Missionary Primary Activity

The day before I was released from Primary, we had a little missionary activity. Each child received a special mission call in the mail. Henry got called to serve in Mexico and was thrilled to get mail that was all his own.

He didn't really know what or where that was but we looked it up on the map together.

Here is a shot of all the primary children, they are wearing Future Missionary tags and have marked on the map where they are going to serve their missions. Of course Henry refused to come and be in the picture.
As sad as it is to not be in Primary anymore, I am 100% relieved to no longer have to deal with him acting out in front of me. He is so reverent and respectful when I am not around. Hooray.

eaten: squash casserole

At a recent Relief Society potluck-picnic, I was brave and sampled a delicious looking casserole. Having experienced some unfortunate tuna surprises, I am hesitant to dig in to unknown casseroles. This dish had me going back for seconds before I even asked what it was. All I knew was that it was good.

Simple summer squash mixed with gooey cream and sandwiched between a stuffing crust. If you're looking for a new way to serve summer's bounty of zucchini, this is it. Steve even had two helpings. He said he really liked it because it basically just tastes like stuffing and not vegetables. Henry did not like it and actually threw it up in defiance.

I bet this would be even better with homemade stuffing topping. Day old bread and herbs. Hmm... I will play around with it and get back to you with an edited version. And you could even lighten it up with less soup and low fat sour cream.

Squash Casserole
Recipe from Debbie Johnson

8 oz dry stuffing mix-I use cornbread mix
1/2 C melted butter
1-2 onions diced (depends on how well you like onions)
2 lbs or so of yellow squash  You can also mix with zucchini
1 can crm of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Boil squash and onions, drain and mash.
Combine with soup, sour cream, salt and pepper.
Mix stuffing mix and melted butter.
Cover bottom of baking dish with 1/2 of stuffing mix, cover with squash mixture and then top with remaining stuffing.
Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until bubbly on edges.

100 Workouts

Spoiler Alert: Sorry people, no pictures of me working out. And I tried to get a good shot of my awesome biceps and shoulder muscles but none of the pictures did them justice.

At the beginning of the year I made some resolutions, like everyone else, right? The goal was to work out more. Not to diet, not to lose X number of pounds, just to good, old-fashioned hit the gym. Sweat and get my heart rate up. Time for me and my body.

I had seen things where each time a person exercises, they get to put $1 in a jar to buy something but who has cash? So I came up with a simple plan, mark a star on my calendar for each day I workout and then once I got to 100 I would get to treat myself to a massage or something equally indulgent. My goal was to make it by June 30-six months-and I missed it by 3 days. Oh well. 

Overall I would say that joining the gym has changed my life. Sounds dramatic. Well it is. I actually look forward to going and when I don't, I regret it. There is something so empowering about seeing your body change. The first month was brutal and as I continue to learn more and push myself, I still get sore and beat up. But its that good type of sore. The kind that means I actually accomplished something.

I have figured out how to have enough clean sports bras each week, what to eat after a power strength class so I can function on outings with Henry, to pack my gym bag the night before so I don't forget crucial things like underwear, towels or shoes. I have learned to love free weights and feel confident in that part of the gym. And while I am still unstable on the swiss ball, I can laugh at myself when I roll off and flop onto the floor. I have come to enjoy stretching and often stretch while watching tv at night because it feels so good.

There is also a great, supportive community at a gym. I have made friends with class instructors, built deeper friendships with girls I know and have the smiling-nods of friendship with people I see daily but never talk to. I know if I don't come to a certain class, Jenny will ask where I was. She will also push me to pick up a heavier weight since she knows I can do it. She looks at me when she gives the "die-hard" option. Lindsey will chat with me endlessly about working out and we'll push each other to push ourselves. Stacey is the most fit person I know in real life and she constantly amazes me with her strength and her genuine approval of my improvements.

I also learned that I have been working out incorrectly my entire life. If you really want to see your body change, you can't just do cardio. I thought if I did the elliptical for 40 minutes and then did abs I would get into great shape. Wrong. I have seen the most success by doing more weightlifting. Instead of just wanting to be skinny, I want to be strong. And while I have lost some weight, I know I have gained the most muscle I've ever had in my thirty years. I can flex and see muscle. That might not seem like a huge deal but oh, it is. Sometimes I like to flex my bicep and just feel it. Or my shoulders. Or my butt. Seriously. Its sounds crazy and egotistical but I can see the results and I am proud of my body. 

