Hmm...A little bit about me? Let's see, I am a Pisces. That should say it, right? No? Oh, OK! I am a sensitive, creative, overly romantic and femme woman. I love dining out, shopping and all things girly! I really have to learn to stay away from the Baby Girl section in the stores, I could shop all day for clothes for my baby. Heck, I could shop all day for anything. To me, there is something so glorious about shopping. I suppose it is the creativeness that shopping allows. Buying one pair of shoes can create and transform a new you, at least until you take the shoes off!
I reside in American Fork, Utah. Up until 5 years ago, I lived in Virginia Beach, VA. Have you ever been there? It's a wonderful place. I do miss it. I miss the southern hospitality. I have every intention of moving back to the south/east one day. Utah is not so bad though, despite the snow. I am not a fan of snow. (or BYU/UTAH. What's the deal with that anyway?!) Now I'm getting off topic. Although Utah is where I discovered my love for the kitchen, I realized that my passion is rooted back in Virginia Beach, in a large brick home set on many acres, on Salem Road. I remember holidays, birthdays, and just Monday evenings, the kitchen always smelling of something wonderful. I can always picture my mother there, standing over the stove, stirring one pot or another, while wrangling 5 young children and 5 teenagers. She would help one child with long division while simultaneously reading "Frog and Toad" with another. Yet, she never ceased to have a "feast" on the table every night. Many recipes I share here will be passed on from her, lots are adapted, not because of a need to adapt them, they are all quite wonderful. See, my mother, God bless her, she never seems to "have a recipe." "Well, I don't really have a recipe, I just sort of make it up as I go along." Yet, it always seems to taste exactly the same each time. Umm... yeah, sure mom. ( She will take her "secrets" to the grave.) As you will learn throughout this blog, my preferred style is comfort food. Which only makes sense, due to the nature of my passion.
I am also a wife and a mother. My husband, Jeremy is a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps. He is currently studying accounting at Utah Valley University. Jeremy and I have been married for 2 1/2 years, although we have quite the history together. We grew up together in the Salem Ward in Virginia Beach. Jeremy and my older brother, were pretty good friends growing up. I can remember at 10 years old, gushing over Jeremy and his long dark hair and big blue eyes. *SIGH* Jeremy, of course, could not stand me. I was just the annoying little sister. In fact, he used to say that the 2 worst things about coming to my brother's house to play, was our cat, Salem, and ME! (The nerve!) Well, that changed years later, when to his surprise, I was in fact, a GIRL! Although, by that time he was leaving on his mission, so that was that. I then moved here, to Utah, where my mother and 2 younger brothers soon followed. Jeremy had kept in touch with the family throughout his mission, and called when he returned. I remember the night he called. I remember hearing his voice. Actually, funny story. I was working at Sonic, I was actually the General Manager. DON'T GET ME STARTED! Anyway, my phone rang, I guess my mother had given him my phone number, and I had picked up my cell, and answered, "Thanks for choosing Sonic, how may I help you!" Ahh! And from that night on, we fell in love. Although we were on separate ends of the country, we were able to learn to love each other based on true real feeling rather than looks. We had not seen each other in 2 years, so all we had were words. It was beautiful. I will always hold dear to those late night talks. Love you Jer! And you know what happened from there. Well, actually you DON'T! He moved out to Utah 3 months later to be with me, and the plan was to get married. WAS, being the operative word here. He was sent to Iraq on deployment one month later. A year later, he returned, both of us having lived and grown, and ready to love each other more fully. I am now, a mother to our beautiful baby girl, Swayze. She truly is a dream. Swayze is so happy and full of love. It is a blessing to watch her grow each day. It is even more of a blessing to watch my beloved husband tend to and love Swayze beyond his general capacity to love. I feel blessed every day to have both of them in my life. They are the reason I have developed these passions of mine. To nurture and create a beautiful home and wonderful world, no matter the day, just as my mother did for us, many years ago, on Salem Road. Welcome to The Salem Food Trials.
