Will it ever be like this again?

Mom

Today is Mom's birthday. If she were still living, she would be 97 years old.  As much as I would love her to still be alive, I wouldn't have wanted to see her live that long without Dad.  It was hard enough watching her sorrow during the eighteen months she lived without him.

Today as I've been sorting through the "Deep" (see, watching "Hoarders"does help), I've run across lots of things that were written for, about, or that remind me of Mom.  They are sweet memories.

Here is one of them. This is a poem written by my brother, Richard, sharing his feelings about Mom the summer before she died. (Thanks, Tiffany, for letting me know it was written by Richard).  The picture shows her standing watching the sunset at the beach.

 

 

 

I just got tickets

for our trip out to Missouri for Harrison's baptism.  At least I hope I got them departing from Salt Lake and arriving in St. Louis, and not the other way around.  I also hope I got them for the right dates and that Gary and I are on the same plane on the same days.  I say I hope I did, because I've done all of the above at one point or another.   Anyway, we are very excited about wherever we are going on whatever dates I bought them for. 

I think I've

posted about the show "Hoarders" before. 

Tonight I mentioned to Gary that I like to watch it once in awhile because it makes me feel better about myself.  It also motivates me to "let go" of things.  Gary said, somewhat as a joke, "So you're building yourself up by tearing others down?"  I guess there is some truth to that, though I'm really not tearing them down.,   I'm just thinking that, in comparison, I'm not bad at all.  Which I guess is kind of thinking I'm better than them.  Which, well . . . I guess I won't over analyze the psychology of it. 

Anyway, tonight on the show we saw two different homes that had 70's paneling just like ours.  Gary thought that was proof that it is still in style.  I took a different view of it.  Like, "Maybe they're holding on to things that they need to get rid of."  

Ha, I got him there.

Cute Necklace

Made by cute Misty

 

worn by cute Natalie.

It is made with a metal washer painted with nail polish.

 

So cute.

 

(By the way, Natalie was hesitant to pose for the picture because Downton Abbey was a tear jerker tonight.  But she looks cute, even after she's been crying) 



Our grandson

 

Ashton, turns 10 years old today!  I love this picture of him, at Harry Potter World, choosing a wand.   At 8 years old (or maybe even younger) he read all of the Harry Potter books. 

 

His mind is like a magnet -- he is interested in so many things and remembers what he learns.  What I love about him is his sweet and honest nature and how appreciative he is of everything.   This summer, when Gary and I took him to dinner and to get a "rip stick," he kept saying it was the "best day ever."  

We love you, Ashton.  We wish we had a magic wand that would transport us up to give you a big hug and kiss!

A new breakfast

egg dish that I'm adding to my tried-and-true recipe file.  I made this on Sunday, and we all liked it.  In the reviews I read of the recipe, some people said to use less flour, so I just used about 1/3 cup.



Not the greatest picture
This is one roll cut in half. 
 

Baked Omelet Roll

Ingredients:

6 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1/3 Cup)

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2.	In a blender, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth. Pour into prepared baking pan.
3.	Bake in preheated oven until set, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese.
4.	Carefully loosen edges of omelet from pan. Starting from the short edge of the pan, carefully roll up omelet. Place omelet seam side down on a serving plate and cut into 6 equal sized pieces. **Other notes;  I added the cheese, peppers, and onions before baking, and it worked great. Use parchment paper (or waxed paper would be fine) to line the bottom of the pan (then it comes out cleanly). 

Ice storms,

or freezing rain, whichever you want to call it.  I've heard Misty talk about those in Missouri.  I don't remember experiencing one here.  Until this morning.  Everything that was not crusty snow was like an ice skating rink.  There are videos of BYU students "skating" across campus and photos of one pile up after another.  On the news just now, it said there have only been 10 freezing rains since 1940.

I experienced it when I got out of my car to go to yoga.  I didn't know whether to go forward or backward, or whether to take my shoes off so my feet would stick to the ice (admittedly that would not have been wise), or get on my hands and knees and crawl.   

