"Virtue Girl" Has Her Force Field Up

New Beginnings wrap-up. Laminated shield to put in a place where they will see it daily with quotes from President Monson from the YW broadcast last Saturday.
Virtue Girl during one of the dances.

l-r: Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Faith, Virtue, Divine Nature in this part of the picture.

Group photo at the end. We had several missing tonight! :(

When Christine ducks into a phone booth she comes out as Virtue Girl in this superhero disguise!

Tonight was New Beginnings for Christine. She went straight from school to Lacrosse practice, home for literally 15 minutes to wash her face, brush her teeth, change her clothes, and grab the cold cereal with milk in a large plastic glass I handed her with a spoon as she got back in the car. Didn't even run a brush through her hair, which I wished she would have, but oh well--I'm just the mom. She had to be at the last little practice for the SuperValues play.

This was probably one of the best New Beginnings I've ever been too, and I've been to a lot.

The walls were decorated with plastic tablecloths in all the value colors made into superhero 'capes' and then there was the superhero picture wall! For a gathering activity we had a pen and paper and had to name all the superheros. There were 20. Ten from famous cartoons and 10 from the scriptures. Gotta say, I was stumped on a couple!

Opening song, prayer, reciting the YW theme. Announcements about youth conference and girls camp. Introduction of 'baby Beehives'. Oh. When did these girls grow up. But of course they are 12--I had them in Primary a year ago! They were asked to go sit up on the stage in a little row of primary chairs to the side. All of a sudden: the Superman theme music begins! One of the large fans that the stake uses to help cool off at the stake dances goes on and from one of the back doors come 9 of the YW. They were 'flying' in wearing their true identities as the SuperValues: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue. Modest shorts with footless tights under in each value color, white tshirt with a value shield (in the corresponding value color) with matching value cape. ADORABLE. They flew and danced in and up onto the stage that was appropriately decorated in value shields.
Setting: Tesoro High School where "Temptation" has abducted the baby Beehives and hidden them in the Algebra room. "Temptation" was a YW leader wearing all black with a huge white "T" on her shirt--the villian! While the opening dance was going on in the back of the cultural hall, "Temptation" had a rope and tied up the completely surprised and unsuspecting baby Beehives and moved them to the Algebra room! (Kind of like temptation--sometimes it completely surprises you, for real!)

The SuperValueHeros mission: to find the baby Beehives and save all from "Temptation" using their super powers. "Temptation" follows the SuperHeros around in many disguises tempting them with cheating, immodesty, immorality, word of wisdom, gossiping, etc., as they navigate the campus determined to save the baby Beehives. But with each SuperHero comes a 'super-value' with it's 'super-power' to resist "Temptation".

Christine was "Virtue Girl". Her super-power is a force field to keep anything un-virtuous away so she can make and keep sacred covenants one day in the temple. She dresses modestly, doesn't date before 16, etc., etc.

This was like a mini road show! There were songs, dances, great message, and the SuperValueHeros were victorious in rescuing the baby Beehives and thwarting "Temptation"! The script was written by one of the older Mia Maids! Yep. It was amazing! At different parts of the play, each class came up and told who their hero was in their life. With only a very few exceptions, every one was a family member. I made a mental note of the essential power of the family.

Great, great evening.

It's Your Bday, Jacob D.!

Happy Birthday, Jacob D.!

I love calling you Jacob D. How did that even get started, has your mom told you? 'Cuz I don't remember! You are in double digits now! Woo Hoo. How is cub scouts going?

We send you all our love through the miles and hope you have a fun party! Elizabeth told us she is so excited for it. Take a big breath and get all those candles out!

Love You!

I Spy....Mel?

Melanie, was that you singing in the choir at the YW broadcast??? In a pink blouse standing next to a girl in a dark goldish blouse??? Were you in the section on the left (looking at the choir) on the very end??? I'm pretty sure you are in one of those stakes/areas that they announced.

If it wasn't you it has to be your twin! You cutie!

Love Ya!

09 Garden

Here are the pictures of the garden that I took the day after we planted. It was a Sunday morning and raining. But it was just so pretty to look at even though nothing had changed since the day before other than seeds under the dirt! Tomatoes all along the left with our new tomato towers. Top box: zuchinni and yellow crook neck squash.
Middle box: l-r: spinach, existing chives, and cucumbers.

Bottom box: spring peas closest to the bottom around upside down tomato cages, bush beans in the rest of the box and a rosemary bush still growing from last year that is really good stuff!
And of course, you know me. There has to be a garden flag! We have really preferred the raised beds with the gravel to the whole space just dirt. It is working better for us.

And today is day 10 and we have peas up, spinach up and some beans popping up. Yay!!!

Surprise Flowers!

Look what my sweet visiting teacher/friend (!) brought me on Saturday. Azaleas from her yard. When I was growing up my mom and dad had these flowers all over the front and back yards and in pots. They loved them. So they gave me lots of warm fuzzies and I smile everytime I walk past them.

Thanks, Janis!

Sunday

Today was an interesting day, but a good one. Christine made all of us some blueberry muffins for breakfast. She is really getting good at navigating her way in the kitchen for being 14.

We started getting ready for the day and the phone kept ringing with lots of calls. We got Christine to her Mia Maid meeting to go over and practice her part for New Beginnings on Tuesday. She is in a play about SuperValues. I believe it was actually written by one of the other MiaMaids for a value project and I read through it a few days ago and it is quite good! New Beginnings is a big deal and she is very excited.

Church was good. The 3rd hour we had a combined RS/Priesthood meeting under the Bishop's direction. It was very well done. He talked about standards.

