Lunch With the Girls

Today I ditched work. I have a boss that's nice. He lets me do stuff like that from time to time (from all the time to all the time). I went to Provo with Cheryl and Joette to have lunch with my mom.
Joette said I blended in with the walls. Does that make me a wallflower? If the shoe fits...
I gave my mom her Christmas present today. I couldn't wait until December, and didn't want to risk the chance that she'd see it before it was presented to her, since I have one too, and so does Cheryl.
She seemed to like it! It's a travel book from our family cruise we took in Oct. 2009.
After lunch, Joette wanted to see Stonehenge, so we drove by and took a picture. I don't think the original site has such nice mountains in the background.
Then we went to the temple but didn't stay because the line was too long for initiatories and we didn't have time to do a session.
I think my son-in-law should get a job tending the temple grounds here in Utah. He used to do it in D.C., so he knows how.
What a great view! SOOC, no retouching.
I might have to put this one on my desktop for awhile. Great day. Glad I got to ditch work!

No Alarm Clock Needed

Shortly after 6:00 AM, we saw a strange flicker of light. And another. Then there was the crash that followed. Shortly after that, the automatic machine gun went off, and this is what it left in its wake.
Most of these are about the size of my thumbnail. They bounced right up to the door step.



On May 24th, our yard looked like this...


And as Al Roker would put it- that's what's happening in our neck of the woods.

My First Grandchild Turns Six!

It's Sunday. This little girl was born on a Sunday, six years ago today. Happy Birthday Nora! She turned my son into a dad and she turned me into a grandmother! Being a grandmother is the best invention ever!




This next picture was at Samuel's graduation with his masters, and the day Nora told us her mommy was pregnant again!
On this day, Nora became a big sister!
Here she is at her favorite spaghetti place. I should have taken a before AND after picture.


This was at her birthday party last summer ('09).

And this was just last month when I got to go see her. How cute is this girl? Super cute.
Not to mention how super smart and clever and witty she is. I love you, Nora! Have a great birthday today!

Yesterday's Funeral

Yesterday we attended the funeral of the nicest man I've known. He was 86 and in good health until he reached to unplug a cord and fell down his cement basement steps. He will be missed by so many people.

We went to the funeral home downtown. When we got there, the parking lot was mostly empty. We went inside, which wasn't easy because I was wearing new shoes that have a strap across the back of my heal, and it kept slipping off, causing me to clench my toes to keep my shoes on. Crazy. We got inside and it was empty, except for the funeral director and one other woman. We asked where Verlyn's deal was, and she exclaimed, "Oh, it's at the Ward Building!" Oops.

So we asked for the address (I'd left the obit at work- another oops) of the church. The other lady then piped up and said, "I have the address, and can I get a ride from you?" We were happy to offer her a ride. Turns out she had come from Taylorsville (gee- us too) and had taken the bus all the way downtown, just to find out she was in the wrong place. It's a good thing we went to the wrong place so we could give her a ride to the right place! We also offered her a ride home afterwards, for which she was grateful.

The funeral was amazing. There was prelude music being played by a daughter and her two daughters. Piano, violin and cello. My favorite combination. Can I hire them for my funeral? Is it too soon to start making arrangements? Just wondering.

Problem Solved

You remember how I showed you all the bags I filled from cleaning out my closet? That was Sunday afternoon's activity. Ever since then, there's been a humming noise in my bedroom that I could figure out! It was driving me crazy. I couldn't even sleep in there last night! I looked outside to see if something was going on out there- nothing. I unplugged lamps and clocks- nothing. Why would it all of a sudden start making a noise in the bedroom after never having had that problem in the three years we've lived there?
Then while brushing my teeth this morning (I know, more information than you need), I thought about something my sister had said. What was different between Saturday and now? Aha! While she was here on Sunday, we turned on the overhead fan. Although it had been turned off with the switch and the blades were no longer turning, the motor was somehow still running. I yanked the chain and blissful silence! Nice.
If only everyone's problems were as easy as this one. World peace, starving children in Africa, nuclear weapons...just yank the chain.

I'm Not Keeping Up

Last week we went to a dental seminar. The doctor sponsoring it had about 400 people to his home for dinner. Here are a few pictures of his yard.
This is only one of several spots he had tables and chairs set up.
Nice fountain. His home is at the foot of Little Cottonwood, more or less.
This swing spins out over a ravine.
Adds new meaning to indoor/outdoor swimming pool.
A reflection of the sunset off the mountains. It's quite the view.
A pretty decent band and a few brave souls dancing.
I'm glad I don't have to keep up with the Jones', even if his name isn't Jones.

D.I. Here I Come!

My sister came over and we cleaned out my closet. A box of shoes and eleven bags later, my closet is pretty much empty. Now when I go in there and say "I have nothing to wear" I won't be exaggerating. And, she says I can never go shopping by myself again. She's determined to un-frump me yet!

All Alone

Yesterday, I drove to the airport. It wasn't because I was going anywhere. Not this time.
Who's got the suitcase? He does. He's probably the best dressed passenger in the whole airport. He didn't want to get his suit wrinkled in the suitcase, so he wore it instead. He's off to Virginia for a triple-play missionary Sacrament Meeting. His daughter has one son just home from a mission and a son and a daughter just leaving on a mission, and they're all speaking in church tomorrow! Incredible. I told him he should be there. So he went. It was so weird going to bed alone that I didn't do it until 4:40 AM! My eyes feel like sandpaper now! I couldn't go because I'm going to my nephew's wedding today! Hurray for Dan and Brooke! Happy Wedding Day!

