From Patrick to Missionaries

Well today we sold Patrick. Many of you probably wonder who Patrick is! Two weeks ago we decided to get a friend for Belle so she wouldn't be so lonely and bored. Well it has been a fun two weeks as they became friends and kept life more interesting. Vivian loved playing outside with the dogs while the others were at school. Even thought he was a loving dog, we decided that maybe we would to the extreme opposite and become totally dog free. I know this may seem crazy because we flip-flop back and forth. We love dogs but not all the work, the poop, the feeling of being tied down, etc. I know - you probably think we are crazy!

So tonight a family came to buy Patrick for their grandpa. Patrick was being a little stink at first and not so sure about all of this. He was being over protective and upset. After a little coaching, we got him to relax and they decided to take him home. I since have called them to check how he was liking his new environment. They assured me that Patrick was licking their faces, laying on his back for a belly rub and enjoying his new owner. The family that bought him had showed interest in Belle - so they may come get her tomorrow.

The story continues.....Earlier when the family was at our home, I told them that I had quite a bit of dog food stored. I told them that we have a food storage for our family and the dogs. So when I talked to him on the phone later the food storage concept was brought up. He said that his dad (grandpa) wanted to talk to his children about that very thing - he said he had some very important information that he wanted to share with them (about their future well-being). That spurred a conversation with him about the church. I told him that we were LDS and he said that the thought we were from things (artwork) in our home (he also has some LDS family members). He asked me questions about tithing, food storage, no sex before marriage, etc. We continued to have a great conversation and by the end he said he wanted to join the church (he has been wanting to join a church but thought he couldn't go to our church because of his tattoos). I explained that if he was interested that he should meet with the missionaries and that they would be happy to teach him and his family. I told him that I would research the information for the missionaries in his area and get back with him tomorrow! So I did - I called the Bishop and he gave me the mission home phone number.

Of course, I condensed this long story for you - but I felt great sharing with him my feelings about the church. I am excited to stay in touch and see what he chooses. You never know what may come from any conversation - this all started about me telling them about the extra food I was storing for the dogs!

Bailout? What's around the corner?

I have kept my eyes on the news, newspapers, and radio programs. On Monday (Sept. 29), the Dow plunged 777 points - its biggest single-day fall ever. As I learn more about our economic problems, I realize that this is a very complicated matter. There has been a lot of finger pointing, revealing information, and fear in the media. Is there a Great Depression around the corner? I feel like it's time for me to be educated and know what is going on (where was I the rest of my life? clueless!!). How are you all feeling about this and what are you doing to be prepared?

More food

A little more stocking up today:
Costco-
2 bags of almonds
1 bag of pecans
1 bag of already cooked bacon (I'm putting all of this in the freezer)

Walmart-
44 cans of chili from Walmart (50 cents each)- they have two years efore they expire.
sandwich baggies
misc.

I have been looking for mapeline flavoring - every store is out! What's up? Let me know if you see any and how much it is. I need more for my food storage.

I also got another rain check for the Hershey chocolate chips and Duncan Hines cake mixes at Albertsons -with their sale they are each 70 cents. Yes, I need chocolate!

I love Glen Beck!

I have followed Glen more closely this past year. I even attended his "2008 Unelectable" show that was aired in theatres throughout the country. He has been encouraging Americans to get a food storage and prepare for troubled times - which has been very unpopular for him. I find insight in reading this articles and interviews as I search to understand what is going on in today's world. I believe that there are rough times ahead.

I have been doing all that I can to physically be prepared (I have been ramping up the food storage again - this time with canned enchilada sauce, green chilies, chocolate chips, cake mix, brown sugar - you name it! After having that yummy chocolate cake, I decided I needed to have more dessert ingredients on hand, too!) as well as focusing more on the spiritual.

Here is Glenn Beck's link if you would like to read what he says. He also has a radio program Monday - Friday 3-6 pm (in the area that I live) on 580 AM. He is informative while at the same time entertaining. He also airs on CNN Headline News in the evening - I don't have cable or I would definitely be watching!

Everything Tastes Good on Fast Sunday!

Today I made a chocolate bundt cake that I thought was delicious! I found the original recipe on allrecipes titled "Too Much Chocolate Cake" - you will have to try this one out! I slightly modified my version.

Also I made a delicious salad dressing -it uses ingredients that you probably have on hand. It was taken from "Roquefort Pear Salad" on allrecipes.com.

Special Fireside

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a YW/Leader regional fireside. Sister Barbara Thompson (2nd counselor of General Relief Society) reminded us to always be true and faithful. The Lord will never fail us. Even when life doesn't go the way we planned, it can still be joyful. With some self evaluation, we can be more in tune to what the Lord would have us do. In Alma 37:37 , we are reminded to "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good..." In conclusion, she turned to Ether 12:41 where it says "seek this Jesus". Isn't that the key to living joyfully? As we center our lives on Christ, we will stay on the pathway that leads back home to Heaven.

