Let Them Be Little

COSTA RICAN SEA TURTLES

Little Miss Megan fell in love with so much of Costa Rica.

One of the top three on her 'favorites' list was her interaction with the sea turtles.

Late one night, while on a night hike, they had the rare opportunity to watch an adult female sea turtle (or as Meg called her, "a mama turtle") lay her eggs.

Megan said it took a little over an hour for the entire process, they could not take photos because it would interrupt the process but they were able to watch it all. (Twenty four 13-14 year old kids were quiet and not intrusive for over an hour!)

This "mama turtle" (female) was around 4 feet long; a pretty large turtle!

She dug her hole with her back feet quite far from the water, so the eggs would be safe at high tide.

(Most female turtles have a homing instinct so they return to the beach where they were born, that is so neat!)

She then began to lay her eggs, around 90 eggs total in her clutch (nest).

Once she had finished laying her eggs, the kids watched her cover them up and camouflage the area around the clutch so the eggs would be kept safe.

After the female completed the entire process, she returned to the ocean.

The warm sand becomes the incubator for the eggs and the baby sea turtles (hatchlings) dig their way out of their nest at the same time, about two months later. The hatchlings weigh as much as a pencil and can fit in the palm of a hand; they are tiny!

They must make their way to the ocean on their own and it is not an easy thing. They have to go fast to remain safe from the sea gulls and crabs, etc.

One day while the global leadership kids were cleaning up a beach as a service project, they were also able to see baby sea turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean.  They were not allowed to help any of them, though. (That would have been hard for me.)

Megan said that 70 of the 90 made it to the ocean and when they reached the water, "they looked so happy!" Their little flippers would start fluttering back and forth quickly when they hit the ocean and she said she thought they looked "relieved." Cute.

 

One of her teachers brought this funny little stuffed turtle to compare to the hatchlings:

 

 Go little turtles, GO!

They must swim to the waters of the open sea and remain there until they are young adults.

If they survive the first 10 years, the most dangerous years of a sea turtle's life, they have a great chance of making it to age 80 and beyond!

 

And just for fun, here is a photo of a very popular sea turtle:

DO YOU GET TIRED OF THE SAME OLD SIDES?

I get tired of mine, at times.

No, I'm not referring to my love-handled sides, although I am tired of those too...

These sides are for dinner, as in side-dishes.

It seems the "sides" of the meal can get into a rut around here.

We love fresh, fresh, fresh.

And in the winter months, sometimes it is a little difficult to find some variety.

In looking for some variety, I went back to something I enjoyed a while ago.

(Is it weird that I go through food cycles? And then I have to remind myself of things I once cooked?)

Since I must be cycling again, I thought someone else might be looking for a way to change things up as well.

So, I thought I would share with you a way to prepare spaghetti squash. It's a way that I like to eat it.

It is simple and not time consuming at all.

You will need a very sharp knife though! Please don't use a dull knife, or a wimpy knife, you might cut yourself.  It is hard to cut into squash.

Alright-y then,

it is called spaghetti squash  because of the way the squash will come out in strands when it cooks, resembling spaghetti. (It can be even be used like noodles!)

When picking out good spaghetti squash, you want to look for one (or two) that is uniform in color and heavy for it's size. Avoid any with soft spots.

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash lengthwise (from blossom to end) with a very good chef's knife. (If you don't have one, you may need to pierce through the flesh with a large fork and bake it whole for an hour or so, it will cut more easily once baked).

Once cut, scoop out the seeds and strands in the middle.

Lay the squash cut side down on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet.

 

Bake for 20-30 min. (until the squash gives way when you press the middle of it with your thumb).

 See?!  (Insert thumb here! Ha, ha!)

 

Let rest and cool slightly (or as long as you want). I cook it and let it rest while I finish the rest of dinner. Just before serving dinner, I finish the squash. It is that fast and easy!

Isn't that beautiful?

 

When ready to finish up the dish, melt a little butter (1-2 TBSP or so per squash) in a pan.

You may prefer to use olive oil instead but the butter gives a really yummy flavor to the squash.

Once the butter begins to foam a little, add some minced (fresh) garlic. 1-2 cloves. (How much garlic you use really depends on how much spaghetti squash you have and how much you like garlic, 1 clove per squash is a good place to start).

Let garlic saute a bit but don't brown the garlic. 

Scoop out the flesh of the squash with a fork and add it to the garlic butter. Mm.Mm. I can smell it just thinking about it.

 Let the squash saute for a few minutes to thoroughly warm it through.

Add 1 - 2 TBSP  finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley.

Season with freshly grated sea salt and pepper to taste.

Give it a couple of stirs and serve!

 

I have also added chopped green onions to this and it is yummy.

There are lots of variations. Such as: chopped tomatoes, garlic and onion sauteed and then served with a little fresh mozzarella or freshly grated parmesan.

You really can do most any thing with it.

 

* Spaghetti squash contains about 37 calories per 4 oz. serving. (Now, that's before you add the butter or anything else to it).     :)      And it is packed with vitamins and fiber.

Good stuff for our sides! (wink, wink!)

 

Garlic Butter Spaghetti Squash

(We'll name it that...unless you can think of a better one? If you do, let me know)

1 - 2 Spaghetti Squash, sliced in half lengthwise and cleaned out.

2 - 4 Tbsp Butter

1 - 2  Garlic cloves, freshly minced

1 - 2 Tbsp  Italian Flat Leaf Parsley

Freshly grated sea salt and pepper to taste.

 

Bake the halved and cleaned-out squash for 20-30 minutes on a greased, rimmed cookie sheet at 400 degrees, until the flesh gives way. (Cover the cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up).

Let rest for a few minutes. 

In large saute pan: melt butter, add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Careful to NOT brown the garlic. (If that happens, discard the garlic and try to save the butter before it burns!)

Scoop out the strands of spaghetti squash using a fork and add to the garlic butter.

Let the squash saute for a few minutes.

Add finely chopped flat leaf parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Give it a couple of stirs to warm through and serve immediately.

 

*Note: whatever you wish to add to the squash would be really good! It goes well with nearly everything. Very agreeable!  :)

 

 

SHE'S HOME!

