Summer theater

One of the highlights of our summer is going to see some amazingly good theater productions. The little state of Utah has some stellar stage productions and we absolutely love to be patrons each year. This year I got to see the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theater production of Oliver with my sister Lee. The little guy that played Oliver had a great voice and was perfectly cast. Michael B. also did a stellar job as Fagan. The music in the play was wonderful, the sets were well done and the costumes and casting were great. It was a fun evening.
Rick and I always love to go to Cedar City to attend the annual Shakespeare Festival. We met his sister Robyn and her husband Bob again this year and we had a great time. This year the Festival is celebrating their 50th year. That is quite an accomplishment for world class theater in the little city of Cedar City. Fred Adams the founder should feel very proud of what he has accomplished. They have branched out from doing just Shakespeare to also include some Broadway plays and some other theater productions that are generally well known. This year we saw Shakespeare's Richard III. It is a dark historical tragedy. During the three hours of the play good ole Richard knocked off 11 people as he murdered his way to the crown. I MARVEL at the ability of the actors to remember their lines (in Shakespeare no less) over the course of almost three hours of the play. The actors are so good at performing, it seems like we in the audience are just sitting there watching the live action take place before our eyes. It's an interesting story and another way to learn just a little more of English history (although I'm sure Shakespeare took a lot of liberties with the material.)
We also saw a top drawer production of the Music Man. It was delightful in every way! Amazing acting, great costumer and sets and just a fun afternoon watching amazing live theater.
The final play we got to see was the Glass Menagerie. The cast consisted of four people. A mother, a son, a daughter and a possible suitor for the daughter. The story was set in the 1930s and it was memorizing to watch the actors perform. It's a story with a sad ending, but the themes contained in the play really cause a person to think and contemplate relationships, especially family relationships. It was time very well spent.
It was great to spend some one-on-one time with Rick and to enjoy one of our joint passions. I highly recommend both theater companies.

Happy third birthday "Keep up the good work"

Well, I've been at it for three years now. I started this blog on July 27 of 2008 and I'm still going. To you good readers who have stuck with me, THANK YOU!
Google analytics and the "stats" tab on my blog have provided me with some good information about who has been reading my blog and where they are from.
Here is a little info:

• There have been readers from 23 countries and all but four of the United States over the last three years. I need a reader in North and South Dakota, Maine and Rhode Island. Anyone, anyone?? There have been a lot of readers from South Korea, Canada and Russia.
• the most hits the blog had in one day was 8,822 but it usually averages about 20 readers a day
• when I post more often, I have more consistent readers
• 68% of the people who read by blog come back again
  
• readers average 2 minutes and 23 seconds on site when they read an average of two posts
• 32% of my readers are new visits
• the blog averages 700 hits per month
• the posts that have had the most visitors are the posts "Called to Serve" about the Provo MTC, the inside model of the Salt Lake City LDS temple, the Carl Bloch exhibit announcement and the new eating symbol of the plate replacing the food pyramid. This tells me that people are interested in various topics and ideas that I am interested in.
  
• some of the best traffic sources are other blogs of my family and friends! Many thanks to Brooke N., Eileen, Team Z, Jamie, Kylee, Lee, Jessica, Mormon blogs and Google for providing a link from your blog to mine!

I'm celebrating my third birthday by using a new blog background and by going to lunch with some friends to eat Thai food! My niece Kylee is coming to visit today and I think we'll have some of these to celebrate her birthday and mine!



If you want to wish my blog a happy birthday, please say hello and tell me who you are! I'm very interested to know who is reading.

Thank you blessed pioneers!

Faith in Every Footstep

1. A marvelous work has begun to come forth among all the children of men.
O ye that embark in the service of God, give heart, mind, and strength unto him;
For prophets have spoken and angels have come to lift the world from sin,
That Christ may reign over all the earth and bless his gathered kin.

Chorus

With faith in ev’ry footstep, we follow Christ, the Lord;
And filled with hope through his pure love, we sing with one accord.