We also had the great privilege of hearing from Sister Elaine Dalton, General Young Women's President (remember she was recently called). At the beginning of her talk, she had us all stand up and recite the Young Women's Theme:

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us, and we love him. We will "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places . . ." as we strive to live the Young Women Values, which are:
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works and
Integrity
We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

I could just feel my own worth as I recited this with the group. She said that people will ask the young women - "who are you that radiate such optimism and light?" And that we will recite our young women's theme with power. These are the ones who are preparing for the Lord's 2nd coming. Remember who you are! We each have a personal, unique mission to fulfill. Love who you are, right now! He has a plan for each of us. At the end of this message, she shared her 100% challenge. Before sharing it, she asked if we believed if the world could be changed with the example of one righteous young woman. Hands were raised as the young women agreed that one person can make a difference. So she shared her simple challenge:

1- Pray everyday

2-Read the Book of Mormon for at least 5 minutes everyday

3-Smile everyday

She wants each of us to live this 100% every day! So I share that challenge with you, and ask will you join me in this challenge.

Framed Temple Pictures

Last year for my birthday some of you will remember that Paul bought me a beautiful framed panoramic pictured of the Salt Lake Temple in sepia tone and chunky black frame. April just brought to my attention that a different company is selling these as a roadshow event at Costco. They are currently traveling the Utah Costco stores and will be in Boise from Oct 31 - Nov. 9. You need to take a look at their website for a sneak peak. Their prices at Costco are much better than the retail prices for example the 24x47 size is listed at $440 but their Costco price will be $169.99! Wow you can't beat that! I called the Boise Costco - so I know that this information is accurate. Just thought I would let you all know!

Trying a new background

Kristen Smedley's blog has a cute fresh background so I thought it was time to make a change. I still want to make a header with photos - I haven't tackled that one yet. I followed Kristen's link to find these cute backgrounds.

Great FHE Book

My friend, Jody, shared this great book with me. I just bought it last week and taught the first lesson. I think it is an awesome book because it directly follows the "For The Strength of Youth" pamphlet. It breaks each topic down into a lesson with fun activities, treat idea, and stories. You will have to check it out at Dessert Book and see if it is something your family would enjoy, too!

Menu Monday

It seems painful to sit down and plan a menu - but I did it! I plan my menus according to the weather! It is true - especially during the summer when it's so hot. Since the first half of the week is going to be warm/hot, I planned my non-house warming recipes and my oven recipes are planned for when it cools down. When it's winter - anything goes because I want to have a warm house. That's when I bake triple batches of whole wheat bread in comparison to the summer I use the bread maker.

Monday - Hamburgers/salmon burgers on the grill, watermelon, pork and beans, grilled potato wedges (Olivia loves these).

Tuesday - Costa Vida Sweet Pork Salad-and horchata (yummy drink) made at home :-)

Wednesday- Club sandwich wraps and sliced fruit

Thursday - Garden Patch Chowder, sliced bread, trifle (My V.T. and I are making lunch for the ladies we visit - I will just plan the same thing for our dinner).

Friday - Sweet and Sour Chicken, brown rice, edamame, egg drop soup

Saturday - left overs

Sunday - carbonara and blueberry muffins for breakfast
Three cheese jumbo shells (Jody's recipe), veggie, salad, garlic bread - dinner

Hurricane Ike

This past weekend I have been following Hurricane Ike which hit Texas Friday night/Saturday morning. Tonya (my sister) lives in The Woodlands, just north a bit of Houston. Luckily her home was undamaged, but many families nearby had trees on their homes. Currently they have a family of seven staying with them because their home was severely damaged by a fallen tree. I just can't even imagine the aftermath of such a tremendous hurricane - they are feeling it now as they are living without power. They do have a generator which is keeping their fridge and freeze powered - but they only have a couple days worth of gas left. Gas is scarce, in any, in the area. Ryan is out all day helping other families and probably getting lots of use out his chain saw. Tonya was very prepared for this storm - but she will definitely get some first hand experience with brushing up on her survival skills and family home preparedness. Our prayers and thoughts are with them.

Below is an update from Keith (as of today) for those of you who aren't family that may be interested.

