the day after

well we survived and yes...we ate WAY too much!! Our turkey... I don't think I can say too little about it.  It was tender, juicy, flavorful, and just amazing!! I would love to tell you all my secret to a juicy flavorful tender BUT I am not going to so that you will have to come to our house for some turkey in the future.  = ) I am so evil aren't I but this secret is just too good to share with anyone but those who already know =) hahaha

Hope you all had a great thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving Menu

Today is Pie making day!! =) Apple and Pumpkin pie!! I am so excited to be baking. =) 

We were talking the other day about how excited we are to be doing our own thanksgiving. Its exciting to plan ourselves what we want to eat and make. AND I get to cook the turkey all by myself this year. I am SUPER excited!! I feel all grown up!!

Here is the Thanksgiving Day Menu :

Turkey (of course)
Stuffing (the real kind...from a box.{my ABSOLUTE favorite})
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Cranberry Sauce (wouldn't be thanksgiving without it)
Green bean Casserole (a traditional favorite)
Home made rolls(YUM!!)
Sweet Potato Butter (thanks to my great mom)
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie

Its a lot of food and what I wouldn't give for a double oven right now but it will be so great =)

I am trying two new recipes for my pies.  well three actually. I am making a pat in the pan pastry pie crust, thanks to Diane at work =), and a Paula Deen flaky pie crust. the flaky will be for the apple and the pat in the pan for the pumpkin. Austin is getting REALLY excited for tomorrow =) And so am I =)  We have the charlie brown thanksgiving movie to watch tomorrow and I am so ready to watch that. I have been waiting to watch it for almost a month! My wait is almost over!! =)

I am still debating about how to cook the turkey. Bag or no bag... I do but I don't...Hmmm I guess we'll see how I feel tomorrow. =) (don't worry mom, I'll figure it out today, I won't wait till the last moment) =)

Its been raining/snowing off and on here for the pass two days but I am totally loving it. Its almost like being in the pacific northwest again for the holidays =)  Duke, on the other hand, is NOT enjoying the rain. He likes sun and snow. NO rain for him!! becca just doesn't like going outside in general unless its for a walk or she REALLY has to go to the bathroom. than she takes maybe half a step from the porch and squats. At least she gets off the porch. haha

Work is still crummy as usual. I am doing the job of three people and so is denice. it stinks that I am only getting paid for a third of the work I do...

So austin didn't get the job in St. george. Big disappointment.  He recieved an email yesterday saying that it was offered to someone else but that he was one of their top choices. Wish we could put that on the resume because we've heard it a million and one times.  But at least we still have the texas school to hear back from, the burley job, and the kingman job. At least there are still 3 things to hope for in the future. 

(Please don't call me and talk to me about the St. George job, I don't want to talk about it. Its too disappointing to discuss, but if you feel the need you can call austin, he's still positive through everything so he can talk to you. thanks for understanding.)

well on that happy note(haha) I am going to go back home and start my pies =) ....I love being an adult =)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! =)

still here

Okay...well to start off with we are still where we were last time I blogged. Nothing new has happened.  We have YET to hear back from st. george but we're still hoping to hear back today or tomorrow. 

Austin's birthday is on sunday and I am way excited. still need to get a cake which might be trickier than it sounds.

new found loved snack: saltines with a smear of peanut butter and a small slice of granny smith apple. very good =) AND!!! they are like practically healthy! =)

austin made me nachos last night but forgot about them while under the boiler. oops. But we still ate them =)  they were really good with sauteed onions =) and then we watched Last Song. (ha ha) Miley Cirus(i probably spelled that wrong but I don't care enough to fix it) is a TERRIBLE actress and it makes me laugh.  I've always said that I have chipmunk cheeks...do my cheeks look as big as her's do??????

well I don't know what else to write so I am going to leave now. Have a great day everyone

its been awhile

Hey all my loyal blog followers, which I believe there is only my mom and....my mom?? anyways thanks for being so loyal mommy =)

so life hasn;t really changed much except that austin is now unemployed for the time being and is working really hard to get a permanent job that pays him well or a grad position. He is also a better house wife than I was/am!! what's with that?!  when I arrived home yesterday, the house was spotless!! I couldn't believe it!! ha ha well my husband is the best =)

work is fine. working all mornings this week. 5 days at 9 ish hours a day. very. tiring. yeah.........

Happy birthday patrick!!!! (27th)

Happy birthday Ken!!!! (28th)

Happy birthday becca!!! (29th)

and Austin's and Grandma's is coming up in November. So exciting! We might actually be living in the same place for BOTH of our birthdays!! Wow!! =) or not.... ???

lets see.... oh! we got almost 6" of snow last week!! now its just raining off and on.

