Saturday, April 26, 2014

10 Times Better....


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Happy project



This is my latest project.  I have wanted a dog kennel for years (no, we do not have a dog...and I don't know the dog in the picture above or the girlie planting plants below....)- and this year, Costco has the BEST!!!!!  10 X 10 AND REALLY TALL!  I fell in instant love.

 We have a bare naked area next to the kiddos playground where we have taken out sold trees.  I have confiscated a part....and that will be my new, out in the sunshine...away from the deer  GARDEN!!!!!

 I can lock myself in there and take a nap if I want.  I can put a lounge chair in there and paint my toes.  I can read the next book of Divergent.  (by the way, if you took the test at the end of the book to see what "faction" you would be in, I'm amity.  A little boring but I'd be saving you at the end of Book 1.)  (also, when I was flying home from Washington, reading Divergent, I always get a lump in my throat when I finally see the Salt Lake cityscape with the mountains around it.  When it happened this time, I thought, "This is my faction.  This is where I belong....")


I ordered this over the top cool raised planter.   Oh, heart be still!  I know I have a short attention span and the garden will probably be neglected by July but right now, I'm jumping (if I could really jump) up and down and filled with enthusiasm!  Bring on the tomatoes!!!!! Bring on flowers that don't stink (as opposed to deer hating smelly ones I have to plant everywhere now.)  Happy day!  Happy day!

 In every gardener there is a child who believes in The Seed Fairy. ~Robert Brault

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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Treated

Today I got to be cousin Zella's guest at a special "First Lady's Luncheon" at Utah Valley University in Orem.  It was sponsored by the President's wife, Paige Holland....and was a think-tank/fundraiser for the women's programs at the university.  Their past project was their "Wee Center"- a multimillion $ facility that provides daycare for students completing their education.  Not daycare for the students..but their kids!  How perfect for mothers/women trying to finish degrees.  Now they are concentrating on the arts department so we were treated to various performing groups on campus.  The food was prepared by their college of culinary arts- wonderful dishes like "chicken saltimbocca with roasted red pepper cream sauce" and a killer "yogurt panna cotta with balsamic strawberries and a coconib tuille" for dessert.




 There were handmade vases (from the ceramics department) with tulips as a gift for each guest.

Brandi was suppose to go with me today but Hallee got the flu yesterday and still wasn't up to par so Zella and I went together...and met her daughters there (whom Brandi loves as well.)  Two of the Dahlquist girls had to leave before pictures but those from left to right, top row- is Jill D. Wright (she lived with us the summer before she got married since her parents were on a mission in Germany), then Heather D. White/Smith (she is the reason many people found my blog through hers and Sophia's then me.)  Suzanne Evanson, next is a cousin to the Dahlquists.  For any in my Ward who are reading this, she is Dick Christensen's daughter.  Her mom, Diane, died 14 years ago today.  They were our neighbors and I loved her dearly.  I remember being in our upstairs den and hearing sirens.  I thought to myself, "Some one's life is about to change"....not knowing it was Diane.  And lastly, daughter Julie.  Jill was a year ahead of Brandi in high school and Julie a year younger and it was fun since they were all cheerleaders together at Alta High  years ago.  It was a family affair.  Kim and Kristen aren't in the picture but love them too.




Yesterday was friend Valene's birthday so Tuesday Funny Kathy and I got her all to ourselves for the day.  We hit our favorite garden spots.....oohed and ahhed over all the pretty spring colors...and cheered up our friend for getting old.  Not really but Valene's sister, my friend Voila! had suggested we go lightly on her since she was having a hard day.  

 Hello????  Friend's don't let friends age gently!  The good news is both Kathy and I are older than Valene.

Funniest moment- we went to an healthy/sproutie/trendy spot for lunch.  When you go to a juicer/au natural place for lunch....don't ask for a Diet Coke to drink.  We laughed all afternoon about how our waitress actually recoiled.......

Still loving spring although we've had cold temperatures for the past two nights and I've had to cover up my babies (huge stinky geraniums)  that I planted early - with bed sheets.  The first morning the sheets were frozen so I'm glad I did.  Tomorrow's a big planting day.  I can almost feel fresh air in my lungs!  Ahhhh....



