He's Home

Today Brent came home from his spanish speaking mission to Raleigh North Carolina. It's so amazing that his two years are already over. He has grown an inch or two, but the smile remains the same. We are very excited that he will be living with us until he goes back to BYU.

Welcome Home Elder Lake!!

WEEE, WOW, Wonderful Weekend

This past week we had the privilege of having our neighbors from New Orleans come for a visit. Julia and Vivi came out for a very fun weekend.

We went to Disney's California Adventure on the first day and Disneyland the second day.  It was fun to see Vivi's reactions to the rides.  She would exclaim "Weeeee" and "WoW" all day.  She was all smiles.  She loved riding the rides and wasn't scared at all.  

Don and Vivi on the caterpillar ride in Bug's Land.

We met up with Val and Tony for a couple of hours.  It was great to go have fun with them too.

While waiting in line we found a myriad of things to keep her busy and happy.

She would go from one of us to the other.  It was nice to have her still be comfortable with us even after 5 months.

One, two, threeeeeeeeee...

She would laugh and giggle as we played with her and she explored every nook and cranny.

Waiting in a one hour line with Vivi was very entertaining.  She even found the "Exit" sign. This was definitely a wonderful weekend.

What is Your Dream

Have you had a dream in your life that you've been holding onto and haven't acted on?  After watching this video you will feel inspired, no matter how old you are to act upon that dream and make it a reality.

Click on the title of this post to be amazed and inspired!

Here's hoping that each of you will find and make all your dreams come true.

Easter Weekend with Steph and Sydnie

My sister Stephanie and her granddaughter Sydnie came to visit us for Easter weekend.  We had a blast.  We went directly from the airport to Disneyland.  We spend two days at Disneyland and rode a lot of fun rides.

Sydnie was very brave and rode the Mailboomer all by herself.  We all had a blast going on the rides.  We even went on Steph's favorite ride the Teacups.

It was a great weekend and we all had a wonderful time being with my sister and Sydnie.  We hope they come back again soon.

Fear Not

"Fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith." President Thomas S. Monson
This was by far my favorite quote from conference. It really says it all doesn't it?

We are thrilled to hear that the new member of the Quorum of the Twelve is Elder Anderson. We heard him speak with Elder Uchtdorf while we were in Louisiana.

We have been working on our vegetable garden (all potted veggies due to the gophers in the neighborhood).  I've had a garden before, but was never able to get lettuce to grow in Arizona, here in California is doing wonderfully well. We have been eating salads from it for a week and have a lot of 1 inch tomatoes coming in. 

Here are our tomato plants: February 9th (left) and today (right). 

Don just finished painting the tiered planter box that he designed and his dad built. His dad also built 5 more planter boxes that we will grow veggies in. Don put wheels on them so we can roll them out farther onto the patio as the plants sprawl (zucchini and watermelon).

Best April Fool's Joke of 2009

OK, Cass wins the award for the Best April Fool's Joke of 2009!

Check out her blog and see what I mean http://mcbartfam.blogspot.com/2009/04/big-news.html

Don's Birthday Dinner

A week ago we celebrated Don's birthday with some of his kids, grandkids and his parents. I made his favorite dinner and his mom brought over Angel Food cake for dessert. It was a hectic day. We spent a couple of hours in the morning planting some vegetables with Ethan's help and then we visited with the kids and cooked up dinner for everyone. While the meatballs were cooking I took off with the girls for a pedicure. Yeah, I know it was Don's birthday so why did I get the pedicure? So I could get that "sexy red toe nail polish". I made Spaghetti and Meatballs for dinner and have had many requests for my recipe so here it is.

"Michelle's Red Sauce"

1 #10 can crushed tomatoes (Sam's)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons Basil
2 Tablespoons Oregano
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup minced garlic (bottled)

Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least an hour.

"Michelle's Meatballs"

5 lbs. Ground Beef
5 eggs
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup minced garlic (bottled)
2 Tablespoons Basil
2 Tablespoons Oregano
3/4 cup rice milk (or regular milk)
1/2 cup Catsup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix together all ingredients. Use ice cream scoop to get even proportions for the meatballs and mold with hands. Place in pans sprayed with Pam (must have sides to catch grease). Bake at 375 degrees for about an hour. Transfer to pans lined with paper towels to drain excess grease. Makes about 4 dozen meatballs (1/2 cup size).