2. Those marvelous Saints who embraced this great work and shared it in lands far and near;
Who gave all their heart, mind, and strength to the Lord with wisdom and vision so clear;
Now stand as examples of virtue and faith, of souls prepared to hear,
Of knowledge sure, born of humble heart, and love that banished fear.

3. If we now desire to assist in this work and thrust in our sickles with might,
If we will embark in the service of God to harvest in fields that are white;
Our souls may receive the salvation of God—the fulness of his light,
That we may stand, free of sin and blame, God’s glory in our sight.

Text and music: K. Newell Dayley, b. 1939

© 1996 LDS. All rights reserved. This hymn may be coped for incidental, noncommercial use. This notice must appear on each copy made.

Jordan's salad

Jordan served this great summer salad when she was visiting earlier this month. She made it twice on a very large platter and just layered all the ingredients to feed about 12 people. I've made it in individual servings for just the three of us. It's very easy and really good!

Southwestern grilled chicken salad:
grill the chicken, cut in strips and cool (we've grilled the chicken on the Weber grill or on the George Foreman and it works great either way)
wash and cut up Romaine lettuce
sprinkle with cut up tomatoes and shredded cheese
add either black beans or kidney beans
add a can of corn that has been drained
AND THEN...
mix ranch dressing with BBQ sauce for a tangy dressing
It's a taste sensation...so easy...so quick and so good!

Did I leave anything out JP?

Camp Shalom

I made my favorite dutch oven recipe of Peaches and Cream Cheese Cobbler at girls camp this year. It was a hit. The top got a little well done, but it tasted great.


Since there is no hot water at Camp Shalom, I brought my solar powered shower and added some heated hot water to it for a lovely morning shower in the bath house, not under this tree.
We always eat very well at Camp Shalom. Here is our menu for the week.

We went on a great hike and enjoyed some wonderful weather. We had 20 Young Women in our group and six leaders. It was a wonderful group of girls. They got along so well with one another and they were so helpful and kind to us as leaders. It was a joy to be with them!
We made A LOT of crafts and the girls had a great time having fun.
Some even washed their hair in freezing cold water under the outdoor faucet.
Many of the girls wore rain boots and they came in very handy since there was still a lot of snow and run off. They had a great time at waterfront.

As you can see, there was still a lot of snow on the ground. The water in the lake had been frozen only a week before. We were happy that no canoes capsized.
The stake theme this year was "Treasure Seekers" and each of the girls decorated a treasure box to collect their "treasures" as the week went along.
Here is our lovely cabin. We slept in bedrolls on pads on the ground. The girls slept on the bottom floor and we three leaders slept in the upstairs.
A flag ceremony is always held in the morning and at night. The girls did a great job in presenting the solemn flag ceremony and in honoring our flag.
I've stood on this dock a time or two over the years.
The "biffy" or bathhouse with flush toilets, cold showers and no extras.

This year we tried box cooking with briquettes, a box covered in foil and some chocolate chip cookie dough. The cookies turned out amazing and we all learned a new skill. I'm ready for the rapture now that I know how to bake cookies in a box.
Here was our cap set up complete with a kitchen with almost all the amenities of home.

I went to girls camp this year with our ward young women at the end of June. I haven't been for 12 years. Not a lot has changed and it was actually fun to be back. The last time I went Claire was in her last year and I was the ward camp director. This year I went along in my official capacity as the Laurel advisor with no real leadership or other major responsibilities. It was lovely.

Here's the recipe for the Peaches and Cream Cheese Cobbler:
1. Grease and flour inside of 12" dutch oven
2. Prepare batter by combining dry ingredients packet and 2 eggs and 1 cup milk & 6 T. softened butter. Pour batter into greased and floured oven.
3. Drain canned sliced peaches and place upside down on batter, not quite to the edge
4. Pour cream cheese mixture on top leaving about a 1/2 inch of batter showing on the outside edge.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or top with canned whipped cream!
Bake for 40 minutes with coals: Top 14-16, bottom 10-12

This recipe can be doubled. If so, add half again as many coals.

