Dear Tanya,

We celebrated your birthday on Saturday.  You slept until 9:30 so we all got to sleep in.  For breakfast you enjoyed an egg and sausage "face" that "Nickle Pickle" made for you. We had a brief visit at the doctor's office to make sure you don't have TB. We don't want you infecting any kids you come around! Happy to report you are TB-free. All the Quinns called to say Happy Birthday. You felt special to have so many people care about you.

You got to go shopping and picked out a new outfit. It matches and everything! Angela had you over for a birthday barbeque dinner then everyone came over for games and cake.



You were SO excited for that cake!



Your favorite present was delivered as a surprise from Tom. You were so happy you started to cry, but you were also sad that Tom couldn't be there with you. It's so cute. You're always saying "Tom is my bestest friend."



You're getting bigger every day!  I need to start giving you more vegetable snacks.  It makes me happy, though, to see what a good eater you are. You aren't picky and eat everything I put in front of you.  You love grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and your eyes light up every time I let you have some Pepsi. You love to be in the kitchen and often say "when I grow up I want to have my own cooking show." I think your love of being on stage in front of big audiences also plays a part in that goal.

You are running now which is a recent development and I get so excited to see that you enjoy it.  You love to swim and get antsy to go to the pool each time the sun comes out.

I'm excited for this year ahead of you. I pledge to be better for you and will help you become your best self.

Love,
Tanya

The Call

Listen to the song I just added to my music playlist. It's the last song on the list. "The Call", performed by Regina Spector. It's the song from the latest "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian." I really like it and I like the message.

I'm just going to leave it at that. You can ask me about how I feel about the message sometime. Here are the lyrics.

It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry

I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never
Been this way before

All you can do is try to know
Who your friends are
As you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light

You'll come back
When it's over
No need to say good bye

Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and now one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger ans stronger
'Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back
When it's over
No need to say good bye

Hero For A Night

My brothers and I have another game tonight. I believe our record now stands at 5-2. Our win last week was the stuff of legends; you should have seen it. The other team was obviously the better, and after the first inning they were up 12 runs. Their bats were thunder-sticks and their mitts were a wall of inescapable vacuums. As you can imagine, we were quite intimidated, and all but defeated. But, just as we were about to abandon all hope, something in our defense switched on, and we were able to hold them to only three more runs the rest of the game as we continued to chip away at their gigantic lead. We sat at the bottom of the last inning 15-15 with one out. There was a man on first and third, and I was up to bat. With one out I only had to hit the ball deep enough for the man on third to tag up and make the run for home. This would seem like a very simple task to the average player, but seeing as how I stand just below average when compared to the rest of the league, I was a little skeptical as I stepped up to the plate. While standing there I became increasingly aware of the dumb things we yell from the dugout, things like "good eye" when the pitchers ball drops a foot short of the plate, and is obviously unhitable. But, we say these things to be supportive and to keep our mouths busy, not actually to congratulate our teammate for avoiding a truly crap pitch, that if swung at would bring endless ridicule.

I allowed this mindless banter to drift to the background as I focused on the pitcher. He was my enemy and I was determined to send him home contemplating quiting the game of softball forever. I didn't just want to beat him, but to crush him, humiliate him, and if possible, cause a marital rift that would tear his family apart, leading to a plunge in his work productivity, which would result in his dismissal, causing the loss of his home and friends, leaving him penniless and broken. I didn't know it then, but looking back I wanted all these things. In the end there was less drama than I would have hoped. I didn't wait for the full count, but took the very first pitch within reach. I swung with all my might, and despite separating many of the muscles in my back and pulling my groin, I sensed the ball connect with the bat in what I like to call "the sweet spot." It was magnificent. The ball sored out, out, out of the infield, landing just past the second baseman, in a place I like to call "the hole", a place where "easy outs" turn into singles, a place where mediocre ball player's dreams come true.
The crowd was uncontrollable (by crowd I mean the three supportive wives) as our man on third made an easy run home bringing the score to 16-15 and ending the game. The air was chill, the stars were out, and I glowed like a pregnant woman as I reveled in the taste of the first sports success of my life.

