Yellow and Blue revisited...

You all know my summer beach fantasy was enhanced by every yellow and blue outfit I saw.  

I posted  my favorite ones.

then I posted a haus Frau....which is the reality of my look.

I found this outfit on pinterest today. So darling.  Then I remembered the conversation I had today with my nail gal.

Me:  I am feeling like a fat, blobby old lady.

Nail Gal:  You are not old!


Okay, that was my day.  How was yours?

Happy T. Day

Here is it, Wed. evening, Thanksgiving Eve and I'm ready for a nap.

Yesterday was Hallee Babe's birthday...and today after school was the party at our house.  But all of the guests couldn't fit in one car so I had to drive across the valley to pick up a car load, then back again while David saddled horses.  She wanted a cowgirl party...all the guests got black cowgirl hats with purple ribbons (her favorite color) and all got to ride as much as they wanted (before it got dark.  It gets dark so early now), then they made bracelets with horsie charms, etc.  Chaos is always a great word to describe little squealing girl's birthday party's...but if that wasn't enough, I kept 4 of them (all mine) for a sleepover (crazy, crazy) but since we are having a Thanksgiving breakfast, a sleepover sounded perfect.  I have Mr. Tom cooking in the oven on low, all night.  Artichoke dip made (and a bowl sampled, I must say!)  Ready for Aunt Pat and Cousin Casey (I see their car lights outside) to come and play. 

Thanksgiving to all who read here- family and friends.  I had a scare last night and thought my blogging days were over.  But I think all is solved and hopefully I learned a few things.  (Is that cryptic enough?)  Counting my blessings and naming them one by one.

xoxoxo

Pre-Thankgiving

So, I  was in the middle of making favors for Thanksgiving....when I  stopped and realized that it isn't "our" year....and I didn't even know if anyone would be coming to our home!  The last few years Brandi and family have been with us so the "off" years didn't seem so bad. But this year they are going to Handy's family party. And truly, the kids all live around us so it isn't like we don't see everyone.  People are constantly in and out, eating and game playing even on the "off" years.  But it is still hard to be me...and have to be mature.....

 

 I do have so much to be grateful for.  I loved this activity we did at our last Bucket.  More than enough and more...

 

 

 

Since the kids are all off to their "other" families (except T and T's family who will head off to St. George for a soccer tournament)- we are serving breakfast to all our kids in the morning.  I about cried yesterday when Aunt Pat called to see if she and Cousin Casey (not my aunt or my cousin) could come and stay overnight Wed.  Let the party begin.

 

For breakfast, I'll serve our traditional sausage, cheese and egg strata (made for all holiday breakfasts)- then I'm looking for a few other new specialities.  I think I found the winner in this Praline Pumpkin Crepes.  My kiddos love crepes so I'll do these and some regular ones with a few different fillings.  I'll post the recipe on the cooking blog.

 

 

 

 

 

Other than that, I have one refrigerator cleaned out, one more to go.  Making way for a shopping trip.

 

We got home from our trip on Sunday evening.  I was so disoriented from both trips, I totally spaced Monday Meals yesterday ...didn't even cross my mind until we got home later from the Jazz game (Jazz beat the Rockets) with Kirk and Cathy.  I have missed my BFF so much...and we jabbered throughout the whole game (our husbands didn't think we even watched a play.  We did. )  Great night.  Great to be home. 

 

 

 

This is a little guy (actually quite big) that keeps pounding away on our porch!  That was an original knot hole...and I have now realized it is getting MUCH too big so I'll have to take anti-woodpecker measures soon.  This is a Downey woodpecker (yes, I admit, when I used to write poetry I was a poetry/birdwatcher geek)......and I hate to send him on his way.  I have a fake owl in the garage...maybe he'll have to make an appearance on the porch. 

 

 

 

Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts.

Full Moon

 

 

We had a wonderful time in Coronado and now are here at my folks in Vancouver, WA.  Love being with my parents.  Just finished a Wii bowling tournament with my folks and they smoked David and I.  My mom teaches Wii bowling here...and she's actually bowled about 7- 300 games which blows me out of the water!

