Turtles

 Loved these pictures the boys have sent from Guatemala.  Hundreds of turtles are hatching on their beach.  Such a fun experience!  So sorry I am missing out on all the fun but I'm really enjoying my Stay-vacation.  Today was my temple day and tonight was GNO at Brendalyn's which is always fun but I was kind of anxious to get home and not miss a moment of my nothingness.  I tell you, I'm getting strange.

 

 Watch the turtle.  He only moves forward by sticking his neck out.

 Take a walk with a turtle.  And behold the world in pause.

 This boy is missing his high school graduation tomorrow from Bingham High.  The week after they get back from Guat. we go to Lake Powell for a week with the family- then Parker has a major surgery that will put him out of commission for half of the summer.  I'm so happy he's having this fun experience before life gets tough for a while.  Love him.

Try to be like the turtle.  At ease in your own shell.

Festive Cherry Bars

Okay, died and gone to heaven.  If you like sugar cookies and cream cheese and marshchino cherries- then this recipe is for you!  On the cooking blog- another recipe from my Stayacation!

Edo's Teriyaki Chicken

I've mentioned before that when Addi is off track, we go to our favorite teriyaki place at the food court at the mall.  It used to be called Edo's- now it is something else.  I love, love, love it and have tried (many complicated) recipes to duplicate the sauce.  Yesterday I think I got it!  And it was so simple!  Recipe One of my Stayvacation on the cooking blog!!!

Stayvacation

So, hubby David and son Ryan and grandson, Parker (who is missing his graduation from high school this Thursday) and grands Josh and Elijah headed out to Guatemala this morning.  They are going to be gone over a week.  I would have totally been with them BUT my stinking passport expired after our last trip and I hadn't even thought about it so it was a no go.

So- here I am.  Planning my stayvacation.  I talk really big for 3 days.  Maybe 2 1/2.  Then I'll get morose and fall apart.  Then I might have a kind of good day but then I'll be chomping at the bit to have them home.

Cooking makes me happy so I decided I will try new recipes every day.  I know that is crazy but that is a happy thing for me.  Then I thought I would watch at least a movie a day.  That sounds relaxing.  The Charm Girls have a Marco Polo account- which we talk to each other all during the day.  Pam is on a ranch tour in Wyoming and she gives us the tour.  Debbie's first granddaughter got married so we got to see part of that.  Dawn and her hubby spent the whole day watching "24."  It was Fay's anniversary today so we got to see her and her hubby celebrating.

So, I thought I would "report in" how my stayvacation was going.

Truly, I couldn't believe how EVERYTHING KEPT SPILLING!  And not just once!!!!  It has been the worst stayvacation EVER!!!!

Celebrating my Dad

We've never been traditional Memorial Day people.  I've never lived close to family that had died my whole life so Memorial Day was never about going to the cemetery. My mom is buried in Rupert, Idaho and Dad's parents in Idaho Falls- so that really isn't on our radar.  But for two years in a row, we have spent Memorial Weekend at my brother's lake house (Spencer Lake) in Washington State.  It's such a peaceful and enchanting place surrounded by those wonderful Washington woods.

 

 

 Cher made Dad's favorite pineapple upside down cake for his birthday cake.

 Gary had to blow out the candle because Dad is on oxygen.  THAT would have been a ka-boom!

 Here's my brother Gary and wife Cher- and two of their grands- Paige and Jacob.  What DARLING kids!

 My nephew Jason and his wife Melinda.  Jason makes me snort drinks out of my nose.

 The fam pitched in and did a puzzle in memoriam for Mom.

 
 

 Here's the guys buying fresh crabs and clams.  Yumo!!!!

 Fishing on the lake on Gary's pontoon boat.  Such a lazy day churning around the lake.

 

And here is our family photo- almost just like last year.  Mom, we miss you soooo much.  You would have been so happy we were all together!

 

Love my dad and brother (and all the fam!)- and so grateful to have this time together!

