On a Beautiful Sunday Morning

You have got to make these scones!

1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 egg

In a small bowl, blend sour cream and baking soda. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 and grease your baking sheet.  I used Crisco not Pam.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tarter and the salt. Cut in the butter. Stir in the sour cream mixture and the egg just until moistened.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.
Roll or pat into a 3/4" think round.
Cut into 12 wedges and put on sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes.

When I added the baking soda to the sour cream it rose in the dish and I got excited and I texted my sister, Faith. No one in my house was awake to share this with!

After adding the egg and mixing I was worried because the dough did not come together but just dump it out on the floured surface and knead it and it comes right together.

Cut with a pizza cutter, works like a charm.

When they come out of the oven, butter them and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or raspberry jam.

These were so good, kids came up from downstairs half asleep and said these better be as good as they say...I got up for them.

These were so good that I jumped in my car and delivered one to Faith who lives in my same town.

These were so good.....they are gone. :(

Would You Look at This

My sister Faith is starting to coupon.
She has a neighbor who is showing her the ropes.
Today she went into Smiths and with her coupons she bought this for $8.55.
She saved $10.30.
She saved more than she spent!

2 funny things about this:
She confessed as she was walking into Smiths....."This is the first time I have ever used a coupon in my life" and "I don't even like cereal."

She shared with us!
It was really nice of her...but she is really nice!

"His" Hand in My Life

I saw a 8 hour job listed at Westlake High School and I applied not really thinking I would get an interview.  The job was only open for a week and it was during Pioneer Day (holiday in Utah) so with the weekend the job was only open 4 days.    I applied because I was afraid that my hours were going to be cut and be only 5 hours a day. Then they had listed the start date to be Aug 8.  I assumed that there was no way they could interview, hire and get it together that fast so I guessed it was an inside job for someone and just a posting to cover the job legally.  (Yes, they do that.) 

Westlake called me on Tuesday and wanted to interview me.  I almost hyperventilated.  I called them back and there was only 4 time slots.  I typed up a personal and business reference sheet to take with me because both my principal and my lead secretary are not at my school anymore so I gave them their cell numbers. 

I did not sleep at all that night the day before the interview.  I was awake from 2 15 to 4 10.  How would I stand out, would I say the right things. what should I wear, yikes!

My interview was at 8:30 so I arose when I woke Logan for football at 5:35 and did everything like I normally would so I would feel normal, ran on treadmill, drank my green tea and read the newspaper.  I prayed that I would stand out and I would know what to say.

I got there early but not too early.  I spit out my gum before they called my name.  I knew two ladies who were there that morning and I chatted with them.  He came out to get me in a polo shirt not a shirt and tie so he surprised me.  Luckily I was just smiling at my friend not carrying on and being loud.

I interviewed well.  I said good answers.  I relaxed the more I talked.  I tried not to jiggle my foot or say too much.  The best thing I said was at the end he asked me to rate my organizational level from 1 to 10. I said 10 and then twinkled my eyes and laughed and said OK 9.5, waved my hand and arm and said well what can I say.

He said they would get back to me by the weekend.  I said OK and I work tomorrow so I will just be quiet about this.  He said when could you start?  I said I have to give notice.  He said I will get to you by the end of the day.  I surged with hope.

At 11:00 my phone rang and he offered me the job.  I accepted with thanks.  Now to tell my school.  Yikes so hard.  Another sleepless night.  For 2 hours in the night I just thought and thought what have I gotten myself into, how early will I have to get up, I won't have time to exercise, what if I can't do it.....what if I bit off more than I can chew.  All those thoughts and more kept running through my mind.

Today I headed into the school a little nervous.  The smells of the school greeted me and made me sad.  I saw a few of my favorite teachers and I missed them already.  I took things to classrooms empty of children but waiting for the new school year.  I took the new lead secretary aside and told her.

I saw relief on her face and I thought that is weird.  Then I found out.  They had just been told that morning that one whole secretary's hours had to be elimated from the front.  They would have to shorten both our hours and "find" something else for us to do.

I was helped all along, guided in the application and the interview process.  I now have a job for 8 hours a day doing something I love.  I am the copy girl at Westlake and they said I will push between 3 and 4 thousand papers a day through there.  I will sort the mail and give to teachers in their boxes, 77 teachers in all.....2 things that I love.   I have been blessed again.  I am so thankful.

So my summer vacation came to an abrupt end.  I am starting work on Monday.  This blog will change. I no longer will have cute stories about kids or the funny way they used the phone.  I will other tales to tell and I will be making new friends and I am so thankful.

He's back and here to stay for a while, anyway

I struggled with how to make this post interesting and meaningful.

Then last night as I was setting the table for dinner....it hit me.
As I was counting out the place mats I counted 6 and I said no it's 5 but it is 6!

I get to set the table for 6 again!

We put Colby in college as a freshman in September and promptly moved to Utah and left him in Washington and except for visits and vacations home I have been setting the table for 5 for FIVE long years. What a joy it is to me to lay 6 place mats around the table.

Also we have said in our prayers Bless Colby and Roofus whereever they are.  It turned into a habit  and we have almost said while he is sitting with us!

