A Full Day

Friday we had no school.  That meant I didn't go to work.

The day started with this:

Then to my grandkid's elementary school for the costume parade.

Keiti and Kels dressed up, waiting for the parade to start.

Mr. Cy - a happy Incredible Hulk. (No masks on the face, just on top of the head)

Miss Em, a surprised witch with a heart on her face?

After the parade, it was time to go to Candice's house for a rip-roaring time bottling vegetable soup. There were 2 women and 5 "helpers" to get the job done.

Here's one of the helpers now!  As you can see, we wouldn't have been able to bottle without her, even though we tried.

We used 90 lbs of potatoes, 15 lbs of carrots, 12 pounds of celery, and 15 pounds of onions to fill 86 quarts with the soup.

I could hardly move when we were finished.  It does feel good now that it's done!  If you'd like the recipe for this soup, click here.  It's great to put on the shelf and in a pinch, you have delicious homemade soup within minutes! 

Chicken soup with bottled chicken and a can of corn. 

Beef soup with tomatoes, hamburger, corn and green beans.

I'm getting hungry so I better go.

Mistaken Identity

In the mid 70s, we moved from Utah to Gilbert, Arizona because of the hub's job. At that time, our family consisted of 3-month-old twin girls.  Shortly after moving in to our new home, I was asked to be in the Primary Presidency (church group for children).  It was during the time that Primary was held on a weekday, after school.  All the children met in the chapel for singing and talks before going to individual classes. I enjoyed working with the children and getting to know them. 
On one particular day, I was conducting in the chapel.  While sitting on the stand, I noticed a seven-year-old boy misbehaving.  The teacher sitting behind him, Sister Brown, was trying to lovingly discipline him but he turned around and sassed her.  I was surprised at his behavior but decided to give him a chance and see what he would do.  It happened again.  I determined that Sister Brown didn't have to deal with that unruly child.  During the song, I stood up, went down the steps from the stand, leaned in to the row and motioned for this irreverent child to follow me back up to the stand and sit by me.  He did without hesitation. 
At the end of the meeting, I excused each class then sat next to the juvenile delinquent.  I told him that I was disappointed in the way he treated Sister Brown and that he wasn't reverent in the chapel.  I asked him if he thought he could do better next week.  He nodded his head.  At that point in time, I realized I need to get to know him better.  I asked his name.  "Caleb", he said.  I asked his last name.  "Brown!"  My mind started putting 2 and 2 together.  Yeah, I had taken Sister Brown's own son from her grasp and set him up front for all to see.  I apologized to her.  She chuckled and said that she was glad that he realized someone else expected him to behave.

Sometimes it's hard to be the new kid on the block!

Apple Pie Filling

Having apple trees is a good thing when you want to do some apple pie filling.  My family really likes this recipe and I bottle it every year. 

I like to start with the sauce so it will be ready to pour over the apples. 

Apple Pie Filling
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup corn starch
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
10 cups water
3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Place dry ingredients in a large sauce pan and stir together.  Add water and place over medium high heat.  Stir until smooth.  Bring to a simmer and cook until thick. (usually a few minutes after it simmers)  Add the lemon juice.  Keep warm.  This recipe should fill 7 quarts.

Peel, core and slice the apples.  You can use a variety of apples.  Most of them work well.  I used Golden Delicious.  If you have one of these handy, dandy apple peelers, you'll save a lot of time. 

Pack quart jars tightly with the peeled, sliced apples.  Don't let the apples stand too long, or they will turn brown.  Pour sauce slowly over apples until it has settled around each slice and is to the first rim of the jar.

Wipe off tops of jars and put on lid and the band.  Process 25 minutes in a boiling water canner.

One quart jar of filling will make an 8" pie.  You can also make apple crunch or apple cake. Warm it up and put it over ice cream, or just eat it out of the jar!  YUM!

Dressed to the Nines

My daughter, Camille, had the opportunity to be a jeans model for Wasatch Woman Publications.  If you haven't already taken a look at her fun and fancy pictures, you can go here to check 'em out!  Notice her shoes!  They add 4 inches to her already 5 foot 11 inch frame!

