The Hungry Games

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1163&sid=22501675

 

Wouldn't it be super cool if I knew how to make this work .... super cool -  but I'm not that smart to be able to make it pop right up into the video.  So just enjoy clicking on it.... (she says.... 'Mom' in it!!)   Awesome day for Blondie - the whole family is proud of you little one.  It's amazing to me to see the strengths of my children, and their ambitions emerge.  Is anyone hungry?  I am....  Congrats Beep!  We were all cheering!  Oh - and Mike and I were happy that you didn't follow the airplanes or the mountains for directions to KSL... xoxoox

  

More goodies and an invite to follow:  Baking with Blondie - just google it.... and enjoy...
 

Awktober

I just absolutely love this picture.... after about 26 hours of no sleep - it just makes my laugh my really tired butt off.  (can I say butt?)  ok.... I just did... I LOVE OCTOBER... this year it's pre-voting violence - and they even have it on TV.  I get to gather the pumpkins grown in the Mendon garden.  I get to make applesauce... and more applesauce... and more applesauce.  I get to get my Halloween Decorations out!  I get to sluff church - and it's legal.  I get to turn the heater on.  I love to watch my chrysanthemum's bloom.  I get to till my garden (oh gosh I LOVE to run the tiller) I get to mow the lawn for the last time.  I get to see Christmas Decorations for sale at the store - ok -well I don't really love that part... I get to put a sweater on - WHEW!  I can stop shaving my legs!!! SUPER WHEEW!  (well not for Del)  I get to smell the sweetness of a fireplace.... and not a wildfire.  I get to stock up on NyQuil - my fave!  I love to look at the mountains all a blaze with color.  I get to spend more time inside on Pintrest and Blogging and Facebook (all recommended time wasters)  I get to make soup, and pretend I make good soup.  I can go to yoga with long workout pants on to hide my frightening knees.  I can park my bicycle and pretend I'll miss riding.  I can watch DWTS for FHE while eating dinner at the counter because, well why bothering setting the table.  I get to reminisce about the days before my hoarding started and my basement filled up with remnants of my children that use to live here and still have room fulls of stuff in the basement where I hope that the flood or the mice won't ruin their childhood memories (wow that was a long 'get to').  I get to start worrying about Christmas and how that's all going to go down.  And I get to drink my McDonalds Coke without the ice melting as fast as it did all summer long.  I love October - Bazinga....

Zoo-ology

When we travel with Mandy - we just tell everyone she's special needs.... she rode in the stroller all the way down the hill at the Zoo - so when they sing, "All the Monkeys Aren't In The Zoo".... they mean it.  It was a perfect day to check out the Hogle Zoo - how lucky we are to have such a fun, clean place to spend time.

 

 

 

So how lucky am I to have these beauties? Pretty lucky... we had the best time laughing and seeing everything. The new Rocky Shores was amazing and we loved sitting in the cool of the amphitheater to watch the bird show.

The rest is history...

can I really keep it?

I think I remember seeing a picture of my cousin Dbug in
front of this same big old bone!

I had no idea my mother in law lived at the zoo!

Nesting... could this be a sign?

alter ego #1

alter ego #2

will I be eaten alive?

maybe so.....

Uncle Mike came to help save me from the female animals...

 

Well - we'll be waiting for those Washington State Kiddos to

come for ZOO LIGHTS in the WINTERTIME!!

You've just gotta do it...

Growing up - my parents grew all of the vegetables you can imagine in our yard.  Trees, and gardens, and flowers oh my... it was all beautiful - always.  But like gravity, what grows up, must come down and be pressure cooked, strained, boiled, frozen, and stamped with the current year.  So that would explain the genetic make up of my brother and I.  Each year the stalks of corn are warmed in the sunshine at the bottom of these Mendon Mountains - growing tall in that rich black soil.

 

Then, when the raccoons and deer start munching on it - you know it's time to get it taken care of.  This process of picking, shucking, boiling, cutting and munching has occurred in every single one of my living years.  I can't ever remember a year that it didn't happen.  It's a beautiful thing to see the harvest tucked away for the cold Utah winters.  I always am grateful when Mother Nature allows yet another harvest.  I feel like the little ants that work all summer long so that they can secure a comfy nest in the winter months. 

 

My Golden Delicious apple tree gives me 4 bushel of apples every other year - they are huge beautiful apples and I turn them into everything under the sun... apple sauce, butter, pie filling, juice, dried apples and of course just dipping them in caramel.  The house smells amazing - and my shelves look happy.

It's getting to the end of the season and the garden is tired from making veggies - but not too tired to accelerate the beautiful flowers of fall.  This is the view from my kitchen window - and it makes me smile every time that I have a little bit of heaven 'in' earth to grow the miracles that grow in this tiny spot.  My parents knew that of all of the things that they could teach me... to teach me to grow things in the earth was the most valuable thing besides, doing something with it when it grew.  Thanks Parental Units - you are loved and live on.

