Father's Day

 Grandpa and Sarah

Yesterday was Father's Day.  I appreciate the opportunity to honor the men in our lives.  I have two boys too and know they are learning what becoming a man is really all about from their own father.  We see in movies that dads are bumbling idiots that ruin everything.  Their wives or children hate them and have to rescue them from themselves all the time.  Or men are portrayed as abusive monsters only interested in using others and making money.  I find these representations inaccurate. 
I am privileged to have a wonderful father that is nothing like the Hollywood stereotypes.  My dad, like his father and father in law, was a military man.  He fought for this country in Vietnam and has served our country his whole life.  He has taught me the value and necessity of patriotism, honoring the constitution, self reliance, love of God and country,  accountability and respect for others. 
I grew up thinking it was perfectly normal to stand for the national anthem regardless of the activity.  It was as prevalent as saying a prayer is at every church function.  The first time I went to a civilian movie theater and I didn't have to stand for the national anthem, it felt weird and somehow wrong.  The constant acknowledgment of what that flag stood for helped me to take seriously what it means to live in a country where freedom is valued above all else.  I feel sorry for people who don't get to have the experience of honoring their country regularly.  It is too easy to take for granted what it means to be an American.
I remember visiting my dad on his different work assignments and thinking it was funny that they all saluted one another all the time.  I understand now why it is important but at the time I wondered if I would have to salute him at home after he gave me instructions.  I was pretty willful as a child and would have probably rebelled against it anyway.  I even told one of his subordinates once, she didn't have to salute my dad.  She looked at me sternly and said, "Yes, I do!".
I was not an easy child to raise.  I knew what I wanted and went after it on a regular basis.  I have always been that way and it takes special parents to let a child like me loose on the world.  I am so thankful for their constant guidance and wisdom when I need it.  My parents have had growing pains like all relationships do, but when it came to raising me and my brothers, they were unwavering in their commitment to the gospel and to our family unit.  That commitment to one another helped me to learn the value of never giving up and to honor my responsibilities.  I learned to put in 110% in all I do regardless no matter what the payment may be. 
My dad isn't perfect, but he is mine and I am so thankful for his sacrifice for our country and for his devotion to my family. 

I Turned......................................shhhh.......................39!

Another birthday has come around for some reason.  I am not upset about getting older because I care about the number.  But, what is 39 supposed to look and feel like?  In my younger years I could show up to any sport and do pretty well.  I could exist on no sleep and still function.  I could eat pretty much what I wanted with no or few repercussions.  All of those things have changed with age.  I don't really participate in sports anymore because my body just laughs at me for trying and then punishes me with limited use of a particular part of my body for weeks on end to remind me that it doesn't want to go there anymore.  I still exist on no sleep but now people just think I am on something.  And the food thing, I don't eat a Three Musketeer and down a Coke and call it lunch anymore.  Ahhhh, the good old days.
So what is 39 all about?  I have to say I love it.  I still have all of my teeth, I am still married to my high school sweetheart, I have these amazing kids that I love and love me back, I have really fun kitchen appliances and know how to use them, I get to grow things and eat them, I live near more temples than I can count right now and can go to them whenever I want, and I have this wonderful life that I wouldn't trade for anything.  Not even an all expense paid trip to Tahiti for a month to do nothing but be pampered and eat amazing food all while floating on a tube somewhere slightly off the beach-not too far-in water that is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom.  
Alan helped me pull of a BBQ for my party that had to be indoors because summer doesn't want to come this year.  We had some friends over and just ate and hung out!  It was so awesome.  We love having people over and eating of course.  The kids helped clear out the garage so they could all play in there without getting cold and wet and just ran through the house all afternoon.  I made shredded beef with green chilies and homemade tortillas for soft tacos.  We had grilled corn on the cob and homemade salsa and watermelon.  I also made my cake.  I should have made two because it was so good!  It was a double layer devils food cake.  I whipped up some chocolate ganache and layered it in the middle of the cake with some strawberry filling.  Then I frosted the outside of the cake with the whipped ganache and Alan made homemade vanilla ice cream to go with it.  I have to say it is so much funner to make everything from scratch to eat.  It tastes better than anything that could be bought from a store.  We really like our food around here!
After everyone was gone we all cleaned up and crashed.  Sadly, Daniel has a nasty cold now but he will be fine.  It was fun turning 39 this year and the best part is I get to have a "new to us" freezer.  A big one that you have to climb into to find things and get them out.  I can't wait to make a  year supply of cookie dough and leave it in the freezer!  Or a year supply of cinnamon roll dough, or dinner rolls, you see where I am going with this.  It will be baking heaven to have dough just ready to go. 
As usual, I forgot to have any pictures taken to document my birthday so I will have to leave that part to your imagination.  I will photograph my freezer and my other cool present when I can remember to.  Alan bought me a window from an antique store that came from an old house in Salt Lake City that we are going to put pictures in like a huge picture frame.  It is so cool! 

