200!

Today is a big day! It is my 200th blog post. I know this past year has been really slow, but I have made a new school year resolution (did you know you could do that? because you totally can!) to start blogging more often. How else can I hope to one day make a living off a monetized/sponsored blog? Hey, if other girls can do it then why not me?! I mean I have half a master's degree for pete's sake! If that's not sponsorship worthy than I don't know what is. Anywho, I digress.

In honor of my 200th blog post I'm going to tell you 200 awesome things!

Ok, that is a little ambitions so I'm not going to do it. But yesterday was one of those good days that makes people (namely speaking me) realize that as long as you do your very best the rest will work itself out.

First of all, I found out yesterday I received a scholarship. This is amazing because (1) the department had forgotten to inform me of said scholarship and (2) I did not expect to get any scholarship money!
It feels good to know that someone saw me as a student with enough potential to want to help fund my education! The faith shown in me by some generous stranger helped me to resolve to do my very best this year in school. And I'm going to hold myself to that. I don't want to let myself or my donor down!!

Second of all, I bought my books from amazon for less than $200!

Third of all, I proceeded to dig up all my old text books sitting around the house and sold those books to amazon for MORE than $200!

I mean what a financially fantastic day!

Oh, and I got to ride a giant swing at a rope's course.

And I made yummy shepard's pie for my husband (because I have one of those now). And I got this awesome T-shirt. And I was published . . . kind of.

And in honor of the happy 200 here are some fun moments from the honey moon in Townsend, Great Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. 

And no one has ever even seen these so be excited!!!

Food Stuff

I do love baking. It was a hobby I kind of lost touch of last year with the first year of graduate school kicking my butt and all. And let's not forget about how disheartening Tony's debacle of a birthday carrot cake was!

But I have had some time recently to get back in the habit, and I have realized that I missed it a lot! For me, making something beautiful and tasty out of just a bunch of ingredients is awesome! So in honor of my return to the world of baking I present to you the evolution of a red velvet cake:

Can you say yum?

And how about that cheesecake I made on Sunday:

Maybe not the prettiest thing but it was delicious. I was daydreaming about it all morning and afternoon during my Sherpa training only to walk home today in the hot 95 degree weather (my cheeks are burnt!) to discover that my husband and his best friend had made quick work of it for lunch today. :(

Oh, and I made caramel creme brulee the other day as well. I don't know if it was because I added too much water to the sugar while caramelizing it or the fact that Tony and I decided to make it at about 11:00 p.m. or a combination of the both but it remained in a liquidy state even after an entire night of cooling in the fridge. So you know what we did?

We covered it with some raw sugar, torched it with my fancy new butane torch, and ate it just the same. It was delicious!


***All recipes curtesy of Bon Appetit Desserts cookbook. It was a good investment! Even if it is making me a bit fat.

Rachel Finley Torres

I am married now. With the craziness of wedding week (just ask Jessica!), honeymoon week, and move-in week life has been a little out of control. The next two weeks aren't really looking better because they are (1) orientation week and (2) first week of the last year of school!

But I have some pretty interesting stuff I will try to get around to talking about soon including (but certainly not limited to!):

• A WEDDING
• A husband
• A reception
• A bear
• A new apartment
• A biopsy 
• A jiggly/runny but tasty creme brulee

And I know these are all on facebook, but it was my wedding and I wasn't the one taking pictures so what can I do?! Enjoy them anyways please!! And don't worry I will post when I get the rest of the wedding pics from the photographer who did an EXCELLENT job! Thank you Gracephotography!

Just some quick recaps

We went to the HP 7: Part 2 Premiere. I feel like a part of my childhood is officially over. I have been reading these books since I was 12, and now it is done. However, I do hear that Harry Potter isn't quite done yet because of a new little website launching July 31st. Pottermore.com

Blickenstaff's is by far the most fun toy store in Provo, and the Riverwoods is becoming one of my favorite places to go because of the food, stores, and general ambiance. Tony and I enjoyed a fun date night there on Friday and Saturday last weekend. On Friday night we walked around and then got a caramel apple at Rocky Mountain Candy, and then we went back on Friday to play in Blickenstaff's and eat at La Jolla Grove. Their orange creme brulee is to die for!