I really want a smore right now... good thing I don't have to wait till we go camping for that =) =)

I love my nursery girls =) they make me want a little girl =)  but not to keep though. too much emotional drama come teen years. no thank you. 

Oh!!! AND its amanda's birthday in november too!!! Love you BFE =)

halloween is tomorrow.

cool.

this is the one holiday that young couples wished they had children. because then they could take their infant trick or treating and then eat all their candy.  The prime trick or treating years for parents is child age from 0 - 5, after that, the child will start to realize that you are hoarding all the candy while they only get a piece of two.  you make be asking yourself, "would austin really do that to his innocent children??" and the answer is this, "yes, yes he would. but for those few pieces that the children do get, they would have to do tricks like jumping, standing, rolling over and shake...just like he does with the dogs" haha yes, that is who I married, the best man in the world =)

okay, well with that mental image in your head I am going to say good bye for now and

Haaaaaaaaapppppy Haaaaaaaaallooweeeeeeeeeeeen!!!! =) =)

I love this talk

As we meet sisters around the world, we are amazed at the strength of your testimonies. So many of you are first- or second-generation members of the Church. We see many sisters serving in multiple callings, traveling long distances to attend church, and sacrificing to make and keep sacred temple covenants. We honor you. You are the Lord’s modern-day pioneers!


Recently my husband, Mel, and I met a volunteer tour guide named Mollie Lenthal as we visited a museum in Australia. We found out that Mollie, a lovely woman in her 70s, has no children and has never married. She is an only child, and her parents have been deceased for many years. Her closest relatives are two cousins who live on another continent. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with the Spirit testifying to me, almost as if Heavenly Father were speaking: “Mollie is not alone! Mollie is my daughter! I am her Father! She is a very important daughter in my family, and she is never alone!”

One of my favorite stories from the Savior’s life is the story of Lazarus. The scriptures tell us that “Jesus loved Martha, … her sister [Mary], and [their brother] Lazarus.” Word was sent to Jesus that Lazarus was very ill, but Jesus did not come immediately; He stayed away two more days, stating that “this sickness is … for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

Hearing that Jesus was coming, Martha “went and met him,” telling Him what had happened. Lazarus had “lain in the grave four days already.” Grieving, Martha ran back to her home to tell Mary that the Lord had come. Mary, weighed down with sorrow, ran to Jesus, fell down at His feet, and wept.

We are told that “when Jesus therefore saw [Mary] weeping, … he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,” and asked where they had laid him.

“They said unto him, Lord, come and see.”

Then we read some of the most compassionate, loving words in scripture: “Jesus wept.”

Apostle James E. Talmage wrote: “The sight of the two women so overcome by grief … caused Jesus to sorrow [with them], so that He groaned in spirit and was deeply troubled.” This experience testifies of the compassion, empathy, and love that our Savior and our Heavenly Father feel for each of us every time we are weighed down by the anguish, sin, adversity, and pains of life.

Dear sisters, our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know us and love us. They know when we are in pain or suffering in any way. They do not say, “It’s OK that you’re in pain right now because soon everything is going to be all right. You will be healed, or your husband will find a job, or your wandering child will come back.” They feel the depth of our suffering, and we can feel of Their love and compassion in our suffering.

Alma testified:

“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

“And he will take upon him … their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, … that he may know … how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”

When we wonder if we are known by our Savior and our Father in Heaven or how well They know us personally, we might remember the Savior’s words to Oliver Cowdery:

“If you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.”

Earlier the Savior stated to him, “There is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.”

The Savior reminded Oliver that He knew every detail of that pleading prayer—and remembered the exact time, the very night.

Many years ago my husband became very ill with a rare disease. As the weeks went by and the sicker he became, the more I became convinced that he was dying. I told no one of my fears. We had a large, young family and a loving, eternal marriage, and the thought of losing my husband and raising my children by myself filled me with loneliness, despair, and even anger. I am ashamed to say that I pulled away from my Heavenly Father. For days I quit praying; I quit planning; I cried. I finally came to the realization that I could not do this alone.

For the first time in many days, I knelt down and poured out my heart to my Father in Heaven, pleading for forgiveness for turning away from Him, telling Him all of my deepest feelings, and finally crying out that if this was what He really wanted me to do, I would do it. I knew He must have a plan for our lives.