Sincerely,
Thomas

7 minutes in heaven? Try 2 days!

At Disneyland that is. It was by far the best Disneyland experience ever! I went with my sisters: Connie, Michelle and Nicole. Here are a few highlights, and a lot of pictures.

Within the first hour, we got on 4 rides. We then went on all the rides we could possibly want to multiple times, and even a few Nicole wanted, like Alice in Wonderland. I kid Nicole. I love Alice in Wonderland. The longest wait for a ride was 30 minutes.

The second day we went to Disney's California Adventure which is really fun. I didn't know anything about it going in, but loved it all.

Tower of Terror: You're in an "elevator" and you don't just drop; you go up and down and don't know which way you'll go next. It was great.

California Screamin': Normally on big roller coaster rides you slowly start up the first big hill. Not the case! They count down from 5, then SHOOT you across a speedway and up the first hill.

California Adventure is great for families. It's mainly shows and activities. There are Disney characters walking around everywhere. Some of my favorite activities:

Beast's library: you answer questions and Lumier tells you which Disney character you are most like. I am like Dot the Ant from "Bug's Life" and Mrs. Potts from "Beauty and the Beast."

Ursula's Grotto: you sing or act along with a scene from a Disney movie then it plays back with your voice over the original. I was in heaven.

Here are some pictures of our days. I threw in a picture of a "the happiest mullet on Earth."

The Happiest Place on Earth

Here it comes: cheeseball romantic details of my marriage that you may not care about. Guess what? I don't care! I can't help but declare from the blogging rooftops my intense love for my husband, Thomas Arthur Quinn. May 16Th will be our 5-year anniversary and sadly we will be apart. We're spending the summer down in California. That's right, we chose to move to Bakersfield during its peak hot season. We're crazy like that. That's just one more piece of evidence of Tom's love for me. He's willing to MELT all summer long just so I can be closer to my family. In any case, I have come down early to find a job while Tom finishes up some work in Heber.

We will be apart for over 3 weeks, which is the longest by far that we've been separated, and it's killing me. I'm only one week into it and contemplating jumping a train, changing my name to Bojangles, pasting my hair, or someone else's, to my cheeks, all in the hopes that I could safely arrive in Heber Utah just to see him before donning another disguise to return home. Why the disguise? I don't know; that's how crazy being apart is making me!

I'd like now to wander through the wooded glen of mushy feelings. You're welcome to join me. You're also welcome to skip this entire blog entry and go watch something on youtube. To each his own.

Tom loves Waterworld. I love Babes in Toyland. Tom came from a family of all boys, while I came from a predominately girl family. Tom loves Meatloaf. I love to eat meatloaf. Tom loves mountain biking. I never learned how to ride a bike. We are incompatible on so many levels, but I want to tell you how I feel about compatibility. We are not the same, because that would be boring. But we are compatible. We just fit together. We each bring a unique perspective to life. I know Tom has enlightened mine. He continues to teach me, help me discover more of who I am, and patiently helps me become the woman I want to be.

I always ask Tom, "why are you so good to me?" He replies each time, "because I love you." I always know he means it. It's not a competition, and he's not looking for anything in return. I pray every day to find ways to be good to him. He deserves the best, and I want to be my best for him.

Here's a list of great things Tom does, that I don't deserve, but I love:

1. When I say, "oh I'm so thirsty." and we're lying in bed and he was in bed before me, he'll get up and go get me a big glass of ice water, even though I'll inevitably only take 3 sips before falling asleep.
2. He loves me even after I eat eggs. Nothing further.
3. He cuddles with me all through the night.
4. He shops with me, which I don't make him do often.
5. He listens to me as I work things out audibly, even when I don't want an answer.
6. He supports me going back to school before he finishes.
7. He does the dishes. He loves to do dishes. It's crazy!
8. He sings me lullabies every time I ask him to, even though I'm 25.
9. We do tradsies; I rub his shoulders for 5 minutes and he rubs mine for 50.