Batter:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. milk
6 T. soft butter or margarine
2 t. baking powder
1 large package vanilla pudding (instant)
2 eggs
mix together for batter

Cream cheese mixture:
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
6 T. peach juice (generous)

Fast Easy Bread

Let me introduce you to my friend Lindsey. I've know her since the day she was born and I think she is amazing! She is the creator of Fast Easy Bread and she has perfected bread making, in all its wonderful goodness! She has discovered the secret ingredients to make perfect bread (including wheat bread), rolls, braids, pizza crust and more in about 60 minutes from beginning to delicious end! No lie, she is good at what she does and she has even started her own online company to market her special ingredients for making perfect, no-fail bread in a Kitchen Aid mixer, Bosch mixer or by hand. Anyone can succeed using Lindsey's methods and know how. Here she is whipping up a batch of crescent rolls, Smore-braided bread and monkey bread in 60 minutes (with some help from her brother Corbin - which just goes to show that even men like getting involved and making their own creations.)
Check out her web site HERE and her blog HERE for additional information and visuals.

And the best news of all??? This amazing young mother of four girls is in our town for a few weeks from Texas. She is even going on TV in Texas when she gets back to do a demonstration of her bread making methods. She has consented to do a bread making demonstration in my home on Thursday, August 4 from 7:00-9:00 pm. You are all invited to come! You won't want to miss this. Seriously, it will change your baking life. Just email me and let me know if you are interested in attending and I'll give you the address if you don't have it already.

The best part is: in this crazy economy you can make this simple and tasty food that everyone will love and it only cost .79 cents a loaf. You heard right .79 cents people! are you serious......a loaf of bread is like $3.20 and homemade cinnamon rolls....$6 or $7. Now add in a couple of ingredients and a tiny amount of time....you can be a rockstar in your home! Stuff crust pizza pepperoni is less than $4.50!

7-11-11

Progress report to keep me motivated.
11 in 11

1. visit 11 temples this year and do the the temple work for at least 22 of our departed ancestors - COMPLETE

• 1. Provo, Utah temple-10 sealings for couples and sons
• 2. Provo, Utah temple - 5 initiatory
• 3. Albuquerque, New Mexico temple - 5 initiatory
• 4. Mesa, Arizona temple - 1 endowment
• 5. Laie, Hawaii temple - 1 endowment
• 6. St. George, Utah temple - 1 endowment
• 7. Provo, Utah temple - 8 sealings for couples, 4 sons (Rick), 3 daughters
• 8. San Diego temple - 1 sealing for couples, 3 daughters
• 9. Provo, Utah temple - 14 baptisms for women, 14 confirmations
• 10. Provo, Utah temple - 3 sealings for couples, five sons (Rick), five daughters
• 11. Provo, Utah temple - 1 endowment

2. lose 11 pounds

• 2 down, 9 to go
  

3. read 11 books

• 1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
• 2. Heidi (a childhood favorite - loved reading it again)
• 3. Same Kind of Different as Me
• 4. The Forgotten Garden
• 5. Jane Eyre
• 6. The Book Thief
  

4. organize & label 11 of our family photo books

• completed 4 books, starting in 1976 through 1982
  

5. visit 11 elderly people

• 1. G.G. 2. G.D.E. 3. M. Y. 4. L. B. 5. V. B. R. 6. D. F. 7. A. E. 8. U. R. 8. A. L. 9. U. V. 10. L. C.
  

6. sew 11 items and give them away

• 1 skirt for Skippy, 1 blanket for Skippy, 1 skirt of Lauren, 1 skirt for Ellie, 1 skirt for Ada, 1 apron for Skippy, 1 skirt for Skippy

7. go with Rick to visit 11 new places

• 1. drove around Utah Lake for the first time
• 2. North shore Oahu, Hawaii - including Waimea, Haleiwa & Sunset beach
  
• 3. Hike to Diamond head, Hawaii
• 4. West shore Oahu, Hawaii - including Waianae, Maili & Ko Olina bay
• 5. Legoland, California
• 6. PETCO stadium, San Diego California
  

8. send birthday cards to 11 people I don't normally send to

• 1. A. K. 2. A. K. 3. D. A. 4. D. R. 5. D. S. 6. G. G. 7. T. S. 8. D. G. 9. M. J.
  

