Tribute to a Prophet

As I was picking Austin up from school today I noticed the school flag was at half-mast. I thought for a second and realized why. It warmed my heart to know that Austin goes to a school where people care that our prophet has passed. I felt overwhelmed for a second and found my eyes tearing up. I couldn't help but come home and make my own little tribute to such an exemplary man.

Things I learned from President Gordon B. Hinckley
1. Stand for Something
2. Be Positive
3. Love your spouse - my husband and I learned so much from watching the Hinckleys and their deep devotion to and respect for each other.
4. Don't be Ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
5. The importance of temple work
6. Stand a little Taller, Be a Little Better - nothing will seem overwhelming if we just try to be a little better each day. What great council!
7. Go Forward with Faith

As much as my heart is saddened that I won't be able to hear President Hinckley's delightful jokes or his inspired council I know how much he missed his sweet wife and am glad that they can be together again.

"All of us have to deal with death at one time or another, but to have in one's heart a solid conviction concerning the reality of eternal life is to bring a sense of peace in an hour of tragedy and loss that can come from no other source under the heavens." ~ President Gordon B. Hinckley

The Month in Pictures...

I have been pretty busy these last couple of weeks so I just barely had a chance to download the 115 pictures I took over the last month. Allie was sick most of the month with some weird things. She stepped on a tack-strip and it didn't even bleed but over the next week became severly infected. It went from the size of a needle poke to larger then a qaurter. I had to soke it several times a day and put polysporin on it and then bandage it up. Once we got that in control, one of her eyes became infected with some weird thing and after several weeks is just now going away. This mom thing can be really scary and stressful and times...:)

The rest of the month, I spent babysitting for several different family members. My kids love playing with their cousins and since they haven't been able to play outside at all, it is nice to have something else to do besides try and be entertained by mom. BORING! (That is a new word that Austin has been using frequently...any advice on how to quench that habit would be greatly appreciated.)

Allie's Infections



I love how this outfit brings out the color in Abigails eyes.



Abigail learned how to climb stairs...she is so proud of herself!


Allison dressed herself this morning...together thses clothes look a little risque but I promise that she doesn't usually look like a "street walker."


Allie loves to help make dinner...she helps every night!


Austin, Allison and Abigail with just a few of their cousins

Tagged!

Ok, I've been tagged and...if you're re reading this, you've been tagged!

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:
- Still growing up...I was only 18.
- Working as a telemarketer...yes, I was the one annoying you!
- Falling madly, deeply in love...Chris asked me to marry him almost 10 years ago exactly!
- Going to college (and almost failing because Chris wouldn't let me study)!
- Fighting with roommates (remember that, Stephanie!)

5 things on my "to do" list:
- Make hair bows for the girls
- Catch up on all my magazines I get in the mail
- Visiting Teaching
- Science project for Austin
- Go to Costco

5 Snacks I enjoy:
- Cookies
- Skittles
- Popcorn
- Brownies
- Peanut M&Ms

5 Things I'd do with a Billion Dollars: (wow that is WAY too much money!)
- Buy a home and pay off both our parent's homes
- Travel the world
- Start a business for Chris
- Become a philanthropist
- Definitely go back to school (Great idea Rebecca!)

3 Habits:
- Blogging
- Oprah (although I've been slacking...I have about 7 that I have recorded and not watched)
- Food Network

5 places I've Lived:
- San Bernardino, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Cedar City, UT
- Logan, UT
- San Diego, CA

5 Jobs I've had:
- Dance instructor
- Greenhouse worker
- Convergys: Telemarketer, Quality control, Command Center
- MOTHER!

Finally...a good reason to blog!

Several months ago, when I wrote my first post I wasn't quite sure why I felt so compelled to do so. I had been reading several of my friends blogs but I am beyond "peer pressure" and the juvenile desire to "fit in." After several months of thinking about starting a blog I finally jumped in, still not quite sure why I did but wanting to pacify the continuous feeling that I should start one. As much as I loved sharing recipes and pictures and news of my children I still felt like there was a bigger reason.

This past week I have had several things happen that led to the answer that I have been seeking. First, I have to tell you about my "missionary" experience.

