we should have our own cooking show.

by the husband AND the wife (pictures at the end. but seriously, you should read the whole thing. we're funny.)

dallin: many people think that because i enjoy cooking that i'm a pansy
becki: this is true. he's a pansy...
dallin: i'm here to tell you that this is a farse. cooking is not for pansies. and neither is watching cooking with ming or rachel ray. just thought i'd get that out there. so to all my brotha's, COOK ON. WITH PRIDE.
becki: okay, he's not a pansy (he paid me to say this publicly)
dallin: no i didn't. i'm serious.

dallin: cooking is not for the faint of heart. it takes patience. mathematics. chemistry. uh... courage. testosterone...
becki: uh...
dallin: ... and lots of love to cook something extraordinary! "what i say is true: ANYONE CAN COOK, but only the fearless can be great!"
becki: 5 bucks to who can name that movie
dallin: i know! i know!
becki: shush girl. shut your lips. do the helen keller and talk with your hips.
dallin: helen keller was a communist. i just think everyone should know that.
becki: that is unverifiable...
dallin: whatever! wikipedia that!

becki: but we digress...

dallin: i can't credit all of my cooking skill to watching the food network or reading cookbooks
becki: thanks to all for donating cookbooks to our cause. feed the barker's fund. always accepting donations. of food. or cookbooks.
dallin: i would have to credit my grandparents for teaching me proper measurements and how to throw noodles at the ceiling to make sure they are al dente.
becki: that's french right?
dallin: it's italian.
becki: i knew that. i was testing you...
dallin: i knew that.

dallin: [large sigh]... [chuckle]... also, i would have to say that becki is such an inspiration to my cooking abilities. but seriously, even though she typed that last part without my permission, it's true.
becki: you're taking the words right out of my mouth.
dallin: experimenting and trying things that might not work... the challenge of making new things makes it interesting, it always comes out delicious.
becki: it's true. i haven't had a bad meal yet, except for maybe the ones i cook myself...
dallin: [chuckle] um...
becki: you'll notice he didn't deny that...
dallin: [chuckle]

dallin: back to the subject at hand. we should have our own cooking show. many people ask why i didn't go to culinary arts school, but the reason is that the opportunity cost was too great. and all of our sponsors got dropped.
becki: just for the record, i CAN cook. even though dallin doesn't say so. i've made many culinary masterpieces.
dallin: okay, that is true.

becki: okay, now that we sound super full of ourselves, let me just say that we LOVE cooking together. it's one of our favorite activities.
dallin: yeah... [dreamy sigh]
becki: and we like to take pictures of our creations. and maybe a video or two... that we might share
dallin: SHOWTIME [jazz hands accompanied by a sing song voice]
becki: [used car salesman smile]
dallin: so to all you peeps, may you cook with confidence and enjoy it. one love. [next comment censored by wife]
becki: seriously dallin?
dallin: i'm not swearing people. honest. sometimes the things i have to say are just too awesome. normal people can't handle it...
becki: but we digress... again... so here are pictures. after all the talk of exotic and exciting dishes, here are pictures of a bunch of normal food that we cooked.

to start, we have the appetizer and a drink: freshly carved melon & a mango lime fool



for the next course, we have your choice of either gnocchi or a thai noodle creation

next for the main course: rack of lamb or smoked salmon


and finally dessert: maybe you can find room for both the chocolate souffle or the baked alaska

(sorry the lighting on that baked alaska is so bad, it was hard to get the flame to really show up in the light...)

The Success of Life

There are a few things I'm good at. Being a good cook, good looking and an awesome athlete. I know, I know I'm just being modest but let us be real, I'm successful at a lot more than that but I'll keep it brief.

Success is a strong word when used as flippantly as we use it today. For example, "Look at that guy he makes lots of money, he is successful." Or, "That is amazing! She must be successful at playing the banjo." And my personal favorite "You're successful! How do you do it?!?" To all of these I say, "Are you serious? That isn't success you nerd! Living is success!"

Now, I don't want to bore you with all of my philosophical or scientific, metamathematical mind blowing knowledge but hear me out. Some days I just think that it is a miracle that I just don't explode with joy, for my cup does runneth ore'. I believe that we as humans are a success. Sure, we don't like each other and we are in a constant state of trying to either kill each other or the very least obliterate one another but honestly there is good in the world.

I witnessed over the weekend that LIFE is not just a game we play on Sunday night with our families when we get bored but it is miracle that we live everyday. God is great and loves us, General Conference is a confirmation of that love. The prophets today really do want the best for us. I'm truly grateful for the love and blessings our Heavenly Father shows us daily, it is awesome!

Last night, my greatest joy Becki shared with me what compelled her to help a lady at her work get to the Trax station so she didn't have to walk or wait outside. Becki told me, "She looked like she had a hard life, she needed a friend and I just couldn't pass her by." WOW! And I thought I was awesome, the woman I married is 100 times the person I am(that is saying a lot considering how much I think of myself). Becki is an example of what she learned at General Conference, and I would hope that a person as vain and self-centered as myself could do something as noble.

The adventures never end at the Barker house and there are more to come. I have come to find that adventures are around every corner in our lives and we should be brave and take them on. Adventure is out there. Stay tuned for the next post of adventures and hilarious writings by yours truly. One Love.

i know lots of good people!

i'm grateful for the husband who stayed on the phone with me while i was freaking out about my car breaking down in the middle of rush hour traffic. i'm grateful for the Honda World mechanic and his wife that stopped to help me and stayed with me til my parents got there to tow me to the mechanic. i'm grateful that i had parents to call that could tow my car. i'm not so grateful for the car repair, but i'm grateful that we have a working car again!