Thanksgiving Favorites

-Read more of a GREAT book- "The Guernsey and Potato Peel Society" Love it!!!!
-Watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (my favorite parts were the Rockettes and the Sesame Street float-the characters have aged very gracefully, FYI!)
-Had an outfit (plaid skirt) that allowed me to wear my red patent leather heels! Love them.
-Watched the replay of the 2006 BYU/UT game, relived all the glory of the Beck to Harline touchdown. Just as good as it was live!

-Ate the frozen cranberry salad (mom's specialty)
-Other favorites: salmon dip, stuffed mushrooms,veggie tray,mushroom stuffing
-Making my pies: peanut butter chocolate chip (rich but very good) and apple. (I used premade pie crust and canned filling but I did make the crumb crust topping from scratch!!!)
-Sat at the teen's table with cousin Whitney, Addison, Jessica, Katie (who'd had her wisdom teeth out the day before. Rough). Fun to visit with them. Lotsa fun.

-Singing karaoke with the family
Mom (La Bamba and Hound Dog) Debo (YMCA) Allen (Here Comes the Sun- apparently he has a thing for the Beatles....) Faris (Surfer Girl) Jake (I am a Child of God) Wickman (Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam) Dave and Sabrina sang as well but I don't remember the songs.....
-We used Mom's roller hair brush for the micro"faux"ne (hahaha)

The Vacation Continues......

Wednesday morning I woke up and saw that my sister had called, she needed a babysitter and since I didn't have to work, I could do it! She brought Carter and Ashley over and Ashley helped me finish making breakfast, "Apple Toffee French Toast," yes, it is as heavenly as the title says it is but...... rather time consuming. Slicing bread into cubes (easier when it's a bit frozen), peeling and then slicing apples, chopping the skor bars, etc. But worth all of it!

The rest of the time, Carter and Ashley played (Carter had the fisher price hospital and the little people and a bad guy kept knocking people over. The police couldn't help because they were busy taking care of a car accident.) We also played "battleship" and I guess Carter doesn't have much confidence in my navigation/detection skills because whenever I found one of his ships he'd ask if I could see his board..... When Deborah came to pick up the kids I really wanted her stay and eat brunch with us (fresh out of the oven) and so I was very glad when she accepted!

Had grilled cheese sandwiches (no one can make them like my Mom) and watched "Myth Busters" Can milk stop a muzzle flash from creating an explosion? No. Is it hard to get out of a car in the water when it's upside down vs right side up? Yes.

Again, went to bed happy. Had my Mom come in and tell me/kiss me goodnight? Should I be concerned that I'm 30 and still like my Mom to tell me/kiss me goodnight?????

The Long Vacation (and Why I'm Glad for Snow)

I ended up having quite a nice, long Thanksgiving break with some help from school closure and..... snow!!! The school where i have my classroom was closed for that week, so Monday and Tuesday were prep days for me (no children). There was a half-day staff breakfast/meeting on Wednesday.

Here's how it began.....
Left work early afternoon on Tuesday due to the impending snow storm/blizzard. They sent staff and kids home. My mom was going to pick me up after my respite care job that night but the family was home-bound as well, so Mom came early! After getting settled in the guest room (my bedroom is currently a storage room) Mom realized we didn't have apple juice to make a special recipe for the next morning. Called my sister to see if she had any, she wasn't home, so we jumped in the car and went to the gas station store down the street, with a goal to get home by 5:00. The snow wasn't bad yet but the wind was awful. Shutting the car door was an adventure! But we got the apple juice.

Checked my work e-mail and discovered...... early vacation!!!! Staff meeting tomorrow canceled due to snow!!!! Watched the Jazz game, rubbed Mom's feet, went to bed very happy!!!!
Woke up in the middle of the night but no worries- I didn't have to go work so I could go back to sleep at my leisure and sleep until 9:15! Lovely.

Happiness Is......

Happiness Is.....