I do know that if it is like that tomorrow, I am staying home. 



 

Part of today's labors . . .

Cinnamon muffins, vanilla marshmallows,

 and chocolate dipped spoons

to use with hot chocolate.

 

I got home from my

card making class tonight and Gary came upstairs to show me his proud accomplishment.

 

 

It's all organized, in folders, held together with rubber bands, and ready to deliver to our CPA.

 

And just in case you think he wrote the wrong year on it, he didn't.  It's just a year late .  Which is actually doing very well for Gary.  At one time he was three years behind in filing them.    

 

Now, if he could get 2012 ready in the next few weeks, he would be setting a record.

Organizing my greeting cards.

Very important step to keeping my resolution, don't you think?

The title of this

blog entry was going to be that, though I haven't been perfect at it, I have made progress with my New Year's resolution to write at least 3 notes or cards a week.   Except, in checking back on my resolution, It was actually just 1 card a week I committed to do.  Wow, now I am feeling a lot better about how I'm doing!  Because while I didn't send any last week, I wrote three notes of appreciation today.  And I addressed them and put stamps on them.  I even went out to put them in the mailbox, but then I remembered that tomorrow is a holiday and the mail won't come.

But it felt so good.  Really.  I've even got all the props in place writing them.  If you know me at all, you know how I have to have the props.  I pulled out this card organizing book that I bought 15 years ago. and I have this little lap desk that has just been moved all over the house.  Well now, I'm putting them both to use. 

What did I express gratitude for this week?  For a friend who always greets and treats me so warmly.  To a casual friend who, when I admired a swag she had made out of fresh greens at Christmas, brought one over to me.   To a young family who set such a good example of doing what's right and are show thoughtfulness to neighbors.

It feels good to express gratitude. 

Gary could spend hours

In this store at the new outlet mall. I had to drag him away.

For the last 10 years

or so, Tiffany and Misty have given us a family calendar.  I absolutely love them because every month I see pictures of those I love.  Here are the months from the 2012 calendar (so they are actually pictures from 2011).    These are treasures to me.

Cover Page

 

January -- Eliza and Ashton's Birthdays

 

 

February -- Harrison and Marshall's Birthdays

 

 

April -- Bishop Family

 

 

April -- Sisters

 

 

May -- Idiarts

 

 

 

June -- Annie's Birthday

 

 

July -- Jackson's Birthday

 

 

August -- Lucienne's Birthday

 

 

September -- Hyrum's Birthday

 

 

October -- Lydia's Birthday

 

 

November -- Grandchildren

 

 

Dec -- Naughty Grandparents?

 

We had

 

Margie and Lance up for the last time before they leave for Chili in the morning.  I tried a new crockpot meal, and it made me think of maybe doing my crockpot challenge again.  Not ready to commit yet, though! 

Margie and Lance had made a book for all their kids with pictures and sayings that they have repeatedly used over the years.  It was full of good ones.  I especially liked this page,

and this page

 

 

 

and this page.   Margie said that whenever her kids would compare themselves with others and say that they didn't have any talent or weren't as good as someone else, that she would quote this one below.

 

 

Good advice.  All of It.

 

 

 

 

 

I haven't

even stepped outside of the house today.   Which is just fine with me in this weather. 

What have I been doing?  Working (about 8 hours).  Finished putting the decorations away (all boxes are now downstairs).  Visiting with my friend, Taunya, who brought a late birthday gift of lots of cute cupcake items.   Made pannini sandwiches for dinner (my latest craving).  

So that is my day.  And, I almost forgot to blog before I head up to bed.  But then I remembered.  Definitely not a day I would blog about if I didn't have a commitment to blog every day.

Tonight I went to this

Relief Society Activity

 

 

 

Thinking about disasters usually makes me nervous, but I left tonight with a renewed desire to get more organized with a 72 hour kit and food storage.  The last 72 hour kit I made was about 10 years ago, and I recently threw everything away.