• ATTENDANCE: Where are we? When we look at Stake Conference and General Conference they ARE NOT weekends off from church attendance! They are not vacation weekends. With general conference coming up next weekend we need to be a) in our homes with our families watching and discussing it; b) at the stake center watching it; or c) in Utah at it. (haha, but you get the picture...) We are counseled to 'meet together oft' and that also means stake and general conferences.
• STANDARDS: For The Strength Of Youth pamphlet applies to adults too, not just the youth. As the adults and parents and leaders, our dress, grooming, behavior, and habits need to follow these same guidelines. We do not alter the garment in ANY way, which also includes purchasing them too small in order to accomodate certain clothing styles. Modest bathing suits for all youth and women, keep the cleveage covered, don't wear tops, skirts, dresses that are too tight. No to the short-shorts that are so popular right now.
• TECHNOLOGY: lots of discussion on cell phones and texting. He is seeing too many problems with it when he talks with youth in his office and to quote him: "I'm tired of it." There is too much of it going on during church which prohibits the youth from feeling and learning from the Holy Ghost, and during school, which hinders them gaining knowledge and learning. The art of conversation and talking to each other respectfully, etc. is being lost and it is too easy to 'say' something in a text, email, IM that you would never say in person. He called on a police officer in our ward to tell us about the legal side of 'compromising pictures' that get texted around. Very enlightening. One can be arrested! Bottom line: we as parents need to get a handle on our children's texting and carefully decide what they have the wisdom and maturity to truly handle.
• The next section was on Facebook-ing, but we ran out of time. I would have loved to have heard his counsel on that. We get a lot of flack because we won't let Christine have a Facebook page or even her own email yet.

We are going to go over his presentation tomorrow night with Christine and tie it in with the YW broadcast too. Overall, Christine does very well. However, after review, Duff and I decided that we can make some improvements as adults/parents and guide her in some things too. Thank you Bishop!

Had an old fashioned Sunday roast beef dinner that hit the spot. And at the last minute I decided to make a cheese sauce for the brocolli which we haven't had in years. The day started out sunny and nice and by the time we got out of church it was cloudy, windy and looked and felt like it was going to rain any minute, but it never broke through and did. But we did put a fire in the fireplace probably for the last time this season.

Awesome and Amazing

Today started out lazy and feeling oh-so-good. It stayed that way too! We got the house picked up, the garden watered. Nothing showing yet. It's been a week today, so maybe in a few more days. I keep telling myself to be patient. This is the earliest we've ever planted and while the sun is shining, it's not too warm yet and the tomato plant box still doesn't get full sun all day at this point. Another few weeks for that!

Duff and Christine went to the grocery store with my list so I could play it cautious with my back. I wanted to be sure and be able to go with Chris to the YW General Broadcast tonight. As it got closer, I soooo was feeling a little ornery and that I just wanted to stay at home and watch it on TV with her. But I knew that we would both get more out of it if we put on our 'church clothes' and made the effort to go to the stake center. She wasn't too happy about changing either and I put on my 'mother persona' to tell her that it would all be worth it and we WERE going.

Boy, was it ever worth it! They introduced the new value of Virtue. And when President Monson gave the concluding talk, Christine told me she had goose bumps. I did too. I don't ever think I have heard a prophet stand at a pulpit and give that kind of a talk. It was loving, but FIRM, STRONG, STRAIGHTFORWARD, and he didn't mince any words. We will both never forget where we were when he said those things. I dvr'd it and we will sit down with Duff for FHE and go over what we learned.

All I can say is: WOW!

After, we joined some YW moms, girls, and leaders at the Lowe's food court for some dinner. We ate outside and had a fun time being together. Although the mosquitos loved my sandaled feet. Argggh. They have always loved my blood......

Clean Sheets Ramblings.....

I can't believe it's Friday. It seems like I'm stuck in a time warp. Next week is the last week of March! How did that wiz by?

I did really well yesterday. Even made a simple dinner. If putting Marie Callendar pot pies in the oven is making dinner. But it was easy and soft for Christine's teeth. Folded laundry as Duff got it washed. We even worked together and got the sheets changed on our bed. I couldn't stand them anymore after laying in them for several days. There is nothing quite like a fresh, crisp set of clean sheets! In the olden days, when I was a youngin', before the days of clothes dryers, one of my favorite things was the clean sheets hanging on the clothes line in the backyard. I LOVED watching them flutter in the beach breezes. And the smell! Oh, the lovely smell of line dried sheets!

Thinking about that makes me realize how truly remarkable being a woman at that time was. There was no internet to keep up on the weather. Even if you watched the evening news for the weather report, it wasn't as 'true' and predictable as it is now. My mom would make sure she timed the laundry just 'so'. Getting it washed and out on that 'line' so it would be dry and could be brought in before evening when the marine layer and moisture came in and then they would be wet all over again. Never did the laundry get left out over night. And she juggled that with meals--minus a microwave (can you even imagine? But I did it until I had my 4th child!) Oh, the planning! No dishwasher. No blow dryers for hair. No automatically timed sprinklers to water the yards. No gardeners. One car to be shared with my dad, who worked every day. And she did that all with being a room mother/PTA parent for all her children, sold Avon, sewed, crafted, and served in the church. Phew! It makes me wonder--what do I do with my time? Cuz I'm pretty busy!

When Duff and I bought the duplex in Santa Ana with the Allen's and each of our little families lived in one side of it, we were so poor. And at that time interest rates were 18%! Yes, that is not a typo, and we refinanced several times as it went down, but it got each of us a 'start'. Interesting times, kind of like now. I babysat my brains out. I cried every morning when I woke up knowing all those kids were coming when all I wanted to do was be at home with my own. But you do what you have to do, right? And it got us through. We didn't have a clothes dryer for 2 years until my parents found a used one for us. So we rigged up a clothes line on that little patio. I made a bag for the clothespins that scooted along with me as I hung up diapers, towels, sheets, and the rest of it. Every door jam inside was packed with shirts and unmentionables and the boys rode their big wheels up and down through the fluttering laundry outside and loved it!