Happy Birthday to the best Husband!! You're Awesome! I love you more than you know!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TYLER

It's amazing that a year has gone by since little Tyler came into this world.  I was so thrilled to be there when Melody had him by cesarean section and hear him cry.  He is such a sweet little angel and what a blessing.  I'm grateful for the strength of spirit that Melody has.  She is so strong, stronger than most women.  Placing a baby for adoption and knowing that he is meant to be with another family.  Braden and Jen are truly blessed to have him in their lives.  I'm so grateful for the blessing of the spirit which gives each one of us the strength to do what we are supposed to do and then reap the blessings from it.  Happy Birthday Tyler!!

Southern Caribbean Cruise Day Five

CURACAO ISLAND

We arrived early in the morning at the very colorful island of Curacao. We had a very full day planned with an excursion from the ship. Once we got onto the tour bus we headed to the other side of the island and went to the home/museum of Yubi Kiridongo. He is known on the island and throughout the world as "The Bumper Man". He is an artist that uses recycled items, mostly car bumpers and parts, as his medium of choice. Here is a picture of his very colorful house.

We were welcomed into his yard and introduced to Yuri under this huge canopy of plastic crates. Amazing that he had them all wired together using old wiring and it provided great shade and was a very "happy" place.

He had tons of stuff that he had created using all sorts of things. We got to tour inside and outside of his house. The yard gave new meaning to "yard art". He decorated every blank space with some creation. Here are my favorites.
Here we are with Yuri. He was even asked to create for the the past Olympics.


Next we headed off to the Hato Caves. These are enormous caves that many of the slaves used to hide from the plantation owners. They are really big and even have the fire soot marks on the ceilings from the fires used by the slaves while they were in hiding, sometimes for many months.

Southern Caribbean Cruise Days Three & Four

AT SEA

This was a sea day and very relaxing.  Don worked most of the morning on a picture directory for the people on the Martin Cruise.  It was a lot of fun to see old acquaintances and put names to faces.

I went to the scrapbooking class and saw Ashley and Yamari there.  Afterwards we got tickets for the ice show on board.  

We took advantage of the free day to lay out by the pool for a little while and then got ready for "Formal Night".  

DAY FOUR - ARUBA

We decided to go scuba diving in Aruba.  For two reasons - we were coming up on our two year mark for diving and wanted to keep our certification curren

t and secondly they had Nitrox.  (A higher concentration of oxygen for divers).  We had a blast.  It was great to do a wreck dive in fairly shallow water.  The Antilla Wreck was awesome and we were both glad we went diving in Aruba.  

Here is a picture of the Aruba coastline from the scuba boat.

Here is Michelle with our Dive Masters - Silvae and Nathalie

After our dive we went back to the ship for lunch and then headed into town to buy the Gouda Cheese.  What a deal and yes you can bring it back into the US as long as the wax isn't broken.  

Southern Caribbean Cruise Day Two

ALL ABOARD

We arrived at the San Juan, Puerto Rico airport at about 10am and caught a taxi to the ship. The paperwork all said that we couldn't board until 2pm, but we were on board, eating lunch and making new friends by 1:00 pm.

Here are our first friends of the cruise:  Yamari and Ashley. Yamari's family (27 people) were on the cruise to celebrate her quince (15th birthday).  They are from Puerto Rico.  We saw their family many times throughout the week and absolutely loved seeing them and exchanging emails.  

Our suitcases were delivered to our cabin by 3:00pm which is unheard of, but we were not complaining a single bit.  We unpacked and set up our stuff.  

The best cruise packing idea I got off the internet was for this shoe organizer.  You hang it on the inside of the bathroom door in your cabin and put your toiletries in it.  It was the best $5 investment and saved a lot of time searching for brushes, toothpas

te, hair gel, etc. 

After unpacking we decided to head down to the Royal Promenade for a little walk.  Of course, they had the Cafe Promenade open so we stopped by for a little dessert. That's where we met Yuri, from Peru.  I didn't realize before that the sandwiches, scones, pizza and desserts at the Cafe Promenade were included in our cruise.  I thought you had to pay extra for them.  Needless to say, we stopped by many times during the week to visit Yuri and have a little dessert.

Southern Caribbean Cruise Day One

We just got back from the Martin Cruise and we had a great time visiting with the Martin family and the other Martin dealers.  It was wonderful to be cruising in the Caribbean again.  We were on the Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas ship and it was awesome.  We had great service and the food was outstanding.  

While waiting for our red-eye flight at LAX we met a really neat lady named Alveta.  We visited the whole time and were so happy to see her at the "Just Imagine" shop on St. Thomas.  It makes you understand just how big the ship was when we didn't see here for the entire week, until the last day.