Science, or para-science, tells us that geraniums bloom better if they are spoken to. But a kind word every now and then is really quite enough. Too much attention, like too much feeding, and weeding and hoeing, inhibits and embarrasses them. ~Victoria Glendinning

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Saturday, April 19, 2014

Purple and Spring

I just got home from another great trip to see my parents in Vancouver, Washington.  I count each time I get to see my family as a bonus.  They live in a beautiful retirement center and are surrounded by residents and staff that truly love them.  They are so busy..it's hard to fit me in their schedule- :)  While I was there, Mom's "Red Hat Group" had their monthly luncheon.  It was a Mad Hatter's Party....and truly- the decor was beautiful and the food a treat.  Little chicks were served, with a chicken croissant sandwich, tulip tomatoes stuff with an herbed cream cheese and chocolate egg cups filled with a ricotta orange mouse topped with raspberries.  My mom is the "queen bee" of the group and she is totally in her element!





Warning
by Jenny Joseph
WHEN I AM AN OLD WOMAN I SHALL WEAR PURPLE
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.




 
 


My brother and his wife came for dinner one  evening.  I don't think one picture of us turned out clear!  Oh well.

Today was an experimenting day.  I love, love, love the idea of cake pops but really can't make them very well.  But they did taste delicious....lemon cake/lemon frosting.


Got to make a run to my favorite nursery which always makes me happy.  I know I jumped the gun and started planting the geraniums already.  I'll probably have to cover them all with hot caps.....





My chives are all a healthy perennial.  I think I can find fresh chives under a cap of snow all winter.



My rosemary never survives the winter so I replanted it today.





 Such a happy day to be outside digging in the dirt.
Tomorrow is Easter....a favorite day of the year.  Love the Lord.  Love that He loved us so much to give his life for us.  Love that most of my family will be gathering here tomorrow.

 The menu:

 Chicken Cordon Bleu
cheesy corn and grits casserole (recipe on cooking blog)
chopped salad
bread sticks

 cake pops and ice cream sandwiches

 Easy Peesy.


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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

What's Up



I just wanted to put this amazing ice sculpture here that was at Art and Soup.  So beautiful with the flowers cased inside....

Brandi and Doug make such a great team.  Brandi finds great ideas and Doug makes it happen (lol).  This is a pin that Brandi found for Addi's room.  So darling with the full mirrors.




This weekend they got the mirrors done.  Brandi is putting in a draped ceiling for this "self proclaimed princess".  Love it.  Still a work in progress!
Girl's still offtrack so yesterday we hit the new Living Planet Aquarium.  The penguins are my favorite.


We were anxious to see the 4D films there.  We saw one about the Reef Barrier and also the Shark one.
Cool.  We had such a great day together....lunch afterwards at the mall food court (Addi's choice).  

  Gracie with friend Jade.
I'm just getting packed and ready to leave for the airport for a visit to my folks.  It's always a treat and I've got to get my "game" attitude on.  I've lost 9 "Butters" (3 weeks) and I am scared I'll gain them all back!!!  But I love going to Portland/Vancouver!  Happy day!

 David got this years steers for roping yesterday so I doubt he'll even miss me while I'm gone.  He's like a kid in the candy store!!!  I mourned the day he traded in his Levis for Wranglers.....

 Thankfully dreams can change.  If we'd all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overcome with cowboys and princesses.  S. Colbert

 (which always reminds me of Ben.  When he was little he said he wanted to be a garbage man.  When I asked why (what a lofty goal!)...he said he really wanted to be an artist but garbage men only work one day a week, then he could be an artist the other days....







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Friday, April 11, 2014

Art and Soup and Eggs

I've been trying to eat healthy...all the while filling Easter eggs (about 2400 done!)....which is exactly why I buy candy (it has to be wrapped) that I could care less about.  Cadbury eggs would totally be breakfast which is why they are NOT ALLOWED!  I have forbidden myself to buy any more candy until the day after Easter when it goes on sale half price.  I am such an addict  buying eggs and more eggs and more eggs.  I might need therapy.

 The sun is shining and the temperature (at least for a few days) is in the 70's!  Perfect spring.  My other addiction is flowers and I couldn't resist starting the buying process of flowers and herbs.  Of course the temps are suppose to drop into the 50's in a few days but I'll be in Washington then with my folks so I don't care.  The greenhouse can babysit the pots.

 Had a lovely morning this morning at the temple with David, then meeting VT friends for lunch.  Tonight is BFF date with the Olsen's.  We might drive up to Park City for dinner.

 Wed. went to Art and Soup- a fundraiser for community nursing services.  The art was incredible and fell in love with a couple of new artists-  Jeffrey Pugh and Annie Henrie. I had to pass on most of the soups (not on the plan...) but I did try one that was marvelous and have already been seeking out recipes. (Mulligatawny Soup- an Indian soup with curry and apples and chicken and just lots of good stuff and flavor.)

