Happy Birthday Shout Out!!

Sending out a Happy Birthday wish to

Sil2

Much Love!!

P.F. Changs

No Words Needed!

Happy Birthday Shout Out!

Another year older, another year wiser!

That’s the way it works!

Happy, Happy Birthday – D1!

Love.You.So!

Music

I'm thankful for good music. It lifts me up. It makes me smile. It puts energy in my step!


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Mundane

I believe there are those who think life is mundane.  By definition they might say their life is lacking interest or excitement; that it is simply boring.  I was never a fan of the “boring” word; in fact I figure if you have to use the word boring you probably are just plain boring yourself!  As for mundane sure there are times when life does seem to lack the excitement we might be looking for.  But when life seems lacking I look to these words:

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

--Gordon B. Hinckley

Milk

This "Tasty Terrific Tuesday" is just a terrific tip!  I'm not really sure why it has taken me so long to actually get in the habit of doing this because I've known it was possible.  So what's the tip?  Frozen milk!!  We are not exactly close to a reasonably priced store; at least I don't call 50 miles close.  So I buy our milk at Costco.  And upon arriving home pour out about a cup to allow for expansion and put the gallon in the freezer.  It takes a while for it to defrost so when you are getting close to needing the next gallon just take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge.  (It can take around three days to defrost so I usually let it sit on the counter for a couple of hours before putting it into the fridge.)  Now, don't freak out by the weird very yellow color of your milk; that's just the frozen fat.  I know special.  Even non-fat turns yellow.  But again not to worry just shake up that puppy and there you have a wonderful gallon of cold refreshing milk.  And just ignore the original expiration date.  I have never had a freshness problem after freezing; I usually use up my previously frozen milk in a weeks time!!

Milk, it does a body good!!





High School

High School.  Seems we either loved it or lived through it.  Some wish to forget those years.  But whether you loved it or endured it, you can’t deny the unmistakable journey it was.  Happily when you get to my point in life most memories are of the good variety or at least that is how I roll; out with the bad and save only the good.  And I do have some good memories of high school.  I had some awesome teachers and made some lifetime friends.  I was a cheerleader in my junior year; not because I was popular, I was just loud and they were looking for loud that year.  It was a memorable experience.

Saturday we had the opportunity to attend my high school reunion.  When I told people I was going usually they first asked, “which one? Is this your 20th?”  Then they looked at me again and said, “Oh wait that can’t be you have children in their 30’s!”  All true.  It wasn’t my 20th more like 20 times 2!  You can do the math. 

It is a funny thing being out of high school 40 years.  You don’t feel like it has been 40 years.  You wake up each day and look in the mirror and think you look the same.  It is hard to project how others have changed when you yourself haven’t changed that much … right? Well we have all changed.  In the 70’s long hair was all the rage; boys and girls alike.  And thin was in!  Fast forward 40 years and we find baldness prevails and round is the new thin!  We were a mighty class of nearly 500 but our numbers have diminished; members gone but not forgotten.  Truly it was an evening of remembering the goodness; we laughed a lot and shared our highlights of the last 40.  Interestingly all highlights were about our children and grandchildren.  Of those I spoke to we had the most hands-down; it was my finest moment!

The class of 1972 glad to be a part of you!  Because we were and are today, “Born to be Wild!”

Luke 23:9

“Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.”

Sometimes we must work for our answers; they aren’t always just handed to us!

Happy Birthday Shout Out

Sending a Big Happy Birthday Shout Out to this

Super Six Year Old!!

We.Love.You.So!!

 

The Boys of Summer

I will be spending the evening with these boys.  Clearly a family favorite thing to do.

Autumn

I can’t say I’ve always been an Autumn fan.  She is just too close to Winter.  I’m more of a warm girl.  But in life we change and I have grown to enjoy the beauty of Autumn and her colors.  She is kind of underrated; she seems to fly under the radar.  One minute summer, next minute boom Winter.  Hey what happened to Autumn? But I notice her and I’m thankful for her.  She is definitely in the air!

From the Movies

From time to time I find good words, well phrases really from movies that seem to become part of our family language.  They come to me randomly when I least expect it.  Like now:

“Do I have dreams? Do I have aspirations? No!  But I have a toilet bowl that is spring time fresh and I’m pleased as punch to be a short order cook to a dog!  Now eat it!”

or how about this one:

“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.”

and here is a new one I must use:

“Time marches on and eventually you realize it is marchin’ across your face.”

