Recipe Card - Banana Pudding

For those of you interested in the banana pudding recipe...here's a little recipe card for you!

New Haircut

So, I cut about 6 inches off my hair. It's been a long time coming.

First, I was keeping it long for our wedding a year ago in May. Then, I was keeping it long for my senior voice recital in March.

Now, I had nothing to tie me down to the length anymore. Plus, I just couldn't convince myself to keep it in the summer heat.

So...I chopped it off. Nothing TOO major as you can see. But you can also see how happy it has made me.

Cute, trendy, shorter, and totally me.

Lots of pictures. I may have gotten carried away and become camera happy during the documentation process. Oops!

And, as you've probably noticed, I freckle in the summer sun. Also, my natural highlights shine through. So grateful for never dyeing my hair. It's like magic each year :)

Banana Pudding and Fireworks

On Tuesday night, a bunch of us got together to have a little party. I believe it was partially to celebrate our friend Andy's birthday (in a belated way) and also because we haven't seen the Satchwell's for a long time. They've been busy running back and forth from Logan to Salt Lake since they got married in May. And, most recently, their adventures have led them to sell fireworks at a stand throughout the month of July.

So, what more perfect way to celebrate than to have a get together with some good food and watch fireworks that they got for free from their recent endeavor? Yep...no other way. That's what we all thought too.

I made a scrumptious and delectable banana pudding...


And everyone watched fireworks. Here are some of our favorites.


Loved it.

(Oh, if anyone would like my Super Easy Banana Pudding recipe, just let me know. I'm making a bunch for the attendees that evening, per their request, so I'm happy to make more if wanted.)

Grilled Romaine and Grape Tomatoes Salad

(This isn't a picture of the salad I actually made last week for our recipe group. I forgot my camera. But it is REALLY close to what it looked like.)

By the way, everyone LOVED this salad. I've always wanted to grill romaine, and finally got my chance. It is a completely new and exciting experience. The grill makes the leaves a bit softer, adding a charred smoky flavor to the entire salad. You should try this at your next barbecue when you are looking for a simple salad to go along with a main dish. It will change your perspective on salad FOREVER!

Ingredients:
2 large heads romaine lettuce, rinsed, halved
Balsamic vinaigrette to taste
1 pint grape tomatoes
shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Discard old outer lettuce leaves. Put the halved lettuces into a large baking dish, and add enough vinaigrette to marinate the lettuce.

2. When the fire is ready, arrange the four lettuce halves on the rack, and cook for a few minutes. Turn the heads over, and when the leaves are slightly charred all over, remove from the fire.

3. Place the tomatoes on skewers and grill for a couple minutes, just until they begin to "pop". Remove from the fire.

3. When the lettuce is cool enough to handle, cut into serving sizes and garnish with the tomatoes and cheese. If necessary, add more dressing before serving.

* I made my own balsamic vinaigrette, which included fresh herbs such as parsley, oregano, and basil. I would highly recommend going that route as you can control exactly what goes into the salad. Besides, it tastes SO much better than store-bought out of a bottle.

The Beauty in Ugly

I have loved this song since it first came out over 3 years ago.

It's totally empowering.

I think all of us need a reminder like this once in a while. :)

Hard Worker

Satan really tries hard to get you down sometimes.

It always seems that when one thing is getting better, something else gets worse.

But, I guess I could turn that around and say that when one thing gets worse, there is always something that gets better.

I think the real point is to keep moving forward, especially if that means letting go of things you are unable to control.

Having faith is a big struggle sometimes too. It's hard to NOT see the big picture and the happy ending.

All I know is that I am praying and trying to do what I know is right for me and my family. As long as we are close to the Lord, then there is nothing to worry about.

Patience. It is, yet again, being thrust into view as something I need to have more of.

I'm grateful for those who understand and who are a STRENGTH and SUPPORT to us. Thank you!

Ultimate Concert

My life has been changed forever...

I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Video to come soon.

He played for almost 3 hours, playing about 6 different guitars, a bari uke, a mandolin, two different pianos, and a bass. This man is amazing!

long-awaited event

Tonight, I will be fulfilling a life-long dream of mine.

I will be going to a Paul McCartney concert in SLC.

I've grown up loving the Beatles and Paul McCartney through my mother's obsession with them.

So, naturally, I've always wanted to see Paul in concert.

That dream is coming true tonight.

I think I'm going to cry when he walks out on stage. That may or may not be embarrassing.

Pictures to come after the blessed event takes place!

