Today I was feeling a little creative and wanted to do something fun for dinner. I have made pizza plenty of times and thought that would be a good option since I didn't have much time to make something fancy. So... I pulled up my trusty Pinterest boards and found the idea of making a Calzone! I pulled out my Momma´s pizza dough recipe, threw on a few ingredients and put it in to bake. It was quick and easy. Best of all it tasted delicious! Hope you enjoy!

Yummy Calzone!

Becky's Pizza Dough:

1 cup warm water

2 1/4 tsp yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

Toppings:

Marinara sauce

Cheese

Pepperoni

(Anything you really want!)

1 egg

Parmesan cheese

Italian Herb mix

Directions:

1- Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Let it rise for a few minutes.

2- Add flour and salt. Mix for 3-5 minutes. Roll out dough into a rectangular shape (mine is not the best example...!) Preheat your oven to 425 at this point. Transfer to a baking sheet with a little bit of corn meal on it for easy removal- trust me! I forgot this step and regretted it later when I had to after I had made it all pretty!!!

3- Add your sauce down the middle length-wise. Sprinkle cheese on top of that.

4- Place pepperoni along the top of cheese. (Add any other ingredients that you would like in your Calzone) I put a little extra cheese I had shredded on top of the pepperoni. 

5- Cut slits into the sides of your dough along both sides of the toppings. Try to make the same number of slits on both sides and keep them around the same width as much as your can.

6- Start folding the slices one by one, weaving them together. 

7- Tuck the last slice under the bottom when you get to the end.

8- This is when I had to transfer it... but hopefully you did that before it looked this pretty! Mine stretched all funny once I moved it... Anyways, I will remember next time! Back to the recipe... Whip the egg in a bowl and brush it over the top of your Calzone. (My egg mixture got a little messy... sorry!)

9- Sprinkle a good amount of Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning on top.

10- Bake on 425 for 15 minutes. Pull it out when the crust is looking brown and yummy!

11- Let it set for a few minutes so the sauce doesn't spill all over the place. Slice it up and enjoy!!!

Though eleven steps that I have listed may seem like a lot, it really isn't. I just broke it down really simply so I could add all the pictures that I took! It took me less than 15 minutes to put it all together and another 15 to bake. While it was baking I cleaned up my kitchen and had only a few small dishes left once we finished dinner. It worked out really well for a busy night!! Thanks for reading!

xo Shelly

My Growing Bump

We have less than 12 weeks left until Baby Girl's due date. When I think about that I freak out just a tiny bit. Mostly it's a good freak out, but it's a little bit nervous/scared too. I think I deserve the nervous/scared bit though. In 12 weeks I have to physically shove 8+ pounds out of my body through a hole that isn't exactly sized properly for that. Sorry. I tried to make that as non-gross as possible but we all know it is. And that's just part of life, right? 

Moving on... I thought it would be fun to put together a collage of my baby bump so far. I have no idea why I decided to turn the opposite direction in week 20. Maybe I was feeling rebellious. Also, at the beginning I was planning on wearing the same outfit each week to watch it grow. Obviously I got bored of that pretty quick. I have pictures from before 14 weeks, but I feel like 14 was when there was a "real" bump there and not just something you pretended you saw to make me feel better, so that's where I started. And at the beginning I only took pictures every few weeks. Mostly because I felt like CRAP all the time and taking pictures was not my main priority. I've started to feel better in the recent weeks and although my nausea/vomiting isn't completely gone, it has become much more tolerable and I have no reason to complain. It's certainly better than back in July when I took a lovely trip to the hospital. It does get better! Sort of. (Can you tell I originally wrote this Saturday night just hours before my second trip to the hospital? Well played, life.)

So here she is. Our growing Baby Girl. 

*If you read my baby blog I'm sorry for the duplicate post. This was something I wanted to share on both! 

xo Sue

I love pictures printed on canvas. There's just something about them that's beautiful to me. I love that they don't need a frame and can stand on their own. I almost feel like I live in an art museum with canvas hanging on my wall. I wish I could be that fancy. So when we were given the opportunity to review a canvas print from Printcopia we were pretty thrilled about it!

I was so excited to receive my canvas print in the mail. It came just one week after the order was placed (I love when things ship fast). The ordering process was so easy too. Printcopia's website is very user friendly and they even do custom canvas sizes if you're looking for something specific. The quality of the printed picture is very impressive and I was surprised at the amount of detail put into the print. Of course the fact that the picture is of my baby makes it even more special to me. This beautiful canvas is something I will always treasure!

So, do you want one of your very own? Use the handy little gadget below and enter to win a completely customizable 8x10 canvas print from Printcopia.
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open for shipping in the continental United States only.