Many nights I wondered what and how he was eating. He says it's better I did not know!

Good bye to Central Wa University

Goodbye to Jack In The Box (none in Utah)

Goodbye to the park where he played with Roofus

Roofus loved this park

Goodbye to his friends and college house. 

You get to come Roofus!

He packed as much as he could but he had to leave so much behind,  he's got his memories, his track awards, his computers and alot of clothes and a degree!
After he had been here about week he realized he had not even entered his kitchen to pack anything.  He left all that there!

So here we are setting the table for 6 and loving every minute of it!

Kim's Birthday

Before you read this post I have to say that I did not do any research on this hike before we went on it. In fact, I never really thought of it as a hike. That was pure craziness of me.

We talked about what to do for Kim's birthday.  We have lived in Utah for almost 4 years.  We have heard about people, sports teams and athletes hiking the Y.  So without even thinking we decided to do it.

Here we are here getting ready to start.  We grabbed our waters and I had some jolly ranchers to help with the thirstiness of the heat of the day. 

Here is a picture of the map of the hike.  We glanced at it and started off.  There had been an accident of a boy falling on turn 5 and so there was a little more activity at the start than normally would be consisting  of fireman, aid people and an ATV bringing him down and we just headed off and up.

It was steeper than I thought it would be.  Logan and Kelsi had no problem as they are in great shape. On the other hand Kim's lungs don't expand like they should and he coughs, sometimes battling for breath.  2 years ago I attended girls camp at Little Cottonwood Canyon and we hiked a ski lift.  I was at the back huffing and puffing.  Needless to say even with working out everyday and losing 10 pounds I was still at the back huffing and puffing.  When I was about to give up a man came down who was jogging it and said hang it there the first half is the worst and you are almost there.  It's funny but on the way down I said the same thing to a couple hiking up.  Another funny thing is I saw people coming down in the same shape as me or worse and I thought to myself, "hang in there if they can do it you can"  Then on my down I could see them looking at me thinking the same thing. 

We made it to the top.  I hate to say it took about 45 min or even an hour.  I forgot to look at the time when we first got to the top due to the fact that.....1.  I was so pleased to be there and 2. I was so lightheaded.  The view was amazing.  Here is a true confession.  I have always seen the Y from the ground even the freeway and always thought it was made of wood.  I imagined them whitewashing it to keep it white.  Well, no it is made from cement and rocks were in it.  It was bumpy and white like the moon surface would be.

View towards Salt Lake and the end of Utah Lake. We live out there across at the base of the other mountain.

View of BYU and Utah Lake.

On the way down we saw the cutest family walking up.  They were from Washington and the kids were close in age and there was 3 of them.  The oldest boy was having the hardest time up and the dad was carrying the littlest on his shoulders.  We stopped where they were stopped and gave them encouragement and the rest of our jolly ranchers.  The dad was telling them they could do it.  I sure hope they did.  Then we walked a little more down and we all turned to each other and said they aren't going much farther.

The day ended with us eating at 5 Guys burger place and enjoying a banana cream pie that Jake bought and we will research a hike better next time.  Jeez, let the parents live, especially Kim to the age of 50, his next birthday next year.

PERCENTAGES

If you were shopping in a store and saw something for 50% you would be so happy to snatch it up.

If you had your favorite pie sitting in front of you and you got to eat 50% of it you would be so happy.

On payday when you get 100% of your paycheck you are so pleased.

If you take a test and get 100% on it you are so pleased with yourself.

Well, last year Jake, my UVU student had a scholarship for 50% and we were so happy.

We got a letter in the mail, dated June 15, 2011 that advised us that upon the recommendation of the Athletic Department at Utah Valley University, your athletic scholarship has been adjusted for the 2011-2012 academic years as shown below:

2011-2012 100% Resident = $3944.

I probably should not have put the amount but it just tells the whole story better and we are just so pleased.

Miracle Grow Grass Seed?

We changed around where the dirt was in the front of our yard and wanted to plant some grass where the kids shoot basketball and the weeds kept coming back and it just looked bad. So we finally got it all smooth and purchased some dirt and some grass seed. We came home from the store, sprinkled it out and watered it and just hoped it would grow.

Just as it was getting dark that same night Kim came in the house to show me that we had planted miracle grow grass seed and it was already growing. He made me cover my eyes as I walked out and look it was grass!

He was on a bike ride and a neighbor had rolled out sod and had some extra. Him and Jake brought it down cut it to fit and patted it down.

He sure got me on the joke. We turned around and got Kelsi and Logan the next morning!

A Tradition

We have attended the Lehi Round Up Horse Parade 3 times so it's a tradition.

With the temperatures hovering around 100 we took misting bottles. Since we are at a horse parade and I felt like a Texan on the prairie I will coin a phrase that my sister uses who lives in Texas...boy howdy did we need them, those squirt bottles.

I like the sound the wagon wheels make on the road as they pass me during this parade.

I like the sound of the hooves on the pavement too.

It was a great parade to watch. We misted ourselves, ate a Lunchable, drank water and helped the tradition live on.