living in Utah (Joey and Spencer at BYU) the family visits as often as possible... and I LOVE it! Dad got tickets for us girls to attend the Saturady morning session together. That session was my absolute favorite of all conference sessions.

My beautiful Mom and Grandma.
I can only hope that I will age as well as they have ;)

Twins! Last time Hilly visited she came to church with me and the bishopric on the stand thought I had brought my twin with me, haha.

All the ladies. We missed Sarah and her girls!

Sweet Elder Holland spoke of his gratitude for our faith. What a humbling talk! I felt so loved by him and felt that my own faith could be stronger. We are so blessed to have good men as our leaders. Elder Christofferson's remarks motivated me to live a more consecrated life through purity, work, respect for my physical body, service and integrity. My favorite talk of all of conference was Elder Uchtdorf's "Of Things That Matter Most". Wow... talk about inspired! His talk answered ALL of my general conference questions. My mom kept saying, "They need this talk to be a fifth Sunday lesson!"

Elder Uchtdorf began by suggesting, "it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions... When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking somehow that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be. Let's be honest; it's rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list... Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminshed joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives."

So, what is the solution? We must choose to slow down and decide what is good, better, and best. We must focus on the basics. What are the basics? The basics are our relationships with our God, with our families, with our fellowman, and with ourselves. It's simple really, just focus on these four key relationships.

I feel relieved and excited to slow down and to focus on my relationships.

We celebrated Spencer's 18th birthday with the family in town.

Givin' some brotherly love to Hilly. How cute ;)

Jon decided to wear his traditional Tongan clothing for conference....
mmm I love my Togan!
We hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful Fall season! Yay!

Recapturing Beauty

2010-10-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended the kick off fireside for BYU's "Recapturing Beauty" campaign. I have been following Stephanie Nielson's story through her NieNie Dialogues blog for over a year now. She inspires me to live better than I have been. Stephanie was the guest speaker. Myself and two co-workers arrived an hour early. The BYU Ballroom was packed! It was exciting to see the support for Stephanie.

Stephanie began her story sharing this. The hundreds of people fell silent and feelings were tender. While listening to Stephanie's story and her thoughts about beauty I thought about what beauty means to me. Stephanie said that with beauty there must be a base, an inside that steadies the outside. We must have a foundation of knowing that our Heavenly Father loves us. We must develop our relationship with Him. We were made in the image of our Heavenly Father. Our beauty is a gift from Him.

I believe it is important for us to take care of ourselves. It is important to be healthy. It is important to eat well and exercise. But you know what, it is just as important and more important to take care of ourselves spiritually. Beauty is in how we act and how we treat others. Beauty is learning to be patient and kind. Beauty is modesty and dignity.

On my mission I remember seeing so much beauty in people's eyes and faces. Someone once said, "If you live close to God and His infinite grace - you won't have to tell, it will show in your face."

Just as Stephanie Nielson pleaded with us last night, I too, hope you know of your beauty and worth. If not and for those who are struggling, pray & act. I know that our Heavenly Father will bless you to feel of His love for you. He will bless you to feel as He does of your beauty and worth. May we all love ourselves as He does.

He is everything to me.

2010-08-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

One year later and I am more in love than I ever knew I could be. We will be celebrating our first anniversary this weekend. Yay!

This past year has been the most happy year of my life. My sweetheart is the greatest example of Christlike love. He serves without second thought. He tells me he loves me all the time, every day. He works incredibly hard for our future. He is kind to others. He is patient. He loves the Lord completely. He knows how to calm my mind and heart. He holds me when I just need to be held. He listens. He talks to me about anything and everything. He makes me laugh, or at least tries to, haha. He watches The Food Network with me. He cooks and bakes with me. He is creative and ambitious. He is full of faith. He is my gentleman. He is my favorite best friend. He is my everything.

Every new phase of my life has become so much more fulfilling. I am grateful to feel overwhelmed with love from my sweetheart. I am especially grateful that he is mine forever.

Thank you, sweetheart, for a most beautiful year. I love you.

My new obsession: Cupcakes!

2010-08-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was looking through some wedding gifts and I found Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Cookbook... thus began my obsession with cupcakes. I couldn't put the book down. I'd go to bed with book in arms, haha.

Just before Jon and I were married I took a cake decorating class and LOVED it! After we were married I found it difficult to find the time and energy to begin the hobby of cake decorating. Now that we've been married for a year I have learned to manage my time better I have found that I have a well-rounded husband who, I also discovered, LOVES to bake. It was a match baked in heaven. Cupcakes are so much fun to create and decorate. With such little cakes there is so much you can do!

The greatest satisfaction for me comes when I watch people eat my cupcakes... but then again, that's probably true for anything I cook or bake. We have absolutely fallen in love with The Food Network and with Cupcake Wars, Chopped, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Cake Boss etc. Jon encourages me to be creative with my cooking and baking and it's a great way to relieve stress and to learn to step out of my comfort zone. It's all very therapeutic.

