What do you get....

when you mix $1.99 pillow form from Ikea with scraps of yarn and a couple of hours?

A $1.99 pillow, worthy of Lola's dog kennel.

It was worth a try!  Think I'm ready to tackle another project. 

Hail to thine earliest welcome rays....

Beautiful, bright Snow Canyon Day.

Break time

Cedar Breaks National Monument is the perfect place to escape triple digit heat. Plus, the views aren't too shabby either.

At 10,400 ft, it's a little easier to become winded but the 70º temps make up for it.

I learned about the Bristlecone Pine Trees....some of which have been around long before Christ was born on the earth.  I can't believe I live so close to something this old, and didn't even know about them.

We strolled along the Alpine Pond and through meadows full of incredible flowers...

The hardest part of break time?  Coming home.

Summertime

Glad I got at least one of these in this summer!

This has been one of the most unusual summers for me.  I've been set in a summer routine for almost 20 years now and this was the year of change.

And chocolate.

Summer will aways be about chocolate.

Great Expectations

R&R = Rockin' Reunions.

I spent 4 days, reuniting, reunion-ing, rejuvenating, recollecting, and remembering.

How can I put into words, the feeling of heaven as it briefly touched earth?  I believe when you are prayerful and prepare to open your heart, your ancestors will speak.  And if you are attuned, you will hear.

I am more aware than ever that I am a social recluse.  But I am also more aware of where those tendencies come from.  With gratitude, I appreciate the family I come from and the space they allow me.

I stand all amazed at my ancestors.  Amazed.  And then last night I heard a line in a movie portraying the Willie-Martin Handcart Company, that came as though spoken directly to me.....

"It will all be worth it if my posterity remains faithful."

My heritage has been handed to me on a silver platter.  I am not required to make the sacrifices of those who came before.  All they ask, is for me...for us....to remain faithful.  Shall we not go on in such a great cause?

And for one short weekend, I felt a bit of heaven.  I'll admit...waking to reality and the 21st century, with a broken air conditioner, a stack of bills, a list of appointments, a schedule, callings, emails, phone messages, responsibilities....my first thought wasn't about going on with this 'great cause'.  But, I do feel an extra motivation because I know I have a lot to live up to.

Sarah Frost Argyle, and Ida Mae Hogan Argyle, Thurza Tingey Adams, Joseph Edward Corbett, Louisa Gorringe Corbett, Josie Corbett Argyle, Ellen Taylor Holroyd Argyle, Helga N Hogan, Eric G.M. Hogan, Joseph Hogan, Sarah Ann Ellis Hogan, Jane Finch Argyle, Joseph Argyle, Fanny Burgess, Ben Holroyd Argyle, Thomas Tingey, Thurza Amelia Randall Tingey, John Quincy Adams, Alfred Randall....Budd Corbett and Faelela Adams Argyle and so many more...have GREAT EXPECTATIONS of me.  They believe in me.  I believe in them.

The Budd and Fae Argyle reunion...my grandparents...

The Joseph Edward Corbett and Louisa Gorringe Corbett Reunion.  Celebrating Joseph's and Louisa's 150th birthday.  Their daughter, Josephine (Josie), is my Great, Great Grandmother.  Josie's descendants wore orange. I thought the reunion in general was under-attended, but not for Josie.  She was represent'n!  There were several siblings who had no one there to represent for them.  

I've never wondered at my own posterity or considered what I expect of the generations who come from me.  And yet, everything my ancestors did...they did for their posterity, expecting greatness.

I enjoyed seeing the budding family genealogists, who were busy gathering and photographing.  I thank my cousin, Jennifer Dietrich for her enthusiasm, my Uncle Jim for his years of diligent archiving, my brother-in-law, Taylor, for his attention to detail and desire to learn of his wife's ancestry, my Mom for her passion and love for her ancestors.

Great Expectations....fulfilled.

24 hours

Little Mermaid at Tuacahn
Centerville
Waterfall hike
Sunset Silhouettes.
Time for bed.

- posted from my iPad

Time to make a Walmart run...

Malicious Mayhem

I moved in to the Retro House on February 8th of this year.  And since I've been here, the police have been called on my family and visitors to my home, no less then 10 times.

I have a neighbor who thinks he should call and report every time a car is parked the wrong way on the street or when he thinks any other perceived crime is being committed.

This is the very neighbor who professes to hate children.  Who is surrounded by an entire neighborhood of children.  Trampolines are noisy and dribbling a basketball is the end of the world!  Giggling and laughter is prohibited.  And I'm not even kidding.  Every single parent-of-a-child and owner-of-a-vehicle has had the police called on them at some point while living on this street.

