GRRrrrrrrr

There is nothing in this world that makes one feel more vulnerable than to have ones "stuff" stolen. As I was headed out of the house this morning, I opened my car door and noticed some of my things strewn about the car....not where they belonged. Then I looked around and my car radio was GONE!

It's MY FAULT! I didn't lock the car door, but REALLY...it just feels so wrong! I called the Police, but I KNOW I'm not getting my car radio back....just wanted them to know what is going on in my neighborhood.

The funny thing is...Jim didn't lock his car either, but since his car is an older model, I'm sure they didn't even look in there. And he has a fairly nice radio in there as well. And if they had looked in the camper, there is one there as well. Thankfully they didn't. The Policeman mentioned that there have been quite a few burgleries in about a four block radius from here. I hate to think we HAVE to lock everything up. It really makes me MAD...but yeah....lesson learned.

After the Police left, I got in my car and headed to my original destination, and I was wondering how late I was, so I glanced at the gaping hole where my radio used to be....OH YEAH...that was my CLOCK too! Aaarrrrrrgggggg! Then I kept having the impulse to reach over and turn the radio up....LOL....oh how something so simple becomes a part of the routine.

Okay, so I've now vented over this mishap and hopefully this will be a warning to others...LOCK UP YOUR CARS. You were probably already doing that...good for you! You can bet I will be from now on! :D I DO have to say one thing though....I am grateful to the theif, because they didn't cut any wires, just unplugged it from the factory plug...so there is a silver lining after all.

Thank You Food Network!

I've mentioned this already....Matt's fondness for the Food Network Channel. Well, he REALLY out did himself tonight. I've decided in my old age, I want to live at Matt's house! :D I'm sure that will be good new to him.....or maybe his siblings.

Oh yeah...back to his latest creation. He made us Creme Brulee'....and it was WONDERFUL! He made it with fresh vanilla bean and even torched the sugar on top. It was heavenly. He continues to amaze and treat the family.

Well Done Matt!
And THIS time, the pictures are ACTUALLY what he made! Lighting up the torchThe sugar starts to brown....Doesn't that look good??? I LOVE the Food Network Channel....and I don't even watch!

Memories...

Since a friend of mine has been giving us "Lessons Learned on the Farm" it has brought back memories from my own childhood. I thought I would write them down, but since I'm a city girl, the lessons are very different from hers.

Food should NOT have names. One time visiting Grandma and Grandpa Garner, someone asked if the "meat" was Old Joe? Old Joe was the steer that HAD been in the field next door. It was, and I suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

Knowing that I was my father's "Favorite Daughter". The fact that I was his ONLY daughter really didn't matter. But he was "MY Favorite Father" so it seemed even! :D

Cinnamon Toast tasted MUCH better when sitting on Daddy's lap. (Sheesh, I was spoiled!)

When you are an only child, there is no one else to blame the messes on, because some messes the dog just could NOT make!

If you jumped up and down in JUST the right spot upstairs, it would REALLY rattle the lights downstairs. (Only used when very upset!)

Even though my Dad was NOT the Bank of America, he did seem to buy me lots of the things that I wanted. (Probably the ONLY benefit of being an only child.)

When none of my friends could play it got very lonely.

An all pink bedroom gets old fast.

You can get almost ANYWHERE on the city bus. (I CAN'T believe I did this BY MYSELF at the age of 11 and 12! Sure wouldn't do that today!)

After I joined my "FAKE Family" (this is how I jokingly refer to them,) there were NEW lessons to learn.

Just because there are now OTHER children to blame things on....you still can't always get away with it.

When Mom and Dad would go down to the Bay Area in the winter time, we kids (I now had 1 sister and 2 brothers) would hope they would close the pass so Mom and Dad couldn't make it home and we would have the house to ourselves. It only happened a few times....we LOVED it! But you also have to realize this was up at Lake Tahoe, California, and there were no kids that lived close....so it was JUST US! But we would crank up the music and stay up late.....OH...we were rebels. LOL

After I got married, and with children there were new lessons to be learned.

Just because he is now married, doesnt mean your husband won't still act like a kid.

You don't HAVE to be with your husband 24 hours a day....and yes, he still loves you. (Took me a while with that one.) :I

When the kids were QUIET was the time to check on them....that's usually when they were up to something.

If your child comes in from a brisk spring day and says "It's hot enough out there to start a fire." and YOU say, "No it's not." And THEY say "Well, it's BURNING!" You REALLY need to check this out!

There is nothing more precious than a child sleeping in your arms. :D (grandkids work too!)

If no one will set the table, serving the food directly on the table sure makes an impact. (Although Jim didn't find the humor in it, it STILL makes ME smile.)

It it's within reach....the kids WILL get into it!

If it's hidden up high....it will take the kids LONGER to get into it.

It doesn't matter how hard they promise not too....kids WILL grow up. :(

I know none of these are EARTH SHATTERING revelations....but they are my memories.... I hope you enjoyed reading them. And maybe it will remind you of a few special memories of your own.

Beginning Life as a Bishopric Widow....

Okay, I'm kidding. But Jim is currently at Bishoprics meeting and I have been thinking about how quickly things change. So far, his calling hasn't been bad for either of us. In fact, I think the blessings have even begun. Yes, he has more meetings, but he seems to have more engery too. I think that is a fair trade. But what I REALLY find interesting is that I now have TWO, count them, TWO callings. I am now the Primary Secretary. No problem....I've done it before and it has benefits. I have a hard time sitting for 3 hours straight, now I don't have to! I have PERMISSION, in fact I'm EXPECTED to roam the halls. AND, I have been called to be the Ward Website Co-ordinator. I'm beginning to worry that every time something comes up that Jim feels I would be good for it, he will suggest my name. LOL Okay, probably not...and I don't see any problems fulfilling both callings. I just found it humorous that I went from basically NO calling to TWO callings within two weeks of Jim being put in the Bishopric.

I Want to WIN!!! Don't you??

Sweet Potato Pie

Sooooo, Matt is at it again...for the last TWO nights he has made a Sweet Potato Pie. I had never had one before, but they are pretty good. Similar to Pumpkin, but not as sweet. Matt continues to surprise me with his cooking. He even made the pie crust. Something I USED to do, until I found Marie Calendar's FROZEN pie crusts....and I LOVE them! But Matt, being the purist...makes his from scratch. The funny part is....he doesn't even use a recipie. So far his cooking has all been edible, and quite good. Wonder what the next creation will be???

Happy 6th Birthday Laira

So Saturday was Laira's 6th's Birthday. We had quite the day planned, but as luck would have it, several of us weren't feeling very well. We HAD planned to go up to Thanksgiving Point to go through the corn maze, but we have postponed it. We DID go shopping and have Birthday cake. While shopping Denae happened to find something she wanted to buy for Xander for Christmas, (since it's NOT his birthday) but Bailey spilled the beans and Xander wanted his gift NOW! There was no consoling him! So Ashley, at Matt's suggestion, wrapped up one of Xander's old Lightning McQueen cars, "Chow" as Xander calls them, and then gave it to him. We figured this would work wonderfully or be a total dud....but we didn't know which it would be. You can see from the picture it worked!!!

He kept saying "My NEW Chow, my NEW Chow!....I LOVE IT!" We were all laughing so hard....unfortunately for him, this is one of those stories he will probably NEVER live down. Ashley mentioned later that she's not buying him Christmas this year...she's just going to wrap up his old stuff. Hummmm, it just might work.