WHOA!!!

I cannot believe how fast time is flying . . .

I did not realize it's been over a week 

since my last blog post.

Here are a few pictures from the past week.

 Matteo, Troy, and Grant

Buddies forever!

Sunday's sunset - the end of winter.

 

What Happens When You Leave A Dachsund Alone?

THIS!

Otherwise known as: My Once Favorite Chair

The culprit is the one who has Annabelle pinned.

Gabbie has become the bane of my existence.

Too bad she has too cute of a face . . .

If I were a true blogger . . .

If I were a true blogger like so many are these days . . .

my posts would go something like this . . .

I have a really really bad sinus infection and 

I had to go on antibiotics which I hate.

I babysat Grant tonight for awhile while Katie 

worked out and there is spaghetti stuck to my floor

which I am too sick to clean which is fine.

I love the evidence that my favorite little boy

was here smiling at me and laughing and eating noodles.

I would also post that despite my complaining earlier this year about
having to endure 15 more months of public school as a parent . . . 

today I learned that my son is so smart that he doesn't have to 

go to High School for another 15 months.

Because of his Crohn's Disease - public school just doesn't work.

Not flexible enough and so it is time for him to move on - a bit early.

He is getting his GED next week despite the fact that 

I signed him up for two months of classes
so  he would be totally prepared.

Today was his first day of prep.

He aced the pretest so they told him to take the
big test next week and be done.

Why would you go to 15 more months of school

to learn stuff you already know?

He starts college in June.

I am almost officially an empty nester.

With spaghetti stuck to my floor and toys in my bedroom

and fingerprints all over my glass patio door and mirrors.

The wonder of motherhood.

To honor Tanner I am posting my favorite school event picture.
(He doesn't read my blog thank goodness - he would hate me if he saw it!)

Congratulations Tanner on your recent accomplishments.

Second Grade field day.
Gotta love this kid.
He is the essence of what I call a free spirit.

And he is one of my very best friends.

HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY TANNER!

I FORGOT TO POST MY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO TANNER!

He turned 17 on Wednesday the 6th.

So in honor of my amazing, patient, smart,

musically gifted, kind, and very funny son . . .

Happy Birthday!

Of course I did remember him on his birthday -
he got Raybans and Headphones.

I just didn't post in his honor.

Unfortunately Tanner does not like having his picture taken -

so here is one of my favorite older pics of him with his long hair.

I do like the short hair immensely.

More Great Salt Lake

After posting the picture of the Great Salt Lake the other day

we got another snow storm which cleared the air and

presented me with the perfect opportunity to photograph

the lake in it's early spring glory.

Snow in April can be annoying - and beautiful all at the same time.

The Great Salt Lake

I had a dear friend ask me tonight if I had a view of the lake.

I told her I did.
I love watching the sunsets and the island and the water
as it slowly disappears through the hot summers.

So I decided to post another one of my favorite

Great Salt Lake pictures.

Thanks Liz P. for reminding me that there is a lake

out there despite the fact that it has been hidden

in too many dark clouds these past few months.

Occasionally it shows itself and the sun reflects upon its waters -

but let's face it - we have had one long winter.

Hence the 6" of snow outside at this moment.

Hopefully this is what I will be looking at 4 months from now -
only with way more water showing:

August 2010

Oatmeal Lemon Bars

Grant helped me make Lemon Bars on Sunday . . .

And now for the recipe:

(Sorry I don't have a picture of the actual bars - 

my camera died and we ate them before it recharged!)

Oatmeal Lemon Bars

1 1/2 cups butter

2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 cups oatmeal

Mix together and bake @ 350 degrees until center is set.

Do not overcook.

Glaze with the following:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup cream
1/4 cup butter softened
Powder sugar - enough to make a soft and spreadable icing.

Frost the bars while still warm.
You can add pecans or walnuts if you like.
Good warm or cold.

Midnight

Sleep.

Something that doesn't come easily for me.

But I absolutely love nighttime.

I love the moon.

I love the stars.

I love the middle of the darkness when all is quiet.
I love hearing a winter storm pounding the world outside.

I love in the summer when the windows are open

and you can hear the chirping of crickets and the wind rustling trees.