 

Last night my mom and I were going out to the car to get pizza take-out.  My mom exclaimed, "Look at the size of that moon!"  There, through the trees was the most magnificent full moon I've ever seen!  Huge and  global and a bright orange/yellow!  I was fumbling for my camera....then my mom starts laughing.  It was a street light shining through the trees.

 

Typical mother and daughter and the story of our lives.....

 

Headed Toward Sunshine!

Heading off to Coronado Island today.  We have at least 18" of snow here ....Alta ski resort got 48" with this storm!  Woot!  Woot! 

I just wanted to share this fabulous salad that my daughter shared with me.   It is a Spinach salad with Honey Roasted Butternut Squash, dried cherries, pumpkin seeds and Gorgonzola cheese.  It is a to-die-for and might need to be on your Thanksgiving menu.  It will be on ours.  It's skinny, it's healthy.  It's yum.

Winter

I just went out and measured and we have 12" of snow...and it is still coming down.  Wet and heavy.  Lots of broken trees and tree limbs but might I add- BEAUTIFUL!

It will be a time of contrasts- tomorrow we head for Coronado Island with friends, then fly to my folks in Vancouver. We will go from snow to sunshine to rain and then back again.   From now until then?  Chaos! (don't you just love getting ready for trips?)

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.  John Ruskin

Watchcare

Vernon Howard in Pathways to Perfect Living says

“Not to know what will happen to you is no cause of anxiety. It is not worth the slightest thought on your part. You are being cared for in a way which you cannot see as yet. Once you see, you will take no thought for tomorrow. Your task is not to know the events of tomorrow, but to know the true self of today.”

(thanks, J.)

Nuts 4 You

I'm getting so far behind on life these past few weeks but wanted to get yesterday's pictures posted.  In the morning, Valene and I made jam.  I will always think of this jam (Blackberry/Peach) as election jam.  David and I spent the evening before at Brandi's helping her pack (in order to get her home ready to sell)....and listened to the election results.  Sad, sad, day. (I just had to delete several paragraphs I wrote.  Ranting is never helpful when you are mourning.)

So, Valene and I made jam.  And visited.  Then she ran errands with me and we visited some more.  Both of us had other things we were trying to help other people with so we had to hurry but we needed a little jam therapy.

 

 

 

Last night was a shower for sweet Jenessa in our Ward.  I call her Brittany instead of Jenessa since she used to look so much like Brittany Murphy. (you know how I rename people) All of the preparations for the shower were beautiful.  Our Own Martha Stewart, Lisa, (I call her OOMS) was in charge of the favor table...and again, went over the top.  It made my heart sing.

 

 

 

Fun little fall favors with a Nuts 4 You theme.  The little packages of nuts had a leaf sewn on them.  Just adorable.

 

I'll end with this quote that friend, J. posted on Facebook.  To hear J.'s podcasts on The Juniper Tree go to www.itunes.apple.com   and find Juniper Tree.  She's marvelous and soothes the soul.

Avodah

Yesterday was a busy day, a kiddo day, a cooking day.  Marci was running between her two homes (old and new) packing and cleaning (Ryan is in Guatemala again leading a humanitarian trip) so I picked up the kids in the morning and we had a play day.  First of all we headed to the movies to see Christmas Oranges.  I know it is early for Christmas movies but this one has a limited big screen viewing and then it will be for purchase on DVD (and I assume it will be picked up for Christmas movie t.v. viewing.)  If you are familiar with the classic children's story, this is it.  If you happen to see it, Rose's "perfect" tree (the one shown here with the oranges on it)  is one of our trees.   (And for the neighborhood, when the kids run through the tree forest, it is through Jerry Howe's Heber property.)  If you wait through all the credits, you'll see a thanks to us.  How fun is that?

 

 

 

 

After the movies, David took the kids riding while I got Monday meals done and delivered.  I was a little weepy because as the kids and I were driving home from the movies, we passed "our" cemetery.  I saw the daughters of one of our next door neighbors sitting by their graves.  Both Don and Norma (two of the people I would take Monday meals to) died a year ago at this time.  I know their family misses them terribly.  They would have loved seeing our tree in the movie.  (Every Monday for 3 years, when I would take Don their meals, Don would say "Now you know you don't have to do this."  Then he would hug me with tears in his eyes. Always gracious and grateful.  I miss that dear man...)

