Egg-salad idea

For your leftover Easter eggs . . . . 
I tried this sandwich today and it was awesome.
I measured nothing, you will have to guess.

1 hard-boiled egg, diced
olive oil
vinegar
mustard
cilantro
salt
pepper

Sliced tomato

2 slices homemade bread (toasted--that's a bonus of being at home with young children. Access to a toaster).

(I know not everyone loves cilantro like I do, some think it tastes like dishsoap. But if you love it, try this sandwich--it is a keeper. Sidenote: this was my lunch, I didn't try feeding it to today's crowd. I do have one or two children that would appreciate it, but not those who are home today. I might eat this weekly for awhile).

Our Pi Day Celebration (3.14)

I learned about Pi Day a few years ago at a math conference. Teachers at the table were talking about how we could use the activity we were working on for Pi Day. When I said, "What's pie day?"
She replied, "You know, Pi day, 3.14 . . . . "
And when I didn't understand and gave her a blank look she said, "March 14th, Pi Day."
"A-HA, I get it."

Today, in honor of  Pi Day, a certain daughter and a certain Dad made pumpkin pie. It was her idea.

His photos are always blurry. Doesn't stop.

And certain son told us all the digits of Pi that he knows. Multiple times.

Fun to notice most everyone raised their eyebrows when it was camera time. Didn't get great shots of everyone, but everyone was home.
My dad was driving by, so he stopped for a slice.

We sent some home for my mom.
Living by family is great.

(I should probably always choose to sit at tables at those conferences, I would learn more).

A beautiful blur

Last night, I went through the 1000+ photos from the past three years on my camera. It took about half an hour to view all of them. I told Nathan to come look at a photo, and said, "Life is beautiful" just as I clicked on an image of a foot that had been surgically repaired.

(The images of "sick feet" on our camera has become a little bit of a joke. When I see them, I can't believe that Nathan sees those kind of feet every day. I will spare you those photos).  

Back to the blur--looking back we've had some really beautiful moments--highs and lows over the last three years.

Here are a few of our beautiful memories (in mostly chronological order):

Galveston, Spring Break 2010

Houston Temple Grounds, Spring Break 2010

On a walk near home

I finally learned to enjoy eating raw celery!!!!

Sign of Promise on our trip to CO for house hunting, Spring 2010

The Fellowship Graduation Paper (this one is for you, Laura Walker)

June 2010

Brad Wilcox (my former Bishop) in TX, Spring 2010

Found a winner banana bread recipe

First hike in CO

Fall 2010

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

There are nearly a thousand more moments we've captured in time, so I have more to share. But this is enough for tonight.
Have a great week!

Rite of passage

Cracking eggs at our home is a big deal because you must be five years old to do it.

There's someone new in the "Egg-crackers" Club.

At first, Diana requested Cinnamon Rolls for her "birthday cake,"  but then she changed her mind and asked for Brownies instead. She wanted a Ken doll, a nightgown, a picture of Jesus, a salon toy, and a sweatsuit for her birthday. She received all but the salon and sweats. Her birthday dress is still in the works. She's registered for kindergarten and it can't start soon enough for her. She got to celebrate her birthday one day early, because we left for UT on her birthday to visit a cousin's baptism.

Just in case you needed some pink, here's evidence we really do a "pink" load of laundry at our home.


"Popping through" Valentine idea spotted HERE.
            We took these for the kids' teachers and some of the office staff at school. One office lady was so excited, "It's not chocolate!!!" I didn't do the cute printout because I don't have a color printer. Colored paper worked well, too.
Painted dishes idea spotted HERE.
            These were a hit with oatmeal this morning. Maybe I'll use on regular oatmeal day again??? I was going to do this with dinner, but didn't think the powdered sugar would go well with my plan. It was perfect with breakfast.
Have a Happy Valentine's day!

(I will try to learn how to crop in my next collage).

Top Ten

1)Sometimes I wonder if teaching myself to sew is going to be worth is. This week, my friend Katie showed off a jacket she finished.
Can you believe she made that?
Someday, I hope to be able to fit a garment well. She has thousands of hours more experience than I do. Need to overcome some roadblocks, ie perfectionism.

2) Christmas card saving (scroll WAY down to see how they keep them). I did this over the weekend. I've been saving cards for a long time. I chose the best photo from each family over the years and finally have a place to keep it. I must have more photos hiding somewhere . . . . .  Enough room for family photos in the back. All my kids looked at it yesterday. We will swap them out next year when we receive new ones.

3) Enjoying the 100 days at Modern Quilt Guild: color, shape, everything!! I love modern quilting.

4) Best mail day since Christmas on Saturday. Received BYU magazine and my copy of Slow Cooker Revolution in the mail on Saturday. I find cooking at 4 pm challenging, so I am going to add more slow cooker options to the regulars. I want to use it every day this week. Barbecued Chicken breasts tonight. Later this week are: Chicken and Dumplings, Slow cooker applesauce, and Loaded Baked Potato soup. There are lots of steps . . . . as always with America's Test Kitchen. I need to lighten the after school burden. Plus, 10 or more recipes made with dried beans. I love cooking with dried beans.
I fully acknowledge I have way too many recipes.

5) Finished 13 rounds of dominoes with good friends. Only the 3rd time in history we've made it through all the rounds.

6)Middle school open houses.

7) New earrings. My ears are sensitive, so I've worn the same pair everyday for 14 years. I bought some sterling (less than $7 at Claire's) and they don't irritate. Finally, variety!

8) The girls helped me plan the dresses I will sew this year. Caitlin agreed to wear the existing baptism dress, so a new one isn't in the plans.

9) Hilton's Oatmeal Raisin cookies. BEST EVER!!!! Even better because I didn't bake this batch.


10)Treadmill at the community building. Has a room with glass windows for the kids to play in while I walk/run. Ed asks, "Mom, can we go to the workout room, please?" One of his most willing trips.

He shook their hands

Today we had stake conference with Elder D. Todd Christofferson. As we were leaving for church, Nate said that the kids were hoping to get to shake his hand. We both realized it would likely not happen.

Our stake is so big that we have to meet in two sessions. A big deal is made about us leaving quickly, in time for the next group to have time to park and get in. During his message this morning, Elder Christofferson announced that he'd like to shake the hands of all the children who would like to. Of course, I started crying. He recognized that this might cause problems with the turnover, but said that he was going to do it anyway. He invited children to walk up on the right of the stand and exit on the left.

We sent them up--they got split up, but Andrew took Edwin, and the girls stayed together. They shook hands and then we left quickly. It was very touching that he made time to do it. We learned that he lived in Fort Collins when he was ages 2-3. He said we are very lucky to have a temple built within our boundaries. He said he didn't know what we'd done to deserve a temple--he said he's not even that lucky.

Last night the adult session was at the same time as a pretty big Denver Broncos football game. We filled the Stake center anyway--all the way to the stage. He said, "I was told that tonight I would have to compete with a football game. It looks like I won."

He said it would take approximately two years from the groundbreaking to completion of the temple. He invited us to consider what we could do in that time to be ready. He quoted 3 Nephi 9:19-20 "And ye shall offer up unto me ^ano more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

 20 And ye shall offer for a ^asacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I ^bbaptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not."

A great conference, and good things to come!