College Bound - Again

Well, I finely did it. Yesterday, I completed my application to attend Utah State. I'm excited and nervous to go back to school. I just hope they let me in...

:)

I've decided...

Beginning today, I will celebrate my families birthday's and not let them slip away like any other day.

What would you like to do a little better?

First Presidency Appeals to Church Members to Help People in Haiti - LDS Newsroom

To read the entire article, statement from the First Presidency, and news release on relief efforts in Haiti, please click this link:

First Presidency Appeals to Church Members to Help People in Haiti - LDS Newsroom

In a statement published on the Church’s official Web site, Church President Thomas S. Monson and counselors Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf said they are “keenly aware that many in America are dealing with economic challenges brought on by the recent recession.” Many Church members have made substantial contributions to Church Humanitarian Services, but more is needed. Church members and others wishing to contribute to the aid efforts may do so by using the Donation Slip they normally use for Church donations or by logging onto lds.org and clicking on Humanitarian Services Emergency Response.

“Money is not the only need in Haiti,” the statement continued. “People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people.”

Sleeping Like a Baby

I must say, I've never seen a living person sleep this way. (Actually, I've never seen a dead person sleep this way either).

Alex, you never cease to make me laugh!

Way to Go, Man!

Oh boy, I've got joy. I do, I do, I do! I'm so EXCITED. Just thought I'd share my happiness with all of you wonderful people who I love. Have a wonderful day!

Muffin Mix and Recipes

Here's a tip: For freeze-ahead muffins, line muffin cups with paper liners, fill with batter, and plop pan in freezer. When frozen, remove muffins from pan and transfer to a freezer container. When your ready for warm fluffy muffins, place frozen muffins in pan and place in preheated oven. Increase baking time 3 to 6 minutes and enjoy!

Muffin Mix

8 c. all-purpose flour

3 c. sugar

3 Tbs. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I use 3 tsp. cinnamon)

2 tsp. ground nutmeg (I omit nutmeg)

In a mixer or large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well. Put in a large airtight container. Label with date and contents. Store in a cool, dry place. Makes about 11 cups of MUFFIN MIX.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Muffins

2 ¾ c. MUFFIN MIX

1 egg

1 c. milk

½ c. oil, butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 400F. Generously grease muffin pans. Mix all ingredients. Lumps are o.k. Fill prepared muffin pans ¾ full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Makes 10 large muffins. (I’m a lazy muffin maker. I poor batter into two prepared 9x5 bread pans and bake 30 minutes).

Variations

Cornmeal Muffins – Decrease MUFFIN MIX to 2 ¼ c. and add ½ c. cornmeal.

Butterscotch-Pecan Muffins – Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in saucepan. Stir in 6 Tbsp. brown sugar. Place 1 T of brown sugar mixture and 2-3 pecans in bottom of each muffin cup. Fill cups ¾ full with batter.

Dried Fruit Muffins – Add 1 c. chopped dried fruit (apricots, cherries, peaches, blueberries, pineapple, strawberries, etc.) to batter.

Fresh Peach Muffins – Gently fold 1 c. diced fresh peaches into batter before filling muffin pans.

Banana Muffins – Mash 1 banana (1/2 c.) and add to batter before filling muffin pans.

Blueberry Muffins – Gently fold 1 c. fresh, frozen, or drained canned blueberries into basic muffin batter just before filling muffin pans.

Cranberry-Nut Muffins – Gently fold 1 c. chopped fresh or frozen cranberries, ½ c. chopped nuts and 3 Tbsp. sugar into basic muffin batter just before filling muffin pans.

Molasses Bran Muffins

2 c. all- bran cereal or 1 c. all-bran plus 1 c. bran flakes

¼ c. melted butter or vegetable oil

¼ c. molasses

1 c. milk

1 egg

½ c. raisins, optional

1 ½ c. MUFFIN MIX

Preheat oven to 400F. Generously grease muffin pans. In a medium bowl, combine cereal, butter or oil, molasses, milk, and egg. Let stand 5 minutes. Add raisins, if desired, and MUFFIN MIX. Stir just until ingredients are moistened. Fill prepared muffin pans ¾ full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until edges are brown. Makes 10 large muffins.

Variation

Chocolate Nut – Omit raisins and substitute ½ cup each mini-chocolate morsels and chopped nuts.

Apple Muffins

1 ¾ c. MUFFIN MIX

½ c. chopped nuts

½ tsp. ground cloves

2 c. grated apples

1 egg

¼ cup oil, butter, or margarine, melted

1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 400F. Generously grease muffin pans. In a medium bowl, combine MUFFIN MIX, nuts, and cloves. Add apples, egg, oil, and milk, mixing until just moistened; batter should be lumpy. Fill prepared muffin pans 23/4 full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Makes 10 large muffins.

Gran Muffins

2 C. MUFFIN MIX

¾ c. granola

1 egg

¼ c. butter, melted

1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 425F. Generously grease muffin pans. In a bowl, combine MUFFIN MIX and granola. Add egg, butter, and milk. Stir until moistened. Fill muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 9 large muffins.