 

 

 

 

It seems I go on a roller coaster ride with service and energy.  I love serving and helping but sometimes I get burned out.  A few weeks ago I was attending a class and learned that the Hebrew word Avodah means both to serve and to worship.  In Mosiah, in the Book of Mormon, one verse reads that "when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are in the service of your God."  That verse is imprinted on my brain.  But somehow, re-wording it to read "when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are worshipping God" kick starts something wonderful in me.  I may get tired of service but I never get tired of worshipping the Lord.  These last few weeks, when I have been dragging for one thing or another, I tell myself, feel myself, in worship rather than just service.  It helps.

Presidential Election

 (I promise you, this blog entry isn't to incite debate or offend or to change any one's political opinion.  I'm just recording my thoughts for posterity.)

Dear Descendants-
I'm writing this letter to you to explain my views on this moment in history.  Today is election day.  While we were voting, there were newscasters (don't ask me why) interviewing voters for a French television station.  They were asking questions about how we felt about Mitt Romney being Mormon, how important it is to us that a Mormon would be in the White House, how Romney's being a Mormon affected our voting.  They are good things to think about.  I think people are quick to assume that because I am a Mormon, I would automatically vote for Romney.  Just for the record, I am WAY more conservative than Mitt Romney.  Because he is Mormon is not the reason that I voted for him.  My vote today is more a vote against the Democrats platform -  I do not believe in abortion as a means of birth control.  Those people who support abortion oftentimes are the first in line to protest against capital punishment or against animal cruelty.   Life is sacred. I believe God's word that life is sacred. 



One of the more humorous events of this election was the Art Smith foundation roast held in New York.  (see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx9Yj_aHvmk )  One line that stood out to me (in reference to Big Bird) was "since we are talking about Sesame Street, today's program is being brought to you by the letter "O" and the number "16 trillion."  Our national debt keeps growing despite our current presidents promise to lower it.  During one of the debates, I heard Obama say, "I have kept my campaign promises....and those I haven't kept....."   What?  One of the campaign promises Obama made in 2008 was to decrease the national debt.  Instead, this is what CBS news reports (and believe me, CBS news isn't conservative)

CBS (CBS News) The National Debt has now increased more during President Obama's three years and two months in office than it did during 8 years of the George W. Bush presidency.

The Debt rose $4.899 trillion during the two terms of the Bush presidency. It has now gone up $4.939 trillion since President Obama took office.

The latest posting from the Bureau of Public Debt at the Treasury Department shows the National Debt now stands at $15.566 trillion. It was $10.626 trillion on President Bush's last day in office, which coincided with President Obama's first day.

The National Debt also now exceeds 100% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, the total value of goods and services.

Mr. Obama has been quick to blame his predecessor for the soaring Debt, saying Mr. Bush paid for two wars and a Medicare prescription drug program with borrowed funds.

The federal budget sent to Congress last month by Mr. Obama, projects the National Debt will continue to rise as far as the eye can see. The budget shows the Debt hitting $16.3 trillion in 2012, $17.5 trillion in 2013 and $25.9 trillion in 2022.

Federal budget records show the National Debt once topped 121% of GDP at the end of World War II. The Debt that year, 1946, was, by today's standards, a mere $270 billion dollars.

Mr. Obama doesn't mention the National Debt much, though he does want to be seen trying to reduce the annual budget deficit, though it's topped a trillion dollars for four years now.

As part of his "Win the Future" program, Mr. Obama called for "taking responsibility for our deficits, by cutting wasteful, excessive spending wherever we find it."

His latest budget projects a $1.3 trillion deficit this year declining to $901 billion in 2012, and then annual deficits in the range of $500 billion to $700 billion in the 10 years to come.

If Mr. Obama wins re-election, and his budget projections prove accurate, the National Debt will top $20 trillion in 2016, the final year of his second term. That would mean the Debt increased by 87 percent, or $9.34 trillion, during his two terms.