 Good Manners:  the noise you do not make while eating soup.



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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Rescuing



We had our Ward Conference as couple of weeks ago- all the meetings were wonderful - the theme of which was "come unto Christ."  Our Stake President shared a story that I have thought about "ever after" and wanted to record it here.

 When "Steve" was a boy of about 17, he and a buddy were working in Idaho- but were anxious to meet up with their Ward having a youth conference at Bear Lake.  As soon as Steve and his buddy got to the lake, they spied a canoe beached right there on the shore.  Immediately they hopped into the canoe....and made a bet how fast they could get to the middle of the lake and back.

 Let me explain a little about Bear Lake.  It is a huge fresh water lake that is in both Idaho and Utah.  The water is freezing cold all year long.  It's a deep lake- about 94 feet depth average.  It is surrounded by mountains/hills which creates a unique weather pattern, I think, similar to the Sea of Galilee where windstorms can come up quickly and really wreck havoc.  I think we all have our Bear Lake scary stories....  (now back to the story)

 Steve and the buddy made it out to the middle when all of a sudden they noticed ripples on the water.  Sure enough, a wind storm came barreling through.  They paddled and paddled trying to get back to shore without any success.  Being teenage boys, they also went out without life jackets.  Soon the waves where higher than their canoe...which ended up with them capsizing. 

Imagine how you would feel out in the middle of a freezing cold lake, during a storm, without life jackets.  Over the pounding waves, Steve said he could barely see a cabin cruiser that belonged to one of the leaders heading out toward them.  How thankful they were to have help coming.  When the leader (leaders) got there, the boys were anxious to climb aboard but the leader told them to wait a sec, and just hang on to the back of the boat.  Again, waves were crashing and he said they were getting flipped all over.  The leaders righted the canoe, then handed the boys life jackets and told them to get into the canoe and paddle to shore.

 They were stunned!!!  They thought they were going to be taken back to shore! 

Steve and the buddy continued to paddle.  It was hard and exhausting but finally they made it.

 Steve mentioned that when the leaders got back to shore, his leader didn't just park the boat and go up to dinner.  No, the leader waited on the shore with a watchful eye on the boys.

 The analogy was made that so many times we expect the Savior to rescue us immediately and completely from trials that we are going through.  In the scriptures it often shares examples where the Lord doesn't take away the trial but with His help, burdens are eased. (The children of Israel, while slaves in Egypt, weren't relieved of their burdens but they were easier to bear with the Lord.)

 I have reflected on this story for weeks now.  My mother was raised in a very poor family.  For a time they lived in a chicken coop.  When she and my father got married, they were able to provide for my brother and I a life of comfort and relative ease.  Because of that, when I had children, I thought a good life for them would be a fairly easy life.  But life isn't easy....and we don't become strong through ease.  Thankfully my children turned out wonderful in spite of me.... but I wished I would have realized sooner that whether hard work or hard trials....we become refined and strengthened through them.   And it is comforting to know that the Savior is always there on the shore, standing watch, ready to rescue according to our needs and help make the burden light when we trust in Him.  Of course the butterfly coming out of its cocoon comes to mind.  Or releasing the turtles on the beach in Guatemala.  The struggle although hard, is actually what makes them strong enough to survive.



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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Enliven

 I love our spring weather.  We are enjoying a lull from the storms- snow, rain and hail.  It is the perfect ball-game viewing weather.  Yesterday I had the girls' that were off track (Gracie, Hallee and Addi)....we did some shopping and errands and picked up lunch to take home.  Love them so much!  Then last night we went to Nash's first baseball game.  He has waited for this day FOREVER after watching hundreds of games of his big sister and brother.  Now it's HIS turn!  He played pitcher...striking out many....then played first base.  He's about shorter than the shortstop (pun) but I'll tell you, this little guy knows his ball.  Makes me grateful for dads (Travis in this case) and the countless hours spent throwing and throwing and throwing balls.  



We made it through most of Nash's game to run a ways (not literally, you know I'm not a runner...) to Rylee's soccer game.  She plays in a competition league and I'm amazed at how good they are now....hitting balls off their heads and bodies.  Impressive!  Watching all that running, non-stop, about pooped me out!



