Seriously...is anybody out there?

I thought I had the dullest blog in the world....then I found
this.

The "Dread Pirate Robert"

Rob called from Cali last Saturday letting me know that he wasn't coming home. He would have to stay 3 more days in order to solve a few work problems. But after seeing my last post...decided that I should go out there to spend the weekend.
( A man can go only so long without his grapefruit)
so I hopped on a plane, ready for my Sunshine Fix!!

San Fran had record rain for the next 3 days.

What the "H-E double hockey sticks!"

I swear the powers in charge are against me ever being warm.
Oh well....the DPR (see title) was very sweet and only said once that "he would probably kill me in the morning."
We did do alot of driving around to theatre's.

I saw lot's of manikins in windows...very fancy

we drove down Lombard Street
( it was just like in "what's up Doc?"....you know the Streisand movie that is so funny...back when Babs was funny and not political.)

I wore my red shoes.

it was good.

I saw the sun from the airplane window on the way home. sigh.

note to self: "need sunshine...send reinforcements".

OH YA!!!

A SUNNY day, so I' have to start it off right by eating my new crave- GRAPEFRUIT!
( I don't really know why they call it that...it looks nothing like a grape...)
All I know is that I can't get enough! Kindle and I saw big bags of them at Costco a couple of weeks ago...we are on our 3rd bag!
I think my body is telling me something...like "it's time to spring clean" ...thanks body.

I cut the peel off the whole thing and then cut the sections out...

none of this, "I'll just have a 1/2 of one" business!

It is like pure sunshine!

Kindle had some, too...




It almost makes the snow bearable...I said almost.

...tee hee.

important conversations

Thursday....10:30p.m.
Mattie: "I'm so happy, I don't have to go to Seminary tomorrow. I can sleep-in."
Mom: "K...wake me up when you have to go."

Friday...6:30 a.m.
Mom: "MATTIE! DON'T YOU HAVE SCHOOL THIS MORNING! YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE AGAIN I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE STILL IN BED!!(frantic voice)

Mattie: "Mom, It's only 6:30...I don't have seminary this morning...this was my day to sleep in. (winey voice)

Mom: "....I knew that."

Kit Kit Bo Bit Banana Fana Fo Fit Me My Mo Mit...

Today is Kit's 25th birthday !
(man I feel ol_....I mean.....established.) So of course CAKE is in order.

How I love cake. even the word is kinda yummy. I made this cake for Daniel's B-day last year and it was a hit...so Kit needed a repeat. ( last year it was totally sugared out!!)

sweety-boy was there, too:)

But.........You guessed it...I wanted to eat it... so it is all pretty Healthy, and pretty light considering the changes I made. I used a simple recipe from the Good Housekeeping Cook Book and tweaked it....WW flour and replaced the sugar with pure Maple. No processed sugar anywhere in sight. I can make a cake and eat it TOO!


My next goal is to try to figure out a sugar-free and dairy free frosting. I'm thinkin'..... "air".?

Happy Birthday GOOFBALL!

I have a son.

Yesterday we went to Salt Lake to see Levi get sworn in. He has decided to enlist in the

United States Army.

Ok...just breath.... He has been really focusing on this for the last couple of months....(getting ready for basic in July). I am really proud of him and overwhelmed at this decision. Proud because I know that he will be a great soldier and he is making this hard decision for good and right reasons. Overwhelmed because of the state of our world. They have pretty much assured him that he will be deployed sometime after basic....(he wants to go). I know it is just "mother's" fear...but I can't help it.

When we walked into the "ceremony room"....that's what they called it....He was standing there completely tough looking and somber. I almost burst into tears right there. Life has been hard for him sometimes. He is on a good course, and I truly support him...even if it scares me just a little.









Do you ever stop feeling like they are your babies?

Thinking and Rambling....

I have been doing alot of thinking the last couple of days...about my life so far. So many ups and downs. I think what the real deal is...is that there were probably more ups than downs I just did'nt realize that we were in an "up" time. I thought it was a down time. OR maybe I made it a down time because I was having "brain junk" going on...you know..."everything is bad because it's not what I want..."
(stupid, stupid brain....why do I even have a brain..........wait...)

The girls and I were talking the other day about being a stay-at-home mom vs. a working-mom
---wait---it has to be said that I hate that verbage. I worked my butt off, I just happened to do it while I was being a mother at home. Anyway, It seems to still be a concern....are you valid as a person if all you do is mother? I remember wrestling with this question in my own mind...trying to find validation. In hind sight I know that it was the best blessing that could possibly have been...but I don't know if I appreciated it as much as I should have.
I remember being overwhelmed alot...I don't think I was a great mother of small children. I wasn't very patient. But I do remember having fun with them all...and I do remember thinking how much I loved them, and I know I prayed about them constantly. I hope that counts for something.

To all the young mothers out there, at home or not, I know I'm old enough to be your mother....but here's my advice: Stop for a minute and imagine yourself with them all grown. Then go thank Heavenly Father for today...and pray that you will be able to enjoy it all day!

"Mark it with an E!"

Today is Sweety-boy's 1st Birthday! I can't believe it has been a whole year!
We had a party at my house to celebrate. I made 2 different kinds of cake...one for Daniel that is an "unhealthy" cake and one for me that was a "healthy" cake. ( Ephraim had healthy cake, too.)
Daniel's cake was a recipe that I usually use for wedding cakes that is really good. It is orange-almond with buttercream. My "healthy" cake is a chocolate cake made with whole-wheat and is sugar-free...YAHOO! I frosted it with cream cheese and whipped cream sweetened with a little agave...so not completely vegan. but better than the alternative. we were in heaven. If you want to try the recipe you can find it here. (I tweaked it with a little orange peel and extract)
We started a tradition with our kids to make them their own little cakes, and just let them "dive in" so we had to keep the tradition going.

One year of bliss for the Garcia family!

He was a little Timid at first but all of a sudden realized..."This is for me!! By the time he was done it was everywhere!







That's what I'm talkin' about baby...OH YAH!









I love you sweety-boy.