Flight

This Super Snapshot Saturday is a picture in imagination.  Not my imagination as it did happen to me but you will have to imagine it as it happened to me or you if you are so unlucky to have had this experience as well.

There are numerous reasons to exercise. All of which I manage to find reasons to avoid.  Until yesterday.  So I like to arrive early at the airport. I must be in the "A" boarding group. (I'm a Southwest only flyer)  I want time to decompress once I get to the airport because usually the days leading up to travel are full of stressful preparation. Work always seems to unravel just before my leaving.  So that time before take-off is a perfect time to catch my breath before travelling to my next adventure. Well yesterday I was sooooo late that they actually called my name over the PA!  So that's what my name sounds like to the world.  In an instant I had become one of those people.  So much for my early bird seating I paid $10 bucks for, not one person saved me a window seat or even one on the aisle for me to slide into.  The only time I sit in the middle is when I'm with Mr. Man, who sadly was not with me. I was so out of breath I promised myself I needed to do something about my breath taking experience.  Of course it didn't help that the gate was the furthest possible gate, naturally.  Or that I was carrying two laptops (there was no time to put them back in their bags) and the two bags that weighed 900 pounds. And that I couldn't get my shoes on properly as I was walking briskly (running wasn’t an option) through the airport.  About the only advantage I can see getting to the airport 25 minutes prior to flight time was I didn't have to line up with my happy A-37 with people who generally don't know how to count or that don’t know that “A” comes before “B” in the alphabet.  Of course I had to endure the invisible stares of all the people who were hoping I would not sit next to them as I carried my two laptops and two bags like a disheveled out of breath wild eyed bag lady onto the plane.  Well, they should of seen me go through security before passing judgment.  I was a pro. Shoes off.  Laptops out, each in their own bin.  Bags and shoes in bins. Four bins total. I was even complimented on my speed by a fellow traveler.  But in the end it was the distance to the gate that almost killed me.  It seems like no matter which of the three states I frequently travel to all flights I’m on are always departing from the furthest gate possible.  Note to self, there is no reason to not start exercising!  Or I could just leave three and a half hours early instead of two and a half early to the airport.  Humm……now that’s a possibility!!

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Not So Favorite

It is almost impossible to like everything. Today there are two things that stand out in my mind as being not so favorite. Liver for one. Why is liver a food for humans anyway?  I don’t even like the sound of the word.  My mother tried to trick me into thinking it was hamburger. Hello even at six I knew it wasn't. Oh but liver and onions is so good she would say.  Not!  Thank heavens for the advent of cholesterol; the evilness of liver was finally revealed. I knew it along. 

Then there is the olive.  I know, I know, who among us doesn’t like olives.  Well it is true our childhood does mold us and my dislike for olives stems from becoming sick on olives at a friend’s house no less.  To this day I avoid the olive.  I will buy them, I just don’t consume them if I can help it.  So there you have it.  Liver and olives not a fan favorite.   Don’t serve them to me.  Thank you.

PS  It was much easier to say what wasn’t a favorite in the food department.  Which leaves everything else pretty much a favorite.  Okay, I won't eat bugs or frogs or rabbit (don't tell me it tastes like chicken) or other inside parts of animals.

Music

Today and always I'm thankful for music.  It makes me cry sometimes.  It makes me laugh other times.  It warms my heart.  Sometimes it makes me think I can sing. (privately mostly)  It always makes me want to dance. (I only wish I could)   But mostly I'm thankful that it lifts me up everytime!

Less is More

Simple phrase less is more! But so powerful. I have been thinking about that phrase for some time now. Trying to incorporate the idea that less is more in each day. Then as I was about to write about it I learned this. Yesterday was the anniversary of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s birth in 1886.  He was a German-American architect and often associated with the maxim “less is more!”  Crazy.

900 Grayson Street

In a recent day of absolute fun with the other half of my brain (as we commonly refer to each other) we started at 900 Grayson Street and enjoyed this goodness:

 

It was heavenly and I shall return!