*We were given a free 8x10 canvas print in return for our honest review of the product. All opinions expressed are our own.*

xo Sue & Shelly

We've all heard (or been) pregnant women complaining. Pregnancy is no.fun. You're nauseous (if you're lucky like me that never goes away...), you ache all over, you're constantly tired (I slept at least 12 hours a day my first trimester), you can smell everything in a 10 mile radius, your back hurts every day, you can't sleep more than 4 hours straight, your hormones make you feel like a crazy person. Seriously, the list goes on (and every woman's list is different).

And yet somehow I love being pregnant. Because there is no feeling in the world that has ever come close to my daughter moving inside me. She does it all the time (and has for over 10 weeks now) and I get choked up every single time. It's the purest definition of magic that I can ever give. I never realized how much love I am capable of until this little miracle grew inside me. I now understand how much my Mommy loves me and it makes me appreciate her even more than I did before.

Most days I stare at my stomach in awe. Even though I know what's going on with my body I'm constantly amazed that she is there. She is tiny and perfect and she will be a part of this world so soon. We have just over 12 weeks left. That's it. I remember when I was 12 weeks pregnant, we'd just gotten our first ultrasound (I cried a lot) and I was feeling so icky that I was sure it would never end. Now the end is near and I'm feeling so many emotions that I can't even contain them all.

I wish I could share this feeling with my husband. When I'm busy vomiting in the toilet or staring at a blank wall because my body hurts too much to sleep, I sometimes think that he's so lucky he doesn't have to feel this way. Then Baby Girl will kick me (she ALWAYS knows just when I need it) and I realize that no, I am the lucky one. I get to feel this precious miracle moving, kicking, and rolling inside of me. If I rest my hand on my stomach she will move into it. If I sing to her she'll respond with wiggles. If I play music for her she'll kick in time with the beat. And no matter how I explain that to Aaron he can never truly feel the magic of it.

Somehow her wiggles make up for all the bad. They make it bearable. They make it all worth it. They even make me love being pregnant.

And just for fun, here's my little lady at 27 weeks! She's taking her sweet time popping out but I'm okay with that. She's my daughter which means she's extra stubborn and she'll do things on her own schedule. It's probably better if I just accept that now.

xo Sue

I know, colored jeans are so trendy. But they're so fun! And just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you can't be cute and trendy and have a little fun. I bought both the neon blue and hot pink jeans before I got pregnant (originally seen here). They're a little tight under my belly now but they still fit so I still wear them. I have a belly band I can wear with them to keep them up once they no longer button, but so far I haven't hit that point. The rest of these outfits are pre-maternity too (except my top in the very last picture, which has a big sparkly heart that I love). I didn't get super creative with these outfits, some days I just don't have it in me. But at least I got dressed! On sick days I really count that as a triumph. And yes, I'm wearing the same sparkly black shoes with all three outfits. They were my wedding shoes and I love them! And now my question to you my friends: What are/were your favorite pre-pregnancy clothes that you made work during pregnancy?

lace top: victoria's secret (about 3 years ago) // jeans: japanese boutique (similar) // shoes: rue 21

top: target // jeans: japanese boutique (similar)  // shoes: rue 21

top: japanese boutique // jeans: japanese boutique (similar) // shoes: rue 21 

xo Sue

Okay, I don't know how many of you readers enjoy Thai food but my husband and I love it! Especially when you involve peanuts in the mix. I found this recipe on Pinterest... (big surprise) but have changed it up a little. I read the reviews before I attempted it and most people said they altered it. The first time I tried it, I stuck fairly close to the original recipe and it was okay, not fabulous. Well, tonight was my second attempt and I changed it up quite a bit and LOVED IT!!! This was what I was looking for the first time around so I am glad I gave it another chance. So.... here is my wonderful (if I do say so myself!) version of:

Thai Peanut Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

2 medium onions, cut into wedges

3 medium carrots, sliced

1 small red pepper, cut into strips

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken, cut into small chunks

1 cup chicken broth

4 Tbsp chunky (or creamy) peanut butter

1/2 tsp finely shredded lime peel

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

4 tsp red curry paste

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup frozen peas (I left it out this time because Aaron doesn't like them much)

chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker add onions, carrots, and peppers.

2. Top veggies with chicken.

3. In a medium bowl, mix broth, peanut butter, lime peel, lime juice, soy sauce, tapioca, ginger, curry paste, and garlic well. Pour over the chicken and veggies. Cook for 5-6 hours.

4. Ten minutes before serving stir in the coconut milk (and peas if desired). Cover for 5 minutes more. Serve over rice and sprinkle peanuts on top.

Though there are quite a few ingredients in this dish it is worth it! Most of them save well until the next time you use them. My family has really enjoyed this tasty dinner and I hope that you will like it too! Let me know how your experience goes :)

xo Shelly

We meet new people every day. Some we'll probably never see again. Some we may see again but they won't have any significant impact in our lives. Some stay in our lives for a while. And a very few stay forever. People drift in and out of our lives every day and we don't think anything of it.