Most of the cupcakes in Martha's book are also conveniently on her website. I wanted to share with you 4 recipes I have tried thus far... I'm sure there will be many more to come. Unfortunately, I didn't have all my pictures uploaded, so I borrowed some instead and oddly enough my cupcakes looked pretty close to these! To find the recipes, simply click on each cupcake title. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

We made these for the 4th of July. For decoration we made stars from molds and candy melts and used blue sprinkles. These are so rich and so yummy. I tried to pipe the cream cheese frosting, but it was too soft. When piped I also found it's too much frosting and too sweet. The cream cheese frosting is much better if you spread it onto the cupcake. I love the richness of red velvet cake.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

These babies are little Oreo cheesecakes, also know as Cookies and Cream cupcakes. My other obsession is Oreos. Anything with Oreos. These are easy, not too sweet, and really fun. I especially love that when you turn them over you can perfectly see the Oreo. Can you really ever go wrong with Oreos?

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

If I had to choose a favorite from the cupcakes I have EVER tried to bake or eat, these would be it. Salted Caramel Cupcakes...mmmm. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Dark chocolate cake drenched in salted caramel and topped with rich chocolate ganache. If you have never tried salted caramel you need to! Martha Stewart actually borrowed this recipe from a bakery in NYC called Baked. They have a cake called "Sweet & Salty!" that Martha transformed into Cupcakes, genius! It is quite the process to make these, but they are so so worth it!

Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes

Billy from Billy's Bakery in NYC came to the Martha Stewart Show and made these delicious cupcakes. On the website link there is a video with Billy and Martha making the cupcakes. We just made these cupcakes last night and they were incredible! Wow, I've never had a vanilla cupcake like it. Instead of 1 Tablespoon, I added 2 Tablespoons of baking powder. The recipe calls for 1 but in the video with Martha, Billy emphasizes adding 2. These cupcakes are meant to be more flat, so don't worry if they come out flat. These sweet vanilla cupcakes are so buttery and just melt in your mouth.

I hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as I did. I didn't realize how easy making cupcakes and frosting from scratch can be. For me, it was definitely intimidating at first, but now it has become my favorite hobby. Happy baking!

A Polynesian Wedding.

2010-08-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

Jackie (Jon's sister) and Chad were married August 7th in the Salt Lake City Temple. The sealing was beautiful and the after party was fantastic! Polynesians know how to par-tay! I'm grateful that our children will grow up with so much culture in their lives. We are so happy for the newlyweds.

I love my man in a tux!

Can you see the goldfish?

The beautiful bride. Jackie actually introduced me to Jon. She is a true friend and wonderful sister.

Getting ready for pictures.

We are so excited for Chad to join the Niu family.

Each married couple in Jon's family receives a beautiful crystal temple from Mom Niu as a wedding gift. I loved the cupcake idea!

I love little Leilani's face, priceless.

Mom and Dad Niu.

Auntie Anna makes THE BEST chop suey in the world!! It's my favorite Polynesian dish.

I love the mountains in the background. It was a perfect night with perfect weather.

Another goldfish.

We sang "Lucky" as a surprise gift for the couple.

The entertainment was fabulous!! Tiare (Jon's sister) danced a Tahitian dance. She is so talented!!

Another wedding down. Congrats to the Jackie and Chad Peterson! We love you guys.

p.s. Thanks to Grandma Buck for all the lovely pictures.

Another wonderful family visit.

2010-07-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

While we were engaged and just married last year we drove to Sac town about 9 times. The budget and school hasn't allowed such a luxury this year... So, we have felt extremely blessed to have the Hogge family come to us instead. My little brother was coming up for EFY... Mom, Dad, and little brother Bradford decided they might as well come too and stay the entire week. Once my sister Sarah heard that Mom and Dad were staying with Mindy and Jon for an ENTIRE week she thought it'd be fun to join the party. Sister Hilly came down from BYU-I and joined us on the weekend.

Sweet Alice. Look at those chunky legs!

Alice and Jon's sister's baby, Leilani. Just a few days apart. Alice is huge!! Or maybe Leilani is just so small. Those girls love Uncle Jon.

Being with my family is so refreshing. Although we have Jon's fabulous family here, it's always good to be with everyone. The nieces, Mari and Alice are growing up quickly. I enjoy spending as much time as I possibly can with them.
Family is a precious blessing to me.
Auntie Mindy & Miss Mari enjoying a Utah favorite, cupcakes from
The Sweet Tooth Fairy.

Look at that sweet face with her special cupcake. I think she looks like me ;)

KitchenAid

2010-07-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Jon surprised me with an early Anniversary gift. The gift was originally meant for Christmas, but I don't think he could take the suspense of waiting any longer. And... He got such a fabulous deal on the gift he HAD to show me. Haha, oh I love my man. Yesterday after work he revealed his secret of two days.... a KitchenAid!!! I know it may seem so silly, but I was SO EXCITED!! I was especially excited to find that it was the exact one I had been hoping and wishing for... Professional 600 Series, 6 quart in Onyx Black. Every time I'd walk past our kitchen I'd find myself staring at the KitchenAid, haha. I put my hopes to have a KitchenAid on hold because I knew there were other important things to invest in. This was quite the surprise! Thank you, sweetheart. I love you more.

Talking to Mom or Sarah about the exciting news.

We LOVE our youth.

2010-06-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

Jackie (Jon's sister) and Chad are engaged to be married August 7th. We are so excited and couldn't be happier for the adorable couple. Love you guys!

Memorial Day weekend was filled with wedding festivities. Jon's cousin was married in the Salt Lake Temple. The night before the wedding we had a reception at Cactus & Tropicals... the most beautiful luau I have ever attended (besides our reception in Provo, of course). The Tongan food was divine, as always. Just thinking about makes my mouth water for Auntie Anna's chop suey. The dancing was beautiful and the company was exciting. After the sealing the next day, we had a luncheon overlooking the temple in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Wow! Love, love that place. It will always be our special place. Jon proposed to be in one of the gorgeous ballrooms. After the wedding fun we explored Salt Lake and Temple Square. Being in a visitors' center brought back special memories from my time as a missionary in DC. It was a beautiful Memorial Day weekend indeed.