9. watch 11 old movies that I love but haven't seen for awhile

• 1. Dances with Wolves
• 2. First Knight
• 3. Mama Mia
• 4. Groundhog Day
• 5. A River Runs Through It
• 6. October Sky
• 7. The Little Princess with Shirley Temple
  

10. make 11 new recipes

• 1. Lentil soup (won't be making this again - it wasn't a hit with the husband)
• 2. Ziti Primavera
• 3. Cinnamon rolls (new recipe)
• 4. Easter Dessert
• 5. oriental chicken in the crock pot
• 6. Grilled chicken southwestern salad (from Jordan)
  

11. invite 11 groups of people over for dinner - COMPLETE

• 1. Lacey & friends, Pat & Vern
• 2. Valentine dinner with the Mark & Colleen, Trent & Kelley
• 3. Cleofon group of women for luncheon
• 4. Ryan, Jill and Corbin C.
• 5. Dave's friends from college - Erick & Sam, Bryan & Kelly, Danny & Danielle, Kyle & Kayla
• 6. Cousin Margaret & family
• 7. Niece Syd & Adam, Danny & Danielle, Romney, Jesse
• 8. Ryan & Jill, Corbin & Loni (BBQ outside)
• 9. Denise, Lacey & family
• 10. Adam and Crissa
• 11. Lindsey R. and her four darling daughters, Corbin
• 12. 4th of July BBQ - 70 family and friends
  

A remedy for what ails you

Yesterday in our youth group meeting (Young Women) we had such a good lesson. It was entitled "Overcoming Opposition." Here are some thoughts from the lesson. I thought they were such a good reminder of what we can actually do when we're feeling down. Everyone has trials, disappointments, setbacks, opposition, sorrow and pain at some point in their lives. It's what we DO and how we REACT when those hard times come that determine how well we cope with hardship. President Ezra Taft Benson described twelve ways in which we can overcome sorrow, disappointment, and depression (see Conference Report, Oct. 1974, pp. 90–94; or Ensign, Nov. 1974, pp. 65–67).

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people" (Alma 7:11).

1. Repentance: “Sin creates disharmony with God and is depressing to the spirit. … Every law kept brings a particular blessing. Every law broken brings a particular blight. Those who are heavy laden with despair should come unto the Lord, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.”
2. Prayer: “Prayer in the hour of need is a great boon. From simple trials to our Gethsemanes, prayer can put us in touch with God, our greatest source of comfort and counsel.”
3. Service: “To lose yourself in righteous service to others can lift your sights and get your mind off personal problems, or at least put them in proper focus. ‘When you find yourselves a little gloomy,’ said President Lorenzo Snow, ‘look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, and then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.’ (Conference Report, 6 Apr. 1899, pp. 2–3.)”
4. Work: “Work is our blessing, not our doom. … We should work at taking care of the spiritual, mental, social, and physical needs of ourselves and those whom we are charged to help. In the church of Jesus Christ there is plenty of work to do to move forward the kingdom of God. Every member a missionary, family genealogy and temple work, home evenings, receiving a Church assignment and magnifying it are but a few of our required labors.”
5. Health: “The condition of the physical body can affect the spirit. That’s why the Lord gave us the Word of Wisdom. He also said that we should retire to our beds early and arise early.” We should eat nutritious meals, get proper rest and exercise, and use wholesome recreation to provide a change of pace and lift the spirit.
6. Reading: “Many a man in his hour of trial has turned to the Book of Mormon and been enlightened, enlivened, and comforted. “The psalms of the Old Testament have a special food for the soul of one in distress. … The words of the prophets, particularly the living president of the Church, are crucial reading and can give direction and comfort in an hour when one is down.”
7. Blessing: “In a particularly stressful time, or in the anticipation of a critical event, one can seek for a blessing under the hands of the priesthood. … The sacrament will ‘bless … the souls’ (D&C 20:77, 79) of all those who worthily partake of it.”
8. Fasting: “Periodic fasting can help clear up the mind and strengthen the body and the spirit. … To make a fast most fruitful, it should be coupled with prayer and meditation; … and it’s a blessing if one can ponder on the scriptures and the reason for the fast.”
9. Friends: “The fellowship of true friends who can hear you out, share your joys, help carry your burdens, and correctly counsel you is priceless. …“Ideally, your family ought to be your closest friends. Most important, we should seek to become the friend of our Father in heaven and our brother Jesus the Christ.”
10. Music: “Inspiring music may fill the soul with heavenly thoughts, move one to righteous action, or speak peace to the soul. … Elder Boyd K. Packer has wisely suggested memorizing some of the inspiring songs of Zion … [to help] crowd out debilitating, depressive thoughts.”
11. Endurance: “There are times when you simply have to righteously hang on and outlast the devil until his depressive spirit leaves you. “… While you are going through your trial, you can recall your past victories and count the blessings that you do have with a sure hope of greater ones to follow if you are faithful.”
12. Goals: “Every accountable child of God needs to set goals, short- and long-range goals. A man who is pressing forward to accomplish worthy goals can soon put despondency under his feet, and once a goal is accomplished, others can be set up.”