Best Memorial Weekend-Ever!!!

This past Memorial weekend we went up to Idaho to visit one of Alan's cousins.  This is his first cousin once removed but really when it comes down to it, we are all cousins.  Mark is a cattle rancher and hay farmer and has a beautiful place just off the Snake River down the way from Twin Falls.  Daniel was in boy heaven and couldn't get enough of it all.  Sarah told Mark that she would take over when he wanted to retire.  Mark's wife Jeanna was wonderful to get to know too.
We arrived on Saturday and all loaded up on Mark's quads to tour his 300+ acres.  What a fun ride.  The landscape reminds me of areas southeast of Tucson and it was like going home for us a bit.  We got to see his cows and horses.  It was beautiful weather up there and the sun felt so good.  We all went out for pasta that night and then stayed up late watching Home Alone!  It was on cable.  Mark and Jeanna play in a bluegrass/country band and so they treated us to some of their songs before bed.
Sunday we went to church with them.  Once we were home Jeanna took the kids out to the horses and they got to go horseback riding.  Daniel and Jacob spent most of the afternoon on the quads and then we packed up some food and headed out to the fishing hole on some property that is part of Jeanna's family.  What a fun place.  The kids went out in the row boat and paddled around, Daniel even caught a little fish!  We had smores and foil dinners a.k.a. hobo packs, and everyone sang around the campfire till the stars came out.
Monday we had to head home and the kids really wanted to stick around.  We had a huge ranch style breakfast with all the fixens and then Mark took us out to Twin Falls to see the waterfalls.  What a marvelous sight!   The pictures hardly do it justice.  We can't wait to go back for a visit!

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Make the voices stop!

There are too many people in my head most days.  I can usually shout them down and get to work but today I was struggling.  I got this terrific new recipe for Root beer Cookies.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?  Since I can't drink soda anymore, I was on board for this little sugar trip.  Unfortunately, the people in my head were drowning out my ability to concentrate.  So, I left the eggs out of the wonderful new cookie recipe and got flat cookies.  They are still edible but they lack structure-no spine to hold them up in your hand.  You would think that was no big deal, but a foodie like myself must have attractive looking food.  If the food doesn't look good, very few will taste your wares.  Happily, they are just cookies and the kids will eat them no matter what. 
I was looking forward to presenting these cookies-with the eggs in them of course-at my Baking for Shannon bake sale at the end of the month but sadly, the state has shut me down.  This little girl is on her second bone marrow transplant and I wanted to organize a fund raiser to help her family.  I have organized a committee and even started getting so people willing to donate their baked wares.  Like a good little American, I called the county health department to make sure we were on the up and up and they shut me down!!!   Just like that.  So we have gotten to a place in this country where you can't even hold a bake sale anymore for fear of law suits!  Is that not the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard!  I am in pity mode right now, but I will get his thing off the ground if I have to beg for baked goods from every store and restaurant in this area.  We will have baked goods to sell to try and help this family. 

Random

We have been busy around here lately and thanks to Alan's new phone, we haven't missed out on the picture moments!  First, we finally got back Jacob's school pictures.  He was horrified by them and didn't want to get them at all.  But, everyone needs to have at least one picture of themselves where you knew they forgot they had school pictures that day!  He doesn't look bad, just in the throws of the middle years and a little tired!

 

Next we move on and it is Mother's Day.  This year was lovely I must say!  We had a great day out at the Garden Fair in West Jordan.  It was a free Mother's Day event designed to promote organic gardening and sustainable landscapes.  It was really fun.  The weather was wonderful and the kids had so much fun playing on the climbing wall.  Sarah and I attended a mini class on herbs and how to grow them and we enjoyed the musician that was playing too.  Alan got some great video of the bass player and percussionist jamming and we can't get it to download to the computer.  If I ever figure it out I'll post it.  

