Are any of you still checking my blog? I know! It has been over two weeks since I posted, but I hope to catch you up on what I've been doing and get back into blogging mode. I started a blog on Monday, May 29th so, I'll start there. I jotted some things down most days since then, so I could blog later and later is now! So, here are the highlights/low lights since my last blog. Don't feel like you have to read it all- I'm doing this so that I have a record more than anything.
MONDAY, MAY 29th
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
I LOVE this time of the year! Today is the day that I pull out my Americana decorations (the ones that aren't already out!) and they will stay out until Labor Day (when I change it over for fall). I have two boxes full of red, white and blue treasures, much of it I made myself!! There is one thing that I find disconcertin
g and that is the country flair that my house takes on with hearts, birdhouses, teddy bears and samplers. But I get over it pretty quick because I love the colors, the stars and the reminder of how blessed I am to live here in the United States! My very favorite decoration- the swags that hang on the front of my house!! It makes me giddy when I drive up to my house and see my big front porch, my white rocking chairs, and my patriotic swags waving in the wind (there is always wind in Lehi)!!!Come over and take a look! I'll keep the lemonade cold!TUESDAY, MAY 30th
FONDUE COOKING
Tonight was my fondue class at Thanksgiving Point. The teacher was Amy Hansen, manager of The Melting Pot in Salt Lake. I was hoping for a more advanced class, but I still had a great time! Amy made two kinds of cheese fondue, fiesta and traditional swiss. (Did you know that although fondue is a french word for to melt, fondue was developed in Switzerland as a way to use up old cheese?)
Then she made two pots for the main course. Both used vegetable broth as the base but one had orange, lime and seasoning, the other had a red wine. She cooked shrimp, duck, lobster, salmon, peppercorn pork, beef tenderloin, filet minion, teryaki chicken, and sirloin steak, as well as potatoes, zuccini, and mushrooms. It was SO yummy! (Did you know that this style of cooking isn't truly fondue? It was developed on the frontier- men would pack all their food in small bundles then drop one in a pot of boiling water and eat straight from the pot as their food finished cooking!)Finally, DESSERT!! We had Oreo Crush with milk chocolate, marshmellowe creme, and crushed oreos and Tempting Turtle with milk chocolate, caramel, and crushed pecans. (Have I mentioned how much I love the USA!! Chocolate fondue was developed in the 1960's in NEW YORK CITY!!)And I learned how to make "gourmet" marshmellows! We dipped them in our chocolate fondue along with strawberries and brownies. Directions: crush whatever you want to coat your mashmellows in until it is very fine (we used oreos and graham crackers). Then mist your marshmellow with a spray bottle full of water. The water makes the marshmellow tacky!! Roll, dry and ENJOY!The hard part about a fondue class is that everything uses alcohol, which they swear burns off or they couldn't be a family restaurant. The drinking ladies next to me were having a grand time talking about what to add to their next fondue pot but I didn't even recognize half of what was mentioned! I still don't feel brave enough to walk into the liquor store, so I'll be finding substitutes for now. But I feel more confident about my fondue and I am excited to try the broth base instead of oil (which was developed by the chinese!!). Did you want to come try my experiments?THURSDAY, JUNE 1st
ALMOST OVER
Tomorrow is my kids' last day of school. They go for a whole hour and a half!! Soren's poor teacher will have 60 kindergarteners at one time because of the district's brilliant scheduling! So, today is the day for programs and graduations.
I went to see Kate's Third Grade Dance Festival this morning. She was WAY cute, doing a twist to Johnny Be Good and the Electric Slide!! Other classes did the Grand March (It was impressive Mom!! They could have kept up with us just fine!!), the Virginia Reel, the Macarena (sp?), and the Boot Scoot 'n Boogie. The organization and sound were TERRIBLE!! But the kids were patient and well behaved, so what can you do?Soren had his Kindergarten graduation program. It lasted 10 minutes! All they did was sing their three favorite songs of the year. It was a little disappointing, especially since Kelly came from work for it! But, it meant A LOT to Soren that we were there and that's why we do it! He was all smiles when he sang, very proud of himself and what he's done this year. His teacher had such good things to say about him! So, Hooray for Soren! He's moving on to first grade!FRIDAY, JUNE 2nd
HOWDY Y'ALL!!