The Missing Link

So this is Mike posting. Yeah I know, even though this blog is MikeLeKID Rebecca really has taken it over and posts more than I do. Anyway we were chatting this evening and eventually we got talking about my little brother Leland who is on a LDS mission in England. Rebecca and I went on our first date about a week before Leland left so he never had a chance to meet her. So talking about him tonight, I got really excited for Leland to finally meet this new family member he's only seen on Skype a couple of times for the holidays calls home and for Rebecca to meet this "Missing Link" person in the family she's only heard about. I am also excited that Leland says that he wants to attend USU when he returns. This means that he and I would both be attending USU for one semester, then I will be graduating and moving away.

Lazy Saturday Morning

You know those mornings when you just lie in bed, as long as you want to, not stirring until your body tells you it's time to get up?

This is SO one of those mornings.

Michael always wakes up before I do, grabs my laptop, and watches X-files in bed, next to me.

When I finally wake up, we snuggle and watch it together.

Life is as it should be.

Lazy, snuggle-filled, warm, comfortable, and good.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Michael may roll his eyes when he reads this post, but I'm going to share a few thoughts from seeing this movie.

First off, my friend Shantai and her husband Brandon went with us to this movie on Monday night. Call it an impromptu double date FHE. Shantai was dropping off our tiki torch oil, left at her house from girl's camp, and then she told me how she was going to make Brandon go and see the movie that night. Perfect. I had already been trying to convince Michael not five minutes before to do the same thing.

We went out to dinner and prepared ourselves for a night of fun, love, vampires, and werewolves.

The boys tried to act all "bored" with the entire idea, but us ladies really knew they were excited for the movie. In fact, when Jacob emerged for the first time, fully clothed, Michael said to me, "Ahhh...why does he have his shirt on?!?"

That is just a glimpse of the cackles, heckles, and giggles that ensued from our group that night. I'll admit that there were some scenes which were even too cheesy for me. Very teenager-esque actually. I swear I don't remember the book being that almost gaggingly full of sappy one-liners. I know the entire "vampire/werewolf" plot is unrealistic, but the LOVE part being so much that way also? Ick.

Anyway, apart from the lack of genuine acting in a few areas and the screenwriters obvious need to speak to ONLY female teenagers across the world, I enjoyed the movie. The action was great, and parts of the storyline developed more than ever before.

I do have one last confession though. I have, and always will be a Team Edward fan, in my heart. But this has become an alliance which I only associate with the books. Hollywood's portrayal has, in fact, led me to become a Team Jacob fan. Not just because he takes his shirt off and looks pretty darn good, but because I feel like the acting is more genuine and believable from Taylor Lautner's efforts as Jacob. I truly want Bella to end up with Jacob because he is so much more real and better for her. Never thought the day would come.

Now I'm off to decide whether to read Harry Potter again, or the Chronicles of Narnia because of the awesome previews for both that I saw the other night. Hmmm....tough choices!

Happily Ever After Young Women's Camp

Things that happened at Cache Stake's Young Women's Camp 2010...

The girls were all ready to go!

And so were the leaders!

First and Third years ready for a 3 mile hike...

Silly face by Jordynne.

Silly face by Darby.

Beautiful smile by Kenzie.

They survived!

We saw many butterflies...

And survived a crazy storm with hurricane force winds that only lasted about 5 minutes.

Our canopy didn't make it though.

Damage to other wards.

Another lost canopy.

One of the 2 trees that were downed by the storm. Can't doubt the divine intervention that cause that tent, and its owner to remain unharmed.


The girls performed an AMAZING skit about keeping standards high. Centered around our ward's theme of Rapunzel and not dating until 16.

We had several impatient suitors (baker, painter, and telephone caller).

And Rapunzel wouldn't date them until she was 16.

Our knight in shining armor riding his "donkey", waiting to come back and go on a date with the fair Rapunzel who was to turn 16 the next day.

Darby, the "Voodoo" queen...spreading a storm around. Blew Shelby, our "pimped out tree" over.

The knight returns with flowers and is rewarded for patience along with Rapunzel for keeping their standards high!

We played Ninja Destruction along with many other games. I think I'll forever have "Boomba" stuck in my head.

We relaxed in the shade.

We modge-podged!

Drank LOTS of water...

Had water balloon fights/games.

Made more silly faces.

Read scriptures, bore our testimonies, prayed, and felt the Spirit SO strongly!

Enjoyed warm fires while roasting marshmallows, making S'Mores,...

And jamming to good music provided by Vicky on her uke, me on my guitar, and our new friend Paige who was just learning the uke.

(Vicky and I actually played a special musical number of "I Am a Child of God" for the stake testimony meeting on Thursday night. It was beautiful and a pleasure to play with such an awesome girl!)

What an wonderful experience for ALL who attended. It was great to be there as a leader, I know that I learned more about myself and especially about the girls I'm able to associate with each week in my calling. They are beautiful, divine daughters of our Heavenly Father and I feel privileged that He trusts me to be an example and to know them. Young Women's Camp was a blessing and I know the girls were touched in many ways by the Spirit. They are AWESOME!