cass_errol

I really love this song :)

The other day, I had Masaman Curry at 1-2-3 Thai. (Seriously, that's the name of the restaurant.) I had a friend recommend it, and let me say, it is delicious! It is SO good. Just everything that I love about Thai food. So, I decided to make it myself. After going to FOUR stores, I finally found Masaman Curry paste. I managed to spend $60 in the meantime at the grocery stores I don't normally go to. (I found some awesome Greek yogurt with pomegranate!) Anyway, I made a batch of Masaman Curry and it is pretty damn good! I'm pretty proud of myself actually. I've never really dabbled in making Thai food, and this turned out excellent. However, it made a giant batch and I'm going to have to find some other people to eat it as well! Otherwise, I'll be eating it for 2 weeks. Though, I doubt I'd get tired of it.
General recipe... Masaman curry paste, coconut milk, chicken, onion, carrot, potato, tamarind, cardamom, bay leaves, lime juice and peanuts. All deliciousness!

Ok, on to some other stuff... We're still trying to get Matt's medical for the Visa all figured out. There was a slight snag, but we're working on it. He's fine, everything is fine, but there's a form he needs a doctor to sign, and they're being total bastards about it. But, we'll get it worked out before he gets here in like... 15 DAYS! :) Hard to believe it's so close to him being here. Just over two weeks and we'll be together again. I can't wait. It always seems so surreal to know that I am going to be able to be in his arms and go to sleep next to him at night and wake up next to him the next morning. (Or in my case, afternoon!)

Not much else going on, really... Just thought I'd give a quick update. When my mom gives me my camera back, I'll take a picture of my super yummy curry!

One of Matt's Christmas presents arrived in the mail today. And, of course, it included a free present for Aslan as well! Oh, how easily amused they are!

I thought it might be a little early, but of course not! The holiday season is upon us! So, let me know if you want a card or not! I need to get them ordered!

I'll collect addresses after I figure out who wants one!

So last night I made tote bags for the nephews and my niece.  Here they are!

I work at an assisted living community, so putting together a surgeon's costume wasn't too hard!  We had a great time!

5 times, I had to take Aslan off of my keyboard.  The first time, I just heard this beeping and I turn around and there he is, all up on it, just getting comfy.  I did let him stay long enough to take a picture!

Just thought I'd do an update with more scrapbook pages.  Good thing this book is expandable, because I think it's going to be a foot thick when I'm done!
( More England Scrapbook Pages! )

Just thought I'd share my first couple scrapbook pages from my trip to England!  I couldn't take super great photos of them, but you get the idea!
( Scrapbook Pictures Behind the Cut! )

My pumpkin rocks this year!!

First off, I totally yanked this icon from someone on my immigration website!  I think it's pretty perfect!
Secondly, immigration sucks.  The whole process is one big, giant... for lack of a better word... clusterfuck.  (I love that word/s!)  There is so much to do on this next step it is so overwhelming.
And of course, it can't just be cut and dry.  Like Step 1: Fill out these forms.  Step 2:  Send them here.  Step 3: Bring these with you.  Nooooo...  There's like secret forms that I had no idea about until someone else mentioned them to me.  And all sorts of other crap that goes along that I just happened upon by chance.  I know that it's the US government, so they have to makes things difficult, but do they have to make it THIS difficult?
I know in the long run that it will totally be worth it.  I have to keep telling myself that every time it gets really overwhelming.
To top it all off, Matt's parents are being turds about the whole thing.  That's about as nice as I can put it.  The crappy thing is, I got along very well with them!  But his mom is freaking out about him coming out here.  Now, not without good cause.  He is an only child, and she worries about him.  I get that.  I 100% get that.  But, it seems that sometimes she's just being downright mean about the whole thing.  Saying things to him that really upset him.  I feel bad too because there's nothing to do, and at the same time, my family is uber supportive and is thrilled about the whole idea.  I know I'm not the one moving, but I got both my parent's blessings if I should happen to be the one moving.
On another note, Matt may be coming here in December (fingers crossed.)  He's requested the time off work, so we're just waiting now to see if they'll give it to him.  He'd be coming for a whole month, which would just be amazing!  But, I'm not getting my hopes up too much.  Don't want to get all excited and then have it not happen.  But, everyone hope for us!

So, I know we've already been talking about getting married, and we're already going through the Fiance Visa process, but Matt hadn't actually gotten down on one knee yet!
On October 9th, he and I went to see "Phantom of the Opera" at Her Majesty's Theatre in London (Which was AMAZING!!).  During intermission, we went outside (he was insistent that I go).  So, we're standing outside and I'm taking pictures.  I had gotten a little suspicious since he really wanted me to come outside with him.  He got down on one know and proceeded to tie his shoe.  So at that point, I figured I was just jumping the gun a bit!  Well, when we went back inside the lobby, we stopped in front of the Program booth and he got down on one knee, took a little green box out of his coat pocket and asked me to marry him.  I'm not quite sure I even remember what he said, as it was all a blur!  He put the ring on my finger (which fit perfectly) and of course I said Yes!!!  There were a few people still in the lobby at the time, and they all clapped and congratulated us.
It was so special and so amazing.  As if seeing Phantom in London wasn't already special enough, it was even more amazing by Matt's super awesome idea to propose to me there!


This was after the show, but right there in the middle of the lobby is where he proposed!


My ring at the Tower of London!


My ring and Big Ben!

I have tons more pictures, but I'll wait a bit to post more of those :)  Just wanted to do this one so far!

Just wanted to make a quick post to say that I made it to England alright.  Yesterday, Matt and I went to Jane Austen's house, which was wonderful :)  I got to see the table that she wrote Sense and Sensibility on!  Then today, we went to Portsmouth and saw Henry VIII's ship, the Mary Rose, as well as the HMS Victory and the HMS Warrior.  Tomorrow, we're headed to Windsor Castle :)  I'll update more later, with pictures!

It's 2:45am and I'm leaving for the airport in little over half an hour.  I probably won't be doing any updating while I'm in England, but if I get a chance, I will.  Otherwise, I will have plenty of pictures when I get back!
I can't believe it's finally here.  I've slept about a grand total of 5 hours (tops) in the last day.  3 1/2 last night, and managed to get in about a 1/2 - an hour of a nap earlier.  I'm hoping if I can wear myself out enough, I can sleep on the plane.  I don't really expect to sleep on the first leg, but I'm hoping I can get some done on the second leg.  If not, I brought Advil PM for that!
Anyway, I'll be away for a bit, but I'll be back!

I know it's small, but you get the general idea.  The little white box is where we'll be sitting :)  Yay!!!
P 23 and 24.  That means 16 Rows back.  Not to shabby for $158!  Yay!!!

I will be in London THIS WEEK!  It's so hard to believe!
So far, we don't have a whole lot planned.  Matt said the first day we could go visit Jane Austen's house.  I'm really, really excited about that :)  It's something neat, and so very British, I can't wait.
And... I just bought something.  I just bought something so amazing, I can hardly contain myself... I bought tickets to see Phantom of the Opera in London at Her Majesty's Theatre!!!!!!!
It just seems so surreal that I'm going to be seeing Matt, seeing England, and Phantom.  I was leery about spending the $158 on the tickets, but what the hell!  I'm not going to get to go again for quite some time!
Anyway... Sunday!