When everyone was smaller,

When everyone was smaller than me, I used to tell them, "one day they would all be taller and stronger than me. And then, I'd ask them to open the pickle jar."

One day has arrived...

They grow up, get jobs, their own apartments, and have seperate lives. You know you're in trouble when your youngest son has 2 different dates on a Saturday.

You know you're really in trouble when the reading glasses come one, and the wrinkles no longer disappear with the latest anti-wrinkle face cream. (I'm the only one mean enough to man handle the aligator)

Look at my daughter, she's worried about those wrinkles too.

She still has a few years to worry...

Have a great day.

Almost a Year Ago...

Almost a year ago I stopped blogging. WOW...it's amazing what can happen over a year. I'm still living in "This Small House," but the small house is feeling bigger and bigger as children move closer to the University so they don't have to travel 15 minutes to school, and perhaps liven up their social life.

I've still checked in with many bloggers, infact tonight we had Baked Macaroni and Cheese from Kimmi's blog, Pink Cookies With Sprinkles. And it was DELICIOUS!

I've seen pictures from your children's weddings....cried at the deaths of loved ones...and happy when you all got to take a little time out, and just enjoy.

In the end...I'm venturing back into this wonderful world of blogging. Posting periodically, and leaving messages rather than just stalk you. I needed the break....I made changes where I needed to, and took risks I never dreamed i would.

Thank you for this past year as you made me smile and sometimes cry. For feeding my family, and letting me quietly live in the background of your lives.

August....

It's August...and for the first time in a long time I welcome August with open arms. I have always looked to August as a means to an end of summer. I have to admit, it's been a rough summer for me. I've struggled with the loss of my mom, more than I realize I would. Who would have thought that being a middle age woman, Iwould mourn this loss as deeply as I have. But, I have. Not that anyone would know. Not even my family....but I have.

July has been filled with the hectic demands of those not even in my family, and the last week was a struggle as our little ward (church congregation) was smashed with dual tragadies.

We find out we are stronger than we realize when we have to walk blindly into someones life, and attempt to offer them solace....peace....and hope.

But through it all....we smile!! Years ago as I was pulling myself out of my own personal sorrow, my motto was: "Cry when you have to, smile when you can. Just make sure you're smiling more than crying." It got me through, and it will now.

SO...with that, I am ebracing August. I'm going to smile..... Smile..... smile.... Smile..... and it will be a good month.

July brought raspberries galore!! I have literally spent hours in my raspberry patch. And everyday I climbed into that raspberry patch, I was grateful that I would have a little bit of summer in the middle of January. I can't leave you without sharing the EASIEST and I mean EASIEST freezer jam in the world!! This recipe can be used with any fruit......

Pretty, aren't they??? Like I said,

Summer in January.

5 cups mashed fruit

2 cups sugar

3 tblsp. Clear Gel (find at Kitchen Kneads or specialty food store)

1/2 cup Karo syrup

Mash raspberries (fruit), add Karo Syrup

Mix 2 cups sugar and 3 heaping Tblsp. Clear Gel. Slowly add sugar mixture to fruit. MIX THOROUGHLY, put into containers, and freeze!!!

It's WONDERFUL!!!

Enjoy your garden.....Enjoy your week!!

25 Years Later...

25 years ago... our little car echoed this very same sentiment.... In the very same parking garage at Little America.

We returned after 25 years, to spend a night at the same place we shared our first night together.

The kind young man (I doubt he was even born when we were there 25 years ago) that checked us into our room, happened to be from the same community we are from, and gave us an up-grade!!

17th Floor
Not a fan of heights

I did get used to it and enjoyed the beautiful Salt Lake City skyline.

I love visiting here. I feel like I'm home...that I belong here... whenever I come to the city.

Handsome husband treated me to a very romantic dinner....

I know...

you're jealous.

Is there anything more romantic than "All You Can EAT??!!"

Sunday morning we spent with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the taping of the "Music and the Spoken Word."

TIP...arrive just before 8:30 a.m. you can be there for the rehersal, and enjoy them again during the taping of the program at 9:15 a.m..

