Ben and I just confirmed our trip to Missouri in June!
I am so excited to go back to the place that I lived for 16 years of my life and see my dad:
Love my dad. You get what you see with him. He may not show a whole lot of emotion or enthusiasm all the time but he has a BIG heart and he is a good man. I can't wait to spend some time with him and be the breath of fresh air in his every day routine!
I also get to see my sister from another mister, best friend of 8 years, Jess!!!
We are so much a like yet so different. Our friendship has been tested by life changes and the miles between us but for some reason or another we still keep in touch and always start off right where we left. She is my absolute, hands down, forever friend. Love her!
Here are a few pictures from
the past 4-5 years:
I have not been to Missouri in 4 years...and Ben and I have not been in the 3 years that we have been married! Needless to say, we are much over due for a trip.
Jess and I have already made it clear that we are going to take advantage of every minute we have together. I only get a few days with her so we plan on staying up all night (sleeping is over rated when you are with your best friend) and catching up on life while:
Along with crafting, I am sure we will have our fair share of Strawberries and our "Magic" Cream Cheese Icing that we discovered some years ago and other delicious snacks.... and don't forget the must have chick flicks!
Have I mentioned how excited I am to go to Missouri?! I look forward to showing Ben around the town I grew up in... where I lived, where I went to school, my favorite places to eat... everything!!
I am also looking forward to:
Andy's Frozen Custard!!!!!!!! YUM!
We just got an "In and Out Burger" here in my area and I'd have to say Andy's is to me what "In and Out Burger" is to all those who are freaking out about it here. Except...Andy's is all frozen custard...no burgers or fries.
As much as I love being a "Texan" and living in the state where I was born... I so look forward to going back to the place where most of my memories were made.
There has been quite a cluster of natural disasters that have happened around the world in just a couple of months. From the earthquakes/tsunami in Japan to the wildfires of Texas, and the tornadoes that have been devastating the southern states. Although Texas wildfires aren't uncommon, they have been HUGE and harder to control! Tornadoes always come around but not as many as we've seen tear into Alabama and surrounding states. The major earthquake in Japan was considered the strongest earthquake ever to hit Japan and the fifth largest earthquake in the world! My heart goes out to all those who have been effected by such uncontrollable events! I honestly can't imagine the devastation that has been caused.
I have learned in the past couple months that we cannot control random events. Whether it be natural disasters, terrorist attacks, crime etc.... but what we can do is prepare ourselves in an event of an emergency.
L. Tom Perry once said, "On a daily basis we witness widely fluctuating inflation; wars; interpersonal conflicts; national disasters; variances in weather conditions; innumerable forces of immorality, crime, and violence; attacks and pressures on the family and individuals; technological advances that make occupations obsolete; and so on. The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30)
So picture this...
It's Saturday afternoon, you are home with your family enjoying the day and all of a sudden you hear a loud "BANG, BANG, BANG" on your front door. When you answer the door... there is an officer standing there alerting you that you have exactly 10 minutes to gather anything you will need for the next 3 days and be in your car... no extra time will be alloted and an evacuation must be made within that time frame or your life could be in greater danger.
What would you do? Could you seriously be out of the house in 10 minutes with everything you need? What about food? Important documents? Water? Did you forget about your pet? Wait, where are your shoes? What about your children... did they get everything they needed? Did you forget the diapers or baby formula?
Talk about a stressful situation!
Ben and I have thought a lot about this and our desire to be prepared has increased. We have finally began to turn the "good intentions" into actions by learning and preparing ourselves for uncontrollable events ahead.
“The Lord will not translate one’s good hopes and desires and intentions into works. Each of us must do that for himself” - L. Tom Perry
Being "prepared" is such a comforting thought. I don't know why we didn't jump on the intentions earlier. There is a safety that comes from having what you need and feeling secure in your decisions.
We may never personally face a disaster... then again, we could face one tomorrow or even minutes from the time I write this entry. We don't know what tomorrow holds but if we are prepared... we have no reason to fear. I think it's easy to procrastinate because we think "it will never happen to me". I guarantee you that the people who have been effected by such tragic events thought the same thing.
You are right... It will never happen to you... UNTIL ...it happens to you!
It is also important to keep in mind that your preparedness may not end up being for you and your family... but perhaps it will allow you to help someone else who may be in need. “A person cannot give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return.” - Henry B. Eyring
No amount of philosophizing, excuses, or rationalizing will ever change the fundamental need for self-reliance. - Spencer W. Kimball
Preparation does take time. We've realized that as we've been working on our 72 Hr. Kits. If you don't know what a 72 hr. Kit is... it is a kit that contains "a collection of basic items that members of a household may need in the event of a disaster (FEMA)." These items are things such as food, water, flashlight, waterproof matches, cash, extra clothing, important documents etc.
Go HERE for a great list/pictures of 72 hr. kit items. The kit she shows is for the kids but you still get a great visual of items that can go into your kit. The kits are customizable. Find what works best for your family while working with the basics. Ben and I use old back packs to hold our items. Back packs are nice because you can stick them in a designated closet and grab n' go when you need to evacuate immediately.