As I continued on my knees to pour out my heart, the sweetest, most peaceful, loving feeling came over me. It was as if a blanket of love was flowing over me. It was as if I could feel Heavenly Father saying, “That was all I needed to know.” I determined never to turn away from Him again. Gradually and amazingly, my husband began to get better until he made a full recovery.

Years later my husband and I knelt by the side of our 17-year-old daughter and pleaded for her life. This time the answer was no, but that same feeling of love and peace that our Savior has promised was just as powerful, and we knew that even though Heavenly Father was calling her back home, everything would be all right. We have come to know what it means to cast our burdens upon the Lord, to know that He loves us and feels compassion for us in our sorrows and pain.

One of the sweetest father-to-son moments in the Book of Mormon is Alma the Younger’s testimony to his son Helaman. Alma described the “inexpressible horror” he felt as he imagined coming into the presence of God to be judged of his many transgressions. After feeling the weight of all his sins for three days and nights, he repented and pleaded with the Savior to have mercy on him. He described to Helaman the “exquisite and sweet” joy of remembering his pains “no more.” Instead of feeling “inexpressible horror” at the thought of coming before the throne of God, Alma saw a vision of “God sitting upon his throne” and declared, “My soul did long to be there.”

Is that not how we feel, my dear sisters, as we repent and contemplate the love, the mercy, and the gratitude we feel for our Heavenly Father and our Savior—that we too “long to be there,” to be embraced by Their loving arms once again?

Just as the Lord has testified to me that He has not forgotten His precious daughter Mollie Lenthal, I testify that He has not forgotten you! Whatever sin or weakness or pain or struggle or trial you are going through, He knows and understands those very moments. He loves you! And He will carry you through those moments, just as He did Mary and Martha. He has paid the price that He might know how to succor you. Cast your burdens upon Him. Tell your Heavenly Father how you feel. Tell Him about your pain and afflictions and then give them to Him. Search the scriptures daily. There you will also find great solace and help.

Our Savior asked:

“For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. …

“… I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.”

“I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world.”15

That is our charge. We must feel and see for ourselves and then help all of Heavenly Father’s children to feel and see and know that our Savior has taken upon Himself not only all our sins but also our pains and our suffering and afflictions so that He can know what we feel and how to comfort us. I testify of Him in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

9/11

I can't believe that is was eleven years ago that the twin towers came down. to be honest I didn't even know what the twin towers were or where they stood till 9/11.

That's how it always seems to be isn't it, we don't notice things or take the time to learn until the worst has happened and we try to tell ourselves that we need to remember this because we felt so stupid and ignorant before and don't want to feel that way again. and it was involved with a seriously sad even that has scarred america in more than one way. So many people died and I wonder how those people who committed this murder will be tried in heaven.

anyways I worked last night and I work again this night and I am not excited for tonight. I have to close with the new guy and well...he's a lazy bum that sits on the floor behind the register and plays with his phone. I am NOT going to let that fly tonight. I am one tough woman and not to be messed with, specially when I am already in a bad mood. Which I am still trying to decide if I am upset after a recent conversation I had...

Some days I hate my job. Others days I despise my job. and still other days I can't think of anything worse than my cruddy-crappy-going-no-where-but-the-dirt-end-of-the-road-job. But its a job and I don't really have too many choices at the moment. I shouldn't really complain because my job is not that bad...still....its not my dream job.........

Well I should head out to work.

my life is great. I love my life.

and just so you know I never get the couch when austin is gone, the dogs take over and I am stuck on the floor. seem backwards to you?? I thought so too.

have a great day everyone.

okay well I don't have a whole lot of time to blog but I just thought I would let you know that I am alive and so is austin, along with all the furry friends and non furry friends.

so much has happened in the past month that I don't have the time or energy to blog about it.

my parents visit was great but too short as usual. and like usual, they spoiled us rotten, they are way too good to us but thanks mom and ken =)

second, it was my birthday on the 20th =) it was great and I was spoiled by everyone! my two families are very similar =) both my mom and ken and austin's family got me these items :
1. vegetable scrub brushes
2. aprons
3. candy
4. decorative things for our house
5. movies(which luckily none of them were duplicates =) )

so i just have to say that I loved ALL of the stuff that I got and that both families have great taste=)

Also my dad is coming in two weeks and we're excited about that. and my dad sent me a new charger and extra battery for my camera, how sweet. =)

well that's all for now. I really need to get going and head to work.

bye ya'll!

ps: my boss spells lettuce "lettice". Am i the only one that finds that annoying??

Pss: the guy next to me in the library is talking to the computer and GROWLING at it!! Should I be worried???? =S