On Friday this past weekend we planned an "end of the school year...we are being released from our calling as teachers" party for our 16 and 17 year-olds. We love, Love, LOVE our "kids" as we like to call them. They are incredible people. We have grown as they have taught us with their examples of courage and faithfulness. We both received new callings... the hubby will be working in the Elder's Quorum Presidency and I get to work with the Young Women - Beehives! Yay! We will miss our kids, but we're excited to move on to what the Lord needs us to do. We had a night full of pizza, yummy desserts, and an outside movie. I felt so old and yet so young.

The Sweet Tooth Fairy

2010-06-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

I'm an avid reader of NieNieDialogues. Many of you may know the inspiring story of Stephanie Nielson. She is incredible and has the most beautiful children and loving husband. In her blog she has often mentioned The Sweet Tooth Fairy Gourmet Bake Shop here in Utah. For our weekly date, the hubby and I decided to check it out.

"The story of the Sweet Tooth Fairy is as old as the love of family - because that is where the Sweet Tooth Fairy learned about the magic of sweets." We found this dainty and adorable shop nestled in the rather large strip mall of South Provo and we absolutely loved it! They offer a variety of decadent cupcakes, rich cake bites, cookies, gourmet cakes and an assortment of yummy sweets. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. If you live in Utah check it out and if you don't live in Utah, check it out when you visit!

9 months.

2010-05-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

This Friday we celebrate 9 months of marriage. I have learned more about love in these short months than at any other time in my life. I am learning from my sweetheart. I watch him and he amazes me with his love for others and patience with me. I have seen our progression together and it's exciting to me. He is my best friend. We laugh... a lot... and I think it has blessed our marriage. We have trials and disagreements. We understand our weaknesses. We talk about everything. When the day is hard he tells me that it's still a good day. We are respectful to each other. We try our best to be teachable. We have fun. What the life! I am blessed. A few months into our marriage my mom told me to always strive to be what Jon deserves in an eternal companion. As I have tried to do this I have felt my heart change. I have seen that my focus has shifted from changing myself, to just wanting to make him happy. Isn't it true... when we change our focus from ourselves to others, we automatically become more Christlike.

"Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.

"Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again...

"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." - Elder Marvin J. Ashton

Love to you Sweetheart.

p.s. The pics are actually from our engagements, but I thought they were fun and cute ;)

"Please, no empty chairs."

2010-04-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

My entire family was here this past weekend for my sister, Sarah's graduation. May I just say that I am so proud of my little sister. After getting married and having two beautiful girls she graduated from BYU. She inspires me, as does all my family. Spending time with my family is heaven for me. For many of us our families are growing up and moving away from each other for school, work, etc. This weekend I thought about what my family means to me... and I've decided that it's difficult to explain.

President Eyring in a recent conference address shared his thoughts about love and family:

"Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour, must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey Him.

"Just as Jesus used a child in His mortal ministry as an example for the people of the pure love they must and could have to be like Him, He has offered us the family as an example of an ideal setting in which we can learn how to love as He does.

"That is because the greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships. The joys come from putting the welfare of others above our own. That is what love is. And the sorrow comes primarily from selfishness, which is the absence of love. The ideal God holds for us is to form families in the way most likely to lead to happiness and away from sorrow. A man and a woman are to make sacred covenants that they will put the welfare and happiness of the other at the center of their lives. Children are to be born into a family where the parents hold the needs of children equal to their own in importance. And children are to love parents and each other.

"That is the ideal of a loving family. In many of our homes, there are the words 'Our Family Can Be Together Forever.' There is a gravestone near my home of a mother and grandmother. She and her husband were sealed in the temple of God to each other and to their posterity for time and all eternity. The inscription on the gravestone reads, 'Please, no empty chairs.' She asked for that inscription because she knew that whether the family will be together depends on the choices each family member makes. The word 'please' is there because neither God nor she can compel another to choose happiness."

We are so blessed to have our families.

Many of us had just taken naps before these pictures. Can you tell?

Sarah's beautiful family.

So proud of her!!

My beautiful sisters.

The classic BYU grad pictures.

I am obsessed with my sweet nieces.

Alice still isn't used to the flash on our cameras. She always looks a little drugged. Don't you wanna just squeeze those cheeks?!?

Mr. Niu is such a natural with babies... hmmm...

Divine salad from The Trolley in Springville.

J-Dawgs... so yummy!

Celebrating the new grad and Gma's birthday with smiley face pancakes and a party.

Luvs!

A beautiful weekend.

2010-04-14T09:03:00.001-07:00

We always look forward to General Conference weekend. It's so exciting to hear the counsel of our church leaders and prophet. Despite being a little under the weather, we had a beautiful weekend.

We began with my mission reunion. I absolutely love my reunions. I served with many, many intelligent, talented, and gorgeous sisters. It is always exciting for me to see how we are all progressing. So many are married, engaged, attending grad school, have incredible jobs, and are simply loving life. My sweet Mr. Niu was the designated photographer...

Practicing a song we all learned that day for the reunion... just like old times at the V.C.

Two of my favorite people.

