She wanted short.. she got short...

Mallory has been asking for a hair cut for a little while..

Our usual stylist is recovering from Carpal Tunnel surgery, so

we ventured across the street to our neighbor Carli,

wife of The Biggest Loser's Dane!!

Quite a bit of summer swim damaged hair came off..

Carli did some cute styling with the blow dryer...

And lo and behold... a little more grown up girl she is!

Whether I'll be able to get it styled decently with

a blow dryer remains to be seen...

Randoms

1> Just made 80 Turkey Ricotta meatballs - we'll have some for dinner this afternoon, and the rest I'll freeze for later use. I still have a pan of Pumpkin Enchilada's in the freezer to take out sometime... I'll have to adjust the recipe when I make them again! (too much pumpkin, not enough meat..)

2> Mallory is growing up too quickly for me.. I don't remember if I did my own hair when I was 8... I'm sure that I combed it and all - it was straight as a stick and I had bangs, so it didn't take much doing. Mallory put sponge curlers in her hair all by herself last night - well Mark put the last one in on the back. She actually did a great job - when Blogger lets me, I'll put the picture up.
3> I am now a Den Leader for Cub Scouts - I recently had been working with the young girls age 10 & 11 in the Church, but now I get Cub Scouts. We only have 6 boys in both the Bear and Wolf dens combined - so it's pretty easy - weekly meetings - and fun things to do. I've never done Scouts before, and my son is 14 - so I'll have to get immersed in it all over again!

4> Jessica is loving choir in 7th grade! I almost wish that I'd started choir before 9th grade. We insisted she take choir for her elective, instead of band - she's been playing the flute for 2 years, like her mom. But she sings well, and we thought it would be a great experience. After the first day she came home exclaiming she LOVES choir! And they hadn't even sung anything yet! I knew that she would. An old director of mine claimed "all the best people are in choir!!" So True! In 20 years, it's not the people in your biology or math class that you'll remember, it's the people you met in music classes!! 5> I LOVE riding my bike- I get up at 5 am and ride for about an hour. Alongside the canals here it is paved so I ride a few miles there, and near a Riparian Preserve. It is a great route not on any main roads, so I get to avoid the traffic. My neighbor Beth goes with me Tues Thurs & Saturday - but the rest of the time I'm alone... Someone I go to church with said she's been watching for me to take my picture while riding... PEGGY is STALKING me! Lol! She takes pictures of EVERYONE she possibly can!

6> We are making S'mores in the oven for dessert this afternoon. I'm not sure how far two Hershey bars will go for 6 people, but we'll probably substitute some chocolate chips to make more.

7> Brennan is going out for the football team at the Jr High - he's grown so much over the summer - he is now taller than me. If we'd known how much of a time commitment it is for him, we may have been a bit more hesitant (not that we weren't already..) During the summer he did weight training for a 2-3 hours in the morning, and now along with his A-hour class that starts at 7:45, he gets out of school at 3:55 , comes home for a bite to eat, and back to practice at 6-9pm. Thankfully his last hour is his PE class, where they actually go to the library to do homework. We feel like we haven't seen him much the last couple of weeks!

8> I've made a few cutesy burp cloths - this is something I had a picture of, that wouldn't load! Using cloth diapers bought at Walmart or Target, sewed some fabric and or ribbon onto the ends, to make them a little cuter! I wish I'd have thought to done it when I had my own babies! I've seen others make them, this was not my idea... but it's fun to give them for shower gifts! 9> I vow to be a better blogger - I've gotten so hung up in Facebook... I should be better about better documenting things, rather than just doing one liners..

10> I had a wonderful 17th Anniversary at the beginning of this month with my dear husband - we went out to dinner at Coup de Tartes - a bistro type place in Phoenix. We had a three onion tart for appetizer - the crust was Sooo buttery. Mark had a filet, I had chicken, and we had a three berry tart for dessert.. aaaahhhh. So good. I love him- he is such a good man - he works so hard for our family - it's tough at his job - the drama gets to be too much sometimes, but he continues on to support our family! Thanks Mark, I love yoU!

