nice break...

Spring Break. I wonder whether I like it more now as a teacher, or when I was in school as a student. I do love it now...and sometimes I think it is cool that the breaks I got excited about growing up, I am still excited about them! I am sad this is a Friday post, cause that means the break is over :(... But we had a ball!


We left Sunday for beautiful, sunny St. George. The contrast was astounding when we drove through snow-covered Nephi on our way back with sun tanned faces. We rented a condo with the Boyles and Gosses and we LOVED it. Hiking, Swimming, Eating, Laughing, Tennis-- we had a ball! I even took a trip to Costco while I was there. The samples were to die for. (I even bought a jug of Naked Juice, which is one of my new loves)

There are no sunny pictures, just ones from our FHE trip to the St. George Temple. It is a gorgeous temple. This picture captures Christian perfectly...always about to run off somewhere. he would climb to the top of the stairs and grunt till I took his picture, then climb top the bottom for another one, then to the top...
cute.
after St. George we came back for a few days in Salt Lake, including a long awaited trip to the zoo. The boys LOVE animals (they got it from Jenny) and I was so excited to see their reactions to the animals. They had a great time and so did we. (personal opinion: that whole "Ghost of the Bayou" thing they had been advertising for so long...overrated.)

that giraffe stood there for like an hour without moving. I'm not so sure about the giraffe cages. They have these signs that tell you there kick could kill a lion and they have like a 2 foot fence and a two foot pile of rocks separating them from you. I think the giraffe was planning an escape. Or he wanted to eat me. I could sense it.
Jack wanted to ride "Thomas" the zoo train. So we didn't! Just to show him who was boss of the family!
You might not ever want to drink out of that lion drinking fountain.

After the zoo we went up to Park City to walk around at the outlets and then stayed in a condo up there. The boys called it Neverland.

We ate at this place on Main Street (which I have never been to before--Main Street that is-- and I think it is one of my new favorite places. I want to eat at every restaraunt on the whole street) called "Main Street Pizza and Noodle". Kid Friendliness- 5 stars. Service- 5 stars Food taste--5 stars. Definately reccomend it to anyone! We ended the week at Temple Square. (I promise the boys were happy there. This is the only picture I took)

I think I will be kind of glad to go back to...who am I kidding--I can't wait until summer!

Spring into Spring

So I noticed that our blog could probably be put on the lame list, so decided I better do some updating.

trying the lesue (kewish originally) tradition of ooh aww-ing after dying easter eggs.

we dyed brown eggs for the first time and I think they have a deeper, cooler color. I am a fan.
jack after an unsuccesful and lacking community egg hunt. Doesn't it break your heart?

Check out this story--
At the Disney store, Jackson found a "Mak" (the large trailer that pulls lightning mcqueen around) and fell in love with it. He was pretty sad when we told him he couldn't get it because he didn't have any money. Easter was probably a week or week and a half after that. At Suz's house Jack found a few eggs with quarters in them, so when I walked in the door on Monday after work he held up $2.25 in quarters and said, "Dad, look! I have money! Can I go buy my "Mak" now?" He melted his Dad's heart.
With the new spring weather (except for the snow that was on our lawn three days ago!), Jack and Christian are enjoying cruising around the lawn! They both love it!as made apparent by the previous photos, Buzz is back!

Spring Eve

(Anyone on boot camp week might not want to read this post either)--

Ok, It is Spring Eve. I hear we are getting snow tomorrow. Yikes!

Today we tried something new...that is old. It is a Provo commonplace, but we have never been--JDawgs. We tried it for our first time today as part of our Spring celebration. If you have never had their hot dogs, I recommend them! I wouldn't say they are to die for or anything, but I will eat them more than one more time, definately. The guy who owns that little shack has a good thing going. It is small with one of two things to order, the secret sauce is brilliant and they have a load of delicious toppings. Simplicity is gold. (I think I made that up, but we are studying Proverbs in seminary right now, so...).

It is open until 8 pm for the spring and summer, so if the craving comes and you are wondering, look up my blog again. (Man! Now that guy is getting free advertising!).

Tomorrow Jenny is making some crazy food she had in Jerusalem. I think it will be appropriate :)

Aloha winter. Aloha Spring.

2 days left babu

I intended the title to say, "2 days left baby" but when I misspelled it "babu" I thought it was so funny, so I left it. (I just laughed again reading it...enjoy!)