Easter and General Conference on the same day = happiness. The Easter bunny visited our home and left Mr. Niu a basket full of goodies and they were mostly healthy too! Wow, what a wonderful Easter bunny indeed.

We hope you all enjoyed your Easter weekend. Luvs!

Mel's wedding and The Empty Easter Egg.

2010-04-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took a quick trip to Cali. My beautiful cousin, Mel and her hubby Nick were married in the Sacramento Temple. I'm so glad we were able to go. Spending time with my family is heaven on earth. I will take any chance to see my sweet nieces... and of course, my sisters, brothers, cousins, parents, and grandparents.

Enjoy lots and lots of pictures from our trip!

While I was serving in Washington D.C., Easter time became one of my most favorite and special holidays. I was serving in the Visitors Center and on Easter Sunday a local choir performed Handel's Messiah. The words and music touched my heart like never before. I also visited with many guests that day. I felt a deep love for these strangers and I knew that my heart was changing. The Atonement became very real to me. My heart swells just thinking about it.

That week my sweet Mom sent me an Easter package. In the package was an Easter egg and inside a special story typed on a long piece of paper rolled tightly. I will never forget the story from that Easter egg. We hope you and yours have a beautiful Easter.

The Empty Easter Egg

Jeremy was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At the age of 12 he was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, drool, and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his teacher.

One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a consultation. As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, Doris said to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems. Why, there is a five year gap between his age and that of the other students."

Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue, while her husband spoke.

"Miss Miller," he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby. It would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of this school. We know he really likes it here."

Doris sat for a long time after they had left, staring at the snow outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize with the Forresters. After all, their only child had a terminal illness. But it wasn't fair to keep him in her class. She had 18 other youngsters to teach, and Jeremy was a distraction. Furthermore, he would never learn to read and write. Why waste any more time trying?

As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. Here I am she thought. Lord, please help me to be more patient with Jeremy. From that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank stares.

Then one day, he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind him. "I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed, loud enough for the whole class to hear. The other students snickered, and Doris' face turned red.

She stammered, "Wh--why that's very nice, Jeremy. N--now please take your seat."

Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg.

"Now," she said to them, "I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss Miller," the children responded enthusiastically --all except for Jeremy. He listened intently; his eyes never left her face. He did not even make his usual noises. Had he understood what she had said about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand the assignment?

Perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project to them. That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the landlord and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that, she still had to shop for groceries, iron a blouse, and prepare a vocabulary test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's parents.

The next morning, 19 children came to school,laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk. After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs.

In the first egg, Doris found a flower.

"Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of new life," she said. "When plants peek through the ground, we know that spring is here."

A small girl in the first row waved her arm. "That's my egg, Miss Miller," she called out.

The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real. Doris held it up.

"We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes, that's new life, too."

Little Judy smiled proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine."

Next, Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too, showed life.

Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom, "My daddy helped me," he beamed.

Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty.

Surely it must be Jeremy's she thought, and of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another.

Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg?"

Flustered, Doris replied, "But Jeremy, your egg is empty."

He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too."

Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, "Do you know why the tomb was empty?"

"Oh, yes," Jeremy said, "Jesus was killed and put in there. Then His Father raised Him up."

The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the schoolyard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.

Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid there respects at the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket, all of them empty.

My gorgeous husband and niece Mari.

Baby Alice.

My mom and sister made Mel's wedding cake.

My sweet aunt Joyce.

Grandpa Hogge sealed Mel and Nick, so special.

Beautiful bride.

Slim in 6 Update

2010-03-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

Okay... it's been about a week since we finished the 6 week exercising program. We tried to start another program with Jullian Michaels, but found ourselves going right back to Slim in 6. We're just hooked and it is REALLY working!!

Mr. Niu has lost a total of 30 pounds and I have lost 10 pounds all in 6 weeks! With healthy eating and consistently following the work out program we are dropping pounds and toning. We haven't measured ourselves, but my clothes are loose on me and we had to buy Mr. Niu new jeans because he looked like a gangsta with his sagging pants, haha. Most importantly, we are creating fantastic habits and we feel absolutely great!

We still have more pounds to lose to reach our goals, but it's important to celebrate every achievement! I wish I had before and after pictures... maybe next time I'll remember.

Luvs!

Visitor's Center Reunion

2010-03-05T07:34:00.000-08:00

As many of you know I served a mission in Washington D.C. While serving I also had the privilege to serve at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitor's Center. It was one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences of my life. I made lots and lots of new, lifelong friends.

Last Saturday we got together at our Visitor's Center Director's home in Salt Lake. Elder and Sister Child (our VC Directors) are two of the most wonderful and generous people I know. Many of you may have heard of RC Willey. It is a furniture store that Elder Child began and helped to build years ago. Now it is a thriving business. Elder Child has a new book entitled, "How to Build a Business Warren Buffet Would Buy." Elder Child is the one on the left ;) It is his fascinating story of how to progress honestly and successfully in the world of business. Copies are available at Deseret Book.

We feel so blessed to have so many of us close together here in Utah. It has been an incredible experience watching each other progress and grow after coming home. So many are married, engaged, and even becoming mothers. Others are going to grad school. I truly cannot imagine my life without knowing these women and senior couples. Enjoy some pictures from our party.

Life Happens.

