Move IN DaY!

Gloria has officially moved in. I saw her unpack her bags yesterday morning. 

I assume that she 

has laid her eggs and will sit there on them until they hatch....

I am just hoping that she is a friendly Ol' Girl~

After all-she is right outside our front door, I would hate to "ruffle her feathers" and 

face her wrath....I've seen her chase off a few unwanted guests (I am starting to think

that she isn't much for company)...and I don't want her coming after me. 

Maybe I will make her some cookies or something...

that way  she can warm up to me and we can become friends...

thats what I do with all of my other neighbors! *wink, wink*

.......and so the story continues~

It IS a BiG Deal...on both accounts!!!!

This week Kim competed in the 

Deseret News KSL 5 Television, 2010 Sterling Scholar Awards.

She did so well. Her Sterling Scholar book looked amazing and she felt good about the powerpoint presentation that she had put together to show the judges. She felt great about her interview and went away feeling like she had done her best. She didn't leave with an award...BUT she came away feeling like it was a good experience and had no regrets.

We, as her parents, are so grateful for her talents and for her abilities! She is one smart cookie...and we don't need a piece of paper to tell us that! She has achieved many things in her 18 years and has grown into an amazing young lady! We couldn't ask for her to do, or be, any better than she has. She is a real big deal to us...and we couldn't be any prouder! Way to go Kimber....We love you!!!!!

**********

On a completely different note.... 

We arrived at the Sterling Scholar Awards REALLY EARLY and were the 1st ones into the auditorium. I was looking through the program and noticed that the Mistress of Ceremonies was one of my favorite TV ladies, Reagan Leadbetter, from Good Things Utah, Utah's #1 daytime talk show (those of you who are local Utahans will know and possibly recognize her...some of you won't...Channel 4 at 10:00am). She was up front rehearsing her talk or finishing up some last minute things on some papers. Deron volunteered to go up and take a pictures of us...but I said NO WAY! I didn't want to bother her and I hate to make a spectacle of myself and I certainly wasn't going to go up and look "STuPiD"...NOPE NO WAY. So I figured that I would just sit and be able to brag that I actually got to see Reagan in person. I was fine with that!.....THEN she came down from the stage and was walking right past us when Deron said..."HI, my wife is one of your biggest FANS". (now what do I do??? My face is turning bright red and I feel like an blundering idiot...but oh well) I stood up and told her that I love to watch her every morning...I gave her a hug and then we talked for a minute. She commented on how tall I was (yes, its true...I am TALL). Deron asked if he could get a picture of the two of us, she quickly agreed...and so there you have it...ME and REAGAN!!!! I look AWFUL (I hate that picture of me with a passion...but it's so cool to be with her that I will keep it forever)! She is both beautiful AND gorgeous...and very BUFF... and so super adorable...she is just as sweet and funny in person as she is on TV. She makes you feel like a good "friend"...even though she has no idea who you are. I like people who aren't fake...and she defiantly isn't fake. I have to admit, after all was said and done, I was glad that Deron pipped up and said "Hello" to her and snapped a picture...but at the time, I was so embarrassed. I am sure that Reagan is the closest that I will ever get to meeting a TV/movie celebrity...so I guess in my own quiet little world...it was a big deal!...and a bit exciting!!!  

Home Tweet Home~

Meet "Gary" (Deron affectionately named him). He's decided that he wants to take up residence in the tree right outside our front door. He's been feverishly building a nest day in and day out, for his mate "Gloria" (she is camera shy). As of 2 days ago he has officially completed it. I have never watched a bird actually build a nest, its quite interesting how they know just the right place to put their "stuff" then they lay down in it and wiggle around, making everything tight and just right to fit their feathered bodies.

