The Holiday Continues...

We flew home mid-day.  Always sad to leave but happy to go home too.

Lucky for us, we had the kids all over and had another chance to celebrate the 4th with everyone here.

How about that? THREE days of gratitude for America!

We grilled fajitas.  Mike makes the BEST ever.  I'll have to get him to write down the recipe for me.  Surprisingly they are not as hard as you would think, and oh, so good.

It's all in the marinade.

Chicken breasts and flank steak before the thin slicing.

And the fajita veges. YUM.   Can you just smell and taste and hear them sizzling right now?

You've gotta have some homemade guacamole!  Adrianne cuts up the onion really, really small for me.  What can I say?  For my whole life I just can't do a raw yellow onion in or on anything.  Cooked, yes, love them.

One of my quirks.

I rummaged through the pantry and fridge and decided I had the ingredients to make this Strawberry Shortcake Cake.  It is similar to one that the Pioneer Woman makes, but I switch it up to make it easier.

The house was buzzing with the family and I stopped for a moment as I watched them all around the island in the kitchen working and laughing and talking together.  Dipping the chips into the guac.  It warms a Mother's heart.  I missed Rob and Nats and John, and Shaun.  They will be here to visit soon enough and then we will have another get together.

It was Mike and Adrianne's turn for the combined family FHE, and Mike did a stirring lesson on how the weather and God's control of it, played a pivotal role in the American Revolution.  That our country was a promise of greatness in order for the gospel to be restored.

Then closed with these remarks by L.Tom Perry given at a 1976 speech at BYU:

"I want to again remind you of your responsibility to preserve the righteousness of America....The land must continue to remain strong and great and good.  It is destined to be the major supplier of human and financial resources, to build the kingdom of God here in the whole world for the return of the Lord and Savior.  The adversary knows all too well that a weak America will literally stop this building process and thwart the work of God.  I hope I have painted a clear picture for you to see your role in this great eternal process.  The Lord is making his major investment in you.

"I want to issue you a challenge.  I want you who are the best trained, the best educated, who have been given these great advantages here in America to literally become the conscience of America and the molders of its destiny and future.  With your knowledge, your training, your understanding of how God works in the hearts of his children here on earth, let us obligate ourselves to temperance, to frugality, and to industry.  Let us show justice, kindness, and charity toward our fellowmen.  Let us demonstrate the love and reverence we should exhibit toward our Almighty God.  Let us not trifle with the things that are holy to God.

"...This is the time for you to be bold enough to stand up for what you believe, to let the world know that God still blesses this great land of America--if we will live righteously, according to that which he has commanded." 

Meredith, Christine, and Karley then went for another showing of Eclipse!  And the rest of us cleaned the kitchen and relaxed.