I am headed to Texas for a baby blessing. My brother, Jon, is blessing his first, Kyra, on Sunday. It is the WIERDEST feeling to pack in just a carry on and a purse! No kids, no diaper bags, no strollers or car seats... it is so NOT what I am used to that I had to take this picture! I will miss the blog party tonight- SO sad about that! But I feel like I am supposed to go and I am excited for the time with my family!SATURDAY, JUNE 3rd
BABY, SHOPPING, EATING, more BABY...
Remember how much I love babies? If not, let me just tell you- I LOVE babies!! And it has been SO wonderful to hold this little girl on and off for the last two days! I don't think I could ever get my fill, but it has been a good healthy dose! And I have one more day!
In addition to holding the baby, I have been shopping without kids and without time restraints! What a treat!! We had a girls lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, hit up IKEA (oh the anticipation of one in Utah!!), ran into Costco and after dinner wandered Old Navy and Target. I bought some clothes that I tried on before leaving the store!!It has been a great trip! I have enjoyed every minute! It is delightful to see Angela and Micah, talk with my mom, hold Jon and Val's baby... can't I stay for a week?MONDAY, JUNE 5th
driving...
Nathan and I drove ALL day and ALL night to get back to Utah from Texas. Just when we thought we were making good time, it started to feel like FOREVER until we'd get home! We made it to my house about 12:30am and I am glad we got here safe! But it was a whole heck of a lot of driving! I am SO glad I didn't drive both ways! Thanks Nate, you did! And I couldn't have made the trip if you hadn't!! I had a great time! It was too short and worth it for a hundred reasons!TUESDAY, JUNE 6th
coming home sucks!!
So, the kids had lots of fun with Dad and now that Mom is home and enforcing the rules, they hate me, they scream at me, they scream at each other... it's a good thing I had such a great trip or I'd wonder if it was worth this! I am trying to catch up on laundry (but ran out of soap!) and housework (why is summer so sticky?) and primary stuff, and read my book for bookclub... I forget how much I hate coming home!WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7th
there's a DOG in my house!!?@#
Yes, we are dog sitting. If you are an animal lover, you might want to stop reading now. I am not an animal lover. I am more an animal tolerator, on my good days. I have NO de
sire to own a dog. Or a cat. Or even a fish! Owning an animal is not something I can even fathom. Kelly laughs at this because my objections to animals (especially dogs) are all the same for having children too, but I was willing to have five of those! For me, there is a difference. Baby slobber is much more acceptable than dog slobber. If I lived in Monstropolis, I would be wearing Sour Milk, NOT Smelly Dog! But, my kids love this dog and she has been good. She takes Ethan's abuse, lays on my kids while they watch tv, and sleeps in her kennel through the night. The annoying thing is that she favors me even though I don't like her! I don't hate her though, so I let her lay on my lap and follow me around the kitchen. Kelly thinks I'm going soft. Trust me, I'm NOT! I would watch Roxie again but DON'T ask me to buy her or any other four legged, furry animal!THURSDAY, JUNE 8th
GILEAD
Bookclub is tonight. I am racing to get through this book! It is only 250 pages, but it is such slow reading for me! And I want to love it! The writing, the wisdom, the humor. But, I just feel forced to read it and that always ruins the experience for me. I know my bookclub friends will save it for me, they have saved just about everything but Two From Galilee and that's why I LOVE bookclub!SATURDAY, JUNE 9th
CARS
We went and saw Cars today for Megan's birthday (which is actually tomorrow). I felt really put out at going because of all I have to do and Ethan slept for half the movie which of course means no nap AND extra tired for him but- it was really cute! I think the credits were my favorite part! But the whole thing really was well done. I kept wondering what Collette would think of it- I know she has a thing against talking animals but I don't know how she feels about talking cars!
SUNDAY, JUNE 11th
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!!
Today is Megan's 8th birthday!! I can't believe she is eight! We celebrated with waffles for breakfast, chicken rolls for dinner, and cupcakes with cookie dough ice cream for dessert. Nathan, Ben and Melissa joined us for dessert and presents. She had quite
a stash by the end with sidewalk chalk and velvet coloring posters from Ben and Melissa, new scriptures from Grandma and Grandpa Texas, money to spend from Grandma and Grandpa Hot Tub (who are on a cruise and couldn't join us), a book from Kate, the Chicken Little dvd from Emily, a game from Soren, and Dance Dance Revolution with dance pads from Mom and Dad.
I hope she had a great day! It was hard with family gone and church today. But her baptism is in just a couple weeks and we will celebrate then too! Happy Birthday Megan!
