DG Lesson: Canning

I slept over at Ardell's house last night. She is a tricky lady. You know she has specific plans for you when she asks a question like "What are you plans for tomorrow?" It only took me 20 years to realize this was her roundabout way of telling you she has something she wants you to do. You must choose your answer carefully...very carefully! Just kidding...but I do think Ardell thinks she is being tricky. Any ways...she asked me this very question last night. The only plans I had were cleaning and organizing my house. Her plans for me were to can peaches and tomatoes. Yay! I am so glad I did! There are several reasons why I enjoyed this:

1. As most of you know, I want to become a Domestic Goddess/Diva. Learning how to "Can" food is a big part of this. Ardell has canned food her whole life and let me tell you...delicious and great for a budget!

2. At church we have had several lessons recently about getting a "One Year Supply." I got the prompting that I no longer can sit back and say "When I get married..." or "When I get my own house..." etc. I need to act and start now. Seriously, this has been on my mind a lot lately. I need to sit down and actually make a plan on how I am going to do this. If any of you have ideas about this, not only for food, but for other essentials, please let me know! I also have decided I need to learn how to cook with the basic's...flour, sugar, wheat, etc...seriously...any ideas on where to start?

3. The most important reason, I got to spend time with my mom. I was born when my parents were 46 (mom) and 50 (dad). It has been hard to see my dad go from full activity and intelligence, to where he is now. It really makes me think about all I need to learn from my parents and the somewhat limited time I have left to do this. When I was younger I don't know that I appreciated all the skills I could learn from Ardell, but I definitely do now, and hopefully time will allow me to learn them all.

Side note: You may have noticed I call my mom, Ardell. When I am speaking to her I call her mom, unless she ignores me then I call her Ardell to get her attention. But when I talk about her and my dad, I like to call them Dean and Ardell, I think it gives them personality! The name Ardell in my mind has so much character!

Side note the 2nd: I tried a little experiment with the tomatoes. Instead of leaving them whole, I diced them into pieces and then put a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic in them. Cross your fingers that they are YUMMY!

The Best Birthday Party This Summer!

Nicole, my "Hollywood" roommate had a birthday. She got together with Katie and Ben and threw the best birthday party of the summer! Above is the house we had it at. Some guy in our ward offered to let them have it at his parents house (by the way...none of the birthday people know this guy!) The house is up by the "U" above Shriner's hospital. What a great view. They have a great patio in the front of their house and a swimming pool just off the patio. The house was amazing, with great features that I want to incorporate into my house some day. It was glass on 3 sides of the house, which made for an amazing view. Also, the parents bathroom, what twice the size of my bedroom! Seriously! One day maybe I will get to live in a great house like this...

The theme was "Hollywood Oscar's" from the 1920's to 1960's. FORMAL DRESS requested. I didn't get to choose whether I dressed up or not...more like "You have to dress up or I will kill you!" I chose my life...and consequently dressed up. I am glad I did...it made the party that much better. Nicole spent the better part of a week getting ready for the party. Baking cupcakes, making red and yellow chocolate stars to go on top of the cupcakes, shopping for decorations, covering stars in tinfoil, and the list goes on.

The party was a smashing success! Ton's of people showed up...most dressed in Hollywood Oscar attire! We danced and danced for hours! It was great! Thanks Nicole, Katie, and Ben for having a great birthday party! Wow! Loved it! Below are some pictures from the party...


This is Sarah, Nicole, Annalissa. Notice Nicole is holding her "Oscar" in the picture. Also, I learned that feather boa's are a great accessory to dance with! Seriously, I love Annalissa and Sarah...they are great!

This is Ben...he hijacked my camera and took a few pictures...What a cutie!

Me and the Boa. WOW! Am I sexy or what?!?


Dana and Me! It was so great to see her! Watch out...she has some killer dance moves...

Nicole...now you know why I called her my "Hollywood" roommate. She makes life so fun! Never a dull moment. Nicole...what can I say...the last year with you has been so memorable!

Me, Annalissa, Nicole, Katie, Sarah, Erin, and Larisa. We might have been the cutest girls at the party...sorry friends...it's pretty true!

