Mama Mia!

This week we had our cooking club and we made homemade pasta. Yum!

It was a bit labor intensive but fun to eat and know how to make it.

This was my favorite part of the day however!

These are stuffed Strawberries. They were so good and easy to make.

20 whole large strawberries, washed

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 C. confectioners sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup chopped pecans

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright.

Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. Fan wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them.

Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff.

Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture.

Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

You don't have to use the pastry bag, you can use a ziplock bag and just nip off the bottom corner however I tried this method and I think having the metal tip to push open the berries would have been helpful.

(Sorry for the side ways picture.I couldn't get it to straighten out in the blog.)

This week I got a few unexpected packages in the mail. My sister Sheila sent our family this amazing blue and white quilt. The pattern is called Blazing Stars. The backing is just as cool as the front as it's like a mariners star map. I love it. Sheila is a rock star! Not just for sending the quilt, even thought that alone would do it for me, she gives so much of herself to everyone. Always happy and ready with a laugh. She is such a wonderful example to me of a disciple of Christ. I'm so lucky to have her listening ear and shoulder to cry on. What would I do without my sister?

Then I got a book from my Mom. This is an awesome book I actually already had bought it myself but I must have loaned it out to someone because I couldn't find it. Now I have it again!

Sherry Dew is such a great speaker and I really like her.

Sometimes it is very hard being so far away from my family. But my Mom always finds just the right balance to let me know she's thinking about me and loves me. I can't imagine the kind of person I would be today without her influence in my life. I'm in awe of her as a Mom and wife. If you know her you probably are too.

Gardens, Grades and a Balloon Artist!

Last Week

On Monday we planted our garden. I decided to do it a little differently than last year and go with squares instead of rows. We'll see how this turns out. I thought it might be slightly easier to weed. Blaze has been busy digging next to the compost fence (shown in the right corner) to get tasty morsels. I saw her eating the last hard boiled egg from Easter when I left home this morning. Shell and all. GROSS!

On Wednesday the kids had a half day and we got to go pick up report cards and have conferences with their teachers. Kirstin had all A's even in her Honors Math and English class! Beauty and Brains. Boys you'd better watch out!

Noah had A's and B's and is progressing great. His teacher is a family friend and I was able to do our conference over the phone. (It was so nice!)

I had to talk to each of Emil M.'s teachers to schedule his exams prior to leaving for the family reunion at the end of the school year. It was actually very nice to hear them tell me what a kind person he is. His Creative Writing teacher had great things to say about him as well and informed me of some writing/scholarship contest she wanted him to enter in so we got right on that and he sent off two submissions the next day. He's taking the lead of the High School's literary magazine they put out every year and will be seeing it through to publication. It's great experience and I'm happy to see him taking some leadership roles at school.

That night was Noah's last soccer game. Spring Soccer is the shortest of all the sports seasons lasting only 5 weeks I think. (Now that's my kind of sport!!!) They ended the season undefeated and he was so proud.

On Saturday Noah's school had it's Spring Fling. Our HSA (just like PTA) was in charge of it. It was my last big event as the HSA Co-President. It turned out great and everyone had a good time. I made balloon animals all day and walked around making sure all the booths were manned and all was in order.

I found the best Youtube video on how to make the sweetest balloon bracelets for girls.

Swords for boys

and I already had a book on how to do animals but the only one I had memorized to make was the dog. This is my little pink poodle!

I had to have my crazy balloon hat because what is a balloon artist without a crazy balloon hat?

I think I might bring some balloons to the Family Reunion. The kids would love it but with so many boys I'll have to expand my artsy arsenal.

Our best booth was definitely the Pie in the Face booth. We got some of the teachers and other staff to be our targets. Here is Noah's Teacher. At least the Rediwhip was extra creamy!

Noah got his face painted and the Band Boosters came out and sold Funnel Cake. I've seen kits where you can make it at home now and I'm totally tempted, but really! Do I need that temptation living in my house? It was sooooooo good though!

I'm so glad it's done. We will have a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon in a couple of weeks but I just realized that our family will be camping that weekend and we're leaving the day before the luncheon. Thankfully Shelly, the other Co-President is going to take charge of it.

It feels good to finally be finished with that responsibility.

It's been a two year term and I made it!

How I'm Doing, Really

I thought I'd do a blog for all of you that are or have been

worried/thinking about us/praying for us.

As we approach the year mark of Kai's death there a few things I'd like to say.

Emil and I talked about it and we don't want to mark this day or do anything special to set it apart. It's a date we can't help but acknowledge but the difference in missing our little boy is no stronger on April 25th than on April 14th. Wether he is gone today or in ten years he will still be away from us. What matters to us is when we will see him again. Since we don't have it in our power to know when that will be, we will wait patiently, sometimes not so patiently, on the Lord's time.