We celebrated Alan's birthday too-he turned 40- and because I was in charge we have no pictures of that.  The kids and I had a great time decorating the house for him.  We hung balloons everywhere and streamers.  Alan likes ice cream more than cake so I made some killer homemade chocolate ice cream.  I am putting the recipe on my other blog- www.expandingfrosting.blogspot.com .  Check it out!  

 

Here are the kids on the climbing wall.  They must have done it 20 times.  When they got to the top they could hit a buzzer that sounded like a siren.  It was a fun day.  We love little festivals.  There was a honey vendor there that had the most amazing local honey.  I got a corn kernel remover instead.  It is corn season and we still have kids with loose teeth.  Removing the kernels from the corn is essential. 

Daniel and Alan were supposed to go on a camp out Friday.  However, the weather was slightly unstable and Alan couldn't get off work in time to go.  So, the camp out was canceled and the scouts went fishing the next day instead.  

 

Daniel caught one fish but had no intentions of bringing home and possibly having to eat it.  So he gave it to his friend that was catching many fish with his fishing expert dad.  Daniel had to get the rhythm of fishing and apparently after putting on sunscreen, his hands were a bit greasy.  So the first cast into the lake he ended up throwing the entire pole into the water!   Alan said they couldn't stop laughing.  

He found some craw daddies too but they couldn't get them out of the water.  The boys will have their next adventure this coming weekend when they go on the father's and son's camp out.  It may rain so they could be in for more adventure than they really want.  

Jacob played in his last orchestra performance for the year.  They sound like they have improved so much this year.  He is officially in the intermediate orchestra next year and excited to not have to haul his cello to school anymore this school year.  When Alan came home from work on his birthday, Jacob met him at the door playing happy birthday on his cello.  It was fun!  

Wednesday, if the weather cooperates, we are planting a salsa garden out front.  I have cleared away the grass on either side of our driveway so that I can attempt to grow some things there.  Gardening has become very challenging for me here and I hope my efforts pay off.  One side is an herb garden and the other will be the salsa garden.  I have blueberries and of course the apple and plum trees.  We have strawberries and chives in the front planter and if I have my way, one of our huge sycamore trees will come down sometime this year. 

High School

Does anyone else get the onslaught of alumni crap from their high school like I get from mine?  There are always teasers that say, "look who has joined us now, don't you want to register too so you can get back in touch?"  My high school was the size of a community college.  I think their were close to 1000 students in my graduating class.  I attended school for the first period in the morning and then left to work the rest of the day.  I think I knew 5 people, I barely keep in touch with one of them.  High school was a long time ago for me and not the "best" years of my life.  Don't get me wrong, it was pleasant enough, but I knew much better experiences were on the horizon for me and really didn't feel the need to make it my only crop of memories to desperately cling to the rest of my life. 
I moved so much as a kid, you would either think we were running from the law or my dad was in the military.  I am happy to report he was in the military.  The experience of moving a lot as a child has helped me to enjoy where ever I am and whomever I am around.  There just isn't time to cling to things when they will be gone soon.  So I was always looking forward to the next location and the next group of friends I would make.  I married someone like me too so we are pretty good about just having people over and getting to know them.  Who doesn't love a BBQ or a free meal?  I love making the meal too so it all works out! 
Switching gears a bit, I made a spinach artichoke dip last night that was out of this world!  I love cooking from scratch.  It is so much better.  I marinated the hearts myself in a broth that consisted of a head of garlic, a lime cut up, fresh parsley, salt and peppercorns and then used the broth left over to cook some navy beans in for dinner.  They were yummy!   Food is awesome.  I love making food that in years past we would have paid for at a restaurant.  I don't even like restaurant food now.  It just tastes yucky!  There is nothing like cooking something from scratch, free of all of the nasty things that end up in our foods now days. 

Robert and Jenna Baby Blessing

 Robert and Jenna Carpenter invited us down to their ward on Sunday to be part of blessing their new little boy, Damon Robert Carpenter.  It was such a wonderful day!  They had a lunch at their house afterwards and the kids couldn't get enough of their cousins!  We all decided we really need to get together more often than we do.  Life gets busy and it gets hard but I think we are all making a better effort.
Sarah was pretty excited to get to hold the little guy.  He is not much bigger than her baby doll at home.  She did a great job holding him and didn't get tired of it at all.
Damon looks like I remember Robert looking as a baby!  And he has a little crop of curls just on the top of his head.  Babies are fun!  Especially when they are someone else's.