Easter Sunday

What a wonderful day!

I love Easter Sunday!

And since Doran didn't have any meetings in other wards today, 

I had him all to myself.

Well I shared with the ward.

We had amazing speakers in Sacrament and we sang some amazing songs as a ward.

My favorite song was

Gethsemane

It was one of the most powerful songs we sang.

I hope that the audience felt the same emotion and power we felt.

Even during practice I could not sing this song without getting chills.

I hope you had a fabulous Easter.

Also
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Susette!

It pays to visit your parents

After our Family Dinner and Volleyball night, Cortney and Camri actually stayed the night.

We planned on running with Cortney but we ended up just getting ready for the day and get things done.

We were able to spend Saturday together doing CAR things and PHONE things.

Chelsea went to Salt Lake for Easter parties so we didn't get to see them today and I don't know what Sarah was doing today.

We dropped dads car off to get new struts on the front,

Cortney's car to get it rotated, balanced and 4 wheel alignment,

Camri's car was dropped off to get inspected.

I picked up Daddy, Cortney and Camri and we all went to breakfast.

We then picked Daddy's car up and took it home.

We picked up Camri's car and took it across the street for a new windshield.

Then we went phone shopping.

I actually bought two used phones from an individual that switch carriers.

One for me and one for whoever needed it.

Cortney decided that she will join the phone internet world with the other one.

This way the phone is free to try but her bill would go up.

After we got the phones working we headed to pick up the rest of the cars and headed home so the girls could head on  home.

However....Cortney and I got playing with our phones (they are the same) and Camri was our phone instructor. She informed us of some of the Apps that were a must and how to use them and obviously no one was in charge of pictures for today either.

(This means I got to enjoy my girls company for a little while longer.)

I LOVE it when my family gets together

and 

get-along!

Great day!

(We won't talk about how much the day cost)

That reminds me....

I am overdue for service with my car.

Friday Facts

Today is Doran's day off so....that makes it MY day off too.

I try to get enough hours during the rest of the pay period that I can take the same day off.

Doran headed up for his 8.3 mile canyon run.

I, on the other hand, went running with Dawn.

We went 4.8 miles and YES, I ended on that off number.

I was done!

Dawn made me run the killer hill again.

Her goal is for it to get easier each time.

Psha!

We enjoyed 

FAMILY DINNER and VOLLEYBALL at the church.

The Sister Missionaries joined us too.

Grandma and Grandpa even played volleyball!

I am hoping that they will be able to move the next day, especially grandma, because she fell.

EVERYONE had fun.

I do believe that this will be a Do-Againer!

NEXT time we will get pictures.

Happy Birthday Denise!

Fish and Candy

Right after work before I could put too much thought about running Daddy and I hurried and just got ready to go.

There are too many times I can talk myself out of going because I am always so tired after work and who will make dinner if I go run?

We needed no ride this time.

I don't know why I torture myself.

I don't run for DAYS and then I tell myself I can run up the canyon and back as long as I have Daddy with me.

I told daddy if he ran my pace I would run UP and DOWN the canyon with him.

I do NOT like fish but I DO love candy so I interpret our run much like...

running UP the canyon is like a FISH dinner,

I struggle to chew and swallow all the way up.

running DOWN the canyon is like enjoying a candy bar after you finish your fish dinner.

8.3 miles

Good thing daddy let me walk LOtS and he carried my water.

You are my hero Daddy!

She delivers

No not a baby...

Sitting home on a Sunday afternoon while daddy is at meetings

*I was craving some orange juice.

*I sent out a request for Chelsea to text me some...

and...

SHE DELIVERS!!

the REAL thing.

Thanks Shultz!

El Bandito

Last summer we had plans with my mom and Stan to go camping in Bear Lake and go see El Bandito at the Pickleville Playhouse.

We were so excited to go on this trip!

Reservations made.

Tickets bought.

Trailers packed.

On our way...

until we get in Logan canyon.

The suburban broke down.

FRUSTRATIONS!!

We missed the show AND the dinner at Pickleville.

We have such wonderful neighbors, No Bawlin's, that came and saved us.

We had a tow truck take the truck back to a truck hospital and No Bawlin came and hooked up the trailer to take us home as we sent mom and Stan on their way to at least make it to the dinner.

Daddy and I would regroup and either come up for a visit or try to get a cabin/hotel.

