Oct 28, 2009

Writer's Block

S ometimes I think writer's block doesn't necessarily mean not having anything to write about. Maybe sometimes it means that we just don't know how to go about sharing it. That's the kind I have today. I have something to say that I just don't know how to fit between my ramblings about apple cake and football games. I even feel conflicted about sharing this. It's so personal. But, if I don't share it I'll be lying about an important event. An important person in my life. So, I will be brief. I'll share a glimpse.

Baby Anu was our niece. We met her for a moment before she was gone. She is beautiful. Her parents are strong. Her family misses her. She'll always be remembered. Families are forever.

My Mother-in-law shared this poem and I love it.

Parable of Immortality
I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says,
" There she goes! "
Gone where?
Gone from my sight . . . that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the place of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment
when someone at my side says,
" There she goes! "
there are other eyes watching her coming . . .
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout . . .
" Here she comes! "

-Henry Van Dyke

Oct 8, 2009

The Perfect Fall Meal

Fall is the best season for cooking. The bountiful harvest always lends itself to comforting soups, pies, and ciders. I wanted to take beautiful pictures of the meal we had on Sunday after Conference. I forgot. I stink. But, I'll make an exception to my 'every post has a photo' rule for this one. It was good. I want you to try it.

I made this white chili. It's slightly spicy (just right if you ask me), creamy, and cheesy. The perfect compliment to the chili were these breadsticks. I let them rise and then form them into breadsticks. Let them rise again and then top with the butter, Parmesan and a sprinkle of salad supreme seasoning.

Then for dessert we had apple cake. I happen to have 2 bushels of apples from a generous teacher at Jarom's school. I posted a plea on facebook to help me use them up. This was one of the suggestions. I'm in love.

Apple Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup of sugar.
2 cups of diced apples
1 beaten egg.
1/2 cup of vegetable oil.
1 1/2 cups of flour.
1 teaspoon of baking soda.
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Directions:
Mix in order. Pour into a greased 8*8 inch pan. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake at 350F for half an hour or so. *I baked it for 45 minutes.

It was heaven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while it's still warm from the oven. Pure heaven. In my house, you can never go wrong with apples and cinnamon. I hope you try this meal sometime. It warmed us up and was the perfect combination of Fall.

A huge thanks to the friends who shared these recipes with me.

Oct 6, 2009

A Date Night


I t's been a while. We needed one. I still can't leave Hazel so she came with. Dinner at the Purple Turtle + BYU game. We left Cannon with his Auntie Haley. He adores her. It was refreshing. And not nearly as cold as we thought it might be. She slept the WHOLE time. Cougars won. Jarom gave me a peck every time they scored. Awww, sweet. The guys behind us were obnoxious. The best part about BYU games? Frozen lemonade. The pink kind. So good. Worth the $4. Maybe we'll do again soon. Or not. It's always nice to be together. Even if Hazel tags along.

Oct 2, 2009

Hazel ~4 Months

H azel is 4 months old today. I did these pictures of her yesterday. I have loved this hat and flower since she was born and they might be a little too big still but I just can't wait any longer to have her wear them. I was comparing her to Cannon's four month pictures and they are starting to look different. Cannon definitely looks like his daddy. Hazel looks a little more like me. There are a few things that I don't want to forget about her at this age. Feel free to skip over this part since it's mostly for me.

The other day, Jarom and I decided to go to the temple. I left her for the first time with my parents. We were gone about 2 hours when we arrived back at my parents to pick them both up. My sister, Haley, was holding Hazel and when she (Hazel, not Haley) saw me walk into the kitchen her little legs started kicking and she started hyperventilating. When I grabbed her she stopped and gave a quiet little squeal. I melted. Cannon has always been extremely independent. The few times we have left him with a sitter, he's been oblivious to the fact that we are gone. This little display from Hazel just made me feel happy that she seems to like me. It's nice to have one that appreciates me being around for a change. She's definitely my girl.

Here are some things she is doing:
  • Grabs for objects (toys, shiny objects)
  • Takes 2 naps during the day
  • Coos at any interested companion
  • Blows bubbles
  • Loves baths
  • Loves Cannon
  • Laughs when she is tickled
  • Wears size 3-6 month clothing
  • Plays with Mommy's hair
  • Sits propped against couch cushions
  • Wants to be held constantly
  • Likes to take walks
  • Doesn't scream during tummy time
I just love this little girl. She is still struggling with eczema. It seems that dairy is not the culprit so we're still being extra careful with other allergens. Her face and head have been much more clear the past week. Other than that, she is thriving and has managed to wrap us all around her little finger. That's our Hazie girl.