The other night we had our flatbed trailer in our driveway as we were preparing for Girl's Camp.  Every few minutes a car would pull up and a girl would jump out and with her parents, they would load their gear into the trailer and leave. Total time = 30 minutes for the entire process.

Later that evening after we had already turned off the lights, put everything away and locked down for the night, a police man showed up on our doorstep.

Our neighbor had called the police and said that there was "malicious mayhem" going on at the house across the street from him and that it was 'increasing' by the moment and 'alarming'.

Loading the trailer for Girls Camp IS alarming, I suppose.

Anyway.

I wonder what our busy-body watch-dog thinks of us now!  We have 3 more children staying at our house!  Oh the maliciousness of it!  Oh the mayhem!!

We took the kids for a night on the town, to the newly opened carousel and shaved ice.

By the way, apparently no sooner had we finished our rides and loaded the kids into the car, a portion of  roof on the carousel collapsed, injuring someone.  Talk about mayhem.  And you better believe there were police involved.  Wonder if my neighbor sabotaged the carousel!!  I should call the cops and turn him in for malicious intent!!

Bring on the mayhem!!

Aunt Cheryl is the Boss

Boss said it was swim time.

I'm so bossy.

Road trippin'

For about as many years as I've been married, I've been taking road trips every summer.

Now I'm only a day's drive from family and I don't get to go.

I miss those whiney road trip days.

Good thing I have a family reunion next weekend, otherwise I might just bust outta here.

Got Zucchini?

Then this is the recipe for you.

By far....the very best recipe I've found of it's kind.

The "Our Best Bites" ladies have never failed me.  Every single recipe I've tried from their cookbook or website flat out, always works.

This is technically a bread but you could classify it as a dessert as well.  Doesn't matter how you label it...it will be g.o.n.e, gone.  It may seem like a tedious recipe compared to other quick breads, but believe you me, it's worth every step.  Follow exactly and you won't be sorry.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

3 cups shredded zucchini

3/4 cups mini chocolate chips, or chopped regular chocolate chips

Topping

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Butter and flour 2 loaf pans and set aside.  (You can use 8 or 9 inch pans, the smaller will just be fuller)

2.  Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

3.  Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

4.  With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy 1-2 minutes.

5.  Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combine.  Gently stir in the zucchini.  Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (that will help keep them evenly distributed.)  Stir remaining flour mixture into batter and mix until just combined.  Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

6.  Divide batter between the two pans and sprinkle topping over each.  

7.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Set your timer for 45 minutes and then keep an eye on the loaves for the remaining time.  When they're done, a toothpick or skewer should come out without goopy batter on it and the tops will be gorgeous and cracked with sugar.  Remove from oven and let them cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes.  You will love this warm with butter and cool for breakfast the next morning.

Enjoy your gardens!  Eat your veggies and your chocolate too!

Perspective

I wish everyone had the opportunity to see life from another perspective.

Today we hiked high above Zion National Park near the Northgate Peaks.  The views were stunning.  It was fascinating see the familiar domes, cliffs and peaks of Zion afar, from another point of view.  I really felt like from the higher vantage point and looking back, I gained a new appreciation for the creation, depths and heights that we take for granted from our more familiar view points.

I think life is a lot that way.

After our jaunt, we stopped at a nearby campground/viewpoint for a lunch break.  As we approached a fork in the road, we came upon several large tour busses, Park Rangers and several other back country emergency vehicles with lights flashing.  Standing around were pedestrians, many of them wearing pioneer clothing, embracing each other and crying.  I knew at once we'd come upon a Trek.

After navigating our vehicle through the small crowd and scene we inquired about what had happened to one man who was standing a ways off.  He said that a man on their Trek had just died of a heart attack.

We continued on, passing all the youth and their leaders....from the Las Vegas area who were already mourning and scared by what had just happened.

I immediately called up in my mind, the Trek I recently participated in.  For a split moment, I asked myself, "Why Lord?"  I couldn't help but think how devastating the news would be to his family and the members back home.  Why did this happen?

On the way back from lunch the emergency vehicles were finishing up their work and the youth and handcarts were parked in a meadow away from the scene.  I watched the youth as they embraced each other and their leaders and I felt the Spirit.  This would be a bonding, unforgettable experience for this little flock of our Savior.  I saw His sheep gathered around each other and knew that He was comforting them.  Who could ever imagine that such a tragedy and hardship could strengthen and uplift a group of people? I knew that these young saints would be forever changed and linked to those first pioneers who trekked and sacrificed all to reach a place where one day they would be thanked, honored and revered.  The spirit bore witness to their hearts of the love of those who came before and of a Savior who loves them even more.

That's perspective.  Seeing amidst the turmoil that there is another way to look at suffering.  I'm so blessed to have had a glimpse into eternal perspective today.

Take the time to look around from another point of view and find what perspective waits for you.