I must eat their menu!

Wrestling

There was a time when our days were filled with baseball or swimming or basketball or wrestling.  We are a sporting family.  We love sports.  Still do.  I didn’t realize at the time how much I would miss attending those events.  Although it made for a very hectic life, we loved it.  Saturday we attended a wrestling tournament.  A sport S2 participated in in high school.  Although he wanted to play high school basketball, practice and try-outs were in the morning before school started.  In our family Seminary is the only place to be before school starts.  So he turned to wrestling.  I didn’t how much I would love wrestling.  But I did then and I do still.  It's addicting.  Saturday was a great day.  It brought back so many great memories of our sporting life.  And all because of this boy.

Proverbs 3:25

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.  


Read on to 26th  For the Lord shall be thy confidence . . .

Work ....

It can be stressful sometimes!

(especially when there are cameras around)

Hugs

My favorite thing is a hug; the great big tight bearhug kind.  Because some days you just need a hug.

Just like this...

 I'm ready!

Happy Birthday Wishes

Sending Happy Birthday Wishes to this Boy!

I.Love.You.So!

Attitude

I love the word attitude because when you add up the letter value it equals 100......100%!  And in my world giving 100% is important and hoping to receive 100% in return well that's just hopeful most of the time.   I know that having a positive attitude 24-7 isn't always attainable but it is an honorable goal. 

Attitude . . . make yours a positive one, 

you'll feel better if you do!

Just a Pinch

So the knife skills class on Saturday was better than good.  So good in fact we are ready to go back and take another class.  I learned that I have been holding my knife wrong for more years than is necessary to count.  The most effective way to hold a knife is with a pinch grip.  With your index finger and thumb, pinch the blade right where it meets the handle. Wrap your remaining three fingers around the handle, locking your middle finger securely against the back end of the blade.  Holding your knife correctly will not only increase your safety, but also make cutting much easier and efficient.  It is a wonder I still have any fingers left after all these years of improper knife handling.  Oh and one more tip the knife should be used with a sawing motion.  Think of your knife as a saw, because that is what it is.  Oh and one more thing the best material for a knife is High Carbon Stainless Steel.  Oh and the three most important knives are the Cook’s/Chef’s knife, the paring knife and a serrated bread knife. 

Don’t forget the pinch!

The Flood

On Friday, December 22, 1989, (at least I think I have the year right) we were headed to Utah for Christmas.  The weather was the usual cold but it was December after all.  Well the night we left it got really, really cold freezing in fact.  In our absence we had a pipe burst in the wall of the upstairs bathroom.  The water from the burst pipe shot through the wall and across the room and through a towel on the opposite wall, shredding a perfect hole through the towel in the process.  The force was so strong that it cut through the bathroom wall and into the adjoining bedroom, soaking a mattress and then left the bedroom and headed down the stairs.  Once downstairs it took a right turn and headed into the kitchen. After a very brief stay in the kitchen the river of water pushed its way into the garage and finally down the driveway and into the gutter for parts unknown.  All this was taking place unbeknownst to us.  In fact we rather imagine it was probably flowing for a good 10-12 hours before it was stopped. 

Luckily a friend of the boys came by our house on Saturday and noticed the water running out of our garage and down the driveway.  After he realized we weren't home, he went home and told his mother that there was water running out of garage and down the driveway.  (That was a tender mercy)  His mother was a less active member of the church so she called the missionaries, who called the bishop.  He came to our house and turned off the water but couldn't get into the house.  At this point my memory is a bit foggy as to the sequence of events.  I do remember he had to call a lock smith to get into our house.  But I don’t think that happened until Tuesday.  Monday was Christmas.  We didn’t find out about the “flood” until Sunday night because the bishop didn’t exactly know how to find us.  This was in the day before cell phones; unlike today where everyone knows where we are at any given moment.  We stayed in Utah until after Christmas but headed home Tuesday, not knowing what to expect.  At that point we still didn’t know the extent of the damage.  We just thought it was probably a broken pipe in the garage.  We never dreamt the house had actually flooded.  When we finally made it home on Wednesday, it was a surreal sight.  The ceiling sagged from the weight of all the water from upstairs.  All our clothing had been removed by ward members and washed before mildew could set in.  Our furniture had all been put up on block so not to cause further water damage.  In reality the only thing we lost was the mattress and the bunk bed the mattress was on, oh and the towel!  Fortunately, we were renters so we just removed our belongings and walked away.  The house or the doll house as the kids referred to it had to be completely gutted.  So it was a perfect time to find a larger place to live.  And so we did!