I enjoy reading about the lives of others. I feel like, for the most part, we are all God's children going through life, trying to find peace and happiness the best way we know how (whether or not you are LDS). I draw strength and wisdom from reading about others lives...their trials and accomplishments and how they deal with each. One day I stumbled upon an Evangelical blog that had a post titled - "Evangelicals vs. Mormons: The Great Divide." So, of course, my curiosity got the best of me and I read the article. In the wake of Mitt Romney running for president, the LDS church (known to the world as "Mormons") have had several articles written about them and I always find myself reading them and wondering what the world really believes about me and the beliefs that I hold so dear. As I read this article it had several misconceptions about the church. I read the comments in regard to the article and was also amazed at the misconceptions held by the articles readers. I have never felt compelled to comment or "debate" online about my beliefs but something just kept telling me that I needed to comment. So, as best and as unargumentative as I could, I tried to dispel the myths they had written about. I was actually kind of proud of myself for doing so in a way that was not offensive to anyone but got the point across that what they thought didn't match what we actually believe and I referred them to the church website if they would like more information. I am usually so timid when it comes to discussing my beliefs for all the usual reasons...rejection, fear, etc. After responding to the article I felt that maybe I shouldn't have. I showed Chris and he also had mixed feelings. On one hand he was really proud of me for stepping in and saying something but on the other hand he is always very "proper" and knows that "contention is of the devil." We were now both wondering if it was appropriate and it continued on both of our minds for several days until...I was reading an e-mail I get from LDSLiving.com. They were discussing an article by Elder M. Russel Ballard. The following are excerpts from it and the answer to the biggest reason I blog.

"How different your world is today. If you read newspapers, the chances are you read them on the Internet. Yours is the world of cyberspace, cell phones that capture video, video downloads and iTunes, social networks like Facebook, text messaging and blogs, hand-helds and podcasts. As many in my generation are just getting onto email, that’s already becoming old hat to most of you."

"This is your world, the world of the future, with inventions undreamed of that will come in your lifetime as they have in mine. How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord?"

"The Lord over the centuries has had a hand in inspiring people to invent tools that facilitate the spreading of the gospel. The Church has adopted and embraced those tools, including print, broadcast media, and the Internet. While the Internet is often misunderstood and incomprehensible to many of my generation, it is second-nature to yours. Almost every career you are entering into will require you to utilize the Internet effectively."

"There are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches. While some conversations have audiences in the thousands or even millions, most are much, much smaller. But all conversations have an impact on those who participate in them. Perceptions of the Church are established one conversation at a time."

So there you go. Finally, a good reason to blog. Not that I am going to give up posting pictures about my family or other random thoughts that I have but maybe I can also use this blog to share my testimony of my Heavenly Father and of his son, Jesus Christ. I cannot deny the feelings I get everyday as I feel my Saviors love for me. I know that Heavenly Father lives and has a body of flesh just like you and me. I know that he sent his son Jesus to set the example for us and ultimately suffer for our mistakes. He wanted us to all return to live with him but he knew that we would all make mistakes and that no unclean thing can dwell in the kingdom of God. I know that the truth of the gospel was lost with the original apostles of the new testament. But then a young boy who was humble enough to pray to ask which church was true and which he should join did eventually restore the truth to the earth. I know without a doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God but that he was still just a man and no man, save Jesus, is perfect. Through Joseph the priesthood of God was restored to the Earth so that families can be sealed together for eternity and blessings can be given to the sick and needy. That same man was persecuted from the day he mentioned ever seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus. But he never denied what he saw even after being tortured, jailed and eventually murdered for he could not deny it because he knew God would know if he denied it and feared God more then man. We follow the same organization that existed in the ancient times, even the church that Jesus Christ himself established. It is through my beliefs in the gospel that I am able to have hope in our future no matter what else happens. My faith makes me a better mother, friend, sister and wife. It doesn't make me perfect but it gives me something to strive for and I know that when I do make mistakes that I can be forgiven and try harder next time. It is because of the Savior and his gospel that I no suffer from depression (which I was diagnosed with in High School). I could not deny the tender mercies from the Lord that happen daily in my life. I see miracles happen everyday.

So with that said, I hope that I can do what Elder Ballard has suggested and join in on the conversations that happen online and help, in my little way, define what "Mormons" really believe.

Chicken Recipes galore!

I get tired of the same old chicken recipes so here are some nice twists on chicken. I have made each of these in the last couple of weeks and my family liked all of them.

