CONCENTRATION

Josh came home last night so he could see Kirk before he left for two weeks.

I don't know how much Kirk and Josh visited

BUT Josh and I had fun

playing Guitar Hero!

GASTROPARESIS

Have you ever heard of gastroparesis?I have now...

Yes, just one more thing to think about.

Idaho Spring

It must be getting closer to Spring!!!

Within 1 hour we had sunshine, rain, hail, snow, 50 mile an hour wind and sunshine AGAIN!! yes, that is snow/hail stuck on the side of the post!!!

Call Her What You May...

She can be my shadow, pain in the butt, but mostly she is my lap pillow.

Got to love her.

SPT

SPT for this week: I am saying I love you when....

Ok....

this one has stopped me in my tracks...

when I...?

I don't know...I guess I don't "do" anything. I tell Kirk I love him...but do...

do is an action word...

hum...

I need to work on this.

Give Up Chocolate!!!

For us who just need a smile for the day:

I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of dollars for dinner. I took out my wallet, got out ten dollars and asked, 'If I give you this money, will you buy chocolate with it instead of dinner?' 'No, I had to stop eating chocolate years ago', the homeless woman told me.

'Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?' I asked.'No, I don't waste time shopping,' the homeless woman said. 'I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive.'

'Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?' I asked.'Are you NUTS!' replied the homeless woman. I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!

''Well, I said, 'I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight.

'The homeless Woman was shocked. 'Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting.'

I said, 'That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and chocolate.'

Gringa Empanadas

Kira sent a picture of her making Empanadas, and well to be honest I though,

"If she can do that I know I can too".They look pretty good don't they. Not bad for a little American girl in Argentina.So, I started by browning my hamburger ( don't know what she put in hers) along with green chilies.pulled out the Rhodes Rolls and cheese Next I pulled the dough balls in half and rolled each one flat..filling them was the cheese and meat mixture, doing this one at a time.Baked 20 mins at 350* and there you have it.

Gringa Empanadas!

As you can see I need to work at sealing the tops tighter, but they were REALLY GOOD.

I can't wait for Kira to come show me how she made hers.

HaPPy BirTHdAy 'LENE

Today is my sister 'Lene's birthday, I can't tell you how old she is because I can hardly remember how old I am.

But, I know I was 7 years old and in the 1st grade when she was born. With 3 younger brothers I was quite the happy big sister.

For as long as I can remember she has always loved books.

She has let me be more than just an aunt to her children. Sometimes I forget that I am not "Nana Niece"

So Lene, I may be older than you, and you always have had better looking hair than I do (go back and look at the first photo again if you have any doubt), but this is true...I have the best sister in the world.
I love you with all my heart, and wish I was with you to celebrate your day.

Love ya,

Niece

Siblings

I have been giving a lot of thought to my family...mostly my siblings. and I feel very grateful and blessed. I am the oldest child of 3 brothers and one sister. Our brother, Bruce passed away in 2005. I have such a great relationship with each of them. My sister and I talk on the phone at least once a day, and my brothers and I have weekly conversations. Though none of them live close to me, they are all close in my heart.

I know if I ever needed anything they would be there for me, even if it wasn't physically. I am grateful for that!

My children are growing up and are developing that close relationship with each other. I hope and pray they will be as lucky as I have been.

Itsey

Itsey has been getting to visit her boyfriend Mr. Pig... if you are not familiar with their love affair, please go HERE. I have said it takes a "special kind of person" to be a dog breeder. I will just stop at that...

So, in 9 weeks maybe we will have puppies. If not, Itsey is getting "fixed". I can't handle the dog breeding thing again.

Retro!!!????

I got such a kick out of the comments about Kirk's suit...

I just had to show you my boys still fight to see who is going to wear it at different times!Josh


Derek is actually wearing it to church...Kira is in my Prom Dress!!

But the fact is

their dad makes it look good!

SPT

My SPT: "The first thing that attracted me to you was" The way you made me feel when you held my hand.

Your Eyes

Your Lips

Your Arms

and well your bod...OH BABY!