We came prepared for our flight, using eye masks, ear plugs, pillows and blankets we were able to catch a few zzzzs while on the 7 hour flight.

Give Away to the First Five

Another fun blog game! (I'm trying to see if anyone reads my blog - so here we go. )

The first five people to comment to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It might take a few weeks.
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. I don't even have a clue what it's going to be - until I know who you are.

Just a fun way to find out if anyone is reading this blog.

Don's Green Thumb

Don has been busy at work, but has also been making very good use of his time at home.  Upon our return from our mission he was called to be the Family Preparedness Specialist - he loves this kind of stuff.  Actually we both love this kind of stuff.

I've been the gardener most of our married life, but Don has recently become very involved in it. This is an amazing thing, since he's allergic to grass and a lot of plants.  So allergic that we had the grass in our backyard replaced with cement a couple of years ago.  While on our mission his health dramatically increased and now he is in the garden every day.  Oh, but then the problem of gophers and no ground to till was not going to stop him.  We call it growing "food". We go to the plant store to look for "food".  It's actually quite fun.

This has been a great joy for me to share this time outside in the yard with him.

His project this week - old whiskey barrels.  We bought four of them and he put in drainage holes with tubing, wheels on the bottom so they roll around and then he painted them white for me.  They are so beautiful and watertight. 

We planted tomatoes in all of them.  Roma tomatoes, Early Girl tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.  

Then it rained, and rained and rained some more.  Then we had a really cold night, so they got to have covers on them that night.  

Here they are tonight.  Still alive and so in about three months if you come visit, we will probably be having something with tomatoes in it.

By the way, lettuce and squash are next.  We'll see what he comes up with next.  As for me, I'm still working on the weeds and dead growth in the back yard.  My strawberries in the front are doing great and we should see a nice harvest this year.

Happy Birthday Valerie!!

Valerie (Don's daughter) and her husband Tony came by for her birthday dinner.  It was so fun to visit with them for a while.  I made my Provincial Chicken with brown rice for her birthday dinner.  We had the chance to talk all about her job as an OB Labor and Delivery Nurse and Tony's sub teaching plans.  We both really enjoyed spending time with them.  

Lime Chicken Fajitas - Aimee Roberts

The last Sunday before we left Louisiana our friends Aimee and Scott Roberts had us over for dinner.  We had the best food.  Very yummy and no headache.  Here's her recipes.

LIME CHICKEN FAJITAS

1 ½ lb chicken breast tenders or strips

1 recipe Lime Vinaigrette (see below)

4 plum tomatoes

1 c. corn (canned or thawed)

¾ c. peeled, chopped mango (about 1 mango)

1 Tbsp. dried cilantro (may use 1 tsp. fresh cilantro)

½ c. chopped red onion

2 to 3 Tbsp. canola oil

Shredded cheddar cheese

Flour tortillas

Sour Cream 

Lime Vinaigrette

Combine: 1Tbsp shredded lime peel, 1 c. lime juice, 3 Tbsp canola oil, 2 tsp. ground cumin, and ¼ tsp. salt

In bowl combine tomatoes, mango, cilantro, onion, corn. Add in ¼ cup of the lime vinaigrette. Cover and chill 2-4 hours. Place the remaining lime vinaigrette and raw chicken strips into a Ziploc bag. Cover and chill for at least 2-4 hours so it can marinate. Later, drain vinaigrette from chicken and grill. Serve warm chicken on tortillas with mango mixture and shredded cheese /sour cream on top. 

BLACK BEANS AND YELLOW RICE

1 (10 oz.) pkg. yellow rice mix

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 oz.) can Mexican-style diced tomatoes

1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers

Prepare rice according to directions. Heat beans, tomatoes, and chiles over medium heat. Add rice and cheese, stirring until cheese melts. This goes great as a Mexican side dish. 

THE BEST DIP EVER 
1 can black eyed peas (drained & rinsed) 
1 can white shopeg corn (drained & rinsed) 
3 diced avocados 
5 diced Roma tomatoes 
3 Tablespoons chopped green onions 
1 package Good Seasonings Italian 
4 Tablespoons white vinegar 
3 Tablespoons water 
2 Tablespoons oil 
*Mix together and serve with tortilla chips. May refrigerate if needed. 

Home

We have been home for a week and I have been cleaning for most of it. We both have repeated over and over how much we like this house.  It's small, but perfect in so many ways.

We went to the Newport Beach Temple this week and I was thrilled to be there again.  It is so beautiful and it will always hold a special place in our hearts. We were dating during the open house and since Don was on the VIP committee we both went to the VIP events together.  

