My new favorite appetizer

So at my cousin Brook's wedding, she had these appetizers, and they were really good. They are called Creamy Dill Cucumber Toasties. I decided I needed to get the recipe and make them myself. I went to Raley's and got the ingredients, and made them today. They were a huge hit with my family, and tasted just like I remember them. Above are some pictures of the finished product. Below is the recipe...enjoy!

Creamy Dill Cucumber Toasties

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch thick circles
1 cucumber, sliced
2 teaspoons dried dill weed

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, dressing mix and mayonnaise.
Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on a slice of bread, and top with a slice of cucumber. Sprinkle with dill. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Jenni has a Facebook!

Okay so today I forced Jenni into getting a Facebook. She doesn't really want one, but everyone else has one, so why not her? She told me she is going to delete it, but I told her she isn't. Anyway, you can search for her on Facebook under Jenni C Torgersen. Look her up and tell her to keep it haha.

The Jelly Belly Factory

Gavin & I

This picture is made out of nothing but Jelly Beans! Crazy!

These mirrors didn't really work that well.

Jenni, Gavin, Leah, Jack, and I went on a tour of the Jelly Belly factory! None of us had ever been before, so it was cool to see how Jelly Beans were made.

Gavin & Leah trying to be cool haha.

After the factory tour, we grabbed a bite to eat at IN-N-OUT and then hit the Vacaville Outlets. You could spends days going through all those stores. There were tons of great deals too!

On the way home, we were playing some music, and to my surprise, Gavin knew all the words to this song! I couldn't believe it hahaha. It was so funny that we decided to record it. It was a great day, we had a lot of fun, and hope to go back again soon.

Rexburg here I come!

So I just couldn't stand being away from all of my friends from school, so I have planned a trip back to see them next month. I bought my plane ticket the other day, and will be there Feb. 6th through the 17th, which means I will be there on Valentines Day. I guess I'll need to get a valentine! Anyway, I can't wait. I am staying with some friends at their apartment, and am gonna have a blast. It will be so fun to see everyone again...and trust me, I'll have tons of pictures for you when I get back. Rexburg here I come!

Spontaneous trips are the best

A few weeks ago, Jenni & I decided to go to Sacramento for the evening. Even though we didn't leave Chico until about 4pm, it was still nice to get away for the night.

The first place we went was the Galleria Mall at Roseville. After doing some window shopping there, we went across the street to Nordstroms Rack. We didn't buy anything, but it was fun to look.

After the mall, we went to the Fountains shopping center. By the time we got there around 8pm, it was closed, but the fountains were still going, so we were able to enjoy those.


We found a fire that we were able to sit by to warm up with...it was a nice night, but a little cold.

Taking pictures in the car is kind of a tradition with me, so this is one that we came up with. I laugh so hard whenever I see this picture of Jenni. Hahahaha

After spending some time at the Fountains shopping center, we stopped at one of Jenni's favorite stores, Whole Foods. I had never been in one before, but it was pretty cool, and wish we had one closer to Chico. We found a coconut and for some reason, thought that it would taste like a pina colada, but that is not what it tasted like at all. It was really watery and didn't taste good. We each took a sip of it and that was enough for us.

Our last stop of the night was at The Cheesecake Factory. We had to wait for a little bit, but it was well worth it.

I had the bbq chicken salad with onion rings on top....mmm mmm good!

Jenni had a salad with all the dressings on the side...it was huge! At the end of the night, we were stuffed and don't think we could have eaten anything else. I had a great time, and hope that I can do it again soon. Thanks Jenni for a great night away from reality!!! :)

Last night of Fall Semester with the girls :(

Heidi & I

For some reason, we had a lot of Mountain D0

Brittany & I

I think Heidi was hopped up on Mountain Do a little too much haha.

Fall semester went by way too fast. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was moving into my apartment and getting ready for the first day of classes. When I first got to school, I didn't like it too much. It was a new place, I didn't know anyone, and I was away from my family. As time went on, I got used to living on my own, going to class, and I started to meet a lot of people I can now call my friends. I had an amazing time at BYU-I and would recommend it for anyone. I don't think that people who haven't gone to BYU-I can understand what it's like there. It is a place unlike anything or anywhere I have ever been. Pretty much everyone that lives in Rexburg is LDS, and there is a spirit there that you can't get anywhere else. It was nice to be able to hang out with friends and go places and not have to worry about what we were going to do, and if the party was going to be appropriate. There was never a question as to if we should go to someones house, or if we should go to a party. Yes, my circle of friends did change pretty quickly at the beginning of the semester. You might have noticed that some of the people featured in my blog postings at the start of the semester are not included in more recent postings. After a while, you find out who your real friends are, and who actually cares about you as a person, and not for just your car, for your apartment, or for your money. I have made friends that I hope will last a lifetime, and so far it seems like they will. It's the people that stay in touch after the semester is over that are your true friends. The people that are there for you even though they aren't physically there. If I could re-live those 3-4 months of Fall semester, I would in a second. If you or anyone you know is thinking about going to any of the church universities, I highly recommend it. Last semester also taught me a lot, not just temporally, but spiritually as well. I was talking to my friend Heidi, and I was telling her I was having a hard time being away from school. She told me that for some reason, Heavenly Father wanted me at BYU-I last semester, and for some reason, Heavenly Father wanted me in California now. She said that I blessed their lives while I was there, and that I'll bless someones here in California. We don't always know why we are where we are, or why something happens, and we don't always need to know. We just need to have faith in the Lord, and know that whatever happens, it is in the Lords hands, and that as long as we do what we can to choose the right and do our best in any situation we are placed in, he will do the rest and make up whatever is left. Even though last semester went by quickly, not only was I there for my education, I was there to learn many life lessons that I will benefit from for the rest of my life. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend Brigham Young University Idaho last semester. It is a time that I will remember for the rest of my life.