(3) Question 365

Q:  What is your most cherished memory of this year?

A:  Connor saying he missed me.  Tylor giving me spontaneous hugs and saying he loves me.  Lauren being happy.

(3) Question 364

Q:  List what you've eaten for the past week.

A:  Prime rib, sweet potatoes, and lots of desserts.

(3) Question 363

Q:  What are your top three wishes?

A:  Be a better parent, end this now, a vacation somewhere fun with Jim.  (I should get one!)

(3) Question 360

Q:  Snuggle down or go out and play?

A:  PLAY!

(3) Question 359

Q:  When was the last time you felt at peace?

A:  No clue.

(3) Question 358

Q:  On a scale of one to ten, how spontaneous were you today?

A:  1.  Lauren's birthday, her wish is our command.

(3) Question 357

Q:  Write down five words that describe today.

A:  Family, fun, food, too fast.

(3) Question 356

Q:  Write down a recent transition.

A:  ??

(3) Question 355

Q:  What's your favorite cereal?

A:  Multi-grain Cheerios.

(3) Question 354

Q:  Did you meet someone new recently? If so, who was it?

A:  No.

(3) Question 353

Q:  If you could be the best at anything, what would it be?

A:  Communicator.

(3) Question 352

Q:  What is your dream vacation?

A:  Not here.

(3) Question 351

Q:  If you could change one thing about today, what would it be?

A:  Longer run.

(3) Question 350

Q:  What do you like to talk about?

A:  Baking, books and running.

(3) Question 349

Q:  If you had to move to a new city, where would you move?

A:  Not here.

(3) Question 348

Q:  What do you find irresistible?

A:  Fresh hot bread, shoes and books.

(3) Question 347

Q:  Moderation or excess?

A:  Moderations (for the most part...).

(3) Question 346

Q:  Why are you impressive?

A:  I can bake really good bread.

(3) Question 345

Q:  What is your biggest regret?

A:  Mistakes, missteps, blah.

(3) Question 344

Q:  What's on your wish list?

A:  More books than I have time to read and Jimmy Choo shoes.  I'm bound to get one of them!

(3) Question 343

Q:  Where do you find joy?

A:  Looking forward, not backwards.

(3) Question 342

Q:  What surprised you today?

A:  How I can get things done AND have Grandpa.

(3) Question 341

Q:  What is your most recent act of generosity?

A:  Baked bread for friends.

(3) Question 340

Q:  How ambitious do you feel today?

A:  Gettin' it done!

(3) Question 339

Q:  Where do you see yourself next year?

A:  No place really good.  (I will hope though!)

(3) Question 338

Q:  Today you gained _________________.

A:  Laughter from a shy child.  (Lucas in nursery.)

(3) Question 337

Q:  Who do you miss?

A:  Debbie being Debbie.

(3) Question 336

Q:  Do you want to know how it ends?

A:  Yes.  No.  Yes.

(3) Question 335

Q:  On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you?

A:  3.  Wish it were higher, can't quite get there....

(3) Question 334

Q:  What details from today would you like to remember?

A:  It's a Wednesday.

(3) Question 333

Q:  What would you like your epitaph to read?

A:  She baked for everyone.

(3) Question 332

Q:  Today you almost ______________.

A:  Cried.  Connor is gone again.  Boo-hoo.

(3) Question 331

Q:  What five words describe your mood?

A: Fifty. Three. Years. Old.  Today.

(3) Question 330

Q:  What was the last risk you took?

A:  I told Jim and Bob to let me deal with Livia my way and it worked out pretty well.

(3) Question 329

Q:  Who inspires you?

A:  My sisters.

(3) Question 328

Q:  What three words describe your family?

A:  Together.  Interesting.  Supportive.

(3) Question 327

Q:  How much water did you drink today?

A:  Enough.

(3) Question 326

Q:  Who have you recently deleted from your contact/address book?