2010-02-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

We've all heard the expression, "when it rains, it pours. " And we have all experienced this. This past week was one of those weeks for us. It just kept pouring. I am learning that if it's going to pour, why not dance in the rain? Isn't life truly wonderful? No matter our situation, there is always something to be grateful for. I am grateful for perspective and that I married a man with a constant, eternal perspective.

Yesterday I learned this... "Instead of laying down a list of expectations for what your life should be, you can participate in the ongoing discovery of what your life was meant to be." - Thomas Kinkade

I know that we have a loving, attentive, intimate Heavenly Father who not only loves us perfectly, but knows us perfectly. My life now is more wonderful than I could have ever planned for myself. Mostly because I married Mr. Niu. He is all and more than I could have imagined to be with forever. Just as an example... Two Sundays ago I was putting on my favorite red necklace when it suddenly broke. Every piece went flying every which way. I wanted to cry. The first thing that Mr. Niu did after church was find every, single piece and carefully (and perfectly) put back together that blasted necklace. Now if that isn't love I don't know what is, haha. I have never known anyone so kind, faithful, honest, happy, loyal, generous, and drop dead gorgeous! I am blessed.

You know what, life happens. And I believe life happens for a reason. The sting of the moment will fade into understanding... it always does. And then we will look back with gratitude for the experience. So come what may and love it!

Slim in 6

2010-02-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

In my last post I mentioned our workout program "Slim in 6." To keep myself motivated I thought it would be wise to keep friends and family updated with our progress. Oh how I love accountability, haha. When we got married I promised myself I wouldn't gain the newlywed weight. But then the wonderful holiday foods of Thanksgiving and Christmas came, along with our fabulous cruise, topped off with our birthday week. Hello scrumptious food!!! I may not have looked too much different, but I definitely felt yucky! Just after our cruise I saw a commercial for "Slim in 6" and I was hooked! I bought it from Amazon. My sweet husband, being the supportive, incredible man that he is, decided he would join me. We began our vigorous schedule on January 25th. We also decided to create a balanced, healthy meal plan. Our schedule along with work and school (for the hubby) goes something like this...

4:15am (soon to be 4:00) - wake up (I have to be to work by 7am, hence the early start.)

4:15am - 5:15am - "Slim in 6" exercise

6:30am - breakfast

9:00am or 10:00am - 1st snack - Usually string cheese, fruit, yogurt, veggies or Slim Fast.

12:00pm or 1:00pm - lunch (one serving, healthy meats, veggies, and carbs) Our lunches are usually leftovers from dinner the night before, saves money and time ;)

3:00pm - 2nd snack

5:30ish - dinner (one serving, healthy meats, veggies, and carbs)

9:00 or 9:30 - sleep time!

And lots, and lots, and lots of water all day!

My main goals during this program are to:

feel healthy & active
lose 15 pounds
maintain healthy eating habits
create smart workout habits before I get pregnant

I want so badly to be a healthy prego! I know that once we have a child our schedules will change, but hopefully we can keep many of the good habits we are creating for ourselves.

Results so far...
"Slim in 6" is a pretty tough program. We have one more day of week two. To get the results you want it's required to workout 6 days a week. The first week is the first phase, a 25 minute workout called "Start it Up". The second week is the second phase, a 47 minute workout called "Ramp it Up". The last four weeks is phase 3, an hour workout called "Burn it Up". The first week I was extremely sore, but already felt healthier. The second week was definitely more difficult, but the soreness wasn't as bad. We are excited to move onto phase 3. The hubby has already lost about 10 pounds and I have lost about 4 1/2 pounds. We probably won't measure ourselves until we're completely done. My clothes fit better and I feel fantastic!! We are pleased with our results.

If any of you are looking for a good workout program "Slim in 6" has been great for us. The exercises are geared more towards women's bodies. A great workout to take off that baby fat! We will keep you posted every week or so!
Luvs!

Healthy Recipes and A New Blog

2010-01-22T08:01:00.000-08:00

For most people a new year means new goals. Most of the time those goals include losing weight and becoming a healthier person. I am a huge fan of goals and was really excited to begin a fresh start for the New Year. On Monday, after our birthday week (our birthdays are almost exactly one week apart), we are beginning the "Slim in 6" program. It is a 6 week workout program. We are excited to jump start our healthier lifestyles for the year. One of my main "physical" goals this year is to create healthier eating habits through yummy, healthy recipes. After some research and testing my new recipe finds on my sweet husband, I have found some excellent choices. This year my goal is to find recipes that are not only healthy and tasty, but under about 300 calories and 10 or 15 grams of fat per serving... and of course they need to be easy and fast. I work 10 hour days and by the time I get home I'm exhausted. Although I wish I had more time in the kitchen, it helps to make meals quick and to always have leftovers for lunch the next day.

My mom, sisters, and I have created a new blog, lulushomecookin.blogspot.com. We invite you to enjoy our combination of tasty finds. These new recipes below will also be posted on our cooking blog. As I continue to find new recipes I will either post them on my blog or on our new cooking blog. Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.

Pollo Fajitas - Picture here

The sauce/marinade for these fajitas is fabulous and can be used for other chicken dishes. Use any healthy tortilla and top it off with a small dollop of sour cream.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place chicken in sauce, and turn once to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken strips to the pan, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper, and saute another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Servings: 5
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook time: 5 min. Ready in: 55 min.
Amount per serving - Calories: 210 Total Fat: 8.3g

Maple Salmon - Picture Here

We LOVE salmon! One of my favorite salmon dishes is a brown sugar glazed salmon. I could eat it every day but it's a little too unhealthy for what we want. This recipe is a fabulous second.

