Halloween 2011

Going for a walk...

There is a bike path that I have driven past many times and wondered where it went. Today, I fed my little girlies breakfast and we got out the bikes and the stroller and drug Lisa and baby along with us. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

We walked about 1 1/2 miles (girls complaining all the way about WHY we were doing this and how tired they were and how hot it was...you know the drill) before we even found the beginning of the path. Once we did however, the little ladies seemed to be rejuevenated and took off on their own down the paved path along a raging river! It was shady (and therefore a little cooler, thank goodness) and wove its way along back yards that line the river banks. It turned out to be a beautiful walk/ride that they are determined to take their father back to maybe tonight.

We finally decided to head back home. I'm not sure how far we went but we were gone for 2+ hours. I had to have a nap this afternoon! It also reminded me of a quaint little tune "Pioneer children sang as they walked, and walked and walked and walked and walked....and walked". Next time, I think we will drive to the trail head and just enjoy the bike path as it was intended!

New Grandbaby Camryn

Camryn Alexis Melvin was born on Wednesday, June 8, 2011. She weighs 7 lbs. 8.3 oz. and is very cute! Momma Lisa and baby are doing well!

I was there for the birth and it was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced! What a miracle new life is. She is perfect in every way and is such a sweet little thing. She has a very husky, deep voice and is not afraid to let us know what she wants. Welcome little one!

Back to School

Here is a picture of Lisa and Rory home for the weekend....it just happened to be Lisa's birthday weekend. School starts for them both in St. George at Dixie State on August 23rd.

All of the other kids are all officially back to school as of yesterday, August 25th. This little cutie (granddaughter Marisa) starts into kindergarten this year! Fun times!!

Another One Leaves the Nest

This is our beautiful daughter Lisa who left for greener pastures this past Saturday. She has moved to St. George where she will work for the summer and start college in the fall. I had a hard time saying good-bye to her. I am excited for her to begin this new phase of life, but feeling very melancholy about the whole situation. Maybe because she was my baby for so long....maybe because after having 4 older siblings preceed her in moving out, I realize what it really means when a child moves away from home (and how it is never the same again)...and maybe just because in the past few months especially, we have become very close and I am going to miss my little buddy. Good luck Lisa...we all miss you terribly! Love you!

Grandkids are the Greatest

Look at these darling babies!! Oh, being a grandma is the greatest thing ever! Dylan, Marisa and Cambria.

Sisters' Weekend and 2nd 5K Race

I have the most adorable husband in the world! He just kept the kids for me for 3 whole days, while I went off to play with some of my favorite people...my little sisters. We have been holing up in a hotel room (not too far away from home!) for the past couple of days. We attended our church's "Women's Conference" at BYU where we went to classes on how to be less critical, how to evaluate our lives and re-set our priorities, how to have more meaningful prayers, improve our marriages and be better parents. I have been going every spring for the past 5 years and I come home re-charged and motivated to improve my life! Wish me luck!! I could use some improvement!

Wednesday was my sister Nancy's birthday and so we celebrated with dinner and a movie. Thursday night we attended a concert, Friday we ate out again (seems to be a favorite past time) and hung out in the hot tub. We also ATE and ATE and ATE....stuff like BYU's famous mint brownies with walnuts, and chocolate covered cinnamon bears (my favorite!).

This morning, however, there was no junk food in sight! We got up at 6:30 AM to get ready to run in the Provo City Half Marathon and 5K. It was so cold! About 41 degrees...and part way (I'm guessing about 3/4 of a mile into the 5K) it began to rain/snow/hail on us. When we got to the finish line we were soaking wet and pretty chilly. Magelby's had a french toast breakfast that they provided for all the runners and as we stood in the park, in the rain and the cold, waiting for the results to be announced....it started to snow/rain a little bit harder.

This was a first race for 2 of my sisters and 1 in particular was excited to find out her time and to see if she may have placed in her age group. Some of us (ok, mostly me) didn't really care to hang out in the rain to find out how I had done (there were hundreds of people who ran the 5K and what are the odds???)...and just wanted to head back to the hotel and that delicious hot tub. Since she wasn't ready to leave for the hotel without knowing the results...we decided to wait it out in the car where at least we could get out of the rain/snow and turn a heater on. About half an hour later, she came back to the car with a big smile and a medal around her neck!! She won 3rd place in her age group. Wahoo!

End of story? NO! She had a medal in her pocket for me! I also placed 3rd in my age group! I guess I don't deserve the medal, for not sticking it out in the rain to claim it...but it made being cold ALMOST worth it. And ultimately after about an hour in the hot tub, our body temperatures returned to normal and we feel like real people again! Maybe next time we ought to try a 10K!