Updates:

1. Well, I'm doing much better. No more pain, just stiffness. But this is exactly the time that if I don't take it easy it will go back out again, so I'm telling myself to be smart. I've been downstairs a few times, slowly, and up out of that dang bed! Oh, how do people do it that have to be in bed? I've showered and am dressed and looking for another book to read. I'm sitting at the computer station upstairs and looking at a darling brown and red bird perched on a wisteria branch with a purple clump of flowers intertwined on our patio cover. He is preening his feathers and singing such a happy tune. A breeze is blowing and the wind chimes are playing their gentle symphony.

2. In the last 3 days I've read 3 books: The Boy In The Striped Pajamas, The Last Lecture,and Prime Cut. Loved all of them.

PC is a murder mystery novel about an everyday caterer whose hubby is a police investigator and she somehow gets involved in helping him solve the cases. She includes all the recipes from her catering menus. I've gotten a lot of good ones from this series of books! Author: Diane Mott Davidson.

TLL: by Randy Pausch. Everyone should read this. It goes into much more detail about his pancreatic cancer and perspectives. Good, good!

TBITSP: I have not seen the movie, so I knew nothing about the story. I was pretty surprised at the ending. I had thought it would be a completely different storyline. Since my mom's history is all German, I'm fascinated by things like this. Interesting to think about the 'fences' in our own lives. Now I really want to see the movie.

3. Meredith is safely in Thailand. The mom in me worries about all 'my' children. Click on her link and see what's going on. She is taking pictures like crazy and blogging all about them. It is gorgeous! She is nannying for a friend that she grew up with her whole life and getting the once in a lifetime chance to see this beautiful place up close and personal. Have fun, Mere, and keep those posts coming!

4. Christine got her wires and back braces on yesterday. Mike came over to 'babysit' me while Duff took her. Her mouth is pretty dang sore. At least she got them one step at at time. When I was telling her that Shaun got the 'whole shebang' on the first day, she turned and looked at me with her eyes wide and could not imagine it! I think she looks pretty cute in them. She has good sized teeth so when you look at her you don't just see braces.

5. Grandma and Grandpa are doing fine since their car accident last week. Some bumps and bruises and a couple scrapes, but everything is healing well. It could have and should have been MUCH worse!

Oh, My Aching Back!

My back went out on Sunday afternoon, in the car, getting ready to drive home after church. I just moved 'wrong' and it 'grabbed' and out it went. I have been flat down for 2 days straight. It does this about every 3 years or so. I get a little careless with how I do things and pay for it.

The bad new is, I've been in bed with a gazillion things going on in my head that I had planned/wanted to do. It's been hard to turn my head off. The good news is, the world still goes on, my hubby is amazing, (he even did all the laundry on Monday so I wouldn't get off schedule), Christine is amazing, and I've read two books in two days that I've wanted to read for months and never got to! Right now I'm actually sitting up in a chair and things feel pretty good. I know better than to overdue at this stage, even though I want to bound outside and get back in to my vegetable garden! Well, walk down the stairs would be more realistic. So I guess what I've come to the conclusion is this: I get a week off to catch up on a whole other set of 'things to do' that I don't make time for. Not too bad, right?

Saturday's Twilight

Christine was up first thing this morning so she could go to Target and get the Twilight movie. It now has a place with all of our other DVD's. As soon as she and Duff got home, we had to all watch it. I liked it a lot better at home than I did in the theater. I knew not to expect too much this time. The surprising thing is that Duff liked it! He told us he would read the books now so he could fill in the gaps. I'll keep you updated on that! (Isn't he a great dad!)

Duff and I went to Lowes and got the rest of the seeds and plants we needed for the garden. We met up with Mike and Adrianne who were running errands and had some lunch at Philly's Best with them. We went home and they went to finish their list. The garden is all planted now. I'll take a picture tomorrow and a few more during the growing season to see how it's doing. I'm happy with the plan we put together this year. I really like the new tomato towers. We got everything good and watered and are expecting some rain tonight and tomorrow that will help it out.

While I was sweeping up and squirting down, Duff took Chris to her friend's house where they practiced some lacrosse and then went to dinner and a movie with her parents. Then we took a walk down and around Dove lake and back. Brrr....it was dusk, so that made it damp and cold. Duff is re-watching Twilight. Haha! I love that about him. He's making sure he understands how it all fits together. Duff and I just had a simple dinner and so everything is all cleaned up and tidy and we are enjoying a quiet night at home.

It's Here!

0:00.
The countdown is over and it is officially the first day of S P R I N G !!!

...and wouldn'tcha know, it's densely foggy, cold, and going to rain this weekend. The last several days have truly been springlike. Sunny, warm, green, gorgeous. Oh, fickle spring!

(Duff flew home this morning. Mike went and picked him up. He got the soil in the last box in the garden turned over and now we are ready to plant. We called and called to see if J.T. could come with us to get the plants and seeds. He is going to help us with the garden and use it as a part of his science section for school. But they might be gone because we never heard back. We'll try again in the morning. Then we headed out to the small garage and worked some more on our emergency prep/food storage cupboards. We got all our canning jars and equipment straightened up, boxed and put away nicely. OH, HOW I LAMENT NOT HAVING A BASEMENT FRUIT ROOM! Those of you who do have them, please promise me that you will use them,keep them orderly, clean and tidy and peek in once a day to say how grateful you are to have one! Don't take them for granted! Christine's teeth are feeling better. Just in time to start hurting all over again come Wednesday when she gets all the wires on. Cody was up for the evening while the family was at the school play. He and Christine had a nice time playing DDR and watching tv and playing the violin. Not bad for the 1st day of Spring!)

