Fall

With back to school it always seems like things stack up and don't get done. I go back to work with the kids, and my time is gone. So during my evening and days off, things are busy. This week it seemed that food was raining down on us. Not quite Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs but almost. It started off with a bucket of nectarines from my brother, then two days latter an elderly neighbor called and said that she had pears on her tree that she couldn't reach and if Steve would pick them they would be ours. I figured there would be a few, I was wrong. Thursday piano lessons got canceled so the girls and I headed out to the garden to harvest. I was met by some resistance, but eventually they both fell into the magic of it. We picked another big bunch of green beans, the second of the season, and then dug up half of the potatoes. Consequently dinner was mashed potatoes and green beans, it was delicious. Anyhow, Wednesday evening I tackled the nectarines. I didn't have a lot of lids so I just started with what I had. Peeling nectarines is tedious, so after the first batch I knew I had to find something else to do with our bucket that I had only made a small dent in. We decided to go with jam. I had never heard of nectarine jam, but they are almost a peach right? Steve and I did two batches and finally finished around 9:30 pm. I am happy to say that the pears won't be ready to can for at least 5 more days. After picking all the green beans Thursday, I tackled them on Friday. We like fresh green bean taste, so all I had to do was put them in boiling water batch by batch and then right into ice water to prep them for the freezer. Our freezer right now is full of green beans, no more room. I think we need to by another one for down stairs. Anyway, the potatoes are still sitting on the counter. I haven't decided if we are going to eat them all, or if I am going to put some up. We shall see. I love fall, and the preparations for winter, but I do wish they weren't all squished into nights and weekends. Here are some pics.

A Delicious New Recipe

Chickpea strawberry mango salad
Ingredients:
8 cups romaine lettuce, washed, dried, torn into pieces (2 L by volume)
1 batch Pumpkin spice-roasted chickpeas (see below)
1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups strawberries, washed and sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
1/8 cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)
1 batch Cinnamon vinaigrette (see below)

Directions:

Add all ingredients in a large bowl and toss.


Pumpkin spice-roasted chickpeas
Ingredients:
1 14-oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
2 TBS maple syrup (no substitutes) (1 1/2 australian TBS; 30 mL)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celcius).
2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until evenly coated.
3. Spread chickpeas on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Baked for 25-30 minutes, stirring chickpeas every 10 minutes to ensure even crisping.

Cinnamon vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 TBS apple cider vinegar (2 australian TBS + 1 tsp; 45 mL)
3 TBS lemon juice (2 australian TBS; 45 mL)
1/3 cup maple syrup (no substitutes) (80 mL)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil (60 mL)

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients except oil in a medium bowl. Slowly add oil while whisking, until dressing has emulsified. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Pics of the Day

I thought I would do a before and after for today of the girls. They loved their first day of 3rd grade. They are really excited about their teachers, and can't wait to keep learning. They already started on cursive writing, and did great.

Kathryn

Juliana

New Year

Here we are again at the start of a new school year. The girls should at this moment be in their seats ready to start the day. I can't/can believe they are in 3rd grade already. What amazing little people they are. It's so fun and exciting to see them grow and learn and change. They challenge Steven and I almost daily, and we are always course correcting ourselves. I have pictures of them as they left today, I will post them this afternoon. I get to start work toady as well so I have to be off. I just couldn't pass the moment without marking it in some way. 3rd grade here we come!!

Example

Right now my girls are sitting at the kitchen table writing in their journal. It was something I thought to have them do this morning. Even though they started off complaining, they are into it now, and I probably couldn't stop them if I wanted to! So I figured I should follow their example and spill some of my life onto a page. Summer is finally here. We are at last above freezing. This year was cold for a long time. Anyway, the girls and I kicked off our summer by going to LaVerkin. We went last year too, and I think it's going to be a tradition that we keep doing. We spent 2 nights with my mom and 2 with my sister. It was a blast. There were soft ball games to watch, slip and slides to play on, treats, and tons of fun with cousins. We even had some impromptu baseball with some giant marshmallows. The kids thought that was great fun. One of my favorite parts was when my sis-in-law sat on a whole package of grahm crackers. It was hilarious to see her face when she felt and heard the crunch and realized what she had done. We both had a hardy laugh. When the temperature hit over 100 I seriously questioned my own sanity for wanting to visit and I had to question the sanity of those who choose to live there!! I did a lot of thinking about the early pioneers to that area, and wondered just what they thought when they arrived. It must have been a daily struggle to ever have enough water in the summer. So here are some pics, and maybe (If I can figure out how) a video.