Well, the new countdown is not to the next episode of LOST (not to say it isn't worthy of a countdown), but to the first day of spring. I am really excited about it. In fact, I told Jenny the other day we needed to have some sort of "welcome spring" party or a "adios winter" party, but we couldn't think of many things that were springy to have at a party. Jenny suggested bunnies and chickens, but I don't know about that...

Today, Keyshawn, this brother I work with, answered all of my spring needs. We were on an errand together and we stopped by Shirley's bakery in Provo, and he bought a load of rasberry sweet rolls with vanilla frosting for the faculty. I asked to occasion, and he said--"First day of Spring brother, the Persian New Year" (He is Persian). I was so happy about it. I have decided to be an adopted Persian for the week so I can celebrate the coming of spring. He told me all sorts of Persian activities he did growing up for the spring new year like: getting new clothes, getting new crisp money, eating white fish (nothing new about that, just nice) and other stuffs.

So, this week, we are celebrating spring!
Monday--new suit and clothes for the boys (sorry Jenny)
Tuesday--new food (new indian restaraunt in provo--maybe that is where babu came from)

If you have any ideas, pass them on, yo.

p.s. Jack just went poo in the potty. That might gross out the world, but I don't care because I am so excited! Hallelujah!

for holly and dave...

Everyone else may enjoy this as well, but I was talking to holly and dave about salmon recipes yesterday and this is one we tried tonight that you might like.

almonds
bread crumbs (we included flax seed)
lemon zest
olive oil
salt
pepper
(this all makes the crust)

The original recipe called for brushing on dijon mustard on the salmon before adding the crust, but we didn't have any, so I brushed on a wasabi, soy sauce, lemon sauce that I invented.

Crust it, cook it (425, 15-18 min), eat it.

We were impressed by it. It was actually pretty good. Try it if you dare and let us know :)

p.s. you grind up the incredients to make the crust and the original recipe called for walnuts, but we didn't have those either so...

p.p.s. To everyone--Happy St. Patricks Day, Happy Birthday Christian, Happy Birthday Allan.

the winner is...Josh

Ok Josh I think you were closest to the name of the virus from Mission Impossible II. It is the Chimera virus. Now we can say the line properly. "I've been injected by the Chimera virus." (Note to all: There is no force field that will protect you from this deadly disease.) Ok, if you are reading this and you have no idea what is going on, move on with your life. This is one of those "had to be there" moments and posts.

But for those who tortured themselves reading the madness, I'll give you one new funny thing about Jackson.

When we say our prayers at night he has gotten on this new thing where Nana says the prayer. (Nana is his lion). So Jackson folds his arms and helps him through the prayer in his Nana voice--which sounds a lot like his baby voice. Tonight he has expanded the spirituality in the house to other toys. The helicopter folded its arms? and the plane said the prayer. It was a good one.

one wrong, one right...leaves me even

I really do have a lot of right going on in my life today, but the title "3 rights, one worng...leaves me even" wasn't very catchy. Although (and lets begin with the bad news) the wrong is a very big wrong-- it is snowing in spring. It really isn't bothering me that much to be honest with you. But coming from Texas to the snow makes it worse. This brings me to my right(s).
Jenny and the boys are home. Yahoo! Along with that came a key lime cheesecake I bought from Costco as a welcome home gift for Jenny. (word to the wise--get it! It is amazing!) I also bought the odwalla fruit drink at Costco which deserves a blog on its own because it is tasty and nutritious. So, I am definately in the positive as unhappy as I am about the snow.

p.s. I am still wearing flip flops. I ran into Rhondo Fehlberg at Costco and he looked down at my feet and said, "Flip Flops? In the snow?" "Yes sir," I said. He replied, "Seems like a Butler thing to do." I didn't know our fmaily had that reputation, but I love having it none the less. :)

