Saying goodbye to my missionary Oct. 1988

One of the hardest days of my life...saying goodbye to my best friend for 2 long years! 7 weeks after he returned home we were married!

I learned how to scan pictures to my computer!

So, I learned how to scan pictures to my computer today. I can now scan older pictures we have. I am so excited! The picture of me was when I was either 2 1/2 or 3 and the other is of Ben on the top of King's Peak right before he left for his mission to Oakland, California. We have had a good week. Nothing particularly exciting happened, but that's okay. Today Jake and Ryan had basketball games and they both played well. I'm going to a post a picture of them playing when I get them off the camera. Ryan made a free throw shot...it didn't even hit the rim! Plus he made 3 other shots! He was on fire today! It's so fun to go to the kids' games. Josh is at a dance at Juan Diego High School tonight. He and his friend, Riley, took a couple of girls that go there to the dance. He looked so sharp in his suit as he walked out the door. On the 17th of January Josh asked me, "Mom, you know what today is?" I replied, "January 17th." He then asked me, "Do you know what that means?" I said, "No." He proceeded to tell me it has now been 6 months since he got his driver's license, which means he can now drive with his friends in the car. It's scary when your kids can drive, but you have to let them grow up. We've tried to teach him to be responsible...and he knows if he gets a ticket he no longer will drive because we won't pay for his insurance...so I hope he is always safe. He is such a great kid and I really love him!

Back to healthy eating!

So, Christmas is over and that means we are now back to healthy eating (umm...diet). I make my families favorite wheat bread every week now. There is NO white flour whatsoever in the bread and no fat added (I use applesauce instead of butter). It is delicious and the house smells wonderful when it is baking!!! Here is the recipe:
Whole Wheat Bread
2 Tbls yeast
5 C very warm water
7-8 C Whole wheat flour
2/3 C Honey
2/3 C Applesauce
2 Tbls Salt (optional)
Proof the yeast. Add honey, applesauce, yeast and then add wheat alternating with water. Add additional wheat flour as necessary to make the dough not sticky yet pliable, add the salt. Knead for 5 minutes. Make 3-4 loaves with the dough and place in greased bread pans. Let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350* for 35 minutes. Yummy...enjoy!!!

What's the big deal with the Twilight Books???

I have just finished reading the second in the Twilight series of books, New Moon. I struggled to get through Twilight because I just couldn't stand the "cheesey" writing. The way Edward and Bella interact is just so, well...too much. This is just my opinion here, so no one be angry with me, but I don't quite get the "Twilight Phenomenon." I actually enjoyed New Moon better because Edward was out of the picture for a good part of the book. The relationship between Bella and Jacob isn't quite as out there, but really, what teenage boy kisses a teenage girl on her forehead and then her nose, and then the top of her head? Really?! That's what a mom might do to her little child, but, a teenage boy to a teenage girl??? Whenever I get to those "cheesey" parts I text message them to Benj and he always gets a good laugh. He too agrees that that is not what normal teenage boys act like. It makes them almost girly, or motherly, I think. To me a good read was the Harry Potter series. Now that was good reading! No mushy, gushy, over the top cheesey stuff, just good entertaining writing that truly kept you excited to read! The characters, even though wizards, acted the way "normal" people do. Not drooling all over each other like in Twilight, "He touched the tip of her nose and then kissed the top of her head" kind of stuff. Just my two cents. No offense intended towards those who love the books, I just don't quite get what the hubba balloo is all about.

New Year's Eve at Debbie's House 2008

Christmas Day 2008!