A:  I am forgetting them so I will not write the name.

(3) Question 325

Q:  What is your favorite brunch food?

A:  I don't do brunch.  It's not a meal time for me.

(3) Question 324

Q:  What are you trying to do?

A:  Take a deep breath.  We have Steve all week and Connor is coming home on Wednesday!

(3) Question 323

Q:  What are your favorite shoes?

A:  My Sperry Top-siders.

(3) Question 322

Q:  What do you have to get done?

A:  Thanksgiving menu.

(3) Question 321

Q:  When was the last time you checked an on-line social network?

A:  I'm trying to do it less.

(3) Question 320

Q:  What is your dream job of the day?

A:  Pre-reader (I don't really want to edit but I would.) and Master Baker.

(3) Question 319

Q:  What friends did you speak to last?

A:  Deb and Suz.

(3) Question 318

Q:  What are you obsessed with right now?

A:  Connor's birthday, baking and questions.

(3) Question 317

Q:  Waking up was _______________.

A:  Easy as Sunday morning.  (See what I did there?)

(3) Question 316

Q:  What do you need to vent about?

A:  I need to stop venting.  Blah.

(3) Question 315

Q: What song could be your self portrait?

A:  No clue.

(3) Question 314

Q:  Is there anything missing in your life?

A:  Peace.

(3) Question 313

Q:  What do you always avoid?

A:  Noise.

(3) Question 312

Q:  Where do you find pleasure?

A:  Books, calls to my sisters, hugs from my family.

(3) Question 311

Q:  Did you leave work on time?

A:  No work.  No need to leave on time.

(3) Question 310

Q:  What topic are you bored of?

A:  Eve.

(3) Question 309

Q:  Who is (are) your hero(es)?

A:  Parents marching through teen years.  Help us all.

(3) Question 308

Q:  What time did you go to bed last night?

A:  9:20.  I read for about 30 minutes but I was just so tired I drifted off.

(3) Question 307

Q:  What should remain as-is?

A:  Red vines and classic movies.

(3) Question 306

Q:  Today you made _____________.

A:  BREAD!

(3) Question 305

Q:  When did you last hold a baby?

A:  August.  It was Autumn Haag's little sister, Olivia.

(3) Question 304

Q:  What's your biggest expense right now?

A:  Law suit.

(3) Question 303

Q:  What was something you couldn't do today?

A:  Go to church.  My friend Lisa's flight came in at noon instead of 7:30 a.m..

The Great Debate Continues!

Blue or Green or Hazel?
The debate rages on about Lauren and my eye color!
 

(3) Question 302

Q:  Halloween plans?  What's your costume?

A:  We just sat around giving out candy - I was reading and watching the World Series.  We had our party last night.

(3) Question 301

Q:  Are you able to tell when you have enough?

A:  Most of the time.

(3) Question 300

Q:  Camping or hotel?

A:  Hotel.

(3) Question 299

Q:  _____________ is completely ridiculous.

A:  The court system.

(3) Question 298

Q:  What was the last goofy thing you did?

A:  I'm not very goofy.

(3) Question 297

Q:  How do you feel about your body?

A:  Fine.  It's getting old but I can still run.

(3) Question 296

Q:  What is the most honest thing you've said today?

A:  I love it when you cook!  (To Jim)

(3) Question 295

Q:  How are you? Write it in a rhyming couplet.

A:  My legs feel like lead.
      But my heart is well fed.

(3) Question 294

Q:  Who is the last person in your missed calls?

A:  Suzanne Deller!

(3) Questoin 293

Q:  Write a haiku about your day.

A:  Two hundred mile run
      Will Tylor like it? Will I?
      Anticipation

(3) Question 292

Q:  What new word have you learned?

A:  Can't think of a new one.

(3) Question 291

Q:  Who do you count on?

A:  My family, my faith.

(3) Question 290

Q:  What was your last credit card purchase?