Baptism

Life has been really busy lately. The girls turned eight years old the day after the school year ended. We threw a party for them and their friends on the last day of school, then had our own family celebration on their actual birthday.

They got new bikes, so we all went on a bike ride, and then I made them potstickers from scratch because right now that is their favorite meal. If you've ever made potstickers, you know that they take a whole of time to make, but I guess I can be grateful that they both like the same thing!!!

The next weekend they were baptized. We had so much fun with family and friends. We appreciate all the love and support, even if you couldn't physically be here, we felt your love from a distance. Here is a little slide show I made. A few days before the baptism, we went and took pictures of the girls in their dresses, so I wouldn't have to worry too much on the day of their baptism. Most of the slide show is from that photo shoot. The last couple pictures are from right before their baptism service began. Enjoy!

Funny things my children say

These are direct quotes that I have heard in the last few days. On Sunday we were coming home from church. I was asking the girls what they remembered from our Sacrament meeting. The first person talked about keeping a history of your life and how he was great full to know so much of his family history. Kathryn asked what history was. We told her, then she said, "That gives me the creeps. Family History." I have no idea why but it would seem that family history is a creepy phrase.
Next funny thing: Just now, Kathryn was sitting here with me. She has something on her face and I was trying to see what it was. She said, "It's a miple. That's what you call it." I think she was trying to say pimple. There is another thing that happened yesterday, but somehow it escapes me right now. I told Steven he would have to help me remember it, we'll see how helpful he is this evening.

Windows

Today was a big day for home improvement. Since we moved in, we knew that we needed to replace the windows on the back of our house. They replaced the windows in the front for curb appeal and left the ones in the rear for us. We have been saving up and today we finally had them installed. It will be nice to have a screen on sliding doors, not have windows that rattle in the wind, and hopefully we will save some money on energy. It was interesting to watch the process, and I even found a wasp nest that was neatly trucked in between the brick and particle board by the sliding door. They must have found a little whole in the seal around the old door and had the perfect place for a nest. Yikes!!!! Here are the pictures I took to document the event.

Projects

A couple Christmas' ago, we gave the girls a latch hook rug. They love crafts and we were looking for things that could be useful, and not just another toy to have to put away. They were very excited to get started. The excitement didn't last long, and getting them finished has been a bit of a challenge. Steve and I had to laugh today as we read on the side of the box FUN EASY QUICK. Despite the time it has taken, they did finish today. They are excited to be able to use them by their bed. Now I just have to finish them off!

Juliana

Kathryn

Sunday

Today is the General conference for our church. That basically means that we get to hear many talks given by the Prophet and apostles. Since this is broadcast on TV in Utah and many other states it also means that we get to hang out at home in P.J.'s. The girls are enjoying it. Juliana finished a project that she has been working on for over a year, pictures to follow, I am hoping that Kathryn finishes this afternoon. If you are interested in any of the talks from General Conference you can access them here: General Conference They are available in most languages, and you can read, listen or watch. We have heard a lot of messages on service and helping others in need.

We also woke up to about 4-5 inches of snow this morning. So random, but I guess that is what spring is like. Yesterday it got to be over 70 degrees and now snow!! It is beautiful, but I am glad that I don't have to venture out in it.

Random Thoughts on a Tuesday

I just went into Costco and made it out having only spent $10.00! I know it's hardly believable but it is true. My secret, I only visited the photo counter, and then the eye counter. I had photos to pick up and questions to ask. No basket, no temptation, in and out. It rarely happens but on this gray March day I needed a red letter moment.

I warned you in the title this was going to be random. Next thought is to cut yourself some slack. I recently came to the bottom (at least I am hoping it was the bottom) of a downward spiral of overwhelmedness (not a real word), guilt, self loathing (that may be a bit strong to use here). You ladies know the drill. I swear I didn't even see it coming, or realize that it was happening, until I was almost at the bottom. Of course usually the bottom occurs when you become aware of the downward motion. Everyone in my immediate world has been the brunt of my fall at some time or another, with Steve taking most of the blows. So I am just saying give yourself room to be human, women, mother's, slackers, whatever it is that you feel you don't have room for. I really think that for the most part we are doing alright most of the time. Now the trick is to remember that. Happy gray March day.

