Happy New Year 2010

I don't know where 2009 went, many good things happened this past year and there were a few not so good things, but Im not going to dwell on those. Some of the most memorable memories, for me, of 2009 are...

1. Josh returning home from his mission.

2. Going to Disney World with the family.

3. Watching the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl.

4. JaKelle making cheerleader.

5. Seeing Taylor Swift in concert.

6. Spending a week in Utah with my Sis. and learning how to make Sauerkraut and Dumplings.

7. Celebrating Lynn and I's 26th anniversary at Ruth Chris.

8. Going to the Cabin with my Sistas.

9. Spending time in Wyoming with the family.

10. And of course my trip to New York.

I am looking forward to the year 2010, I love the start of a new year although I really never make New Years Resolutions cause I never keep them, but I like to look back on the past year and evaluate what I did or did not accomplish and look forward to a new year to make those changes of what I want to improve in. I know one thing that I am looking forward to is seeing my missionary and my family being all together.

I have enjoyed doing this blog now for a year, I look at it as my journal, keeping track of all that I do. Not really sure if anyone else is interested in it but it has been good for me. Thanks to all of my friends and family who make me so happy. Happy New Years to you all!!

Christmas "2009"

We spent Christmas Eve at Carrie and Richard's house, Carrie had fixed an amazing dinner, with me being sick she did the whole thing, which I was very appreciative of. We had everyone there, except our Jesse, next year son we will all be together. Chris flew in from SLC and it was good to see him, we were lucky to have Jared and Lexi with us and it was good to have Josh home for his first home Christmas in 3 years. After our fabulous dinner we played our traditional game of pass the present while the story Night Before Christmas is read, every-time the is read you pass the present. We had some really good ones but I think the leopard snuggie Chris won was my favorite. It was fun to sit and visit and talk and of course watch those two cute girls of Chelsea's and Dougs. Bayleigh is very entertaining, she even sang for us.

Christmas morning the kids came over for our traditional breakfast and then we started to open the gifts. Half way threw we stopped to answer a very important call from Elder Westergard, it was so good to hear his voice, we were able to talk for 2 hours and it was very hard to say goodbye. I loved hearing Jared and Josh speak to him in Spanish all three of them were throwing those spanish words out there and I didn't understand nothing. We spent the rest of the day resting and of course eating some more, we tried to go see the movie Sherlock Holmes but it was sold out so we saw Invictus, which was really good.

It was a great Christmas, in spite of us all being sick and other craziness going on around our house. Im so grateful for family and our friends and neighbors who showered us with wonderful gifts and delicious goodie trays. I love you all...

My cute kids Josh, Jared, and Lexi.

Carrie and Bayleigh, she is singing happy birthday to Jesus.

Candace and cute Brookelyn, she has the most beautiful eyes.

Family eating dinner.

Bayleigh, she loves to smile for the camera.

And she loves someone to play with her.

Proud Grandma and Grandpa.

This little Brookelyn is so adorable.

JaKelle and Brookelyn, look at those eyes.

Daddy's little girl.

Present game.


Carrie reading the story for our present game.


Do you just love the leopard snuggie?


Chris you are looking good!!


My sweet JaKelle.


This seriously was the best bundt cakes I've ever had, it was a red velvet cake with a little bit of chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting - YUM-O


Red tongues after eating Red Velvet Cake.


Opening presents.


More gym shorts for Lynn.


Jared got some blue ray movies for his new blue ray player.


Temple picture with their name and date of marriage on it.


Can you tell by this smile how excited she was to get this phone?? She even had tears.


Talking to her brother Jesse.


Talking to Elder Westergard

Josh messin up the hairdo before the party.

Merry Christmas To All!

I love Christmas time, everything about it, being around family, doing family traditions, decorating my house, baking all kinds of goodies, seeing Christmas lights on the house, putting up my Christmas tree and putting the ornaments on with each one there is a special memory of my kids and friends. Hopping in the car with my kids and head to the mall listening to Christmas music, getting all the wonderful goodies from our neighbors, listening to the First Presidency Devotional, seeing the Temple lights, remembering my Savior and all that he has done for me. I hope all of you find that Christmas Joy in your life and that you will be near your family and loved ones this Christmas Season. Merry Christmas to my family and friends.

“Of all holidays there is none that enters so fully into the human heart, and stirs so many of the higher sentiments. The thoughts, memories, hopes, and customs linked with it are bound by antiquity and nationality collectively; and by childhood and old age individually. They embrace the religious, social, and patriotic sides of our nature. The holly and mistletoe entwined among the evergreens, the habit of giving gifts to those we love, the presence of the Christmas tree, the superstition of Santa Claus, all combining to make Christmas the most longed-for, the most universal, and from every standpoint, the most important holiday known to man” (Clarence Baird, “The Spirit of Christmas,” Improvement Era, Dec. 1919, 154).