Dept. of Transportation

Do you remember this guy with the self-inflicted hair cut?  He's gone from being the neighborhood barber...

...to the neighborhood transportation guru. The kids wait in line to have a ride in his makeshift, tricycle rickshaw!

During the month of October, he's giving broom rides for only 25 cents!

 

Grab your hat!  You don't want to pass up this deal!

Weekend Update

The 4 little ones are asleep.  I should be too, but I'm enjoying the peace and quiet that comes after a full day with children. 
It's been a fun weekend, filled with activites, visits, a pumpkin patch, a trip to the Dollar Store, Ichabod Crane, some Wendy's kids meals, and church. 

Mom and Dad have been enjoying time in the Bahamas.  They'll be home tomorrow night and everything will return to normal.  I'm grateful for this opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with these beautiful grandkids.

I can tell that I'm not as young as I used to be but I've mellowed over the years and have learned to appreciate the little things...like being able to sleep without a 3-year-old's feet in my back! (tomorrow night!)

Fall Break and Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

It's Fall Break for us in this neck of the woods. 



(google image)

The mornings and nights, along with the freshly harvested apples, are crisp and clean.  The leaves are turning their vibrant fall colors.   The smell of homemade salsa, chili sauce, applesauce and pie filling, hovers in the air.  Pumpkins and cornstalks adorn the front porches.  Appetites increase as we take advantage of the beautiful autumn days to work in our yards or just play.

If you want a hearty, yet healthy (don't stop reading because of that naughty "H" word) breakfast that tastes like Autumn, try this recipe for pumpkin pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2 1/2  cups water
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 egg whites - beat to soft peaks

I like to beat the egg whites first, then set them aside. 

 Don't forget to save one of the yolks for your recipe.

Put the first 8 dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together. 

In a separate bowl, add pumpkin, brown sugar, egg yolk and water. 

Stir together then add to the dry ingredients.

Mix well. Stir in whipped egg whites.  Add more water if too thick.

Using a 1/4  measuring cup, pour onto a 350 degree griddle.  If you make the pancakes too big, they won't cook in the middle. 

Top with butter, apple butter, syrup, warmed spicy applesauce or anything else you want. 

Now, you're ready to enjoy the day! 

My Fall break will be filled with 4 grandkids while their parents are in the Bahamas!  I think I'll need these pancakes every morning!  Wish me luck!

 

As the World Watches

The world is watching as the Chilean miners escape their underground prison.

I am impressed with the tenacity and team work that the miners have displayed over the past 69 days!

My thoughts and prayers are with them until each one sees the light of day!

Love Your Body Race!

Arriving early in the cool morning, wearing shirts from the past because the LYB shirts were too small for all of us,  we stretched and joked about how the race would finish for each of us.  We all had our iPods and headphones because we knew we wouldn't stay together.  We joked that Candice, with pulled ligaments in her foot, had mellow and heart wrenching songs on her iPod that would prevent her from moving too fast, such as "Wind Beneath My Wings", and "Mandy". We figured she'd have a single tear coursing down her cheek as she stepped across the finish line. 
I predicted that I'd cross first then run back to get everyone else.  They all laughed and thought it was a joke!  It was!
Kurt Bestor, who did a good job keeping 1800 women behind the starting line, told us when to go...and we were off! (Kurt's Christmas CD was in our goody bag at the end of the race!)
Shot U Photography was there taking pictures.  I have posted the pictures in the order of how the 4 of us finished the race. 

This is Jeanette on the left, 24 years old, student at the U, booking it up the hill.  She came in first in her age group!  Go, Jeanette!

Next to cross the finish line is Candice, (in the gray pants) mother of 4, with pulled ligaments in her foot.  She had more than mellow music on that iPod!  She's so competetive!

Camille, single mom of 2, and one of the Chevy Moms, crossed the finish line next!  By the way, you can catch Camille on Channel 2 early morning news on Monday.

Last is the best of all the game, right?   I really hesitated posting this picture, but I guess that's how I look during a race.  I've decided that the shirts from LYB races won't ever fit me.  It's a good thing they were long sleeved this year, I just tied it around my waist.