Moses 3:18

"And I, the Lord God, said unto mine Only Begotten, that it is not good that the man should be alone; wherefore I will make an help meet for him."

Branching Out

Today is going to be more fun than I know.  There will be eating at a Triple "D" restaurant.  There will be a trip to an awesome bakery. There will be knife skills learned.  There will be shopping. Ikea style.  There will some great friend time.  

Drawing

I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination.  Stick figures are about the extent of my drawing ability.  However, I've been introduced to a new game “DrawSomething” and it is a hoot!  But what is really amazing about it, is that people are actually able to figure out what I’m drawing most of the time.  Maybe I am an artist after all.  (Okay probably not)

Laughter

I'm thankful for laughter. 

I love to laugh.

You can never laugh enough.

I have to laugh everyday; it's the law.

It strengthens me. 

It heals me. 

It's better than medicine.

It makes me who I am!

Harmony and Melody

I’ve been thinking of these two words lately Harmony and Melody.  Can one live without the other?  As I've read about these two it doesn't seem so in the world of music.  “Melody is the horizontal portion of a song and harmony is the vertical portion of a song” or so as its been described.  Interesting. Or as another describes it this way, “Melody is the main series of notes that stand out enabling you to remember the particular song or the section of the song, whereas harmony is employed to decorate the musical effect of the song or a section of the song.  Harmony arises where there are extra notes alongside the melody of a song. In a way it is said to complement the melody of a song.  Melody appeals to the mind better if it is complemented by harmony.”

So what about the world of relationships in terms of Harmony and Melody.  Do we bring the Harmony or the Melody or both?  Do we partner together for success?  All good things to think about.

Crème Brûlée

One of my all-time favorite desserts is Crème Brûlée.  I just love its creamy goodness.  When it is on the menu I don’t have to wonder what to have.  It is always my first choice even before chocolate, believe it or not.  This weekend I had the best Crème Brûlée ever.  It was everything a Crème Brûlée should be and more.

It was garnished with biscotti and an out-of-this world spun sugar basket of fruit.  It was amazing.

If you ever thought you wanted to try Crème Brûlée on your own.  Here is an Alton Brown recipe that is worth trying. 

Ingredients

1 quart heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 cup vanilla sugar, divided

6 large egg yolks

2 quarts hot water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the Crème Brûlée is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the Crème Brûlée from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the Crème Brûlée to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

A Drive Down Memory Lane

Saturday we took a trip down memory lane.  Well my memory lane anyway.  We went to the National Automobile Museum, TheHarrah Collection in Reno. This place stirred up many emotions in me.  I didn’t realize it would. The cars were amazing.  The experience was more than I expected.

Amos 3:11

"Therefore thus saith the Lord God: An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and they palaces shall be spoiled."

Peek-a-Boo

Hey you little girl!

Peek-a-Boo!!

I see you!!!

Daylight Savings Time

The whole Daylight Savings Time is an odd thing to me.  It just doesn't seem natural for some reason to me; messing with time that way. Springing forward, falling back.  But it is what it is and I accept that.  In fact I love getting that extra hour in the Fall but my favorite part is the extra daylight in the Spring.  I miss that little hour and hate to see it go but I love the light more!

So remember to Spring Forward this weekend because this is the weekend when we get the extra light!!

What My Body Knows

I'm thankful for a body that knows it is best to be at home when I don't feel well and then waits for me to get there!

