Holy Ghost Talk Keepsake

Coming up is one of my sweet niece's baptism. My sister and I have a deal... she gave a talk at my son's baptism and I promised I would give a talk 6 months later at her daughter's baptism...which is around the corner.

I searched online and found this clever traffic light/ Holy Ghost metaphor talk with handout. Seen here.

I thought the handout was good as a classroom handout, but for the baptism I wanted something my niece could hang on her bedroom wall afterwards.

This is what I came up with.

I made two... here is the other one, when you look face on it all lines up, the one above shows that more clearly. The one below I had to add because the colors look prettier in the light.

Materials: Shadow box, canvas, white glass paint marker, bedazzle type jewels, tacky glue, black/yellow/green/red paint (and paint brush), red/yellow/green glitter.

The paint and glitter can be optional...I probably didn't need them but wanted to use them to cover any gaps between the jewels.

It's pretty self explanatory... you just paint the canvas black, after it dries you make circles and paint them red, yellow and green. Then, if you want, add the glitter to the appropriate color while the paint is wet. Next you separate the jewels with different shades and sizes. Glue them on. Put the canvas inside the shadow box. On the outside write Stop & Repent, over the red. Caution: Danger, over the yellow. Go! Teach Testify Prompt, over the green.

The link contains the talk. I made a few adjustments to the talk I will give.

First Carrots!

I never had successful results when attempting to grow carrots. This is because I would forget about them and not water them. Now that I have a watering system in place, they have grown! They are delicious! I also have had lots of sugar snap peas grow this fall. I only had a few to pick with the carrots, but they still grow every day. The carrots raw were quite tasty. Cooked brought out the sweetness and they were the best cooked carrots I ever have eaten. I made David try one bite of cooked carrot... I said "Aren't they delcious?! I grew that! Can't you just taste the love?" David answers "I can taste the love...but I also taste carrot...and I don't like carrots". Haha.

cooking in a bit of olive oil and salt...it was a tad too much olive oil. I added other stuff so it turned out nice.

I added mushrooms and spinach, ate with some chicken. It was all delicious.

Chandelier Updated

BEFORE

AFTER

10 Years of Marital Bliss

October 1st, 2015 was our 10 year wedding anniversary. I asked David to plan it (I like when he plans it because then I know it's somewhere/something he is willing to do/go to/pay for, and I know he'll be thinking of me too).

He kept pretending that he hadn't thought of something yet but he took the week off of work and already arranged to have his mom keep the kids for us at our house. Soon I knew he had planned something but he wanted it to be a surprise. He said we would be outdoors a lot (this did not sound like the David I know). I also knew it was 6 hours away. I guessed lots of places we might go. I finally correctly guessed that we were going to a ranch... I only thought to guess ranch because I knew he would look for a place for us to do clay shooting, and I've heard him mention work friends who have ranches and clay shot on them.

He planned such a beautiful and fun trip to Wildcatter Ranch. We would do horseback riding, skeet shooting, archery, stone massages, there was an infinity pool with a gorgeous view (didn't get pictures of that). We had our own little cabin away from everyone else. We were next to fields where cows would graze in the morning. Unfortunately they (like many areas) are in a drought... the lake was completely dried up... completely. So no canoeing.

It was a lovely trip and so good to reconnect with just each other.

Here are some photos...out of order.

Fixin' to go horseback riding for the second day

Comfy couch. Long day of doing stuff.

Just a picture of some of the cabin

More togetherness before the ride.

Right behind our cabin

David and archery it looked worse in person... I had a smaller bruise because I wore a wrist guard.

Handsome husband, out for dinner.

Black widow outside our window, she laid her egg sack within the hour

My last arrow got a bullseye... it was the target farthest away too.

I really regret wearing the ninja turtle t-shirt

A Natural

View from my horse

Rancher Clint

outside the cabin

Tree by the cabin

Details

More cabin pictures

It had two rooms. We can bring the kids next time.

Took this from their website, we didn't bring our phones to the pool.

Took from their website, this is where we did skeet shooting...didn't get a photo.