alone

I know it sounds like a lonely and sad title for a blog, but it is true. Keep reading though, there is a lot of happiness coming...
I'll start with the alone part. Ready? I am alone. Jenny and the boys are in Texas still with some of my family, swimming, eating, swimming, eating. What a life.
I was bored enough today to garden. I kind of liked it. I usually listen to my Ipod, but a few
times I turned it off because I wanted to hear "outside." I feel like everyone is cooped up all
winter long and it was refreshing to be outside.
Texas outside was much more pleasant. And the food was nothing short of divine! We ate at
my favorite places. I have a happy belly and heart.
We all surprised my Mom for her 50th birthday this last weekend. Some came back for work and school and others stayed for more rays. The weather was nice, the hanging out was brilliant and did I mention the food.
I love my mom and dad. Happy 50th again to Mom. I hope you make it to 100. (If you do, you should run a marathon. I saw this guy from the UK who is 103 running a marathon in the coming months. amazing. You could do it!)
Thanks for spoiling us down there.
I mentioned gardening, but let me toot my horn. I pulled out all of the oregon grape spikey bushes from out in front of the house. I don't know what hit me. I have thought they were
hideous for years. Now they are gone and Jenny has ordered a potentially beautiful flower garden for out front. It is a shade garden. I am excited.
Speaking of flowers, the crocuts (I am not sure how to pronounce or spell the name of the flower) have arrived. They are small and purple and my neighboor tells me they are the first flower of spring. Yahoo!
Ok, no pictures, so I better sign off. Before I go... Ten things I loved about my trip to Texas:

1. Texas-- I just love being there
2. Taste of Texas- New York Strip, Medium, garlic saute...wow
3. Pappasitos
4. Shipleys Donuts and Kolaches-- I am dreaming about them tonight.
5. Whole Foods Market (maybe this desrves a post of its own, soon)
6. Surprising Mom for her birthday (and making fun tombstones for the lawn)
7. Watching Mom play tennis
8. Swimming with Jack and Chunky
9. Rodeo--Rascal Flatts concert-- awesome as it sounds!
10. Blue Bell fudge bars-- it was the last thing I ate. I hesitated brushing my teeth...

Y'all come back now, ya hear?!

my new way to watch American Idol

Holly made a comment on my last, "brief" American Idol post where she said she doesn't watch American Idol for three reasons: Ryan, Randy and Paula. I thought is appropriate to share with her and others my secret for enjoying American Idol: TIVO. We have never had TIVO, and I am not sure if we watch enough tv to make it worth it yet, but I currently love TIVO, especially when watching American Idol.

Here's why:

1. commercials...gone.

and 2nd. This is how a normal show goes-

Singer and Ryan have an awkward conversation on the red couch, commercial, singer intro, singer sings, judging (Randy: dog, dog, you know what man, you can bow, but dog that was just a'ight for me, I mean the middle was a little shakey and the whole thing was a little pitchy, not my favorite. Paula: You are a butterfly. You have discovered who you are and are being true to yourself. [some copy of a comment Simon made the episode before that doesn't apply]. When I hear you sing I feel like a golden puppy and you are my hero for being true to who you are. Simon: [something brief, true, and sometimes stinging, yet true statement with a clever analogy--I love it!]), singer gives Simon some lame sass, Ryan comes out to ask another awkward question and the singer shows their fingers that correspond with the number that comes on the screen-every time, commercial.

BUT WITH TIVO, this is how my show goes-

singer sings (sometimes I watch their intro), I usually hear Randy cause I like his laugh, fast forward through Paula (every time she opens her mouth), listen to Simon, laugh, fast forward through Ryan and the commercials, singer sings...

It is brilliant.

p.s. I am not on the Simon bandwagon where I like him because he is mean. I am not sure why America thinks that is funny...I like that he is the only one who offers true, constructive criticism. When he leans into attacking character, I am not a fan, but for the most part he is offering witty criticism, and it is so refreshing.

Ok...so I have about 5 different recipes for Monkey bread. I never know which one to use, but I'll post the one I tried on Monday because it turned out so good and soooo gooey - LOVED IT!!! Some of the recipes call for frozen rolls and butterscotch pudding - sounds good, but I've never tried it that way. If anyone has a favorite way to make it, let me know....

Here it is:

4 cans refrigerated biscuits

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tbsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9-10 inch tube pan

2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag or bowl with a lid. Cut the biscuits into halves or quarters and add to the mixture. Shake until all the pieces are well coated.

3. Arrange pieces in the bottom of greased pan. Continue layering until all the pieces are in the pan.

4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over layered biscuits.

5. Bake for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Pull apart and enjoy.

*I halved the recipe. I only used 1 can of the "grand" biscuits. I used a loaf pan instead of the tube pan and I only cooked it for 25 minutes.