Last Day of Winter

• Morning walk. So beautiful. Sweet sunlight, ducks on the lake, trees and bushes blooming.
• Phone calls!
• Laundry
• Work in the garden
• Make dinner for a neighbor who is just out of the hospital.
• More laundry
• Water
• Pick up Christine from the bus-stop and get her to the lacrosse field.
• Back to take dinner over
• Take lacrosse stick that I forgot back to the field.
• Saw Kathleen T. visited with her until practice was over. Didn't get home, oh well. Conversation was so fun to catch up!
• Homework, dinner, finish laundry.
• Watched Larry King live on Natasha Richardson's death. I just loved her in The Parent Trap movie. It's hard to fathom that she passed away so quickly. Head trauma is an interesting thing. We've skied for so many years that it's difficult to wrap my thoughts around the fact that she was on the bunny hill and now she's gone. I keep thinking about her family...
• Shaun did good with his report/project for his class. He partnered with Christian Clayton, Kennedy's hubby, and they made Sunday Gravy for the class. Even the Italian girl in their class said it was 'right on the money'. They all met up at Natalie and Robert's after and watched the rest of the basketball game.
• I'm fascinated by those upside down hanging tomato baskets. Even though I have a nice garden plot, I really want to get one of those and try it. They promise no pests, diseases, and a large yield. I think it would be fun!

Christine's Braces

Chris and I were up and out of the house by 9am. Today was the B. I. G. day! She got her braces on. They sure keep making improvements on orthodonture. She was done in an hour. Nice brackets cemented on the fronts of her teeth. Spacers on the molars. Black rubberbands on for now. They did a quick cleaning and then got right to work.

I sat there and was remembering 40 some years ago when I got my braces. Big old things that went all around your tooth and had to be hammered on, hammered off, cement applied, and then hammered back on again! So different now. She goes a week from today and gets all the wires on and the brackets for her molars.

We went and got a smoothie after and then home to get her books and some soft Hawaiian rolls for her to have at lunch time. Only very soft food for a couple of days they told us. What a trooper. She went to school the rest of the day and then to her violin lesson this afternoon. But she is in a lot of pain right now and so I made her some macaroni and cheese for dinner with some applesauce and an ice cream shake is on order for later tonight. Thank goodness for ibuprofen. She won't let me take a picture today. Maybe in a couple of days when she's feeling better.

It was really warm today--80*. Too warm for March, but OH! was it ever pretty. Went to lunch and had Thai food for a friend's birthday. I had never had it before. It was pretty good.

Corned Beef and Cabbage and Pistachio Cupcakes

Chrissy and I had our St. Patrick's Day dinner followed by some delicious Pistachio Cupcakes. And we started out the day with green pancakes and green milk, of course! Corned Beef and Cabbage

1- 2-3 lb. corned beef

1 small head cabbage, cored and cut into 6 wedges

baby carrots, however many you want

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half and sliced

3 white rose potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half

3 red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half

Put corned beef and liquid and seasoning packet in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Add sliced onion, carrots, and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add cabbage that has been cut into 6ths. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about another 15 minutes. Remove to a platter. Remember to slice the corned beef across the grain.

That's it! This is such a simple dish and gives a big return on flavor.

These outrageously yummy cupcakes come from the Taste of Home magazine. I got it off my cousin's friend's cooking blog. They are very dense and moist, kind of like a carrot cake. For the frosting, I made a half batch of cream cheese frosting and then added half a large carton of lite cool whip, and of course--green food coloring. This would be great as a one-layer cake or a bread too.

Pistachio Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 small package instant pistachio pudding mix

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

green food coloring, optional (I added 2-3 drops)

Cream Cheese frosting OR tinted cool whip for the top

In large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Fill paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 375* for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Add food coloring to frosting if desired. Frost cupcakes.

YIELD: 1 dozen

I'm So Excited!

Yep.

It is the first day of spring football practice.

Go Max Hall and the Cougars!

I'm so excited and can hardly wait. Football season will be here before we blink.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TUCKERS!!!

Happy 19 years anniversary to Lisa and Craig. I remember the day well. We wore little green shamrock stickers at the reception! Wow, has it really been 19 years?

We LOVE you so much and hope you have a great celebration.

Kiss Me I'm Irish

Well, at least by marriage! It doesn't get more Irish with the last name of Duffy! I am wearing green today so no pinches. And I've been working in the green backyard this morning too. Getting the asparagus ferns trimmed up and the geranium pots cut back. Gosh, it is a gorgeous spring day here right now. The birdies are tweeting and I spent 1/2 an hour just sitting and watching a roadrunner play in the yard. Here's a little ditty for ya:

For each petal on the shamrock

This brings a wish your way-

Good health, good luck, and happiness

For today and every day.

And another one to laugh about:

May you be in

Heaven a half hour before the

Devil knows you're dead!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Car Accident

Grandma and Grandpa were in a pretty bad car accident this morning at 11am. Grandpa pulled out of the Home Depot parking lot and tried to get across 4 lanes of traffic to go into the Wal-Mart parking lot and they were broadsided by a lady going 45 mph. It just missed the driver's door and smashed the passenger door and the wheel well on the driver's side. They spun around and Grandma hit her head on the window and her glasses flew off.

They are not hurt seriously, thank goodness. They are sore and stiff and will have some bruises come tomorrow. They have an appointment in the morning with their family doctor to get all checked out.

Grandpa is more upset and worried about the car. They were told that it would be totaled. He wants to fight that because they just put that brand new engine in it. I don't think the insurance company is going to go for that, but we will see. They were in the tan Camry, which is the old one, not the blue Camry, which is the newer car.