And here is a little proof:

Megan with her Global Leadership teacher.

Homecoming's are the BEST! This little gal came out of the international travel area with the entire group and I couldn't see her! She was behind other, bigger kids and I began to frantically search for her. Suddenly, there were very strong little arms around me and the sweetest little gal was giving me the HUGEST hug while bursting into tears! Which made me cry. She was happy while she was gone but once she saw me, it hit her.

I am so thankful that she could go and have a wonderful and life-changing experience and I am so very happy that she is home again!

She took some fun photos while in Costa Rica, we've looked at them and listened to great stories and experiences and I can't wait to share more!

She is doing very well. But with 3 hours of sleep last night, she was very, very tired by the time we finished dinner...(OH! I need to tell you about my BIG mistake with dinner in the next post). She went to a church youth meeting tonight though, as tired as she was - I think she has learned to sleep with her eyes open.  :)

Since it is late and I am off to bed, I will not share much but I want to share a few photos and her favorites.

When I picked her up from the airport (and got her away from the rest of her group), I asked her, "Top 3 favorites, GO!" 

She immediately stated, "Baby sea turtles, zip-lining, and helping the children at the school and daycare facility."

She really wants to help a little village that touched her heart while they were serving there.

Okay, I really could go on and on about everything she said but I have to save it for later...

Pura Vida!

NATHAN AND EMILY ROAD TRIP

to Dinosaur Land!

Last weekend Nathan and Emily took some of their friends out to visit my parents and see the dinosaur fossils. There were ten of them in their group, two car loads.

It sounds like they all had a great time.  There were several girls in the group who are from Ecuador, Nathan's friend, Alejo, from Colombia and others. 

Emily brought her friend, Mary, who is from my favorite state, WA.  :) 

(I think my folks were glad that Mary speaks English, ha, ha!)

My folks were very impressed with this group of kids! They said they were a really great young people.

One girl told my mom that she had learned about the dinosaur quarry and fossils from a textbook at school in Ecuador and she was so excited to get to see it all in person. She never thought she would have such an opportunity. As my mom described how thrilled this young lady was to see the dinosaur bones, etc., I couldn't help but think back to when I would bring my foreign friends to visit my parents. They were always very excited to visit my folks and see Dinosaur Land.

It also reminded me of how thrilled I have been when I have had the opportunity to read and study about another country and then see it in person.

It's so great that they could all go out there together. It makes me feel really happy that the kids would want to go visit their grandparents and take a big group of friends with them.  I really love that!

 

My nieces, Aliya and Breanna, were able to spend the day with them also. How fun for them to get to hang out with a college crowd and their (older) cousins!

 

 

I have had to steal some of the photos from Mary's blog (thanks Mary!) and FB. I wish someone had a photo of the group with my parents...maybe there is one out there somewhere...I hope...

A WONDERFUL EMAIL FROM COSTA RICA THIS MORNING

Hearing from this group in Costa Rica makes my heart so happy!

Here is the note we received today:

 

Hello all.

First, I want to apologize for the emails that aren't going through.  I've been using the same list from throughout the year, so I am not sure what is happening.

Second,  want to thank you for your patience.  As I said at our meetings, we are very go, go go here.  It is difficult to find the opportunity to email, but I know it is important for you to hear what is happening.  That is why I also could not promise to send pictures, but I was glad to be able to send a few.  I hope you enjoyed them and were able to share them with one another!

Yesterday was amazing!  The students worked in a local school and painted a classroom and a cafeteria inside and out!  It was a tough job--three hours of work for 28 of us.  I'm so proud of them--the teachers were very excited and thanked us multiple times.  After that, some of the local school kids challenged us to a game of soccer.  I have to say that they schooled us pretty badly--even when we ALL played against them (a team of 12)--we had 28.  It was fun though. :)  The students gave the school the equipment that was donated and the school kids and teachers give thanks to our families.

We are going to give the cash donations to the local foundation here that puts together school packs for needy children.  Thank you all again for your generosity.

After the soccer game, we went kayaking and rafting in the Sarapiqui river--in which there are no rapids but just a gentle current.  It was a lot of fun and a great way to cool off together.  We also got to see where Will Smith was filming just the day before we got there!  I'll let the students tell you more.

Last night we arrived back right at dinner and then headed to Tirimbina for a bat talk.  We learned about the different types of bats and their importance in our ecosystem.  I will say that the kids were so tired...that we didn't have to knock on too many doors to tell them lights out. :)

I need to go now because we are loading the bus--but I do want to say how proud I am of all your students.  Being away from home and learning/experiencing/trying/

risking/playing/working in a foreign country is not easy for anyone.  However, this group is really growing together and are strong.  They are each bringing something to the group, and it is great to see them share their true selves with one another.   They are doing great, and I know they are all excited to see you and share their experiences.

We look forward to seeing you all at the airport tomorrow.
Pura Vida,
The Costa Rica Gang

NEWS FROM COSTA RICA!

FINALLY!

The teachers had let us know that they might not be able to have much (if any) contact, via email, with us but promised to send a quick something if they could.

I didn't expect to hear from them but I hoped we might...

and tonight we did!

They said the kids are all doing great and are having a wonderful time!

Here is part of the note we received tonight:

"Today we went to an organic two acre farm and the students learned all kinds of things with plants (they even learned some math).  The farm is amazing--we had a delicious lunch there as well.  Some students were even brave enough to try a hot pepper right out of the garden...it was hot!!!

I've attached a picture of the kitchen at the farm--they can feed 40 people every day--Tilapia, pigs, cows, chickens, and a beautiful garden.  Everything is so fresh."

 Doesn't that look great?! (I think I could really have some fun right there!)

I know you are anxious (as I was) to see Meg in a photo, I was so excited to see that they did send a photo with the kids (Meg!).

I couldn't hardly contain myself while I waited for these photos to load!

Meg is on the far left, front row, orange helmet.  Cute girl!!

And the next photo is also very cute! A baby sea turtle! (And that colorful beach! Wow!)

I certainly cannot wait for Sunday to come and for time with her to hear ALL about it!

