Let them eat CAKE! Final installation

freaking took home the glitter ball of cake contests trophies... nuff said.

Let them eat CAKE! Part 2

.... here's how it went down after I posted last night.  My amazing 21 year old son came home from the SL Temple all adorable and spiritual and wonderful - to find his mom - standing over the stupid Bundt Pan at 11:30 PM  with half of the cake on the plate - and half still in the pan... and saying no no no no no no no no no no no no no - in an unusual unmedicated sort of rambling.  I decided to put the pan back over the cake and leave it until morning - and then just make a new cake.  When I woke up this morning early, there was my cake, pieced together, perfectly, (ok - so it needed a little extra frosting, ok a LOT of extra frosting on on side) by my son, who absolutely KNEW that I would have a melt down this morning.  I'm pretty sure - I NO DOUBT have the winning story, if not the winning cake.  Thank You Ryan - for seeing past all of the things in your life, and taking a moment to fix mine.  You are my winner.  Contest at 6 - maybe I'll post pictures!! ??  if there's any left....

Let them eat CAKE!



Well - it's finally the day before the big event.... yessereee... the big CAKE CONTEST!  I'm feeling the pressure as a Missionary in the ward - if you know me, I'm praying for divine intervention.  I had this amazing cake idea, ok - I wanted to steal Mandy's 4lbs of butter coconut cake.  She was reluctant to share it with me.... hum.... until I looked at all 4 pages of it, AND the cost to make the cake!  (HOLY MISSIONARY COW!)  She had made this cake for my birthday, and it was massively divine.  I LOVED it - I LICKED the plate several times over.  But this sweet kid had made this million dollar cake for me - and it was a freaking hard cake to make.  I WANT YOU TO KNOW MANDY THAT IT WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED.... and that I would NOT be able to EVER make it in my lifetime.  Then I thought I would steal Ashley's 4th of July cake - WHICH I HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT YET - and personally reminded me of a Rubik's cube - and I realized.... it would seriously take an Engineer to make it.  So since I'm not capable of baking like my daughters.... I had to improvise.  First of all I fasted and prayed for forgiveness, because I bought a box mix.  BUT - after I had great regrets about CHEATING..... I made up a stupid cake.  It's in the oven baking right now.... I decided that I could NOT take a cake to the contest without it being a butt, bunnt, buennnt cake - OH IT'S A CAKE!  The bottom is seriously coconut butter creme, with a layer of cherries, then grated chocolate fudge top, I saved some coconut, syrup, and cherries for the top.  I think I'll be fine - unless I can't get it out of the pan - and which at that time, I swear I WILL get the jaws of life out to cut the pan off of the cake and STILL TAKE IT!  The only thing that helped me survive my baking experience with the limited amount of bowl licking was the fact that I chose the perfect movie to have on.  I had attended the temple earlier today (part of the praying and fasting that I would win), and a shrubbery came to mind.... so I put in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" - which includes my favorite lines, "Bring out your Dead", "It's only a flesh wound" and of course, included coconuts.

Back to the cake.

When I heard about this picnic in the park for our ward, and the cake contest, I wanted so much to make the perfect cake.  But you have to remember, sometimes we have picnics because that way, we know someone has dinner at least one night this week.  There's the harsh reality of where I serve.  So - my cake - will be awesome, and much needed to cheer a few souls, to top off a few hungry tummies.  It doesn't matter what it looks or tastes like, it will be a hit.  Tonight - I'm thankful for daughters that can bake cakes that make me squeeeeeeel with delight, for the pizza that baked between mixes, for the holders of the secret words including "Ni", and for the buzzer going off right... about... now....  Hope this is what it looks like after tomorrow night!  (Just make sure my name is spelled correctly on the trophy chicks that's all I'm asking)



Bzzzzzz........

Yerp - last year we all went to the Bee's game and were

wowed beyond words, and we pinkie swore that we would all

come back and revisit the massiveness thereof. 

Our numbers were few - but exceptional...

Ashley arrived on crutches - after tearing up her ankle....

she didn't get the sympathy vote from the card game of WAR...

Just when you think your camera is safe from Mandy -

the other siblings take over..... and thus we get this....and this.....

and maybe this....

or a sweet one like this......

(YEAH!  This year we had Ryan AND Mike back!!)

Mike could NOT understand why we brought cards...

duh - what are we suppose to do until the fireworks start???

OH there's a GAME going on?  Sweet!

It was Home run Spectacular!!!

There were people hitting baseballs, and breaking bats,

and then they would run around the bases, and people would

cheer - and about 3 hours later......

the rain started...

BUT!  We cheered really loud, they won,

we ran under the cover, cheered louder,

and - they said - ok Fireworks....