Ingredients

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ginger, minced (I added the ginger, it's divine!)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound salmon

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and pepper.
Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish (covered with foil), and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 min. Cook time: 20 min. Ready in: 1 hour
Amount per serving - Calories: 265 Total Fat: 12.4g

Chicken with Asparagus and Roasted Red Peppers - Picture Here

This is such a flavorful meal without loads of calories and fat! You can serve this with a healthy portion of pasta or rice. Whatever pleases your taste buds!

Ingredients

1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound boned and skinned chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Heat the broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in skillet. Cook 15 minutes, until chicken is almost done.
Place asparagus, red peppers and garlic in skillet. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear and asparagus is tender. Place tomatoes in skillet during last 2 minutes of cook time. Sprinkle with vinegar. Top with mozzarella cheese to serve.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook time: 25 min. Ready in: 40 min.
Amount per serving - Calories: 186 Total Fat: 5g

Salsa Chicken - Picture Here

This has become a favorite and it's painfully easy, fast, and healthy. I usually serve with a small portion of homemade Mexican rice and vegetables.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle taco seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts, and pour salsa over all.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is tender and juicy and its juices run clear.
Sprinkle chicken evenly with cheese, and continue baking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with sour cream if desired, and serve.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 min. Cook time: 40 min. Ready in: 45 min.
Amount per serving - Calories: 287 Total Fat: 12.4g

These last two recipes are from a favorite cooking blog, prudencepennywise.blogspot.com. Click on the "pasta" tab and the "soup" tab for pictures on her blog. All of her recipes have been simply fabulous. Her goal is to create scrumptious meals for her family of four on a tight budget. These two may seem more extensive because she is very detailed in her directions, but they are just as easy and healthy too!

Whole Grain Penne with Sweet Red Pepper, Ginger and Feta

Ginger has become a well-known ingredient in our home. It always adds magnificent flavor to our meals and keeps well in the fridge or freezer. Now, combine ginger with pepper and feta... WOW! As of late this has become our favorite meal. I'll be making this meal for our dinner party tomorrow to celebrate Jon's birthday with close friends. I always look forward to this fantastic dinner.

Ingredients

8 oz. box wheat penne pasta
4 green onions (greens only)
1 14.5 oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes (optional: blend smooth in blender)
1 large red bell pepper
1 small handful of fresh parsley (save some for garnish)
4 Tbsp. cream of half and half
2-4 Tbsp. feta, crumbled
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Option: I always add two chicken breasts. Season with rosemary. Brown in the olive oil. Remove and add back into the simmering sauce.

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Remove the top, seeds, and membranes of the pimento pepper and slice into thin strips. Toss them into the saucepan and let them soften on low-medium heat for about 10-15 minutes (if your strips soften quicker, there’s no need for you to wait 10-15 minutes), stirring every now and then.
In the meantime you can peel the ginger with a spoon, then finely chop the peeled ginger.
Begin cooking the pasta according to package directions.
Add the chopped ginger and garlic to the saucepan and give it another stir. Sauté for 2-3 minutes then toss in the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper mix and stir again.
Chop up the green parts of 2 green onions and add them to the sauce. Simmer on low heat, partially covered, for 5 minutes. You might need to add 2-3 Tbsp of water during these 5 minutes (to keep a sauce-like consistency), depending on how watery your crushed tomatoes are. I didn’t need to so it all comes down to what brand you’re using.
Chop up the fresh parsley leaves and add them to the sauce. Let the sauce cook, partially covered, for another 2-3 minutes, then remove it from the flame and set aside.
Plate the cooked pasta, add some sauce on top then spoon 1 Tbsp of cream (per plate) on top of that. Crumble ½ Tbsp of Feta on each plate, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Good For You Creamy Tomato Soup

This is my favorite tomato soup recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14.5 oz.) cans Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chicken broth or stock
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tsp. balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
3/4 cup evaporated skim milk, or 4 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving

Directions

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add oniion and carrots and saute for five minutes. Stir in garlic and saute an additional minute.
Add tomatoes, broth, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
For a creamy soup, transfer to blender and blend, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. (Immersion blenders are a must have for soup lovers!) Soup can be made up to 2 days ahead of time to this point. ***This is a must, it is so much better creamy***
Just before serving, add evaporated skim milk (or cream cheese of half and half) to pot. Warm through, but do not boil. Serve immediately with basil or parsley.

May these delicious recipes serve you well as you make healthier goals for the New Year!

p.s. The pictures would not load so instead I attached the website to each recipe with pictures included.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone had a most wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ours was full of fun activites. We had quite the busy Holiday. The day before Chritmas Eve Jon and I drove to Sacramento to spend the holidays with my family. We've driven to Sacramento about 7 times this year and know exactly where to stop for the cheapest gas, haha. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family and it was so special. I was especially excited to see everyone open their gifts from Jon and me. I am grateful that we have this time of year. It is my absolute favorite time of the year and to me really is "the most wonderful time of the year". We felt completely spoiled this year. We received a huge George Foreman from my parents and countless other needed and wanted gifts. Jon gave me a beautiful set of sapphire jewelry with diamonds and white gold. He also gave me some brown boots with fur and all. They are perfect for fashion and function. He also spoiled me with a red tea pot and a "Flirty Apron". So fun! I got Jon a new SwissGear shoulder bag and some blu-ray movies. It was the perfect Christmas as we spent quality time with those we love so much.

