Let Them Be Little

A friend sent me this song video. I think it has a great message for all parents:

Got Twenty Minutes?

If you do, I think you'll find this video very interesting and inspiring. It is of a young Harvard student on a panel representing different religions, explaining Mormonism. I think she does an excellent job!
Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

Coconut Mud Bars

As suggested by Kristen, I thought I would post my recipes as a post, so it doesn't erase and will be in the archives. Bottom Layer: 1 1/3 cups flour ½ tsp. baking powder Pinch of Salt ½ cup brown sugar 1 stick butter, slightly softened and cut into pieces Ganache: 10 semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped 3/4 cup heavy cream Topping: ¼ cup butter, softened ½ cup sugar ¼ tsp. coconut extract 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1 ½ cups shredded coconut 1 ½ cups chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350; Spray a 13x9 pan Bottom Layer: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Mix butter cubes in with your hands. Press into the pan and bake for 10 minutes. While it’s baking, make the ganache: Put the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer on the stove. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour the ganache over the cooled crust and put in fridge to set for about 15 minutes. Topping: Cream the butter. Add the sugar and extracts and beat well. Add the eggs; beat well. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Drop the topping over the ganache and spread gently. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool; cut into bars. Sorry, I shouldn’t do this to you. If you like dark chocolate and coconut, these are irresistible.

Happy Birthday, Michelle!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, Dear Melli! Happy Birthday to you! How I love this beautiful, happy, positive daughter! I hope you have a wonderful day, Melli!

Sad, Sad Day!

The last two years, Kristen has made Ken homemade cherry chocolates for Christmas. He loves them. It’s a huge, sticky, messy job for her. And this year, she had to drive an hour away to even find the dipping chocolate to make them. It’s a gift of love. He rations them, and eats one a day -he’s become his father. Today, he was sad to announce that there’s just one left. Weren’t there four boxes? Hmmmm . . . . maybe he hasn’t become his father.

Pretty Funny!

I teach voice lessons. One of the big events of the year is the Southern Utah Performing Arts Festival. About half of my students decided to enter with solos, and one of my more advanced students had a great idea: Do an acapella quartet of “Prayer of the Children” with three other of my students. They only know each other from my recitals, but she thought it would be fun. So I asked three others and they all thought it would be a great idea. They are from all over the county and all go to different high schools in the area. Each of them worked hard on their part at home, then we put it together in a couple of practices. Then, one of them realized she couldn’t be there because today is the day they were putting her brother into the MTC, and she couldn't get back in time. So, I asked another student to fill in. She worked so hard and learned it in just a week. So, today, we get there at the appointed rehearsal time(4:10pm)and our soprano didn’t show up! She just didn’t come. So I sang her part to rehearse with them, hoping she would show up soon. Their assigned time was 5:05, and I had several students singing solos before that, so I was so nervous, watching the clock and hoping the wayward soprano would show. But she didn’t. So when it was time for the quartet to sing, I just explained to the judge that one of them hadn’t come and asked if I could fill in. I just couldn’t see sending the others home without doing it, when they’d worked so hard(especially the one who learned and memorized it in a week) and come so far (one comes from a town 30 minutes away) I didn’t have it memorized, so we had to use music, but I must say, we sounded pretty darn good. The judge was very complimentary and, though I think I might have docked us for using a teacher, she didn’t, and gave us a superior rating! I just laughed out loud on the way home at what had just happened: I’d entered a student festival at age 52 and got a superior! How many people can say that? Is that on anyone’s bucket list??? Not mine either, but I must say it is pretty funny!

Ahhh! Peace Again!!!

Now don’t get me wrong. I like people. I’ve met some really delightful ones while we exercise together at my gym. But you can have too much of a good thing. Such was the case, I found, in January at the gym. The place was swarming with resolutionists. It was hard to find a parking place (we all want the closest ones so we don’t have to walk too far to go into exercise!), hard to get a swimming lane, hard to get my favorite shower- I had to wait in line one day, and just plain crowded. I went one evening and found the place swarming with buff boys and muscle-bound men. I cycled next to a young man who put a whole new spin on spinning. I’m sure he was impressed with my grueling five minute workout that burned a depressing 5.6 calories (5.6 calories! That’s a flippin carrot stick!) Don’t you hate digital readouts that give that kind of info? I prefer the completely non-digital pool where no one, including me, cares how many calories I’ve burned, and I have to squint to even read the traditional round clock.) After being “cannon-balled” for the fourth time (Resolutionists think it’s funny to leave their kids to “swim” while they work out) and sitting in the hot tub with a family with three little kids who- I swear I’m not making this up- “picnicked” in the hot tub: boiled eggs, crackers, string cheese, grapes (rate that picnic, Joan!) , I’m glad February has arrived. I’m glad that those resolutionists have crawled back into their man caves where they’ve resumed consuming huge quantites of chips and m and m’s. I’m glad they’ve left the facilities to the “regulars” like me who just want a little peace and space. I hope it lasts . . . at least until next January.

Prince or Prince-cess?

It’s a Prince-cess!!! Michelle and Brian’s ultra sound revealed a precious Prince-cess is on her way- to arrive in June! We’re so excited!

My Bird Man

Last weekend was our local Bird Festival. Ken and his brother, Don participate each year, leading a group of avid “birders” on an excursion. It’s like a big “bird conference” where people come from all over to look at birds. No, I’m not kidding. They are given a printed program, and can choose between bird outings, much like any other “conference” you would attend where you choose which class and speaker to go to. Ken and Don have done it for several years, and really enjoy helping others to see what they love, and I think they enjoy preparing and presenting together. We all attended the Keynote speaker on Friday night. Ned Hill spoke about his two week bird excursion to Brazil. He had a great power point presentation and was a very engaging speaker, so even a non- birder like me was thoroughly entertained. I came away with much the same feeling I have after a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit: I realize how very much I do not know. I’m afraid it whetted Ken’s appetite for international birding, though. It seemed a little intense for me: Up before sunrise, bird all day, and sometimes even into the night, and do that for two weeks! They didn’t even go shopping! Anyway, it was a fun weekend for my bird man.

Last Fling!

Ken has a very fun friend, Dan who owns a plane who loves to fly his plane. This creates a wonderful opportunity for Ken and his business partner, Dean. They've been on several fun "day trips" over the last few months. The last was on Friday. It was their last pre-busy season fling! The three of them flew to Phoenix for the day. They golfed and flew home in time for us to meet Don and Ada for dinner at 5:30pm. Amazing!!! The company was fun and the golf was fun, but the flying was awesome!!! Ken loves to fly, and seeing the world from that vantage point is a dream come true. He loved seeing the Grand Canyon from the air. He also loved doing "Whoop de doos!" That's where Dan plunged the plane, leaving their stomachs behind. It was a fun adventure- and now Ken's ready to tackle taxes. . . well, sort of. Thanks, Dan!