 

Always remembered, written in stone

In my little town where I grew up we celebrate amazing things.  On this particular day - we celebrated our brave soldiers from our community and honored them with a memorial in our little cemetery.  I was there the day the artist and creator delivered these massive monuments and watched his tears as he talked of making them and putting the names on them.  It consists of 3 huge carved rock memorials of those that have served in the various wars over the years, some living, most have passed, too many left too soon.  The town came together for a program of music, introductions to many honored guests - and the arrival of a black hawk helicopter.  The 21 gun salute, the men in uniform and the beautiful day made for a memorable experience, one I was honored to be at, and also see my father's name (misspelled)(dang) in stone.  Here are some of the pictures of that day - some of many many taken, most make me cry.

I love this picture of Rod Sorensen and my mom - they
are total history buffs and they seem to always be in
the Mendon History books somehow together - good good man.

 

my brother, mother and I
 



not something you see everyday in Mendon
 

my dad
 

These are a picture of my Father's hands today - always a mighty Marine.  The reason he is still alive is because his heart is Marine strong!  My hands and his - together he gives me reason and strength.

Walking to the cemetery with my 83 year old mom - she followed my father where ever he needed to be in the military - she was stationed where ever he was.  She was always by his side.  Couldn't be prouder to have my family honored, and be a part of a town that takes care of those that serve.  Now - when my son in law walks into a room in uniform - it still takes my breath away.  Never could I repay that kind of bravery - never could I really find the words to thank them enough.  But I can salute the flag, I can post one at my home, I can stand every time a flag goes by -and reverently remember those that gave some, and those that gave it all.

 

Rats...

Tuesday will go down in history as a really stunningly awful day.  I'm trying to do my 29 days of gifts and trying to get in a place in my mind where I can do this project, and then Tuesday happened.  Now Tuesdays are usually a pretty good day... it's my favorite workout day, I'm usually ok at work, it's (one of many many) Missionary days, and I had a gift to give out.  Hit a wall about mid-day with a family heartache, work dumped the masses on me, I was exhausted from the night before worries, and I was missing my workout because I had to go and take care of a service emergency on my Mission.  It was quickly turning into an ugly ugly day.  But as I left the 4 children I had cared for in a home where the mom had to go to the er, and we did homework, and made them dinner from absolutely nothing in the house to eat, and we folded up clothes that didn't have a dresser to put them in and I tucked them in on the floor because there was no bed to sleep in.... I headed home, with a truck load of heartache.  Stopping at a stop sign in the middle of Gang Territory, I was a little afraid of the darkness and the spirit of the area (which was frightening to say the least)  The streetlight only had a flicker of light left before it was going to go out... I went to drive on, because this area was creeeepy and right in front of me a giant rat started to cross the road.  I just sat there watching it - it looked at me as if to say.... "What the heck lady, I mean I looked both ways, and I think I have the right of way..."  the tail was as least 10 inches long and it was huge from head to tail.  I wasn't going to argue - and I didn't want rat guts on the car... so I just let it pass to the other side and disappear into the darkness.  (It knew where it was going - but I didn't!)  I still sat there with my heavy heart and then just started laughing - because there wasn't anything left inside of me but a good laugh... So when someone says to you, "Hey don't let the rats win" sometimes, it's ok to just let them cross the road.  We let the chicken didn't we? 

139

It was quite the experience today to sit through one of the dedicatory sessions for the Brigham City Temple.  President Packer was by far my favorite - he was so sincere and emotional.  I often wonder if his faith and pleadings with the Lord allowed him to stay for this special day.  A Brigham City boy, one of 11 children, he can now attend a Temple of the Lord in his own hometown.  I loved the prayer, how it encumbered every needful thing.  The choir was amazing.  This is now the 4th temple dedication I've been able to attend - each unique to it's area and each a precious memory.  I loved the story of the jewel - about a man that had a precious pearl, and he wanted to share it with the world.  He made a beautiful box to put it on display in, and all the people commented on the box, not the pearl.  What goes on inside these temples are the precious gems of life, and of eternal life.  Today - I was approached by a friend, not of my faith, and I was able to say a few things to him.  it wasn't a confrontational conversation, but yet a gift of time to be able to discuss my beliefs.  I sat there with my husband - but I knew that my children all had the opportunity to attend the temple when they married their loves.  The rest is up to them on keeping those covenants - and the blessings that can be poured out upon them will be their choice.  I trust they'll choose wisely - as it has been the anchor of my life, and the purpose of my Patriarchal Blessing - to do the work for those that cannot.  Since my first time there 30 years ago - over 2,000 ordinances have been prepared, and provided for those on the other side - with the help of my children.  My connection to my ancestors is real - and sometimes creeeeeepy - but never the less - priceless.  I was married in the Salt Lake Temple - and I did my endowments on that same day.  Every year on my birthday I go to the temple.  During the week - I attend a session, or my week is not complete.  Can the world or the next world do without these holy Temples?  No... amen and amen....