 

 

SO HAPPY THAT WE ARE NOT YET EMPTY NESTERS

 

 Have I posted this photo of Smash and Emily on here already?  I can't remember. But it's a favorite!

 

I am really thankful that Smash has been here this week while Meg has been gone.

And I have been trying to help him feel extra special because he is the only one home - and with school and homework still, it can't be all that fun.

I have been leaving little treats for him.

It is vegetable week around here - he LOVES veggies - so I have been making a lot of his favorite foods - loaded with vegetables.  And BREAD!  Of course, bread!  He loves bread even more than veggies.

Every day this week I have been so anxious and happy to see him after track.  I can't wait until he spots the little treat, or the little gift (like a soft t-shirt or sweats he needs for track), or the food that I have waiting for him.

He gets so excited and exclaims things like, "SCORE!" or "SWEET!" or "SWEET-SAUCE!" (which is totally new to me - do your kids say "sweet sauce?").  But I love it, no matter what it is that he says, I love it.

And I love him.

He keeps the FUN-meter gauge at high; that's BIG FUN!

Even when he is not happy and is cranky (he can get cranky- ooo-eee!), I love him to pieces.

Tonight I was so excited for him to get home.  I had stayed home all day - yesterday was a beautiful day but I spent it at the doc and PT offices mostly - today was cold and I hurt all over, in part because of yesterday, so I stayed in.

The afternoon was spent baking mostly.  I made homemade rolls and cherry butter for him.  Some of the roll dough I made into monkey bread (with chocolate chips). I knew he would love the  homemade rolls and the monkey bread would send him happily to the moon. And it did! I made one loaf pan of that ooey-gooey, very sticky and yummy bread and I think he may have eaten half of the loaf.

We also had homemade Cream of Asparagus Soup, which he loved.  Glad it sounded and tasted good to him after track.

So, when he came in from track tonight, I had his house shoes (that Nate brought back from Argentina) waiting for him by the door and the food hot and ready for him. Although I wasn't in the room with him when he came in, I could hear him and in my mind's eye I could see him! The word tonight was "SCORE!" and I know he had his arm up with a pumping fist accompanying the word "SCORE!".

And then he was like a dog with a bone - couldn't get at it fast enough!

Made me so very happy!

So, when we eventually become empty-nesters, I plan to teach Jonathan these words and accompanying actions - for my enjoyment!  :) 

 

CANCER TAKES MANY OF THE ONES WE LOVE FROM US

and we are often left to wonder why.

We are currently praying for several young parents who have to fight this cancer fight right now.

Why do young, wonderful people have to suffer from such a difficult disease and why do they have to leave this world too early?

We wonder how their spouses and children will be able to cope and continue on.

How will our Heavenly Father touch them individually and let them know they are not alone?

I have faith that he does just that.

I feel that since he knows each of us, he will find a way to personally touch the hearts and minds of those in need in a way that will speak peace to their (our) souls.

My cousin went through this several years ago. Her husband suffered and then died from cancer on his 40th birthday. She was just a young mom with 4 sons and 1 daughter.

 One of her sons (who was 10 years old when his dad passed away) has composed an inspiring piece of music and set that to photos and powerful words that tell a part of his own story of coping with the loss of his father.

As the music and words in the video speak alongside the images of deep and abiding love, it is clear to me that the Lord was so very mindful of this young boy at a time when he needed the reassuring love of our Heavenly Father and the healing power of our Savior.

My cousin has given permission for me to share this video here, thanks Laylene. (If it isn't showing up for you, you will have to visit my blog directly).

 

 

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

John 14:18 I will not leave you comdortless: I will come to you.

 

**If you would like to leave a message for Spencer here, feel free to comment and I will pass that along to him.

HIS SMASH-ING WEEKEND

So he doesn't have Costa Rica but he has us!  Hahahahaha!

 Isn't that the prize every teen wants?  More time with the folks?

 We have been trying to make this week as nice as possible for the Smash-man.

 He attended a BYU-EFY express. An EFY (Especially for Youth) experience in your own area and for only one day.

 I made buttermilk scones (the really good but very fattening, deep-fried variety) with a choice of raspberry sauce, fresh strawberries or honey butter.

 Since he had a day off from school for President's Day on Monday, he and Jon went skiing - a rather presidential decision.  :) They had a great time - even though they nearly froze their noses off! 

 Seriously.

 The day began for them at about 4 degrees with flurries, when the sun came out it warmed things up a bit - only a bit - and the wind was brutal!

 Look at the very red face below.

 The photo, taken with Jonathan's cell phone, is blurry but you can still see that Smash was VERY cold!

 I'm so glad they had a great time anyway.

 

 

Jonathan asked me to "FIX" the photo below...ha, ha!

He has such faith. 

I could crop around his thumb but why would I do that?  I did, however, try to sharpen up Smash so he wouldn't be quite as blurry...

 

Smash didn't seem to have that trouble when he took a photo of his dad.

I know it was terribly frigid but it is so very beautiful on top of that mountain!

This makes me so happy to see them out doing these types of things together. 

And I love that we live in a place, where right in our own 'backyard' are lots of adventures for us to enjoy.

 

 

 

NERVOUS BUT EXCITED

to leave.

For most of the time we were at the airport with Megan, she had her arms folded across her body and her hands inside her sleeves.  She wasn't cold, just nervous. Once the rest of her Global Leadership group got there, she began to over compensate.  I haven't really ever seen her quite that nervous before, not even during her gymnastics years.

Although she was nervous, I could tell that she was also very excited.

I have no idea what she and her friend are talking about but this was the first time she pulled her hands out of her sleeves and away from her body.

Smash and I decided to take a peek at her while she was going through check-in...we had been dismissed but we thought we'd take advantage of the few minutes we had while Jonathan went to get the car for us.  :)

I wish I would have gotten a photo of Smash doing a "stealth" move - rolling on the floor.

I also wish I would have gotten a photo of the face of a lady who watched him!

*
*

We do not have contact with Megan while she is in Costa Rica.  None whatsoever.  That is hard but I can see the wisdom in the leaders wanting to have the kids completely "unplug" in order to have a complete experience there.