Ohhhh...the music was BEAUTIFUL!! I got a bit weapy listening to them sing Come, Come Ye Saints. LOVELY!!

(p.s. Glenn Beck was in the audience. GROOVY HU?)

Looking forward to another 25 years with this man!!!

I seriously love this guy.

Put this on a pillow: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: andtheyshall be one flesh. ~Genesis 2:24

Taste of Summer

It's like tasting a little bit of summer!!!

Lemon Blossoms, recipe courtesy of Paula Dean. And seriously....they are worth every minute it takes you to make these sweet little things!!

These are what they are supposed to look like. My last batch, I finally got it figured out. I wasn't baking them as long as I needed to. Even not baked long enough, they were DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients

• 18 1/2 - ounce package yellow cake mix
• 3 1/2 -ounce pkg. instant lemon pudding mix
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:

• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (it took me 2 lemons to get enough juice. USE FRESH LEMONS)
• 1 lemon zested
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water
  

Spray miniature muffin tins with begetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well.

(Below see the gorgeous color!! Happy Yellow!)

Pour a small amount of batter, filling each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towl. (I found if you take a knife and tap the bottom of the pan, they will come out. IF you bake them long enough)

To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil and 3 tablespoons water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.



With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes. (I dipped...much more fun) Place on wire racks with wxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour.

Not quite as gorgeous as the pro herself...Paula Dean. But I'm 100% sure, just as yummy!!




Serve at a garden party, with chicken salad, rolls, chilled pickle spears, fresh fruit and lemonade. LEMONADE TIP...wash a fresh lemon, slice and add to your frozen concentrate lemonade. It adds a tart taste to your drink, and you'll think you're drinking fresh squeezed lemonade.

You'll be nibbling on a little bit of summer.

Put this on a pillow...Loving yourself is not a matter of boasting. It is not a matter of attitude. It is a matter of self acceptance, of noting your qualaties as well as your short comings, and accepting them all. ~author??

Check....

Visit Hogle Zoo.......CHECK

Saturday I spent a couple hours at the zoo. I loved it so much, I'm going back in August with my kids. (They were all wrapped up in their own things)

Giraffes... Aren't they gorgeous??? I don't know how they

don't fall forward when walking. (I look like I'm in pain. I'm not-or pregnant as far as that goes)

Quite the bird. Which I'm sure could peck a whole through anything. Their was a zoo guide showing the size of an Ostrich's eggs. Talk about laying an egg....

I don't know...for some reason I felt like I could relate with this bird.



I've never believed that we evolve from monkeys....I might have to re-think this concept. Look at me!!! My arms are longer than the female gorilla!! I measured up that's for sure.

EXCUSE ME....DOES ANYONE HAVE A DUMP TRUCK OF VASELINE INTENSIVE CARE LOTION??? Seriously, I wanted to paint her toenails!

Enjoyed lunch at the Blue Plate.

Interesting concept this place. Put up some cinder blocks, paint it blue...open for business.



My take on the whole thing....I liked it!! There was every type of person and lifestyle there. And being a people watcher, I was in heaven!! HOWEVER...if you're in a hurry this isn't the place for you. It's low key, and easy going.

My nephew Darren sporting his suspenders and fancy hat - enjoyed a vegetarian burger the size of his face! My sister ordered the Vegan burger. None of that sissy stuff for me....

GIVE ME MEAT!!!

Turkey Avocado with Radish Sprouts. Shoestring french fries and FRY SAUCE!!! If you don't want your pickle..... ME, ME, ME!!!

YUMMY!!!!!


What's on my mind this week? Food for thought....

The Savior emphasized love and unity and declared that we would be known as His disciples if we have love one to another....

The Savior's charge to His disciples to love one another-and the dramatic and powerful way He taught this principle at the Last Supper-is one of the most poignant and beautiful episodes from the last days of His mortal life.

He was not teaching a simple class in ethical behavior. This was the Son of God pleading with His Apostles and all disciples who would come after them to remember and follow this most central of His teachings. How we relate and interact with each other is a measure of our willingness to follow Jesus Christ. ~Elder Quentin L. Cook

Enjoy your day!