One of the highlights of our visit was spending time with our nieces, Mari and Alice. Alice is just beginning to smile and make those sweet baby noises... it is priceless. My sister, Sarah, has beautiful children... Jon and I have a lot to live up to, haha. We spent time with our Grandpa and Grandma Hogge. They took us to dinner at one of our favorite restuarants, Red Lobster and then to Leatherby's for dessert. We each ordered a Black and Tan. Yum! We had our entire family together for Christmas for the first time in a few years. My brother, Joey, recently returned home from his mission in Japan. We're so happy to have him home. Watching all of my family together and being with my own sweetheart was truly special for me. They are my best friends and I think I'll keep them forever.

The day after Christmas we drove to Mendocino, California. We call this beautiful, little town our "heaven on earth". We go camping as an extended family each summer and just recently my family began the tradition of going each few days after Christmas. I love the ocean and the rocky beaches were especially beautiful this visit. It's always hard to leave Mendocino, but this year it wasn't so difficult to leave.
Jon and I left Mendocino to drive down to Long Beach for our long awaited cruise!!! Yes, we finally made a getaway for our honeymoon. I had been on a cruise before, but this was Jon's first and he absolutely loved it! We both did! Our cruise took us down to Ensenada. Jon had served part of his mission in Mexico and it was so fun for me to see him speaking Spanish with all of the natives. He has a great love for the people of Mexico. We lived a life of luxury for a few days. We took naps, explored the ship, ordered room service just because we could, and ate lots and lots and lots of food. And yes, I did gain a few pounds, but it was so worth it! My favorite dish was lobster, of course and for dessert we loved the chocolate melting cake, absolutely divine! We're planning to take another cruise in a few years... maybe for an anniversary down the road (hint, hint). It was so nice to be disconnected from the world and enjoy one another. After the cruise we had planned to go to Disneyland for a few days but felt strongly about spending more time with the family. Disneyland will always been there, maybe next year.
We spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day back with the family. I struggled to stay awake until 12:00am. I'm much more of an early bird than a night owl. New Year's day was the girl's shopping day. Mom, Sarah, Hilly, and the two little ones, Mari and Alice all went for a day out to the mall. I'm so grateful for my mom and sisters. I love that we are best friends. It was especially hard this year to leave my family and come back to Utah. (Luckily I have Jon's family in Utah.) Although it was a crazy, busy trip we had a wonderful time. We wish the best for you and yours this New Year. Luvs!

Yummy holiday treats.

2009-12-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is all the yummy food we get to eat. These are just a few of my traditional and new favorites for the holidays. Enjoy!

Peppermint Meltaways

A college roommate and dear friend of mine introduced this recipe on her blog and it is completely delicious. They really do melt in your mouth! Thanks Claire ;)

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are very lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:
2 TBSP butter, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops red food coloring
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies/candy canes (I like to use the green and red peppermint candies.)

Beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, milk, extract and food coloring and beat until smooth. Spread over completely cooled cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candies.

Easy Oreo Truffles

I found this recipe off of my favorite recipe website, allrecipes.com. They were given to me as a gift in Relief Society and Jon and I fell in love with them. They are positively sinful!

1 (16 ounce) package OREO chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softended
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER's semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookies mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch diameter.

2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax-paper covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for anther use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.

3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Nestle Toll House Pie

This is a family favorite of the Hogges. I made it for Thanksgiving with the Niu family and it was a hit. So easy and so rich! Eat with a glass of cold milk...yum!

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

2 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs in large bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.Bake in over for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. (I don't add the nuts, but I think the pie would be really delicious with them.)

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

My wonderful and talented mother has been making these for years. Every time I come home to California I ask her to make them. This last time we visited I asked her to write down her recipe. She's never written it down before! It has become one of my absolute favorite recipes. Whenever I eat them I think of home and family. Enjoy this divine family recipe!

1. In large mixing bowl of upright mixer, whisk together: 1 3/4 cups hottest water from the tap 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil ~ Let sit for 15 minutes.

2. Using wire whisk attachment, mix in: 1/3 cup granulated sugar 3 level tablespoons yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 egg whites 5 1/2 cups flour - bread flour works best but is not necessary. *The last 2 cups of flour should be added slowly to allow flour to be completely absorbed. Dough should be sticky, but should pull away from sides of bowl.

3. Beat dough in mixer on medium speed for 10 minutes.

4. On a floured surface, roll out dough 3/8" to 1/2" thick, forming a large rectangle.

5. Melt 1/2 cup butter. Spread several tablespoons of melted butter onto the rolled out dough. Save rest of butter for icing*

6. In a medium bowl, combine the following: 3 cups brown sugar 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon ~ Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly onto prepared dough.

7. Roll up dough, jelly roll fashion, starting at one long end of rectangle. Pinch final edge of dough to seal.

8. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray. I use a microwave-safe 12" by 12" baking pan. If you use a 9" by 13" baking pan and have slices of dough leftover, bake the extras in a prepared pie plate.

9. Using @ 18" of heavy string or dental floss, slide the string under the roll of dough. Slice off 1" to 1 1/4" pieces by bringing the string up over the dough, crossing it and pulling tightly to slice through the dough. Place on baking pan. A 12" square pan will hold 16 slices.