 

The one tip that I defintely want to do is to keep canned goods or ingredients for one dinner together in a box along with the recipe to make that dish.  For instance, to have a box with spagetti sauce, lasagne noodles, spices, etc, for making 3 dishes of lasagne.  That is great not only for emergencies but for every day life.

 

Anyway, I feel a renewed desire to be more prepared.   

Marshmallows

For several years I've wanted to try making homemade marshmallows.  Since we've been drinking so much hot chocolate (because of the cold -- 0 degrees at 10 pm), now seemed like the perfect time to try them.

I made peppermint flavored ones, but I think the amount the recipe called for (1 1/2 teaspoons of peppermint extract) must be a typo.  The peppermint flavor is so strong that you can hardly eat them.  You can only put a 1/4 inch square in hot chocolate or the taste is overwhelming. 

But, because it was a fun process,  I'm ready to try vanilla flavored ones. 

You pour them into a pan.  Let them set up overnight. 

 

Then cut them with a pizza cutter  

 

 

and coat with powdered sugar.

 

 

Pretty fun.  But don't use 1 1/2 t. of peppermint extract.

 

 

Basic Marshmallows  (Recipe here from KSL Studio 5)Ingredients• Non-stick cooking spray
• 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
• 1 ½ cups cold water, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar, for dustingDirections1. Spray a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 2. Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 3/4 cup water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 9 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, put 3/4 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer; sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes. 4. Attach bowl with gelatin to mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat hot syrup into gelatin mixture (pouring the syrup in slowly). Gradually raise speed to high. Beat in vanilla. Beat until mixture is very stiff, about 10 minutes. Pour into prepared dish, and smooth with a spatula. Spray some parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray; place on top of marshmallow in dish and smooth on top. Set aside, until firm, about 3 hours or overnight. 5. Sift confectioners' sugar onto a work surface. Remove parchment from top of marshmallow, and unmold marshmallow onto confectioners' sugar. Lightly spray a sharp knife (or pizza cutter) with non-stick cooking spray, then cut marshmallow into 2-inch squares. Sift confectioners' sugar into a small bowl, and roll each marshmallow in the sugar to coat. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days. For Peppermint Marshmallows: Substitute 1-1½ teaspoons peppermint extract for vanilla in basic recipe. Use red gel food coloring to get a marbled effect throughout. Simply add a little coloring after the marshmallows have mixed for 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on for 3 seconds. Some parts will turn pink and other parts are a gorgeous pink and white marble. (You can also fold in crushed up candy canes.) Pour mixture into 9-by-13-inch dish and continue with directions for basic marshmallows.For Cherry Marshmallows: Substitute 1-1½ teaspoons almond extract for vanilla in basic recipe. Use red gel food coloring to tint marshmallows pink. Pour mixture into 9-by-13-inch dish and continue with directions for basic marshmallows.For Chocolate Marshmallows: Add 1/3 cup cocoa powder to the marshmallow mixture just after you have finished adding the syrup to the gelatin (before you have mixed for 10 minutes). Continue with directions for basic marshmallows.For Chocolate-dipped Marshmallows: Complete recipe for basic marshmallows with the exception of coating in confectioners' sugar. Melt a package of chocolate chips or dipping chocolate wafers according to directions. (If the chocolate chips are too thick, stir in a tablespoon of vegetable shortening until it is mixed in with the chocolate) One at a time, dip the marshmallows, gently shake off excess chocolate, and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.For Shaped Marshmallows: Follow steps for basic marshmallows, but pour marshmallow mixture onto a sprayed jelly roll pan (instead of a 9-by-13-inch dish). Let set according to directions. Coat a 1- or 2-inch shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking. Cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible; coat cutter with more spray as needed.

Tiffany texted and

said that she thought I would enjoy doing instagram.  She said Eliza and Lydia post on it often and that my nieces and nephews do.  So I installed it, and I am really enjoying it.  You can just snap a picture and those you have connected with can see it.  This was the first picture I shared, and it is of a recurring event these last weeks when the weather has been almost zero.