Earthquake in Chile and Missionaries

This is a picture of my neice Alyssa who is serving a mission in Bruin, Chile which is close to Santiago. This is her description of what they experienced that morning:

"The earthquake hit pretty hard, but we didn't have nearly as much damage as surrounding cities... The morning it happened (about 3 am our time) we ran out of the house (if you can call if running, it was almost impossible) to the open ground in front and huddled together until the earthquake passed. Luckily nothing happened. We didn't have water or electricity for a while, but the sisters we live with took care of us and gave us candles, and we have a large reserve of water (mission rules). We had a hard time going back to sleep. We keep having tremors and we wake up every time a car passes by because it sounds like another tremor coming.

In areas where the earthquake hit the hardest, people are robbing the stores, and because of that the police are guarding ours pretty heavily. It took us an hour to get out of the lines."

After the earthquake there last week, they were told to "store as much" as they could. When their mission president came by to check on them and they showed him their supply he laughed at them and took a picture for them to send home with their weekly letters. Very obedient girls!

They still have water and electricity and things are beginning to get back to normal there. Although, they have had several tremors throughout the week and she said that they are being told to stay inside, only going out with permission and to appointments that were previously set. They are also to dress in "preparation day" clothes (which means pants and tennis shoes instead of the normal dresses). They are going to be taking supplies and food to nearby places where there is more loss and damage.

Because of the magnitude of the earthquake, the earth's axis has actually shifted....making the days shorter. Interesting food for thought.

Trip to Disney World and Cruise to W. Carribean

This December was my parents 50th wedding anniversary! So we talked them into taking a two week vacation with us and my sister Sue and her hubby. We stayed in a condo in Florida and did the whole Disney World thing for a week, then left for a week long cruise to the Western Carribean. It was sooooooo much fun! I love cruising. I am ready to go again!

Family Biggest LOSE-ORR Contest and Newspaper Article

This is an article done recently about my brother-in-law and his amazing weight loss story (well my entire family's weight loss saga). It's unbelievable!!! Check it out! Way to go Stephen!

My Girls!

With 3 hair stylists in the family it is not surprising that this is how the girls spent the 4th...not sure where Katie was!

4th of July

Dad is doing dishes.....Here is what the other men in my life did on the 4th of July!! :)

St. George Trip and Tuacahn

I was lucky enough to be able to travel south with 3 of my sisters and my parents to St. George, Utah to attend the play "Footloose" at an outdoor ampitheatre recently. We had a great time. It was nice to be somewhere a little warmer than 60 degrees for a day or two. We even spent a lazy afternoon by the pool one day! Our good husbands took care of the house and kids for 4 whole days! It was heavenly! I guess I owe you, dear! Left to right: Susan, Kellie, Nancy and me. Just look at the red rock backdrop! It is so beautiful there. Mom and Dad! I'm not sure they knew what they were in for when they agreed to go on a trip with their wild and crazy daughters. Dad thought we were going to see "Any Which Way but Loose"you know, the movie with Clint Eastwood and the ape! I'm not sure they knew what "Footloose" was before this!

This is a picture of all of us standing in front of the St. George, Utah temple..

DUMP CHICKEN

I found a website that has a bunch of "dump chicken" recipes that sound easy and yummy. Here is the one I decided to try for dinner tonight!

Spicy Sweet Glazed "DUMP" Chicken

2 tsp. minced garlic
2/3 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tsp. tabasco sauce
1 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces (can be frozen)

Put in ziplock bag and freeze. For immediate cooking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (45-60 min. for chicken pieces, or 20-30 min. for chicken breasts).

To cook from frozen: thaw overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Empty the contents of bag into large baking dish and bake until juices run clear (45-60 for pieces and 20-30 for chicken breasts).

I doubled the recipe, but NOT the tabasco. I think my kids might not love it that hot. I tasted the sauce and it reminds me of buffalo wing sauce. You could taste the tabasco, but it was not overpowering.

Nutrition information: 277 calories; 12 g total fat; 16 g protein; 28 g carbohydrate; 70 mg cholesterol; 1145 mg sodium.

*Note: I made mine with 0 pt. jam (no sugar) and pulled the skin off the chicken pieces. WW points=thigh 3 pts., drumstick 1 pt.

My childhood summer vacation retreat

I just learned that a historic building in my summer vacation town burned down last Tuesday. This is a picture of the National Park where it was located. We have a family cabin there and go every summer. Pretty dramatic pictures of the burning structure, eh?

It makes me sad. When I walk around town to exercise (and I mean literally walk around the outside of the town) this was on the pathway by the lake that is about halfway. I wonder if they will be allowed to rebuild. It was built in 1911. Here is a link to the newspaper story about it.