 Gary knows what he's doing I guess...because the nest looks pretty tight and sturdy...it would have to be with all the wind that we get here. I wondered what would happen if some unwanted guests tried to move in while Gary was away gathering supplies for his humble abode...come to find out, he doesn't tolerate unwanted guests at all. He came back after hunting for strings and twigs to find 2 unwanted feathered friends lurking around his nest. They had flown into his tree, I think just to have a rest but he got quite mean as he chased them away...pecking and squawking (I'm sure he was telling them off in "bird language")...and I haven't seen them come back, guess his gruff words worked.  I have yet to see Gloria actually move in to their newly completed home...she has hung around the nest off and on, but I haven't seen her actually settle in ( I am sure she is off shopping for decor...you know, to personalize her "Home Tweet Home"). I am sort of excited to watch as these 2 little "love birds" have eggs and chicks...and then get to watch the process of the babies leaving the nest.

 I know...I'm sounding like an old lady, but in all reality, it's not very often that anyone gets to witness this whole process right next to their front window. I've always liked birds, they are calming and relaxing to watch. I love to hear them chirp and sing every morning. Birds just remind me of so many happy things to do with the spring and summer seasons. So call me old, if you must, but I am going to enjoy every day I get to watch my new little friends...Gary and Gloria, raise their little family and who knows...maybe I will even learn something!

....stay tuned for more-

 "Adventures of Gary and Gloria".....

Goodbye old friends...Hello NEW!

After 2 long, hard years, I am finally putting my old beater shoes "to rest". They have served me well...but the time has come.
 I have worn the tread off the bottom, have put holes in the soles and worn them down to nothing. I bought them at Target, only paid $27 for them, and didn't think that I would get near the wear out of them that I did. They have been to many a places and walked many a mile....I figured it out the other day....I put approximately 3.5 - 4 miles a day (6 days a week) on my shoes. ADDING that all up...these particular shoes have over 2,500 miles on them (no joke!)....and those are just exercise miles, not the everyday "walking around the yard and house" miles. I was pretty excited to not only know that I, myself...yes me, have walked that many miles in 2 years...but also that these cheap shoes lasted that long. I bought another pair, hoping for the same results, BUT the manufacture's have changed the way they make the shoe now (super bummed about that!!). They look a little different, they now hurt my feet something fierce, leave awful blisters  every time I walk (exercise) in them and just aren't comfortable. SO I had to break down and purchase something a little more expensive. I have to be really picky about my shoes because I have 1 foot that swells all the time, has a bad bunion and my toes grow on a slant (but my feet still work and thats what counts right?!).

After trying on many different shoes I settled on a Nike Running Shoe and it feels like I've been given a new life...like 2 new feet. I didn't realize how different it felt to walk with shoes that have tread on the soles. I actually have a little bounce in my step now. I love them. I have no blisters, no aching and NO sore feet after my long treadmill workouts. It's comforting to know that when I walk, my shoes are gripping the treadmill, not just gliding across it. (woo hoo)

 Now comes the big test...will these new found "running shoes of mine" last as long as the cheap ones from Target and give me as many miles??? 

 Time will tell....

Sterling Scholar

Graduation day is drawing closer and closer for Kimberly. I hate that she is getting that old and will be leaving as soon as school is out. She has loved her senior year. It's been packed so full of school activities, crazy fun and a lot of hard work. She is the "Family And Consumer Science" Sterling Scholar" for our high school and has been spending every single minute and then some, for the past several months, on her sterling scholar book. I think as a mom, I love the sterling scholar books more than the kids do. Its like one big, "totally organized", scrapbook!...and.... I didn't have to do it!

This week Kim will bring a close to this little chapter of her senior year. She is going to compete against many others on the state level for Sterling Scholar...she has done and amazing job and I think she will continue to make us proud. We're rooting for you Sis!

Truth be told...

... Some things I will reveal about myself...many things I will NEVER reveal about myself...but a few things I don't mind sharing....

The truth is...I am not much for barking dogs. There is a dog in our neighborhood that barks almost non stop. I realize that its none of my business...but, we had a dog once that barked like that and we bought a bark collar for her and kept our friendships with the neighbors.

The truth is...I wished that we could hire someone to come in and landscape our yard. Have you ever seen "Curb Appeal" on HGTV?....well, I dream of having someone come in and make me a beautiful yard with a patio and something pleasing to look at. I know that it would make me a happy girl!