Today was a fun day.  I hosted my two writing friends, Linda M. and Carolyn C. for lunch.  I tried two new recipes and loved them both.  Recipes on the cooking blog.  Linda and Carolyn both did great on the writing assignment (string too short to do anything with) and they didn't tar and feather me for not writing.  I just don't have it in me anymore.  But I DO encourage them!  Love these forever friends!


Strawberry Turkey Salad from the Gathering of Friends Volume 4 cookbook (it was photographed at the gardens at Thanksgiving Point.....so beautiful!)




and Strawberry Cheesecake Bars.  Delish!
Yeah!  March Madness....the NCAA college basketball  championships are OVER!!!!  I know that is heresy in my boys' lives but really!!!!
General Conference was this weekend.  I can't wait to digest each talk individually.  I love the lift and edification that comes from things that really matter (no offense to the sportsman in my life whom I love...)

 "The Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to enliven us."
                               David Bednar

 That's what I want...to be enlivened!!!  I love spring...to throw open the doors...to plan my gardens....to smell the crisp air and damp earth.  Conference is a part of that refreshing for me!

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Friday, April 4, 2014

Self-Affirmation


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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Whew!!!







Here's a quick recap of how things went down at my daughter's house yesterday (her words)-

The stairs were strung with clear elastic, my car was strung, Connor's toothbrush, hairbrush an hairspray were hijacked, sugar in the salt shaker, Gracie put makeup on the... little girls while they slept as well as replacing Doug's deodorant with butter (yes, it worked) and constructing a very real looking glass of spilled punch. (see above) We moved Bri's car across the neighborhood and put bouillon in the shower heads. Connor saran-wrapped the girl's toilet seat, while unbeknownst to him Gracie had just done his. Stuffed animals lined the hallway waiting to use the bathroom, balloons placed under tires of our cars, Vaseline on bedroom door handles and car door handles, later in the day canola oil appeared on the door handles, oatmeal in Parker's shoes courtesy of his siblings, our annual Ben gay on the toilet seat (sorry Doug) and Orajel in the toothbrushes/toothpaste. The boys sprinkled fun dip on the bathroom floor so that when Gracie stepped our of the shower her wet feet were stained red. Addi and Hallee were so thrilled to toilet paper not only Gracie's room but my room as well! There was a prank call placed (and recorded hehe) by one of my coworkers to Doug, surprises under pillows, surprises in beds (not a fan of dog poop in the house even if it is in plastic baggies - ewwww!) , my hanging tennis ball that helps me park my car was moved several feet forward resulting in a garage door closing on the van (no damage fortunately), frozen milk, toothpaste in the Oreos, and as I type this up I realize the keys on the keyboard have all been switched around! I'm afraid we may not be through yet! Love this crazy family of mine!

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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Someday

The invitation- nothing fancy- just an email-

There are only 7 days in the week and "someday" is not one of them."
 

Then think of one or two or more things that you would like to put on your Bucket List to do in the next  6 months and hopefully we can report back at our Oct. bucket? Be realistic....and think outside the (your) box.

Here are my goals to get you thinking:

Plant a pumpkin patch for all the grands

Have built and maintain a secure garden spot

Ride 200 miles on stationary bike

Help prepare and serve dinner at a shelter with friends and family

Read the Preach My Gospel Manual and use it as a study guide

Sew a project with my granddaughter

Help 3 of my granddaughters learn to make bread (and then they donate the bread for the sacrament- one of the Young Women's values)


We had several missing at Bucket today but the 7 of us that were here had a wonderful time, meal and discussion.  I finally got to use my "bird" plates and hung some birds in the chandelier.  I served a chicken and squash pasta dish, spinach salad with bacon and hard boiled eggs and a warm mango chutney dressing, warm rolls and got cupcakes from the Sweet Tooth Fairy (they actually won on one of the cupcake wars shows on t.v.)  I think I've already posted the recipes for everything in the past on the cooking blog.







 Here's the handout I had for everyone-
There are only 7 days in the week and “someday” is not one of them.

 Attitude- Act as if it were impossible to fail and it will be.

 Vision- Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal.

 Go beyond- Welcome the task that makes you go beyond yourself.

 Strength- Hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call out our courage and strength.

 Dedication- what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

 Determination- some succeed because they are destined to, others succeed because they are determined to.

 Persistence- It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up again.
What are some out of your comfort zone or things you need or want to do- in the next 6 months?

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Photo Heist

These are the kind of random treats I find after Gracie asks to "borrow" my phone!  She quacks me up. (i.e. duck lips....)




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