Sunday, November 23, 2008

Another Tifferism

Overheard while the kids were playing "Primary" and Christopher was pretending to give a talk:

"The sacrament is important because we get food and drink, and then we have to wait a long time to go home."

I guess that's what it seems like to a five-year-old boy. . .

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Things I've Done
To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done. Happy discoveries!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (as long as you can count jr. high band!)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis (Justin actually had one on his back--I'll have to post pictures)
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (I don't think this counts because my dad planted them, but I did take care of them)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (I think. . .one of the counselors in our bishopric at Snow College had a sheep farm, and we got to go out after the lambing. But I can't remember if I actually picked one up or just petted it. This darn dementia!)
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (no, but I may as well have--I've been pregnant and in labor :)!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (if you forget all the dumb things we really don't need, then yes, I am truly satisfied)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (I was 7)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (and his dog, too)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (oh, yeah; especially that time at Eliza Moody's when we were four and both family's kids ended up completely covered in tons of mud--awesome!
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (only once, with our ward's young adult group--the movie was Mission Impossible)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen (with Justin's young adult ward--and we went to the wrong one! But it was still awesome!)
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (I haven't been to a real one, but I did go to the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles that has an amazing interactive museum that has a replica of one--don't miss it if you're there!)
67. Bounced a check (what can I say, I'm not the world's best financial mind. Luckily, I married someone who is good at that stuff!)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (to my husband's great chagrin--you should see the boxes in our house, and my parents still have our old toys, too!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (my toe--not very exciting)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (NEVER!)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (when I was a nerdy kid who won all the Reflections contests and one of the spelling contests; and, very embarrassingly, as a mom when the Clipper asked me a question about Utah's marriage amendment--I do not give good "sound bite" answers!)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I watched the killing, then helped prepare it--Pioneer Trek)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club (if you can count online)
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone (yes, even though I hate all bad cell-phone ettiquette and I think they're a frivolous expense. . .I have a pre-paid for my safety, and now I'm probably like all the people I used to grouse at.)
99. Been stung by a bee (I think so--it was under my skirt at Target and my leg hurt for a good day-and-a-half, but I could never find the little bugger--pun totally intended!)

Wow, I've done more than I thought. But my parents and sisters would probably have almost the whole thing bolded! Anyway, hope you enjoy thinking back on your life like I did!

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Featured Recipes

From now on, I will post the newest Featured Recipes in the main body of the blog, and then I will move them to the sidebar--that way, I can keep track of what I've already posted!

November is here, and, even though it's unseasonably warm here in Utah (not for long, though!), we are thinking about yummy pumpkin treats (okay, we were already thinking about those) and more yummy soups. Here are a couple of recipes you're sure to enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie In A Glass
Justin took a basic pumpkin smoothie recipe from Trinka at www.allrecipes.com and made it into a delicious drink that tastes like creamy pumpkin pie!

4 cups milk (Justin used whole milk, but you can use lower fat milk, too)
1/2-2/3 of a large can of pumpkin
10 Tb. brown sugar (1/2 cup + 2 Tb.)
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or use 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. ground allspice, and 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg)
1 1/2 capfuls vanilla

Blend until smooth. Enjoy right away, warm it up, or serve chilled. MMMM!

Tortellini Soup--from Mom Keeler
This soup is quick and delicious.

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (or put through a good garlic press)
1 Tb. olive oil (canola or similar works fine, too)
3 14 oz. cans beef broth, or boullion equivalent
1 14-16 oz. can stewed tomatoes, cut if necessary
1/2-3/4 c. picante sauce or salsa
1 tsp. crushed dried basil leaves
1 12 (or so) oz. package fresh, frozen, or dried tortellini (the dried isn't quite as good, but will work; Maria's Italian Feast frozen tortellini is very inexpensive and quite good)
1 bell pepper, diced
fresh grated (or ready-grated) parmesan cheese (not the kind in the green can, please!)

Cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add ingredients up to tortellini; bring to a boil. Add tortellini and simmer until almost done (check package for cooking time). Stir in bell pepper; cook 2-3 minutes more. Serve with parmesan cheese. Goes well with baguettes, regular French bread, or warm muffins, and crisp cut-up veggies and fruits.