Tah-Dah!!!

The finished product - my pinewood derby surfboard. It didn't turn out quite as good as I had hoped, but we'll see how she races tonight! Wish me luck...

(p.s. sorry about the blurry picture)

Is anyone watching American Idol?

just curious...

back again...

even I was annoyed going to our blog to get to other people's blogs. if I saw that dumb icicle picture one more time I was gonna kill myself. so, we did a revamp on the design (it is girly) and we are committed to blogging again. i lost my testimony of it for a while, and now it is back.

yes, i made it. it is not done yet, of course, but i wanted everyone to see my skills with a saw and sander. i am not totally useless i guess. i used two fancy saws and two fancy sanders to start making jenny's pinewood derby surfboard. we will post the final product too. (she is doing a pinewood derby for activity days this week.) is everyone overly impressed with me? if yo uaren't, you don't know me and i don't want you looking at our blog anymore you stalkers!:) ( i still have all my fingers, by the way--no nubs on the hands, just the feet.)

we made monkey bread for family home evening. I LOVE monkey bread. I think it is one of my favorite...baked goods? Whatever. I just LOVE it! Jenny has only made it one other time and I was sick, and didn't eat any of it, so she never made it again. We have made it twice in the last few days and eaten it all. Ye-ah!

I didn't get a picture of me skiing this week, but I will get something up so we can count it as a winter embracing activity (I kind of doubt we will reach our goal). But Buckbeack borrowed Jenny's snowboard for the weekend and Jack wanted to try it out before Loopy came to pick it up. Future boarder in the house...

and so it continues...

Today was a hopeful day for me. Spring is one day closer. The tundra on our driveway is beginning to melt which is very promising. (I know, it is Utah and Spring is not until June, but I am shooting for optimism). Our neighboor James came over last week and helped us get off weeks of ice on our driveway. He is a saint. Then it snowed the next day, which is why it is back. Nothing new is happening with us, so I thought I would just show some pictures we finally have put on our computer :).

I call this photo: "Death by Ice"

I swear these were bigger than the picture gives them credit for. Our gutters all froze over, so the snow and ice started spilling over (And into our bedroom). So I got up on the roof, like a handy husband would do, and shoveled it all off. As part of my ice capades afternoon, I pulled down one of those giant ice knives and all of them came crashing down. A near death experience. The good news is when they fell they pulled down all of our Christmas lights, which previous to this event were solidly frozen to the house with no hope of coming down until the thaw. The force of it ripped the light wire in half, but that won't bother me until I need to buy new ones next year.

I call this photo: "You can't really tell, but there are deer in our backyard"

They come down from the mountain and feast on the apples that never made it off the tree. They are the frozen, rotten bug filled apples we didn't care for, so I am glad something appreciates them. This will be my convincing argument to Jenny next year on why I don't need to pick the apples up off the lawn. I am getting the deer through the winter. I got pretty close to them until I started having thoughts of them charging me, so I went back inside. At least it wasn't the cougar our neighboors saw in their lawn. Yikes. Maybe on of our winter embracing activities could be a winter safari in our own backyard. Emma, wanna come?

Well, the last picture had an error--must be a sign because this is getting kind of long. good night.

2 reasons why i LOVE february...
(and really, there are ONLY 2)

petite sour hearts from the BYU bookstore - i bought a whole POUND this year!

sugar cookies with kool-aid frosting

delish!!!

Our night with Bronco

As many of you know, Jenny's brother, Justin, is going to play football for BYU next year. As part of him being a new recruit, Coach Bronco Mendenhall made a house visit to meet/talk with Justin in his house and to meet his family and we were there. Coach Tidwell also came along with him.

After our evening with those two coaches, I think I am a bigger BYU fan than ever and they are now some of the people I will add to my list of people I admire and look up to.

Both of them were extremely gracious and fun and interested in everyone. I don't recall a single awkward moment the entire night. They saw Josh's "Cougar Corner" in his room, and willingly went down to see Justin's "Grotto" (the clubhouse type thing he and his friends built--very impressive), ate Jessie's Key Lime Pie--surprising. (jokes! it was really good), we talked about BYU's football schedule, Bronco meeting his wife, his surfing camps, his family vacations, all of our love for Hawaii, the "do you know so-and-so game", seminary, how BYU has the colors they do, and all sorts of other topics. They just kind of hung out with the family for a couple of hours.