We gave our mission report to the High Council on Thursday and received our honorable release certificates. We also met with Bishop Wooten and received callings in the ward.  Since we spoke in December we won't be giving homecoming talks, just bearing our testimonies.

The Housecleaning Plan

Years ago when my children were at home, I made a plan to help keep the house clean without working myself silly and still having plenty of time for my children.  Sometimes I was able to get all of the chores done by 9am and have the rest of the day to play.  I found the cards when we were in California and want to post them here for anyone who may be interested. Each topic is printed on a 3x5 card, laminated and a hole punched in one corner.  Use a snap ring to keep them together.

Daily

Personal Grooming: Shower, Hair, Make-up

Spiritual Time: Study Scriptures, Journal, Prayer

Make Plans for the day - review appointments

Pick Up around the House

Prepare Meals

Attend to Family's Needs

Do Daily and Weekly Chores

Daily Chores Outline:

Monday: Organizing & Cleaning

Tuesday: Laundry, Ironing, & Mending

Wednesday: Planning, reading, studying & paperwork

Thursday: Gardening, Houseplants, Home Decorating

Friday: Errands, Shopping, Pet Care

Saturday: Time for Self and Family

Sunday: Rest from labors, Physical/Spiritual Renewal

Monday Chores

1 - Organize:

Straighten House, Empty Wastebaskets, Shake Throw-rugs

2 - Clean:

Dust every room, including laundry area

Vacuum floors & carpets. Wash floors. 

Wash woodwork, counters, sinks, tubs & toilets 

Monday Weekly Chores

1st Monday - wash baseboards, ledges, windowsills, change kids beds

2nd Monday - Clean sofas, mirrors, pictures, lampshades, globes, change my bed

3rd Monday - Wash windows, change kids beds

4th Monday - clean out drawers or closets that need it, change my bed

Tuesday Chores

Laundry 

Ironing 

Mending

Tuesday Weekly Chores

1st Tuesday: Was mattress pads & covers that need it 

2nd Tuesday: Wash throw rugs

3rd Tuesday: Wash quilts that need it

4th Tuesday: Finish up Projects

Wednesday Chores

Household planning

Service to others

Personal Planning

Creative Pursuits

Wednesday Weekly Chores

1st Wednesday: Visiting Teaching

2nd Wednesday: Write letters & notes

3rd Wednesday: Read a book

4th Wednesday: Create something

Thursday Chores

Hose down house, walks, driveway if needed

Weed gardens, trim plants

Wash Car

Straighten up patio & outdoor furniture

Thursday Weekly Chores

1st Thursday: Plant & sow seeds

2nd Thursday: Spray for bugs

3rd Thursday: Fertilize and weed control

4th Thrusday: Clean out inside of car

Friday Chores

Pet Care

Errands

Gas in Car

Grocery Shopping

Friday Weekly Chores

1st Friday - Bathe dog

2nd Friday - Check car fluid levels

3rd Friday - Inventory supplies

4th Friday - Stock Up

Saturday Chores

Catch Up

Hair cuts 

Activities with family/friends

Sunday

Attend Church Meetings

Write in Journal

Write notes & letters

Review Goals

Review Upcoming week's schedule with family

Family Home Evening

FHE Schedule

1st Week: Review Family's monthly schedule, plan FHE activities as a family, monthly scripture

2nd Week: Family Service Project

3rd Week: Family Recreational Activity

4th Week: Family Preparedness

Chopped Chicken Salad

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

2 limes, quartered

1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded

One 15.5 oz. can black beans, rinsed

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese

2 avocados, thickly sliced crosswise

In a small bowl, combine the cumin and 1/2c teaspoon salt. Place the chicken in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle with the cumin-salt and juice from 2 lime wedges and heat through, about 5 minutes; set aside.

Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl. Season with salt and the juice of 2 more lime wedges and toss to combine. Scatter the chicken on top, then the beans, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese and avocados. Season with the juice of the remaining lime wedges and toss to combine.

Fiesta Spoon Bread

One 14.75 oz. can creamed corn

1 roasted red pepper, cut into small cubes

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise

2 large eggs

1 stick (4 oz.) butter, melted

1/2 cup half and half

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2 quart baking dish, set aside. In medium bowl, stir together the corn, roasted red pepper, scallions, eggs, butter, half-and-half and salt.  Working over a large bowl, sift together the cornmeal and baking soda, then stir in the cheese.

Stir the vegetable mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined; do not over mix. pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until set about 20 minutes.  Serve hot.