Jauary Freezer Meal Recipes

Okay, I admit it. I am trying potatoes in the freezer for the first time. But I found a link where a woman describes how she does all kinds of potatoes for the freezer and I am giving it a shot. These are the best oven fries I have ever eaten, I will let you know how they do in the freezer! After all, wouldn't it be wonderful to pull out precooked fries (homemade and yummy) to go with a meal, or maybe even Roasted Red Potatoes?? I will let you know! This is my mom's made from scratch Sloppy Joe recipe too...love the curry! Enjoy.

Sloppy Joes
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Mix and brown. Drain off grease (if necessary) and add 1 T. flour.

Add:
2 cups ketchup
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. curry powder
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Simmer on low heat for 2 hours. The longer you simmer, the thicker it will be.

From freezer: defrost overnight and warm on stove. (Add a little water, if needed.) Serve on hamburger buns.

Oven Fries (wedges)
6 unpeeled, medium sized potatoes cut into 6-8 lengthwise wedges
Canola Oil (just enough to coat potatoes)
Spices:
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. sugar

Wash potatoes and leave skins on. Slice into eighths, lengthwise. Put oil, potato wedges and spices in gallon sized Ziploc bag and toss until evenly coated (or stir together in large bowl). I add a little sugar to the spices to help brown and crisp the wedges. Place on non-stick baking sheets or baking sheets sprayed with non-stick spray; bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. (These will only be partially cooked.) Place on brown paper bags or paper towels to cool. Place on clean cookie sheets and freeze solid. Place in labeled freezer bags and return to the freezer.

To cook from frozen: DO NOT DEFROST!! Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, turning halfway through. Cooking time will depend on the size of the fries or wedges. The oven fries can also be finished in a deep-fryer.

Hey, thanks, PBS!!

We were driving in the car with several of our kids (I think we were on the way to Grandma's funeral). Our son, Matt was riding in the back seat with the little girls. He started to laugh! I asked him what was so funny and instead of answering me, he proceeded to ask Kelsey (our 5 year old) where she had heard that word. "Word Girl." came the answer. I guess I have PBS to thank for educating my baby! Apparently it was "sweltering" in the back seat! We could all use a couple more words like "sweltering" in our vocabularies! I think I will start watching "Word Girl" myself.

Thoughts on Ear Piercing and Parenting...

My girls have all gotten their ears pierced for their 8th birthday. Katie just turned 8 and couldn't wait for the big event! Kelsey will be 6 in February and really wanted her ears pierced, too. So, being the worn-out mother that I am, I figured "what the heck" and I let them BOTH get their ears pierced. You know, kind of a 2 for 1 deal....1 trip to the mall, 1-6 week stint of applying ear solution and twisting earrings. I guess am just getting old and tired! Well, you should have heard some of my other girls complain about it (who, of course, all had to wait until they were 8 for the blessed event...you would have thought I had just committed some major injustice!). Well, all I have to say is....."Get used to it, girls!" I am old, I am tired and if it's the easy thing to do I will probably do it again! ;)

I am finding that I say yes more easily and more often...which benefits all of them! I am still trying to be a diligent parent, but some of my hard and fast rules have become soft and slow!! Hopefully it is not only because I am old and tired, but because I have learned a little something about parenting that I didn't know before and discovering not everything I thought in the beginning of my life as a parent was accurate!! good or true. Here's to always trying to improve and hoping to someday get it right!

Happy 19th Lauren!

Last week we had yet another birthday!! Lauren turned 19 on Thursday. Happy Birthday, cutie! I am so proud of her. She just graduated from Evans School of Cosmetology yesterday, too! She has been plugging away now for just over a year. She gets up and gets herself off every morning, no complaints, no sleeping in, she just gets up and gets it done! She is a hard working gal, too. She has been working part-time for most of the time that she has been in school....and they love her, because she really knows how to work! She is a beautiful, fun loving, tender-hearted sweetheart and we are so happy to have her be a part of our family! Love you Lauren! Hope you had a good day. Good luck with the exams in the next couple of weeks. (Just when I thought we were finished with birthdays until after Christmas, I learned that Lauren's boyfriend, Chris (pictured above) has a birthday on Dec. 11.....I told him he couldn't marry Lauren as we already have too many pre-Christmas birthdays.) :)

More Hallowe'en Pictures

This is my son Matt ("V" from V for Vendetta) and his wife, Kelli (ladybug!).

Left to right, Michelle, Matt, me, Stacy, Marisa, Dylan, Katie and Kelsey. Five of my seven kids, and two grandkids in this picture!

My sweet DIL, Kelli posted these pictures on her blog! Had to show you how cute my little family is! We went to their house before we went trick or treating and took these.