Here's a list of things that just make me gaga for Tom:

1. His blue eyes.
2. He's so excited for Christmas that he gets up at 4:00 am and walks around the neighborhood, waiting for everyone else to wake up.
3. Whenever he performs: comedy, music, sports.
4. His Christopher Walkin impersonation.
5. His 100% home teaching record, not because it's a record, but because he has a love for and testimony of the work that makes it not work.
6. When he laughs at goofy things I say until he cries, not because they're witty, but because he loves me and I can see it.
7. His family. I met Tom's family two weeks into our dating and just fell in love with them, possibly before I fell in love with him.
8. He holds my hand, even when we're driving in the car.
9. He continues to dream and dream big!
10. His freckles, all of them.

I will be able to bare being away from Tom for our anniversary because I know that we can be together forever. I pray each day that I will live worthy of him. I could be doing the most exciting activity on earth, but without Tom, it's just not complete. I could be doing the most boring, mundane nothingness, but when Tom's there, it becomes the happiest place on Earth.


I love you baby.

Lately

So, remember when I won Gold at the college level in a competition I didn't compete in? Well, I had a chance to prove myself and I'm happy to report I didn't fall flat on my face. In fact, I took the Gold record at State and will be competing at the National competition in June! I want so badly to write more, but here's an update on why I can't write much.

I am enjoying school immensely and I get to bake and decorate beautiful desserts. School is from 8:00am to 1:30pm. From there I go to work from 2:00 to 8:30pm and then home and to bed.

I got a job at Cirque Lodge, the rehab facility to the rich and the famous. I get to cook for 50 people and am exposed to diverse and fabulous menus each day. That's all for now. I'm tired ya'll!

Here's one for the road:

We had a scholarship ball to raise money for the culinary program. I made those desserts with my class. They were insanely intricate and time-consuming. I loved every minute of it!

Success!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Well, I've officially catered my first event. It was only possible through the generosity of U.V.U. and the hours of help from family. My sweet Tom came and helped me in the kitchen for long hours and worked with me every step of the way. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. Even when I was exhausted, I was still enjoying myself.

I made roasted chicken with a mushroom infused veloute sauce (fancy word for chicken gravy), fresh roasted vegetable medley, rice pilaf, pear and caramelized pecan salad with a red onion vinaigrette and of course rolls and butter. I made everything from scratched. I rendered (cut) all the meat from whole chickens, chopped all the vegetables, made the sauce with chicken stock- the whole works. Friday I was up from 6:00a.m. to 1:00a.m. prepping food out and was up the next morning again at 6:00a.m. to begin the day.

I forgot to take pictures of the food, but it tasted good. I also forgot to take a picture of the drink table. I know the table centerpieces weren't big of fancy, but we just wanted a little something to make the luncheon special. I wish I had taken a picture of the room. The crisp, clean look of all the matching tables looked great.

I think we did a great job considering we couldn't get into the church until half an hour before the luncheon began! There was another activity before us that ran late. There are definitely a lot of things I'd change for next time, but it was all behind the scene things. My main concern was that the bride would be pleased. She was concerned with having her luncheon in the cultural hall and wanted it to be nice. My family helpers all dressed in black and white and served the food and cleared plates, and worked their fannies off! I loved the look on the bride's mother's face when she realized they didn't have to clean up. It felt good to know I had a part in making their special day achieve its "specialness."