Obviously the food/water in the kits will eventually expire. It is recommended to rotate such items every 6 months. I found a really fun idea from another blog (can't remember the name of it). The family has a tradition to open up their kits every General Conference (every 6 months) for our church. They empty the food from their kits and those become their snacks while watching conference! What a great tradition and reminder all in one!
I am grateful to be a part of a church that encourages and lives preparedness. I know the Lord wouldn't have it any other way. Our life's journey is all about preparedness, whether it's physically, or spiritually. Preparing ourselves and our families for the future provides safety in the soul.
Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. - Spencer W. Kimball.
My hope is that Ben and I can continue with our "preparedness kick" and make it our own way of life. I hope this inspires you to jump on the band wagon and get your family involved too! Make it fun and have comfort knowing that you won't have to stress, scramble and forget stuff in the event of an emergency.
I don't know what it is but I have ALWAYS had a fascination with glass and the art of glass blowing. I have always wanted to learn how to work with glass and I look forward to any glass blowing presentations, which are rare.
I received an email today from Living Social and was drawn to the 90minute Swedish Massage deal for $44. That would be so nice but.... ehhh.
THEN... as I was browsing the other deals I came across this.
Si Na Ca Studios is a non profit organization teaching people the art of glass blowing!! Right up my alley and 50% off! I looked at some classes a couple months ago from other studios in the area and they were $200 plus it seemed. So now, I am happy to say I get to experience my first workshop of glass blowing! Woo hoo! I bought two of them so B and I can go together and make it a date :) He has always wanted to learn the art of blacksmithing... so at least this is in the same kind of "family".
It may be crazy but I think a 50% off glass blowing workshop with just the instructor and my husband is waaay better than a Swedish Massage... just sayin.
Okay, besides Target, Home Goods, World Market and Flea Markets... It is definitely my favorite store, why?
Because of these beauties:
$2.99
$1.99
$2.99
I sent B a picture of them and his reply was, "You and vases :)"
What can I say? I am a sucker for vintage glass especially if it's green, turquoise or blue! They are so fun and one of a kind! They looked pretty grungy in the store so I brought them home and gave them a little TLC and now they are gorgeous and sparkley!
I will admit... not all Salvation Armys/Other thrift stores are clean and orderly. I do not like to dig through piles and messes to find anything and try to avoid places that would cause me to do that. If you have not been to the SA in Plano - GO! It is clean, organized and set up like an actual retail store. No digging required! It smells decent and I have almost always walked out of there with an awesome find! It's pretty much the only SA I will go to.
After about a month of having our tomato plant there are finally little tomatoes growing!! I got a call from my mother in law the other day (who bought the same plant when we were at the farmers market) saying that she had one little green tomato growing! I checked mine when talking to her and no tomatoes for me. THEN... when I checked the next morning I had TWO little tomatoes forming! Woohoo! The plant has grown significantly and I have been so diligent in watering it multiple times a day.
March 17, 2001
April 10, 2011
There they are!!
I am looking foward to having fresh, delicious tomatoes at my fingertips!
Here's a little inspiration for your week... one of my favorites... ENJOY!
I am not a huge fan of pre-packaged freezer foods so instead of using the frozen popcorn chicken, I just used skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut up into pieces (no breading). Serve with brown rice. YUM!
B and I loved these bread sticks! I didn't have time to make the yeast kind so I found this recipe to try in only 30 minutes! They are dense and buttery/lightly crunchy on the bottom (yum!) We thought they would make great biscuits so this morning I made the same dough and instead shaped them into biscuits, baked and had them with jam and they were awesome and fast!
Anyone from the South (or on a budget) knows how gross and how delicious this meal can be! If you find the right recipe (they all vary drastically) then you might just be hooked! This recipe was my first attempt at Rice and Beans. Totally customizable. I'm in love.
I know I have mentioned these before but seriously... you must make them! They are easy and delicious and beat the snot out of hot pockets or any other pre-packed sandwich (ick). Might I add that they are much better for you too? You don't have to stick with the same filling all the time either... you could switch it up! I make a batch of these and freeze them. They make the perfect last minute lunch or snack.
If you have kids (or just love PB&J) you've got to try this recipe! I made it for the kids' snack one day and it was a winner for sure! I didn't have any heavy cream on hand so I just made a glaze using powdered sugar and 2%milk. It was delicious! If you don't have a oven safe skillet just use a loaf pan.
I made these cookies over the weekend and they are pretty much amazing. They have a combo of peanut butter, chocolate and oats... I'll definitely be making more of these in the near future!
So, so, so, so yummy! Absolutely fantastic! Sometimes the words "Cheese Ball" make me cringe... but this one makes me jump for joy! It is simple, delicious and perfect to bring to any kind of get together!
Every 6 months the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gathers together to speak to the worldwide membership. General Conference is held in four two-hour sessions (two on Saturday, two on Sunday) and is broadcast worldwide on satellite tv, radio, and the internet. It's an inspired process, in that the speakers are not assigned topics, nor are topics reviewed prior to Conference.
I always look forward to this time of year. Every April and October we have the opportunity to listen to these inspired words and be rejuvenated for the weeks and months to come! I am so grateful for inspired leaders, a living prophet and a loving Heavenly Father whose ultimate desire is to bless us!
