Random Pictures

Like most you with school-aged children, life has been busy around here with end of the school year things piling up daily. I now have two children in braces, one dance recital behind me but another one still on the way, we have attended school carnivals, tested for Presidential Fitness, bought some bedding, forgotten about piano lessons one week, done a ton in preparation for Girls Camp, done a ton of work for my husband's upcoming 20 year reunion, etc.

Since my life feels like one disjointed motion, I am posting random pictures that I found on my iphoto with explanations about each one of them.

I can't get pictures to turn today. This is a picture of me and the other boys from Boulder, CO who sang with the BYU choirs just after we sang for General Conference. This was taken October 1993. I have known all of these boys since birth and they indeed like brothers to me. I spent holidays in most of their homes, our parents held church callings together, we attended the same schools and played in each others yards. I adore these men and amazed that we all are so grown up now doing wonderful things. Go Boulder. (Oh, I have no idea who the girl in the red dress is.)

Cute door, Josh, the foreman who finished our basement put on the kids playhouse under the stairs. Kelly, doesn't he look surprisingly like someone you are married to?

My beautifully organized, new storage room. There is now a ton of food storage on the one empty shelf.

New bike helmets for my two youngest. Thank you Robert J Debry who sells them for $5 each.

My cute husband in high school. My sister in law just gave me stack of old school photos of my husband. This is my favorite. Isn't he darling?

First Dinner "Up the Canyon" of the Season

The weather was right, we made the time and it was so worth it. Our first dinner "Up the Canyon" this Spring season.

Salmon Side

I am not sure this picture makes it look yummy or not but it was super tasty.

About once a week, I make salmon for dinner. My current recipe is baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes on a cookie sheet, skin side down. Rub a little liquid smoke onto the salmon, salt and pepper. That is it. So easy and so yummy.

Last night, I wanted a little something more with it, so I made this side. You can put it on top of the salmon once it is cooked or just put a spoonful on your plate and scoop a little on your fork while eating the salmon. Super yummy and very well received.

Almond/Walnut Salmon Topping:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Juice from 1/2 of a lemon

1 Tablespoon to 1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar

A sprinkle of poppy seeds

A sprinkle of dill (more than the poppy seeds but not much)

A sprinkle of coriander

Mix well.

Plan Summer

Toothsome #4 in full summer glory

Every May, I sit down and figure out what summer is going to look like with my family. Because of the changing ages and needs of the kids, every "Plan Summer" is slightly different. I often use things from the past and subtract things that didn't work and add new things to try.

So here is my "Plan Summer" this year:

1. Swimming, diving and tennis lessons for my kids. (Diving is new but toothsome #1 is done with swimming lessons, so diving it is.)

2. Summer Goals: I did this last year. For a Family Home Evening in May, we all sit down and write out some goals for the summer. For example, for me, I am going to run a 1/2 marathon, read the whole Book of Mormon, get all my kids scrap books organized. The kids and Dentist husband will make similar goals--ones that can be completed in a 3 month time span.

3. Saturday Morning Hike: We did this last summer and it was a huge hit. We all loved it. We might add Letterboxing into the mix with this one as well.

4. Chore Jars: This is new. Every day, they each have to pick a chore out of their jar and do it. I figure during the summer, we will have the time to do this and I can take the time to really teach them cleaning principles. Because my kids are at such different ages, they will each have their own jar with "doable" chores based on their age.

5. Of course, every morning, before TV or video games, they all must make their beds, do one page out of their summer workbooks and practice the piano. Toothsome #1 also has to run on the treadmill for one mile five days a week. (He had to choose between swim team or running on the treadmill five days a week. He chose the treadmill.)

6. Nightly, read out loud to my kids from a book. I have a stack we are going to try and tackle--starting with James and the Giant Peach. I still remember my fourth grade teacher reading this to our class.

We will also be doing just a ton of hanging out in the pool, going up the Canyon and barbecuing, organizing glow-stick night games and eating a ton of fresh produce from the wonderful roadside stands in our area. My mouth is already watering for good cantaloupe.

Little Notes

I am still going through stacks of things in my house right now in my attempt to de-junk and only move back downstairs what I really want to keep. I am down to a few boxes of pictures that need to be put in albums and a few boxes of dental school stuff that Dentist Husband needs to sort through.

In going through my stacks, I found a file folder with about 15 notes that have been sent to me for the last few years. They are just your basic thank you notes from friends and family for gifts I have given or some act of service I have done for them. I am sure most of these people wrote the notes quickly without much thought given but each one has been saved for a line or two that meant something to me. Things like, "Wow! What a thoughtful gift. You really know me." or "I consider you a good friend." or "I appreciated your honesty in talking to me on the phone the other night."

I save these notes and bring them out when I am feeling less than perfect about things. They are a little support system to me to remind me that at times, in my daily dealings with people that I am good--not perfect, not ideal, not the best, but good. They give me that little lift when I need it.

I need to start sending similar notes to people for thoughtful things they have done for me because in those moments when I am just feeling "less than" they remind me of who I am.

Olive Tapenade

I was at my friend's house and she gave me some of this. If you like olives, this is really good.

Olive Tapenade

1 can of black olives

1 Tablespoon capers, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (this is with the tuna at the grocery store)

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 clove of garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dried garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix all of this in a blender and eat with crackers or corn chips.

I have also heard this is really yummy with goat cheese and served on baguette slices.

Melanoma Monday

Just an FYI: Today is Melanoma Monday sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology. If you go to this link, there is good info on how to do a skin check and places that will do skin checks for free.

In an unrelated note, celebrate with me on my seven mile run today, done in under a 10 minute mile (9.55 mile). My best time ever and when I woke up this morning, I almost decided not to run. Glad I did. Now, onto laundry.