Sarah, Jason, and Annalissa. Jason just got home from his mission, and was visiting his sister from Wyoming. Ummm...I don't think Wyoming will ever be the same after he shows them his CRAZY dance moves....Seriously, I really mean CRAXY dance moves...CRAZY!

Finally, my roommates: Stephanie, Erin, Nicole, and Me! We are pretty much ROCK STARS!

The Nature of My BLOG

So I have a friend...let's call him...J*SH. He has this thing with privacy. It is a little crazy. I don't think he quite gets, that we view this concept of PRIVACY differently. This has prompted me to explain the following:

1. Everything I post on my blog I have chosen to share with those people who know about my blog and those who just happen upon it.
2. I realize some things I post require more information for some people. Some things aren't fully explained on my blog because they are too personal and some are inside jokes.
3. With things that aren't fully explained on my blog, I fully expect some people to ask for more information...which I usually give...and I am not upset about it...because I expected it.
4. Comments are welcome, so are questions.
5. Some previous posts and potentially some future posts have been moved to a new "secret blog" to protect the guilty...if you want to read that blog...you will have to pass a test. NO CHEAT SHEETS ALLOWED.

I have realized that I want to tell some people certain things, or share some thoughts I have with them. I think it will help them understand me better. I am not very good at verbally expressing how I feel, especially to those I care a great deal about. This format has been very helpful to me. It has been an emotional release. It has kept me sane. And it has served, and is still serving its purpose. So there.

Rat-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT

All day.
Everyday.
Some days aren't as bad as others.
But there are those days that make you want to scream.
I know it is for the best.
But I want it to stop.
I know I wanted to be here, but really???
I guess I should be careful what I wish for...
The grass isn't always GREENER.
Other's notice it too.
They feel the same way.
When will it end.















So I work downtown Salt Lake City.
RIGHT IN THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE.
Yes, my office building is attached to the mall they are tearing down.
In fact, the first 6 or 7 floors of our building was the parking garage for the mall, and the parking garage is going way.
How can this be? Don't ask me.
As my boss likes to say, "They will be SHEARING off the sides of our building."
SHEARING, what a comforting word.
They have to get rid of the concrete parking garage...and the safest way to do this is to do it slowly and thoroughly...with a JACKHAMMER. Not necessarily the one above...but a crane jackhammer.
LOVELY.
All day you can hear it.
Monday and Tuesday it was on our side of the building.
I was sick this last weekend and still wasn't feeling well on Monday.
My neck hurt.
I had a headache.
My stomach was a little topsy turvy.
Now imagine listening to a jackhammer all day.
Even better...listening to it...and being able to FEEL it.
Yep. It did wonders for how I felt.
No worries...I drugged myself up.
Hey...it's like getting a free chair massage all day...
rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat

One Year Older and Wiser Too!

Big Dave the Korean is now one year old. Isn't he adorable! His dad says he is a Liger, with those teeth, he very well could be! While he was up visiting we became better friends, but we aren't best friends yet...maybe one day. He did like it when I fed him (note the cut up peach in his mouth). I loved having my nephew here, life is definitely an adventure with David around.
(p.s. A liger is a cross between a lion and a tiger, bred for their magical properties.)

Best Flavor EVER.

I went with some friends to get a sno cone tonight. I think I had the best sno cone of my whole life. We went to Snoasis on Ft. Union. There was a long line, which is a good indicator that the sno cones are tasty. I think Dr. Marberger (perhaps the best dentist EVER), told me about Snoasis...thanks Dr. Marberger. From the pictures below...can you guess my flavor?



and



and


You guessed it...Black Raspberry + Mango + Cream. Delicious! I even finished the whole medium sno cone I purchased.

One thing though...I now remember why I usually get a small and/or don't finish the sugary item I just purchased...I now feel really gross and headache-y. Oh well! Tonight it was worth it. Yummm.

An Amazing Woman

My friend Jill posted a blog about Margaret Bourke White and since Jill is awesome and great I thought to myself "D'Nell, you should see what all the fuss is about." So I did. I checked out two books that told a brief history of Margaret's life but mainly showcased her pictures. Two of my favorites are below.


Not only did she have an amazing life and take quite a few amazing pictures, she also had a very interesting take on life. One that I share wholeheartedly:

"My life and career was not an accident." Margaret Bourke-White told an interviewer in 1960. "It was thoroughly thought out."