A:  Termite work for the house.  Yawn.

(3) Question 289

Q:  What famous living person would you want to meet for drinks?

A:  Ben Carlson, current presidential hopeful.  Seems like a thoughtful interesting man

Halloween Invitations - So Easy, Inexpensive and Fun!

The Dollar Store is my favorite.

Really.

The invitations for our Halloween party

cost me a total of $12.

Twelve.

Yup.

 

 

I used paper I had on hand and

all of the embellishments

from past years

Halloween project.

 

Now to deliver!

(3) Question 288

Q:  What's the most valuable thing you own?

A:  Our house.

(3) Question 287

Q:  You woke up at ________________.

A:  5:06 a.m.

(3) Question 286

Q:  How much time do you spend commuting?

A:  No real job, so none.

(3) Question 285

Q:  What expression do you overuse?

A:  "Not that word."

(3) Question 284

Q:  You have no patience for _____________.

A:  Still idiot adults.

(3) Question 283

Q:  One word for today.

A:  Worn down.

(3) Quetion 282

Q:  What makes you feel wonderful?

A:  Long runs.

(3) Question 281

Q:  Write down the name of someone you had a good conversation with recently.

A:  Deb, Marcy, Suz, Keira, Tia.....

(3) Question 280

Q:  You want a new ____________.

A:  I can't think of a thing I NEED.

Redneck Laundry Day

We had the house tented last week.

 

We took the opportunity to go on a short vacation.

 

When we got back I did what I always do, laundry.

 

It did not occur to me that the gas still off...

 

and that included the dryer.

 

Ugh.

Santa Cruz Chillin'



 We found an excellent Italian deli in downtown Santa Cruz.
And a cute girl!

The hotel let us borrow

bikes.  It was sunny when we left and super chilly when we

crossed the very skinny footbridge.

 

Soccer on the beach means a wet ball.

 

And sandy feet...

Look who's lookin' at you!

Or lookin' at the homeless

people under our hotel...

(3) Question 279

Q:  What is your biggest dream?

A:  An Eternal Family.

(3) Question 278

Q:  Are you happy with your choices today?

A:  Just today?  Sure.

(3) Question 277

Q:  Do you have any new friends?

A:  No.

(3) Question 276

Q:  What question makes you anxious?

A:  From Jim, "What do you know/remember about ____________?".

(3) Question 275

Q:  In three words, describe your life.

A:  Messy, stressful, searching.  (Missed the 'love' in the question...oops.  With that in mind; scheduled, sneaky, and stressed.)

(3) Question 274

Q:  What was the last bad movie you watched?

A:  Haven't seen a really bad one lately.

(3) Question 273

Q:  What do you crave?

A:  Sweet and salty.... salted caramel (pieces, popcorn, brownies, etc...) are perfection.

(3) Question 272

Q:  What are you a geek about?

A:  The chemistry of baking and nature shows on the different, odd or newly discovered.

(3) Question 271

Q:  How do you get out of a rut?

A:  In a rut I can't seem to dig out of now.  Prayer....  Sisters .... thinking about therapy....  Blah.

(3) Question 270

Q:  Bad news:  sugarcoated or straight-up?

A:  Straight-up.  Like ripping off a Band-Aid.

(3) Question 269

Q:  How hungry are you right now?

A:  Not at all, just ate.

(3) Question 268

Q:  Do you handle rejection well?

A:  Not really.

(3) Question 267

Q:  Today was amusing because _________________.

A:  Shopping is amusing.

(3) Question 266

Q:  Do you plan or are you a flying by the seat of your pants?

A:  Always plan.

(3) Question 265

Q:  When was the last time you went dancing?

A:  August 2012

(3) Question 264

Q:  Write down a quote for today.

A:  Always be yourself.  Unless you can be Batman, then always be Batman.

(3) Question 263

Q:  What shocking news have you recently learned?

A:  Bob White's father died last week.  He was in a nursing home for just 2 months....