Opportunity Knocks Me Out

In my life, I've only held two jobs that I was willing to keep for more than the summer, or the winter. or whatever the appropriate season- shoeing horses and building picture frames. Not too long ago I was "laid off" as a frame builder, which story may very well become the subject of another blog. And, as the horseshoeing season has not officially begun, I find myself once again among the unlucky and unemployed. This would not be nearly as alarming if I were 21 and single. But, as I am married, and nearing my thirties, a decade of life that should be marked by the unfathomable possibilities of success, and the hopes of settling into a rhythm and career that would allow me the rock hard stability of a professional foundation, I am faced with the terrifying prospect of interviewing for jobs that I have as much training and experience in as a high school graduate.
As I am trained for little else, applying at Michaels for a picture framing position seemed like the next logical step. My application rose straight to the top of what was no doubt an enormous stack, disappointing hundreds of picture framing hopefuls. An interview was scheduled at my soonest convenience, and the manager bent over backwards to accommodate my every whim.
The interview was flawless- a study in professional communication. Rhoda, my interviewer praised me up and down for my years of experience and for my obvious need for no further training. I would be, in her words, "an incalculable asset to the store." Now full of myself, I determined that this job and I would be the perfect marriage. I had been honing my craft for years, learning the ins and outs of frame building and picture framing so that I might arrive at this place , under these circumstances- the union of the perfect job with the perfect employee. "We would like you to start right away," she said. "That would be great," I said. "It would be wonderful if you could work the morning schedule," she added. "That would be my preference as well," I returned. "We are prepared to start you at eight dollars an hour," she said "Tpbbbbpbbbpbbbtpbbbbbbbbpbbtpbbbb," I said. Actually, I never said that last part. It was merely the sound of me filling my pants with disappointment. So, this is what I was worth. The realization was sobering, to say the least. My years of experience and training, my knowledge and skills, my apparent value to company, had all brought me to this very depressing and sadly avoidable point-- the beginning.

Sincerely,
Thomas

What I Used To Think

I've made a break through; turned a corner; leapt from the plateau, on which I have spent so many years without direction or resolve. This blog is a testament to that. Also, I recently enrolled in aviation classes to pursue a life-long goal. And, after at least 21 years of nail biting, I've called it quits.
A long study of my life has lead me to analyze the deeply-rooted beliefs I had accepted as a child, and which have corrupted my ability to function as a normal adult.
Some of my more crippling and heinous misunderstandings are as follows:

1. The monster under my bed can only grab my feet if I set them down right next to it, due to its tiny arms and lack of "Bed Monster Commitment."
2. Falling asleep is just a shorter version of dying, making the prospect of being unconscious absolutely terrifying, and giving "bedtime" the same connotation as "death sentence."
3. "Ninja Turtle" is a reasonable career decision.
4. Any child can overcome the fear of bullies or even the effects of physical handicaps through the purchasing of "fast shoes."
5. Girls are lame.
6. When watching an action movie, declaring "I'm him!", or "That's me!", in connection with movie characters, can determine the pecking order for the rest of the night, and dictates who can punch whom without recourse or retaliation.
7. My parents often drug me to get me to sleep, because I can never seem to make it past the opening credits of Saturday Night Live, no matter how hard I try.
8. The correct lyrics to Jimmy Hendrix' "Purple Haze" are "'scuse me while I kiss this guy".
9. Snakes in the sewer can swim up the pipes and bite you on your pooper.
10. Teachers are not real people, but farmed and bread for the express purpose of being cold and authoritative figures without first names. Those seen in the real world doing normal people activities are braking serious teacher rules, and should be reported.
11. All dogs are male and all cats are female, and that puppies and kittens are a direct result of a long and complicated courtship, which included dinners out and other pre-planned activities.
I can see now that a flawed seed will only produce flawed fruit, or no fruit at all. But, my corruption of yesteryear has been purged and set afire, and the soil prepared for a whole new season of sewing.
One fact I still hold to be true: Choosing your school picture background carefully can cause even the most skeptical of people to believe you really were in space.....in a space station.....made entirely of lasers.



Sincerely,
Thomas

Beware

I've had to change my security level on my comments. Some dummy stranger left a comment that has a link that might be a virus link, so I deleted it and will notify Blogger but until I feel safe it will be a little trickier to leave comments, but I'd hate for one of you to somehow link in to a virus!

Love,
Tanya

Magic Spell

So, I was browsing Pyzam for a new template and in my excitement almost dropped the glass balls I was juggling! They have a David Bowie as Jareth from Labyrinth template! I was instantly ready to switch my template over when I remembered how much time it takes to put my sidebars back in. It made me seriously question my commitment to David Bowie. Did I not love him enough to change a simple blog template? Could that sub-par level of affection withstand the storms that threaten all great love? Do I really deserve someone wonderful like Jareth? Think about it: he doesn't discriminate against you just because you may be tall, short, hairy, an ogre, or baby. He loves kids. He can sing. He loves masquerade parties and what woman doesn't wish her husband would drug her, dress her up, and take her to a masquerade?! I've survived this long loving a man in ballerino tights who has a fascination with small children that I can only describe as disturbing. I'm sure I can hold on to the good memories hard enough to keep this crush going well into my old age.