None of us found out until they were home. One of their neighbors recognized them and stopped and stayed with them and brought them home. I asked her why they didn't call anybody else, and Grandma said that their cell phone could only 'hold' 3 phone numbers. That just didn't make any sense to me. I called Meredith who works only 10 minutes from them and she went over. She got there right as Auntie got there. Meredith looked at their phone and programed everyone's numbers in it (Lisa had put a few in a long time ago, but they didn't know how to use it) and then gave them a lesson on how to access their contacts. She even tested them to make sure they knew how to get into it and pull up a number. I feel much better about that now.

I'll let you know more when they get home from the doctor tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Jules!

Happy birthday, Julie. You are a great sister-in-law. You are a great woman. Thanks for all your love and support. We send our love over the miles and hope you have a really great day! Are you going to Cowboy Grub for dinner?

Happy Birthday to you-

Happy Birthday to you-

Happy Birthday, dear Julie-

Happy Birthday TO YOU!

Sunday Dinner

Woke up to rain. I slept so hard that I didn't even know it had started, nor did I realize it had been predicted. The yard sprinklers were running and I went down to the garage to turn them off. No need if it's raining, right? Josh and Meredith packed and left to go back to AZ. School and work calls bright and early tomorrow morning. Chris was so tired, she was still asleep at 11:15 when I went in to wake her up for stake conference. We were a bit late, but it was a great meeting. Came home and got the rolls shaped and rising and then we went to Mike and Adrianne's for dinner. Darla stretched out on their couch. Yes, she was not to be left out! She was in the car before we were. I was putting the pans of rolls in the back seat area. She decided to jump in there, which she never does--she is a front seat pup on my lap. Christine forgot her book, so she got out and ran back in the house. Darla was beside herself that she had gotten out of the car. Maybe she thought I would leave her. So she jumped from one seat to the other, right on top of the rising rolls! I immediately called her to jump down. She did not like the tone in my voice and started shaking. She is such a pleaser that if she ever gets the slightest reprimand she feels terrible. I wasn't mad at her--how was she to know about rising rolls with a towel on top of them? I was just worried about the rolls! I would fix them once we got to Mike and Adrianne's. I brought her up to the front.

Christine came back to the car. All is well, right? Hmmm....We are driving along singing to her ipod songs making every traffic light. Perfect until...the next light turns yellow and I have two choices. Gun it or slam on the brakes. I was too far away to gun it, so the brakes won. I immediately knew the pan of rolls on the seat was in jeopardy. I said, "Christine. Grab the rolls!" Too late. They flew forward and fell on the other pan of rolls on the floor! These poor rolls. They are taking a beating. At least none of them came off the pan. I didn't want to know what condition they were in at the moment. I'll just fix them once we get there (again).
Christine wanted to take pictures of the table. It was really pretty with the blues, blacks, and the fresh oranges from Adrianne's Gramma Liz's tree! Seashell coasters and candles. Felt just like a spring day beachside.

Mike's peach jam. We were not to touch it! It was a gift from Grandma Sigie. She knows it is his favorite. C'mon, Mike. Just a little?

Good pictures, Christine!

The now famous rolls. Not too bad, considering they were jumped on, slid onto the floor, and had to be re-shaped and re-risen!

Fresh green beans. Sooo good!

...and fresh asparagus. I learned something new from them: they steam their veges in their rice cooker! She fills the pot with about an inch or two of water and then places the basket over it with the vegetables in it. Close the lid and press the button. Check on it once it starts steaming and you have perfectly steamed veges. All the nutrition stays in the vegetable! I'm so going to do that next time!

Delicious roasted chicken. We had mashed potatoes and gravy with it.

We got the kitchen and dishes all cleaned up and then watched Bobby Flay make a steak sandwich and a cake contest and then the Extreme Home Makeover show. It was a great evening. Thanks guys. It was so nice not to have to cook and the company was even better!

Saturday Is A Special Day...

Josh and Mere were up and out for a breakfast date with her sister, Megan, and her boyfriend. OPHouse was the choice and the rest of us were jealous! Those Dutch Babies and 49er Flapjacks were calling out to our palates, but we decided to not 'cut in' on the meeting of the new boyfriend date and stayed home. Mike and Adrianne had Saturday errands and cleaning to do. And we got the garden cleaned out and began preparations to plant soon.

It's a little hard to fathom that we are in the middle of March already! Sometimes the day itself drags on, but when I look at a calendar they fly right on by so very quickly. So the garden beds are weeded and the soil cultivated. It looks and feels good! We will add some manure this next week, till it in, and plant soon. Duff is looking forward to the early peas. We've invested in some new tomato towers and are giving up our rusted cement wire cages that we made umpteen years ago! Happy and sad day on that one. Even though they are just wire, I feel like we are bonded. They helped us grow and enjoy many a tomato over the years. Job well done.

Josh and Mere, Mike, and Christine went back up to Heather's for the afternoon. They got to visit with Scott, her husband. He was grateful for their arrival and took advantage of the time to go and get their grocery shopping done while someone was there to watch after Heather and the kids. Christine got to play with Hannah. Mere entertained Aaron. I was thinking about that on Friday while I was 'observing'.

What would it be like to not be able to do the basic things to care for my family? Here she is watching everyone else take care of and play with her children. She is just fighting with whatever physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength she can muster to live. I can't imagine how she feels in those private moments only she knows about to come to terms with those feelings. On some levels it must be a battle between jealousy and gratitude. And yet, I watch her yield to the circumstances God has allowed with kindness and graciousness and civility and patience and she has let it work within her to mold and shape her spirit into one that ends up teaching us. She has every 'right' to be bitter, unhappy, mean, give up, and she doesn't. She chooses to press 'forward' . I watch and help her with those PT exercises. They are grueling for her. But she submits and does them in the hope that maybe, just maybe, it will benefit. It would be sooo easy to just say "forget it"!