We didn't even get home before Clive talked us in to taking his truck and continue on with our weekend plans. What a sacrifice for him and even though it is hard to borrow something like that, we went ahead and took him home and continued on...anyway....

Fast forward...

I found out that El Bandito was playing in Logan!!

I bought tickets for Daddy and I and mom and Stan.

We enjoyed a meal at Chuck-A-Rama and went across the street to see the show.

It was 

FABULOUS!!

Had tears in my eyes and Daddy even kept laughing.

Guess what we will be doing THIS summer?

AND hopefully

with the WHOLE family!!

Stake Talent Show

With Doran's position on the High Council he is responsible for several things that he used to avoid doing and going to. I guess this is a clue that we should be anxiously engaged in the gospel or you will end up getting callings to MAKE you go and support these things?

This past Stake Talent Show we had a the high school.

Luckily for Doran there was someone called to be over this activity.

Doran had minimal involvement other than to

make sure it happened, to offer help and give the closing prayer.

Brother Naumn notified and assigned each ward in the stake, weeks and weeks prior to the talent night, a topic or part of a song that he wanted the youth to get pictures portraying a verse.

The song he chose was 

FOLLOW THE PROPHET

He then took all the pictures and turned them into a video.

It turned out really cute but too short.

There were displays of talent out in the halls of paintings, scrapbooks, books, quilts.

I think I may have found my talent but that is for another post.

FIVE YEARS

Happy Birthday DAD!!

I still miss you!

My Favorite Things

You can't tell by the length of the videos I made, of the time that was spent on making them but...

it was hours and hours, days and days.

I loved making these.

For Relief Society we had a 

"My Favorite Things" night.

I wanted karaoke music that we could all participate so I made these videos.

We had them show on the big screen pulled down in the cultural hall.

I think they turned out so fun but way too short.

Everyone was asked to bring a favorite item concealed and dropped off in the cultural hall and continue to opening exercises in the Relief Society room.

We took the items out of the sacks and displayed them on the tables.

When they came back in the cultural hall each sister was given a sheet that was numbered and they had a chance to go down the line and try to guess what item belonged to which sister.

When they got back to their seats we sang 

"My Favorite Things"  Part 1 song.

(Make sure you sing along too!)

Our table decorations were aprons, brown paper packages tied up with string,

warm woolen mittens, and snowflakes.

We then enjoyed a wonderful dinner of Teriyaki Chicken,

fresh green beans, stuff-your-own baked potato.

Dessert...

prepared by our Food Committee.

Right before dessert we sang

"My Favorite Things" Part 2

(again, sing along) 

During dessert we drew numbers that matched the tags on the display items and had the sisters tell us what it was and why it is one of their favorite things.

Jolene took her fathers watch and turned it in to a fun woman's watch

I wish we would have started this part at the beginning of dinner and continued until we were all done.

We ran out of time and so I just held each item up and the sister that brought it raised her hand. We really didn't have enough time to say WHY she brought it.

Here are some of the items:

Ruth - Rose

Mickie - framed flowers

Connie - M&M's

Julie - Book of Mormon, drink

Annette - Old Book of Mormon

Beckee - chocolate & remote

Misty - wooden spoon

Eileen - old book

Paige - DVR remote

Jill - Boy Scout wooden boy

Dixie - Crystal dish

Nellie - Pacemaker

Donna - black necklace

Anna Lou - family pictures, Jesus

Kathy - Temple

Jolene - watch

Kathleen - jewelry

Hillsman - lighthouse

Carol - Mickey Mouse

Mary Beth - painting of Temple

Elaine - mini sewing machine

Rosalie - truck with Hot Wheels

Annie - flip flops, kindle, hair bows, movie, cologne

JeriLynn - scrap book pages

Jody - casserole pan

April - Suze Orman book

Joan - family pictures

 - ski pass

Chelsea helped me make a treat bag for each sister.

What are your favorite things?

Second Exit

Daddy and I got another run in this morning.

Since I ran yesterday I only wanted to do a short run

but...

Chelsea dumped us off again up at the 2nd exit in the canyon and told us to run home.

We continued past the house and finally ended at 6.2 because stopping at the house gave us a weird number.

I know, I know.

OCD?