(sorry, posterity- the phone keeps ringing and now I don't have time to write anymore.  To vote is a duty and a privilege.  I count it both.  )  xo  M.

Starting November

Just a few things on my mind:

• Even though it is November, everywhere I go I am surprised that there are still leaves on the trees- every shade of green, gold, brilliant yellows and burning orange.  The streets are littered with leaves that wildly dance with the wind.  But still there are leaves on trees.  It is beautiful and so full of peace and calm that it is hard to believe the chaos that is raging on the East coast.  The hurricane Sandy has been devastating to say the least.  Heartbreakingly so.

 

 

• Our son Travis is a bow hunter.  He has spent countless days trekking the mountains looking for elk, then deer.  It about kills him when he comes to our home, EVERY TIME he comes to our home, he sees these fellas (and does' and fawns) lounging languidly on our lawn.

 

 

• Yesterday was just an awesome day with my friend Voila!  I got to hear about her amazing trip to Tibet (among other conversations)...and she gave me a lovely Tibetan bracelet.  Some of the beads are yak beads and she is so funny...she demonstrates how as you walk down the markets, shop keepers bang the beads on their teeth exclaiming "Yamdok! Yamdok!" It is pretty dang funny and no wonder pictures show people missing teeth!

 

•  Of course we know that the Chinese have control of Tibet, and it is against the law to go anywhere without a guide....and a Chinese driver.  The Chinese driver is there to make sure that the Tibetan guide does not say anti-government things....  Her trip was amazing and life changing. 

• After a few funky shops (EmilyJanes and Home Again and also The Children's Hour) Voila! introduced me to one of her favorite Middle Eastern restaurants called Mazza where we had a sampler plate with Myhammara (I've already Googled recipes and it calls for pomegranate molasses!)  and a tomato and Bulgar dish and falafel.  It was all so delicious and I'm being so mature in trying new things.  (It totally surprised Voila! and other people when they find out as much as I love food, I'm  timid about trying new cuisine...)  I loved our enchanting time together!

 

 

•  And speaking of yummy new things- Brendalyn brought dinner last night.  We are trading meals once a week (starting this week.  On Monday, I took her and Joe Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce and Caramel Apple Cheesecake for dessert.)  Brendalyn brought a mango chicken tortilla soup which is probably the best tortilla soup I've ever had.  You add lots of toppings like olives, avocado, green onions and sour cream.  Squeeze fresh lime on the top and ummmm-good.  (She hasn't shared the recipe yet but I'll get it posted pronto on the cooking blog.)

 

 

 

• Below is a picture of an apothecary jar filled with traveling mementos.  I actually made and delivered one to my DIL Marci- but it looked totally different.  She and Ryan just bought a beautiful new home (new to them and just magnificent)...and she's decorating it shabby chic.  I saw the former owners had a beautiful curvy apothecary jar filled with a few inches of white sand and beautiful shells and a starfish.  We both loved it so when I was in Myrtle Beach, I collected and bought shells...and  found the jar yesterday at EmilyJanes- it turned out so beautiful (dang, I didn't take a picture), that I might have to make one for myself!

 

 

• Tonight I'm kiddo watching.  David has been at a roping clinic the past two days and will be gone again tomorrow...so I've been busy filling my days.    As I was clearing my hutch of Halloween (didn't it just seem like yesterday I was putting it up???).... I realized Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  I love fall and November....I just wish it wouldn't go away so fast!  I'm ready for October and November to begin again.

Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils Cyril Connolly

Go Alta!

Brandi is a physical therapist at a rehab center.  When she showed up at the kid's school parade yesterday, she was dressed in football gear from her high school.  I wondered about her choice of Halloween costumes until she explained.  Her boss went to a rival high school and can't stand Alta (Brandi's.)  So Brandi gathered up all sorts of  Alta sports clothes and dug out her and her friend's high school cheerleader uniforms and all the personnel dressed up in red and black...and decorated her boss's door with "AHS" and pom poms...they even had a few patients dressed up. 

We hope Brandi has a job tomorrow......


(Dang, I thinks she's funny!!!)