I love trips like this. My dream is to own a cabin with some land (preferably in the Mountains or surrounded by Mountains), with a big garden, chickens, honeybee hives. David's not keen on the idea... yet. When he's outside though, when he's horseback riding, or watching the cows graze, or soaking up the scenery, or relaxing by some water... you'd swear it's his dream too. I don't know if he is aware of how much he enjoys it. When we take trips like this I am hopeful the idea is growing on him. Cheers to the next ten years!

My Mom's Tree

My mom loved trees. My last conversation I had with my mom was about her pomegranate tree. I want to say it was about 4 days before she died. 3 days before she passed away she stopped being able to communicate clearly, if at all... so this memory is very special to me.

I had gone down to visit with her and my sister Kileen was there too. My mom was cold, she was cold a lot given the fact that she had very little fat, little muscle, and probably a slowing circulation. She wanted to go sit in the sun a few minutes to warm up. Kileen and I both escorted her outside. We sat down in front of her young pomegranate tree. She spoke slowly and simply, she sounded as if she was 90 years old instead of 59. I was later able to appreciate that I got a glimpse of what it would have been like if my mom had been able to reach old age.

She started telling us about how to get the tree to fruit well in later years, the first year it fruits you have to pick off every young fruit except one. I commented how that must be hard to do, not knowing if that one that you leave will grow to maturity. She said "Oh, you have no idea" like picking them off was completely heartbreaking. Kileen and I may have said a few more things about gardening when my mom says in a happy, yet slow, voice "look at us, in the garden talking about gardening"...she made it sound like it was a dream come true.

Soon after she was feeling warm and we went back inside, she went to lay down.

I realized just today that my mom, knowing she was going to pass away before that tree really started to be fruitful, still took the time to give that tree it's best shot. She really loved growing things. She passed this love on to me, to both my brothers, to my sisters Laura and Kileen... not sure how Lorraine or Maureen feel about gardening... I think Lorraine is too busy and Maureen isn't in a house yet...I didn't start until I was in my own house. In fact, when we bought this house 6 years ago, I killed almost everything I grew... I didn't give up though and I have gotten better. My love for gardening keeps growing (ha ha, I just noticed the pun!) I hope to continue to get better at it.

December 7, 2014 will be the two year mark that my mom passed away. The past few months that memory of her keeps popping up in my head. I asked my dad if he would mind if I took our mother's pomegranate tree. His first reaction was that he wanted it, but he very quickly changed his mind and said "No, no... you should take it, I don't even like pomegranates".

Today I picked it up. Kileen wrapped it and covered the dirt and helped me load it in my car. Now it's in my backyard... and it makes me feel like my mom is there with me.

The fruit survived the car ride!

Set it next to the bridge my brother Connor built... really feeling the family ties back here.

Wanted to include a shot of part of my new veggie garden :)

Eileen's Penne Pasta Dish

My sister-in-law, Eileen, makes this amazingly delightful pasta dish that I find myself craving. She was kind enough to share her recipe with me and I want to write it down so I can access it easily.

Sliced chicken breasts or use chicken tenders, (Shrimp works too) marinate a few hours (she says overnight if you can) in garlic and some Tony Chacheres.  Grill (she prefers to grill on BBQ, I cook in a iron skillet) until done.

Boil pasta of choice (I use Penne...as the title suggests) until done, drain, set aside.

Olio: Heat skillet on med-hi. Add 1 cup of olive oil. When oil shimmers on top, add 1/4 cup of minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp basil, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp of parsley, and about 1\4 tsp rosemary. Let simmer ONE minute...DO not let the garlic brown! Add some finely diced tomatoes and simmer one more minute. Set aside. This can be served as a bread dip or tossed with the pasta...especially if you or kids don't care for the mushroom sauce.

Mushroom sauce: In a skillet add 2 Tbsp olive oil and heat over med-hi until shimmery. Add 1 package of peeled and sliced mushrooms (or peel and slice your own) with 1\4 cup of garlic until mushrooms are about halfway done, about 5 min. Add 1\2 sliced red bell pepper, 1 tsp salt, some fresh cracked pepper, and sauté until done (maybe 5 more minutes). When about done add 1\4 cup of chopped Kalamata olives. Add 1\8 cup brine from olives, cover, then remove from heat.