The Easter/Spring Break time was a little hard for me as I couldn't help but recall staging the notorious Easter Bunny photos (see last years Easter blog)

as well as the beach trip I took with the kids to the beach over Spring Break last year. Kai had a blast playing in the break with a little boat we got for him and for the next couple of weeks he asked every couple of days if we could go back to the beach.

Emil hiked the same trail we had taken the family on (see Our Own Trail of Tears Blog) when he went with the scouts over the break so naturally his thoughts were turned to when we had done that with Kai. We each got trail names and Kai was such a Trooper on the hike, carrying his pack with his clothes and sleeping pad that became his trail name, Trooper.

These remembrances, though vivid are not abnormal for us. I think of Kai, literally, everyday. Sometimes more in depth and contemplative but always daily. I think it's the same for all of us.

I feel our family is moving on well. Moving on is a necessary process and I think we all understand that. By doing so it doesn't mean we forget but we accept our situation and try to continue to find happiness and beauty in our lives we are living now. Our abiding hope and comfort remains the same it has been through this entire experience, that we will see Kai again some day and the knowledge that we are sealed in the temple, never to be separated in eternity. The Lord continues to comfort us in our every need.

I want to say Thanks all of you who have tirelessly prayed on our behalf. I know it has made a difference. Thank you for your kind gestures and words. I have felt our Saviors love through you. Our blessings far outweigh our hardships. Until we meet again....

I know I should have totally done a really sweet baby picture but c'mon. He was a 6 year old boy!

Easter, Spring Break and all that Jazz

A surprise Easter flower delivery by an anonymous friend.

We have the best people in our lives.

Sorry for the long delay in posting. This week was Spring Break and I totally took it off.

Easter was a very nice day. We enjoyed conference on Saturday and Sunday morning got up and had our annual Egg Wars for breakfast.

The idea with Egg Wars is for two hard boiled eggs to crash into each other while being held by opposing challengers and see which one cracks. The uncracked egg is the winner.

This is a prime example of a non winning egg.

I usually don't participate since the rule is that you have to eat the eggs you crack and the entire point of Egg Wars is to see who's egg will last the longest without a crack. I don't like hard boiled eggs except in egg salad sandwiches and deviled eggs but I broke with tradition and competed this year and was the VICTOR SURPREME!!!!!

Me holding my winning egg. Emil Michael did eventually dethrone me but I held out the longest.

After the first conference session we went to Emil's Aunt Cora's for a big Filipino get together Sunday afternoon. (No pictures from that. I forgot my camera.)

Monday started our Spring Break. Kirstin had Alexandra over to spend the night and we went out canoeing for FHE.

Noah has started wearing a bandana just like Emil Michael. It cracks me up since every time I look at him I think of Aunt Jemima.

Emil Michael used the kayak for the most part

but when we went into the little lagoon by the clubhouse we sent Noah out to retrieve a plastic egg Emil threw in the water. He did a really good job. We need a shorter kayak paddle for the younger kids though.

The weather for the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday was in the high 80's. (Actually too hot for this time of year.) We went to the beach on Wednesday and the water was so cold it hurt your feet to walk in it. Of course that didn't stop the kids from playing in it. They are insane! I got some great sun and was able to visit with our friends the Seals and Jacobsons. Two families from the beach. That was very nice.

I was able to go to a stake camp meeting and a YW presidency meeting as well and that was good since next week is the HSA Spring Fling and I'm a bit worried about pulling it all together.

I also cleaned my scrapbook side of my craft room.

My sewing side needs some attention though. Perhaps today.

I just don't like working in the craft room when it looks like this and it takes me a full day to really sort through it all and rearrange everything.

The pollen has been horrible this week. I had the windows open since it was so warm and this is what the playroom floor looks like. No that's not dust it's pollen. I think the index is at about 6 billion. That's after only 3 days! Doing the floors is on the agenda for today as well. I dusted last night.

Wednesday Emil and Emil Michael left for a scout hike on the AT. Kirstin left yesterday to go help belay since today they should be done hiking and will be doing some rock climbing at Ravens Roost.

This is a picture of one of the climbs at Ravens Roost from last year when we belayed for the Priest High Adventure. It's about 100 feet of rock and a good climb. Too bad it's so far away.

Tonight everyone should be back home and exhausted. Thank goodness for the Sabbath!

Arrrgh! Kiss Me Booty!

Tell me these don't make you crack up!

I found these transfers at Joanne's Fabric one day and just had to get them for a friend that just had a baby. Every time I think about it I laugh. I've been feeling kind of cranky lately and was actually getting another one to put on a shirt for myself when I don't want to be tested.