Those are the upside of not sleeping.

The upside of actually sleeping is feeling good in the morning.
And dreaming.

I love dreaming good fantastical dreams.

I really do love sleeping.

It just isn't happening.

So that is why I post so often late at night.

Something to do besides read and watch movies.

Even I though love reading and watching movies -

they do get boring after midnight.
So instead I post on my blog.

Here is my favorite night picture taken in Hawaii many moons ago.

Many many many moons ago.

After all these years I still think it is a way cool picture.

I Spy

I spy my cake pan drawer . . .
I spy a bulldozer . . .

I spy a measuring cup . . .

I spy a thermos lid . . .

I spy an ice cream sandwich maker . . .

I spy a plastic cup . . .

I spy something unidentifiable . . .
I spy a white funnel . . .

I spy another ice cream sandwich maker . . .

I do not spy my cake pans.

Hmmm.

Smile

Keep Smiling . . .

We stumble and fall

Soul is scraped

Heart is inflamed

Mind is meshed with doubt

Body aches without hope

The sun hides behind gray and black and blue

And even sometimes blinding yellow

Regrets resound within

Then there is a ripple in the still air

It cannot be seen

It may not be tangible

Yet there is life and it is there to be lived

Keep smiling and in a flutter of time

The air becomes soft

The world opens wide her arms

Hope

Faith

Courage

Known strength that guides

Known love that warms

Known knowledge that endures

Day and night shifts and there is healing

Friendship is as eternal as we are
White as white

And always will be.

~ Emily Kathleen

Luck O' The Irish

Otherwise known as . . . watching Grant Irish break dance.

 

Then he was done and was off and running . . .

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Fish Chowder

Sunday dinner was simple and delicious.

Fish Chowder

1/4 lb raw sea scallops

1/4 lb medium raw shrimp

1 tilapia, cod, halibut, or orange roughy fillet

(can use more than one if you would like)

3 stalks of tender celery - diced

1/2 small white onion - diced

2 Tbsp butter

1 large potato - peeled and diced

3 medium carrots - peeled and diced

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

1 can tomato sauce

1 box/can vegetable stock

hot sauce to taste

Pour vegetable stock into large pot and add potatoes and carrots.

Bring to a boil - lower heat and simmer.

Saute onions and celery in butter until tender.

Add to vegetable stock.

When vegetables are tender,

add tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Rinse seafood and cut up into bite size pieces.

Add to stock and allow to simmer

until fish is no longer translucent but still tender.

Reduce heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Delicious with Italian bread fried in a pan with olive oil.

Irish Spring

The miracle of spring. Irish Spring.

When I lived in Park City, 

there were three things I detested.

1. The long winters.

2. My fall foilage being chomped on

by the neighborhood moose.

3. My tulips being chomped on by the neighborhood deer.

So . . . I move to Bountiful thinking of

how much I will enjoy winter and spring.

Well . . . I still get a ton of snow - but winters are much shorter. Hooray!

There are no moose anywhere and I don't miss them one bit since

my bushes and trees stay spectacular from October through November.

But once spring is here I find piles, and I mean piles of deer poo 
throughout my entire yard.

Last year those deer started chomping my early tulips,

and then someone told me about Irish Spring soap.

It works! I did not lose a single tulip (just a few green leaf tips)

and tonight I rushed outdoors with my soap

and grater and left a nice fresh smattering of smell around the

wee tips of green sprouting from my dark soil.

Spring is almost here!
Hint - only one grating will not work. If it rains - reapply soap around the flowers.
And no . . . the above picture is not my tulips.
I wish! They are at Thanksgiving Point.
When my tulips finally bloom I will post a picture of my tiny little flower garden.

Kathy & Liz

One more . . .

Mazatlan Mexico Summer 1979

Fifty-One

Fifty one is an odd number.

It is dividable by 17.

It is over half way through a century.

It is my least favorite number ever.

I turned 51 this past weekend.

Fifty-one.

So to celebrate my getting beyond

the half century mark I am posting

pictures from various stages of my life.

Notice the constant changes in my hair.

My cousin Clark and me in 1961.

Me in 1963.