Killer Hill

Daddy needed to get his good run in today so we could run together tomorrow, so he headed off in the morning to do his 8.3 OR 11 mile route.

There was no way I could keep up or go that far so Dawn and I headed out for a 3-5 mile run.

Well we ended up going a little further 

AND

Dawn made me go up Killer Hill.

Why do I call it Killer Hill?

Because it kills me!

Maybe someday I will be able to run all the to the top without stopping....

maybe.

By the time I dropped Dawn off and headed home I thought I would continue running until I met up with dad on his way home. I got a couple of blocks past the house and realized that he probably went 11 miles if he wasn't back already sooo...I turned around and ran home.

I finished at 7 miles.

Oh...and later that morning,
Susette talked us in to signing up for the Mt. Nebo Half Marathon.
I hate PEER pressure!

Facebook for all ages

Say what?

Daddy's mom joined Facebook!

Welcome!

Not sure if we will ever see a post from her but at least she can see what we are doing with our lives when we slack on our blogs.

Canyon Run

For "Family Home-Even" we ran the canyon...again.
Hey! We like it!

Chelsea was such a good doobie again and dumped us off and told us to run home.

YES, he reached out and took my hand.
We. Are. A. TEAM!

Different drop off spot.
5 miles...or more

Running without Daddy

Let me think...what is one of our favorite things to do together? Run, of course but...

Daddy had to work today (Saturday, March 9).

Keirsha, Chelsea's friend, called and asked if I wanted to play racquetball in half an hour. Well I threw off my covers and I hurried and got ready to sweat.

Then I get home and while I am sitting in my sweaty clothes I get on FB. I then get wishing that daddy was home so we could go running so I put out a request for anyone to go running with me. There are not a whole lot of runners up here that I can keep up with OR that are on FB.

My running partner, Dawn, besides daddy, is already showered and out at the yard sales.

I finally get a ping that Sherrie wanted to go with me. WHAT!? Really?

*Sherrie is so fun to run with.

*She is a camel. She doesn't need water.

*She runs LONG distances ALWAYS with a smile on her face. 

*She is such a motivator!

*She always keeps the conversation going, even when you can hardly breath.

*She will always keep with your pace and never make you feel like you are holding her back.

*She does not mind my burping.

We used to run together awhile back but our schedules just didn't fit good.

Chelsea was such a good daughter to take us up the canyon and drop us off. Sherrie added a few more miles on to the regular route that I usually take and by time we got home we ended on a funny number...soooo we continued running until we hit 6.2. She then left me and added a few more million miles.

Thanks so much Sherrie!

Snack Bags

After this post I bet you had a daughter just like me!!!

Chelsea started making me "Snack Bags" for work.

This has been so nice!!

She usually packs me plenty so I can use part of it for breakfast.

This has been awesome for the days that I am running late. (Most days)

There are all sorts of things that I probably wouldn't pack myself because I am too lazy to slice or dice something.

Most of it is healthy which is also a bonus!!

However....!!!!

I may have to have a word with her about looking closer before packing rotten foods.

THIS was in my sack the other day.

I had to hurry and eat the worm before he ate anymore of my apple!!

What's in YOUR snack bag?

Honey Oat Bread

A Betty Crocker I am not, but I wish.

However, this is a Pinterest in Action post.

I tried this bread and we absolutely loved it! It looked good and even TASTED good.

I forgot to put the honey on BEFORE I baked it but it still turned out wonderful by putting honey on it after.

I think we need another go-around. 

Slurp!

Honey Oat Bread
Makes 1 9×5-inch loaf

Ingredients

3 cups (381 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cups oats (I have used instant and old fashioned, both work great)
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup (250 ml) milk (almond or soy milk for vegan/dairy free)
1/4 cup (62 ml) lukewarm water
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter or margarine
1/4 cup honey (agave for vegan)

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave), warmed
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons oats

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oats, yeast, and salt.

In a small bowl, or two cup (450 ml) measuring cup, warm the milk so that it’s hot enough to melt the butter, but not boiling. Add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the water and honey.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, mixing with a dough hook until it just comes together to form a dough. Knead in the mixer, with the dough hook attachment, for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic (if you’re making this recipe by hand, the dough will be very sticky at first; flour your hands and work surface generously and be patient). If the dough is still very wet and sticky after 5 minutes of kneading, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is barely tacky. If the dough is too dry, add water, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) at a time, to soften it up.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Once doubled, place the dough on a clean, dry work surface. If the dough is too sticky, lightly flour the surface before continuing. With your fingers, flatten the dough into a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Tightly roll the dough, tucking the ends as needed, into a loaf. Place the shaped dough into a 9×5-inch loaf pan, cover with a clean dry towel, and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C). Place an empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven and bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

When the loaf is doubled again, brush the top with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the oats.