Sometimes there's a person who intentionally leaves our lives, and things change. It could be a bad breakup, a friendship that ends, or the death of a loved one. Sometimes it's a traumatizing event and sometimes it happens slowly over time and you don't realize it until it's over. Either way, things change.

Sometimes you have to let go of a negative influence in your life. It can be so hard but there are times it needs to be done. There are some people who are simply bad for you. Not that they're bad people, but they're bad for you. And if there's someone who drags you down it's okay to let them go.

Sometimes change is for the best. You have to open yourself up to new possibilities and experiences. A few years ago I went through the most heartbreaking thing I've ever known, divorce. At the time I couldn't see past it. It changed everything in my life. It was the darkest time I've ever gone through. Logic told me I wouldn't always feel so horrible but my heart didn't believe I'd ever recover.

Sometimes all you need is time. So I gave myself that. Once I let go of the negative, the depression, the pain, the heartbreak, and I moved on with my life, I found happiness that I never knew existed.

Sometimes life surprises you. Like meeting my husband. I was nowhere close to wanting to date but I was immediately drawn to him. There's just something special about Aaron. I was very upfront with him and told him we wouldn't be anything more than friends. He said he was okay with that and for a while that's all we were. Little did I know, I was falling in love without even realizing it.

Sometimes you just have to trust yourself. I was scared to let Aaron in but my instincts told me it would be worth it. So I trusted. But if I had never gone through the trauma of my past experiences I'd never have met Aaron. I truly know that. I wouldn't be married to this wonderful man and pregnant with my precious daughter. I don't know where I would be, but I wouldn't be here.

With the approaching birth of our daughter I've been reflecting a lot more than usual on just how lucky I am to be where I'm at. No, my life is definitely not perfect. I have trials and troubles like any other person, but I've learned that a positive attitude and a solid foundation of love can get you through so much. I am incredibly grateful for my life, both the good and the bad, because it has made me the person that I am today. And I really like her.

xo Sue

I found this recipe on Twitter with a title like- What to do with all that Halloween candy! This yummy treat sure put my leftover Reese's to work!

Reese's Peanut Butter Blondies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt

8 Reese's peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper- butter paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars until smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt- stir until moistened. Transfer batter to the pan and smooth out. Arrange peanut butter cups on top of the dough.

3. Bake 45-50 minutes until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. Lift out parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.

My family really enjoyed this little treat! It is very rich so you only need one square to be happy. I was very impressed with this recipe. I hope you all enjoy it!

xo Shelly

A year has passed and so much has changed. But not how much I love this man. He is the best part of my life. He makes my heart happy. Even when he makes me crazy I can't imagine my life without him. Our family has grown in size from 2 to 5 (Baby Girl counts because she's definitely part of the family already). Twink and Tally have brought joy into our home in the way that only sweet puppies can. Baby Girl has brought us the most unexpected and perfect happiness that we didn't even know existed. When we were married one year ago we weren't planning on growing our family so quickly, but life happens the way it does and we couldn't be happier about it. One beautiful year has gone by and there are many more to come. I love him. 

xo Sue

Hello to all of Sue's blogging friends! I will admit I laughed internally when Sue asked me to blog with her... If any of you have checked out my family blog you will see that I am just beginning this blogging thing and still have a lot to learn. My first thoughts were 'what on earth will I write about?" Luckily Sue said I can post about my Pinterest attempts which I am enjoying!

That aside, this first recipe was given to me by my neighbor out of an old cookbook. I made this last night for a small ward holiday party and it was a huge success for most people. My husband told me it tastes just like pumpkin pie (which he is not a huge fan of anyways) so I will leave it for you to decide for yourselves. I enjoyed this seasonal dessert very much!

Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients: 

Crust- 

1 package yellow cake mix (save out 1 cup)

1 egg

1/2 cup melted and cooled butter

Middle-

1 (1 lb 13 oz) can pumpkin

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

Topping-

1 cup cake mix

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp butter, softened

Directions:

Crust- Combine and press in bottom of greased 9x13 inch pan.

Middle- Mix ingredients and pour over top of crust.

Topping- On top of middle, crumble up topping mixture. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Check middle with a toothpick. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Yields 12 large servings.

Enjoy!

xo Shelly

We thought it would be fun this month to focus on the things we're thankful for in life. It's so easy to see the negative because there is plenty of it in this world but we want to actively think about the positive. So Shelly & I are making lists each week of the things that we're thankful for. If you have your own list leave us a link in the comments so we can visit you! Together we can celebrate the beauty that is life.

