Kiss Me, Kate

Derek was in the orchestra for the high school play.  There was intensive practicing 2 months of after school until 6:30 EVERY DAY, or it seemed like it.  Actually it wasn't quite that much, it was more like, during school and then only about 2 to 2 1/2 weeks of the every day after school until 6:30.

The orchestra did amazing of course.  Derek played the bass clarinet, normally he plays the alto saxophone but he is pretty versatile and has been playing the bass clarinet on the side in high school for the past 2 plus years.  If he had his way he would have so many different instruments that he would need a second bedroom.  I love that he loves music.

 My mom and dad are very into classical music and my dad was in a big play, Carousel, when I was little and also played Abraham Lincoln in another play when I was younger.

Derek and my mom are amazingly alike in so many ways.  I love to see it.  They both love music and have a talent for it.  They are both quiet and reserved, they are both old souls and are wise beyond their years, they both have a very strong moral compass and are very compassionate.  They both have very strong sense of right and wrong and feel more comfortable and safe following rules and understand that there is safety in rules.  They also both have had and continue to have a very strong and natural love for the gospel and love to follow it's teachings.  I love them both and love to see genetics at their finest.  It would be well if all people could be more like my mother and Derek.

Sam, Leia and Derek

Recipe: Tri Tip Roast

This is a very easy recipe.  One thing that we have found though, if you need to freeze the meat do not season the meat before you freeze it, it dries it out.

When you are ready to cook the meat make sure you have some time like over night to marinate the meat in the seaonings.  Put on both sides of the meat.  Wrap with plastic and put in the fridge overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 45 minutes.  Do not cover.

This is a yummy easy recipe!

Dinners with Hannah

Hannah is working full time as a CNA at a nursing home while going to school.  I am so proud of her.  She is supporting herself and working hard.  One of my favorite things is when Hannah texts me and asks me to bring her dinner at work.  I love being her mom.  I am glad she is growing up and taking care of herself but sometimes I really miss taking care of her and all that goes with that.  Sometimes we sit in the car together while she eats dinner and I simply love our visits.  That's what they are, simple and lovely.  Sometimes she is so busy she runs out and has to take the dinner and run back in after a tender hug for me and eat when she can.  I love you Hannah!

My drawings

 So, in the past couple of months I have had the desire to draw.  I never really have so it has been a bit of an experience.  I love the Internet though.  I have found many images that I have wanted to try to draw.  This top one, I clearly have a long way to go but my kids are so inspiring to me and so positive.

 Growing up Dr. Seuss was a big part of all of our lives in my family.  I kind of felt like I grew up with him both in his books and with my Dad.  I really feel like he was a type of  Dr. Seuss.

 This is the start of the castle of Hogwarts.  This book series has been a huge impact on me.  I started back in the late '90's reading and listening to it and have never stopped.  They have been a great source of humor and happy thoughts for me.

 Hannah gave me the idea to try to draw this.

 And here is the finished version of the Hogwarts Castle.  I absolutely love the message that I found to put at the top of the picture!

I also began to draw in big part to maybe help to inspire my sweet Hannah to draw again, she has such a talent.  I hope so much that she gets back in to it and continues to develop this amazing talent that she has!

This one is my most recent.  I am wanting to buy some more colored pencils so that I can make more drawings in color.  I think that some would stay best in black and white, but I would like to have as many with color as possible.  Although, I think that could add a dimension of difficulty possibly.  Right now I just don't have very many colors.

Postcard from my Dad. Sweet childhood memory

The older I get the more I love old memories.  These are some of the most precious things I have.  I love that I can save them here on the internet.

My dad used to travel a lot when he worked for McGraw Hill.  He sold text books to colleges.  He quit though because as much as he loved to travel and working for the company he missed his family and would soon have to move to New York City.  He wanted to be home more and although he loved New York City he did not want to move his family there.  He and my mother then opened up the legendary bookstore, "The Family Tree".

Recipe, Six Sister's Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

(I have used heavy cream instead of 1% milk.  I also put in cooked, crumbled bacon and cooked shredded chicken.)

Instructions

1. Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes and drain.
2. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Heat over medium high heat and stir until the cheese melts.
3. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine cheese mixture, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper in your slow cooker. Add the drained macaroni and stir again.
4. Cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally (I cooked mine for about 2 hours and stirred it twice and it was perfect).

My kids and their friends love this.  I can also freeze it in individual serving sizes in bagies which I love to do with a lot of different recipes so that I am not having to cook so much.  Then we can have more fun together.