Christmas was Wonderful!!

Our Family has had a wonderful Christmas season. This year, I made a new tree skirt for my livingroom Christmas Tree. On this tree the only ornaments on it are of the Savior, Family, Community, and Winter. I also have some pearls and some burgundy bows. This tree is what the real meaning of Christmas is to me. First and foremost the celebration of the birth of Christ, our Savior. 2nd, its about time with those I love, family and about my ancestors, whose who made me possible. 3rd, about our community, our neigbors and town and friends. 4th Winter, the world is white and appears clean and crisp. I have glass icicles on my tree. I had a burgundy plaid tree skirt under my tree in the past few years, but it wasn't right. So this year I made a new treeskirt. This skirt represents the life of Christ through photos of painting from LDS Artists. Most are by Greg Olsen, one by Liz Swindle and a couple from artist I am not sure who they are. I will find out and give them credit. I believe one came from my gospel art packet. I have chosen a picture that respresnts different times in the life of Christ. The only thing that is not represented is the 2nd coming, because it hasn't happened yet. The tree skirt is trimmed with a ruffle and pearls above the ruffle. Around each picture I have framed them with ribbons. I absolutely love my new tree skirt. It fits the tree perfectly.  I love it, love it, love it!!!

Merry Christmas!!

The big day is nearly here. Tomorrow morning, well, I guess later today, we are having a family breakfast with all the Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. My parents of course and sibilings will hopefully be attending. It is the greatest time of year. A time of great relflection. I just love the Christmas Season. Everyone seems to be a bit kinder, a bit more patience than normal. Truly most people seem to have that Christ like spirit about them. It would be nice if we all had this all year round. 

I have completed my Christ Treeskirt.  I will take photos and post them later today. I also will be doing my baking and cooking for the big day.

All the presents have been purchases, made and wrapped. I only have the baking to complete. We have enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season this year. We have attended the Messiah sing along, Several High school choir concerts, and orchestra concerts, Lincoln Youth Sympohony concert as well as Hills of Homes Concert and then the Big one.. We were privileged enough to be able to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert with guest stars David Archeletta and Michael York. What a treat that program was to attend. It was absolutely beautiful.  Music makes the season just that much better. Tomorrow evening all my children will be home again. What a joy. Then the music will begin in the home again. One on the piano, one on the violin, one on the flute.. and the others singing. I just love it! Nothing better in the whole world.

Well, I want to wish all a Merry Christmas and hope that we will have peace and prosperityin our families  in the coming year.

Songberries

My great friend, whose blog is Songberries, has a giveaway underway. Go check out her blog. She has some of the greatest give away items around. She has invested alot of time on her blog and she has wonderful recipes as well. Currently she has a giveaway for a beautiful fragrance I am hoping to win. Check out the fragrance ForeverLilly Perfume    I won't like the competition in this giveaway, but join me trying to win this beautiful bottle of fragrance.

I know I don't write alot and I don't have alot of followers off this site, but please follow me and follow Songberries as well.Seems blogfrog followers follow me more than here.. wierd. Anyways.. Check out Songberries! You'll be glad that you did!

Fall Break

We had a wonderful weekend roofing a home that belongs to my parents. These wonderful working weekends are fun, but exhausting. We actually spent the entire week on this project. I am unable to climb onto the roof, so my tasks were mainly making sure there was plenty of food for those that were on the roof.

When I returned home yesterday, I had a package in the mail. It was a giveaway that I had won from Carol at http://songberries.blogspot.com . I won a game that came from http://aroundthetablegames.com/ . If you have a chance go check out these games. They are better than games. They are converstion starters for your family under the pretense of a GAME. Wow, how cleaver is that?. My teenage daughters enjoyed the converstations and loved the cards.  I was gifted the tin with two games, Family Talk and Grandparent Talk. I absolutely love games in tins.  My fifteen year old daughter thought that we need to purchase the teen talk or buddy talk as our next one.  I believe that which ever one you choose you are a winner. Thanks again to Beth at around the table games for the wonderful gift. Thanks also to Carol at Songberries where it all started. Carol, We all appreciate the generous giveaway opportunities from your blog.