(Insert Fireworks picture here....)

(WHAT?)

(NO FIREWORK PICTURES?)

whateva....

Wanna come with us next year?

(Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks....)

The Pioneer Treck to Mendon... (in our airconditioned 4Runner)

Well - I would never have been able to be a pioneer... ever.  But our journey to the promised land of Mendon began with loading up our bikes, packing up our work clothes, and stopping at In and Out on the way there.... there were no campfires included.  My little town has a pint sized party on the 24th of July - really home towny stuff - it was also a weekend for me to get some freakin work projects (never ending lists) completed for my mom.  Del, Ryan and I all had a bunch of (seriously nonsense activities) things that needed to happen this weekend and we threw in some very fun things to even out the time (actually 28 hours) we were there.  We started with an amazing bike ride from Mendon to Hyrum Dam, the valley and the weather was breathtaking as usual.  We hurried home to make breakfast for our Mendon Family - ok - ok - ok - so David made the bacon and sausage - and Betsy added water to the pancake mix.... alrighty then.... we ate.  Then we headed off to the Parade - I'll have you know - our parade in Mendon is ranked 8,456th in the nation - kid you not.  There are 17 tractors with 400 kids with water guns and candy.  There were 3 floats with royalty on them sweating through those prom dresses.  The Utah State Basketball team came - I think they thought it was the SL parade - but they were good sports.  I walked away with 2 bubblegums, an orange taffy, and a sucker.  Score Big.  The funniest part to me was when they had the grand marshals of the parade (some people that I kinda think that THEY think they are a little better than others..... (unchristlike sorry) in a car that was so high on the sides that you could only see the tops of their heads and their arms reaching up to wave!!!! (BWAHAHAHAHA!)  It was a day where our family joins in randomness and enjoys the company and food and the love.  My cute 2nd cousin Natalie brought her little kids (all children in my blogs are referred to by protective custody names as to protect their innocence)  George, Nataliaski, and Herman.... So dang cute.  I LOVED that they came and I LOVED talking to Natalie - actually I LOVE her parents, and her sister Marnie - and well- those other ones that are not my face book friends yet..... I love them too.  Here are some random parade pictures.... and some random comments from the peanut gallery....

Natalie - (wait where is the hair on my left side?)

Seriously Parade goers..... Pat - what's in your mouth?

(Oh Hi Ryan.... "I like this truck")

David, Betsy, 'George', Erin and 'Spike Lee'

waitin' for that candy to flow....

The firetruck drenching - we put Gma under

the umbrella.... yep - someone pulled their boat

as a float - we have total Kentucky Class....

sorry - Kentuckians...

My grand-nephew - was pretty impressed that

no one was telling him to 'not eat candy'

This is Thomas E. Train - son of Betsy and David

I will disclose these names - as we would like

someone, ANYONE to come and kidnap them!

I LOVE these two - my niece and nephew

Kate and Brandon.... I loff them.

Yo - my Bro.... Spinal surgery - ew - he's a keeper.

The best youngest son ever... I cut his head off. sorry.

I have hair in my eyes on this picture but still none

on the right left side of my head... what gives?

Great Grandma actually got a snuggle from 'Spike Lee'

actually - they both look like they are in pain.

Except - Mom won't remember she's in pain

five minutes from this picture being taken....

(:

I have absolutely no idea who these ladies are - but

they look like some pretty bad a chicks eh?

(Look - Natalie - there's Natalieiski!)

My favorite thing at the parade....

Thomas E Train - showing his amazing

 puddle jumping skills...

*************

After the parade - there was much to be done at

the homestead... there were many squirrels to find,

so we send Gma off to find them.  We tended to the

garden, and picked about 20 crookneck squash,

we cringed at the 25 zucchinis growing bigger than

a breadbox, and we finished the pathway around the

garage so Grandma won't fall on her hinney.

Updates on the garden as follows:  Growing...

And at the right you can see the walk of shame we built....

you see she won't trip but she'll think she's drunk when she

walks on the uneven brick job.... (:   dang -we're good

Ballgames and Fireworks - with Betsy, Spike Lee, and Erin

who is entering Utah State University - and we've all given

her about a week there before someone marrys her...

so dang cute...

Spike entertained us with every single hand gesture from:

Popcorn Popping

If you're happy and you know it,

and some Bubble song that made me

pee my pants laughing....

My cousin Heidi made the co-ed all start team!!!

She was camping?  WTF?

So Erin, Thomas E Train, and Betsy collected

her winnings for the night for her...

It's ok - I can kick her butt in softball

any day of the week sista... (;

Me mudder - dang - I look tired - but I do

show a case of possible hair here on the sides.. (:

Thomas E. Train - was so frightened of the fireworks,

so he covered his ears..... and actually fell asleep and

missed them all anyway - I LOVE THIS PICTURE!

