Strawberry, Chicken and Avocado in Won Ton Cups

Went to a bridal shower for one of my darling Laurels, Emmaline T,  all grown up!  Besides celebrating her upcoming wedding, I also celebrated finding some new appetizers that were served!  Yay!  Double score.

This is the coolest appetizer.  I'm already thinking you could also do it for a mini salad.  It is so different and refreshing with the citrus drizzle.  I'd give it 5 stars! Recipe on the cooking blog.

Missing

I've so been missing my mom.  I talk to her everyday.  I've had a hard time getting ahold of my dad- then to learn he was in the hospital for 2 days (without letting me know) (and Gary and Cher were in Argentina.)  He doesn't sound good and I'm just so afraid he's not going to be able to hang on too much longer.  Booking my ticket to go see in in two weeks.  Found this old picture of our little family.  I always thought Michael Landon looked like my father.  So blessed to be raised by these two extraordinary people and comedians.  We love to laugh!

Go Figgy

Bon Appetit is rapidly approaching.  Actually it was suppose to be next Monday but had to be postponed til the 25th because I need to watch kiddos next week while Ryan and Marci and Josh and Heidi go on Pioneer trek.  Elijah and Noah will come and play.  Addi needs to be here too.  Her older sisters and Brandi are going to Girl's Camp.  We will have a great time.

With all the kids coming and bringing friends to swim, I'm in and out of the greenhouse doing pool stuff and am shocked at how the fig tree (that REALLY got pruned this year) is going zonkers and already has ripe figs.Usually I let other people come and get the figs because I don't really care about them but then I realized I should care.....
and now I CARE.

I thought a Go Figgy Bon Appetit would really get my creative juices going.  I headed to Pinterest and pondered over every fig recipe and came up with a great menu,  I was so excited about the Figgy Preserves that I told Brandi I would make her gifts for all her Christmas Girl's Night Out group.  Her reply- "I HATE figs."  Okay then....

I thought I needed to test drive the fig recipes and went out and bought all the ingredients.....  came home and went to the fig tree to pick- and all the ripe ones had already splatted on the ground and now there are just millions of small hard ones.  Bummed!  I had already made the blackberry and peach and fresh fig salad (without the figs) for dinner- and then told David the story about the unripe figs and he exclaimed "I hate figs!"  What?????  The whole Bon Appetit dinner was focused on figs?????

So, I had all these chicken thighs I needed to cook. (Instead of the Fig and Balsamic Glazed chicken with Gorgonzola that I intended to make.)  Kind of took the wind out of my sales.  I've made some good thigh recipes that I will share (when I'm done pouting)- but for now, I'll just dream about the fig dishes I was planning on cooking.  Sigh.
  (But as soon as the figs are ripe again- I'm sooo doing these anyway. And if they are ripe by Bon Appetit, then I may have to sneak them in.  I might have to invite Adam and Eve...)

(without the chicken on this one since it's not the main course.)

Micah 4: 4    Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid

I Like To Look for Rainbows

 Oh my goodness- how time flies~  this little back-flipping- always- in- motion- Sadie- Jo-Jo was baptized a few weeks ago!  This girl is the fizz in 7-Up!  She is the bounce in springs and a cyclone full of two cups of crazy with a side of coo coo ca choo!  You cannot un-smile when Sadie's around!  Oh, how I love this girl.  She was baptized in the Alpine Tabernacle (which is really in American Fork which made for fun directions!) along side her cousin, Jake (who lives in Olympia, WA.) who was blessed the same day she was 8 years ago.  We love Tenille's brother Trent and wife Laura who are Jake's parents and it was so fun to see them again!  Such a special day!  Laura talked about baptism and Rylee and Boston shared a great talk about the Holy Ghost.  You can think that 8 is a young age to accept the Lord but I'm so thankful for the gift of the Holy Ghost to help and protect and teach and encourage and bless each of our lives.  Love you Sadie Jo!!!!!