Place the bread in the oven and pour the boiling water into the empty loaf pan on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown and the internal temperature is about 190 degrees.

Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

Recipe by Darla

I got the recipe HERE. She has step by step pictures.

Canyon Date

Last Friday Doran had the day off so he ran UP the canyon and back home.

So on Saturday we did it again.

The weather was PERFECT!

35 degrees.

Since he already ran it the day before he wouldn't mind waiting for me while I did my wogging. (walk/jog)

It had been a couple of weeks since I started running again but I would do my best.

I told him I would go ahead and try to go UP the canyon and home as long as I could walk as much as I needed too.

He is such a trooper!! He even carried water for us me.

When it is cooler he doesn't need the water, but I do!

It is 4 miles up to where we turn around and I did a bunch of walking but I also did more running that I thought I would.

Then downhill was pretty good. I even did pretty good going UP over the over pass.

When we reached home we were at 8.3 miles.

Psha! That is a odd number to stop on so I told him let's keep going until 8.5.

Well we hit that and I was still feeling ok and we would have stopped in a funny place on the road so...

we kept going.

8.75 

keep going I said

We might as well make it to 9 miles.

We made it!!!

This is one of our favorite things to do together!

Thanks Daddy! You are my HERO!

Land of Oz

Our February Relief Society meeting was magical, inspiring and just good fun!

All our sisters were invited to the "Land of Oz!"

Why?! You say?!

Because, because, because because, because, because of the wonderful things it does!!!

We started out in the Relief Society room with the opening exercises followed by Dorothy (Our Relief Society President) making a very important announcement!

Jolene

She told us that a letter had just arrived from the Wizard of Oz!

He wanted the sisters to come visit in the "Land of Oz"! He said that there were some pointers in visiting teaching that we needed to know first.

But not to worry!!!

She will safely guide us to the Scarecrow

symbolic of (knowledge & inviting the Spirit)

Mary Beth

Then to the Tin woMan

symbolic of (Loving & Caring for your Sisters)

Elaine

Last but not least the Lion!

symbolic of (Courage in visiting teaching)

Connie

Each sister (character) had a special message prepared to share with the Sisters in a very insightful way. The Spirit was there in each of the separate, prepared rooms!

Happily the sisters went from room to room singing "we're off to see the Wizard" & Lions and Tigers and Bears! OH! MY! Arm in arm, skipping along the way!!!---

But watch out!

There is a wicked witch floating around, trying to convince us not to do our visiting teaching!

Jody

The Tin Man needed to be oiled before she could begin.

There were signs like this all over the room.

Dorothy leads them safely through the back part of the cultural hall where the sisters follow the

  yellow brick road (made by paper to look like yellow bricks!)

At this point the sisters break out singing-

Follow the yellow brick road!

Follow the yellow brick road!

What's the first thing they see wen they go into the cultural hall in the

Land of Oz?

That wicked witch's hat & cape lying on the floor in a puddle!!!

Then they see this large sign.

All the sisters agreed that they did not want to have a melt down like that wicked witch did!!!

We then all sat down safely in our seats in the "land of oz".

Then we look up & see -- the witch's bike & Toto in the basket!!!

Oh No!

Whew!!! It's okay!

It was just a reminder that she was really there!

The sisters then relax and enjoy a song called "Miracles"

sung beautifully by Sister Kathy Gifford (accompanied by April Bays)

followed by a very touching testimony by

Relief Society President Jolene Hansen (Dorothy).

We ended with a closing prayer and refreshments which included, balloons on tables & colorful table cloths with refreshing green sherbet punch & "Ding Dong, the witch is dead" ding dongs.

Thank you gifts for speakers

This meeting was very successful in inspiring the sisters in visiting teaching and in the process, uniting the sisters happily together!----

It pays to have a creative artist working with you.
Thanks Tyson for our yellow brick road!!

Until next time...