-Watching a snow storm from inside
-Chatting with my Dad about the new book he's reading
-Eating my parents food and watching their tv
-Half-day of work and work canceled tomorrow!!!! (Due to the snow)
-Having whole wheat tortillas to eat again (I've been out of them for awhile....)
-Big, soft pillows

-Sleeping with a teddy bear (I nearly ALWAYS do this because otherwise I sleep on my arms and they hurt in the morning!)
-Sleeping with Mailbox (my pink teddy bear I named when I was 7) or Rocky Jr (the light brown bear with a blue bow around his neck- a gift from Jenn and Jim from their honeymoon when I was 9)
-Watching a BYU mens basketball game
-Being home (where I grew up- OK so it's only 10 blocks away but it still counts!!!!)
-Going to bed with no immediate plans for when I wake up in the morning (I REALLY love this!)
-NOT HAVING ANY HOMEWORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heck of a Season Boys

The title comes from one of my favorite movies, "Remember the Titans" technically, I think it might not be "heck" but close enough, right????
Here are some of my favorite memories from BYU football this year. Yes, I know the season isn't over yet by a long shot, I'm talking about the home games I've attended this year....
-Having season tickets wtih Mom, Dad, brother Dave and alternatively nephews Faris and Errol
-Having my friend Kerri join me for 3 of the games and doing double high fives with her after touchdowns are scored
-Going to a game with our friends Kyle and Brian
-My 7.00 BYU t-shirt from Walgreens, worth it many times over. I love it!!!!
-Seeing the extreme tailgating parties in the parking lot
-Burgers and fries at Apollo Burger. So filling, but oh, so good.
-Trips to the Pita pita with Kerri. Whole wheat pita, with "extras" avocado and hummus

-Passes caught, field goals kicked, touchdowns scored
-Not getting lost in the stadium. Not once! And if you know me, that says a LOT.
-Waiting in line to fill my water bottle at the drinking fountain. (Funny story: yesterday I forgot I had half a bottle of water left in my purse and so I chugged it fast so the guy would let me in with it. And then..... all the drinking fountains were shut off for winter. So I can't bring it in with water and i can't fill it up, either. More money for concessions, I guess!)
-Accidentally drinking the whole water bottle of the stranger sitting next to me. So far, no diseases that I know of....

-Watching the game with my 7yr old nephew, Jake. Having him sit on my lap to keep me warm, asking me questions about Cosmo the Cougar and telling me his friends Dad worked for "Les Olsen Company" when he heard the commercial playing
-Hearing the song "I've got soul, but I'm not solider," and watching past clips
-Seeing the John Beck to Johnny Harline 2006 pass/touchdown replayed. I never get tired of seeing it.....
-Singing the fight song, and on-key! And I mean ALL the fight song, not just "Rise and Shout"
-Hearing "Sweet Caroline" and not knowing words beyond that.....
-Stomping by feet on the metal bleachers, yelling "Juice" for Joshua Quezada and "B" for when each section of the stadium yells B-Y-U-Cougars!!!!
-Sitting next to my Mom, chatting with her and eating Kettle Corn when the game gets tense.....
-A really, really good hot dog with ketchup and mustard
-Stuffing our pockets with halloween candy (hiding it) and eating it during the game.
-Asking my brother lots of football questions and him answering them

Awesome Day!!!!

-Went to Messiah rehearsal with my friends Anne and Mandy. Mandy played her favorite organ fugue for me, "Toccata in G" the organ music they play around Halloween time. But I learned there is much more to it than the opening chords!!!

-Breakfast with my cousin Marchelle at Denny's. We went to Denny's because that was one of his favorite restaurant to go to and it was his birthday this month. We split gingerbread french toast (talk about a fantastic smell!!!) and cranberry orange pancakes and they had a 4 item special so I also got hashbrowns with plenty o' ketchup, whole wheat pancakes (saved for later) and we each got a slice of ham steak, discovering that we both like ham over turkey. Huh. Who knew? It's probably because we're related.....