17 Miracles

Rick and I went to this movie this afternoon. It was very touching, very well done, very interesting and very moving. I highly recommend it.

Get creative & have some fun

We've had a very busy time these last three or four weeks. In no particular order, here are some fun things we've been doing. Jordan and her girls came to town on the 18th of June. She dropped the girls off and went off to girls camp with her ward in Idaho for five days. I went to girls camp with our ward a few days later and Andy took over as the chief baby sitter...he did a great job. Jake later arrive to attend the wedding of his sister and to stay for a week. Claire and R and baby Skippy arrived on the 29th and stayed til the morning of the 5th. We keep busy and had a great time with everyone over the 4th of July. We missed Dave and Courtney who are in North Carolina while Dave is completing an internship for his MBA.




This crew enjoyed an early morning hike to the "Y" on the mountain. They had planned to hike to the summit of Mt. Timpanogos, but there was still too much snow on it. Maybe next year. They also all ran either the 10K or the 5K before the Provo Grand Parade on the 4th of July. They did great in the race and came home with some prizes.
Some other activities including going to the Provo temple, to BYU campus and the Cougar eat for lunch, to the lovely garden wedding reception of Jake's sister Jen, to Trafalga for some mini-golf, go cart riding and batting cage hitting, to Bridal Veil Falls for a little hike and a picnic, and out to the backyard many times for some swimming, game playing and village ball. It was fun to be together and to fall into bed exhausted every night.

We broke out the red, white and blue fingernail polish and got all the girls ready to celebrate the 4th of July, from fingertips to toenails.

We finally finished assembling the tree bench and enjoyed sitting on it and swinging the girls in their various tree swings. "Swing me Grampy" was heard more than once by the little grand girls. They wanted to swing all the time, even while in their night gowns.
While in Logan to visit the extended family, I got to drive the new toy of my sister Ann and her husband Trace. It was a fun and windy ride up to see Porcupine reservoir.
Andy and five of his friends coached a little league boys baseball team this summer. It took them a ton of time to work with the boys in practices and games. They all learned a lot and had a good season. I was very proud of Andy for being so good to the boys and for learning the ups and downs of coaching and for taking it all in stride. They had a fun season and I think Andy and crew want to do it again next year.
Now that I'm serving with the Laurels (the 16-18 year old girls) in our ward, I made them some graduation from high school cards and treated them to some chocolate. They were a hit!


I went to Logan to visit my Mom and sisters and their families and to attend my sister Lee's 50th surprise birthday party given to her by her daughter and her family. It was fun to be there and to participate with her in the aging process. She was a good sport and we all had a great time. She looks wonderful for a 50 year old.