(love my Werin too)

We drove home after the fireworks - actually we're not sure who

drove home - because apparently we were all sleeping in the

car on the way home..... :0  but what a great day.  This

blog entry is somewhat strange  - but it is mostly for

my away kids - whom I missed with all my heart,

and during the the fireworks in the dark... I shed a

a tear or two.  It was nice to snuggle with Del - to

have him there, and to have Ryan there - and to be with family.

It was a day of service, and of good food, great family times

and a reminder that someone made this family possible

many years ago when they crossed the plains.

Just wondering which polygamist mom was mine..

(SO just kidding?)

Journey's End

I know everyone knows of the 'This Is The Place' monument at the mouth of Emigration Canyon (or  Immigration - whomever you are arguing with), but this is a statue right next to it - behind it is the canyon the pioneers came into the Salt Lake Valley through, it is called "Journey's End".  Later, others would enter through Parleys Canyon, and Echo Canyon.  Each year around the 24th of July, the date the Saints entered the valley, I ride my bike up this canyon.  I stop at all of the historical markers, I look at the oldest trees and wonder if they were there when Alexander or Archibald, or Alexander Bryce passed through. It is a seriously spiritual place to be.  This statue was truly inspired.  The look of absolute relief is evident.  Perhaps these were the only family members that made it on the long journey, leaving some buried along the way.  I have pioneer direct lines that were buried along the way, and I pray that those sacred places are watched over by angels.  The oldest Hill ancestor is buried in the Salt Lake Cemetery - not the first to arrive - that would have been his son.  He was part of the main wagon trains to arrive into the valley.  Then he went back to get the remainder of the Presidency of the Church and bring them into the SL Valley.  I was born in Utah - and hope to die here - and be buried here.  It is the roots of my family, it is where a place for the church to exist in peace was carved out and prepared.  After my ride up the canyon - and it was a truly beautiful and emotional one - I went to the cemetery and decorated all of the Hill headstones with red, white and blue banners.  I do this each year.  Most of the headstones will not be there much longer because of deterioration.  I wanted to post this now because next week I'll go the Cache Valley where the remainder of my direct line lives.  I hope that my children will never let the pioneer stories of my family be forgotten.  Pass them on - honor them.

"And should we die - before our journeys end, Happy Day - All Is Well"

I'll have an Antelope Burger... or not...

Crazy things happen with a full moon... like going on a bike ride actually in the moonlight.  Ryan and I were able to participate in the Antelope Island Moonlight Ride this year.  It's an 18 year old ride and it was the most amazing thing ever.  I hadn't been to the Island since Elementary school, and was first of all freaked out by driving over the Great Salt Lake on the causeway.  I reminded Ryan that when the causeway was originally built over the lake, Grandpa Bowen was on the crew that did it.  Weird but true!  The ride there was hysterical because Ryan found a Spanish station on the radio and he was translating the songs to me and we were laughing ourselves silly.  The Manchild knows his Spanish.  We were fortunate enough to have some very kind friends provide our wristbands and a seriously good looking tee shirt.  Thanks to Myron and Jill Eldred - couldn't have gone without you.  Jill had just recently had shoulder surgery so Myron took the lead of our three pack.  The ride required headlights on your helmets and red lights on the back.  When the ride started it looked like the mountain was on fire with tail lights.  Over 1400 riders took to the trail - it was the most amazing sight ever.  To totally have to trust just ten feet in front of you was very interesting.  The full moon was over the Great Salt Lake and it was breathtaking.  Most of the riders decorated their bikes with glow sticks - having never ridden the ride - I was not a decorated rider - but alas I did put my glow in the dark Halloween makeup in my back pocket - so I did get a few scares out of people.  The ride was only 23 miles, but it took off a good 1,000 calories with the hills and such.  The ride took you from one marina to the next - where there were treats and lots of laughter, then you started back - and the red lights had to miss hitting the white lights coming and going.  Ryan and Myron were good riders - guys like to do that testosterone thing where they are pushing each other along.  I was all, "Oh my gosh - what  a cute jersey - oh yeah - you did the Little Red ride didn't you..." to total strangers.  The bug rumor is certainly true - but only if you stop for 5 seconds - then they carry you away - so the trick is to never stop.... I thoroughly enjoyed that ride - and it will certainly be on my list of things to do next year... any takers?   We arrived home at about 2 AM - and we were still laughing.  Here is Ryan and I and the 1/2 way mark - he was a great friend to have on the ride - a strong rider - and a very good translator.... Next morning....another ride....  new story.... on next post.