-We shared our favorite Grandpa memories. Marchelle's was putting up Grandpa's tree every year. Mine was how he always made you feel loved "just the way you are." For me, there is/was nothing quite like a Grandpa's love. :)

-Went with Kerri (we met my brother and sons there) for the final home game vs New Mexico, BYU won 40-7, with passing touchdowns, a fumble recovery and at least one interception in the end zone. Yeah!!!!! I got to sing the fight song a lot :)

-The day was cold and cloudy (with a 4pm kickoff) but I actually stayed warm with leggings and jeans, two shirts, a sweatshirt and parka. And mercifully, sitting in the south end zone we were protected from the wind. When I did get close, I would wrap my arms my nephew Errol to keep him warm, too!

-And of course, no trip to Provo with Kerri is complete without a trip to the Pita Pit! I got a chicken souvlaki pita this time. It was good, but I think next time I'll try something else or go back to black forest ham, the usual.

Other fun/grateful/memorable moments:
-My brother driving the car in a snowstorm on the way home, glad it wasn't me driving!
-When my nephews had asked lots of times, "How long till we get home?" Dad told them not to ask again, so later Errol said, "Dad, this isn't a time question..... how many miles until we get home?" Hilarious!
-Another stick of gum from Kerri and a bottle of water from her brother and sister-in-law
-Running on the treadmill while watching BYU basketball and/or SDSU vs UT football. Defiinitely kept me engaged and running longer and faster!!!
-How nice it looks from my window with white, clean, snow everywhere.
-Cheering for SDSU (never done that one before) while running, pumping my fist and yelling, "Go Aztecs!!!"

Ahhhhhhh, life. I love you.

I Like!!!! 11/19/10

-Seeing a late matinee with my friend, Amber. Despicable Me. I really like this movie for two reasons: (1)Gru (the villian) has a change of heart when he meets the girls. A total 360, sincere attitude. (2) Dr Nefario, who initially was really mad at Gru for being behind on the rocket plans, taking in the girls, etc still forgives Gru and comes to his rescue when he's in trouble.

-Watching an episode of CSI NY on primetime instead of online the next day

-Homemade hummus and pita bread (I love hummus) during a staff meeting, along with mint chocolate hershey's kisses and white cheddar wheat thins

-My appreciation/obsession with food! I joke that I should rename this blog- "Ode to Food"

-My white wicker chest that's full of blankets!

-My "chi"hair straightener

What Made Me Smile Today 11/18/10

-19th birthday of my niece, Jessica. Her birth was truly one of the happiest days of my life. Sounds cheesy, but true!!!!



-2 fruit slushies from the other classroom who was making them for a snack today and shared with us



-Waking up in the middle of the night and THEN going back to sleep for 2 more hours! That rarely happens to me-I stink at going back to sleep.....



-Turkey slices for lunch (and other stuff, too)



-Feeling rested and energetic when I woke up. This CAN'T be overrated......



-Mom who happened to be volunteering today and so she could change her child's pull-up instead of me.......



-Trying to role play with my preschoolers about what to do if you are lost in public. Some really got it..... some..... did not. But they were entertaining in the process! (Not that getting lost is a laughing matter..... but role play can be!!!!)



-Children who want to hold your hand

-Hugs from my "sombrita" ("little shadow" in Spanish)



-Tamales (1 pineapple and 1 pork) at Leatherby's. I liked it because I don't make tamales for myself. Plus, they're VERY cheap! $1.25 each.

-Saw Inception with friend Emily- LOVED it but totally makes you think..... (and can scare you when Emily was asking "Is this reality RIGHT now? Driving home from theatre at 11:00 at night. Yeah......)

-Taking a shower and washing my hair :)

Favorite Things 11/17/10

-I get free lunch! Well, free to me..... Today I enjoyed beef vegetable soup, frozen strawberry cup/thing, sweet potato fries, apple crisp. The lunch lady is very nice and gives us plenty!

-Attending the Jordan River temple with dear friends

-Within a minute of arriving at the temple, being greeted by 2 people I haven't seen in nearly 2-3 years. A lady I worked with at Terra Linda elementary and a girl who used to be in my singles ward. It was lovely to see them both! However...... the shock of it caused my brain cells to temporarily die and as I was changing, I opened/closed my locker 4 times within 30 seconds because I couldn't remember what to take out and what to put away. All for the best though.....