If anyone is interested check out songberries for other giveaways including this big one....Win $750 Cash on the Fall Follower Giveaway Tour- Open Worldwide- http://songberries.blogspot.com/

We spent this afternoon and evening with some special friends and had a delightful evening.  Ate a delicious meal prepared by our hostess, we played a fun new game,Killer Bunnies. We had a great evening. Thanks Ken and Carol. We had a wonderful evening. We were having so much fun, we way overstayed the time that we had planned. Next time your family will need to come over to play at our home.

All in all, this has been a great week and weekend.

General Conference Weekend

We enjoyed a wonderful weekend basking in the spiritual uplift from the counsel of the Prophet and Apostles. We enjoyed the talks that we heard and will be making efforts to better ourselves.

Life at times seems to become so stressful. It was good to hear counsel that its ok to slow down.
Take time for yourself, so that you can better serve others. (I have a problem with that one)

We had friends  come to our home to listen to conference on Sunday. We enjoyed breakfast together then lunch together between sessions. We shared a box of kleenex as we shed tears from the spirit that moved us.

Finally in the final session of conference, my daughter tells us that we can get the sessions translated for our Exchange student, by way of the internet. So, we did that in the final session. She fell asleep inspite of  listening to conference in her native language of Japanese. I attibute the naps to the lunch that we ate.

It was great to hear of the 5 new temples that will begin their construction. I know their feeling and how many a saint felt their heart twitter as Pres. Monson announced that a temple was coming to their home town.

We in Brigham City are looking forward to our Temple which should be finished within the next 2 years.

Foreign Exchange Students

Time flies... 3 years ago we embarked upon what our family thought was a scarry experience, yet exciting. We opened our home and our hearts to a Japanese exchange student who was coming to Utah for a Home Stay. They were coming for an American Family Experience. Our first student was a young lady who was 12 years old. Her name was Chisato.  She was very shy, but quickly became talkative and was like a professional pianist. she had been playing since age 3.She was very experienced and it was beautiful. She spent the summer months with our family. We went everywhere, showing her things of interest. We sorta forgot she was 12. We took her to the State Capitol, Temple Square, Bear Lake, and so many other places locally. Day before she leaves she tells me she really wanted to go to amusement park. Well, there was no time nor did we have the money left to take her to LAGOON, the local amusement park. We loved her and we all cried when she left. She had become a part of our family.  I wasn't sure I wanted to go through that again. It was a wonderful experience, but my heart ached when she left.

Summer rolled around again and was getting those little email reminders that the summer Japanese students are coming, would we please again open our home and our hearts. We did so one more time, This time the young lady was 13 years old named Madoka, She had a interest in batton twirling. She wanted to see a competition in Baton twirling while she was here. They have those sorta things in Las Vegas. I explained, I didn't think that Las Vegas was a good place for a 13 year old child. She understood and we had a delightful time with her and our family. Learning my lesson from the year before, I asked this student what ONE thing she would really want to do, if we could only do one thing, what would it be. She said she would like to see Arches National park. So off we went to visit Arches,Dead Horse Point,  Grand Circle and the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon. I think that she quickly grew tired of seeing Red Rocks.  Again, time flew and it was time for her to leave...again, Tears!

My daughter feeling abandoned when her brother got married and left her at home alone, she had been asking for us to adopt a child. Well, I thought lets risk and branch out a bit and open our home to a Japanese High School student who would be coming to study for the entire school year. We all agreed and we decided not to participate in the summer exchange students and we would just have the high school student.

 We picked a young lady who had many things in common with Eve. This young lady is 17 years old and her name is Fuzuki. We had been in much anticipation and excitement for her arrival which wouldn't be til the end of summer just a week before school begins..

 As summer approached, again those emails started coming telling us that they had so many summer students coming they needed more homes, so we extended and opened our home and heart once again to a summer student. Her name is Ryoko and she is 15 years old. She was a beautiful young lady. So very mature for her young years. Very smart as well. She was only coming for a short home stay. Only 2 weeks. Well, 2 weeks will fly by in such a hurry and there  is no time to "fall in love" right? WRONG!!! Ryoko is the one student who we fell the hardest for and the fastest. I still feel like I am missing someone in my; home, my heart. She is a lovely young lady. Like Madoka, Ryoko requested to see ArchesNational park, we also took her to Deadhorse point. . Unlike Madoka, she seemed to have actually loved Arches and I think she would never grow tired of Red Rocks! She loved to hike and see the beauty of the National parks. She loved it!!