Duff and I got our weekly marketing done. The Girl Scouts are out selling their cookies. They sure are cute!

Duff left for Utah to take care of some things for a few days. Josh took him to the airport and I went to Saturday night Stake Conference. It would have been the first time in many years that we could have sat together with him not on the stand. I guess it was okay, since I'm used to it. At first, it felt a little funny to not see him up there, but it doesn't take very long to realize that we all just get up and move a few chairs to the left or the right when it comes to service in the church and where you've been is hardly relevant to where you are currently or where you are going.

Patti and Richard came over after for some dessert and games and to visit with Josh and Meredith before they leave tomorrow. Adrianne and Mike supervised it all and when I walked in the door, Adrianne had a Texas Sheet Cake in the oven and they had the kitchen cleaned up from dinner. Meredith had taken Christine and J.T. to the pool and to get some ice cream for the cake. It is satisfying to see them as adults taking their places in the world and working together. Our family will be seeing quite a few changes this year with the kids and their lives. It is good!

I had a good long visit with Natalie on the phone today. Robert's parents are in town for a concert for Brian. So they are having fun with them. Shaun is gearing up for tests and papers and this semester has gone by really fast. He'll be finishing up and home next month already! He has done well and I'm proud of him.

And so it goes....

Family Day at Heather's

We were on our way to the Chapman's by 11:30am. First stop: SuperMex in Irvine. Heather's appetite is slowly coming back. She has been making herself eat to help get some strength back. Think: 2 weeks of nausea and vomiting, seizure, emergency brain surgery, losing the use of your limbs (predominantly on the left), and then radiation. I wouldn't be very hungry either. But she promised Don if he brought her a chicken burrito she would eat it with him. One condition: lots of guacamole! She LOVES it and Scott doesn't. SuperMex is our favorite place. We picked up enough shredded beef tacos, burritos, chips, salsa, guac, rice and beans for everyone. At first she just wanted to stay in bed and eat, but then decided to come out with everyone. She and Don sat together and ate away. She did a good job and it tasted good to her. Yay! Oh, we laughed and laughed. Told stories about the 'farm' in Logan and laughed some more. Laughter is a good medicine. Meredith and Adrianne with Hannah. She is a cutie patootie! They took the little ones to the park to play when Agnes, the physical therapist, and I worked Heather out in her room. She did really well. The right side is pretty strong and the left side is much improved. The bummer was that Agnes came in the middle of the 'party' so we missed some of it.
Agnes made Heather walk a lot, so when they were finished she ended up in a living room chair to finish visiting. l-r: Adrianne, Mike, Heather, Josh, Meredith, Hannah. She was pretty tired at this point. She said she was okay and wanted to be out with everyone, but I was kind of thinking she should have been in bed for a rest. She is so accomodating. She smiles most of the time and is a gracious hostess in spite of her very serious circumstances. I've never heard her complain. I don't know that I would do so well.

Heidi spends every Friday with Heather and we really enjoyed being with her too. We were hoping Cherise could have been there, but she had to work. Which was probably a good thing because we would have upped the party mode and probably worn dear Heather out even more!

Christine really wanted to go and went back and forth with getting out of school or not, and in the end decided she would stay and take her math quiz 6th period after all and go up tomorrow with the kids again. I think it was the right choice and I'm glad she got there.

I had slept 'wrong' last night and have been suffereing through the day with a tweaked shoulder blade/neck thingy. Mere rubbed it out in the morning, and Adrianne rubbed it out during the afternoon and evening. I got some heat on it tonight and it is doing better.

Kids Here Safely..

Josh and Mere got here safely last night around 11:30pm. I was zonked on the couch and didn't even hear them come in. Duff and Darla greeted them and then they came in and woke me up! Adrianne has work off today, and we are all going over to Heather's to spend the day with her and the fam.

I'll report back later...

Happy Birthday, Denise

You most likely thought I forgot! But I still remember! Have a great day. Drink it all in and enjoy.

Happy Birthday to you--

Happy Birthday to you--

Happy Birthday, Dear Denise--

Happy Birthday TO YOU!

THIS JUST IN: Wow, Josh!

Josh was at school and a classmate walked past him and told him he had an award. Josh was like, "what"?

"Yeah, man. You got an award."

Josh went to find out what he was talking about and sure enough: he received TWO awards. The Willard H. Pedrick Scholar Award for fall semester and for winter semester. Willard H. Pedrick is the founding dean of the college of law at ASU. He earned these awards for being in the top 10% of the whole 3L's class!

CONGRATULATIONS, Josh! (the hoo-jit man!) You've worked really hard and it is paying off. Graduation in 8 more weeks!

Pay It Forward

I got this from Meredith yesterday. It sounds like fun, so let's play!

The Rules:

1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?!

2. Winners must post this challenge on their blog, meaning that they will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on their post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Counts!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate pictures and comments! If you are not one of the Top Three Commenter's on this post, you can still play along. Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!!

A New Friend!

Adrianne has been telling me about this product, Bar Keepers Friend. She loves it. They had a leak a while back into one of their showers and rust came with it and stained the tub. She used BKF and it took it all out! I decided to give it a try.

WOW!

It is really good. I have a white cast iron enameled kitchen sink and over the years it has a few scratches in it. I've always been a loyal Comet user. I thought, okay, I'll give BKF a try. Every scratch is gone! It does a fine job on my le creuset pans too.

I have a new friend!