That’s enough I’m starting to resemble the movies I watch.

Lemon Goodness

I found this goodness over at Mel’s Kitchen Café.  She has good things. Although I did make some minor adjustments.  The end result was more than fabulous.
 

Lemon Yogurt Bread

*Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

Bread:
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons lemon zest from about 3 large lemons
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil (I didn’t use oil; I doubled the applesauce)
1/2 cup applesauce (1 cup of applesauce)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, lowfat or regular (I used Greek Style Yogurt)

 

Glaze:

1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from the lemons that were zested for the bread)
4 tablespoons sugar, more or less according to how sweet you want it

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2 inch pans with cooking spray. You may have a bit of batter leftover to also make 1-2 mini loaves or a few muffins. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest and rub the mixture together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, oil, applesauce and yogurt. Fold in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pans about 2/3 full (if you have leftover batter you can make mini loaves or a few muffins) and smooth the top. Bake the bread until the top of the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes for a normal sized loaf and anywhere from 16-25 minutes for muffins or mini loaves.  

While the bread is baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and let it come to a boil. Take it off the heat until the bread is finished baking. When the bread is done baking, carefully turn it out onto a cooling rack. Gently pour the warm glaze over the top of the warm bread (if the glaze runs off without soaking in, poke tiny holes with a toothpick over the top of the bread and then pour on the glaze). Let the bread cool completely. Store in an airtight container. It will stay moist for 2-3 days at room temperature. However, it will probably be all eaten before the end of day 3 2 1... just sayin'!

 

The Suits

Yesterday morning Mr. Man said to me, “I’m wearing S1’s suit!”  Excuse me, says I!!  He then explains he is wearing the suit purchased when S1 was married.  Mr. Man has four suits.  Four because we have children.  Four because with each child’s marriage we have purchased a new suit for him.  I guess I never thought about that he had four suits.  Men’s clothes, women’s clothes purchases, so different. 

But there is one suit I hadn’t thought of until today while we were “suit talking.”  Maybe because it is a suit that was blocked from the memory and rightfully so.  It is the leisure suit.  And yes Mr. Man had one.  Oh why?!?  Well they were cheap.  They were in style; I don’t how they could have been in style.  They were more like a fashion disaster.  But they were all the rage.  Oh and he had a paisley jersey shirt to go with the lovely baby blue suit; a perfect match for his baby blue eyes.

 He was HOT I tell you, HOT!!

This wasn’t his, but it could have been!

You want your man to have one, don’t you??

Mormon 9:16

“Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes?  Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?”

Clean Livin' Rewards

Thursday

I prefer Christmas Eve over Christmas Day.  After all by 10:00 a.m. (or sooner in some changes) on Christmas Day it is all over but the clean up.  I know a little cynical but that is how I see it.  But with Christmas Eve on the other hand there is still that anticipation of things to come.  So back to Thursday.  It is my favorite day because it feels like Christmas Eve; full of anticipation for the yet to be enjoyed weekend.  I count Friday as the weekend even though I still work on Friday, it is just how I think because really what else is there to do on Friday but clean up or catch up or finish up the weeks work; you know sort of like Christmas Day.  By the way there are only 101 days until Christmas…….but who’s counting right!?!

Just Hugs

I’m thankful for hugs and hellos and how do you do’s.  For smiles and thank you’s.  For email’s and texts and thinking of you’s!  It’s Thursday and mostly I’m thankful for you!

Good

The word is good.  We use it a lot.  Good dog.  Good deal.  Good job.  Good morning.  Good night.   You get the picture on good.  This weekend I learned more good things about good.  It was all about “Seeking the Good!”  Here are some things I learned and questions to ponder:

• Sometimes good needs a catalyst.  How can I be a catalyst for good?
• Good doesn’t always reside in my comfort zone.  How can I reach outside of my comfort zone?
• Good often appears in disguise.  What good might be hidden in this trial? "I like this part about good best; because after all how many times have you wanted one thing so much or so badly only to find that there was a much better "good" waiting for you."
• Good takes patience.  How can I increase my trust in the Lord?
• Good is primarily other-centered.  How can I bless someone’s life for good today?

And a few more good things I learned:

• Goodness is a choice.
• Goodness is contagious.
• Look for the good in others and in life (don’t wait for the funeral.)

I did learn some really great things about good.  And one thing for sure doing good is great!