-Remembered to bring my temple reccommend

-BYU basketball won!!!!!!

-Ran an average of a 9 minute mile (for only 2 miles but still......)

-Hugs from my preschoolers

-Buttoning my good black wool coat and adding a colorful scarf- or is it scarve??? Anyone, I don't like a cold neck!

-Chocolate peanut butter ice-cream :)

-The sisters who play the organ at the temple

-Kerri sharing yet another piece of gum with me. Someday I will buy her the biggest pack of gum I can reasonably afford.......

-Nylons that don't have runs in them yet!!!!!

Things to Remember and a New Goal

Things to Remember- Tuesday 11/16/2010

-Had a Relief Society Meeting tonight- was surprised that not more people came- it was a night of Free Holiday Cooking and sampling. I chose to go with the group that made Toffee, Natalie taught us how to make it, simple and SO good with guitard chocolate chips and sliced almonds. MMmmmmmm.... Plus, it's sweet, salty AND crunchy! What more could you want for a holiday treat?!?!

-Standing outside cold in the church parking lot because no one had a key (it was freezing, but a fun memory, the different things you do to stay warm.....)

-Finished a book, "Why I Believe" stories from lots of people who are LDS- athletes, politicians, professors, businessman, etc. Very good book.

-Had/have hair that is long enough to pull in a ponytail and not look completely ridiculous....

-Visiting with my friend Amber C, and laughing with her

-Taking my turn to stir the butter and sugar for the toffee and realizing just how quickly my arm got tired..... I shifted positions a lot.... :)

-Texts from my cousin and friend, Marchelle and my dear friend Kerri. Thanks, Friends!

-Watched an episode of one of my favorite shows, Man vs Food, while on the treadmill

-Wrapping myself up in my Grandma's pink patchwork quilt on the couch

-How much I love to snack on plain, plain, plain Cheerios. Seriously. I eat them by the handful. And I usually take a baggie full with me to work for breakfast :)

-How blessed I am!!!!!!

It's my NEW GOAL to post something like this every day before I go to bed. For me, I can't think of a much better way to unwind before bed than reflecting on good, grateful things. So..... if you read this blog, and if you do, THANKS!!!!! Feel free to check regularly for updates :)

Monday

A rundown of yesterday's events: (I'm trying blog more to record events becuase blogging about it AND writing in a journal has proved to be exhausting)
-FHE: cornbread and chilli cook-off. Would have loved to contribute but unfortunately it didn't get announced until Sunday at church. Oh, well. Thanks to those many who made so many good things on short notice!

My favorites of the night: Red and white chili (made by Sister Barrow, the bishops wife) that won "best chili" it had chicken and white beans and red peppers and now I want the recipe...... My friend Mandy won the "best cornbread" award for her "Oh, my heck this is good" and I was also a fan of the "white corn" cornbread because it was different. At any rate, I ate VERY well.

Then we had a small surprise party for our friend Brian (who refused to tell us the date of his birthday until his sister ratted him out at dinner on saturday) We played catch phrase, watched the last quarter of the Jazz game- noting how the last seconds can take minutes, and in my opinion, why foul at the end of the game when you're behind? Yes, it stops the clock and gives time to get the ball back but the team almost always seems to make the free throw and this just racks up the score? But then, heaven knows I know all about NBA coaching!
More catch phrase, then ice cream and a rich but delicious chocolate cake- I made sure to eat the frosting FIRST. As I always do......

And there you have it, folks.

The Weekend

Here's how the last weekend went down.....

FRIDAY: Christmas Gift Home Show with roommate Kelsey. Awesome. I didn't buy anything but I did see lots of stuff I liked, some in the price range, some not. Tried out a fantastic massage pillow (ahhhhh..........) and sampled nearly every item there. I think I probably had about 15+ different pretzel sticks, 15+ different toppings, dips, etc. Jam, dips, salsa, etc. Had a truffle, soup, sausage. But the best was a square of chocolate bundt cakes- LOTS of chocolately goodness packed into just one bite. MMMMmmmmmmm.....