Inventory and Impressions

Mike came over late this morning and helped Duff move some boxes of wedding vases and supplies to the storage unit. It's nice to get all those things out of our garages finally. And then we began the food storage inventory. Duff thought it would be an easy, quick task. It didn't turn out that way. It's going to take several days, I think. We are cleaning things out and rearranging and reorganizing and consolidating and taking inventory as we go. When we are done it will be much better. We should have the 'equipment' stuff all together and all the food stuff together and all the canning supplies together. Right now it's all kind of mish-moshed.

We made a lot of progress. Our bodies are a little stiff from all the bending and carrying. We will dive in again tomorrow and get another part done. With the cannery changing the expiration dates on certain items, we are going to open one can of everything and test it just to be sure. I started a section of things we need to add or add to. I gave Mike his 72 hour kit. Now they just have to get one for Adrianne. I'll post pictures when we are done.

Christine had her 'study molds' done today to get ready for her braces. In my day they called them 'impressions'. I just don't do well with having all that thick paste in my mouth. They had me come back with her for them. I was sitting in the chair at the foot of her orthodontic lounge and when the assistant brought it over and put it in her mouth I could smell it and hear it squish and I had to get out of there fast. I didn't want her to take any cues from me, so I walked down the hall and ended up talking to my dentist and one of his assistants. Then went back in and she was all done with both sets and waiting for me to make her next two appointments. She is her father's daughter when it comes to dental work. Absolutely no problem! I'm so glad she got that from him! A week from tomorrow the braces go on. Here we go!

I had a really hard time getting to sleep last night. I finally got up and read a book for a while. I headed back to bed around 2am and then got up at 7. I'm really tired tonight. So I'm off to bed.

Monday--A Good Day of the Week

Oh, Mondays! Interestingly enough, I do love them. I like the sense of getting back to a routine, back on top of 'things'. So laundry of course is at the top of the list. Picking up, straightening up. You know the drill. But it was chilly today and it was a little hard to get going.

I also had to finish the VT report for February. Some months it goes really fast; others not so fast. A lot of phone time! Not necessarily a negative thing--I love the connections and conversations and friendships developed over the last year.

Christine's cell phone bit the dust on Saturday. While she was changing into her costume it landed hard on the Brokaw's garage floor and is now kaput. This is partially due to the very 'inexpensive' one we got her owing to our 'wisdom' we've gained (interject some 'sass' into that) parenting 5 children with her being the youngest. This was bound to happen at some point. Well, she's had to go a few days without one, and I didn't realize what a difference it would be for me. I discovered I really like being able to get a hold of her when I want and need to. I text her during the day at school--sometimes fun things, sometimes reminders, sometimes just 'I luv u'. I fought this texting thing for a long time. But this time around (with my 'baby') I realize that it keeps us bonded and connected. It's part of her generation and I don't want to be left out of it.

Well, she has to help with the cost for it. We got a $50 rebate that they were offering, so it was under $30, but still a good bargaining chip. We have never seen her room and bathroom so CLEAN and TIDY! I must add that my husband is a master at negotiations with her. I must also give her credit where credit is due: she is a good girl and is willing to do her part in just about anything. She is a 'team player'. Oh, don't misunderstand me--she can still be a 'teenager', but she is learning and growing along the way.

She also got this from her sunday school teacher! What do you think it was for? She was very touched by it.

We had tilapia for dinner with some au gratin potatoes and zuchinni. Oh! I love zuchinni! I can't wait to get it growing in our garden! And I love that I can put the fish and the potatoes in the oven at the same time and it's all done together. In the oven and to the table in 40 minutes tops. I tried my hand at a buerre blanc sauce for the baked fish and I have to say it turned out really well. I substitued chicken broth for the white wine and onion powder for the shallots and it was awesome.

A little FHE, DWTStars (already have my faves), and 24 (is Bill really dead? He came back from the dead from last season, right?).

How Many Candles On That Cake?

Happy Birthday to Richard!

Where did 56 years go?

Weren't we just in primary together?

Have a GREAT day!

We love you!

A Day Of...

I just want to begin by saying again, I really don't care for this daylight savings time. It is hard to lose an hour. That being said, at least it takes place on the weekend and not a school day. Christine slept and slept. She sure needed it after 3 days in a row of very late nights with the Road Shows. They turned out great and she had a really good time.

I got dinner in the crock pot, round steak with mushrooms and gravy, and got ready for the day. I headed off for a song practice at Wendy's for enrichment night this week. It is all about 'Purse-onality'. It is going to be a fun evening. I will fill in more after Wednesday night.

Clue: Pink purse!

Church meetings were good. I learned a lot. Some new things, some from a new perspective, some re-learned, some reaffirmed. Home for a quick dinner and then off with Duff to give a blessing to a gal I visit teach who is going in for some surgery this week for a knee replacement. She is a wonderful soul and a kindred spirit with a complicated situation. It went really, really well and her family was there to support her and the spirit was tremendously strong.

I am not one who stays in church clothes all day long on a Sunday, but I'd been in these all day, so once home, off they came and into 'comfies'. Ahhhh. Then we headed off for the Peterson's to help celebrate Richard's birthday. He is a bonafide chocoholic! The more the better. Patti made a delicious and gorgeous checkerboard cake. The above picture is not her's (I forgot my camera), but you get the idea. Actually, her's looked even better. Vanilla ice cream was the perfect compliment to this comforting birthday cake. It looks so hard, but with the right 'tools' it is not hard at all! She gave me a lesson in the kitchen while we were cleaning up the dishes. Pretty nifty.

Between Duff and I we talked to all of the kids. Busy, but a different busy and a nice day.

Boy, That Was Fast!

Time to change the clocks again tonight. Tomorrow we will officially begin Daylight Savings Time. We lose an hour. It's only been 4 months. Just 1/3 of the year. I remember when it was 6 months on, 6 months off. I wonder if we should stay on the same time always like Hawaii and Arizona do? Did these 4 months really make a difference?