Hi Again:

At 3:30pm I visited again with Tonya about their circumstances and she reports the following:

The rains and wind have stopped for the most part.
Ryan is gone most of the time helping others.
Her cell phone was working at the time.
All are safe.
The sevenfold increase in their home is proving to be a challenge. With new faces and voices, naps, quiet time, meal time, even bed time is not the same.
From their local emergency broadcasts, electricity might be weeks away, gasoline is hard to find, and to be patient because the answers today might be different tomorrow.
They are concern because they only have about 3 days of gas left for the generator. They are not using gas from the vehicles in case they decide to leave.
Not having read his e-mail , Chase talked to Tonya earlier this after noon and called to report.
Observations:
Mom just tried to return Tonya call at 5:30pm, and no one picked up. While out power, cell towers would have to use emergency generator power like anyone else. Because gasoline in almost not available, they will not be capable of running cell towers 24/7. So calling them would be hit and miss. I think we would be wise to help them conserve battery time on their cell, by communication with each other if we hear from them.
Tonya is concerned if they choose to leave, not knowing for sure where to go, how things will be if left behind, and how long they will be gone. I encouraged them to prayerful about it, and not to decide too quickly.
Thanks for your faith and prayers in their behalf. Let us know if you have anything. Love ya, Keith

Remembering 9/11/01

I read Jeff's blog about 9/11 and reflected of my memories of that horrific day. I remembering getting ready to go to the YMCA - I was just wandering around the house getting Corbin (5 yrs. old - in afternoon kindergarten and Porter (2 yrs. old) ready when Tami (my sister - who lived in Boise at the time) called and told me to turn on the television. I just sat there not believing my eyes. How could this be happening? And Why? I still went to the "Y" and watched how this all played out, I just was in shock to see the destruction, the loss of lives, and the chaos of the three terrible incidents. By the way, I was very pregnant with Olivia - she came two months after this happened.

This also happened to be the day that Paul received his Bar test results that he passed! We went out to eat Chinese to celebrate his accomplishment. It was an eerie feeling as the restaurant was almost completely empty and void of happiness. It was a bitter sweet day for us.

Two new recipes

Last night I made two new recipes that I loved- Chicken Bruschetta and Fresh Tomato & Basil Bruschetta served on sliced bread. Check them out on the recipe blog (this is not a private blog - so bookmark it and refer to it anytime you wish!) Both are made with basil - my favorite herb.

Southern Peach Cobbler

I have some fresh, ripe peaches so I just had to make a peach cobbler for Family Home Evening. I found a recipe on www.allrecipes.com - it was great. Everyone enjoyed it. Olivia even helped me make the cobbler topping. She said that was her favorite part to eat. With over 400 reader reviews and 5 stars, I think this is a tasty recipe. Click here for the link or enjoy the copied recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

MIX TOGETHER:
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

Tortilla Chips

Okay, you might think I'm crazy for sharing this - but what the heck! I have steered away from eating tortilla chips because of all their fat - oh, I do love them with salsa. Instead I have substituted them with regular corn tortillas that I bake in the toaster. First I cook them on number four, then they go down again on number two! This makes them nice and crispy so that I can just break them as I scoop on the salsa. I know you can do this in the oven - but this is much faster and easier for me. Cheers to healthy tortilla chips!

Saturday part III

We ventured out to the Taste of Idaho, which was held at the Qwest Arena. Adults cost $5 to get in - the kids were free. We came away with our tummies stuffed with food samples and bags of fresh produce, chocolate milk, yogurt, and treats. Of course, I had to take pictures of our adventure. Part of the Richaels family joined us including, Craig, Amanda, and Emily! This event was to promote foods grown in Idaho.
Here are some pictures of us downtown. The family picture below just happened! We were parked near these old steps (first shown to me during Tisha's bridal photo shoot) and I just had to have a picture. My camera (my little point and shoot) wasn't on the best setting (I didn't realize until we got home) - 800 ISO - so it's not perfect. But I think this picture may work for our Christmas photo - so I disguised it with the green and this funky treatment. You will have to wait until Christmas for the real thing!
We had an eventful day - but it didn't end there. After all that, a few of us had naps (including me) and then we caught up on our household chores. We have to get things looking good for Sunday because it stinks waking up Sunday morning to a mess.

Saturday - Part II

At 9:00 a.m., Porter played his first soccer game of the season. He sure loves soccer! These pictures were taken by Vivian, exclusively! She had lots of fun deciding what to take a picture of - she took several pictures of a dog (but they didn't turn out). Go Vivian!
Corbin brought his skateboard. I had to snap some pictures of him - he's really smooth on the Ripstick. I have tried this and it's no easy feat.

Saturday Fun Part I

Our morning started off with Mickey Mouse pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes! Olivia helped me with the chocolate chips - she made her Mickey smile! Olivia turned her nose up to these same pancakes recently, but today she decided they were good.