 

Sadie and Jake

 

 

I love the darling baptism banner Tenille made and the colorful candy packets with the words to  The Baptism Song-

Ache

 A couple of weeks ago, Parker had a big surgery.  He spent several days in the hospital, then the weekdays at our house last week.  He went home on Friday when Brandi is off and for the weekend and that's when the problems started all again.    These are Brandi's comments:

Update on Parker:
Parker has had a rough recovery since his Lefort surgery on the 21st. They had to break his jaws and move them forward and wired him shut x 8 weeks. We were discharged home this past Sunday, but had to go back up on Monday and Wednesday for postop complications. Last night about 1:30 AM he began to hemorrhage, I took him to the emergency room at Riverton they were unable to stop the bleeding and took us by ambulance to Primary Children's. They rushed him into emergency surgery to try and locate the source of the bleed. They opened up his mouth and all of the sutures and we're unable to find the source of the bleed. Now they are performing a more complicated procedure, a cerebral angiogram, to try to identify where the bleeding is originating. He will be re-admitted to the ICU today. We will try to update as we know more! We appreciate everyone's prayers and support

 


***Latest update: they are going to keep him intubated and sedated tonight to reduce risk of additional bleeding. They were unable to find the main source of bleeding.  Found 2 small arteries on the left, temporarily clotted those 2 arteries, but couldn't find the reason for the bleeding on the right side. The risk of stroke or other complications was too high they felt so they are going to try a more conservative approach and are "cautiously optimistic". We should know more ...in 12 hours. We are overwhelmed by all the prayers and support, thank you!!

 

Parker Update 7/2/17:
They were able to extubate (remove the breathing tube) Parker today and there has been no significant bleeding and he was able to breathe on his own!! The Dr's are cautious because he's still packed and aren't sure if that's why we aren't seeing additional bleeding or if it's actually stopped. We are optimistic that it's the latter 🙏🏼 The last big hurdle seems to be removing the ng tube (tube from his nose to his stomach). They have left it in to make su...re there is no bleeding internally that we can't see due to the packing. He's anxious to get it out. He's so thirsty, almost 48 hours since his last drink 😔. Still in the ICU but anticipate moving outta here tomorrow 🙌.
We (myself, Doug Johnson, Amie L Smith-Campbell and Ryan Campbell) are so grateful for the love and support that has been poured out in his behalf and ours. Today is so much better, he's alert and stable! Thank you for the prayers, the support and strength has been tangible and is greatly appreciated!!

 

 

Grateful:
-For the doctors, nurses, CNAS and staff, who take such good care of my boy
-Chocolate milk (He’s finally drinking a little bit today!!!)
-That we moved outta the ICU!!
-The ng tube came out without a hitch...
-Ryan, Amie and Doug - it's taken a team effort and love is always better x 4
-AMAZING family and friends who show up when needed, who reach out, who offer their prayers, and faith and love repeatedly
-That God is a God of miracles and provides us comfort and strength in all times

 

 

Parker had a rough day yesterday, his body is so weak and he was having difficulty breathing and swallowing UNTIL his uncles and cousin visited! Apparently he needed a few new faces who could talk Bball, make him laugh, and share inappropriate jokes!
Laughter + Family really is the best medicine!
🤞🏼 Won't be d/c'd today after all but so grateful for a few good hours last night!



Marilyn's notes:  this has been such a hard time.  Parker has had a terrible time and is frustrated and in pain and just done.  It is hard to watch.  I had to post these two pictures.  One of Parker's favorite people in the world is his cousin Josh, who is one year younger.  Love that Josh can be there for Park during these serious struggles.

 

 

Our heart is full of gratitude but also concern.  He was checked out of the hospital today- over 20 lbs. lighter than when he went in two weeks ago- and still in pain and anxiety.   It's one of those deep pits of pain in the gut for all those involved.  Just a hard, hard trial.   Just praying for my boy and my sweet Brandi and family.

"That trial is not fair when affection is judge."
                                        Thomas Fuller, author