*

At one of the last meetings, we were given a brief itinerary:

*

After the plane ride there, they were to immediately board a bus and ride for 7 hours.

*

First stop: Camaronal (Guanacaste Peninsula).  They will be able to work in a rehab facility for sea turtles.  They will also look for nesting sea turtles along  the beach at night.

*

The next day they will be participating in a service project in the area.  They will work with a sea turtle restoration project and then look for nesting turtles late at night again.

*

The next morning: travel to Monteverde, cloud forest region (approx. 5 hours). Work at a local farm.  That night they will lodge at the Univ. of Georgia Costa Rica Campus and learn about carbon offsets.

*

The next day they will visit the Santa Elena Cloud forest and do a little zip-lining. Then they will visit a local town and play with some of the kids. I believe this is where they will be working with some of the orphans and school children.  Meg took a soccer ball to give to them. They will learn some local cooking and then that night they will go on a hike.

*

Another day and more travel; 5 hours to Arenal. spend time on the lake there. (By the volcano!)

*

The next day they will travel again to Sarapiqui - 3 hours away - and work on a sustainable farm. Then on to a pineapple plantation.  At night, they will hike in the area.

*

While in that area, the next morning, they have another service project scheduled.  They will then explore the river.  That night they have a "Bat" activity, I don't think they are talking about the Louisville Slugger variety of bats...

*

Off to San Jose, the big city, the next morning (travel time 3 hours). They will meet with the founder and director of the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation and then volunteer in the community.

*

And they will travel home on Sunday.

*

We were not told everything they would be doing because they wanted to keep some of it a surprise for the kids.

*

I can't imagine what else they have planned!

*

If their teachers are able to get to an area with internet access, they will send an update.  We have not yet heard from them - I'm sure everything is fine.

*

I found some photos online though of some of the areas where the kids will be:

ONE CHIP BOY

You may have read the story of the boy who offered Megan a chip for her birthday - a Doritos chip - in lieu of a little snack bag of Gushers (because he didn't have enough money at school to buy them).

If you do recall that funny little story, you might be a little curious to see a photo of him.

He really is a nice young man. (Please don't feel that I am making fun of him, I just think the situation/story is quite funny).

Although I had been to meetings with these kids throughout the year and had met several of them, I could not remember which one was Ben, a.k.a. Chip Boy.

So, when we were all at the airport together I asked Meg, "Where is Chip Boy?"

And then I snapped a photo of him - for fun.

 

 

TODAY IS THE DAY

It's here! 

Already.

Little Miss Meg leaves for Costa Rica

and my emotions are all over the place.

Ugh...I'm such a woman...

so happy for her, excited, nervous, a bit terrified, but thrilled at this amazing opportunity for her,

not really envious, but I do wish I could go along.

If I could choose to go anywhere and do anything, this trip with this itinerary would be at the very top of the list, if not #1.

And SHE will be there!

Wouldn't that be fabulous to get to enjoy it with her?

But if I can't go and do something so wonderful,

I am certainly glad that one of our children can.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity -

actually, I hope this won't be only once in a lifetime, perhaps she will be able to do this type of service in the years to come as well.

Right now, she is just 14

and although she realizes that this is a BIG trip, a HUGE trip,

and she appreciates all of the preparation that has gone into getting ready for it,

and she is excited, (ecstatic!) about this adventure -

the realization of what this really means to her (and to others)

will increase as she grows and matures.

In the years ahead, I am certain that she will look back on this

and see the impact that it has had on her life.

So, I am thrilled for her!

But I miss her already.

 

 

This is Meg in 1st grade, asleep under my desk at school. This was NOT that long ago!

 

SUPER SWEET, VERY GIGGLY, FUN AND BUSY VALENTINE'S DAY

We chose to spend our Valentine's evening with these sweet, excited, NERVOUS, and very giggly girls.

I'm sure it wasn't Jonathan's first choice for our evening together but we did have a great time and these sweet little ladies made it one I won't forget.

One of my three volunteer positions in church (callings) is working with these young girls. And I love each one of them. They are so happy and fun. (More on the others later).

For the last couple of months we have been preparing for this evening (it was actually scheduled for last week originally but we were asked to change the date at the last minute; which left V-day as our only option).

We decided back in Nov. that we would like to do something nice for their parents. So, we planned a nice dinner - babysitting included, thanks Meg and Smash! 

In preparation, the girls learned about etiquette and how to serve properly. They learned how to plan and carry out a dinner party and how to make an invitation. They learned how to sew (and iron since we had to iron while sewing and most had not ever done that) and made these super cute matching aprons! They loved sewing! I think every girl really enjoyed those activities.

 They each worked really hard to be ready for the big night!

 When the girls arrived at the church that evening, they came to check in with me. They all looked so cute in their red, pink and white! But some of them, at least half were SO nervous! Some of the girls were even shaking! Trembling with fear!

I was surprised that they were so nervous.  They needed a lot of reassurance. They had so many questions.  What if...this happens?  What if...that happens?  What if...I? And so forth.

Not one girl wanted to make a mistake.  They were so sweet and cared very much about this special evening for their parents.

 After lots of reassurance and some reminders, it was show time! 

On the way in to serve they were very serious.

On the way out of the room, they giggled and giggled!

The girls literally hovered over their parents and made certain that all their needs were met - and then some.  We had to gently remind them that their parents also needed time to eat and talk to each other.  They looked at me like I was crazy when I said their parents would like to talk to each other...so that's when I threw in the words, "and think romantical thoughts..."(from Monsters, Inc.)  ha, ha!  In one chorus they all moaned, "EWWW!" But they left their parents alone for a little while.  :)

While coming in to get another plate for her parent, one girl said, "Serving is a LOT of work! It's a lot of back and forth, back and forth..., not sure I want to be a waitress any more." 

 Enjoying a little taste of what their parents were eating - while letting their parents think romantical thoughts. :)

I must say thanks to my own sweethearts who helped me a bunch!

Meg and Smash babysat and played with the younger siblings of these girls so the parents could be totally free.