It wasn't until maybe 4 years ago that I really started having LIFE GOALS. Seriously, I really had just worked on what ever major thing was in front of me at the time. Once I graduated from college, I no longer had something major to work at...well I did...my whole life and it required an action plan.

I went about creating my action plan backwards.I asked myself this question, "What stories do I want to tell my grandchildren and what do I want my obituary to say about my life?" I realized that I had wasted a lot of years just going about life with out really experiencing all that I could have. I wasn't "USING" everyday to its fullest. I wasted a lot of time and money just getting by.

(side note: This theory about "STORIES" came about while I was in China a year or so before. I don't know who thought this up, whether it was me or another member of the "CIRCLE" My motto was "This is all about the STORIES I can tell when I go home" or "Anything for the STORY.")

A plan was born. I thought about what I wanted my life STORY to say and made an action plan. Granted...I am not very good at action plans and so it is still a work in progress...and probably will be my whole life. Hey, Life isn't made to order...it does throw you curve balls sometimes. But all in all, I put a lot of time into the decisions I make so that my life isn't an accident, but thought out and full of life. And don't forget...full of awesome STORIES, after all...my life is my STORY and who wants to tell a boring STORY.

Untitled

You're not even gone, but I still miss you. Honestly, I have missed you for awhile. I wish I could have prevented it all, but in the moment, and moments I couldn't see clearly to stop it. I don't know how to move forward to make the best of the situation. I have a few ideas...but I am afraid sharing them will make the situation worse. I really just want a hug... from no one but you.

Random, But it Still Makes Me GIGGLE...

Remember about a month or so ago I went shooting? Well when I was get ready for bed that night...guess what I found? Yep, a bullet casing in my bra. How the heck did it get in there? It wasn't right in front either...it was on the bottom, off to the side! When I found it, I started to laugh. I put the casing (or is it called a shell? whatever...) on my desk and I see it everyday...and it still makes me giggle. I tell ya..."the girls" they attract the craziest things...it is like they have a mind of their own.

p.s. Shaniqua is the big plant and Teo is the smaller plant...Shaniqua is being moody, one day she likes living here and is thriving...the next day it is a whole different story.

Things To LOVE and HATE - Bear Lake

I went to Bear Lake over the 24th of July with my sister Inez's family. Good times...good times. While there I thought about things I LOVE and HATE...so with out further ado...

1. LOVE: Nieces and Nephews...No matter the age. Below are Lacey and Hunter. We had a mini photo shoot...they are both so adorable!

2. HATE: Sunburned Legs. Seriously, sunscreen is my best friend...but I am so smart and thought...face...arms...neck...DONE! Then I went on the boat...and WAH LAH! Sunburned legs. Ouch. They just started peeling...yuck.

3. LOVE: Little kids singing. This is Hunter singing (click on the link below)"Scooby Doo" This song is still in my head!

Click Here to see Hunter

4. HATE: Single beds.

5. LOVE: Any Adventure with Jody, Julia, and Mari. Jody really wanted to go horseback riding. I was a bit nervous. While my dad has owned horses my whole life, I am (or was) a titch scared of riding them. I have a lot of fears...but I am trying to overcome them. The ride was beautiful...Danny was a good horse. Then it started raining, thundering, and lightning...whoa...let the adventure begin. There were some tears (Mari and Trinity)...but also some laughter. All in all it was a great memory...and I am no longer afraid of horseback riding.

6. HATE: Driving in the stormy rain from Brigham City to Layton...the roads are HORRIBLE in any wet weather.

7. LOVE: Nature. I loved being right by the lake...so beautiful and peaceful. I also forgot how much I loved being so close to the canyon when I lived in Logan. It is amazing. Seeing the beauty that God created fills me with peace and strength. There is something restful and restorative about nature. I love it.

8. LOVE/HATE: GUITAR HERO. It is a fun game to play...just not all the time at Bear Lake.


9. LOVE/HATE: My cell phone in the past did not work at Bear Lake. Now it does. I hate that it worked, but I loved that I kept it turned off. I would check it once each day to see if my mom called and also to call my mom on her birthday...but that was all. I think I might try the cell phone off more often.