An Emerging Talent

She's already got the eating talent perfected...wait until the end for the up and coming one.

I'll Always Be There For You

While doing some research for a family home evening lesson on respect I found this story that gave me an urgent desire to instill this phrase in Luci and my (hopefully soon to come) other children. Do our children know that they are uncomprehendingly loved? Do they know that we will be there for them no matter what? This talk by President James E. Faust can be found here.

Warning**...Tear Jerker

In 1989 there was a terrible earthquake in Armenia that killed over 30,000 people in four minutes. A distraught father went in frantic search of his son. He reached his son’s school only to find that it had been reduced to a pile of rubble. But he was driven by his promise to his son, “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!” He visualized the corner where his son’s classroom would be, rushed there, and started to dig through the debris, brick by brick.

Others came on the scene—the fire chief, then the police—warning him of fires and explosions, and urging him to leave the search to the emergency crews. But he tenaciously carried on digging. Night came and went, and then, in the 38th hour of digging, he thought he heard his son’s voice. “Armand!” he called out. Then he heard, “Dad!?! It’s me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told ’em that if you were alive, you’d save me and when you saved me, they’d be saved. …

“There are 14 of us left out of 33. … When the building collapsed, it made a wedge, like a triangle, and it saved us.”

“Come on out, boy!”

“No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, ’cause I know you’ll get me! No matter what, I know you’ll be there for me!”

All family relationships should be honored including those to our kindred dead. Love, service, and help should flow between brothers and sisters and the extended family.

Surprise!

I thought we were just going to see these gushingly cute cuties to help out with their new baby sister,


when Jacob successfully surprised me (not easily done) and took me here...
















to see some of our favorite friends :) We were seriously only about 3 hours away from New York before I realized what was going on. I didn't believe Jacob when he first told me. I punched, and shushed, and uttered "no ways", and "I don't believe you's". It was a much hoped for trip that I crossed my fingers would be possible. The trip proved to be a success in all areas. We saw the falls, the beach, a style time man wearing short shorts with calf high snake boots, lots of pretty vineyards, moo cows, what more could you ask?? Thanks Gee $'s for the good times and good food. Let's open a bed and breakfast or something.

Luci learned a few new words on the trip. Including: Amy, Amen, and Hello. Sometime I will post some footage.

Fresh

It all started with a perfect date with my Husband. What does a perfect date entail you might ask. Free babysitting (thanks to friends), Costco, Trader Joes, and a beautiful Park. Yes running errands was part of our perfect date. We dreamt about things we wish we could buy at two of our favorite stores. I was wishing for the Spanish olive oil at Trader Joes, while Jacob dreamt about frozen egg rolls, and commercial size bags of cheetos. Of course being practical about our cash situation we bought things like 3000 square feet of saran wrap, 6 months worth of wipes, 1 bag of wheat flour, rice milk, and some chocolate for our treat. Can you guess how much being frugal cost that night? $60.00 my friends. For boring stuff. Boo. Anyway, the date gets better. We found an amazing park to hang out in where we could dream some more while we ate said chocolate. This park over looked the river and had an amazing look out. A look out that we didn't even think was possible in our flat mid-western state. So, the ambiance was romantic, the chocolate delicious, and my husband refreshingly wonderful (as usual).

The lettuce in my garden is fresh, our Stromboli dinner tasted fresh, and our bag full of cherries in the fridge are also fresh. This is why I love summertime.

Stromboli

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough:
Adapted from All Recipes

• 2 1/4 teaspoons SAF instant yeast
  
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in kitchen aid. Add oil and water and mix with dough hook until smooth and elastic. Adding more flour if needed. Let dough rise in bowl covered with plastic wrap for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Roll out pizza dough in cornmeal. Shape into a large circle about 1/4" thick (thicker if you so desire). Over half of the surface spread toppings like Hard Genoa Salami, sliced turkey, tomatoes, bell peppers, vidalia onions, Anaheim peppers, banana peppers, fresh basil, etc... Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese of choice. Fold over the dough and pinch the edges. Bake on a pizza stone, or pan, for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Buonissimo!

For Your Entertainment

Have you ever seen a one year old that loves salad? Let me show you one...

8:59 AM

It's overcast and muggy today, surprisingly I am loving it. We had waffles for breakfast as Jacob hurried out the door for work. Luci waved with both hands saying bu bye Dada. I read and pondered while Luci played wonderfully by herself until 8:15 when we set out for our morning walk. I love our little neighborhood. Every yard is kept immaculately. The birds chirp wildly, really, I feel like we live in a forest sometimes with how wild they are. Other than the birds it is oh so quiet...all the time. Would you believe that we live just 15 minutes from the city?

Anyway, on our walk I decided to maybe try a little jogging. I haven't been running since I hurt my knee last summer. I jogged for about 7 minutes and it didn't hurt! That is good news folks.

So we've returned from our walk/jog, and Luci is supposed to be napping. But alas, she is jabbering away in her crib, making airplane noises, and probably doing the hand motions to go with it. She loves airplanes these days.

On my list today:

• Finish Monday's laundry
• Mop kitchen floor
• Make something delicious for the S family (thanks for babysitting yesterday!)
• YOGA tonight!!
• Read new books from library while Jacob plays basketball

So, now it is 9:18. And I'd better hop to it! Luci can only entertain herself with airplane noises for so long you know.

YMCA!

Banana's require concentration. How do you like the new car seat?

And I Think To Myself...

What a Wonderful World
These are some pictures that remind me of how blessed I am. Thanks Sam for the plants. Thanks Jacob for a fabulous trip to Nashville. Thanks even more to Jody for babysitting our Luci. Over night dates are a great idea! Thanks to dad and Denise for the extra birthday cash which we already spent. Thanks to Isaac for the lovely goose egg on luci's head :)

My Red Heads

Our Garden is growing! Wow, those little buds coming up seriously made us giddy.

How is she tall enough to reach things like this!?

24, was the speed limit in Opry Land??

This was inside the Opry Hotel... Inside I tell you!

Want to see a replica of the Parthenon...there's one in Nashville...of all places.

One of my most favorite parts of our trip was sitting underneath this tree next to the Parthenon eating Jack's BBQ and sharing an Almond Joy

We are so hot.

MMM!

Her first goose egg... so sad.