(3) Question 262

Q:  Where do you think your road is going?

A:  Stagnant.....ugh....

(3) Question 261

Q:  What's your favorite television show?

A:  Project Runway

(3) Question 260

Q:  What's a new place you've recently been to?

A:  OSU campus.

(3) Question 259

Q:  A decision you made today _______________________.

A:  Coast or Corvallis?

(3) Question 258

Q:  What's your favorite snack food?

A:  Milton Everything crackers, apples (whole or sauce), and bread (my homemade loaves).

(3) Question 257

Q:  What would you want to study in school?

A:  Culinary Arts.

(3) Question 256

Q:  Who are the most important people in your life?

A:  My FAMILY!

(3) Question 255

Q:  Who can help you?

A:  My family.

(3) Question 254

Q:  Write down a minor, but chronic, problem.

A:  Not so minor, peace of mind and spirit.

(3) Question 253

Q:  What are you chasing at the moment?

A:  Answers.

(3) Question 252

Q:  What advice would you give to a second grader?

A:  Be messy more.

(3) Question 251

Q:  This is utterly confounding ____________________.

A:  Monday's being so hard.

(3) Question 250

Q:  What comes to mind when you think of fear?

A:  Being alone forever.

(3) Question 249

Q:  Who are you jealous of?

A:  People who can easily speak languages.

Am I Blue?

A little off the back....

Gabi cutting Lauren's locks.
 

Can you see it yet?
Lauren has blue AND purple highlights.
Soooo cute!

(3) Question 248

Q:  What's the newest thing you're wearing today?

A:  Everything is soooo ooolllldddd.....

OSU Dad

And so a new era has begun

in Jim's hat collection.

 

Proud OSU dad!

The Table

Tylor has really wanted to go to

The Table

in downtown WG for quite a while.

But it always looks busy.

 

I discovered that they just started taking

reservations. 

Uh-huh.

 

I snagged a cute table for two on the patio.

Salmon sandwich for him,

CPCLHT* for me.

*Crispy Pork Cheek, Lettuce, Heirloom Tomato

Uh-huh.

 

Oh, and they serve IBC.

 

He didn't look at his phone for most of the meal, really.

It was just the only shot I could get so I took it.

Uh-huh.  :-)



(3) Question 247

Q:  What was the last on-line video clip you watched?

A:  Netflix - Gilmore Girls.

(3) Question 246

Q:  Today you learned _____________.

A:  Bread is fun.

(3) Question 245

Q:  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

A:  All my kids gone and I am trying to find my place.

(3) Question 244

Q:  Where have you found evidence of a higher power?

A:  I am having a tough time with this lately.  I know In my heart there is but I am feeling a bit abandoned at the moment.  No answers, no resolutions, just waiting.

(3) Question 243

Q:  Is your home clean?

A:  Pretty much.

(3) Question 242

Q:  Teacher or student?

A:  Less teacher, more student.

(3) Question 241

Q:  What was the last wedding you attended?

A:  David and Xuihui's in 2012.

(3) Question 240

Q:  What's your simplest pleasure?

A:  Reading.  Baking, while not so simple sometimes, is a very close second.

(3) Question 239

Q:  What did you have for dinner?

A:  Spaghetti with meatballs.  Mmmmm!

(3) Question 238

Q:  How would you describe your victory dance?

A:  Don't have one.

(3) Question 237

Q:  What was the last time you worked out?

A:  On the 20th before surgery.

(3) Question 236

Q:  What's the best part about your life right now?

A:  The love and support of my husband, Jimmy.

(3) Question 235

Q:  What would you like to tell your father?

A:  I love you.

(3) Question 234

Q:  Write your recipe for creativity.

A:  Know the basics and then play with the elements.

(3) Question 233

Q:  Yes or no; everyone should have a backup plan.

A:  Yes!

(3) Question 232

Q:  What can't you forget?