 OK, so I was slow BUT I jogged all the way, without walking (well maybe 40 steps were walking steps)! There were 50 women in my age group and I was 4th!  I think all the others were walkers.
My co-worker gave me one of these Emergen-C packets to mix in water.  Do you think that's what kept me going or is that what made me jog slowly? 

Came home and worked in the yard. We have 3 apple trees in our back yard.  One Red Delicious, one Roman Beauty and one Golden Delicious.  We picked ALL the apples this afternoon.  This is what we got off the Red and Rome trees.  THAT'S IT!!  5 APPLES!

This was the harvest from the Golden.  11 buckets!  That doesn't count the 8 buckets of unacceptable apples we picked up off the ground today or the ones that the birds and worms devoured.   

Loaded some of them in the back of Bessie and spent 3 hours delivering them to family.

I'm tired tonight but thinking of running another 5K soon and picking up the pace.  Any suggestions?

Wasatch Woman Love Your Body

It's time for another race with some of my daughters.  The last race I participated in was in March.  I must love these cool weather races!  The difference between this race and the one in March is; I have actually been preparing for this one!  I've done more running these past several weeks, and I've become friends with this organization:

and have lost almost 10 pounds. I have participated in 5K races before but for some reason, the extra K is playing with my mind!  Wasatch Woman said it's a 6K instead of a 5K  because we're running through the gardens at Thanksgiving Point and they want us to enjoy the gardens.  I'm not sure I'll be taking time to enjoy the beauty of the gardens while I'm sucking air and wondering when my right knee and left lung will explode!

If I don't do as well in this race as I'm hoping to, I have a couple of things to fall back on that could be to blame: 

1. I got my flu shot today.  I could be sick with flu-like symptoms.

2.  Tonight, while washing dishes by hand because our dishwasher is a piece of garbage, a glass broke and cut the dickens out of my hand.  I'm sure that could affect my running.

OK, I think I've got myself covered.  However, one of my daughters has pulled ligaments in her foot and was advised to wrap her foot and walk instead of run.  If she goes across the finish line before I do, I'll need to find a few more excuses.

For my marathon runner friends - just ignore this post.

DWTS Future Hopefuls

When 8-year-old Miss Em decided to choreograph a dance for 5-year-olds, Mr. Cy and Ad, the result was breathtaking or should I say - interesting.  Kels & Keits got in on the act, only to be voted off before the finale.  The Hoff knows how that feels!

Behind the Scenes!

With a lot of hard work on the part of Em & the dancers, they pulled it off.  The lights were dimmed for effect.  The camera didn't like that!

Final Performance!

I'm sure Bruno would give them a high five!

Miss Em's Conference Experience

Saturday was 8-year-old Em's first time at General Conference and first time in the Conference Center!  She was so excited to go!  I got to her house just before she came home from her volleyball game.  She quickly showered, put on her skirt and new earrings, that she made, and had her hair french braided on one side.  Her Dad made toasted cheese sandwiches that we took with us, wrapped in paper towels, then Em, Candice (her Mom) and I headed out for the fun adventure!

We were all amazed, but not surprised, with the traffic and the number of people gathered for conference on this beautiful Fall day that felt like summer! 

We left the parking garage and hurried to the Conference Center with the thousands of other people.  We were instructed to go to the back of the long line on the sidewalk that wrapped around the side of the building.  It moved quickly and soon we were in the beautiful, air-conditioned building.

Em was in awe of the size of the room!  We listened to the speakers, the songs, the prayers and enjoyed the instruction and spirit there in the Conference Center. 

During the two hours, we kept Em's attention by writing questions about the speaker's topic.  Maybe next year her spelling will improve.

You can tell by this comment that she thought her seat was exceptionally comfortable.

We left the conference with a feeling of love and peace.

...only to find that there IS opposition in all things! 

Everyone ignored his rants. 

Mr Cy, Em's 5-year-old brother can't wait until he turns 8 so he, too, can go to General Conference and see the Prophet! It's Great to be 8!

Thank you, Gigi, for the tickets!