Then again, maybe I need help.

Quinn Snow Day

I need to stop blogging at 1:00 a.m. Maybe I'll post more later when my mind can actually form coherent thoughts, but suffice it to say that we had a lot of fun tubbing last Saturday.

Valentine

First and most important: every reader or peruser of my blog must click on the link to Ben, my brother in law, Tom's brother. Tom and Ben made their first film. They have so many great ideas and a great help and friend in Garret Batty, of Three Coin Productions. "My Valentine" was chosen to produce first because of Valentine's Day of course. So go watch it. It's hilarious!!

Second, we had a wonderful Valentine's. On Thursday I had a lot of studying to do for a big test Friday so we just watched our niece and nephew while Ben and Kat got some well-deserved alone date time. We celebrated last night. We went to a Utah Grizzlies hockey game. They were playing the Bakersfield Condors! I had to fight the urge the whole game to yell out "I'm from Bakersfield. Do you know anyone in Laurelglen area?" We also had dinner at The Garden restaurant at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, overlooking the temple and Salt Lake scene. It was beautiful and the food was great! It was neat because my current chef/professor was the head chef of The Garden for 8 years. A lot of recipes we make come from the Garden because he created 80% of the menu. They still use his recipes. I realized after I ordered the porkloin that I made the apple-mango chutney that accompanies it. I was even more pleased to taste it and know that I created the same quality. It feels good to know I can reproduce good food like that. I think it's what I'll make for our family Valentine's dinner tomorrow. We got to stay at Little America hotel. We love it there. The tower is worth the stay every few years because the rooms are so comfortable and elegant. The Little America has this amazing breakfast buffet. It's so gourmet, with an omelet bar and fresh-carved ham, french toast, crepes, biscuits and gravy, all the fresh berries you can eat, pastries- a total breakfast lover's dream. Go some time!

P.S. I got a 39.5 out of 40 on my written test and a 92% on my practical. I was really pleased with both. We had to prepare duck, a soup, a sauce, and two side dishes with appropriate garnish as well as demonstrate our cutting skills and some other criteria I can't remember all within 2 1/2 hours. It was intense and fun!

Here's a picture. I don't have any for this blog's subject but it's fun to have a picture, right? This particular photo is of Sean right before his mission and our nephew Chase, Laura and Devin's son. They don't have a blog but I want the world to see their cute son.

The First Cut is the Sweetest

Saturday I had the opportunity to prepare the food for my friend Catherine's baby shower. It was so much fun! Rarely do I feel creative. I always feel like I'm just copying other things, but I felt like this time it was my creation. I was proud of my little toothpick holder made out of half a lemon. I rested my little stuffed potatoes on "nests" of alfalfa and it looked like little egg nests. I'm sure it's been done before, but the idea seemed new to me. I used the tops of my melon bowls as bases to add height and angle the bowls. I really enjoyed using food in new ways and thinking outside the box. I'm sure nothing will come of it, but one of the guests called the host after she left to get my number because she wanted me to cater an event of hers. I was flattered and felt very fulfilled at the end of the day. I also want to thank Tom for staying up really late with me and helping me prepare the food the night before.

Here are some pictures. P.S. I didn't make that beautiful cake. Christina did. She makes the best cakes. They're all from scratch and so beautiful and they taste amazing!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Business Before Pleasure

Cash was on the verge of writing genius and could not be disturbed.


Maggie finished all her dinner, and there was a lot on that plate, so she could have a cupcake. We were all very proud of her.

To show our appreciation and pride we all sang "Happy Thursday to You" to Maggie and let her blow out the candle on her cupcake.

The little disc on the cupcake was a ring, so life for Maggie was pretty great tonight.