 Me in 1969.

Me in my Ginny Gown in 1970.

Me and my little brother Michael in 1972.

He died one month later.

Me and my niece Melinda in 1975.

Me and my Prom Date Rod in 1977 at the State Capitol.

(Only time I have actually had cleavage - sort of.)

 Me, Katie, and my cousin Mary Jane in December 1981.

Trevor's gun, Trevor, Trevor's hand grenade, me, Katie, and Troy in 1989.

The Mafia Don's family.

Katie, Me, Troy and Trevor in 1993 - Littleton.

(Yes . . . that is actually my natural color of hair.)

 Me and Tanner in Seattle the summer of 1994.

Notice Troy running behind me in the mismatched outfit.

New mother or what?

Of course Tanner and I are completely color coordinated.

The above picture is exactly why Katie became a Stylist.

My hair will never look like that again.

Me and Tanner in 1994 in Seattle.

Tanner had colic. Enough said.

Me and Tanner in Oregon 2000 right after I had my tonsils out.

Me, my radical hair, and Cindy in Park City.

 Katie and me in 2004 in Park City.

Katie is the most photogenic person I have ever known.

I am not.

Me in 2009 as a new Grandmother.
(Don't ask me why this photo is fuzzy - but I love little Grant in my arms.

Sheri, Cathy, and me at Thanksgiving Point Spring 2010.

Well that is more than anyone should have to look at with the 

same person appearing in every single picture.

It has been a full, challenging, adventurous, and good life.

And there is still much more to come.

PLEASE CHECK OUT

www.josephsmithjr.org

then click on "Become a Member"

to support an amazing work that is

taking place in the world right now.

An organization that is very dear

to my heart.

Quilting Vs. Painting

This is a bit of a dilemma for me right now in my life.

I use to love quilting but right now my sewing machine and I . . .

well let's just say we haven't really been getting along lately.

I do have a bunch of beautiful fabrics I love.
It's the sewing machine I have a problem with.
I will always love and cherish my

flannels, cottons, silks, pinks, purples, yellows, blues, etc.

I love color. That is what I truly love.
Doesn't matter in what form that color comes in - I love it.

Hence my love for painting.

Except I am not sure about portraits. Gotta work on that ability.

So for now I am going to box up my fabrics,

and wait for a time when painting is not the focus of my creativity.

Then I will pull those beautiful fabrics back out

and create something beautiful.

But maybe not a quilt. Maybe a tablecloth.

Maybe just pillows or a vest or a skirt.

Except I just remembered . . .

I promised my Laurels a quilt for their graduation

from WX High School in June.
That's five single sized quilts by June.

Okay just a few more quilts and then I can retire for awhile.
And I know there are a few young adults out there that when
they get married I will make them their promised rag quilts.

But I am thinking I will always like painting better.

Fifteen More Months

Honestly - I love being a mother.

But honestly - after 24 years of dealing with the

public school system I am so done.

Tanner will graduate from high school in 15 months.

Yep - I am counting the months and

I will eventually be counting the weeks . . . and then the days.

Some are sad when their youngest child graduates. Sorry - not me.

I was sad when my youngest child got his own car
because it meant the end of nice chats while I drove him to lessons etc.

Then he crashed the old white Audi into a curb . . .

going 25 miles an hour in a very severe snow storm . . .
and evidently totaled it.

According to his older brother Troy the damage

had nothing to do with the road rally out on the salt flats months before 

when Troy had borrowed the same (at that time not) broken

car to compete in with a certain guy named Brady.

I then resumed the role of chauffeur 

or lender of my only vehicle to my youngest -
and consequentially good friend Tanner.

He will be getting another car this week -
much to his relief I am sad to say.
(okay - and a little of mine!)

So to honor the 15 more months until his Public School Graduation

(at which time I do not anticipate he will totally move out -

or if he does it will only be temporary as was the case with all my kids -
they always come back for a period of time)

I am going to post a picture of Tanner throughout the years once a week.

Those wonderful Cello playing days in 6th grade . . .

before Tanner acquired his spectacles.

He has since moved on to more modern strings such as

the bass guitar, and the electric guitar.

Gotta love this kid.