A:  To be better!

(3) Question 231

Q:  in 140 characters or fewer, summarize your day.

A:  Resting.  Surgery yesterday. Zzzzzz.

(3) Question 230

Q:  Whose team are you on?

A:  My family's team.

(3) Question 229

Q:  _______________ really bothered you today.

A:  I have to take Steve to Morningside.  Blah.

(3) Question 228

Q:  What's your favorite piece of clothing?

A:  t-shirts.

(3) Question 227

Q:  If you had to spend five years in prison, what would you finally have the chance to do?

A:  Sew better, bake old world bread, learn a language.

(3) Question 226

Q:  What question (or questions) do you love to answer?

A:  How far?

(3) Question 225

Q:  What do you like best about your body today?

A:  Nothing.  I'm done with being ill.

(3) Question 224

Q:  Did you complete your to-do list for the day?

A:  Yes.

(3) Question 223

Q:  What is your favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning?

A:  Long run, farmer's market with Jim, movie.

(3) Question 222

Q:  What is your resolution for tomorrow?

A:  Baking.

(3) Question 221

Q:  How many stamps are in your passport?

A:  Still just one.  One.

(3) Question 220

Q:  What are you running from at this moment?

A:  My inner demons. ;-)

(3) Question 219

Q:  Write down your last sent text message.

A:  "Where are you?" (to Lauren)

(3) Question 218

Q:  What was your last great meal?

A:  Jerk chicken with corn on the cob.

(3) Question 217

Q:  Who are you?

A:  Just me.

(3) Question 216

Q:  When was the last time you were on an airplane?

A:  January to Utah to see the Deller's sealing.

(3) Question 215

Q:  What do you lie about?

A:  Myself.

(3) Question 214

Q:  Describe the room you're in right now.

A:  The family room; 12x12, built in bookcase (my brother Brian made!), 4 windows with white shades, walls are a nice yellow.

(3) Question 213

Q:  Do you need a cold shower?

A:  Yes.  Hot Flashes suck.

(3) Question 212

Q:  Today were you a wallflower or a social butterfly?

A:  Social butterfly!  We had dinner with some old friends and it was a lovely evening!

(3) Question 211

Q:  Today was unusual because ____________________.

A:  I got very little done and didn't feel bad about it.

(3) Question 210

Q:  What was the last road trip you took?

A:  Suzanne and I drove down to SoCal to run our Ragnar!

(3) Question 209

Q:  Write a phrase to describe your year so far.

A:  Inconceivable!

(3) Question 208

Q:  What can you smell right now?

A:  Heat.

(3) Question 207

Q:  Are you working hard or hardly working?

A:  Working hard.

(3) Question 206

Q:  If you could hire any artist to paint your portrait, who would you pick?

A:  Michael Angelo

(3) Question 205

Q:  What's in your fridge?

A:  Summer fruit and veggies and the usual.

(3) Question 204

Q:  What was the last thing you baked or cooked?

A:  Cupcakes for a cooking class for Relief Society.

(3) Question 203

Q:  Where do you go for good ideas?

A:  My sisters and Pinterest.

(3) Question 202

Q:  Who was the last person to make you angry?

A:  She was will not be named.

(3) Question 201

Q:  Does anything hurt today?

A:  A deep muscle in my right buttock.  Advil!

(3) Question 200

Q:  What do you need to throw away?

A:  Bad feelings.

(3) Question 199

Q:  What are the ingredients for a perfect day?

A:  Sisters, food, family, water, more food, music, fun.

(3) Question 198

Q: How can you help?

A:  Listen more and act.

(3) Question 197

Q:  Are you wearing socks?

A:  It's 98.  No.

(3) Question 196

Q:  What is your heroic downfall?  Your Achilles' heel?

A:  Caramel.  Really, really good caramel.

(3) Question 195

Q:  Do you have a secret?  More than one?