Friends, and more friends! Thanks Facebook!

Here I am finally getting around to blogging some of our vacation.

We drove to UT on July 17- spending the night in St George,

and continuing up on Saturday to stay at Marcy's house.

Thanks to Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with some

old friends. It's been lots of fun finding out what is going on

in their lives in the past twenty-some years.

On Sunday, Mallory and I went and had dessert with

The Hacking Clan!

Cory and Kim and I went to Junior High together. We believe

we all had Mr Bishop for 7th grade math - we think it was

an Accelerated class (us smarties!!)

I vaguely remember 8th grade math with Cory, and Mr Hoyt, I think.

I remember that class more because I had a huge crush on Cory.

But... I've moved on... (hee hee!)

He and Kim dated all through the rest of school, (I moved away

after 9th grade) and the result is this cute family!

Next time I go visit, I'll try and meet up with them to teach

Kim how to make bread! Will be fun!

The next day I got to meet up with these cute girls, not far

from the actual scene of the below crime.

My partners in crime were Tami Jackson Meadows, and Wendy Lou Hughes!

This is us at a church dance when we were in High School -I think

it must have been during my senior year, but not sure.

( absolutely LOVED the sweater vest I have on, and sad to say,

I still have it. But I don't wear it.)

I think we had planned to coordinat e our outfits that night!

Before we drove to Evanston on Monday, Tami told me that Wendy was

living there again. I don't remember the last time that I had

seen her! I see Tami usually every time we go to UT/WY, but

had no idea that she (Wendy) was in town. We planned to

meet in Evanston at Bear River Park, and bring our lunches.

Here we are - with so much more experience and wisdom in our lives!

And 11 kids between us! (although half of them are Tami's so.. )

Also thanks to Facebook, Kristin Nixon Hopkin came!

Kristin and I met my sophomore year in PE class.. I had just

moved to Evanston from Vernal - and didn't know many people.

She was excited because I was TALLER than she was.

We shared a locker that year- and although she was a cheerleader (ha ha)

we were good friends! She and Vern have been living

in Evanston for several years - I didn't know it..

I haven't seen her since our wedding open house in Alpine.

We've talked once or twice - but it has been so long!

Here are Vern and Kristin with their three youngest -
sorry, can't remember their names. They got married
like a month after we graduated, so Kristin is already a mother-in-law,
with her daughter getting married in August, and she's a grandmother-to-be as well!
It was great fun getting together with them!

And later that week I saw these two great ladies!
I met both of them at the University of Wyoming.
Toni's sister Carolyn is my age, and was in
Lambda Delta Sigma with me.
Karen Heath Penman and I were only at UW for one
semester together - my last before my mission.
She and I sang a song in church, His Hands (no, it's not the
one everyone thinks,) and I've carried that copy around for all these years!
Karen now sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, so when
you watch the broadcast on Sunday morning, look for her in the
back row - she's tall like me (I think even taller!)
Toni Buckley Wilkins is a teacher - 5th grade, I think,
at the same school for 19 years!
How's that for dedication and longevity?!
Funny story is that when Toni was coming up to Ogden to meet us,
she had slow traffic and was rushing thru Ogden, and got pulled over
for speeding! She turned on her charm (she IS very charming)
and told the officer she was going to meet her friends!
She got away with a warning and no ticket! Way to go Toni!

I'm super glad that my family humored me on our Family Vacation

and let me meet up with my old friends! I had a great time!

Next blog post about all the fun family stuff we did!

It's almost over...

We'll be heading back home today after a week in Utah.
We have enjoyed visiting family and friends - some friends that I have
not seen for 20+ years - and it's like no time had passed.

I am, though, looking forward to getting home, and getting some of my
photos uploaded -

Posts to come soon!

An afternoon with Bobbi...

This is my cute and multi talented-scrapbook queen-dance teaching friend Bobbi!

I've known her for about 11 years! A few of my loaves of bread

have entered her home, so she asked if I'd show her how to make it!

Don't you love her cute apron?

She let me wear one too!



She has an ancient Bosch mixer - said she got it for a wedding present 30 or so
years ago... it takes a licking and keeps on ticking!