The truth is...I never liked hot dogs (use to detest them) or bologna until I got pregnant with my second child...for some reason that craving hit me like a ton of bricks and I ate them every chance I got...now I love them.

The truth is...growing up I always felt ugly and fat. I have struggled with those thoughts and issues my entire life. I feel very empathetic toward  people who struggle with those issues. It upsets me when people judge others by the shape of their body or the way that they look. People are people and their looks don't define who they are.

The truth is...I have a really hard time relaxing. I wished that it came easy for me. I was taught to be a hard worker and to get things done. Growing up on a farm, there was always work to be done, and so worked. I have a hard time sitting down and doing something relaxing when I can see all the work that needs to be done, whether its inside the house or outside in the yard. I realize that I would be a better person if I would take time for myself...but its easier said than done.

The truth is...I hate snakes BUT...when I see them, I don't run from them. I run for my shovel so that I can kill them. I have always had the fear that if I run away from them, they will slither away and haunt me continually...if I kill them, they will be gone from my life forever. NO it doesn't bother me to kill them. And I won't apologize for doing it.

The truth is...I don't like change and I don't deal with it well...ONLY if it's a change for the better that I can see or feel~ and its immediate...don't tell me that "in the long run this change will be for the better!" NO...that doesn't fly for me. As far as I am concerned, change isn't good unless its immediate, like winning the lottery...that change I could deal with!

The truth is...racism bothers me. I went to school with native americans from the day I entered kindergarten. Some of them were my very good friends.  I have cousins that are hispanic and I love them to pieces. I am caucasian and have many friends that are of different races. I believe that there are great people in ALL races. Race doesn't determine what or who a person is.

The truth is...don't talk politics to me, I WILL probably ignore you! I believe that everyone has a right to feel the way they want to about their political choices AND VIEWS. I believe that no one has the right to push their political views onto someone else. Thats one of the cool perks of living in a FREE COUNTRY!

The truth is...I like living in my little town. I like knowing who my children's teachers are...outside of the classroom. I like stopping and talking to people that I know while I am getting my groceries. I like that I can drive down the road anywhere in town and wave at people that I know and care about. I like that I love my neighbors and consider them my family. I like knowing if I needed anything I could always go to them for help. BUT living here has some disadvantages too. I don't like that I have to drive 90 minutes to go shopping for the day, that our hospital is 30 minutes away...and that can seem like an eternity if you are headed there in an emergency. Its inconvenient at times that there isn't much "entertainment" here, but it seems we always find plenty to do and entertain ourselves with...but with all that considered, I like living here and I don't think I would be as happy anywhere else.

The truth is...thats not all there is to know about me, and eventually I will expose more "Truths" to you, but for now...thats all I'm going to share.

Cooking dilemma's

Can I just say, that cooking would be a blast if it didn't leave messes like this?! Making a good, homemade meal takes me an hour-an hour and a half usually...then the family sits down and eats it and it takes them approximately 10-15 minutes from start to finish to gobble it up...THEN comes the clean up (lucky for me, we take turns doing dishes and I have children that have dish nights too), that could take another 1-1 1/2 hours...it doesn't seem right that something that takes so long to prepare and clean up can be devoured in such a short amount of time........

Hello Ladies!

 Because I dislike (using the word "dislike" because "HATE" is such a strong word) Winter so much, I am dedicating this post to my friends "Madam Spring and Madam Summer", whom I love and adore!
......I mean really, when you compare the 4 seasons of the year, autumn is alright...I don't mind him too much. He offers pretty colored leaves, cooler...but bearable temperatures and many wonderful fruits and veggies from the garden. BUT then here comes winter...he has only ONE thing to offer and thats Christmas (which I love)....So really for the most part, in my book...WINTER is Blah and boring and very ugly. He is almost unbearable (thats why he offers Christmas) at times. Some years I barely make it through his lonely, depressing stays. So it is with great joy that I say good-bye to Old Man Winter and hello to brighter days!


