...things change.
Dave and I have both been given new callings a church during the past few weeks. They re-organized the Young Men's Presidency and took the Sunday School President to lead the young men. They released Dave as the 1st Counselor in the Sunday School Presidency and called him to be the new Sunday School President. He's a bit nervous, but I think he will do wonderfully! The Bishop of our ward has already been an encouraging mentor for Dave and I'm enjoying watching Dave grow in his new leadership responsibilities. He's doing great!
This Sunday, they released me as the 14- and 15-year old Sunday School teacher and called me to be the 2nd Counselor in the Young Women's Presidency. That means I work closely with the 12- to 13-year-old girls at church. I'm a tad nervous! It's been so long since I've been a part of the Young Women organization.
What's interesting is that my mother-in-law is currently the 14- and 15-year old Sunday School teacher in her war and my mom is the 2nd Counselor in the Young Women's Presidency in her ward. Crazy, or what?!
So, when I was telling my mom about my new calling, she talked about Girl's Camp this summer. Dave said a priceless look of extreme panic came over my face. lol I'm NOT a fan of camping, especially with a group of young women. Girl's Camp for me when I was a young woman will forever be remembered as the following: extreme heat, ticks, sunburns, ice-cold showers, small tents, port-a-potties, overly-dramatic girls, and forced fun. Were there good parts? A couple, maybe. I just don't enjoy the camp thing.
You can imagine my HUGE relief when I found out today that I'm not expected to go to camp this year. WHEW!!!!!!! I am more than happy to get the girls ready to go, but not having to go is the best news ever!!! Plus, Dave is excited that he doesn't have to hear me whine about it for the next couple of months. lol
So, here's to new adventures with the young women at church!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
The best birthday yet!
(I told Tamara I'd tell her how my birthday this year went, since she asked. Well, my birthday was a few weeks ago and I still haven't written her about it... Better late than never!)
Last year during the time on and around my first birthday as a married woman, Dave was very sick. He doesn't remember much that happened even. So, I spent last year's birthday taking care of him. I wasn't sad really that I didn't have much of a birthday, since as you get older, birthdays seem less and less exciting. I was sad Dave was sick and my parents were in the middle of moving miles and miles away....
This year's birthday was way different, and I think I can honestly say it was my favorite birthday so far! Yay for 31!
Dave and I had planned to wake up and get a few things done that morning. (He wanted to get the lawn mowed since it kept getting pushed back for one reason or another, and I needed to run a couple of errands, including one for work.) Well... We slept in. It was so nice!!! We don't normally sleep in much, even on the weekends. It felt great!
We finally got up and I made us breakfast. We lounged around and watched some TV together. I finally got up and said, "Ok, we've stalled long enough. We need to get our stuff done so we can party tonight." Dave pulled me back on the couch and said he'd rather keep cuddling with me. We watched some more TV and ended up falling asleep. I woke up and couldn't believe the clock said Noon!!! What?!?
It was so relaxing, though! And super nice to spend some quality, lazy time with Dave! :o)
We got up and Dave went out and mowed the lawn. I got ready for the day and missed a couple of Happy Birthday phone calls from my family. (How do people somehow always know when I'm in the shower?!) It was super fun to talk to my parents and Jennifer while Dave finished up the lawn! I love my family!!! Plus, Jennifer helped talk me into not feeling guilty about being so lazy and not getting the work errand done. Sisters are the greatest!
After Dave got cleaned up, he took me to an empty elementary school parking lot down the street from our house and gave me my very first lesson on how to drive a manual-transmission car. (It's not fair that Dave is the only one who knows how to drive our cool, red, sporty Mazda RX8, so I told him that as a birthday present he could start teaching me lol) I was quite nervous about it, but I surprisingly only stalled the car once. And that's only because I think it's ridiculous you have to push in the clutch when you're braking. Really?? You're just stopping the car for goodness sake! The clutch should only have to be used when you're changing gears! Anyway...