I love that the Bosch mostly kneads it for the baker all on it's own!

Doesn't take much elbow grease!

What a lovely dough ball! Ready to rise!

She stole the camera from me... Love the apron!

(I also love her scrapbooking station in the background!)

And then she brought me a warm loaf!

Not bad pay for an hour's worth of work!

(although it wasn't much work... glad to visit with you, Bobbi!)

A look back...

Three years ago we had a long.... for us, anyway... summer vacation. We drove to Northern Utah, across Wyoming, down into Colorado, through New Mexico and back home. We drove over 2200 miles that trip... Mark driving most because my TN was acting up and I wasn't well medicated. Nevertheless, I was looking thru some pics.. and found this cute one of Jessica. She was 9 at the time.. and we went up Pikes Peak with my brother and his family. We stopped in a beautiful area for our picnic lunch - and loved the quaking aspens there...
Now?? she is growing up... somehow she's now got her ears pierced, and will be starting Junior High in a month.. where has the time gone?

We'll be heading North again.. out of the desert... in a few days.. looking forward to seeing some old friends... and hanging out with family!

Okay, Okay!

Yes, I know I need to update... will try to come up with something clever today... hmmm.

My Dad

I love my dad.

I am grateful he chose a beautiful wife.

I am thankful he did things with me.

(I don't know if that's really me, though..)

He always provided an adequate and safe home for our family.

When he became a Grandpa - to Megan Michelle.

Megan will soon make him a Great Grandpa.

Summer 2009And with my sweet boy Brennan... Summer 1996

Thanks Dad - I love you, and Happy Father's Day!

Friday Night Lights...

Friday night clouds- and the sun setting..

We were headed towards Scottsdale for a Drive-in Double Feature...

Mark noticed how ORANGE the sky was..
We loaded up the lawn chairs...
Some sandwiches,
Caramel popcorn,
Buttered popcorn,
Sonic drinks...
A mom, a dad...

and a coupla cute girls...

(the boy was gone with the Scouts to a cabin..)

Oh, and a pig and a monkey came too..
The weather was beautiful - even took some blankets..

it tried to rain, but we only got a few sprinkles.

Although there is no longer playground equipment up near the screen,

the drive in can be a fun place...

No more poles with speakers on them to hang on your car window..

Bring a radio and tune it in (my Zune was awesome !)..

Hope that the kids nearby aren't too rowdy.

Maybe the girls will fall asleep in the car -

oh, and maybe I will too.

If double headers started at 6ish, maybe I'd see more of the

second movie!

A finished project

When fabric is on sale at Joann's, I often will buy, not always sure what I'll make..

I started this a few weeks ago - and finally finished it today - Hope it doesn't make your

eyes buggy... I know that stripes get me a little.

Let me say I am NOT a regular quilter.. there is no handsewing here - it's just squares and

all machine stitched.. and it just has the stripes on the back. Not even a real binding..

I really did try to make a pattern - really..

Anyway, I'm proud of it. There is also something oddly satisfying in finishing off a spool of thread! It is for my sister who is having a baby in the next few weeks...

A night out.. with my baby...

Who taught this kid manners?

A few weeks ago, we found ourselves alone with Mallory on a Friday night.
We tried to find a place for dinner that wouldn't have a long wait...

it had been a long week, and we were hungry.

Suddenly it dawned on us to go to The Landmark !

We hadn't been there in quite sometime!.

It is an old two story churchbuilding in Mesa, West of downtown. Our first apartment was only a few hundred yards away from it, but way back then, we in no way could afford to eat there! They have a salad ROOM, not a salad bar.. but a salad ROOM! All kinds of thinks like quail eggs and pickled stuff...It's kind of a fun place.

It has beautiful wall paper, wooden divider type things that have old china pieces on display. Probably the best part of the meal is that they give you SORBET , a small scoop, between courses to "cleanse your palate". Yum! The lemon sorbet is the best, but we had raspberry this night.