In honor of many warm and sunny days ahead, I am going to share 21 (because thats my lucky number) reasons that I love... and adore  Madam Spring and Madam Summer~

 1. Sunsets that are stunningly beautiful....and warm evenings when I can sit outside and enjoy them.

2. Water skiing trips with my brother and his family...crashing happens to be part of the fun (as long as it's not me)!

3. Fresh Strawberries....oh yeah, and the strawberry freezer jam and the strawberry shortcake...and the strawberry's on my crepes...and the strawberry shakes and the...

....strawberries! (yum)

4. Barbecues! Why is it that the smell of someone else's BBQ going, 

makes you want to fire up and cook something yummy on your own?

5. My garden...peas, tomatoes, lettuce and spinach and anything else that might grow...

...at this point in the year, weeds are even sounding nice (but only until they start to come up).

6. Trips with the family! Whether it's the whole gang, or just a few of us...I love our summer day trips to anywhere and everywhere...close to home or far away.

7. Lilacs (they are my favorite flower) in all their GLORY!....

I wished they bloomed longer, but they don't, 

so I go out and smell mine every single day while they are in bloom!

8. The Lake...we like to go play in the sand and the water...

and we even like to pack a lunch and make a day of it....sometimes even an evening of it. 

9. Long hikes up in the mountains...the smell of pine tree's and the sound of the river...

even the heat sweltering on my back. 

10. Lagoon! I know, some of us never grow up! I love the rides, the laughs and the fun that we always have while we are there....no one ever goes away NOT having had a stupendous DAY!

11. Adventurous road trips with my honey!...

we always try to do at least one during the summer, 

even if its just for a day. 

12. Playing croquet with the family!...it makes for a fun evening activity, beats TV any day!

13. The family reunion!....I love spending time with my extended family, they are a riot!...I truly have

the best, most fun and crazy family out there, and I wouldn't trade them for anything!

14. The Zoo. Ever since I was little, I have loved going to the zoo...even though it doesn't change much from year to year, I still love going and seeing all the foreign creatures. 

15. GIRLS WEEKEND!....oh the laughs and giggles that we have!...fun times for all. 

A definite must for all mom's and daughters to do.  

16. Flowers! AHHH...at last, color! I love the variety of colors that there are during the reign of Madam Spring and Madam Summer, they offer so much more....not just brown or white...but lush colors of red, yellow, purple, green and yellow, among others!...yum!

17. Camping trips. We have made many a memories up in the mountains with our family...

...and I wouldn't trade them for anything. 

18. The sunshine, ALONG with the warmer temps!

I could just lay outside under a shade tree all day and soak in the sun...

...but I don't get that luxury, I have too much to do!

19. Cafe Rio picnics!....need I say more, grab some Cafe Rio, a blanket...some family...and 

...WALAAA...your in Heaven (now wasn't that easy)!

20. Waterfalls. I could stop and spend hours looking at waterfalls, big or little, 

I just love them...they fascinate me!

21. AND last but not least....NO more SNOW!!! I love that the snow is gone...yes, thankful that we had it so that we can have a beautiful spring and summer...BUT

 oh SO GLAD that its gone!

And there you have it....my good ridden's to the old man (that always over stays his welcome) and my big HoWdY and HeLLo to the beautiful girls of Glory!

Its a hard knock life...for me

As many of you know, my daughter and I have been doing a recipe blog. (betterthanburgers.blogspot.com) I have had so much fun doing it! My family is constantly telling me that they are really enjoying it as well, since they get to reap the benefits of my cooking escapades.

There is just one draw back....it's a lot of work, a lot of research, a lot of cooking and a whole lot of clean up....and somedays it wears me out! Who would have thought?...but I say "OH WELL, its worth it!"

