WOW! Things got really sort of crazy. I have some catching up to do. This was a great weekend. Not only was it General Conference, but the sun was out and we spent time outside! We have a terraced garden on the backside of the hill our home is on..well about 2/3 of the way across. Steve had Friday off so we worked a bunch and got a fabulous start on the rest! We hauled ties and dug and pounded stakes and got dirty and sore and had a blast. There will be 3 levels in this side, the upper one for vine fruits and their friends, the middle for variety berries and the bottom one for Raspberries. I can't wait to start planting. I know I have to anyway. Last year it snowed on the 3rd of June. Maybe the next project should be a green house for me!
We got 8 chicks...they're all feathered out now so I guess they're teen chickens. They are funny. I can't help but think of the movie "Chicken Run" when I see them huddled in the corner whispering things. They are silly and Jess thinks they are great.
Speaking of my darling princess, she had to go to the dentist. She has been a fabulous brusher of teeth ever since I explained that lack of correct and frequent brushing was the cause of her dental experience. They had to give her NOS because if you look at her wrong she'll gag. She was ready to go when she was done. She wouldn't even go back in to get the toy she left there. They can keep it was all she said. She was brave. Today the sun was out and warm. Jess and I played on the trampoline together. IT was fun. Jess wanted to play Kung-Fu. We did all sorts of crazy "moves". I'm glad our neighbors aren't very close! They would have been scared of more than just my super ninja moves!

Steve, winter grill master

Steven is a champ! I invited my cousin and his wife to dinner Sunday evening. I had purchased a turkey and put it in the fridge downstairs thinking it would be ready to go. Sunday morning was hectic...Steve had meetings, I was teaching, and Jess was ornery. I ended up taking the turkey out when we got home, a bit after noon. It was frozen!!! I've really only prepared one turkey all by my very own self in my life time. The tag on the bird said 18lbs. and the baking destruct ions said to figure about 30 minutes per pound. Hmmm...so it should be done sometime next Spring if I get it in the oven now, but I have to wait for it to thaw. I waited an hour or 2 and put the bird in. The conundrum was, if the turkey's not done, what do I serve them? Nothing I need the oven for. I do have some Apple Jacks. Steve suggested going ahead as planned, but marinating some chicken, that he would grill outside, as plan B. It was getting close to dinner time and I was still nervous about the turkey. The wind was blowing, it was dark and snowy. Grill Master tromped through the snow, got the propane tanks to work, and grilled chicken. Chicken hot, Steven frozen. According to Murphy's law, company was running a little late, which allowed the turkey to bake to perfection. We ended up not needing the chicken! Steve, cold and frozen, is a champ!

Tradition!

This year we decided to spend Thanksgiving at home. It was a culinary adventure for me, but no one died, and Steve did all of the dishes. We missed the families. The up side was that the time we would have spent driving, we used to deck our halls. Somehow I always end up doing the lights. I've decided to learn to love that job. I have a suspicion it will be my job forever. We Cristmas-ified our place whilst joyeous carols pealed. Wahoo! Jess is conducting the concert in front of the tree. Go Loolie! We celebrate the German Christmas tradition of St. Nicolaus Tag ( http://www.wf-f.org/st.nicholas.html ). Here's a brief explanation. I am sort of giggling to myself that he's the patron saint of unmarried girls and sailors. What an ironic juxtaposition! We tell Jess the stories were heard, and include Black Peter of course. She's still thinking about that part. We left our shoes by the front door, and SHAZAM! the next morning we all had a little treat in them, or next to them. Depending on the state of your shoes, your treat could become not so sweet! Jess was excited to find a package of m&m's in her shoe. Of course she'd be happy to find an m&m under the couch cushion..about anywhere really! She asked why there was a ribbon on the package. I told her St. Nic wanted to make them fancy. Ahhhh... she says thoughtfully. That's what makes something fancy. m&m's and an epiphany on fancy. What a great day!

My Hughes Mom gave us a service ornament last year so I broke it out. We do a secret service for someone in the family and leave it on their pillow. Steve and I started with Jessica. We helped her clean up her room, and set up her own little Christmas tree in her room, and explained the process. The next evening I helped her do something for Steve. The next day was hectic. When I got home , Steve had gotten everything ready that I needed for a new recipe I was trying! Wahoo to the service ornament. I think we may want to do this all year!

A Natural Beauty

The sky here is open wide. It is so inspiring to see the beauty of the seaon's changes, in the sky especially. Here are a few clouds that rolled my our house last week. Did I mention the sunsets here are breath taking? This is part of the view out of the kitchen window. Sometimes I don't mind doing the dishes so much : )