Mallory was being her usual fruitcake self.. it was fun to hear her talk- without any competition for attention from her siblings. She was getting goofy putting her pinky up in the air... She absolutely LOVED the chocolate mousse for dessert - we split one- yum!

I suppose I shoulda made myself a little more presentable..

Blog-avoider

Yep. That's me. I am going to try and do better.

Here's a fun picture - rats... doesn't want to load.. I'll try later!

We met Anthony about 14 years ago! When Mark & I moved to Oregon, we knew no one there!
We asked around at church for referrals for a babysitter - Brennan was only a month old, and I had to go back to work.

Anthony's mom Kim was who we were referred to! She was a nurse- now doing child care- and the fit was wonderful. She lived not far from us, so we dropped off Brennan on our way to work.
Kim was wonderful- she had a houseful of fun kids she tended - and they always had fun.

Not knowing anyone in Oregon- the Libonati's kind of took us in as family- I still consider them family now. Anthony was just a little guy then - maybe 8 years old? Precocious little guy - tough, he played ice hockey in a league. Well- he is still playing, although now in a semi pro status. He is all grown up and married! Wow! We were able to meet him for lunch on Memorial Day when he was in town for a Hockey tournament. We had a great time visiting with him and catching up on his family. We've all reconnected via Facebook - so that was great.

It was great to have a little time with him - now we have to figure out how to see his parents, Kim & Dana again- Guess we'll have to make a trip up north again!

While in OR, we also had a chance to become acquainted with the Jazz group New York Voices.
Dana met Darmon Meader in New York - a birthday present from Kim, if I remember. Kim Nazarian, of the group, came out to help Dana with a workshop for his Choir kids, and one night she was at their house - and we were invited to come and listen! Dana on the piano, Kim N singing, and Glen, Dana's brother, on the drums I think. It was awesome! I got a tape recording of Kim singing an acapella Somewhere Over The Rainbow! It was the best - also Soon It's Gonna Rain - I wish I could find that little cassette tape - although it probably won't sound so great anymore.

Anyway - memories - of the great time we spent in OR!!

Happy Mother's Day!

It's hard to find the words to say how much I miss my mom.

She left us far too early.

I'm sure that I didn't tell her often enough how very

thankful I was to her.

But, because she was a Mother, she knew.

Here she is, age five, with her favorite flowers - Peonies.

I don't know where this picture is, probably Illinois,

where she grew up. We also had them at our

house in Magna, UT, other places the climate wouldn't

support them. But she loved them.

Mom with her parents Frank and Jessie White, and her brother Larry.

I don't know if this one above is before my parents married?

I believe so, though.

February 1969 - I was age 2 - my parents had been married

not quite 5 years, with 3 kids 3 and under. I don't know how she did it!

Somewhere along the road, my mom started wearing flowers

in her hair. She had a little drawer with all different colors

of silk flowers, and an abundance of bobby pins to put them

in her hair. Mom & Dad came to visit us in Oregon - we moved there

shortly after Brennan was born. I know it was tough for

them for us to be away - but we made some great memories when

they came to visit. Mom's parents left Arizona in April every

year, and went to Canby Oregon with their trailer, and parked

it on the land of some friends. We went to visit them

this particular summer , and stopped at a roadside market

for fruits and Vegetables, and to see goats that climb in the trees!

I could go on and on with stories about my mom. She was

a wonderful woman, who loved Jesus Christ and wanted to

share her testimony with anyone she met. She loved her children

and grandchildren, and read to them whenever she could. She also loved her

heritage - she loved to do family history, and was thrilled to go to

the Netherlands - place of her mother's birth, in 2004.

A year or so ago, I ran into some friends of my parents at a

bookstore, and Elaine said that I reminded her of my mom.

That was one of the greatest compliments I ever received.

I miss her so.

I resemble that remark!

At work today Dawn asked me if I had abandoned my blog.

Um. Didn't mean to.

I'll try harder.

Not to, I mean.

Here's a pic to tide you over...

Mark had a birthday - I made chocolate ganache to put on his cake.
I didn't eat any of it. But everyone else seemed to like it.
He's now in his 40th year! Woo HoO! Love ya honey!