"If you desire to find the true spirit of Christmas and partake of the sweetness of it, let me make this suggestion to you. During the hurry of the festive occasion of this Christmas season, find time to turn your heart to God. Perhaps in the quiet hours, and in a quiet place, and on your knees—alone or with loved ones—give thanks for the good things that have come to you, and ask that His Spirit might dwell in you as you earnestly strive to serve Him and keep His commandments. He will take you by the hand and His promises will be kept."

(Howard W. Hunter "The Real Christmas" Ensign Dec. 2005)

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Sauce

For our YW in Excellence night I made Gingerbread Cake for the dessert, I have had several people ask me for the recipe so I though I would post it on my blog. This recipe has two sauce choices, lemon or vanilla, I made both and everyone had their favorite so you can decide for yourself. I also double the cake recipe and use a cake size pan or bundt cake pan.

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Sauce

Cake:

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup white sugar

1 lightly beaten egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup light molasses

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

Lemon Sauce:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 stick butter

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray an 8 inch square or 9 inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

Cream together butter, brown sugar and white sugar until fluffy.

Beat in egg, buttermilk and molasses until well blended.

Combine flour, spices, soda and salt and add to creamed mixture and beat well.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 15 minutes in the pan then turn out of pan.

For sauce, combine all ingredients in a small heavy saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium high heat while stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens a little bit.

Garnish as desired. Grated lemon peel is pretty if you used the juice of a fresh lemon.

Vanilla Sauce for Gingerbread Cake:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups boiling water

4 Tbsp butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

dash nutmeg

Directions:

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a pan.

Add the water gradually, stirring constantly.

Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes or until clear and thickened, while stirring constantly.

Then stir in remaining ingredients.

Serve hot; this is not as good cold. Leftovers can be reheated.

Makes 2 cups.

Miscellaneous Pictures!

This has been a very busy month, here are a few things I snapped pictures of...

Jared putting up our Christmas lights, it was nice to have them up a week before Thanksgiving.

Went to the Mesa High Football Championship game.

Mesa High game at the Cardinal Stadium.

The stadium was huge.

We had the experience of attending Camille's baptism, she is one of the sweetest most wonderful young women I know. Her brother Clayton baptized her and it was a very special experience to be a part of. I was sad that we missed Clayton's baptism last July. Lynn confirmed her a member of the Church and he gave her a very beautiful blessing.

Esler Family, Jesse loves them so much and misses her cooking him shrimp tacos. They have been a second family to Jesse, I appreciate how kind they are to him and all they have and do for him.

Camille and Clayton, I love these two.

Camille's special day.

We had a winter wonderland Enrichment night, they did such an amazing job. The music was beautiful, the food was delicious, and it was decorated like Central Park in New York. We even had our own ice skating rink.

Ice rink

All of our waiters they were very good.

waiters gliding along the rink.

Lynn greeted everyone as they arrived.

When we got home one night someone had put snow in our yard.


and made a cute snowman, it was a very nice surprise.

Good Video

"Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the “spirit of Christmas,” we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the “Spirit of Christ." --Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Christmas Devotional, Dec 1995

I got this from a book called The Little Book of Christmas Spirit, it is about how to get more of the true meaning of Christmas in our lives. It had a list of 22 things we can do and I thought they were great ideas to feel the true meaning of Christmas. I like #14 and #17

A Jesse Tree

I found this idea on one of my Christmas sites that I love, and when I saw the name it made me think of my Jesse, so we are going to do a Jesse Tree in the spirit of him being away from us this Christmas. This is meant to teach small children the meaning of Christmas but I think us big children can always use some reminding of why we celebrate Christmas.

A Jesse tree is a small tree decorated with symbols portraying the spiritual heritage of Christ. A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse. (Isa 11:1) Jesse was the father of David who was to establish a royal family. A thousand years later Jesus was born in this royal line in Bethlehem. A Jesse tree can be made by using a small Christmas tree or branch from an evergreen tree. It could be a bare tree branch potted in plaster of paris or placed in a vase. It could be created by taping a branch cut from paper on the wall. Each day a scripture is read and a symbol hung on the tree. The scriptures begin with Adam and Eve and include such stories as Noah's ark, Abraham, Elijah, David, John the Baptist, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and the birth of Christ. There are many links to Jesse trees on the internet or books to purchase that include ready made ornaments that can be used as sources to create your own tree. Much of the value in this project is in choosing which stories your family will use, reading the scripture and having your children create a drawing to go with the scripture to hang on the tree. At the end of December, a picture of the manger with baby Jesus could be hung at the top of the tree.