Just a few suggestions if you decide to visit La Jolla Grove:

1.) Don't be freaked out. I have been wanting to go for the past 6 months and was too afraid that the place would be $50 a plate and never tried it. Turns out the most expensive thing on the menu is $16.

2.) The fruit and cheese plate is yummy!

3.) So is the potato and leek soup

4.) And the turkey sandwich

5.) You HAVE to try the creme brulee.

Oh and did I mention I'm getting married in less than two weeks?!?!!?!? Because I am!

Summer Tastes like . . .

Watermelon.

Or maybe watermelon tastes like summer. Needless to say, I love watermelon. It is one of my favorite things to eat in the summer. I mean if summer had a taste it would be the taste of watermelon.

I fully enjoyed having watermelon (cut two ways) at our late night BBQ on Monday.

Tony likes his watermelon with salt. I do NOT. Yuck!

And a few more shots from the late night BBQ. Taken with my new iPhone hipstamatic app! Awesome huh?

*

* Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs, may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

This steak was by far the rawest piece of meat I have ever eaten that was not Sushi. I think the thing was still mooing. I suppose that's what happen when you grill in the dark and guess as to the doneness of the meat. Oops. Luckily it has been four days, and I have no foodborne illnesses to report.

And here's a little treat from my ward's sidewalk chalk party yesterday. Sidewalk chalk . . . doesn't it bring back memories?

My Little Nephew

My youngest nephew . . . who is actually my great-nephew . . . is a funny kid. He always has been. Last week I got two different picture messages that pretty much made my week!

This is a rocket ship Gage made for Jessica.

This one is of Gage trying on my wedding veil. My mom called me and told me she found a veil that she really likes and did I want her to buy it. I told her I needed to see it because I didn't understand what it looked like from the description. A few minutes later, this amazing picture popped up on my phone. It made me chuckle a lot.

I gave the go ahead to buy the veil.

Gage is a good sport.

A Tale of Two (but really just one) iPhones

I have only wanted one of these things for about forever now. 

I must say it is pretty sweet.

I must also say that the AT&T salespeople are not so much. 

I mean what kind of ethics does a person who neglects to tell a person that they cannot get a new phone until after they have signed the contract? I mean really! He knew what we wanted and he knew what he was doing. I don't appreciate being tricked by a salesman . . . not one little bit. 

In a few days I am sure I will start to wonder how I lived without the thing. I mean how did I survive when I had to listen to the 7, 10, 12, etc. messages I would let sit in my inbox because it was quicker just to call my mom back than to listen to the message first. But then I would get that one message I need to listen to and it would go something like this:

"Hi Rachel this is . . . ." beeeep this message has now been deleted.

"It's mom" beeeeep this message has now been deleted.

"Hi it's" beeeeeeeeep this message has now been deleted.

"Hi Rachel this is . . . ." beeeep this message has now been deleted.

"It's mom" beeeeep this message has now been deleted.

"Hi it's" beeeeeeeeep this message has now been deleted.

Then finally, I would get to the message I needed. 

NO MORE. I can now pick and choose which voicemails to listen to. As a matter of fact, I can choose to simply delete a voicemail and not even listen to it first. Be still my heart! I think I might be letting this newfound power go to my head a little bit.

Also, I am becoming even more obsessed with Shabby Apple these days and I received this dress in the mail today:

I am really excited about this dress.  I bought this dress as a wedding getaway outfit because I recently learned that you are apparently supposed to have such things for your wedding. 

And I say if there is any excuse to buy yourself a cute dress . . . do it!

Also, in case you missed it, visit our wedding website at racheltony.ourwedding.com

And recently due to an early and unexpected relocation of a couple of Europeans, we get to start moving into our apartment early. More details and a new mailing address to come!