 

 

We celebrated Jason's birthday as well and Melinda brought one of his favorites.  It was Swedish Meatball and Noodles Soup.  More like a stew.  Soooo delicious!  Recipe on the cooking blog.

Thoughts about my dad-
~he has worn a flattop most of his life!
~he taught my brother and I how to swim by throwing us in the raging canal.  My brother said it wasn't too bad when we got out of the gunny sacks....
~he could tell what was wrong with a car just by listening to it.
~when we had a garage, he always backed the car out for my mom.  She also never put gas in a car.  He took care of everything.
~he gave up his car keys the minute he suspected his reflexes weren't as sharp.  I admire him so much for that!
~he always has had a marvelous sense of direction.  He can get us anywhere.
~boys used to date me just to hang out with him.
~he was a wild boy.
~he had model t's, motorcycles even an airplane and small and grand boats
~he survived more escapades than is humanly possible
~he spent much of his time in the Navy during WWII in Guam
~he is one funny dude
~I idolized him growing up.  He was the funnest dad ever and very handsome.
~he taught me how to water ski and we spent countless hours on the lake. 
~We lived on the lake for most of my home life, and he loved sitting on the deck and watching the water and geese.  And he told lots of stories.  And I believed them....
~ my mom didn't go out to the mailbox without a kiss and a pinch on the seat from my dad.
~he has gone into this "holding tank" phase as he calls it, of his life, with good humor and matter of factness.  I'm so proud of him and so glad he is mine.
~he plays poker twice a week and usually wins. 
~ He's a killer at WII bowling and shuffleboard. He and mom used to play Skipbo each morning to determine who would be boss for the day.
~he would make bacon waffles for us on Sundays.  They are the best!




p.s.  My dad always called me his sweetie pie.  Ahhhhhh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carnitas

Yes! Yes! Yes!  I think I found a recipe to re-create the carnitas like we had in San Clemente!
The pork medallions just fall apart just like Nicks!!!!!  Yeah!  Recipe on the cooking blog!

San Clemente

Oh my goodness- how am I so lucky to get to go on another girl trip????  Friend Jonna invited BFF Cathy and I to her second home in San Clemente. 

We had:
fun Uber experiences (one good, one not so good)  Of course, neither were as frightening as Jonna behind the wheel....you learn a LOT about a person when you drive with them!!!!  Hold on!!!!

over cast weather for two days but that was perfect for Pedi's and massages and exploring and puzzle making. 

The last few days were a perfect mix of sunny weather with a titch of breeze which was perfect for beach time and shopping on Balboa.

We made so many new memories.  Talked our guts out.  Laughed over the silliest things.  Met delightful people that we wanted to just add to our party.

  We had such good guacamole and shrimp taquitos and pork carnitas that we had to go again for seconds.  (South of Nick's- 5 star!!!!)

  At night we would get in our comfy jammies and watch movies-  we saw:
Hidden Figures (wonderful)
Arrival (painful)
Walking With the Enemy (pretty good)
and Collateral Beauty (fabulous!!!!)

 

 

 

 Eating Tiger's Tails- a Stanworth tradition- for our last breakfast.  They didn't disappoint one bit!!!

 

 Jonna's fabulous backyard.  Heaven.

 

 

 

 

 

 We enjoyed White Mountain puzzles on our ferry ride (in the San Juans) so much, I ordered one to take to Jonna's to do and then leave for her family.  Such a fun one and we talked and talked while we worked.

 

 After our beach time, we brought home (accidently) this 5- inch centipede that freaked us out!!!!  Then we had to google centipedes and I learned so much more than I ever wanted to know.  Yuck!

 We found this thank you for Jonna that summed up our trip.

 

Unfortunately I got some weird sunburns (even with lotion) and on the flight home I started getting shooting pain in my ear.  I thought I might have strep, which was then sending shots to my ear.  Yesterday I went to Insta Care and no on strep and ear infection but she started me on shingles medicine just in case.  It's an anti-viral so I'm hoping there is something else going on that it can fix.
But can I say "ouch, ouch, ouch.!  About every 15 seconds I get a hot shot up my ear.   I don't think it is shingles but then again, I have survived them before, I can survive them again.