A:  Yes.  Yes.

(3) Question 194

Q:  What are you sentimental about?

A:  Stupid things. 

(3) Question 193

Q:  ________________ is perfect.

A:  That moment just before you fall asleep.

(3) Question 192

Q:  If you were a literary character, who would you be?

A:  Elizabeth Bennett.

(3) Question 191

Q:  When was the last time you spoke to your parents?

A:  On Father's Day.  Dad was good.  Makes me happy.

(3) Question 190

Q:  Today was delightful because ___________________ .

A:  I got to run 14.1 miles.  I had an excellent last mile.  Invigorating!

(3) Question 189

Q:  What do you have to lose?

A:  My mind.

(3) Question 188

Q:  What's the next book you want to read?

A:  Harvest Man by Alex Grecian.  Can't wait!

(3) Question 187

Q:  Who is your best friend?

A:  My sisters!

(3) Question 186

Q:  What is your motto?

A:  Thy Will Be Done.  OR  Not My Circus.  Not My Monkey.

(3) Question 185

Q:  ____________________ is funny.

A:  Can't think of a thing that is really funny... ugh.

(3) Question 184

Q:  What was the last beach you went to?

A:  Santa Cruz Beach.  Lauren and went and smashed rocks and screamed things we were mad about.  It. Was. Awesome!

(3) Question 183

Q:  Today you cancelled ___________________.

A:  Even though I would like to cancel several things, I didn't.

(3) Question 182

Q:  Water, ice, or steam?

A:  Water.

(3) Question 181

Q:  What can you live without right now?

A:  The court system.

(3) Question 180

Q:  What are the top songs on your "recently played" list?

A:  Nothing outstanding.

(3) Question 179

Q:  If your mood were a weather forecast, you'd be ______________.

A:  Slightly overcast, chance of rain but a little warm.

(3) Question 178

Q:  When was the last time you ate pizza?  What kind?

A:  Four days ago, homemade Italian sausage, fresh mozzarella and fresh tomato

(3) Question 177

Q:  What's your biggest indulgence?

A:  Pedicures.  Love them.  Vacation treat and occasional treat the rest of the year.

(3) Question 176

Q:  Who is your closest companion?

A:  Jimmy!

(3) Question 175

Q:  What's your next social engagement?

A:  Dinner with Pat and Roger Higdon in July.  Can't wait to see them!

No Tea with Your Crumpets

Every few weeks a friend of mine

(we'll call her 'K')

comes down and we cook/bake.

 

Yesterday we made crumpets, blackberry butter

and strawberry freezer jam.

So good!

 

                  

                                                                                                                                                           Yield18 Crumpets                                                                                                                                            

• 450 g strong plain flour, sifted (1lb)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons fast-rising active dry yeast (1x7g sachet)
• 300 ml warm milk (1/2 pint)
• 300 ml warm water (1/2 pint)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• vegetable oil

Directions

1. Note - you will need 4 crumpet rings, or egg rings or 7.5cm (3in) plain pastry cutters, greased.
2. Place the flour and salt into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and yeast making a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and water and mix to give quite a thick batter. Beat well until completely combined and cover with a tea towel or cling film.
3. Leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour until it's a light, spongy texture. Stir well to knock out any air, add the bicarbonate of soda and pour into a large jug - mix well and allow to stand for a further 30 minutes.
4. Heat a non-stick frying pan, or a greased griddle, over a very low heat with a drop of oil or butter. Wipe the pan with kitchen paper to remove excess oil/butter. Sit the greased crumpet rings in the pan and leave to heat up for a couple of minutes.
5. Pour in enough mixture to fill the rings just over halfway up the sides. Leave to cook until lots of small holes appear on the surface and the batter has just dried out. This will take about 8-10 minutes.
6. Remove the rings and turn over the crumpets to cook for a further minute or two on the other side. Sit the first batch of crumpets on a wire rack whilst continuing to cook the remaining crumpets.
7. Serve the crumpets warm, generously buttered. If you are making crumpets in advance, then reheat them by toasting lightly on both sides before serving. (



(3) Question 174

Q:  When was the last time you cried?