Proud, not because I'm super thin but proud that I am getting stronger. Like I mentioned before about becoming empowered, there is an immense power from being able to accomplish something new. For example, the first month I started at the Omni I began doing a class called Group Power. It is weight lifting to music. Barbells set with lighter weights that you lift for an entire song. Over the course of going to that class 3-4 times a month, I have been able to more than double my weight on most areas. Except triceps because I am perpetually weak on my flappers. But double. What was once a struggle is now too easy. Its amazing how fast your body can adapt and change and even plateau. I have learned to mix it up and try new things and classes. 

So if you are thinking about joining a gym or working out or just doing something for yourself, I say do it. And if you need someone to talk to about it, call me. And if you need someone to help you find a plan, let me know. I'm not an expert but I do pay attention. 

So here is to another 100 workouts!

the 4th of July

 We had a pretty disappointing 4th of July this year. Due to lots of rain, most of our activities were cancelled and we were grumpy and home bound. We started the day bright and early at our Ward Flag Raising and Breakfast. Luckily it was moved inside as it was pouring. I woke up early and made star shaped biscuits that were delicious and patriotic. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture. The breakfast was pretty good and they had games to play. We cut out early to make the morning showing of Rio.

Steve came with us which was a fun treat and we had other friends there as well. After the movie we sat around waiting to decide if the rain was going to stop. We had planned a BBQ/pool party which probably wasn't going to happen. Steve and I both took naps.

The weather looked kind of like it was going to hold steady at just cloudy and not rainy so we packed up the car for the BBQ. As soon as I was getting Henry in his carseat, the rain came down in sheets. Seriously. 

Five minutes before the party.

Monsoon.

The party was abandoned, the fireworks cancelled and we tried to hold it together with an incredibly antsy and whiny kid. "I don't want to go to a pool party!" "Why aren't we going to the pool?"

Luckily, our friends invited us over to play and hang out and salvage the evening. It continued to rain and hasn't really stopped for more than a few hours since. As much as I love the rain, I can see it affecting us especially Henry.

Lately,

 All of these pictures were taken this Sunday. I sent Henry and Steve outside to play and for some fresh air. Henry was supposed to ride his bike but wanted to sweep all the little flowers that had fallen out of the tree by our porch. He loves "sgweeping."

 He also started trying to ride his bike by standing on the back. He sure isn't letting his lack of being able to use the pedals stop him from having a great time. 

The other day I realized that everything I was wearing was from Target. Dress, sandals, necklace, bag. Luckily, I didn't go to Target. That would have been embarrassing.

We brown papered Henry's bedroom windows to see if he would sleep past sunrise (6:20 am). It was sad the first morning to hear him crawling into our room at 6:30, it was also sad to start the day by saying, "It didn't work." Failure is bleak at dawn.

Even though I am diligent about sunscreen and wearing a sun hat, we have reached that time in the summer where my makeup is too light for my face. Blend, blend, blend.

We have had rainy, rainy weather here. I LOVE IT! And it has been a much needed break from being outside in the sun. 

Oh and I finally hit 100 work outs! Massage or mani-pedi here I come. I will be posting more about that later. 

eaten: Oven Baked Fries

When I was in college, I had a roommate who thought those bags of frozen french fries were healthy. "They're just potatoes," she claimed. It was heartbreaking to show her the ingredients. The plates and plates consumed showed on her face.

And while I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I also love french fries. Let's see if we can make them baked and still delicious, with only potato and a little bit of oil. And I know I am not delusional to believe these are healthy, they are just a healthier option than the deep fried variety. So it took me about three times making these to finally get it right. I tried Gwyneth's version first but I had lackluster-stuck-to-the-pan results, this is the same recipe but tweaked a bit by Annie.

Lightly oiling the pan and then sprinkling salt and pepper on it was, I think the saving technique. Also flipping each wedge individually is kind of a pain but worth it. 

Baked Oven Fries

Yield: about 4 servings

Picture and Recipe courtesy of Annie's Eats

Ingredients

3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 tbsp. vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided--I would use even a little less
¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes. Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this). Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.
• When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Summer Reading

 I continue to be impressed by our wonderful, local library. For the summer, they have all sorts of weekly activities to entertain and educate kids. And while I think we have outgrown story time, there is still much to keep us busy there. This summer we chose to participate in their reading program. The goal is 50 books and you get little prizes along the way for every 10 books you read.

 Henry and I completed our goal this week and he got to pick out a free book. We chose Miss Nelson is Missing because he loves Miss Viola Swamp, the creepy alter ego of the sweet teacher. He was also very proud about moving his name to the "50 books wall."

 Some of the other prizes were a free kids meal to Raising Cane's, stickers, a tattoo and a watercolor page. Or course the true prize was spending time together reading. Ahhh....

We tried to read 50 different books and I think we only got one repeat: The Cat in the Hat snuck in there twice. Sneaky Cat.