Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from your favorite potato pals!

Angela and Andrew's Wedding

As I mentioned in my last post, I had the honor of being a bridesmaid to my good friend Angela two weeks ago as she was married. Angela is what I can only describe as a kindred spirit. John and I are truly blessed to know her and Andrew.  We just get each other. Those are the best kinds of friendships --  you don't have to use words.  You share the same dreams, values and ideals and it is uplifting to be in one another's company.

Their wedding was nothing short of a perfect day. The spirit was rich in the church they were married. I loved how the Priest talked about how with each marriage that takes place the entity of marriage is strengthened across the world. I felt strengthened in my own marriage as I saw them join their lives as one.

It was a long but fun day. We took photos after the wedding at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford house, and they were just stunning.  If you live in the Detroit area you should definitely check it out, it is definitely worth a tour. 

The reception was a ton of fun, we danced the night away. Here are some of my favorite photos I captured from the day: 

 

Getting ready for the big day with  Angela's Mom, Nonna and Maid of Honor Jessica

John said he was the "entourage" to the entourage. He was there all day helping and hanging out. And isn't he studly?

Walking down the aisle after the wedding.

Andrew and Angela were married at Grotto Assumption Catholic Church. It was a simply perfect day.

Celebrating!

I love this one! They are some of our favorite friends.

Hanging with some AGD's plus Bekah!

Happy Couple! I got to sit by Andrew and his brother Mark (best man) during the reception.
Andrew and Angela both have awesome families.

Fathers Day in Texas

John and I went to Dallas for Father's Day and celebrated my dad a little bit. It was fun visiting my parents and sisters and getting to relax for a weekend. Joey (John's youngest brother) drove down from Little Rock with me, it was fun getting to know him better and chat on the car ride. Joey really enjoys doing magic tricks and had my whole family pretty convinced. One night my mom woke up to my sister screaming while we were there. It was because Lauren was screaming "But I  THOUGHT MAGIC WASN'T REAL??!" Joey may have had her convinced :)

me and my momma. Isn't she gorgeous?

Tough guys sporting staches

Hello, Hello!

Hello, hello!

It has been way too long. Life has been a whirlwind and I haven't really felt like blogging. Sometimes I feel guilty about this -- but ultimately I blog because it is something I enjoy doing so there is no value in getting too worked up about it.

Since we last chatted....

John-David finished his PhD! I am now the proud wife of Dr. McElderry.

We spent a week travelling in Northern Michigan with our families. Michigan is truly a spectacular state. I swam in the chilly Lake Superior for the first time. My mom and I were like teenagers and went in with our clothes on.

I began travelling full time to Little Rock, Arkansas for work. It stinks being away from John-David, but I love getting to be near his family and getting to know the in-laws (and nieces and nephews) better.

Sister in Law & my nephew I get to see often

One of my best friends, Angela Lee got married and I had the honor of being one of her bridesmaids.

John and I have spent much time dreaming, praying,  planning, applying, interviewing and generally trying to figure out what is next in our lives. We still don't have any firm plans but know we will be in Michigan until the end of December.

We have an exciting fall coming up with a lot of exciting travel and probably a lot more praying, dreaming, applying and so forth. It is sometimes unsettling not knowing what is next. But much of the time... it is exciting. We are at a unique and incredible turning point in our life -- the world is truly our oyster.

Almost there...

Guess who is almost finished with his PhD?

This studly man!!! He is the ying to my yang, the peanut butter to my jelly, my one and only!

I cannot express how proud I am of him and all he has accomplished. 

His defense is in T minus 4 days!  This is a photo of us dropping off his dissertation for final review. 180 pages of pure, unadulterated text that I can not really comprehend.

 If you can, please send him some encouraging thoughts/notes/texts/vibes this week and he prepares for this huge milestone!

Over and out for now... regular posting to hopefully resume shortly. 

Made me laugh...

Lately I have found myself adding comics to my rss feed. They relieve stress, make me laugh and brighten my day. 

Here are some of the comics that I have especially enjoyed lately. Some I think are written just for me they are so familiar.

from XKCD. Lol. I am bringing home the bacon. Turkey bacon at least!

From Graph Jam. This happens to me every day.

I currently am addicted to Dilbert... 

More awesome Dilbert. 

From XKCD. This one makes me sad. But so true!

And of course the obligatory Pinterest finds that made me literally laugh out loud somewhat embarrassingly wherever I was when I was wasting time on Pinterest.

I have the best couch ever. I think it is more comfortable than my bed sometimes. 

I have this hanging in my cube. Some days ... people are just haters!!

Fortunately I have trained my husband to know the difference :)

Do you follow any comics? Which do you like best?

The Best Black Beans

This weekend, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I made a handful of Tex-Mex dishes that came out really great. The black bean dish featured below was an absolute hit and now is my go to bean recipe when I make Mexican Food. It really is that good.

It uses a pressure cooker, which I know seems a little scary. I was pretty skeptical when I first tried out my pressure cooker recipe, and now my pressure cooker is my BFF! You can essentially get the same results of slow cooking something for hours with only 20 minutes or so in a pressure cooker. I do this for roasts and stews, as well as any kind of beans I make. Also -- typically pressure cookers  come with a big price tag -- so check out a local thrift store before making the plunge. I got mine for about $7 at the Kiwanis club in Ann Arbor.


And now -- to the deliciousness.


The Best Black Beans
Ingredients: 

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup bell pepper chopped
• 1 jalapeno diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups (about 1 pound) dried black beans picked over and rinsed
• 5 cups chicken broth
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

In a 6-quart pressure cooker over medium-high heat, pour in 3 tablespoons oil. Add bell pepper, jalapeno and onions and cook about 5 minutes, until all are "sweaty". Throw in the garlic and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute more. Add the beans and give a good stir. Pour in the chicken broth; add the remaining tablespoon of oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, and a couple of grindings of pepper. Following the manufacturer's instructions, cover, lock the lid, and bring to high pressure. Lower heat to maintain pressure and start timing. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Release the steam, again following the manufacturer's directions. If the beans are underdone, simmer them with the lid off until tender. Remove bay leaf and discard.Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cook's note: The oil prevents the beans from foaming and clogging the steam vent of the pressure cooker

I hope you enjoy!

p.s. Of course this is stored in my wonderful Plan to Eat recipe manager. I am on week 7 of using it and I am as addicted as ever.