They talked about their vision for BYU and its players and then talked specifically with Justin about signing day next week when he will officially be signed on to play for BYU and get his scholarship.

At the end of the night, two things stuck with me. First, I felt I had to thank Bronco for all the hard work he is doing at BYU. He informed us that according to President Monson, BYU Football is the Number 3 missionary tool of the church. Second, these men are solid. They are very principle based and have no intentions on wavering from those principles. When I talked with him about it he told me, "Oh, winning is just an outward manifestation that living by principles works."

We had a fun night!

Congratulations on your graduation...

I miss him already. I know it is not news to anyone that President Hinckley passed away. I know I won't say anything that people have not already heard or felt. I know very few people will read this, so I am not writing it for any of those reasons. I think writing is one of my forms of release, and can be a good way for me to mourn. I am not a fan of mourning, and I think his passing is a great thing. I know the church is true and their is a divinely inspired way of the kingdom moving forward. I know I will love the next leader of our faith ( I already do.). I know I never met President Hinckley, but I feel like I have lost one of my friends. When President Hinckley came to Houston and spoke in the Astrodome, I had an experience there that I reflect on often (I have to...its my job). I should remember what he spoke on, but what I remember is his wave after the meeting had ended and he was leaving the field. I thought he was looking right at me. I waved, and he seemed to wave back. We were having this moment together--me and the prophet. I turned to my mom in excitement to see if she saw what was happening, only to see her waving too. My one-on-one with President Hinckley wasn't totally vanished until I turned around and saw thousands waving behind me. Although a little disappointed, this did not crush my childhood faith. I actually think back on it often, and at first usually laugh at how funny it will be to watch that scene again and see my face when we watch the big movie in the sky. But I also think about what a student of mine said so perfectly today:

"We believe that God is love. Well, I never met President Hinckley, but every time he spoke, I felt the love of God. I felt like he loved me and I loved him. That's one of the reasons I know he is a prophet."

My heart is torn between singing John Taylor's hymn after Joseph died, "O Bring Me Back my Prophet Dear," and rejoicing in the reunion he is having with his sweetheart and Joseph himself, no doubt.

So the stone rolls forward. I think in lieu of flowers I'll recommit to "being a little better." I think he'd like that.

We thank thee, O God, for our prophet.

what do you think?

(this post has nothing to do with LOST--see the previous post for that and why it is on the mind).

It does have to do with Koreans.

Yesterday I got a call from a lady who is placing foriegn exchange students into homes and asked Jenny and I if we would accept one from Korea. I think Jenny's aunt gave her our names and told her we were both return missioanries from Korea and live in the Timpview borders (They want the students to go to Timpview...what's wrong with Provo? :). Anyways...at first I immediately thought- oh there is no way. But I started asking questions and thinking about it a little and now it is on the mind. It is not likely...but I have not dismissed it completely.

It could be fun. It could be annoying. It could be a cool way to share the gospel. They could hate us. They could be bored. They could love it. It could be awkward. Anyways...what do you guys think?

obsessions require countdowns

7 days.

I looked up LOST on abc.com to get this picture for my post and realized how much I have forgotten over the past...7 months? (How long has it been since LOST left the air? Whatever the length, absence made the heart grow fonder.) My point--I watched a clip that began with Kate asking Jack why Locke killed some random girl...I vaguely remember that happening. I think I have forgotten quite a bit. With a 2 hour season premiere, and knowing LOST, they will probably spend the first half on a "previously on LOST" kick. This time I will be ok with it (as long as they don't recap the dang basement place--what was that called again? oh yeah, the hatch. that was real. wow.)

p.s. with previous blog posts as my witness, I have always stood by juliette as a good guy (girl). I know Suz and Christy are tempted to join my side.

No. 4

Happy MLK Day to everyone!

Luckily I had the day off from school and we had a big snow storm. This was equation for a fun day of sledding.

Jodi and Christian came out Sunday night to spend the night, and then The Sorensens and Kerrs came out too to sled at Rock Canyon Park. (That meant Christian's crepes for breakfast!)

Jack did not go down the hill even once. (Maybe when he's older?) Christian loved it except when he got snow sprayed up in his face.

The best ride down was putting all of us on 2 tubes. It was brilliant. (and it was cold)

16 more to go...