And Jonathan helped me by getting the kids to where they needed to be all day while I made homemade pasta and prepared for the evening.  Although it wasn't a real celebration for us that day, what he did in helping me was the best gift I could have been given.

I really appreciated it! (And needed it!)

A BIG SURPRISE FOR MEG!

 These cute girls planned and carried out a surprise party for Megan. 

She had NO idea and never figured out what they were planning, even though there were some suspicious activities going on that caused her to question a few of their actions. :)

They took care of nearly everything. We just had to make sure that Meg was totally in the dark and get rid of her for an hour while they (and I) set up for the party.

Meg was asked to help her dad last Saturday.  She was NOT happy about it.  She had plans to go to a gymnastics meet with Emiley and didn't want to miss it or be late. She wanted Smash to go and help Jonathan but Smash had too much homework.

She really did not want to leave but went any way and made herself (and Jonathan) a little miserable along the way.

When she finally returned, a little late -thanks to her dad, wink, wink - she didn't notice the streamers covering the outside ofthe door, or at least they didn't register to her.

All she could think about was that they had returned home late; remember, she thought she was meeting up with Emiley to go to the meet.  So, while in this frame of mind, she really didn't notice anything from the party: such as the balloons and streamers hanging throughout the room or all of the food out on the table, etc.

In fact, she had no idea what was happening until the kids all jumped out at her and completely scared her! Even after she saw all of them it took her a minute to find out why they were there.

It was all so funny!

Megan did apologize to her dad later. She was genuinely sorry for feeling upset that morning.

Perhaps the next time I ask her to go help him she will be a little more happy about it?! (Ha, ha).

 

 

They all had a great time, Smash and a couple of his friends joined in on some of the fun too.

And Megan and Emiley did get to go to the last couple of hours of the meet where Emiley's sister and team took 1st place.

What a fun day!

 

 

IF THIS DOESN'T SAY LOVE, WHAT DOES?

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Little Clover makes a pretty cute Valentine!

She is really growing.

I think I need to see her in person and give her a squeeze and kiss those cute cheeks!

 

(I get so excited to get these text messages with photos attached of these darling babies! It truly makes my day, every single time!)

 

And if I happened to be in the area to spend some quality time with Clover, I'd be close enough to spend

quality time with another...

I would definitely want to love on this little one also!

 

 

Karen sent me a text a few weeks ago with this little guy waving hello.

Little Rich-man is growing up very fast!

And he has kissable cheeks too!

 

Looks like I definitely need to plan a little getaway...

MY (lovely) BABY IS 14!

Isn't that unbelievable? 

14!

The baby of the family - 14!  (And she STILL wakes up happy!)

That sounds so old to me.  Nathan was just 14; seems like only a little while ago.  Emily was just 14...

they are both out of the home now.

Smash truly was just 14 not too long ago.

And now Miss Megan.

Oh,and no worries, she won't mind me calling her the baby. She loves being the baby of the family; she believes there are "perks" that come along with that. :)

 

Here is 14 on Meg (the morning of her birthday as she left the car for school):

 For her birthday she wanted an intimate little dinner at home with a few of our close friends.

Here she is with her best friend (in CO), Emiley.

Emiley has been heaven sent.  We love her.  She is so much like Megan that it seems as if they have grown up together.

They are both very sweet and kind, it is wonderful that they found each other. They met at school and became good friends right away.  

Emiley and a couple of Megan's other friends decorated her locker!  She was so excited! It was the first thing she told me about when she got into the car after school. (She LOVES zebra stripes! And PINK!)

Those cute friends of hers made her day!

So, there was a funny story from her birthday that I want to share here.  A week before her birthday, a friend of hers, Ben, found out it would be her birthday soon.  When he heard that her birthday was coming up, he said, "I am so there!"  Meg replied, "Where?"  He said, "At your party!" She then disappointed him by letting him know there wasn't going to be a party.

He let her know he would NOT forget her birthday.  And he didn't.  As soon as he saw her at school, he had to wish her a happy birthday. He wished her a happy birthday over and over again as he said it every time he saw her.

At lunch he came up to her and held out a Doritos chip for her. Not a bag, just a chip. He offered it to her for her birthday and then said, "I wanted to get you Gushers, but I don't have enough money." She said, "That's okay" and then thanked him for the chip.  Then he asked her, "Unless you really want the Gushers, if you do, you could go in on them with me?"

She told him she was fine without the Gushers.

I laughed and laughed when she told me this story.  Isn't this quintessential 8th grade?!

Awkward and sweet.

So FUNNY!

For her birthday she got a big duffel bag full of the remainder of her much needed items for Costa Rica.

The duffel is big enough for her to fit in it...yes, she tried it out.

She loved her new sunglasses - as you can see in the photo.

She's nearly ready now for Costa Rica and is excited and happy with life in general.

Love you, Megaroo!

 

 

 

HAIRS SOMETHING TO LOVE TODAY - OR NOT

THE HAIR?

LOVE?

Not so much.

Not yet, any way.

When I move it is a struggle for me to find "the one"

and I am not talking about the right man, I take him with me when I move.

I'm talking about a hair stylist.

My hair is important to me, a silly thing to care about, I know - but I care about it nonetheless.

Jan, my stylist of choice in Dallas, had been cutting my hair for the past 9 years (at least). Perhaps I could have gotten a better cut somewhere else, I don't know. I liked her well enough to NEVER go any where else. 

We became good friends over that time.

When we met we were living in different cities, a year or two later she moved to the same town. That's when I became acquainted with her whole family as the kids attended the school where I was working.

In all those years, she never raised her prices for me; claiming I sent her a lot of business and I was a good investment.

It was wonderful to go and get my hair cut and have her talk to me about problems her children were having, challenges they were dealing with, as well as their successes.

We looked for each other at band competitions (where our kids were competing against each other) and found each other at football games even though we were always sitting across the field from each other.

She asked me to help her decorate her home and had me shop for furniture, etc., with her.

She liked me to cook and bake for her, so I did. I really liked her a whole bunch and would do anything for her.

She loved my kids!

And I loved hers.

So, you can understand just how at ease I was with her.

And my hair? She did a great job for me! She helped me look decent when I wanted to grow it out and she cautioned me when I thought I might want to cut it too short again.