Winter Wonderland

We are definitely in the middle of winter. The other day we missed school because the canyon was closed while they blew up avalanches. Today we woke up to a tremendous snowfall. Midway, which is right next to Heber, cancelled church so they could shovel people out of their homes. We were able to make it.



I do love the snow. I do love the snow. I do, I do, I do.


We shoveled our way to our car this morning for church. Tom had to shovel our way from the car back to the house after church.


If you didn't notice, that snow bank behind us is as tall as me now!

I'll update you when we build our snow fort next weekend.

Bowl Full of Cherries

Today we got together as a family. We hadn't all been together since Christmas break. It was so nice. We feel so spread out so it's great to have these fun-filled days together. We went to lunch, then bowling, then to a movie, then played games.

I bowled my usual 75 using the time tested Granny method while Tom rocked the house with a turkey!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I don't know why people didn't smile bigger. (Thank you Kat. You smiled when I said cheese.) I promise, we were having fun.



If you caught the tail end of that video you'd hear Tom apologizing for bowling Kay D's frame, not realizing his was over after getting a strike. (He thought it was the tenth frame.)

And the winner is...

I've won my first medal. Here's what I had to do for it:

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!



Let me explain. Last Friday Chef Troy came in to our class and announced that we could compete in a culinary competition, a la Iron Chef, and possibly go to Nationals. I considered competing. I thought about the competition. I knew I probably wouldn't win, but I thought I'd still compete for the practice. As I was thinking this over, my current chef, Chef Todd came over and said, "Tanya, the board had our meeting and we all nominated you for the Food and Beverage Service part of the competition." I asked him if it was because I was a bad chef. He laughed and assured me that it wasn't. Cody, another of my culinary professors was very complimentary and I was flattered that several people who hardly knew me had such confidence in me. In any case, I met once with Cody and we discussed how we'll practice for the state competition in March.

Skip ahead to today.

The three classmates who won in the school level cook-off and I headed to the meeting we were instructed to attend. I assumed it would be an information meeting and I knew they'd announce who won of my classmates who competed. And they did. I clapped as my three classmates headed up front to receive their gold, silver, and bronze medals. As the clapping subsided, the man at the front proceeded:

"And in the Food and Beverage Service competition, First place goes to Tanya Quinn." The lecture hall of people began clapping for me as I had to walk down and accept a medal for doing absolutely nothing. The worst part is that another student won second. I felt for him. Who gets second for a competition you didn't compete in?!

I think it's an okay thing, winning before you compete. I already have a win under my belt. I can move on to the state level with full confidence. So go ahead. Celebrate something you're going to do. It's a good feeling. Have that ice cream sundae because you're going to work out tonight. Paint your nails because you're going to scrub the bathroom tile. (Wear gloves when you do scrub so the painting isn't for all for naught.) The important thing is, find joy in the things you're going to do, then the strength to do them and go out and do them!

Maybe at the next level I'll compete before I take home the gold.

Hey Good Lookin'

I have been making some good looking food. I'll post recipes soon, but here are some pictures. I've included a lot of the things we've made. I also included a picture of me and my two team mates after we each butchered our first fish. I know you're jealous of my stylish uniform, but sorry, those elastic-waist checkered pants are all mine!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The decision to begin culinary school is definitely one of the best I've made. I've really enjoyed it. We work hard every day, but the days go by so fast.

So far we've had one practical exam. I had two hours to make a meal for my teacher from scratch by myself. We had to produce a soup, sauce, starch, vegetable, entree and had to demonstrate three types of classical cuts. Chef Todd said no one had ever finished their first practical on time. So of course I had my challenge. He laughed when I told him I looked forward to being the first to finish on time.

So, the day came and I had planned really well. I finished on time! It was great. I was really pleased with how it turned out. My goal was to finish on time, and I did. I got a good grade too. I was really pleased because Chef always says we need to balance speed with quality and I did just that.

We're Famous!

Here are our celebrity look-a-likes. Soon I'll be able to post my own pictures, but until then:

In case you were wondering, yes, that girl cut off at the end that Tom looks like is Kate Beckinsale.



Here's mine. As a side note, not a surprise, there were three more oriental girls that I looked like.