There was a glorious 2 days where we actually had the two Japanese girls together with us, Fuzuki arrived on Friday August 13th. Ryoko left to return to Japan on August 15th. The morning before she left we took her to watch a live recording of the Music and the Spoken word. It was a very nice morning. We took a family photo together on Temple Square then had a special lunch with Grandma and Grandpa and then we returned again for the second time that day to Salt Lake to see Ryoko off and return her to the UTrek Program. Again... we and she Cried. Our hearts had touched and joined. She will forever be a part of our family. We stressed over and over before she left... if anyone were to ask her where she lived. she was to say she had two homes, on in America in Utah and one in Japan. She writes us an email every week. Her mother also writes and our lives have been enriched!

Fuzuki is now a part of our family as well. We are being blessed by a 17 year old, very thin, beautiful young lady. She is struggling with the English language. I had no idea that so much of our culture revolves around Christianity.  I have tried to be so respectful of these young ladies religion and to not impose my own views and beliefs onto them, that I have perhaps neglected to share with them what I really do believe, other than what the Sister Missionaries have told them on Temple Square when we take them to tour.
Now, I am faced with one Daughter, who is Buddhist,, and needing to understand Christianity to be able to understand her English literature class and her American History Class. She has no background for Christianity. Knows nothing of Jesus. Nothing of Creationism. Nothing of Adam and Eve.   She is so wanting to learn so that she can understand. We are discussing these things everyday now.

If anyone really reads this, I want you to know that participating in this program is a real blessing. If you have the opportunity to participate in these programs, you will enrich your life by opening your home and your heart to one of these wonderful students!!

If any;one reading this lives in the Bountiful Area, there is still a student that is here for the school year and his host family had a crisis and couldnt' take him at the last moment.. and He is still in need of a permanent family for the school year.  If you know of someone in that area, please leave a comment and a way to contact you and I'll have those in charge contact you regarding a life changing experience.   We are having a wonderful time!! I don't even want to think about May!!

August and the Perseid meteor shower

Wow, August just zipped past. We recieved our Japanese summer exchange student on July 31 and she left on August 15th. What a whirlwind of events happened in those two weeks.  Our students name was Ryoko. She was absolutely the most wonderful young lady ever! So very helpful and always happy. Just a real treat!!
It was difficult to send her home. Hopefully she will rejoin our family someday. Our hearts were touched and grew to love her so much in that 2 weeks.  She was such a delight!. We visited all the local sites in Brigham City. She and Eve went to the Brigham City Musuem and the quilt exhibit that was showing. We took her to the Bear River Bird Refuge. What a wonderful place! If you are in the area... go its well worth the time. Be sure to Watch the Movie about the Bird Refuge, called "Wings of Thunder". It's absolutely beautiful, nearly a spiritual experience!  We went shopping, and shopping and shopping from Logan to Salt Lake. Took her to the Cheese Factory, the Pepperidge Farms cookie factory, the Fat Boys ice cream factory, The creamies ice cream factory and of course the Logan Mall. We also went to Salt lake and escorted her through Temple Square starting with the LDS Conference center, then the North Visitors center, The Assembly Hall, the South Visitors Center, the Beehive House and all the grounds. We had a wonderful day there!! Then they went to the Olympic ice rink in Murray and skated for a couple of hrs. It was a very hot day and so their advertisement of the "Coolest Place in Town" was correct!! It was great!  We even went up to Mantua campground to watch the Perseid Meteor shower. Perhaps we went up there too early, it was 11pm, and we saw 3 or 4 shooting starts. It was neat, but we thought we'd see more. I think that Ryoko was impressed as she said in Japan they don't see the stars like we see them here.  We really are blessed that within 5 miles we can get to somewhere that there aren't any street lights and you can see the heavens bright and aglow! Then we took off on the weekend with her to take her to Arches National Park. What a beautiful place!!! We hiked all over the place! It nearly killed me, but it was so much fun inspite of the pain and aches. I have medical problems and problems from an accident a few years ago when an officer ran a stop sign and totalled my van. But I am not going to quit living.. I love life and I want to do things with my kids and family.  The beauty of Arches is so gorgeous.  Ryoko had the best time there!  This is the 2nd summer that we have spent in Arches. Seems the Japanese exchange students all want to see Arches.... so I oblige! Sorta hoping that the new one will want to see Yellowstone. It's been a few years since I was there last.
Two days before Ryoko left we recieved our Japanese school year exchange student. Her name is Fuzuki, she is a beautiful girl and so much fun! We just love these girls. Our lives are enriched by the exchange students and sharing of cultures. It's so great!
In less than a week school starts again. The girls attended the back to school BASH tonight. They had a great time. Being a teenage is so much fun! I love having teenagers in my home. The world is so much fun and they see the most positive things in life. They are just good kids. I am so blessed to have such great chidlren who are following Christ and have good goals and are seeking the good in life!

