Indiana Jeff

This is how my husband watches "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."



Alone. Because no one left in this house will watch it with him.
Never saw the "ripping out the heart" scene, never want to.


Maddie and I prefer movies like this! (Yes, we're all kinda dorks...)

A New Adventure

Don't you just love Relief Society sisters?

Glenna S. shows us how to make bread at our first "Raiders of the Lost Arts."

One of eight beautifully decorated tables at a Christmas dinner.

Kris B. and Michelle L., the counselors who saved my sanity the first two years of our calling.

Three birthday party celebrations, one tribute to a past president, two "Raiders of the Lost Arts," two "Nights of Music," forty Potluck Luncheons and Recipe Exchanges, seventeen (or more) funerals, haircutting class, photography class, forty play groups, 2 genealogy classes, ribbon embroidery, three Visiting Teaching Conferences, 24 Book Club meetings, 20 "Finish Your Project" get-togethers, three card-makings for Ronald McDonald house, 13 packages sent to a Cambodian Orphanage, three Food Storage/Cooking meetings, 155 72-Hour Kits in a Can, 2 Christmas party dinners, candy-making, dutch oven cooking, ethnic cooking, mexican cooking, important documents class, 3 Women's Conferences, 3 Broadcasts, stake service projects, 42 Ward Councils and PEC's, 40 Presidency Meetings, and at least 1,000,000,000 hours of loving, compassionate service from a whole group of incredibly wonderful women between the ages of 18 and 99 to their sisters and fellow members and neighbors in the Black Canyon Ward.

THAT'S what I should have answered when the Bishop released me as Relief Society president last Wednesday and asked me if any highlights of the past three-and-a-half years came to mind.

I will miss working with the wonderful ladies in my ward.

Now, it's on to a new and exciting adventure--2nd Counselor in the Young Women, where I'm sure I will have similar experiences with a group of wonderful girls ages 12-13! (Including Maddie for the next three months...)

Simple Pleasures

Who needs toys when Grandma S. hangs the laundry out to dry in Mt. Pleasant?

Tacos and Spaghetti

When I left home, that's all I knew how to cook.


These kids will not have that problem.


Amy let them help her make homemade-from-scratch Italian gnocchi Tuesday. (Not only did I not know how to make it, I didn't even know what it WAS till my adventurous-eater children introduced me to it. )


Aubrey love to "roll it to me" on the gnocchi paddle.

Tyler tries his hand at rolling.


I wasn't a big fan of gnocchi at first, but they are starting to grow on me. As Amy says, "It's all about the sauce." These were served with homemade pesto sauce and meat marinara sauce. Yum.

Maddie Starts School

I cannot believe my youngest daughter is an eighth grader.

She is growing up way too fast for my taste. Next year she'll be in high school!

(She probably won't appreciate me posting a photo of her in her dance workout clothes!)

But I am happy to see that she is growing into a beautiful, obedient, happy young woman.

Have I mentioned how incredibly blessed I am?

When the Cat's Away...

Okay, okay. I know most of you would expect the "mouse's play" to be more exciting than this, BUT when MY husband leaves town...yes...gasp...I let the dishes and the clutter on the counter go...and...gulp...I stay up till midnight and ...I...well, I...SEW!

I had some new and exciting quilt magazines and I knew I didn't have time to make a quilt, but...


It doesn't take long to cut a few flannel strips and sew them together.

And it IS my good friend Georgia's surprise baby, Macie's, 2nd birthday today. I thought she might enjoy a new baby and a doll quilt to go with it!


I had six fat quarters of brightly colored flannel and some plain white fabric. I made a tiny little (one-inch squares) four-patch pattern.

Maddie asked, "Mom, how can you make a quilt for Georgia when Georgia [master long-arm machine quilter] does all your quilting for you?" I answered that I knew it was a bit like "taking home-grown tulips to the queen of the Netherlands" but I was doing it anyway.

When Macie looked in her gift bag she got a big smile on her face and said, "It's a baby!" Just the reaction we were hoping for!

Old, Gold Friends

Ever heard the song "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."??

This is Maddie and her "old" friend, Anna B., who lived across the street from us during 2000-2002.

This year-plus was a "golden" one for Maddie and me. Because of 9-11 (NOT golden) we didn't have any work for three months (not so golden either.) But consequently, I didn't have many Jetco responsibilities. My "surprise baby" was in Kids Klub preschool and had a bevy of little friends. We continued summer swim classes through the winter and I had time to sit under the bubble at the pool and watch her swim. Anna and Maddie could run across the street and play Barbies together without a formal play date. I got to talk to my car pool moms everyday in the shade under the preschool trees. Time seemed to slow down a little and be more enjoyable. I took time to enjoy my family and my blessings. This year will always hold a special place in my heart.

One day, Anna's mom, Melinda, and I discovered that we had coincidentally bought the same $5.00 clearance sale dress at Wal-Mart. Maddie and Anna were thrilled! When Rebecca's mom, my good friend Kimberly, went to take advantage of the sale we told her she HAD to get the green dress! She came back with one for Julie too, and the "quadruplets" had a great time "confusing" their preschool teachers this day!


Anna, Maddie, Julie, and Rebecca 11-2001.

Anna's family only lived here just over a year and then moved to Henderson, but we have kept in touch. They spent the last two years working for the American embassy in Costa Rica and are now on their way to Washington, DC for a year, then on to Latvia!

Last night we had a multi-family FHE in BC with Anna's family. It was so great to visit with them. We love them so much, and lots of BC girls still harbor a "secret" crush on Anna's big brother, Luke, who is, according to Maddie, now quite a "hottie!"

I couldn't let the evening pass without recreating the infamous Kids Klub picture. We should have planned ahead and had them all dress alike!!


Anna, Maddie, Julie, and Rebbecca 8-17-09.