The driving lesson only lasted 15 minutes and Dave was surprised that I told him I was finished so soon. The way I saw it, though, was this: I wasn't in tears, and he wasn't yelling at me. That equals a HUGE success in my mind. :o) I wanted to end on a high note! (Plus, I was getting overwhelmed with trying to remember everything and needed to give my poor brain a rest!)
Still in a great mood after the driving lesson, Dave took me to see "The Lucky One" (another birthday present I had asked for). We rarely go to see chick flicks in the theater and he said he'd go if we got tons of popcorn. We did, and I really enjoyed the movie! I'm not a huge Zac Efron fan, but I must admit: he was pretty dreamy in his role in this movie. ;o) (No need to worry, Dave. You're still the only guy for me!)
After the movie, we stopped at Home Depot for Dave. Then we went to Kohls and I bought a new shirt for about $3.00! Happy birthday to me! (I love, love, love getting $10 gift cards in the mail :o) On the way back home, we stopped at Publix to get my birthday cake. Publix makes my most favorite store-bought cakes ever. Their vanilla cakes with vanilla buttercream frosting is so way yummy! Dave even sang happy birthday to me before we ate it after dinner once we got home. What a man!
That was basically the day. It was super relaxing and I spent pretty much the entire day with my wonderful husband! What more could a girl ask for?! Thank you, Dave, for making my 31st birthday dreams come true! Although, now you've set the bar pretty high for next year. lol ;o)
Last year during the time on and around my first birthday as a married woman, Dave was very sick. He doesn't remember much that happened even. So, I spent last year's birthday taking care of him. I wasn't sad really that I didn't have much of a birthday, since as you get older, birthdays seem less and less exciting. I was sad Dave was sick and my parents were in the middle of moving miles and miles away....
This year's birthday was way different, and I think I can honestly say it was my favorite birthday so far! Yay for 31!
Dave and I had planned to wake up and get a few things done that morning. (He wanted to get the lawn mowed since it kept getting pushed back for one reason or another, and I needed to run a couple of errands, including one for work.) Well... We slept in. It was so nice!!! We don't normally sleep in much, even on the weekends. It felt great!
We finally got up and I made us breakfast. We lounged around and watched some TV together. I finally got up and said, "Ok, we've stalled long enough. We need to get our stuff done so we can party tonight." Dave pulled me back on the couch and said he'd rather keep cuddling with me. We watched some more TV and ended up falling asleep. I woke up and couldn't believe the clock said Noon!!! What?!?
It was so relaxing, though! And super nice to spend some quality, lazy time with Dave! :o)
We got up and Dave went out and mowed the lawn. I got ready for the day and missed a couple of Happy Birthday phone calls from my family. (How do people somehow always know when I'm in the shower?!) It was super fun to talk to my parents and Jennifer while Dave finished up the lawn! I love my family!!! Plus, Jennifer helped talk me into not feeling guilty about being so lazy and not getting the work errand done. Sisters are the greatest!
After Dave got cleaned up, he took me to an empty elementary school parking lot down the street from our house and gave me my very first lesson on how to drive a manual-transmission car. (It's not fair that Dave is the only one who knows how to drive our cool, red, sporty Mazda RX8, so I told him that as a birthday present he could start teaching me lol) I was quite nervous about it, but I surprisingly only stalled the car once. And that's only because I think it's ridiculous you have to push in the clutch when you're braking. Really?? You're just stopping the car for goodness sake! The clutch should only have to be used when you're changing gears! Anyway...
The driving lesson only lasted 15 minutes and Dave was surprised that I told him I was finished so soon. The way I saw it, though, was this: I wasn't in tears, and he wasn't yelling at me. That equals a HUGE success in my mind. :o) I wanted to end on a high note! (Plus, I was getting overwhelmed with trying to remember everything and needed to give my poor brain a rest!)