Can't beleive that August is nearly gone!

Pioneer Day Reflections

I have been busy preparing the ward YW bulletin board this week as well as preparing for family that is coming to visit for a few short days. We haven't seen them for a couple of years and so we are excited. In the midst of that, I have really not taken time to Think about TODAY.  Those in Utah and members of the LDS Church know that today was Pioneer Day, the day that we commemorate the Saints arriving in the Salt Lake Valley.   While I do not have Pioneer Saint Heritage, my husband does. His ancestors were among those that arrived in the valley, in fact he is a decendent of the first white baby born in the Valley, Elizabeth Young Steele.

I am grateful for those pioneers who came to the Salt Lake Valley. Those who sacrificed all for the liberty and freedom to practice their faith.  I am grateful for my faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. of Latter Day Saints. I am grateful to have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my membership in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

We flew our flag proudly today at our home. We are extremely grateful for those in our family and for all who have served this great country and who have fought for our freedoms and especially for our freedom to practice the religion of our choice. 

I do not have ancestors who walked the plains to Salt Lake, however I do have Pioneer ancestors who fought in many wars and who took a stand for truth. They were devout and loyal to their God. Good God Fearing and God Loving People.  I wonder if they would recognize the United States today. Would they feel that we have lost our way. Would they feel that we have respected their sacrifices. I don't know.  I can't speak for them.  I hope that they know that I remember them and their sacrifices. Both my ancestors and my sweet husbands ancestors.

Today, I am grateful to be a God Loving person, I can't really say that I am a God Fearing person,  I have great respect for the position, and  I regard Him as my Heavenly Father and will not Fear HIM, I only need to fear myself and my own choices, knowing that there are divine laws and with each there is a consequence, good or bad... It's up to me.

I pray that I will be the type of person that will save this country from destruction. It will not come from some great feat that I will accomplish. Perhaps by small acts of kindness and showing respect for myself, my children, my neighbors,  my country. Practicing Christ like behavior. 

Cub River Cabin firepit

Perfect Firepit!!!

This was the perfect place to warm up on the cool nights at Cub River. We cooked Hobo dinners one evening which was totally awesome and delicious too.  We charcoaled quite a few marshmallows along with smores on the cool nights as well.  Yummmmm

Perfect location for a dining room table...

Don't you agree, great spot for a dining room.

Cub River Ranger Station Cabin site.

This is an essential room. It is a One Seater, features skylight and is well maintained  with low odor.

The Wood Shed. They provide the wood but You chop 

Cub River Ranger Station Cabin site.

Girls Camp

Our Young women went to girls camp last week. We got home from girls home one week ago. Wow this week at home has flown by. Back to Girls Camp. If you have the opportunity to pick a place to go to girls camp or pick a place for a family reunion allow me to recommend the ranger station on the Cub River just north of Franklin, Idaho. It was a wonderful location. There is a beautiful cabin there that has two bedrooms. running hot water for a shower. Yes, I said SHOWER.. at camp! Heaven sent!! The cabin runs on propane. Propane cooking stove, which is a camp chef type grill. The lights in the cabin are propane lanterns, they give a wonderful warm glow at night. We only lit them once just to see what they looked like. I thought it was wonderfully charming!