A:  Too many times lately.

(3) Question 173

Q:  What's the last movie you saw in a theater?

A:  Far From the Madding Crowd.  Very decent.

(3) Question 172

Q:  Who do you want to know better?

A:  Christ.

(3) Question 171

Q:  Write the first sentence of your autobiography.

A:  Well, it didn't go how I had imagined it would but when do things ever go the way you think?

(3) Question 170

Q:  What was the last personal letter you received?

A:  A note from my neighbor Alexandra thanking Jim and I for taking care of Ashley while they were delayed picking up Ian.

(3) Question 169

Q:  What's the last mean someone cooked for you?

A:  Jim made steak and shrimp.

(3) Question 168

Q:  The best hour of today was _________________.  Why?

A:  5 a.m..  I ran a nice long, long run.

(3) Question 167

Q:  What makes you cynical?

A:  Life.

(3) Question 157

Q:  Which family member are you closest to?

A:  David in age.  Deb and Suz in chatting.  All in heart.

Middle School Golden Book Signing

Willow Glen Middle School awards students that earn all A's or A's and B's a certificate of achievement and allow them to sign The Golden Book.  The book signing has been going on since 1957.

Lauren earned A's and one B.  One.  She was disappointed she didn't get to sign with the all A's group.  Since the B was in PE it hardly counts.

Way to go Lauren!

Not Your Typical Mother's Day Card

"You make sure we don't completely

screw up our Lives"

My Favorite,

 "You put up with our teenagerness."

"You surround us in Love. (when we deserve it)

"Your Cooking is Magic"

You sit over there....

With two lefties at the table I got

a side to myself.

That is NOT an L for Loser.

It's an L for

Lucky-Me-I-Get-To-Sit-With-Another-Leftie!

Connor wasn't as excited if

you can't tell...Ha.

When Pigs Fly. No. Flying Pig, when?

Suzanne has magic fingers.

No really.

She found this dive bar with

awesome menu covers.

(This one's for you Keira!)

We split a pork burger with egg,

fries and a nearly perfect

Salted Pecan

Caramel

Sundae

Word.

 

I asked Suz if she was even a little nervous
for our race in the morning.
This face.

Every Pain. Every Time. Everyone.

“Well, my dear sisters, the gospel is the good news that can free us from guilt. We know that Jesus experienced the totality of mortal existence in Gethsemane. It’s our faith that he experienced everything- absolutely everything. Sometimes we don’t think through the implications of that belief. We talk in great generalities about the sins of all humankind, about the suffering of the entire human family. But we don’t experience pain in generalities. We experience it individually. That means he knows what it felt like when your mother died of cancer- how it was for your mother, how it still is for you. He knows what it felt like to lose the student body election. He knows that moment when the brakes locked and the car started to skid. He experienced the slave ship sailing from Ghana toward Virginia. He experienced the gas chambers at Dachau. He experienced Napalm in Vietnam. He knows about drug addiction and alcoholism.

Let me go further. There is nothing you have experienced as a woman that he does not also know and recognize. On a profound level, he understands the hunger to hold your baby that sustains you through pregnancy. He understands both the physical pain of giving birth and the immense joy. He knows about PMS and cramps and menopause. He understands about rape and infertility and abortion. His last recorded words to his disciples were, “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) He understands your mother-pain when your five-year-old leaves for kindergarten, when a bully picks on your fifth-grader, when your daughter calls to say that the new baby has Down syndrome. He knows your mother-rage when a trusted babysitter sexually abuses your two-year-old, when someone gives your thirteen-year-old drugs, when someone seduces your seventeen-year-old. He knows the pain you live with when you come home to a quiet apartment where the only children are visitors, when you hear that your former husband and his new wife were sealed in the temple last week, when your fiftieth wedding anniversary rolls around and your husband has been dead for two years. He knows all that. He’s been there. He’s been lower than all that. He’s not waiting for us to be perfect. Perfect people don’t need a Savior. He came to save his people in their imperfections. He is the Lord of the living, and the living make mistakes. He’s not embarrassed by us, angry at us, or shocked. He wants us in our brokenness, in our unhappiness, in our guilt and our grief.  (Sister Chieko Okazaki, Lighten Up)

Hahaha...hic ...Sisters!