Reverence Invites Revelation

Last Sunday was our Stake Conference.  Elder Trythall, an Area Authority Seventy spoke.  Each time we attend church we have an opportunity to learn something.  Sometimes I learn more and sometimes I learn less.  But I’ve come to know that the learning is my responsibility, no one else’s.   He was a wonderful speaker and easy to listen to and learn from.  But the one thing that sang to me was when he said Reverence invites Revelation.  I’m sure in my lifetime I’ve heard close to 2,000 talks on reverence or revelation or reverence and revelation together.  But when he said Reverence invites Revelation and reminded us that the still small voice is just that a still and small voice, I knew then I would remember those words; Reverence invites Revelation for a long time to come. 

Reverence invites Revelation - it really does!

Breakfast in Four

I believe less is more even when it comes to good food.  So this simple breakfast is just that, four simple ingredients but when put together they taste like more!

Just an English Muffin

Ham and

Cheese of course!

Fresh out of the oven

Poaching Egg Goodness!

This is Breakfast Goodness

in four simple ingredients!

Tasty!!

Throwing Dishes

First let me just say I have no idea why I remember this but I do.  I believe I was around 6 or 7 when this happened.  I was playing "house" at a friend's house.  She had a fancy playhouse in her backyard, complete with a kitchen.  I was drying the dishes as I recall, which as I remember was the last time I remember enjoying drying dishes let me just say.  When all of a sudden my little friend grabbed the towel and the dish that was wrapped around the towel from me and proceed to toss it to the side.  It was time to play something else she announced.  The problem was the dish was glass.  I remember trying to stop her from taking it from me because I knew she was going to throw it and I knew she didn't know it was glass.  Oh man glass everywhere.  So that my friends is the end of my dish throwing memory.

Jacob 3:4

"And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out from among you."

The Piano

About twenty-nine years ago we acquired this piano.  I grow up with a piano and took lessons as a child.  My piano teacher was appropriately named Mr. Keyes.  I was a poor student; sadly I didn’t like to practice.  And more sadly my Mother didn't like to listen to my whining and understandably didn't like to pay for lessons which I didn’t prepare for.  So she let me quit.  Not my proudest moment.  Nevertheless I wanted to have a piano in our home.  It just seems to me a home isn't a home without a piano.  So when the opportunity arose twenty-nine years ago I jumped at it.  Only three hundred bucks for this baby. 

It was in sad shape when we got it.  So Mr. Man removed the very ugly antique green paint and took it back to its natural finish.  The worn keys, well they just added character.  Over the years we have moved it seven times.  And with each subsequent move it has gained what seems like about 200 pounds a move.  Simple put it weighs a TON!  Mr. Man said we would never move it again.  That it must stay with the house  in the event we should ever move.  Well as much as I’ve grown accustom to this now priceless baby Huey, I've longed for the day to have a new (or new to us) piano.  One that was smaller, one that weighed much less and one that had all working keys.  I wasn't looking for one I just knew that someday it would find me.  (That's how things work for me.)  And it has.  So we found a loving home for our first piano and last night brought home our “new to us” piano.  And I love it!

 Welcome home!

Reading

I do love to read.  It is my favorite thing to do especially right before I go to bed.  Yes, sometimes I fall asleep before I get too far but that's okay.  It is relaxing and I enjoy it.  In fact I can’t go to sleep no matter how late the hour until I have read at least a page or two.  I really love to read non-fiction books.  Right now I’m reading the first volume of a seven volume series entitled, “Women of Faith in the Latter Days: Volume 1: 1775-1820.” It is an amazing collection of the stories of woman in Church history.  I am in awe at the dedication and faithfulness they exhibited in some of the harshest circumstances imaginable.  When I read stories like these it strengthens me and helps me want to be a better me.  Check it out.  You won’t be disappointed.

Happy Birthday Wishes

Sending a Big Happy Birthday to this Boy!!

I.Love.You.So!