We took 20 young women to camp. 5 Young women leaders and two priesthood leaders with us. We had a delightful time. The creek, pardon me, Cub River was 100 feet behind the cabin and at night, well all the time you could hear the river running. It was absolutely wonderful. Cool in the shade, warm in the sun! Beautiful sites, gorgeous refreshing smells of the mountains. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!

The time that we spent at the camp was ideal! We also took the girls to go swimming at a nearby hot springs. That was not such a positive experience.
Our girls earned the money to go to camp and some of them had to pull weeds and do yard work to get their money to go and then to have this establishment to not be fair and honest with them was too bad. However, we realize that in this world, life is not fair. We just took the opportunity to emphasise integrity.

All in all we had a great experience at CAMP!
Remember CUB RIVER!! Great place for a good time out camping or reunions or just family get togethers.

Fair Weather

It doesn't just pertain to the beautiful or not so beautiful day that you are happening to have. It can also pertain to friends and to family or those that we interact with in a daily or routine or not so routine basis. Oh life. Don't you just love it. There are so many different options in this life. . . We can be a Fair weather person.. or we can be commmitted regardless of what is going on about us. We should not get fair weather people confused with maniuplating and mean people. Some can appear to be oh so sweet to begile you into their trap. . . only for you to be held captive and controlled. The black widow does this to her prey. As do some women to unsuspecting young men.

Choices, there are many in this life. We can choose good from evil. I think these are probably the very basic places where it all starts in those other choices. We do not knowingly start out in the morning and say "OH, I am going to choose Evil today over good". I don't believe that we do that. I think the almighty dark one is sly and knows that we are not that easily persuaded... nope, it all begins in tiny steps. Oh just once wont hurt, no one will notice or In someone feeling hurt, seeking revenge or just to ease the pain of mis - trust. ahhh.. how easily we become sucked into one poor choice and then another and another and then before you know it.. it may appear that we are evil.

Of course, I am not speaking of myself. That could never be me. Just the thought of seeking revenge for a mis-deed of another brings about guilt on my part for the very thought of desiring revenge.. without even plotting or devising a plan. Some say that "Karma" will justify the ill doings of another. Where or where is Karma? Perhaps they are correct, and perhaps we can avail ourselves of the atonement of Christ. Knowing that all that is wrong on this earth will be corrected in the next life. Knowing that there are spiritual laws that will be upheld..Oh the thoughts that I am thinking today. I am grateful for the atonement of Christ! I love my savior!!

I love to smile. It's very difficult for me to not be an open book and honest with all that I meet. I can't refrain from smiling. Being a nurse, I once was interrupted in a middle of a procedure in which I was wearing a respritatory mask. At the door was The receptionist who when I answered the door made the comment to others in the hallways , that she couldn't believe it.. "Look, her eyes are smiling". Ok. I love to smile and do it with my whole being. I don't understand mean people or those who are manipulating and controlling. I need to move on to higher thoughts tomorrow. I refuse to let others control me or my thoughts. Isn't it a beautiful day today! Perfect!!!

Creme Brulee' French Toast.

I was browsing through my family's facebook pages and found this wonderful recipe from our niece. This is what she has posted. Well, tomorrow breakfast looks to have appeared tonight. I can't wait to try it so thought that I would share it here. Perhaps I won't lose the recipe that way.

Creme Brulee' French Toast
Note: This is not pretty. People look at it and say, "Ew." But it tastes really, really good.

This recipe works best when made with bake & serve baguettes, but I've also used everything from french bread to hoagie rolls, whatever you can find. I cut them in slices three fingers wide (because it's easy to keep them uniform if you measure using your own fingers). Do not use the ends, of course.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 T corn syrup
2 long baguettes
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

In heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Place cut slices of baguette over the caramel, fitting slices snugly together in one layer.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, and salt until well combined and pour over bread. Cover and chill overnight. Don't skip this step, it won't be as good if you try to hurry it along.

In the morning, remove the pans from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered in the middle of the oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Your kitchen will smell heavenly. Serve immediately, flipping each slice upside down on the plate so the caramel is on top.

