You know you're a nerd when...

You have to turn down 8-bit Christmas to tell your husband that, if he really wants to, he can change the channel from Battlestar Galactica (which you are currently watching) to play Modern Warfare 2.

This actually happened today.

Wow, Megan.

Swine Flue Vaccine (A How-To)

Reed and I are officially vaccinated!

It required some extra effort on my part, but the whole ordeal was a little less heinous than I thought it was going to be.

I've had a couple people ask me how to get vaccinated, and I actually had a hard time figuring it out myself. Lots of different websites give conflicting info.

When I finally tracked a health department official down on the phone, they told me to come to the Health and Justice Building in Provo, Monday morning starting at 8:00am. You have to stand in this hideously long line, but it actually moves fairly quickly. It took me 30 min.

When you get to the front, you get a voucher -- you can get up to 6, so if you need more, take a friend with you. You can choose which day (Tuesday or Thursday) and which time (I think they do them by the hour--I got 3 for 10:00am and 3 for 2:00pm). I can't remember the earliest time (I know they had a 9:00am time slot), but I think the latest time was 3:00-4:00pm time slot. I could be wrong.

They told me that they typically run out of vouchers before noon, so get there early. The Health and Justice Building is located on University Ave and 200 South. You'll want to park over on 200 South, because that's where the line starts. Wear a jacket, because you'll be outside for about 15 minutes.

Then, just come during your time slot (to the same building), and get your shot. There is another line, which moves quickly again. When you get to the front, you can request the shot or the nasalMist, depending on your health conditions. I got the shot.

The shot did NOT hurt, did NOT cost anything, and did NOT make me sick.

If you have a baby, 6 months or older, you can vaccinate him or her. Pregnant women who get vaccinated have to get the shot, not the nasalMist.

Take care, everyone! I hope you are all well and safe!

Halloween!

Reed and I went as a Greek God and Goddess this year, and baby Cal was a Jack-o-lantern!

Elder Ryan Richey

Ryan has officially entered the Missionary Training Center! We are so excited for him!

30 Pounds of Apples

Okay, I need some help. This week, my sister-in-law Diana and I found a little apple orchard in Sandy. It was tiny and quaint -- so cute. Well, we ended up picking 30 pounds of Golden Delicious apples, which are now sitting in a huge box on my counter.

I have already made 3 recipes, and I have barely put a dent in the apple stash.

What are some things I could do? Should I make applesauce? Should I try to make apple pie filling and store it in jars? I could really use some suggestions.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post the recipes I used, with some notes, for other apple-enthusiasts.

Apple Cake

This was SUPER yummy, but I really like raisins and nuts, so you'll have to decide if it sounds like you'll like it. I used toasted pecans, and I baked it in a 9" round pan. I was hoping to make a bundt, but there actually wasn't that much batter when the ingredients were mixed. Next time I make this, I will probably double it and bake it in a bundt pan. It would make a really good holiday breakfast for a my family (10-13 people) if doubled (or maybe tripled).

Apple Coffee Cake

This one was more popular with my taste-testers (aka a bunch of Reed's friend who were over for a Windows 7 release party), and I think it's because there were no nuts or raisins. (The recipe calls for nuts, but I left them out because I was already making a recipe with pecans.) Again, I baked it in a 9" round, because again, there was less batter than I expected. When fully baked, the center was very thin, and it smooshed a little bit when I turned it out onto a plate for serving. I would definitely double this recipe next time.

That said, it was very moist and yummy. Next time, I will double it, make it in a square 8x8 pan, add some kind of crumble topping on top, and serve it in squares right from the pan. Again, it'd make a cute breakfast for Christmas morning or something.

Oatmeal Apple Crisp

This recipe was a winner, but I guess it's kind of hard to go wrong with apple crisp. I only had 1/8 Cup of butter left ( after all the crazy baking), but the recipe still turned out just fine. Again, I will double, triple, or even quadruple this recipe next time, depending on the situation. It just did not make very much: maybe enough for about 5-6 portions with a scoop of ice cream, so great for a smaller party.

Goodbye, Ryan :(

Well, it's official. My little brother is entering the MTC a week from today, marking the start of a two year mission for our church. He'll be serving the people of Tegucigalpa, Honduras -- speaking Spanish. This is already shaping up to be a wonderful experience for our whole family, but it will be so strange not having him around. He is such a comic, vibrant part of our family dynamic. We will definitely feel his absence, but I could not be happier for the way he has chosen to spend his life -- trying his best to follow the Lord, and serving other people. Where did my little baby brother go?

So I'm writing a book...

I know, it's hard to take a statement like that seriously. Even I roll my eyes when I hear my myself saying it. It's like, "right. You and every other liberal arts major with a political/social/environmental agenda."

Oh, but I'm writing fiction!

"Right, you and every other liberal arts major who thinks they're writing the great American novel." :)

I don't know why we wait for the green light when it comes to fulfilling a lifelong goal. Growing up, I've told countless people that I want to be a writer. I guess it's the "Grand Narrative" that psychologists talk about. But now, I'm actually trying to do it. That's a very scary step for me.

Because telling people, "I'm going to be a writer someday" is very different than showing them your writing and saying, "Well, here it is!"

Regardless of how scared I feel, however, I'm doing it. I'm writing a book. And I have 15 chapters so far...