Cranberry Cakes with Butter Sauce

1 to 1 1/3 c. raw cranberries, chopped

¼ c. sugar

2 ¾ c. MUFFIN MIX

1 c. dairy sour cream

1 egg

¼ c butter, margarine, or oil

Preheat oven to 400F. Generously grease muffin pans. In a medium bowl, combine cranberries and sugar. Let stand a few minutes. Add MUFFIN MIX, sour cream, egg, and butter. Blend well. Batter should be lumpy. Fill prepared muffin pans ¾ full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm with Hot Butter Sauce. Makes about 10 cakes.

Hot Butter Sauce

½ c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. cream or evaporated milk

dash of nutmeg, optional

Combine butter, sugar and cream or evaporated milk in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Add nutmeg if desired. Serve warm. Makes about 1 ½ c. sauce. (Also good on Apple Pie).

Zucchini Muffins

2 c. MUFFIN MIX

½ c. sugar

½ c. chopped nuts

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 c. grated zucchini

1 egg

½ butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400F. Generously grease muffin pans. In a medium bowl, combine MUFFIN MIX, sugar, nuts, and cinnamon. Mix zucchini, egg, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened; batter should be lumpy. Fill prepared muffin tins ¾ full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Makes 10 medium muffins.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins

2 ¼ c. MUFFIN MIX

1 package instant lemon-pudding mix

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

¼ tsp. lemon zest

1 c. milk

2 eggs

¼ oil, butter, or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 400F. Generously grease muffin pans. In a medium bowl, combine MUFFIN MIX, lemon-pudding mix, poppy seeds, and lemon peel. Add milk, eggs, and oil. Stir until moistened. Fill prepared muffin pans ¾ full. Bake 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Prepare Lemon Glaze and drizzle on warm muffins. Makes 10 large muffins.

Lemon Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix well and drizzle on muffins.

Go Baby, Go!

Dan.

Bat.

Dan at bat.

Dan ran.

Pat.

Pat at bat.

Pat ran. Dan ran.

Pat! Dan!

Mercedes read her second book today! I am so excited for her!

Something New, Something Blue

So...I've discovered I have a secret crush on blue. Yes, I still love yellow, and Kim over at Dear Daisy Cottage has totally inspired me with this beauty; but, blue just keeps popping up. Our old door, the shed, and now....

Before

Do you see this yellow? It really was, no is, aweful! The picture does not do it justice. Neon with green undertones is NOT pretty in this bathroom. Luckily, it was only a $5.00 miss tint from Lowe's.

And then, flying over head...is it a bird? A plane? What is that?! It's mom! She swoops in. She sees. She gags. She pities the poor eyes that have to look upon this bathroom every day. And guess what we found on the Christmas tree?

Paint!

Mercedes wanted to take a picture but I told her "Be careful. I don't want to get paint on you." And then, BLOP! Paint falls off my roller right onto her arm. After wiping it off, she stepped out of the bathroom, reached around the corner with the camera, and took a picture. Pretty good for a blind point and click.

I only had one clean roller, so Mercedes made her own.

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for! Dun...dun...dun...

After

All that's left to do is paint the celing white, and it will be done! Just don't hold your breath until I do it, because you wont make it.

Thank you Mom! I love you!!!

72 Hour Kit

I saw this 72 hour kit at Safely Gathered In. It has some good suggestions.

1 sturdy bag or container per person
1 change of clothes per person
1 set of scriptures per family
1 flashlight per person
Batteries
First aid kit
Personal documents
2 gal. water per person, minimum (3's better)
$100 cash (small bills)
Ax and shovel
Utility knife
Bucket
Battery powered radio
Small sewing kit
Food
2 light sticks
Hand warmer / canned heat
Blankets / sleeping bags
1 small toothbrush per person
Toothpaste, soap, and shampoo
Silver foil emergency blankets
Mosquito repellent
Small entertainment (crayons, card game, etc.)
Camp stove or portable BBQ and fuel
2 pair work gloves
Mess kits or disposable plates, cups, bowls, utensils
Pet supplies
Candles, holders, matches
Aluminum foil
Can opener
Disinfectant
Garbage bags

BASIC Food Storage

What is BASIC food storage?

Water

Wheat
Oats
Rice
Beans
Pasta
Sugar
Oil


Water is so important and we should collect it as often as possible - even if all we do is fill our empty milk jugs. Remember: rotate milk jugs yearly to prevent leakage.

My Brim Heart

I am so excited I couldn't sleep all night! So what's the cause of all my lost sleep? Good question! Last night Jake told me we can adopt two children - a little girl and boy! This is what I wanted, but I was trying to reconcile myself to only having four children. As Ammon puts it "My heart is brim with joy." (Alma 26:11) I might have to change the name of my blog now. Hmmm...

Are you ready for a secret? O.K., it's not really a secret, but almost. Jake has put me under strict orders not to tell anyone, at Arby's, that he has succumbed to me again! Haha.

Guess what? Jake received an A on one of his papers. GOOD job, Dear! He needed a boost. School's not going so well. He's trying, but 13 credits is really draining him. You can do it! I believe in you!!!

When I put Alex down for his nap yesterday, he plopped down on the pillow, pulled the blanket to his chin, and began snoring! He is such a goof!!

And, here's a couple pictures of the girls from our trip to Arctic Circle with my parents, Melanie, Doug, and Spencer. The picture of Christina here was also from this same trip.

This little boy was hilarious! We hadn't been there more than two minutes and he was already telling Mercedes he loved her.

Check this out! Proof that Spencer still hangs out with us!

And last, but not least...

MELANIE!