Park City Pretties

Yesterday I had lunch with my sisters, my b-i-l and my niece and her two darling girls. This is Preslie. Thanks for lunch, Andrew!

This is Preslie chowing down on an ear of corn!
Now it's her big sister's turn! Go for it, Chloe!
Would you just look at this face?
A stroll down Park City's Main street.
It lured us in. It couldn't be helped.
The smell of the place came outside and assaulted us!
These peanut butter cups are as big as my fist!
LynnEl bought a few things and I had half a bite of a truffle and one very tiny taste of a mint. I think I came through almost unscathed! It was a fun day hanging out with y'all. They're in town for a big event on Saturday! Woohoo for Dan and Brooke!

Samuel Always Says...

If you listen closely you'll hear him say it. "You never make a recipe for the first time when company is coming to dinner." You'd also hear him say "I told you so." Yesterday, both of my sisters and their husbands came over for dinner. I tried a new recipe. In fact, I tried three new recipes. Two were fine, but the third? Let's just call them Spam Enchiladas, because that's what the texture reminded me of- except that I don't think I've ever had Spam, actually. (Did you know "actually" is actually Agnes' favorite word? She says it ALL the time!)
Here's the beastly thing in full living color.
Way too much food. Why didn't some of the rest of you come over? Oh, MaryAnn H.- I forgot to tell you dinner was ready! You can come out of your room now!
I tweaked the guacamole recipe from this post, and it was even better! Instead of a cup of salsa, decrease it to 1/2 cup, up the garlic powder to 1/2 tsp and add 1/2 tsp of onion powder. Keep everything else the same. Perfection.

So what was the problem with the enchiladas? I read the recipe wrong. I'm going to share it with you today anyway, because my b-i-l said they were really good (he was probably just being nice- thanks, Andrew), but if I had made them the right way, I'm sure they'd be fabulous!

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas aka Spam Enchiladas

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

2 cups salsa, divided (here is where I made my mistake- the original recipe didn't tell me the salsa was divided, and I put in the whole 2 cups in with the chicken. WRONG!)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided (they did tell me the cheese was divided, however)

1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese, divided (again, they told me this, so why not with the salsa?)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (really? I left this out on purpose!)

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

salt and pepper (no measurement? I put in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)

4 scallions, thinly sliced (what's the difference between a scallion and a green onion?)

8 flour tortillas (I used the cook 'em up fresh ones from Costco)

Preheat oven to 325° F. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream (it took me 5 full minutes to find my beaters. They weren't in their normal spot! You can just use a spoon).

Stir in 1/2 cup salsa (not 2 cups worth!) and 1/2 cup of each of the cheeses.

(At this point, the recipe said to mix the chicken and spices in another bowl and then combine it with the cheese mixture. Why dirty up another bowl? No need.)

So, into that same bowl with the cheese, mix in the chicken (and corn if you're using it), chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and only 1/2 of the chopped scallions (or green onions).

Now it won't look like soup if you used the right amount of salsa, which I know you have since I made it clear how much to use up to this point. Oh, and Laura- sorry this is a story, not a normal recipe.

Pour 1/2 cup salsa into the bottom of your baking dish (mine was a 9x13). Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto a tortilla, roll it up and place it seam-side down. Repeat for remaining tortillas.

Pour remaining salsa (that would be 1 cup) over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle with remaining cheese (that would be 1/2 cup of each) and bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes, until it's bubbly and hot.

After you remove it from the oven, sprinkle with remaining scallions (that would be 2) and serve.

Now because I used up all my salsa IN the chicken mixture, I used some green enchilada sauce in the bottom of my baking dish, and also over the top of my enchiladas. You do what you wish.

And really, the picture of their enchiladas made me crave Mexican food, so try the recipe. Make sure you have plenty of guacamole on the side in case you mess up. Then no one will know, or care, if you messed up. It also doesn't hurt to have a little non-alchohalic piña colada slush on the side (you can buy it at Sam's Club, but only during the summer, and only when I haven't already bought up all the rest of their existing supply).

Don't Tell Karen!

She says that every time I buy a new cookbook, I have to get rid of one. So don't tell her.
While in St. George, I had (yes, had) to stop in at Krumpets, just to see what was new. Well, this was new. And I couldn't resist. What made it a must-have for me was the recipe for pina colada cupcakes. Karen would say "waste of a cupcake!" I say "yummorific!"

Check out this new tip I bought at the hardware store down there (Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man). It was the Ben Franklin part of the store. It's the super tall, skinny one. It's for filling cupcakes! The other two tips are for comparative value. The mid-sized one is the 1M tip which is for frosting cupcakes, and the other one would be for writing on top of the cupcake. And now that I have a little tip cleaning brush again (yes, I used to have one a long time ago), I don't have to use an unbent paper clip!

I also found this mondo-large sprinkles (it makes the regular sprinkles on the left seem so tiny)! I'm so excited to have a reason to use them!

So, give me a reason! Anyone for a cupcake? Except, that would mean I'd have to fire up the oven. Hmm. Maybe next month?