Time Flies

Well, this week has provided time for reflection. My baby turned 15 this week. I can clearly remember being in the hospital with severe toxemia and hoping to deliver a healthy baby. Well, the doctors delivered her by c-section at 3 lbs. She was healthy and perfect just tiny. We both left the hospital together after a 4 day stay.

The past 15 years have been wonderful. She is a delightful daughter. She is beautiful, artistic, musically inclined. She plays both the piano and the violin as well as loves to sing. I have been so very blessed to have both a son and a daughter. Both bring such joy to my life!

On her birthday our family along with a friend and my Mother attended a program on Family History that was presented at the conference center in Salt lake City. President Henry B. Eyring and guest speaker David McCullough spoke on Famiy history and our nations history. What wonderful speakers. The event was so wonderful. Music was provided by the world renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was a very spiritually moving experience. I am grateful to have been in attendance.

Tomorrow I will accompany my husband on a business trip to Southern Utah for a week. The chance for warmer weather is appealing. I am not as excited about leaving my daughter home for a week. She will be supervised by grandparents which is very good for all parties involved. They love spending time together. I'll update how the weather is in St. George. I am so Looking forward to sunshine!

Snow and Rain on Easter Weekend

Does anyone imagine Easter with snow and rain? Well, you know that if its also LDS General Conference anything can happen, and that Conference ususally arrives with Rain. Doesn't matter what any weather man predicts, the rain WILL Arrive during Conference weekend.

It's been a very stressful month. My brother and his wife had their third baby 10 weeks early. Baby is still in the NICU unit and failing to thrive. Some of that is typical, but I still worry about the little tyke.


General Conference messages have been very enlightening and comforting. I am praying for more comfort as the stress of all the above, and there is so much more, that I just don't dare mention, but the stress has lowered my immune system, along with being on some medications that cause immune suppression and I have managed to come down with a very painful sinus infection.

The thought that comes to mind after a very stressful month is that We reap what we sow! It's a great lesson. Today so many people expect so much from others without expecting anything out of themselves!

Wonderful Dinner!

Today was a very hectic and chaotic day for me. I know that we have all had one similar. Well, when I got up I looked through a cookbook and then decided I really wanted to fix some cabbage soup in the crockpot. I opened the refridgerator and got out the ingredients I had and placed on the counter and began cutting up my cabbage,and carrots. When the "Paddi", one of our shitzu dogs came into the kitchen with her legs crossed, so I let her outside and the cat darted in the house. I followed the dog outside to watch her so she doesn't go visiting the neighbors. When she completed her business, I returned inside the house and the cat was at the doorway to the basement staircase, I nudged her to take her first step down the steps and she trotted on downstairs to the family room. I closed the basement door on her and returned to chopping vegetables for my soup. Then I hear the cat knocking on the door, so I open the door and she comes up whining to eat. I recently moved all the cat and dog food to the basement, so I went downstairs and opened a can of catfood for the cat and put it up high on a low shelf so the dog didnt' get it, since she was now at my feet as well, sniffing the aroma of salmon. I saw that I had left my computer on from the night before, so I go sit down at the computer to finish what I had got called away from last night. Then I recieve a phone call from my mother asking if I will take her to the store to get somethings that she needs. She will put her coat on if I go right up. I agree, and I return upstairs to get my coat and I see my vegetables still on the counter waiting to go into the crockpot.
AARRGGH!!!! So, quickly, I chop the remaining ingredients and toss it in the crockpot and run out the door to help my mother.

Tonight, when I returned home to smell the dinner ready and waiting was so wonderful!
It was absolutely delicious as well! I made it different today than I usually do, because I didnt' have any stew meat, which I usually use. Today in place of that I used ground beef and sausage... Oh how wonderful this was! I may never go back to using the stew meat.
So, here is my recipe.. I do not cook alot by measurements, I eyeball things alot.
So if that works for anyone this is what I did.

