happiness

shawl or cape?

today when I was cutting Brady's hair, he insisted that he needed a towel so the falling hair wouldn't make him "itchy." I wrapped the towel around his shoulders and showed him how to hold it tightly under his chin.

me: there, now you look like a little old lady.

Brady: no, a superhero!

duh, why didn't I think of that?

back in the saddle

I ran 3 miles today. actually I had to run/walk the last .5 mile. the last time I ran was June 6th! I'm so annoyed with myself that I went so long without my daily run. I was so busy the last week of school and then it was too hot, and then blah, blah, blah... it seems like ever since school got out I've gotten off track on a lot of things that I was keeping up with pretty well. apparently I need a schedule more than I realized.
so the run wasn't too painful, but it's going to take some work to get back to where I was. I plan to run 3-4 miles at least 4 days a week. I'm blogging about it so I'm accountable to someone...YOU!
stay tuned.

little Paige Emily's blessing day

welcome Paige! I was so happy be at Paige's blessing at Summer's ward in Fresno. it was my only chance to meet her, since Summer, Clint, Kaden (3), Lindy (almost 2) & Paige (2 weeks) left the next morning to drive across the country to Virginia where they will live for the next 4 years while Clint attends medical school. :( we're excited for them, but sad that they will be so far away for so long!

we love you guys and wish you the best as you start this new adventure!

Summer & Clint with baby Paige

Yvonne and Andy (friends from forever ago) were so sweet to offer hosting a luncheon at their house after church. they had a massive spread of delicious food! we felt so welcome that we stayed for hours and hours, visiting and eating. it was so perfect to get to spend that time with everyone. Kate and I came without our kids, my mom and dad were there, Heidi & Don & 5 kids, Trevor & Natalie & 6 kids, Clint's parents & several siblings, and his aunt & uncle. we were a huge group!

"at the top. I made it. thanks for the vote of confidence."

that was Jason's text to me from the top of Mt. Whitney.

it's true, I had told him more than once that he probably wouldn't make it. I wasn't trying to be a terrible wife. I knew he was in good enough shape to make the hike, but I'd heard too many stories about the altitude and how sick it makes some people. I was assuming the worst. I'm happy to be wrong! Jason and all the guys with him conquered Mt. Whitney.


way to go baby!

what's for dinner?

this question is bad enough present day when we have all the resources we could possibly need to make a great meal for our families. imagine how you will dread this same question if there comes a time when you are relying solely on your own food storage and preparedness items! scary thought, but it doesn't have to be!

my ward had such a great enrichment last night! it was all about food storage and cooking methods. we were asked to each bring a dish for everyone to sample that was made using food storage items. I was surprised how delicious all the food was! I got lots of great new ideas/recipes for how to use/rotate my food.

I shared ideas about bottling butter, ground beef, chicken, pork, etc. and also sealing in jars other items (dried fruit, dry pasta, chocolate chips, granola bars...endless possibilities!) that don't require a pressure canner, just a Food Saver jar saver attachment. it's so great to have these foods on a shelf, ready to use for years-- no refrigeration required.

I also demonstrated my new favorite emergency item--my sun oven. if the sun is shining, which it mostly is here in CA, then you can cook almost anything! I've made rice, oatmeal, pinto beans, banana bread, whole wheat bread, beef stew, cracked wheat cereal, and I plan to experiment with a lot more. the sun oven is like having an outdoor crockpot. the temperature can only reach about 325*, so everything takes about twice as long to cook. that's okay, because you're not wasting a ton of precious fuel, propane, wood, charcoal, etc. just to get a pot of water boiling! it's so easy to use and there are so many great reasons to have one. I highly recommend getting one...or two!

I baked this loaf of wheat bread in the round roaster that came with my sun oven using just the sunshine as a heat source! amazing! it was delicious. thanks Melinda, for sharing your awesome recipe with me.

what are your favorite food storage/emergency preparedness items or tips? please comment...

his enemy, my love

while watching Amber and Sam open their wedding presents, my sister Heidi suddenly grabbed my wedding ring hand in a panic, "where's your diamond?!?" I'm like, what's she freaking out about? then I look down and...it's gone. not just the diamond either. the ENTIRE mount-- prongs, diamond, gone. what the? I'm stunned. push pause. rewind. I start thinking about all the places I'd been that day where I might have possibly snagged my ring or banged it on something. the beach, the pool, the shower, my mom's house, the backyard...it could be anywhere! any of those places, I'd never find it.

I actually started laughing. it was to keep from crying. my older sister Kate lost her entire ring years ago and my sister Heidi had lost her diamond and never found it. it's the curse of the Z girls' wedding rings! little sisters beware!

when I told Jason my diamond was gone, he was elated. yes, elated. "finally!" was his exact response. truth be told, he never really liked my diamond because it had a slight laser slip on the face that looked like a microscopic fiber. who cares, right? no one will ever see that it's "imperfect" and he purchased it at a significant discount. unfortunately, the night we got engaged I noticed it, which he didn't think was possible (I notice everything). I asked him about it the next day, (just in case he didn't know!) which was a huge mistake. he was crestfallen. the ring he'd given me wasn't perfect. he insisted that we get a new diamond, but I assured him that it didn't bother me one bit and no thank you, I loved the ring, and I wasn't trading it in! well, he's never forgiven himself for my "flawed" diamond and he has held a grudge against it for the past 10 years. he didn't even attempt to fake concern for it's sudden absence.