Put this on a pillow: "Men are that they might have joy - not guilt trips!" ~Russell M. Nelson

OH THE PLACES WE'LL GO AND THE THINGS WE'LL SEE

"First it begins inside your heart. Something moves.

Then opens.

Then frees itself.

And now you feel a rhythm breaking its long silence.

This is going to be good."

The perfect quote for my summer journal. Not a lot of vacation days to use for the summer...I'm organizing myself, setting goals, and trying to enjoy what I can on my spare minute.



It's the back of this adorable notebook that somewhat shared how I was feeling the day I found this cute little book . The very day I was trying to decide how I could squeeze summer into not much time.

"It is here whre she must begin to tell her story."

In the back of my summer of 2010 notebook I made my summer reading list. And on another page, my summer goals.

*Get a Pedicure *Visit the zoo *go on a hike *Enjoy a picnic or two *Take more pictures *Enjoy my surroundsing & the people in it *Go on a bike ride at least once a week *Learn 2 new things about each member of my family *Float on the Bear River *Read the Book of Mormon *Diligently work on my Personal Progress *Love *Spend a weekend with my sisters *Drive to Vernal *Eat at the Buritto or Hog dog vendor in Ogden with my son *Ride the train from Ogden to Salt Lake

The trick is to document as much of this summer as I can. It helps me realize what a good summer I'm having without much vacation time.

I'm enjoying my bike rides. I take my camera and try to be more aware of the smells, beauty, and people that I see.

Come on...... take a spin with me.

OH WAIT.... Yes there is an incredibly handsome man and his dog following us!


Seriously....can you believe this???

This beautiful sight is only a mile or so west of my home.

East of my home, it's hay hauling season....makes my eyes water and nose run. This is one of many big green tractors that will pass us as we pedal along.

I know...really..... two handsome men following us!!

Just north west of my home we see such a contrast in the mountains. To the south they are majestic and tower over our little valley. To the north, they are more a rolling hill, but still have beauty all their own.

There are many more places to see on our bike rides. However when you ride with me you have to pedal slow. We won't be able to see it all in one day.

Put this on a pillow: Life, believe, is not a dream So dark, as sages say; Oft a little morning rain fortells a pleasant day. ~Charlotte Bronte, 1846

It's fixed....It's fixed...IT'S FIXED!!! No thanks to Extreme Computers, But a big thanks to our internet provider. After paying $150 to the before mentioned business....Ferris came to our house, took our computer box thing, took it to his shop, had the problems diagnosed, ordered parts, had them installed brought the computer back to our house. Hooked it up to make sure it worked properly and only charged us for the parts!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

So much has happened this past month or so.....

My son received his Eagle Scout award.

My daughter graduated from high school.

And my sweet mom passed away . This has just broke my heart!! My mom was a quiet, petite lady. She didn't like attention or a lot of fanfare. However, was always happy to be remembered. She passed away at the age of 72.

I had just talked to her only a couple hours before while I was at work. We were planning on how we would hook up at my daughters graduation. She rarely used her cell phone, but would take it with her so I could call her and tell her where we were sitting.

Being busy at work that day, our conversation was brief. I had to hurry. When I hung up the phone I thought to myself, "mom sounds tired. I hope she gets a nap before this evening." I had a sinking feeling to call her back and ask if she was feeling okay. I didn't make that call. That was the last time I spoke to her. I'll never make that mistake again. I won't rush my loved ones. Busy or not....

My mom suffered a massive heart attack while walking into my daughters high school graduation.

I spent the night of her death at my childhood home with my dad. I touched the white sweater she was wearing and looked into her pocket. There was her cell phone with a little slip of paper that said "Sandra's cell phone number."

A day hasn't gone by over this past month that I haven't thought "I need to call my mom." Hear or see something funny and think "I need to call mom and tell her about this." While shopping I'll come upon something that my mom would like, begin to take the item off of the shelf and realize it isn't necessary.

I miss my mom.

BUT....it's all good. Our Heavenly Father loves us. He designed a plan that affords us to be together forever with the people we love. And for this I am ever grateful.

Looking forward to finally being able to catch up with all of you.....

Have a great day.

Put this on a pillow: Families are Forever!!!