Frustrated

You can just skip this message if you don't want to listen to me vent. I am recording this more for me so when I read through my 2008 blog book (I planned on getting this year's posts published into a book) - I will remember this experience in the HOA. Just to keep it short - the directors of the HOA, especially me, are being bullied by the developer who was the previous person running this HOA before it was turned over to the homeowners. He had his attorney draft a three page document outlining everything we are currently doing wrong. There is a threat of legal action if we proceed with building the swimming pool among other things that they pointed out. The CC&R's state that he has a 75% vote until the last lot is sold- which could veto anything that we try to pass if he doesn't agree. I have totally disregarded this because I believed that the lots were considered sold - but it is so loosely written and undefined that it could be a potential legal trap. It is totally maddening after all the work I and the others have done to try and improve this neighborhood. It came with many problems and we are addressing them one by one. My role as a president has definitely shown me some of my weaknesses along with some of my strengths. Yes, there are a few situations where I wish I could have shown more self-control/discipline when I have been upset. It has weighed heavily on my mind as I have really tried to have every one's best interests in mind. I feel like I am working a job with no pay, no gratitude - but actually more problems. I know these things will take time to work through - (but am I willing to continue?) - especially as it does affect my overall happiness. Paul is able to leave work problems at work -that is definitely something that I need to do. I don't want any sympathy -I'm just venting to myself! This threatening letter is going to be directly addressed as we plan to copy and distribute it to all the homeowners before we have a big HOA meeting to discuss the future role of the HOA, especially if we can't make decisions of our own. This will be sure to create an uproar with the neighborhood. Interesting, huh?

Porter's Helicopter

Porter worked very hard and saved his money ($52) for this flying helicopter from Target. Porter loves to fly it in our family room with the high ceiling. Porter wants to buy another helicopter to have dog fights. This is something that he enjoys doing when all of his chores and homework are done. This morning he worked very hard to get ready and had time to spare - way to go Porter!

It's a Big Day for Vivian

Today was Vivian's first day at dance and her first day of preschool with Jennifer Ashby (teacher). She loves dance already - she wasn't afraid to jump right in and learn. I asked her what she did at class and she showed me some steps. Then she said they did spins -but that she didn't want to spin because she doesn't want others spinning when she does! Vivian loves to dance with Paul. She is very expressive in her spins, dips and bows. (I had to squeeze my exercise in during dance so I ran a couple miles - I didn't want to add the YMCA on to her already full day). I can't wait to hear how she enjoys preschool. Last week she met her teacher at a one-on-one open house - Jen has everything so organized and cute. Sometime I will have to take some pics.

Cupcake Balls and Cake

I have been wanting to make cupcake pops. You might be wondering what they are - check out bakerellas website for complete details, instructions, and pictures. Hers look so cute (the top two pictures)! Here is the link- just scroll down a bit until you see them. I definitely gave it my best shot and followed her directions but they just didn't work for me. The main problem was that the cake/frosting mixture was too moist and they won't form well into the cupcake shape. So I gave up and made them into cake balls (my photos include the middle and bottom two) that I dipped in white chocolate - much easier and a fun project that kids could be involved in.

Labor Day Fun

I have been wanting to paint and decorate my laundry room for a long time now but I didn't have any idea what to do. Finally my inspiration came through a couple sources. First, I was in a school office that really attracted my eye. The room was bright and colorful and decorated with a Disney theme. Then the girls and I went to the Disney Store where I found some stretched canvas art projects for them. Then after coming home - the idea popped into my head that I could have this theme for my laundry room - Why not? I'm hoping that if I create a fun place full of happy memories that I will all of a sudden LOVE doing laundry!

I'm going to break every decorating rule - I'm not settling for one color of paint - but three! This room is a small room to begin with so I can go all out. I made a trip to Lowe's today (thank you Jody for watching the girls while I did this). I was on the hunt for the perfect colors - anything was a possibility. First I found a nice green, then an aqua blue and finally a red. I bought them in small 7.2 oz paint cans just to see what color I really liked. I was so excited to get home and get them on the wall - that's when I either love it or hate it. First I painted the ceiling the same color as the trim (white) - then I started with the green and I loved it. Then I decided to try the blue on an adjacent wall - I loved that, too. Hummm...should I get brave with the red? I decided what the heck and tried the red. I liked it, also. So then I had to pick and choose the color of each wall. I kind of just went with the flow - and I like how it turned out. I had to go back to Lowe's to buy a quart of each color to finish. It took me forever because each wall needed two coats while the red wall needed three! The pictures I took sort of distorted the wall colors - you will have to come see them in person! But wait....this is only the beginning. I have many more ideas to finish the room. Stay tuned.

I just realized that everytime Paul is out of time, I decide to paint! Today's project will be a surprise to him! I knew I was starting to feel the "painting bug" on Saturday...sure enough it hit me today.