This pic was taken not too long ago. 

It was mine.  Suzanne gave it to me.

BUT, my sister Marcy (see below in purple) want it.

She's older...MUCH older.

Okaaay, not that much older, but STILL older.

She wanted it. 

She got it.

 

Love my sisters!

I Need A Lift

I have been in the dumps all day.  These are the things I have done to dig out:

1.  11.75 run - I'm not incredibly fast but I was doing a steady 8:20 mile.
2.  Cleaned under one side of the TV cabinet.  I wanted to do the other side but the one side wasn't helping so I gave up. 
3.  Shopping at Marshalls - Actually I was just looking.  I like Marshalls, it cracks me up what you can find there.  Once in a great while I get lucky and find something I am actually looking for but most of the time not.
4.  Shopping at Trader Joe's - I did buy a few things.  Nothing I needed but who needs anything from Trader Joe's really?
5.  Long brisk walk - It was too hot today.  It hit 90', on March 14th, really.  I wanted it to be cool but no chance.
6.  Made White Bean and Ham Soup - I REALLY wanted it to be winter-esque today.  Just a little chill in the air would be fine.  But no.  The soup was really good but eating it bare foot and in a t-shirt just wasn't the same.
7.  Watched The Incredible Life of Walter Mitty - I like this movie.  It reminds me that I can be more, do more and not get pigeon-holed into something that someone else thinks I am.

Still not out of the dumps but I know I have family and friends that love me and I will be fine.  Just fine.

Maple Maple Can It Be Fall Again?

It was 76' here yesterday.  I wanted it to be cool, dare I say even cold?  I did.  I wanted it to be fall again.  We have had so little rain and such beautiful sunshine that it just hasn't seemed like winter at all.  I don't want to go through another winter really but I want it to be fall again. 

I decided I would make it smell like fall even if I couldn't have fall.  I made Maple cookies with Maple glaze.  Maple Maple.  So good.  I used turbinado raw sugar cane which is really like brown sugar (think bigger crystals) so the cookies had the nice mix of crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.  They may ALL already be gone.  Yup.

Maple I'm-Falling-For-U Maple Cookies 

3/4 cup butter softened
1/2 cup turbinado raw cane sugar (Trader Joe's)
2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp   maple flavoring
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp   baking soda
1/2 tsp   salt

    For Glaze:

2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tsp   maple flavoring
2 - 4 Tbl   milk

Instructions - Heat oven to 375'

Cream together the butter, sugar, and eggs.  Add  maple syrup and blend.  In another bowl combine flour, soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until well combined. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet,  Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

 

For Glaze:  Combine all ingredients.  Glaze should be thick like frosting but it will firm up while air drying.

 

Cut It Out

No matter what you say I like cutting out fabric from pattern pieces.  Sewing still stresses me a bit.  I don't like making mistakes that I have to take out and do again.  I like making the pieces to make things.

I like puzzles too. 

I have laid out and pinned the fabric for the first of my sewing projects for the year.  It is fun to be on my way to reaching another goal.

Starting Over

I need to start over.  I dropped the ball in September.  I could make a hundred excuses but none of them are really good enough to use here.  I am not going to stoop so low as to say I just gave up for a while.  Nope, won't do it.  What I will do is start over.  I will find a way to begin again.  Each journey begins with a first step.  Step one, done.