Then my parent stake had a patriotic program that night. Confession here- I mainly went because several immediate and extended family members were participating, I didn't expect more than the choir singing some songs. Well, I wrong. The choir did sing but there was a lot more to it than that! The choir sang Battle Hymn and When Johnny Comes Marching Home, they had a women's trio and a men's quartet singing songs of the post-war era (the trio was a HUGE hit with the audience) But my favorite part was the medely of Armed Forces songs. As per tradition, each man (or woman) stands when there branch is recognized. Some of these men were in their 80's + but seeing them stand proudly really moved me. I appreciated being able to put familiar faces to service. My Uncle Robert served in the army- news to me, or I just plain forgot......

One of the other highlights was a 90 year old fellow from my parents ward being honored for his years of service in, I believe the navy and the army? The emcee read a fitting tribute about his service and his whole face just lit up. Unfortunately, his wife fell earlier that night and cut/bruised her face, but she stayed, I believe she didn't want miss this honor of her husband's! Refreshments were cookies, the large packaged "grandma's cookies" variety.

That night I stayed at my parents and I as I was rummaging through the fridge (with my mom's permission) I found some cheese and tortillas and thought a quesadilla would be really good, with bacon bits and sour cream. I was prepared to just nuke it in the microwave but my mom thought a quesadilla sounded good and so she made them for all of us, cooked on the stove. Wow. Who knew a quesadilla could bring such a smile to my face:?!?!

After Messiah rehearsal the next morning, another grand food experience. Breakfast. With sauteed hashbrowns, kielbasa, fresh pomelo, SO good. Then we all took a quick nap so we could stay awake for the BYU football game and watch them crush Colorado St 49-10.
2 plays of note: a forced fumble picked up by a BYU defender without even breaking a stride, returned for a touchdown. Beautiful. And in the final minute of the game, a 2nd string running back for BYU ran the ball 20 (or more) yards to the 13 yd line. But instead of putting it in for another score, they took a knee. Classy.

Enjoyed dinner at Red Robin with friends that night- personally I thought the my veggie/garden burger tasted just as good as a meat patty, but maybe that's just me.......

Looking Out for Me

Saturday was a FULL day. Messiah rehearsal in the morning, BYU football game, Bohemian Brewery for dinner with friends, and karaoke night at Emily's with more friends. But I LOVED all of it- esp the 55-7 victory BYU had. It makes singing the fight song that much more fun :) And there was a lot more kettle corn left over after because we didn't eat it when the came was getting to tense or disappointing.....



Backtracking to the Messiah, I tried to get a hold of my friend the night before to make sure we were still going together because she wasn't sure. But she didnt' respond to my calls or texts (turns out she was at her parents and her phone was at home) so I called the next morning to ask my Mom for a ride. Here is how the conversation went down.



MOM: Are you OK? (thinking, why are you calling at 6:30 am, what's wrong?)

ME: I'm fine. Can I get a ride with you or Dad to messiah this morning?

MOM: Dad's already at the temple but I can pick you up if you're willing to go early.

ME: OK. What time should I be ready?

MOM: 7:30

ME: So... in 5 minutes (the time was 7:25)

MOM: No, in an hour

ME: Um, Mom. It's 7:25

MOM: (shock and panic)

Somehow her clock had gone to daylight savings on (friday night) and she thought she still had an hour. So, if I hadnt' called she would have missed the whole rehearsal! And she's one of the people in charge..... As we were driving there (after a mad dash to get ready and still look beautiful) which she did. She commented, "That phone call was a tender mercy. Heavenly Father was looking out for me." Indeed. Well said, Mom.



Then it was my turn. My brother dropped me off at home after the game and I called him about 5 minutes later when I couldn't find my keys and my roommate was gone for the day. My mom used to have a spare key but then i gave it to my roommate when she moved in..... My keys weren't in his car, but he was kind enough to take me back to my Mom's house, where we'd been earlier. I got my keys, they were right where I left them and then he was kind enough to take me home. Again. Again, Heavenly Father's hand was involved. And I'm so GLAD for my knowledge that He is involved in the details of our lives!!!!