I knew I'd make myself crazy with efforts to search for my diamond, but I found myself subconsciously sweeping every floor in my mom's house with my eyes. this continued when I got home that night-- from my driveway, front entry, down the hall, my bedroom and bathroom...there it was! my diamond mount, prongs and all. plain as day, casually resting right there on the floor near my sink. unbelievable! too bad I hadn't prayed to find it. that would have made for a really great inspirational story!

so, my ring is being repaired at the jewelry shop this week. the guy said the saudering was broken down by chlorine. I got a scolding from the guy and the lady who work there. I always wear my jewelry when I swim! who knew?

I'll be happy when my wedding ring is in one piece and back on my finger. Jason, not so much.

one last favorite of Holly

my four reasons to smile :)

it's birthday time for Jenna!

she's finally 6!
Jenna had a fun-filled birthday! the first order of business was put on the famous "birthday girl" crown which must be worn all day, so that random strangers can wish you 'happy birthday!' we met up with Heidi & Don and kids for a birthday breakfast at Denny's before their family headed up the coast to Don's sister's house. obviously with 9 kids at a restaurant there had to be a few spilled waters and loudy announced bathroom breaks. throw a little syrup into the mix and you can imagine the stickiness of our situation! we asked the waitress to take a picture of our group, but it turned out blurry and mainly exhibited the ceiling. that's okay, I'm pretty sure I can remember the chaos without the photo.

then it was off to the bowling alley for a very long 10 frames for the 5 of us (Holly decided to sit this one out). then the lights went black and the "cosmic" bowling started! super cool! the kids were alarmed at first, but they quickly recovered and we resumed our game.

just a side note: I got the highest score. it had nothing to do with the bumpers. I've been practicing on the Wii.

a look back at my little Jenna Lee...

6 months old

I love her cute face and goofy/sweet personality! Happy Birthday Jenn!

the REAL fireworks show!

I must say, the 2nd show blew the 1st out of the water! it was so awesome! every year, tons of families gather at the back grass of the church and someone coordinates music to accompany the fireworks show perfectly. it's a powerful combination. I loved it! Holly was completely mesmorized even though it got really loud at times.

Happy 4th of July!

Independence Day Eve fireworks!

yeah, I know. it's kind of strange, but our city has a fireworks show the evening BEFORE the actual 4th. we don't mind. we get two shows every year!

after a day at the beach and the pool, we joined friends from the ward for dessert at the park, then set up our chairs and blankets in the previously staked out location. Heidi's family and Brandi were still in town from the wedding and Amber & Sam were back from their honeymoon, so we had a great group to watch with!

Sam & Amber Lasley

more affectionately known as "Samber."
what an awesome event for our family! the temple sealing was performed by Elder Brimhall who I always enjoy hearing from, we met for a luncheon at Kate's house afterward, then mingled at the reception at my parent's house for hours. it was so fun to see old friends and get to know Sam's family from Iowa. Amber and Sam were so cool and calm all day. they compliment each other so perfectly and I know they will be so happy together!
Congratulations guys! welcome to the family Sam!

pat his cheeks and give him what?!?

...a great big kiss!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Josie's FIRST birthday!

I know what you're thinking, "who the heck is Josie?!?" that's my baby girl. Holly Jo, JoJo, Josie. her name has evolved. I like it.

yay! 1 year old! we didn't really do much for Holly's birthday, but she got to devour her very own cupcake. I guess that's as exciting as it gets when you're only 1.

Happy birthday Holly Jo!

Rockin' through the School Year!

the musical! Erin participated in her school production last night and it was actually pretty entertaining! she sang lots of funny songs and had a little one-liner. she loved being on stage and performing, as I knew she would. she insisted that I put make up on her. we went out for ice cream afterwards to celebrate her big night!

berry-picking

we have blackberries in our new backyard! tons of them! the girls ask me everyday if they can hunt for the ripe ones, pick them, and eat them. we even made a blackberry pie! I never knew I'd get so excited about a little tiny berry, but there's something magical about picking a berry off the vine, brushing the spiderwebs off, and popping it in your mouth. I love it!

a ponytail...finally!

yes! I did it! Holly's a new woman with an actual hair style! from her expression you can probably guess that she didn't appreciate the steady hands and fine-tuned skills it took for me to wrap that tiny rubber band around her 3 hairs. I guess she doesn't really care what her hair looks like. well I do.

we call it "the twirly park"

because everything spins! my kids love to play here!
Happy Memorial Day!