Cabbage Soup
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
5 stems & springs fresh celantro , chopped
1/2 head cabbage chopped bite size
1/4 lb hamburger , just picked into small pieces and placed in the crockpot raw.
1/3 package of Jimmy Deans Italian sausage
1 can swansons chicken broth
1 quart canned tomatoes from my food storage
1 tsp garlic powder,
salt and Pepper to taste

I cooked it on high in my crockpot and it was done when I came home after 3 hrs.

It was so good!! I love vegetables! Even my husband who doesn't really enjoy vegetables ate all his dinner. There was just "enough" and wasn't anything left over! Love it when that happens!

March Snows

This month is beginning with snow. We need the rain and its wonderful to smell the rain, there's nothing like it. I love the smell of rain. Not too long after the rain started, the snow came, It looked alot like Christmas again.

Tonight, we have a choir concert to attend. Last evening we attended the BE Middle School's Orchestra concert. They are always long, as they begin with the 5th grade students at the intermediate school and work their way up to the High school students. I beleive its rude to get up in the middle of a concert and leave. So we sit through all the schools. This is what happens when the school districts limit the music departments. Mr. Findlay teaches at the intermediate school and plays musical chairs allday as he travels from the intermediate school to the Middle school (old jr. high school) and then to the High School. So concerts are long! Last evening was worth the effort to attend. They were pretty good. At some concerts you must have forgiving ears. Not too much last night. I always enjoy listening to my children perform music.
Tonight is the concert for the choirs. Ones ears do not have to be so forgiving at these concerts.

The snows continue tonight!

Emotions

Over the last week we have been seeing and hearing about the horrible earthquake in Haiti. My heart breaks. Being a nurse, I questioned my family if I should volunteer to go. My heart wishes to make a contribution of physical help. My family said "NO". I was needed here. I am not sure what their concerns are, but I know that having a family here I do need to be a Mom and be here for them. It's hard to turn off the "Nurse". I don't have financial funds to go there but do have the time. Instead I'll make contributions to help through the humanitarian center with the LDS Church.

My heart wishes to adopt one of those sweet little children who need someone to love them. I have had the opportunity to have given birth to two children in my life and I have numerous others that I claim as mine and I have 3 step-children from my current marriage, and having been married a few times, I have an additional collection of step-children. Yet, while we don't have alot and are not rich in this world by any means, however, we would appear rich to anyone from that area of the world. We are so blessed!! We have so much. I would gladly open my heart to take and love a child who needed a Mom to love them.

I am feeling emotional as the end of last week, we are told that Rogers cousin had a stroke, and wasn't doing well. She is in a Coma. She is the same age as my husband. They used to play together and at all the family reunions she would bring her horse to give rides to the little kids. Through the week they say that Marti, is doing a little bit better. She is still non-reponsive, yet they say that she smiles when someone she recognizes enters the room.

Then yesterday, we received an email that stated that Uncle Ellis had a fall and has fractured both his hips. He is on coumadin and thus they delayed surgery. Today we are told that he is now in a coma and is not expected to live. They have not done any surgery. He is aged, and has not been in great health. I know that when I saw him 2 years ago at the family reunion in Idaho Falls, I was concerned then that he might not live alot longer. His eyes are failing. Perhaps thats why he fell.

Now, with at least one funeral possibly pending in the week ahead and having Young Women's and the ward video to complete I am a bit stressed.

I love people and hate to see them in pain or suffering. I pray for the people in Haiti, for our family members who are ill and in pain.

I had a dear friend come to visit me today and it was wonderful to see her. She gave me a wonderful HUG. Hugs are the most theraputic non-medicine treatment that I know.
So, tonight, I hope that everyone has someone to HUG, kiss and know that you are loved.

Snow, Snow, Snow

To me, this seems like we have had more snow than normal for our winters. At least in the last few years that I can remember. The home is nice and warm and the new windows we put in this year help to keep it that way and so its nice to stay inside and watch the snow.

I am busy creating the "Year in Review" Video for our ward. I absolutely love creating this video and the different segments. While it is fun to make a picture record of the events that have taken place in the ward over the last year. My favorite segments are those that I create that show our personal lives as ward members. Those things that allow me to get to know someone a bit better.

A couple years ago we highlighted those that had served in the military. That is one of my very favorite segments. I learned much more than anyone else by doing that segment. I interviewed each that I placed in there, with the exception of just a few. There was only one in the ward who did not want to be mentioned in that video. I respectfully left him out. He had served and retired from the military, he had given much but didn't want to be thanked for his service.