So, don't forget to change your clocks tonight!

(Journal: The Road Show cast party was great last night. Christine loved it! We picked her up at 10:30, but by the time the kids all came out and we got home it was after 11. We dropped off Noelle and Amanda and came home. She was so wound up, so we got ready for bed and then I laid on the couch with her and we watched some tv until she got tired. I got there a lot faster than she did! We slept in this morning and then did Saturday chores. Christine's friend, Maddie, came over and she went with us to get Christine's lacrosse equipment. Practices start this week. Duff volunteered to take the grocery list and did the marketing. He's always been good with things like that. The girls headed to the last night of Road Shows. Maddie was excited to go and observe and they were both looking forward to the dance afterwards. It is a quiet evening for Duff and I. We bbq'd and had a nice salad for dinner. We worked together to put out some simple St. Patrick's Day decorations out. We have always worked well together that way. I like it. I would love some more rainy days, but for now it is still cool-ish, and soon that will move into spring. When I was out in the backyard watering this afternoon, I noticed that the calla lilies are beginning to bloom. We just planted them last summer, and they have filled out a lot. Our rose bushes are getting new growth. We should have roses blooming by easter. I am working on a 'project' that will be a xmas present. I'm excited about tucking that away for the holiday!

And now, Duff and I are going to curl up and watch a movie and wait for Christine to come home!)

New Baby!

We got an email from Deidre and Brad, and also Aunt Ann letting us know that William was born yesterday! Go to Deidre's blog and check out the other pictures and details. Isn't he just so sweet and adorable!

Announcing:

William James Cammack

Born March 5, 2009

8 pounds 13 ounces

21 inches long

Parents: Brad and Deidre

Big Brother: David

WELCOME TO THE WORLD!

Road Show 2009

Road shows started tonight. The stake theme this year is "How To Be...." and then focuses on a principle from For The Strength Of Youth pamphlet. Our ward's is titled: "Weekend News Update" and is about a local news station with 2 anchors covering MNN (Mormon News Network). It's pretty cute. This a only a portion of the Mia Maids at the hair and makeup house before going over to the church. Leslie, Chelcie, Christine, and Addy. They are 'bridesmaids' in modest formal attire. Dang, when did they grow up? (set in the 80's--hence the big hair)
The Golden Spoon Girls---Stephanie and Brittany (set in 'today' and yes, they remark about the 'weird hairstyles'!)

Kali and her side ponytail and total 'mall bangs'!

Sister Coles getting that stage makeup on MacKenzie M. Check out the hair crimping.

A dance number by the Mia Maids (background) and Teachers (front)

A scene from the finale, Christine on the far right. I need a better camera!

They perform again tomorrow and have the cast party. Then Saturday night is a performance for all the stake youth only where they perform for each other with a big dance afterwards. This is always a great time of year. I have such GREAT memories of my youth when we did Road Shows.

'Back then', they were judged by drama judges that were from distant areas so they didn't know any of the wards and could be impartial. You had to be 14 and up to participate. The Beehives and Deacons did the entre acts, which were 5 minute acts on the apron of the stage while one ward exited and the other ward set up. These were also judged! There were STRICT rules for the judging. Noise was a big one. NO noise in the wings or setting up or getting off. Timing. You only had a certain number of minutes for set up and take down and your show. You got docked X amount of points for anytime over the alloted. Originality, music, dance, script, directing, costumes, make-up, props and sets and scenery.

Our ward won 1st place many times. I can still feel the butterflies and anticipation of performing and the awards. A few years, we won 1st place in the stake, region, and area. Yes, we traveled and there was competition on all those different levels. Sister Beverly Spencer was our director and she was amazing. She was in charge of it all with helpers underneath her, and they all knew their place and job and youth and adults all worked together.

The Stake put on an 'Academy Awards' show a week later, with sit down dinner for all the youth and movie clips of the nominees in all the different catagories! Oh, the suspense and drama!After, we all helped to clean it up and had a big dance.

I can STILL sing some of the lyrics to the songs and remember the storylines and costumes.

Loved those days! Some of the best memories ever!

Happy Birthday Aubrey!

Today is your big 18th birthday! We hope you have a really fun day and have oodles of happiness.

Happy Birthday to you--

Happy Birthday to you--

Happy Birthday dear Aubrey--

Happy Birthday to YOU!

BTW-- Congratulations on winning the state volleyball championship! You rock!

The Power Of Pink

This really isn't the best picture of it, but Duff wanted to get this for Heather. It is a breast cancer awareness bracelet from Brighton. Proceeds from the bracelet go to help breast cancer research. We took it to her this morning when it was my turn to go help with physical therapy. He is not comfortable with things like this, but he was so tender. He sat on the bed next to her and put it on her wrist. She wore it to radiation. One day when the time is right, Cherise will give it to Heather's daughter, Hannah.

She looks good. More color in her face. She is on day 3 of radiation and you can see that it is making her tired. BUT, when she got up out of bed she just popped up and got to her walker and went down the hallway. What a difference a week makes! I was really excited to see that. She ate her lunch out with all of us so she could visit some more and get ready for the ambulance to pick her up and take her to the hospital for her treatment. They let Uncle Fred ride in the back with her. Isn't that cool?She has the radiation through Friday and then they all meet with her oncologist on Tuesday and assess where she is and make some more decisions.

Cherise and Tristan were there, and it was fun to be all together. I love them all so much. I was thinking about that on the drive home. 'Fun' in the middle of terminal breast cancer. I came to the conclusion that it is about the power of family, love, perspective, time. Spending time. We use it in so many ways. Time together is so important. It gives us hope. It strengthens ties. It increases our capacity to move ahead toward our larger goal of eternal families.