It fun to try new food, experiment with new recipes, and make up a lot of my own. I have learned things that work for me and some things that don't. I have learned that having a menu is a must for me, I can't fly by the seat of my pants anymore. I have to be organized (to some degree...I know that picture does NOT reflect my organization skills) with my time as well as the things that I do, because I have to MAKE TIME to cook and not just "try to fit it in". Although, there are days that I have to "change up" my menu and throw in the occasional "easy, repeat" dinner because I just don't have the time or energy to cook....but its been rare and far between (my family thanks me for that). I use a planner every single day now...which I have tried to do before, but never really had a reason to or needed one for that matter...BUT now, it's a must. I have too much going on and too much that has to be done, NOT to use one. In fact this week has been a little crazy because I haven't taken the time to organize my days like I usually do. I feel like I am walking around in circles...BUT today, I will get it together...I have to (thats on my to-do list).....so goes the life of the crazy busy mom, food blogger, maid, wife, taxi driver, counselor, referee, gardener, chef and tired woman....just thought you might want to know.

Homespun...

I got a wild hair this year and decided to make purses for the girls Easter Baskets again...yes again. Every girl loves a new purse (mine do) and I thought I would have oddles of time to whip them right up. WELL as my luck would have it...I didn't have the time that I thought I would, so I only got one purse done. But it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself! Maybe I will get the other purse done in time for "next Easter".....

Families who eat together...stick together~

Growing up... (yes, I realize that I refer to my childhood ALOT...but it helped shape me into being the person that I am today) we always had a really nice Easter Dinner. We usually had a big ham and some sort of potato, salads, breads and dessert. WELL....as tradition would have it, I do the same thing in my house. I cook a big ham, make "cheesy potatoes", hot rolls, and this year, I even made up a Jello salad (the one in the cups on the table) that I will put on our food blog (betterthanburgers.blogspot.com) soon.

We had all of our children over, except for Dayna and Jack (they live a distance away and aren't able to come out for everything...although we wished they could because we love it when everyone is here). We all ate like it was our last meal and enjoyed every minute of it!

Easter in the Rocky's~

Yep...this is Easter in UTAH!...if you live "here" or close to "here"...

...the view was probably very similar at your house!

I had planned on having a really fun "Flashlight Easter Egg" hunt outside after dark on Saturday night. I had all the eggs filled and ready to carefully hide in my yard. I thought of some awesome places to put them. As evening came around, I loaded up my eggs and I marched myself right outside to hide them, turned around and marched right back inside. IT was winter weather outside! It was frigid cold. The wind was blowing and the sky was dark, it looked and felt like November NOT April. Although, I do recall last year getting a "lovely Easter snow storm" as well, I don't know why I was surprised that we would get another one this year. 

SO my fun Easter Egg hunt got moved inside. I hid the eggs all over the dining room and living room, making them hard to find since the kids would be looking for them in the day light....and they are teenagers....which means that I couldn't put them in plain sight. I had 12 "special" design eggs that I put coupons in (free dirty room day, free dish day, no chore day etc...) and hid those eggs EXTRA well, hoping that they wouldn't be easy to find....maybe NEVER be found (just kidding). When the kids got up in the morning I sent them on a well planned out scavenger hunt to find their Easter baskets. Its fun to see them still enjoy the "little things" in life and "get into" my crazy creative antics. They raced around the house looking for clues, thinking of "what this clue meant, or what that clue meant"....and hunting feverishly for their Easter treats.

Once they found their baskets, I told them what color of eggs they would be hunting for (each child was assigned a color as to avoid "fighting" over them and one person hogging them all) and then I sent them throughout the house to hunt for plastic, candy filled eggs. It took them alot longer to find all of them than I thought that it would....and yes, they even found all of my "special eggs". I was informed that some of the coupons that I put in the eggs are already getting redeemed tomorrow morning, they waste no time....the ones being redeemed are the ones for "NO Chores Today!".....which means that I won't have any help tomorrow to clean up after the holiday weekend.....maybe my "fun" idea is coming back to bite me in the backside...maybe I should have thought that coupon idea out a little better *wink*.

                             

Our  snow was all melted by Easter afternoon and I have no doubts that I will enjoy the gorgeous 

green grass that our "well watered lawn" will bring in the following months.

It was a nice Easter Day, the kids all got along, we watched General Conference, we ate good food and we remembered the "real reason" for our celebrating the Easter Holiday.....it was a beautiful day all the way around!