Chicken Piccata (courtesy of allrecipes.com)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
1/2 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl or dish mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Dip the chicken in the egg/lemon mixture, then in the seasoned flour.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter/margarine and brown the coated chicken pieces.
4. Dissolve the bouillon in the boiling water, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Pour liquid into skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces after 10 minutes, until chicken is tender. Garnish as desired and serve.

I served with a broccoli salad and buttered bread. You could also probably serve with rice or pasta.

Southwest Chicken Skillet
(courtesy of BHG.com)


Ingredients
1 1- to 1.5-ounce envelope fajita seasoning mix (I used taco seasoning because I already had it on hand)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
Nonstick spray coating
1 medium yellow or green sweet pepper, cut into squares
1 small zucchini, bias-sliced (I actually didn't use any because I didn't have any)
1/2 small onion, cut into thin wedges
2/3 cup salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
8 8-inch flour tortillas (optional)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Directions
1. For marinade, in a medium mixing bowl combine fajita mix, water, and oil. Add chicken to marinade. Stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat over medium heat. Add sweet pepper, zucchini, and onion; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet.

3. Drain chicken; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet. (If necessary, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil during cooking.) Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir together salsa and chili powder. Add salsa mixture, corn, and beans to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with warm tortillas and cheese, if desired. (To heat tortillas, wrap in microwave-safe paper towels; micro-cook on high power for 30 seconds). Makes 4 servings

I have had other recipes similar to this one but this was still good.



Slow-cooker Chipotle Lime Chicken Thighs with Jamaican Rice and Peas(courtesy of Food Network)


1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 pounds skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 1 teaspoon sauce from can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish

Arrange onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.
In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve half of the thighs with this meal (topped with diced avocado and cilantro and garnished with lime wedges) and reserve remaining thighs for another meal.

Jamaican Rice and Peas:
2 cups instant white rice
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, and lime zest. Set pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.

I was a little worried about this recipe because it used a lot of new ingredients I have never tried before. It actually turned out good...even my kids ate it. It was a little spicy so if you are sensitive then you should probably use a little less of the chipotle chilies.

I got this from a friend...

You Belong in Spring

Optimistic, lively, and almost always happy with the world... You can truly appreciate the blooming nature of spring. Whether you're planting flowers or dyeing Easter eggs, spring is definitely your season!

What Season Are You?

Change...

I found this post on a blog that I occasionally read. It touched me quite a bit since our family has just been faced with huge change and she worded it so beautifully; I wanted to share it with the rest of you. (courtesy of mormonsoprano.com)

Isn’t life interesting? We build a comfortable “personal space” around ourselves. It is almost like our own mini world-within-a-world that we carry as an invisible shell. This protective shell is the sum of all our experiences, knowledge, hopes and fears. It shapes how we see the world. It defines ‘life as we know it’, and becomes our truth. We like to believe we now have all the truth we ever need to be happy and do not need anything else to come along and disrupt things. We have the best intention to live “happily ever after”. But, then the forces of nature and the grand design of the universe has a way of puncturing our small world. Invariably this happens just as soon as we get comfortable. It often feels we are constantly in the process of “mending holes” in our shell, and making space for new knowledge and truths to come in. We call this process Change. The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow likened the discomfort of Change to the seasons.

“Into every life a little rain must fall”

Human beings alternately desire and fear change. It has the power to save or damn, to bless or curse, to mend or destroy, to improve or decay. In fact, Change lives up to it’s name: it is a chameleon. It offers both joy and pain each time it arrives, depending on where you are standing. We all know the trite saying “when life brings you lemons, make lemonade”. But could this be a truth? Can we actually benefit from what initially appears to be a disaster? Consider the rain that Longfellow mentioned. When it starts to fall, it will spoil the backyard party, but saves a farmer’s crops. It makes our shoes muddy, but our lawns green. It places the worm in mortal peril, but the bird gets a good dinner!