 

Most of us don’t need a psychiatric therapist as much as a friend to be silly with.

 ~Robert Brault


Friendship isn’t a big thing — it’s a million little things.

11th Eggstravaganza

 

We had our 11th annual Eggstravaganza on May 13.  The weather was cool during the day but by a hour before launch time, the sun came out and it was perfect.  I loved the event this year.  I wasn't stressed about the weather or food or anything.  Everything went smoothly. About 125 people this year (probably more.) I was busy running around so I wasn't able to take pictures but Valene took some for me.  I love having our yard done for the rest of the summer.  Got most of my flowers planted.  Now I can just enjoy! 

Sometimes I think that maybe I can end this tradition but then I want to have to

the same memories for Peyton and Ryker and Summer as the older grands. They've got lots of years left in them (and are at the perfect age now to hunt!)

 Niece Mallorie and hubby and kids came from Idaho and stayed for the weekend as well as niece Ashlee and kiddos.  Love this family time.

 

A highlight this year was that Brandi brought her refugee family that she helps mentor.  A mom and about 6 kids, almost grown.  The mom had never left her apartment since coming here in September.  She had never ridden in a car.  Of course they were clueless about what an egg hunt was.  They had never seen a horse (and a few of them actually rode.) And swimming.  One almost drowned but Brandi jumped in fully clothed to save her.  (just added to the excitement!)   There was no mutual language to share but love and joy!

“If people did not love one another, I really don't see what use there would be in having any spring.”
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

Odds and Ends

 Lots of things going on so I'm going to try and record as many as I can before I forget!

Each year Brandi's neighborhood puts on a musical that is amazing!  Full soundtracks and great scenery and costumes....the purpose is for all these kids through the years- to experience something like this- and each kid gets a time to shine.  Amazing singing and dancing and special effects.  Loved that all 3 of the girls could be in it this year!

 

 
Bucket was this past week at Annette's!  She's finally back with us after serving with her husband Dean at the Provo MTC.  We had such a lovely lunch- Sharon was back as well (they were recently released from the Presidency of the Draper Temple because Sharon has been having awful foot issues and multiple surgeries.)  We were all there but Zella.  We talked about amazing women in our lives and what we have learned from them.  I actually mentioned Addi (above) who has finished reading the Book of Mormon several times.  She reads every night without fail.  When I was putting her to bed and listening to her reading, I would ask her what that scripture meant and she oftentimes said, "I don't know."  I was so humbled that she would continue to read (a promise she made to Heavenly Father) even when she didn't always understand.  She's such a great example to me. 

 

Funny Kathy was born on this day.....

 

We celebrated today- Kathy and Chef Valene and I.  We did our annual birthday lunch and then hit lots of fabulous garden stores.  It's time!!!!!  Yay for sunshine and flowers and beautiful friends.

 

Another of our friends- the Gwilliams- lost Tom's mom this week.  I took dinner over to them yesterday so they didn't have to worry about it.  I made a potato salad (because I've been craving it) and loved these bright yellow eggs!!!!  These are my grand-Josh's chicken's eggs!  They are amazing!!!!  (Tom said he loved the coconut chicken I made- recipe on the cooking blog.)

 

 David and I went to the viewing tonight and I'll go to the funeral tomorrow.  Tom's sisters and or nieces made this gorgeous mound of paper flowers with all his mom's posterities pictures stuck in it.  I thought it was magnificent!

 

 

After the funeral tomorrow I'll need to get to work planting flats and flats of annuals and ground covers.  The 11th annual EGGSTRAGANZA is this weekend so it's crunch time!

Yesterday I was going through and deleting phone text messages and found my mom's last text message to me.  It was 10 days before she died...and I had just left to come home to Utah from Washington (thinking she was doing better).  It has just kind of set my heart strings off.  Do you ever get over this missing and ache? Mother's Day coming up is a little misty for me...

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”
― Washington Irving