I think the Kiss me Booty one would give the general idea.

"Here we see the 10 adolescent in his natural habitat....it seems he is displaying some type of wild things call."

So Noah's birthday was on the 22nd of March. Sadly by the time Noah's birthday rolls around I'm just about birthdayed out but we did muster a sleepover and movie with some of his friends. Kirstin made his birthday cake.

I took 3 of his friends to see Diary of a Whimpy kid. I just have to state at this time, I'm eternally grateful for Emil's Mom that faithfully takes my children to see all the kids movies that they want. I'm not a fan of the children's movie genre. There are rare exceptions.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox was so funny. It came out this past fall so it should be for rent by now. Any adult would enjoy it. That's about all that I can think of right now.

Another recommendation. Creme Brulee. Have you ever had it? No? This is my new favorite dessert. I had it at an Italian restaurant once and it sent me scouring the internet for a recipe as soon as I got home. The fatal flaw? The top is suppose to be caramelized with a little blowtorch used for just such a purpose. The torches start at $35. I really tried to rationalize purchasing one but haven't been able to yet. Then to my utter delight and surprise I discovered frozen Creme Brulee at Traders Joes. It's $5 for a pack of 4 and totally worth it.

They are the bomb!

I'd even say it's Creme Bruhaha Delicious!

Temple, Ikea, & My niece Amber

This past weekend I went to D.C. with my niece, Amber. The weather was horrendous! (Rain, wind gust and cold!) On the up side we had time to drop by Ikea and I was able to spurge and get some long loved kitchen organization pieces.

Have I mentioned before that I think I may have a possible tupperware/rubbermaid obsession. I love to have containers for my kitchen stuff.

All the cereals are in plastic containers. Chips, oatmeal, flour, pretty much everything I have as a staple in my pantry has a plastic container. I don't know why I like it so much but I do. I think it may be a bit abnormal.

Anyway, sadly Amber wasn't quite as in love with Ikea as I am. When I asked her why she said "well I don't have a house" I guess that's a OK answer. Still, I am suspicious. Have aliens abducted my sweet niece?

We arrived at the hotel at about 9pm on Friday. They had booked a block of rooms for the girls and their leaders and we were in a suite with girls from Nags Head and Ahoskie. They had activities planned for us until 1am!

I am way too old to be staying up that late. I could not stop yawning! It was fun though. The next morning we were up at 8 and to the temple by 9:30. They had reserved a room for us and we got to hear from our Stake Young Women's Presidency as well as the Sister Tingey, the Temple President's wife and The Turleys, a young couple that live in DC.

They all talked about the importance of the Temple both in being worthy to attend by being morally and spiritually clean and pure and how it can help us in our lives after we have gone through for the first time. It was a very spiritual weekend and I'm glad I got to do that with Amber.

Did I mention that I saw Geraldine Weeks there? She was one of the speakers on Chastity on Friday night. She was so cute. We did all of our activities that night in our PJ's since it was a slumber party and when I got there she came up to me and said Hi. She had a cute pair of green PJ's, pearls and gold earrings on and proceeded to tell me that her PJ's and robe were wet since they had been on a carrier on top of their car and it had leaked. She just laughed. She is such a good sport and the consummate Southern gal.

Mom I told her I'd send this picture of us to you. She always asks how you're doing.

Well that's it for now. I'd better run I'm meeting with a friend today to do some lettering for her walls. Have a great day!

Squash Soup and the Picture

Here's the drawing I talked about in my last blog. I guess I must have accidentally deleted it before I posted the blog! Anyway thought you might like to see it.

Yet another recipe.... It's really good.

Winter Squash Soup Serves 6-8

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 C. chopped onions

1 lb. winter squash (butternut, acorn...) aprox. 2 cups

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 1/2 C. water or light chicken stock

salt & white pepper to taste

dash of grated nutmeg

pinches of light brown sugar, if needed

1 C. milk or half & half

1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Melt butter with the oil in a heavy sauce pan, adding the onions. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is very tender & slightly golden, about 15 minutes.

2. Cut squash in half, and remove the seeds and fibers, lay on a plate with a bit of water and microwave until tender, about 6 minutes or so.

3. Scoop out 2 cups & stir into onions.

4. Stir in garlic, stock or water, salt & pepper, and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg.

5. Cover and simmer until all is very tender.

6. Puree mixture in blender or food processor.

7. Wipe out pan and return puree to it.

At serving time, add milk and return to simmer. Thin with a little more milk if the soup is thicker than you want it. Sweeten if needed with a little of the brown sugar. (I've never found this necessary) Serve hot with a dusting of the cheese.