When I wanted to put red in it as Fall and Winter came around, she was determined to get it right: the right color of red, one that wouldn't fade too fast..., not too much, not too little...

sometimes color lines would change and she would approach my red very carefully until she knew what it would do on my very blond hair.

So, I miss her.

I knew I would.

And I do.

While trying out a new gal, I went for a haircut and a little bit of red. She is supposed to be an expert at both.

I'm sure she is.

But she isn't Jan.

So, I probably should not have been surprised when my subtle streaks of red turned out to be brightly screaming to the world things like, "Hello there, I am RED!" "Ever seen fire engine red on top of someone's head?" "I just had a run-in with Kool-Aid." or "Wait until next month, I'm going GREEN!"

Red fades quickly, I know that, and that knowledge made me feel better when I saw the red on my head.

Just after getting my hair done, I went to a meeting at Megan's school for her Global Leadership program. It was the last parent/student/instructor meeting before the GL kids head off to Costa Rica. I had to be there.

When I walked in, mouths dropped. Not kidding.

In fact, several mouths dropped.

Adults were doing the dropping, I think the kids liked it.

This hair was BRIGHT!

After the meeting, people who had never really talked to me before had to say something to me - about my hair.

Pretty funny! I really did get quite a few chuckles out of it, even if they were only on the inside.

 

I got called "Spunky" and "Fun." Someone mentioned it was a bold and brave move for me...

I'm sure there were a few who thought I was probably just dumb.

Which I might be.

I like how the new gal cuts my hair. She does some things that Jan did that I think are important.

But she is TOO expensive.

And I don't think I could do the red again with her, and I really like to have that touch of color when the months are dark and dreary.

So, I may be looking again soon.

Or flying to Dallas for my hair, ha, ha.  (Jon, don't worry, I am kidding!)

Megaroo leaves soon for Costa Rica. Yikes. I will certainly miss her!

One of the good things that happened for me while I (wildly) attended the last meeting was that I realized I have complete trust in the teachers (and group) with whom she is going.

That's huge!

She will have a phenomenal experience.

And I feel that she will be safe and fine as long as she follows the instructions of her leaders and guides.  Megan is very good at that, so I feel good about her going.

I wish I could take my red-ish hair and go with her but since I can't, I am glad she gets to go.

 

 

This is after MANY washes...it was much redder and brighter than this. 

You can call me Spunky, too.

 

Maybe I'll be one of those ladies...red for now, then I will go green for St Patty's Day and then purple when I am 80...

 

WHY I LOVE FEBRUARY 7th

 

This man walking with my boys is the reason why the 7th of February is one of my most favorite days of the year!

 

SWEET ALYSSA

had to have an emergency APPENDECTOMY!

And in typical fashion, she didn't complain at all beforehand.  She had not been feeling well and had been in pain but didn't say anything. She just handles it.

The surgery went well and she is doing fine.  I'm thankful that all was taken care of before it became worse! And I am very thankful that she is doing fine after the surgery.

When Meg came home from school, I explained to her what happened to Alyssa and told her that she had gone in to surgery. Meg was so worried about her best friend cousin and was relieved to find out that all went well and that Alyssa is on the mend. While Meg was explaining to her friend who Alyssa is and how close they are, etc., she said, "I think she is the nicest person I've ever met in the whole wide world!"

That is really saying something! Meg lives in a very nice world and has met some top-notch, very nice people.

 

Here they are together blocking the gate that should NOT be blocked:

 When we all got together in October the kids had a foot race, Alyssa carried her older sis on her back! The boys gave her a head start but that girl can hold her own!

 Love the MJ look - with the tongue out - Megan does that too...(if you don't know who MJ is, just ask, I'll let you know).  :)

 

 And more ILLEGAL BLOCKING!

 

Alyssa, we are rooting for you to have a speedy and full recovery so you can be back to your dancing and very happy self!

 

STILL BREATHING AFTER MONDAY - Lovin' that!

What I loved most about Monday is that we were completely spoiled and treated to a wonderful dinner with a couple of really special young men!

The missionaries and I have an agreement.  If they ever need a meal, if they have a dinner appointment that falls through or if they are hungry at all, they are to call me or stop by.

They were a little uncomfortable with the agreement at first but were good boys and did as I asked and I have fed them over and over. I love to feed them!  Who doesn't love to feed young men who are hungry and love everything you offer them?! And adding a little more to what I am already fixing for dinner, or coming up with something quick for them is really not a big deal!

Well, the other day they stopped by to ask a favor.  The favor? They wanted to cook for us.  They had been feeling "guilty" (they said) about having me cook for them so often and wanted to return the favor. Also, one of them was itching to get into the kitchen; he has worked as a sous chef in a restaurant before his mission and he is considering becoming a chef. (He is thinking of something else too but I can't remember what he told me). After discussing their propostion for a little while, I decided to go along with their idea, as long as I could buy the ingredients.

When I got the list of ingredients, I became super excited about the dinner. The list was packed full of foods I love! Qionoa, fennel, winter squash, brown rice, lots of veggies and herbs: I couldn't wait to see what he would be able to do with them.

And the dinner was delicious!  We enjoyed every bite. The meal was healthy and tasty.

Watching him in the kitchen was more fun than the meal. He was really in his element and so happy! Smash remarked that he moved around the kitchen like I do. I thought that was cute of him to notice.

Now for the "STILL BREATHING" in the title of this post.

There was a salad I was so excited about - - it was a cucumber mint quinoa salad. I took a healthy (nearly greedy) portion. It looked so delicious and fresh.

Juat after the first bite, my mouth began to tingle and itch, but I took another bite or two...and then my tongue began to swell and my mouth starte to hurt.

That's when I knew there was citrus in the salad and asked what was in it.  There was a lot of fresh lemon in it - A LOT! Not good for me with my citrus allergy.  I can handle small amounts of lemon or lime in things occassionally but not a lot.

So, I quickly added some benadryl to my meal.  In a little while I was feeling somewhat better - my tongue was numb for quite a while -but I felt SO tired! It was all I could do to hang in there for the rest of the meal.