This is my break from the video for the day. Its been a week or so since I posted to this. This year I am creating a segment of peoples hobbies and where the members went on vacation last year. I Thought it would be fun to see where everyone went to take a rest from their normal lives.

I want to do a segment that I call "All because two people fell in Love" and show a wedding photo and a photo of their entire family. Don't you think that would be cool? I do. I thought about using the song from Brad Paisley with the same title or two people fell in love is the title I guess. Anyways, its the same thing.

When this is done, I'll figure out how to make this site look "orignal" to me. Well, on with the days work.

Cell phone search

This morning began with my sweet husband looking for his cell phone. He is really pretty great about not putting his things down where they do not belong. So, this was a little out of character for him. This search began early, since I am a night owl, 6:30am is early to me. I was trying to have compassion and got out of bed to join the search.After looking on counter tops, desk tops, inside couches and recliners, and even inside his shoes at the foot of our bed I suggested that perhaps it fell off his belt while he was walking the pooches last night. Which, while he considered that a possibility continued to tell me that he was pretty sure that he had it when he returned and that he has misplaced it in the home.

After about an hour of searching, not too many places to search in our home, so I once again recommended that he retrace his walk from last night, before someone runs over it in the road. He doubted that it was, but given that he should be on his way to Salt Lake City today to work, he agreed it was worth a try, but again said that he thought he had placed in somewhere in the house.

He put his coat on and checked the yard, then returned into the house and went through each room again and even going through the garbage can at his desk before taking it out, since this is garbage day in our neighborhood. Once again I reminded him that he might want to go on that walk and check as we are not finding it in the home. Oh we tried calling the cellphone, but of course, it went straight to voicemail suggesting that his battery is DEAD. So, He then went on his walk. When he exited the home, I quietly spoke with our Father in Heaven in his behalf. His cell phone contains important information including schedules, phone numbers that he relies on for his job and for our family he even has our family genealogy inside his phone.

Within a few moments he returned to the house. I asked if he was sucessful, and indeed he was. He found it laying in the road a block from our house. We are grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers our prayers.

This morning my husband is grateful for a persistent wife, who pushed him to retrace his walk on a cold morning when he really didn't want to have to do it. Well, the day got an early start.....for me.

Todays project is a huge one, I am working on the Ward Year in Review Video. This is a joy to produce. I absolutely love doing this project each year. It takes me approx. One to two hrs of work for every minute of video produced. In the end it is a wonderful work of love. I try my best to make a nice video that everyone will enjoy. Well, need to get to work on it once again.

Hulk is laying at my feet as I work on this today. It's a cold day so I am grateful for the opportunity to stay inside.

The Beginning

This is new for me. I am going to join the world and leave my mark on the web of life.

We are a Latter-day Saint family living in Utah. We are alot like most families across this great nation. We are a blended family. We have a total of five children. We have HIS and MINE and NO OURS unless you believe your pets are like your children and are an intricate member of your family. In that case, OURs are two purebred shi tzu pound puppies, Hulk and Paddi. We adopted them from the local animal shelter. In fact, that is where we adopted all our pets.

We have an Yellow Naped Amazon Parrot and we have a siamese cat named Miss Kitty. We enjoy the pets.

Most of our children are now married or out of the home, with the exception of one. We hope that she doesn't leave us for many years. She is still in high school so we are safe for a few years.

We have interests in genealogy, family history, photography, videography, scrapbooking, cooking, baking, and last but not least is our great love of music. My husband has a degree in photography and communications as well as in the medical profession. I am also in the medical profession. We enjoy talking shop at times. It's nice to be able to use medicalese and still be understood.

That is my introduction of myself and my family tonight.

This is Hulk


This is Paddi and Hulk at Christmas, of course they are dressed for the occasion.


Miss Kitty


Remember we adopted him from the animal shelter, his name is Cockroach. We have tried to change his name, but he knows it so well. He talks and is a joy to listen to. He only knows nice words and is very entertaining. He sings as well, and has a lovely vibrato!