This is a test

Just attempting to download a cute photo of Alyssa in her fast skin at the meet last week. She did a provisional time to be in the state competition in her backstroke and medley relay yesterday....crossing our fingers for her!!!

FYI

I had a fabulous pictorial post working yesterday.
Unfortunately Blogger tells me I have run out of memory space.
Wha.....?????
So until I figure out how to deal with it.
Or somebody gives me some advice on how to fix it.
My photos are temporarily suspended.

Grrr.......!@#$%^%^&&*()__

In the Mood

Ok, this is NOT that kind of post!!
My children read this blog!!

With the weather cooling down, it's amazing how much more interest I have in cooking.
It's fun to peruse new recipes and make a pot of something new.

Yesterday I decided to make home made chicken broth.
Don't gasp....it's EASY!

With homemade chicken broth, all you do is plop the chicken in a stock pot,
And some carrots, onions and celery.
I just rough chop them, they are just for flavor.
Fill the pot nearly full with water.
I also add a tablespoon of vinegar.
No, it doesn't affect the taste, it helps pull the minerals out of the bones in the chicken.

Bring it to a boil, then cover and turn the heat waaaayyyy down, so it is barely simmering.
And just simmer away.
For hours.
And hours.

Strain it and toss the veggies. They are wilted and the nutrition has been totally sucked out of them.
If there's any chicken left, you can save that too.

It's really delicious when cooked for 10-12 or more hours, rich and strong.
I then cool it and put it into mason jars and freeze it for later.

This is a great way to use up a chicken carcass that you have already eaten.
Getting two meals for the price of one!
And your kitchen smells wonderful in the process.
I know this may not be news to some....
But I've discovered something that makes the broth even better.
And that's a Costco roasted chicken.

I'll buy a chicken, eat up the yummy meat for dinner.
And then make chicken broth out of the carcass.

yummmmmm.
It would put anyone in the mood.......

Catching UP

No, this is not a post describing all the stuff that has happened this past week.

Today I've decided to regroup.
Putter.
Catch up.

We all need a day to kind of sort through the piles of life.
Toss and organize.
You know, regroup.

I did something this morning that makes me feel proud.
It was one of those things that I had been meaning to do for AGES.

Here's the story:

My refrigerator is a mess.
Something spilled (I think it was evaporated milk), dribbling its contents alllll the way down to the bottom.
The can was on the top shelf, hidden away in the bowels of the refrigerator.
So I decided to clean it up.

In the process of cleaning, I realized for the 1000th time,
that the annoying meat drawer is broken.
I have shuffled that dumb drawer in and out, babying it so it won't break more.
And I said to myself, "Self, why not? It's TIME!"

So I found the appliance booklet,
Called the customer service number,
And ORDERED a NEW drawer!

I'm feeling very self-satisfied at the moment.
Although the cost of the new drawer made me take pause.
But this dumb drawer has been broken for probably 3-4 years.
So I'm anticipating the new drawer...
That will slide easily in and out as I waltz around preparing dinner.
**cough**

So what is it that you keep putting off?
I challenge you to get it done TODAY.

One Eternal Round......

I've often pondered that phrase in the scriptures. What does it mean...It is repeated many times, in varying ways...."the course of the Lord is one eternal round...... I mean, I kind of get it, but the other day it slammed me right in the face when I saw this.....

It's time for the Grandparent Unit in the 2nd grade. That means Grandma and Grandpa are going to be interviewed about their lives.......

And that Grandma is ME!

I've always been the one who is hounding the kid to call Grandma/Grandpa to get the questions answered and the paper done. Once we even recorded my dad telling his stories.......

Now it's my turn........

Gulp.....

One eternal round.........

Images from the [almost] Frozen North

Finally, after many months (due to a broken camera and lost memory card) we've received photos from the Elder Bubba D! I tried to download a video of his one-year shirt-burning, but after an inordinate amount of time waiting to download, I gave up, so we'll have to settle for a few snapshots of his life captured in seconds.
His artwork.......

Where on earth is he?

Well, of course, near Fort Richardson.  He was here to pay tribute to our fallen heroes. One of them who passed recently, a member of the Church.

Well, for heaven's sake-there's a Wally World!

Hmmm, does that mean they can drive 54 miles per hour?

Assorted wildlife.  He took a video of this baby moose and I heard him say, "wonder where the mama is?"  Good question Elder, watch out for that mama!

And that's about it. Mostly videos, of which Blogger will not upload.
At least I can picture where he is.
And we heard his voice!

Let's Play Catch Up

I've had plenty of brilliant posts to share.....
Something always gets in the way....
Probably because it's a pain to download photos....
And then there's always the stuff I don't want to share....

So here's a brief recap of life at this Madwoman's place of abode.

Pretending it's really fall....even though the high that day was 100..

First visits to the pumpkin patch.....

Cooking like Pioneer Woman.
Seriously, her pan fried potatoes are DELISH.
I picked up her cookbook at Walmart....(at a discounted price of course)

Watching my newly sprouted seeds grow!!
These guys sprouted in less than a week.
It still fills me with utter amazement.

Fall gardening! The green beans are beginning to flower-hoping to get a nice crop before it gets too "cold."
Just planted cabbage, bok choy, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, one tomato plant, (here's hoping!), lots of greens, kale, spinach and swiss chard.  Yet to be planted....more carrots, onions, potatoes, peas....Walking into the nursery this time of year fills me with joy........

Still going to lots of swim meets, but we are on the downhill side.
Last home meet next week.
Then on to city and hopefully qualifying for the state meet.

 Chasing one year olds......

Celebrating birthdays.......

Enjoying the Hispanic culture......

Working on baby quilts.....
Starting to plan Christmas presents....
With a trip to Utah thrown in for good measure.
Just life in general.
Which is never caught up......

Breaking News!

My boy, the Mormon missionary in Alaska, has a short letter he wrote featured in the October issue of the New Era!!!  Go to newera.lds.org and find the October issue. It's the last letter on the last page!!!!

Faith, Family, Food, Fun (with a little Football thrown in)

Twice a year, we gather together as church members and families to listen to our leaders in general conference. Our family, like many others, has traditions of gathering.......here's a sampling of our weekend!

Football

Faith & Family... 

Food!

Fun.

With a little homeworth thrown in for the future dentist.....

(he's making teeth!!)

P.S. We don't swim on Sunday.....it was "girls night while the gusy were at priesthood---more photos of "Trubba" getting into trubba!!-the cucumber we harvested was almost as big as him!!