The meal was so good though that it was totally worth it!

It was such a kind  and thoughtful thing to do for us.

 

Here is our little Canadian chef sporting his own apron:

 

WEEKEND LOVE(S)

The kids enjoyed a big snow ball fight Saturday afternoon with friends and then the fun lasted into the evening.

The girls and I made homemade pizza, yum. Sadly, I did not think to take photos!

I had to do some grocery shopping, which I don't like to do on Saturday...and the day before the Super Bowl?! It's crazy out there!

But I would love to share something I learned recently.  I know I am probably well behind on this subject but it is so wonderful that I hope some of you are behind also and that it may help you too!

Whenever I make a purchase on-line I try to find a coupon on-line that will work for that purchase. Nine and a half times out of ten (probably more like 9 times out of ten), I find a deal.  But a few weeks ago, while looking for a coupon for an on-line purchase, Safeway.com came up on the sidebar with a little description.

I decided to veer over to Safeway.com and take a look. I am so glad I did!

We have Safeway here in town and I shop there fairly often. I have a Tom Thumb card from TX and since it is affiliated with Safeway, it works.

I will occasionally use coupons but I am not very good about scouring the world for them when I grocery shop. And I am not good at taking the time to clip and sort and deal hunt, etc.  But I KNOW what great deals I have been missing out on because I know of women who do very well with coupon clipping.

Safeway.com offers a really cool way to take advantage of shopping with coupons! And it is right up my alley!!

I went to their site and entered my card number. Once I was in their system, I could go into their coupon center and click on the coupons I want to use...AND those coupons are LOADED onto my store CARD!  No clipping or sorting necessary. 

While you are still on their site and after you have loaded your card with coupons, you can have that list sent to your email or you can print it out.  I did both.

At checkout, those coupons are automatically applied to the purchase. So easy! 

It took me only a few minutes.  Their coupons are updated weekly. I can also check the weekly add while I am on-line.

On my trial shopping trip, I took the list with me and loaded up on some things that we will need and took advantage of some of the coupons on the card.  (I am picky about what I put on the card, I will only load it with things we normally use, I don't believe in buying something just because it is a good buy).  I came home and then took a talley of what I bought, what was a store special and what was on my card in the form of coupons.  I saved $40.00.  $40.00!  From the on-line coupons alone.  $40.00 I wouldn't have otherwise saved. On things I would - or would in the near future - purchase. And it took me only a few minutes to load those onto my card.

And I believe in the future, I can do even better than that. 

I looked quickly on-line and found that other grocery stores offer this as well. So, it may be worth looking for your local grocer on-line to see if a similar program exists.

There are many people who save a lot more than I did with all of the "couponing" they do but it was a big savings for me and with very little effort on my part. It was really kind of exciting. It is so easy and worth it that I will always do this before I shop.

I really hope this might be of help to someone else.

***

Sunday I woke up with a horrible headache.  It felt like it could turn into a migraine but I knew I had to try and hold it off so I could make it to church.  The headache persisted but never became a migraine, for some reason it was kept at bay, and I am so thankful for that!

I felt thankful to be in church on Sunday and partake of the Sacrament.

 

 

SPINACH AND BACON QUICHE

The quiche I served for a recent brunch, it was a big hit:

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

A little freshly grated nutmeg - a pinch or so (freshly grated is the best!)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed

12 oz. bacon , cooked and crumbled   (may use up to 1 lb.)

1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

1 - 9 inch deep dish pie crust, unbaked

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a blender.

Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top.

(I began with half of the spinach, bacon and cheese and then repeated with the other half when layering. Everything moves around a bit when you add the egg mixture though so there is no need to be too particular).

Bake 45 - 55 minutes or so, just until the egg mixture is set and a knife inserted comes out clean.  Watch it closely near the end of the baking time. (Try not to over-bake).

Let set for 10 minutes or so before serving. Serve on warmed plates.

 

Method:

(In case you would like a little more instruction).

I began with the pie crust, once made, I put the prepared (covered) pie crust back in the fridge to keep cold (and let rest) while I worked on the quiche.

While the bacon was cooking, I washed, dried and cut up the spinach and began working on the rest of the quiche.  When bacon was cooked (crispy), I drained it on paper towels and then crumbled it.

With everything ready to go, I put the quiche together and then baked it.

 

The quiche is quick and easy to put together. If you would like to save some extra time, you could buy an unbaked, refrigerated or frozen pie crust.

 

 

TODAY'S LOVE

"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."
Mother Teresa

              Mother Teresa would certainly know a lot about love.

Such an inspiration.

A woman filled with charity, the truest form of love; our Savior's love.

*

The brunch was wonderful: delicious, engaging, sweet, relaxed and peaceful.

We talked A LOT. We talked about love, and life. We talked of living and dying,

We talked about the Savior.

We shared stories of our children.

We shared openly what we have learned throughout our lives; thoughts and ideas that are helpful to what is happening now.

There was very little "chit-chat," the conversation was deep, faith-filled, and thoughtful.

*

Something that was said today really struck a chord within me:

"I wouldn't give up (trade) what experiences and blessings may be coming to my loved ones and those around me for more time here on earth.  If it meant that they would NOT have that which the Lord has in store for them just so I could stay here longer, I wouldn't want that.  I know that He has a plan and I know that He will watch out for them and bless them with what they need. As hard as it is to leave them, I know it must be for reasons I cannot see."

*

What are your thoughts on that?

I'm torn.  I felt torn just as she said it too.  I had such a surge of love for her as I watched her talk about loving her family enough to accept what is happening to them right now as an avenue for better things to come in the future. But it is hard to see how difficult this is for her children. And it will be difficult for a long time to come.

*

I am so grateful to know there is more beyond this life.

*

School was canceled today!  The kids were helpful and patient while I prepared for and hosted the brunch.

And then...

I took them sledding.

We met up with some friends at a park with a good sledding hill and the kids had a blast!

Smash and his buddy stayed longer at the hill to make sled jumps and snow forts, so Meg and I relaxed together and watched "The Princess Frog." We hadn't watched that movie in a long time and I had forgotten how much I liked the music in it.