What to say

There has been so much going on around here. But when you ask me what's going on I am hard pressed to really say. Again this week I have been brought to a realization that life goes by way too fast, and that it can all change in the blink of an eye. My aunt passed away last week and we laid her to rest on Friday. She suffered from cancer and in the end lost her battle. During her funeral, something happened to my Dad. My poor cousin had to keep talking while several people in the audience were rushing out and in. We ended up with an ambulance and a long day in the hospital. Since I am writing this, I could leave out the fact that once I left the chapel, I had a moment of hyperventilation and tears where I wasn't good for anything. I completely fell apart. My mother, cool as a cucumber had to tell me to get a grip. I cannot share what it was too look at my dad, and think that he was actually going to die. I was already at a funeral, and I couldn't imagine having to do another. In a word it was horrifying. In the end he is ok, and really there wasn't much to worry about, that they can find. Life is short. To celebrate the life I have lived I want to share some photos. We finally have everything loaded onto our new computer. Enjoy a little look back into the past.

Juliana and Kathryn 6 months

Kathryn

Juliana

Divas

Leaving Nashville

Still In Love

Growing Up

Another Week

Well here we are at the end of another week. Still no new computer, and thus no pictures. Steve has been gone since Wednesday, he's in Philadelphia for a conference. The girls and I have been keeping busy to pass the time. I think this has probably been the easiest time for me that Steven has been gone. The highlight of our time has been attending the ballet of Cinderella at BYU with some friends. We went Thursday night and had a blast. It didn't start until 7:30 pm so we even had time to get ice cream before the show. The girls really loved it, and had no problems paying attention for two hours. It was my first time to see a live ballet and I thoroughly enjoyed it. One funny thing that Kathryn said, we were about 1 hr and 20 min. in and she asked, "Why aren't they talking?" I thought it was funny that it took her that long to ask. It was really fun to see a different version of Cinderella than the Disney one. Juliana did ask if there was going to be mice. :) It was a great evening.

A BIG sigh of relief.

This post was supposed to happen yesterday, but it didn't. The big sigh was heard by me in the morning when I woke. January was over. I felt like doing a little dance, but I had to be at the dentist at 8:00 am so there was no time for dancing. I had a good feeling in my bones, the day was slated to be very busy, but I knew things were going to roll smoothly. At the dentist, I got another big sigh, my teeth passed inspection and no work is needed at this time!!! So nice. Many of you may be used to hearing this, but after several years with no insurance, it took a while to get everything tip top in the old mouth again. The rest of the day sailed along. I got the grocery shopping done, things dropped off at DI and in the end even made a successful trip to the library with the girls after school. February is so much better than January. Am I the only one who feels this way????

While you are reading, and probably wondering, where are the pictures??? Well our computer, we call it "Old Faithful" has not died yet. But it is starting. We got a camera from Santa, isn't he a nice guy? It takes pictures that are 10 megapixles larger than our last camera did. On a side note, we actually paid less for the new camera than we did for our old one. So over Christmas we enjoyed having enough space on the memory card to actually take as many pictures as we wanted without running out of space. So back to Old Faithful, it has met it's match with the 200+ pictures that are now on the camera. It will not upload them. There a lot of great ones I could share, but alas they are stuck on the camera. I would do something like e-mail them all to myself a few at a time, except that we just finally ordered a new computer. So don't worry, you just need to wait a few more weeks until pictures return to the blog. Good night, and good luck.

Patience

I know it's a strange title for my first blog of the year. But I figure it's appropriate since, you(if there is anyone left who checks my blog anymore) have had incredible patience waiting to see anything new here. And it seems that this is what I must have more of in my life right now. I think I am supposed to be learning how. It is something I have been needing to learn most of my life. Funny how you think you have something down pat, and suddenly you realize that life intends to teach you more. My lesson in patience is never ending, I must not be learning too quickly. Now the reasons for my need to have more of the "p" word.

1. I have two beautiful daughters who test my patience almost daily. They can take impressive amounts of time to accomplish the most simple of tasks. We have gone through many methods of incentives, punishment, etc to try and help them speed up. Nothing seems to work long term. It's like they were programed specifically to drive me up the wall sometimes.

2. Right now I am blessed/cursed to have a job. At the beginning of my latest earning potential I had grand goals of paying off debt, buying windows for the house, a new computer, and perhaps a big fat savings account for the day when we will have to purchase a new car. I figured it would only take.....well we won't say how long I thought it would take, only that it's taking ALOT longer.

3. At this moment I have also ran out of patience completely with my body. It seems that no matter how much I work, it has decided to hold onto fat cells that I know I have blasted in countless workouts.