Sue's List

1. My husband. He is my favorite person and the best part of my life. He does so much for me and always reminds me of how special I am to him. He is the love of my life.
2. My daughter. She may not have made her official debut into this world but she is already everything to me (and Aaron). Her smallest movements make this whole pregnancy worth it and I'm counting the days until she'll be in my arms.
3. My puppies. They are so fun, full of energy, and always entertaining. They make me laugh when they play together and they're the best snugglers in the world.
4. My family. Not just my husband & daughter, but my parents, my siblings, and my in-laws. I am so lucky to have a wonderful, loving family. I know not everyone gets that and I am incredibly blessed.
5. My niece. I know, she's part of my family, but she's brand new and so very special to me that she gets listed by herself. She is the prettiest, happiest baby I know (until my daughter comes along and then there's two of them!). 
6. My husband's job. I'm so grateful for it because it allows me to be a stay-at-home wife and soon-to-be mom. I love that I have the opportunity to stay home with my daughter and raise her. I never thought it was something I wanted until the opportunity came to me. Now I can't imagine it any other way.
7. Technology. Because of amazing computers, internet, and cameras I have been able to stay in close contact with my family even when there are 5,000+ miles separating us. I can talk them any time I want and I've been able to share pictures of my pregnancy with the people who love me and can't be here by my side.

These are the big things. I suppose next week I'm going to have to think of the little (but still wonderful) things. Every day is beautiful. Every day has something to be thankful for. We just have to remember that.

xo Sue

Shelly's List

1. Aaron has been my best friend for over two years and I rely on him for everything. He is sweet and loving to our baby girl and I love watching them play together. I am grateful that he works hard to take care of our little family. I am also grateful that he loves me in spite of my many imperfections.
2. Lizzie is my darling angel. I am so thrilled that she chose to join Aaron and me on this earth. Some things I love about her are: the coy smile that she gives me when I get her up from her naps, the loud and shrill sounds that she makes trying to talk to me, her sweet little hands that grip mine so tightly when she practices standing. These are just a few of the things she does to melt my heart. I am thankful that she is healthy and happy and I love teaching her new things each day.
3. I am thankful to live in such a wonderful country that allows us the freedom of religion. I love the Lord and am grateful for His presence in my life. I can feel His love surround me. I am grateful to live in such a blessed nation.
4. I am grateful for chocolate :)

Okay so that last one is silly but true! I have a wonderful life and am trying to enjoy each and every day. Gratitude plays a big part in how we view our lives. The more grateful we are, the happier we seem to be. This will be a fun way to take a close look at what we really appreciate in life. Hope you all can find positive things in yours as well!

xo Sue & Shelly

If you take a look around you'll notice a few things are different here. My amazing sister Shelly is joining me as co-author of this little blog and I am so excited about it! Shelly is my very best friend in the whole wide world. She's 14 1/2 months younger than me and we grew up doing everything together. In school we got asked if we were twins even though back then I was obviously taller. Though she now outranks me in height (only by about 2 inches) I will always beat her in age. Now that I think about it I'm not sure that's something to be happy about.

When I was 19 I moved to New Jersey to be a live-in nanny for a wonderful family. I loved them and really enjoyed my time there but I was lonely. There was almost no one else my age anywhere close to me. So what did my sister do? She told me to find her a family to nanny and she'd come live close by and we'd have adventures together. I asked my boss to ask around and within days we had a job for Shelly only 10 minutes from the family I lived with. We spent an entire year there together taking day trips into New York City and pretending we were grown-ups. That year is one of the best memories I have and the time when Shelly and I really cemented our deep connection we'd had all our lives.

In March 2011 Shelly got engaged to Aaron (J). In May 2011 I got engaged to Aaron (C). In June 2011 Shelly got married. In November 2011 I got married. In June 2012 Shelly had her beautiful daughter (and seriously the cutest niece ever!), Elizabeth. And in February 2013 I will have my darling girl and Elizabeth's future best friend. We never planned to do all these things together but it sure is nice that it worked out that way.

Now Shelly and I live 5170 miles apart (Shelly in Utah, me in Japan) but we are as close as ever. We video chat during the week and text every day. She is still and always will be my best friend. So when I decided I wanted to change up my blog she was the first person I thought of to help me. We're both going through big transitions in our lives but the most important thing to both of us has always been family. Plus Shelly is the queen of actually MAKING the things she pins on Pinterest. Instead of just thinking about them like I do. There will still be my mushy, personal posts, but we're adding fun & easy recipes, creative ideas & crafts, the occasional outfit, maternity stuff, and mom-talk. It will be the culmination of two little mamas who just want to make life a little more fun.

We updated our "about" info, so go read About Sue & About Shelly to get to know us a little more. We hope you enjoy this new blogging adventure!

xo Sue & Shelly