*It really was such a nice day.

***

Our February Decor:

*

Love the polka-dot pom!

*

Quiche from the brunch (photo taken the day after):

*

Sledding fun:

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT TODAY

AS I TYPE THIS

the snow is falling, falling, falling.

And I hope it won't end any time soon.

Although it is very dark outside, I can't help but sneak a peek here and there out the windows, just to make sure it is still snowing.

The kids want school to be canceled.

We won't know for sure if their wish will be granted until 6 in the morning.

But Seminary is canceled, so Smash can sleep in - for a little while - at least.

Which means Jonathan and I may get an extra hour of sleep? That would be nice!

 

I have been preparing for a brunch that I am hosting for 6 women tomorrow.

The hours of 9 AM - 3 PM today were dedicated solely to food prep and laundry.

Lots of cooking, a little cleaning, and a little last minute shopping - was nice to dedicate that much time to the kitchen.

(I worked on our dinner for tonight too; BBQ shredded beef that was marinated and then cooked all day).

For the brunch, I've decided to serve Spinach and Bacon Quiche, Fresh Fruit and Crepes.

I also have homemade Sweet Breads ready to serve and some veggies as well.

If it is still cold and snowy in the morning, I will be making some hot cocoa too and I bought HUGE marshmallows today, just in case. :)

 

This little get-together has had me very excited all week.

So much so that I couldn't lock in a menu, I wanted to make everything for these women!

The women who will be joining me are all struggling with something very difficult right now.

And we need each other to offer love, support and strength,

and hopefully find a way to lift a burden for someone, somehow.

 

One of these friends really doesn't have much time left on this earth.

She is battling her last months of cancer; deciding to not undergo chemotherapy again.

After thinking she had been able to beat the cancer and return to life as normal, she found out otherwise in December. The cancer is back and with a vengeance.

She has no really good options left. (But she is trying anything that might help - other than chemo).

She had such a difficult and depressing time while on chemotherapy treatments, she has decided to live out the remainder of her days feeling as well as possible without the side effects of the drugs.

Her desire is to spend as much positive time as possible with her family.

Although the other ladies have significant needs right now also, they are all more than happy and willing to do whatever is needed for this friend with cancer.

 So, not all of what I just said is something I love today.

But I love that the women here are so very supportive of each other.  And I love that our friend with cancer is so very excited about having brunch all together.

She has also been looking forward to it all week.

 

Hope the weather cooperates just enough to get everyone here safely - and let the kids stay home for the day tomorrow!

 

Well, it is time for me to get to bed!  Love that!

 

Oh, and Phil saw his shadow today.  Six more weeks of winter? We shall see! 

Our niece, Annie, turned 12 today too!  Big things are in store for her!

 

Now...off to bed!

Well, off to finish up a couple of things in the kitchen, take care of a little laundry, turn off lights, put things away as I walk through the house...you know the drill...I will eventually get there. 

I can hear EVERY person in this house snoring right now.  I feel the need to catch up!

 

HAPPY MONTH OF LOVE!

SO, today I am thinking about something that makes me really happy and I LOVE it!

 The older kids, Nathan and Emily, get together about once a week and cook.  Isn't that the best?! They cook, eat together and then divide the leftovers.  So cool! (They see each other at other times as well).

They are spending time together frequently.  That is so wonderful to me!

A couple of weeks ago, I was coming home from Denver with a friend, we had gone to the temple together and I got a call from the kids with cooking questions.  To have them together...out there...cooking and calling me, well, it made a really great day even better!

Since they are asking for recipes and instructions from me, I now have to make things and MEASURE in order to give them some sort of a recipe. :)  Good thing I love to cook!

It is fun!  It makes my day when they call for help with a recipe or to tell me of their triumphs in the kitchen and/or funny stories in the kitchen.

 Smash loves that they are cooking together because he has decided that since I have to work on recipes, I will probably post more recipes here.

And he is correct (about that).

So here is a recipe that I made many years ago. It's probably been nearly 20 since I have made it; I came across it the other day while looking for something else.

I thought it might be a good one for the kids to try and may be a good one for Nathan to make when he is chef for the house. I'm not usually a casserole sort of cook.  But it can be an easy way to make a meal.  And sometimes it is a great way to stretch that good ol' grocery budget.

Smash, Meg and Jonathan really liked this so I will be making it for them again. 

French Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

  1 lb. fresh broccoli, chopped, steam for 2 minutes.*
 3 c. cooked chicken breasts, diced**
 3 c. grated cheddar cheese (or combo) divided
 2 tubes Ritz crackers
 1  stick melted butter
 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

(It calls for Ritz crackers...has to be good!)

  SAUCE:
 1/3 c. butter melted
 1/4 c. cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 c. COLD water***
 1/3 c. chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
 1/4 tsp pepper
 2 c milk
1 1/2 cups of the above cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a 9X13 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken.

Make sauce: In saucepan over med. heat, combine the melted butter with all the liquids and the salt and pepper. Continually stir while on the heat until sauce thickens. Add 1 & 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, melt on low heat. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and then sprinkle with remaining 1 & 1/2 cups cheese.

Crush Ritz crackers in a large ziploc bag with a rolling pin.  (Don't crush them too finely).  Pour cracker crumbs and poppy seeds into 1 stick of melted butter and sprinkle over the cheese.

Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or so.  Look for it to be bubbly and nicely browned on top.

 Notes:

*If you wanted to make this without the chicken, I think adding steamed cauliflower to the broccoli would be really good.  Baby carrots might be good with the broccoli and cauliflower also.

**A rotisserie chicken is a huge time saver, if needed.

***When I made this years ago, I believe I changed the recipe a little and sautéed onion and made a roux instead of thickening with cornstarch. But the recipe turned out fine as is. (The next time I make it I will try the roux method again - just to see if I like it better).

 Not the best picture.  This was the next day just after re-warming. It really tastes a lot better than it looks! (It does look very nice in the pan though).

 I love that the kids are together and that they have each other. I love that they are cooking together. AND I love that they pretend to need my advice on occassion. :)

 

 “Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
-  Harriet Van Horne, 10/1956