Just This Day

On this very day (Tuesday), September 11, 2001, from 8:46 a.m. to 10:28 a.m. our world changed forever.   Today I pause to honor those who lost their lives and those who lost loved ones.  Both deserve to be remembered for it is not just those lost but those left behind who deserve mention.  On this day when the world changed for everyone.  On this day when for a short time  fear attempted to over take us. But it was on this day that hope rose out of the ashes and it was on this day that we rose up against that which tried to overtake us.  It was on this day that we remembered who we were and who we could become.  It was on this day we pressed forward.  It was on this day we came together.  It is this day we should never forget!

A Rock

So several years ago we took our two youngest on a camping adventure; I’m guessing 17’ish years ago. It is a funny thing about memories and which parts stick and which parts don’t. This memory is about persistence. And that persistence came in the form of S2 spending the majority of his time trying to get a small rock through the mouth of a two-litter bottle using a sling shot. It might sound easy but it was not. I wish I could help you better envision the process. Time after time he tried. He wouldn’t let it go until he accomplished the task. He was driven by the desire to make it happen. And he did.  I still have the rock that finally made it.  But then you knew I would!  

Proverbs 9:9

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.



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A Boy and His Dream

Giants 5

Clubs 2

September 1, 2012

 

Happy Birthday Shout Out Time!!

Sending Happy Birthday wishes to this boy!!

Is it true you are two?!?

Love you so….

Triggers

It would seem that the days roll by so fast at times that I have hardly a moment to think.  I try to live with a thankful heart and feel each moment I live is a blessing.  But with the speed of time I rarely take a moment to stop and count all the things I’m thankful for.  But then along comes a trigger.  It stops me dead in my tracks and gives me cause to pause.

This little spoon I used to feed all of my babies.  This little spoon has been around for a long while.  This little spoon reminded me of all my greatest blessings.  I’m so thankful for this little spoon!

Falter

So I said on the count of three I need a word.  And the word that came to Mr. Man was falter.  What was he thinking about I wondered?!?  Maybe the fact that the Giants were losing by four runs in the fourth; hello they are faltering.  No that is not faltering, that is them setting up the torture. They like to do that you know. Okay well maybe it was because a D-back player stumbled on a play; stumble away, stumble some more!

Falter is an interesting word and one that I really don’t think about.  Most likely because it has negative connotations; I find that positive words are more up my alley.  Positive words are my game!!

Clean Hands

So as I continue my quest for learning more about bread making, I’ve learned that the most important tool in the process is one’s hands. In all my days of bread making I never really thought that to be. In fact I always thought it was so annoying that my hands were always covered with sticky dough and I couldn’t wait to get my hands clean and be done with it. Oh I was so lacking in knowledge in that department. I’ve learned that although it is a natural instinct to wash your hands off when they get the least bit sticky I do it no more. So today just stop what you have done in the past there is a new and much better well.  Before you start, set aside a small bowl of flour; we will call it your “hand flour.”


Now onto creating non-stick hands.  First let your hands get sticky,  it is going to be okay.


Once there are nice and sticky take some of that “hand flour” and rub your hands together really good.  This process dries the wet dough.  Just rub it off over your garbage can or I just used a paper plate or you could do it over a paper towel. 
 
 

Just don’t rub it off in the sink; unless you live with a plumber.  Raw dough going down your drain can be very problematic.  Okay, so.  Now that you have removed the sticky dough with your “hand flour” your hands should have a thin, almost non-stick coating on them. 

As you work with your dough you will notice a lot less sticking to your hands. 


 

And a finally note don’t use hot water to wash your hands, or you bowl or any other tool you might use.  Cool water is best.  Hot water makes it more difficult to clean up.  I didn’t know this but I do now and it makes all the difference!!

Memories

Monday's sure have a way of rolling around fast when I'm hard pressured for a special memory! Seems my mind is always in blog mode until it is time to write. Writer's block or in this case memory block stands in the way. Which I guess is the reason for my endless list making habit. There are so many benefits to the list. First, once it is written you no longer have to remember what it is you need to do. Second, it is so satisfying to cross that thing you need to do off your list. Third, it helps me to be more organized and stay on track. I tend to be a drifter; scratch that I am a drifter. I'm so easily distracted by almost everything and everyone. Today there will be a list. Excuse me while I go work on my list....let's just hope I don't get distracted in the process!

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Psalms 9:2

"I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High."

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Sunflowers and More