4. If this is not all enough to get me to let go and just take things as they come, I have an internal clock, more like time bomb, that is ticking. I have been able to ignore this ticking in the past, in fact, it really hasn't bothered me for much of the 7 1/2 years since I had my children. I was very effective at ignoring it for at least 5 years. Then it grew in volume, not much just some background noise now and then. Fast forward to, let's see, NOW and it's like a constant undertone in my brain. I don't know why, I am happy with what I have in the child department. Sure when I hold a baby, I get the warm gushy feeling of wanting another one. But why the constant barrage of, "Why hasn't it happened yet?" "Will it ever happen?" "Why aren't you just content with what you have?" "Should I be doing something more about it?" "Am I okay if it doesn't happen?" "Should I be okay about that?" It's a mean loop of questions that have no answer, at least no right now. So I am waiting, and have been for quite some time for some answers. All I hear is silence, nothing, just empty space. This is the test for which I am not ready, I have not been cramming all these years for it. Oh that we could save up our patience to use in such a time.

2nd Annual Turkey Trot

We started a tradition last year of having Steve take the kids and run 1 mile the morning of Thanksgiving. This accomplishes a few things. 1. All the kids get out of the house, and let mom get some cooking done. 2. Before all the mad eating happens, they get some exercise. 3. I can't really think of a #3 but I sure there is one. So last year we had cousins to run with us. This year we stayed home, so we called around to see if anyone wanted to join us. No one did. I think it had something to do with the fact that the temperature was in the single digits. Come one people just bundle up. So Steve took the girls and went to the Timpview track solo. They didn't want to do it, but when they got home the report was good and everyone was happy. Their official time was 13 min. 47 sec. Pretty good if you ask me.

READY GET SET GO!!!!

Juliana and Kathryn

Backing up

So I am just realizing that I never actually posted the kids in their Halloween costumes, and Thanksgiving is already past. Someday I will be on top of things. They were M&M's this year. Fun idea and not too hard to execute. Although as you view the pictures, you will notice that the blue M&M is not as well made as the orange. I made it first, and since I was making things up as I went along, there was a lot of learning that occurred. That's one great thing about having two, I always get a second chance to make improvements. Here they are.

Kathryn

Juliana

Carving Pumpkins

Juliana: She really wanted to do something scary this year.

Kathryn: She learned about this art piece this year at school so when she saw it she had to do it.

What a Dad

Last Saturday, the 16th, Steve made breakfast in bed for the girls. They somehow got it in their heads that this was something they couldn't live without, and have been begging us for weeks for breakfast in bed. Steve woke up, and told me he was going to make them pancakes and serve them in bed. I was a little hesitant with the whole 7 years olds eating in bed, but figured it couldn't be too bad if they spilled. I had to hop in the shower to get ready for something. By the time I was done, he was ready. He had made delicious chocolate chip pancakes for all of us. What an amazing dad. The girls were so excited. They had been reading in bed waiting for their breakfast. They managed to eat all their breakfast with no spills and big smiles.

Juliana, Kathryn, Steve

What we have been up to

Well today was busy, we had some yard work to get done before it rained, and we barely made it, Steve had to finish mowing in the rain. I was working on tearing out the last of the hedge in the garden. We are getting rid of some of it to make more room in the garden. I also dug out the tomato plants. The only things left are a couple pepper plants, and some onions that decided to grow. I have got to get the peppers picked soon because it's going to freeze next week.

We have finally been getting tomatoes, and since I decided not to make salsa, we have had a hard time knowing what to do with them all. The first batch we made into spaghetti sauce and I didn't end up getting it into bottles, and processed, so it's in the freezer. Today I had another bunch of tomatoes that had to be delt with. They have been sitting on the counter staring at my for days. So I rolled up my sleeves and started in on them. We decided to make sauce again, only I found a new recipe. After all the work, it turned out really great. It was a little odd to peal and cook for most of the day and only come out with 5 pints, but I am pretty darn proud of them.

I also had to make bread today. I think I ended up doing three loads of dishes. While I was in the kitchen, Steve attacked the rest of the house. He is quite amazing and got the laundry, vacuuming, and bathrooms done. So not only do we have bread and tomato sauce to eat, the house is clean!

One more random thing. Last week I decided to cut all our pumpkins off the vine and get rid of the vine. For some reason, the vine suddenly died and was looking really bad. Since I was out there I dug up the cantaloup vine, and the watermelon one too. We learned a lot this year about gardening, and one lesson was that pumpkins need a lot of space. This year our watermelon got over taken by the pumpkin vine, and never grew anything. When I was pulling it out I found this.

A perfect little watermelon that was trying it's best to grow despite the lack of sunlight. I couldn't believe it. Too funny.