Still in a great mood after the driving lesson, Dave took me to see "The Lucky One" (another birthday present I had asked for). We rarely go to see chick flicks in the theater and he said he'd go if we got tons of popcorn. We did, and I really enjoyed the movie! I'm not a huge Zac Efron fan, but I must admit: he was pretty dreamy in his role in this movie. ;o) (No need to worry, Dave. You're still the only guy for me!)
After the movie, we stopped at Home Depot for Dave. Then we went to Kohls and I bought a new shirt for about $3.00! Happy birthday to me! (I love, love, love getting $10 gift cards in the mail :o) On the way back home, we stopped at Publix to get my birthday cake. Publix makes my most favorite store-bought cakes ever. Their vanilla cakes with vanilla buttercream frosting is so way yummy! Dave even sang happy birthday to me before we ate it after dinner once we got home. What a man!
That was basically the day. It was super relaxing and I spent pretty much the entire day with my wonderful husband! What more could a girl ask for?! Thank you, Dave, for making my 31st birthday dreams come true! Although, now you've set the bar pretty high for next year. lol ;o)
Sunday, May 13, 2012
I did it!!!
I successfully made home-made bread for the first time ever!!!! Jennifer was my inspiration :o) Here's the recipe she gave me:
Joseph Smith's Favorite Bread
4 cups warm water
4 Tbsp dry yeast
4 tsp salt
4 heaping Tbsp sugar or honey
4 Tbsp oil
8 cups flour
Mix all ingredients well in large bowl. Let stand 15-20 minutes. Put on floured board; knead - adding more flour until smooth and not sticky. Divide dough into thirds - knead each section 2 or 3 times. Shape into loaf. Put into greased bread pans. Let it rise until it comes to the top of the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Brush tops with butter after removing from pans.
I usually use honey. And this last time I halved the recipe and made 2 loaves so you could probably make 4 loaves out of a full recipe. When I make wheat bread I do half white and half wheat flour for the main part of the recipe and then just white flour for the extra you add as you knead.
It wasn't complicated and didn't take forever, so that's nice :o) Although, I must say that I'm not sure my kneading technique is even close to professional or correct, so I'm glad no one was around to watch me. lol
I halved it as well and made 1 regular-sized loaf and 4 mini ones. It made A MESS, which I was not a fan of, but Jennifer gave me a couple more pointers that should make it easier next time. I used all white flour, but plan to do half white and half wheat next time. :o)
IT TASTES AMAZING!!! I so way wish I could share via my blog... Technology needs to hurry up and advance. ;o) lol
Joseph Smith's Favorite Bread
4 cups warm water
4 Tbsp dry yeast
4 tsp salt
4 heaping Tbsp sugar or honey
4 Tbsp oil
8 cups flour
Mix all ingredients well in large bowl. Let stand 15-20 minutes. Put on floured board; knead - adding more flour until smooth and not sticky. Divide dough into thirds - knead each section 2 or 3 times. Shape into loaf. Put into greased bread pans. Let it rise until it comes to the top of the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Brush tops with butter after removing from pans.
I usually use honey. And this last time I halved the recipe and made 2 loaves so you could probably make 4 loaves out of a full recipe. When I make wheat bread I do half white and half wheat flour for the main part of the recipe and then just white flour for the extra you add as you knead.
 |
| Waiting to rise.... |
 |
| Extreme yummyness! |
It wasn't complicated and didn't take forever, so that's nice :o) Although, I must say that I'm not sure my kneading technique is even close to professional or correct, so I'm glad no one was around to watch me. lol
I halved it as well and made 1 regular-sized loaf and 4 mini ones. It made A MESS, which I was not a fan of, but Jennifer gave me a couple more pointers that should make it easier next time. I used all white flour, but plan to do half white and half wheat next time. :o)
IT TASTES AMAZING!!! I so way wish I could share via my blog... Technology needs to hurry up and advance. ;o) lol
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