I love you!!!

Angels Among Us

I had someone say to me that my daughter is an angel.

I laughed to myself thinking ... you didn't know her when she was 2 or 8 or well you get the point.

Kira and I had a scratchy relationship while she was a child...mostly because, well I wasn't that good of a mom. I had my priorities totally messed up, and Kira took the blunt of it.

It was when she was in high school that my life took an odd turn, and I broke my back.

Kira would sleep on the couch, in the room where I slept in a lift chair, she wanted to know she could hear me if I needed anything. When she would come home from school we would visit about everything.

From that moment on she truly became my dearest daughter and friend.

When she left to go on her mission for the LDS Church, to Argentina I knew that she would be a wonderful missionary.

Kira did pageants after high school the scholarships paid for ALL of her College.

I would look at her and think she is so amazing...along with being beautiful! Well, she looked like an angel.

Today, I have been looking at several family pictures.

and especially of Kira. I have wonder in which one she is more of an angel.

Through the eyes of the world or through the eyes of those who have been able to have her impact their lives in one way or another.

She only has 50 more days until she comes home from her mission. The people of Argentina have made a special place in her heart.

I have given much thought to Angel's & Kira, the talk by Elder Jeffery R. Holland has came to my mind.
He said "I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."


I have been blessed with angels around me through out my life.
My mom, my daughter, my sister and sisters in laws,
friends and church members...
Thank you for helping me to understand that angels are not just in heaven but here with us each day of the week.

Lesson Learned From Noah's Ark

Author Unknown

1. Don't miss the boat.

2. Don't forget that we're all in the same boat.

3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

4. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY BIG.

5. Don't listen to critics, just get on with what has to be done.

6. Build your future on high ground.

7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

8. Two heads are better than one.

9. Speed isn't always an advantage; the snails were on board with the cheetahs.

10. When you're stressed, float awhile.

11. Remember that the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.

12. No matter the storm, when you're with God there's a rainbow waiting.

13. Remember that woodpeckers inside are a larger threat than the storm outside...

Stealing A Meal

My sister, Lene has "Menu Monday" on her blog. This week she had Minestrone Soup listed for one of her days.

I thought that sounded really good and I knew this recipe was easy.

What You Need
2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (16 oz.) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained, coarsely chopped
2 cups cooked kidney beans (prepared without salt)
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 cup shell macaroni, uncooked
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
Make It
COMBINE all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low.
SIMMER 20 min. or until macaroni is tender.

(Kraft Kitchens)

I am not real good at following recipes...I am an add and tweak kind of cook.

So, mine may not look the same as the bowl above.

I made small meatballs (kirk has the belief it there is not meat it isn't dinner) and seared them in my soup pan before adding the other ingredients.

I always cook with onions so they are added.

Add one fresh bread bowl and ...

It was so yummy!

Thanks 'Lene for the idea!

SPT ~ I Think It Would Be Romatic To...

I am NOT a romantic person, so for me, this is a very difficult question.

I know Kirk would love to take me to Paamul, Mexico, where he has gone diving or on a Caribbean Cruise

But, to be honest I am afraid to travel out of the States.

Yes, these are pictures he took while he was on his diving trip!

I would be perfectly happy at home, with Chinese take-out, a good movie, my pj's and blanket just snuggled up to Kirk.

That is perfection.

Happy Birthday Morris

I have been blessed to have great siblings. My brother Morris has to be one of the neatest people I know.

I have always been in awe of how he will walk up to a total stranger that needs something and do all that he can to help (like almost burning up his brand new wrench to help pull a stranger's truck out of a river (did I mention the guy that got stuck should have been left there...stupid, stupid!)

That goes on Mountain Man trips with scout troop after scout troop.

He is the kind of Uncle that every kid dreams of. He plays hard, and teases with the best of them.

My family has tried for years to always spend at least one week a year with Morris and his family. You know you play cards until your eyes can only see spades & hearts, you will laugh until your side hurts, and you will PLAY even harder!

Happy Birthday Morris, I love you.