Hmmm. . .

Fudge anyone?

 

 

As I've been putting Christmas away, I found these.  I made this fudge in cookie cutters early in December.  I packaged them up, gave some away, and I was feeling so proud of myself as I would have some little gifts ready to give away.   Except that I forgot about these that I tucked away. 

 

So as I was saying . . . fudge anyone?   Just let me know.

 

  

We've enjoyed a

 a few extra evenings with Margie and Lance.  They've called us a few times, in the evenings, to come get them when they are going a little stir crazy in the MTC.  Tonight we were going to dinner with the Roylances and Wanda to celebrate all our birthdays.  Gary's was on the 27th, Wanda's on the 29th, mine on the 31st, and Eileen's was today.  So when Margie and Lance called us, we had them come, too (which was totally appropriate as Margie's birthday is the same day as mine).

We enjoyed talking about some of the memories of Grandma Ashton (Afton), and her driving habits.  I had forgotten that Gary had asked Gary Roylance to go out driving with Grandma so she could pass the driving test when she had to renew it.  The memories he related were classic Grandma.   Everyone in the neighborhood knew Grandma Ashton from her very slow, and somewhat erratic, driving.  We were always being told by friends and neighbors that they knew they were behind Grandma when they got stuck behind a long line of slow moving cars.

This is what we've looked like on the nights Margie and Lance have come up.  We put a fireplace log on, make hot chocolate, and kicked back.

Proof positive

that I did something today besides work and get my hair cut. 

 

Before

 



 

After

 

 

 

New Year's Resolutions

I've been avoiding New Year's Resolutions. 

Let's see . . . 

From experience I know that setting a goal of losing weight doesn't work.  When I decided that I wanted to lose weight before Florida, I gained it.  I'm just that contrary.  I can make goals like "don't eat after 6 pm."  But then if I break the rule, I decide I may as well break it big time. I just "can't" say "I can't," or I sabotage myself.   So my goal is just to be sensible. 

I did make the goal of blogging every day, and so far I've done that.

I am making one other new goal for this year, and it has to do with expressing appreciation (or support, or encouragement, or congratulations) in writing. 

So many times during a week I will think, "I need to write a note to __ and thank them for ___."  But, it never happens.  There is something about writing a note that just bogs me down.  You have to physically get a card (of which I have plenty), think of what you want to say, write it, look up the address, etc.  It shouldn't be that hard, but it is for me.   I'm usually late with birthday cards (sorry Eliza), and it felt so good finally get three of them off today.

So, I'm setting a goal of sending at least one note or card a week.   At least if I do that it will be 52 more cards than I've sent before.   That will feel good.

So that is all for now.  I don't want to overwhelm myself.  Baby Steps.

I mentioned

to Gary, when he got home tonight, that I need to buckle down and put the Christmas decorations away.   He had told me before that, that he should probably go to a school board meeting tonight.  After I made my comment,  he suddenly decided that for sure he needed to go to the school board meeting.  And, he predicted that the meeting would probably extend into 3 night affair.

I guess I'll just have to wait, because I know he really wants to help.

I had some thoughts of

 

starting to take my Christmas decorations down today, but it didn't happen. I put in about 7 hours of work today .  Things are really picking up with the business, which is great.

It was fun to take Margie and Lance up to the MTC at 10 am.  That was a new experience for me.  I hope I can be so brave.   Here's a picture of them in this cold, snowy, weather.

And Downton Abbey started out with some interesting twists and turn.  I won't disclose any of them, because Misty wants to watch the whole season when she comes out to Bunny Hollow in May. 

Anxiously awaiting

the first epidsode of Downton Abbey season 3.

Margie liked

the magnets I had made with the family pictures behind them.


So we printed a couple of her family pictures at Costco and made 36 magnets with her grandchildren's pictures on them.  That way she'll see their faces on the fridge every day.