10. Let dough rise in a draft-free place till doubled or microwave at 10% power (not 100% power) for 10 minutes.

11. Bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and centers look done.

12. While cinnamon rolls are still warm, make glaze (recipe below). Spread generously over rolls. This can be done as soon as they come out of the oven. ~ Best eaten warm and with a cold glass of milk.

Cinnamon Roll Glaze ~* remaining melted butter from above recipe 3 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla ~ Combine butter, sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Spread on warm cinnamon rolls.

Enjoy these scrumptious treats as you spend time with family and friends this Christmas! Luvs!

Our wedding day.

2009-12-06T11:11:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone is having a most wonderful holiday season. Christmas time has always been my favorite time of the year. We are so excited for our first Christmas together. The pictures have come! Hope you all enjoy some of our favorite pictures of our wedding day. We are excited to hear of all of your Christmas activities. Luvs!

A few of my favorite things.

2009-11-05T14:29:00.000-08:00

Since being married there are some things that I have come to love. This blog is dedicated to a few simple things that have made my life easier and wonderful.

First, http://www.allrecipes.com/. I have absolutely loved getting to know this website. I tried many, many websites and this is the one that I have fallen in love with. You have the option of receiving daily recipes via email. It's a great way to widen the variety of your recipes. When you become a member of Allrecipes.com you also have the option of creating a recipe box. I LOVE this option because it's all right there when I create my weekly menus. Try it out! You can also check out http://www.prudencepennywise.blogspot.com/. I love her meal ideas and recipes.

Second, http://www.grocerysmarts.com/. My sister-in-law introduced me to this website and it has been fantastic for our family of two. It is used to help you see the best deals at your local grocery stores. The stars next to the product help you know whether or not you should stock up. It is fabulous! There is a code for each state. Utah's code is g84ccl. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to find codes of other states;) We have already saved loads of money. As an example, one of my sister-in-laws spent $18 on over $100 worth of food. We're always looking for ways to save.

Third, Scentsy Candles. My love for Scentsy began with a wedding gift we received...a Scentsy warmer and a block of Spruce & Citrus candle wax. Since then, we have fallen in love with many of the scents. Check it out at http://www.scentsy.com/ or just click on it under my section "My Favorite Things".

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed getting to know a few of my favorite things. Luvs!

Provo Reception.

2009-11-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

I am finally putting up pictures from our Provo Reception. About 20 minutes before the reception our cousin Melissa asked if she could take some pictures of us and of course we agreed. She is an incredible photographer. You're all welcome to visit her blog at http://www.melissaniu.com/. Jon came into the photo shoot about 5 minutes before we finished... this is why you'll see lots more of me than him;) We feel so blessed to have so much talent in our family.

The Provo reception was absolutely exquisite. Thanks to Mama Niu, Dad Niu and all of our wonderful, supportive family members is was a complete success. Because of Jon's Polynesian background we decided that the Provo reception would keep the colors and feel of the first reception and just add Tongan details, mostly with the flowers, music, and food. It was fabulous! We had an entire Tongan dinner prepared for our guests and a full program with singing and Polynesian dancing. Hundreds came to show their love and support of which we are so grateful. Both of our receptions were relaxing (at least for the bride and groom) and so much fun. We feel so blessed to have such wonderful support from both of our families. Enjoy the pictures! There are many to enjoy! Wedding day pictures will be coming soon. Hope everyone is loving the Fall weather and enjoying the beginning of the Holiday Season!

How it began.

2009-10-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

I returned home from my mission in Washington D.C. about a year ago. I served proselyting and at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitor's Center. I loved serving and I think about my people and my experiences every day. It's hard to explain the love you feel when you serve. The love I felt changed me and I'm grateful. Three weeks after returning home I moved to Utah and soon thereafter found my current job, which I absolutely love.

About a month later I met Jon at a CES fireside, classic. I had to take a call from my sister and he walked in fashionably late just after I got off the phone... perfect timing. He asked me if the fireside had begun, obviously it already had, nice pick-up line babe. We met in early October and didn't begin dating until early March. We both knew very early that we would get married. I had never felt so peaceful and certain about anything. Jon surprised me with an earlier-than-I-expected proposal at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, one of my all-time favorite places. He proposed in one of the gorgeous and romantic ballrooms after a delicious dinner at The Roof. When we walked into the ballroom I saw the rose petals leading to a dozen roses and a small ring box, but thought it was for someone else. I told Jon we had to leave so we wouldn't spoil someone else's engagement experience. He took my hand and said, "Mindy, let's just take a look." It was then I knew, this was all for me. After he proposed we danced to my favorite song "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. Talk about romantic!

Life with Jon is simply wonderful. For many years I've heard my friends and family talk about their husbands in adoring ways and I never quite understood how they must feel until now. Jon is my best friend and I adore him completely. We just love being together. I know that Heavenly Father knows us so perferctly that He knows who we need in our lives. I think He allows us to come in contact with those people to feel a small portion of His eternal love for us. Jon is perfect for me and I'm so grateful to have him forever.

We finally gave in.

2009-10-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

Well hello to all of our fabulous family and friends. Yes... we finally gave in and began our own blog for our "Niu" family. We are so excited to begin the life of blogging. Hopefully we can figure it out. We are especially excited to keep in touch with all of you. We have now been married for almost two months and we have loved every minute. Our wedding day was the most perfect wedding day I could have ever imagined! Everything was wonderful. Updates on the big day and more pictures will be coming soon. We love you!