I also add quartered artichoke hearts and heat with sauce.

Okay so I LOVE the olio so instead of adding 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1\4 cup of garlic to the mushroom sauce I just add 2 Tbsp of the olio.

Toss with pasta, add chicken, and enjoy!

Spring Break 2014!

I was so happy this spring break. David, without me suggesting or even hinting, took his vacation so that we could all be together. We wanted the kids to have a fun break.

Monday I excitedly called everyone together for a wonderful day out... GROCERY SHOPPING... hahaha. We were out for FOUR hours shopping... not just grocery but some clothes and household items. They didn't think it was that fun... and we were all quite grumpy by the end of the day.

Tuesday we took the kids on a picnic in the park. It was a beautiful day. We even played a little softball with Liam.

Wednesday was the big surprise. We secretly packed for the kids and ourselves and made reservations to a hotel (a little under 2 hours away) that had an indoor pool. We both recalled from our family vacations that the best part was staying in a hotel somewhere and swimming in the pool. David and I both dislike crowded spaces... so we picked an area that we knew wouldn't be crazy busy with spring breakers. We also made sure it had one thing we could do together outside of the hotel... this was the shangri la botanical gardens. The kids were very excited when we got in the car (they still didn't see the suitcases). Violet got a little irritated when she saw on the GPS how long we were going to be driving... but otherwise the kids were great. They were soooo happy when they saw we were staying in a hotel and that they would get to swim in the pool. We ordered some pizza and then went swimming after we checked in. Drake was very nervous about the water but was soon having fun in his floaty... as long as he could hold mine or David's hand. That night was probably one of the top worst nights sleeps I've ever had... the kids are getting over a cold and coughed quite a bit that night. David didn't sleep well either.

Thursday, we went down for breakfast, then spent a good part of the morning watching tv and playing games. Around 11:30 we headed down to the car. First for some cough drops, cough medicine, ear plugs etc. Then out to lunch at Novrosky's. I thought their burgers were very tasty... Drake didn't eat anything. The gardens were lovely but not really spectacular. It was still a nice a day out. The kids loved it, especially Violet I think. David bought everyone some ice cream... Drake is lactose intolerant so he got a push-up. Then he bought everyone a souvenir. Drake was getting very grumpy... so when we got back to the hotel I suggested David take Liam and Violet to the pool while Drake takes a nap and I will stay there with him. That worked nicely. We didn't feel like going out for dinner so we ordered more pizza and pasta. I slept better that night and so did the kids, but David still didn't... one really appreciate's their comfortable bed when they are not sleeping in it.

Friday morning we got a little bit of food from downstairs to hold us over but wanted to take the kids out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel on the way home. This would have worked nicely but Drake was in such a bad mood (so I'm thinking he didn't sleep well). When we got home he took a four hour nap!

The kids say it was a fun spring break.

David driving. So handsome

Drake pulled Liam to him to give him a hug. Sweetness.

Violet and Liam acting kooky... still had no idea where we were going.

Drake and I the morning after we first go there. Note how tired I look.

That morning Violet found a pen and drew on a little mustache and goatee... the "black shadow" finds a new disguise

This little area smelled soooo heavenly. I wish I had a place like that, I would sit and breathe in it every single day.

Along the walk. I don't know what they were looking at.

The kids are ahead next to David, squatting down looking at a water pipe. Drake trails behind. I was taking pictures.

Now Drake inspects the water pipe.

In the kids garden area, cute sensory garden... I'm sure it is even nicer in late Spring

Peter Rabbit inspired garden

Each garden box had it's own name... Dr. Seuss garden, Italian garden etc

Had many bird species especially Heron's.

This was pretty... still under 'construction'... obviously dyed water.

More scenery

Ice cream time

lovely day

Liam wanted this little root viewing garden... it will grow a carrot, onion, and radish.

David picked out this mug for me :)

Violet picked out a little planter that plants flowers that attract butterflies and garden friendly bugs...she way over watered it though, hoping they still grow.