There are many philosophies about change, and how to handle it when it walks into our world and makes itself at home. It usually comes as an unexpected, uninvited and unwanted guest. But along with the discomfort it also presents new opportunities. This is a hard concept for any of us when we are experiencing something that is ending our world as we know it. The opportunities, or blessings of the event may not be seen for years. Sometimes, the full picture eludes us all our life. Most of our unexpected changes are just annoying daily occurrences. A detour in the road, an appliance on the blink, bad weather, a bounced check, or the traffic jam that delays our arrival time. But other changes come along that are truly heart wrenching and more difficult to reconcile; unemployment, divorce, poverty, illness and death, just to name a few.

We have all worked very hard to gain the knowledge, experience and truth we have today. Understandably, we hold tight to it and don’t want to lose any of it. When change comes along, it means we must relinquish our certainty. There is hope when we hear others who traveled an especially difficult path say they “gave up something good for something better”. But, we wonder, is this really possible?

This past year, my daughter was in the hospital for 9 weeks in a city hundreds of miles from home. I was taken in by the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital, and experienced many tender mercies. During that time, I discovered that I had joined a special ‘fraternity’ of sorts with the other parents and families undergoing tremendous life changes due to an illness, accident or birth defect of a child. Life as we knew it was forever lost. The uncertainty of the future was overwhelming. We all had our own unique story and grief to carry. And yet we were united in the common bond of suffering, and the effort of holding tight to the one thing left; Hope. Small victories were celebrations: A baby beginning to breathe without a respirator; a paralyzed son finding his voice again; a heart getting strong enough to remove the monitors; a successful surgical procedure; a wheelchair outing to the garden; and every single smile. Our lives were counted in moments and milestones instead of days. When my daughter eventually experienced the miracle of recovery, and we returned home, our hearts were filled with unspeakable joy. Our love for God and belief in His power was undeniable. As time passes we can see clearly that the blessings that have come from enduring this experience outweigh the sorrow and suffering. You would think that when someone experiences a large and dramatic trial of their faith such as this, that would be enough to sustain them for the rest of their lives. We fall victim to the “happily ever after” syndrome again. But the truth is that life’s victories must be won in the battle of daily living. The interesting phenomenon is how easily the miracles we receive fade once the intense pain of the moment is gone. Even with such dramatic witnesses to us of the Lord’s divine power, it is hard to maintain the intensity level of this Faith indefinitely. Our hardest test may be to remember the Lord when things get comfortable again. Perhaps this is why we continually undergo the changes that challenge us the most individually, so that we are reminded that our lives are not really our own. We live on borrowed time, and need continual divine help. We must learn to trust in the Lord and discern what He is trying to teach us in order to have true happiness.

I can honestly say that in looking back over my life thus far, and all the wondrous changes I have experienced, I have gained much more than I have lost. It stands to reason, that any of the changes I am currently experiencing or the future ones that come along, will also bring better things in their own time. Why this knowledge is so hard for me to keep a hold of is a frustrating mystery. It is so easy to forget, and to lose Faith. I suspect it was designed to be this way as a part of the human experience.

Today we celebrate the first day of the advent of Jesus Christ. He is our example in all things. His birth, life and death fulfilled God’s promise to each of us that our lives and suffering have a purpose.

The wisest among us learn to embrace change when it comes, trusting that it is part of a divine plan to bring us the most happiness. Longfellow had it right when he concluded;

“The best thing one can do when it is raining,

is to let it rain”

All settled in…sort of…

It has been two weeks now since we moved. I think we have everything pretty much in order. It has been a little crazy but we have been amazed at the help and support that we have felt both from family and friends before we left Las Vegas and immediately upon arriving in our new home. So we have to give a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who showed up to help us move, sent us warm wishes and then came to move us in and make sure we felt welcome. We already had the Bishop and Elders Quorum visit us just three days after the first time we attended church. Is that a record?

Chris has also started his new job. This is his third day. It is quite different then his previous job but he thinks he will learn a lot. We also got his test results from the P.E. and HE PASSED. YEAH! I never doubted he would. He is so smart. Now we just have to wait the required time (another year or so) and he will officially be called an Engineer…it’s only taken 9 years!

Despite the move, I think the kids had a great Christmas. They are absolutely thrilled to live closer to their cousins and grandparents. They are still unsure how much they like the cold. Today it is extremely windy…Austin keeps mentioning that a tree is going to fall on our house. I had to reassure him twice that we don’t live close enough to any trees for that to happen. But they do love being pulled on the sled by Grandpa Carter’s 4-wheeler. Here are some pictures of the last two weeks. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!