My One Year Blog Anniversary.

     Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the beginning of my blog. I started it one Valentines day and my goal was to blog Monday through Friday for one year. I know I missed a day here and there, but considering the total chaos that is my life I think I have done a pretty good job. I missed a couple of days when we were on vacation and once when I was sick, but other than that I accomplished my goal.
     I want to thank all of you who have supported me with comments here and on Facebook, you don't know how much I appreciate you. I had to laugh the other day when I went back and found the beginning chapter of Into the Darkness and I stated that it was a short story I was working on. That short story is now close to 100,000 words long. I guess I just can't write short, at least not yet. I'm working on it. I also got a chuckle out of some of my older blogs. In some ways life has changed for us and in others it is exactly the same.
     So here I am on the eve of my blog anniversary and I am wondering, are you all sick of me yet? Or should I continue my witty observations of life? There really should be a sarcasm font on our computers, don't you think? I hope you all have a great day and thanks again.

Happy Friday!

     Happy Friday! What are your big plans for the weekend? We don't really have any except the usual stuff, basketball practice, basketball games for our boys and basketball on TV and basketball at the stake center for the men. This is because of my hubby's new calling. I will be a basketball widow this weekend. What a shame. Can you hear the sarcasm dripping off of those words.
    We are having a birthday party at our house on Saturday for my little granddaughter, Lyla. She turned five recently and will be starting kindergarten in the fall. I don't know how time goes by so fast. All these little grandbabies just keep getting older and older and they are dragging me right along with them. :( 
     My personal plans for the weekend are to write, write and write some more. All in all, a good time will be had by all. I hope your weekend is just as fun, restful, productive, happy, wonderful and great.

My New iPhone Is Here!

     I got my new iphone yesterday. I am excited and I feel like I am moving with the times. I can't wait to get a few cool ringtones and put all my music on it. I'm really excited that I can access Deals to Meals on it because I always seem to forget the prices that I was sure I would remember when I looked it all up at home. I do a lot of price matching. I have all kinds of apps I've heard of that I want to download, like organizing apps and goal setting apps. I can read blogs on it when ever I am stuck waiting somewhere. I can put a few books on there from my kindle. It will be great as soon as I can figure out how to work the thing. :)
    

Mourning for Valentine's Day Togetherness, Not So Much.

     I just realized that my hubby will once again be gone on another one of those special holidays that couples are supposed to be together on. Yes, Valentines Day he will be eight hundred miles away in California. That means no flowers, no candy, no going to dinner or a movie together, no doing any of those fun things that most folks do.     
     On the bright side when he goes to California I get to talk to him on the phone. It's the one and only time I am guaranteed to have his full attention, at least for a few minutes. When he is here, I have to compete with whatever sport is in season and my son Kyle, with whom he discusses every team, every game, every injury and all the other stuff that goes with having two sports fanatics in the house. I keep telling myself that some day Kyle will move out (he is almost 22) and I will be able to get the hubby's attention again, but I see danger ahead, because now my ten-year-old Ryan is getting in on the action. That means at least another twelve years before I can wiggle my way into his line of vision. Did I mention that I have a son even younger. If he follows down the same path I will be a senior citizen before I have him all to myself again.
     Thank goodness I have those precious moments on the phone with him. I call and say, "How is your day going."
     Followed by about five minutes of gripping about all that has gone wrong and then I say, "Are you going to be putting more money in the bank?"
    "I just put money in the bank yesterday."
    "I know, but it's gone and I need more."
    "You're my most expensive child," he sighs. "I'll see what I can do."
     I know it doesn't sound like much of a conversation, but it works for us. I figure as long as he keeps me supplies with money, I'll let him have his sports.
    

A Reunion In Heaven

     By now everyone who knows about the Susan Powell case knows it didn't have a good ending in any way shape or form. As if it wasn't tragic enough that a young mother in the prime of her life was taken away, now the deaths of her two little boys has left all of us asking why and what more could we have done?
     We try to have faith in the justice system to make sure that those who are victimized and those who can't defend themselves have someone to stick up for and protect them, but even with the best of intentions, terrible crimes occur. I believe the those in charge of this case did the best they could within the letter of the law.
     I believe, and this is my personal opinion, that Josh Powell was a narcissistic personality with sociopathic tendencies. Which basically means that he couldn't care less about anyone else's needs as long as his were being met. Susan's friends have said that she wasn't happy and was talking about divorce. If she had left she would have undoubtedly taken her sons with her. Leaving Josh alone. She disappeared and has never been found. Josh's in laws were given custody of his sons after his own father, who he was living with, was found to be in possession of child pornography. The tension between Josh and his in laws was intense. I believe that the straw that broke the camels back was the fact that the boys were getting older and since Josh had lost custody he knew the boys would sooner or later reveal what they remembered of the night Susan went missing. His house of lies was about to come tumbling down. His last act on earth was the most selfish of all. Josh made sure that if he couldn't have his boys, no one else could either and he took their lives.
     The only sliver of peace to be found in this whole event is that those of us who have faith, believe that those beautiful little boys are now in the loving arms of their mother and Josh Powell can no longer hide behind his lies.
     Rest in peace Susan, Charlie and Braden. Our thoughts are with you and our prayers are with the loved ones that are left behind.

Our Broccoli, Cheese and Potato Soup

     My daughter Kristin has a recipe for broccoli, cheese and potato soup that is really good, so of course we had to change it up and make it better (more fattening.) I thought I would share it with you because it is so easy and so delicious.
     1 package of frozen broccoli
     10 cans of cream of potato soup (adjust to your size of family)
     1 slice ham (the ham steak in the meat department) We cut the ham into small pieces and browned in in a pan, but you don't have to. You can add it without browning it.
     Milk
     Heavy whipping cream
     Cheese
     We added the ham and heavy whipping cream. :)
   
      In a large soup pot put in the broccoli and barely cover with water. Heat until boiling. Don't drain
     Add cans of soup. Add milk, I didn't put an amount for the milk because we like our soup thick and creamy. I add about two cups. You can add more if you like thinner soup.
     I add about a cup of heavy whipping cream.
     When it is hot add a cup or two of shredded cheddar cheese.
     You can skip the heavy cream and use milk, but the cream gives the soup a creamy texture that you won't get without it. How many times can you use the word cream in one sentence. :)
     Serve when hot.
     I usually have hot buttered french bread with it. It is also great in bread bowls. This is tasty on a cold winter night. And it is fast if you are busy with kids and activities.

  

Let's Stop The Hate And Focus On The Issues

     I saw a movie a long time ago where two men were talking about union vs non-union workers and the fighting between them that was going on. One man said to the other, "As long as they are fighting with each other they won't notice what we are doing." Then he smiled a really evil smile.
     I can't help but think of this when I see people on TV, or read in the newspaper, yesterday I even saw a pin on Pinterest, that was so hostile to Republicans it surprised me. I know it goes both ways. The democrats hate the republicans and the republicans hate the democrats, but why? I can have a different opinion without hating some one. That's why we vote, majority rules, remember learning that in elementary school. After voting in class on rather we should have an ice cream party or a pizza party we didn't hate our classmates if we lost.
     This brings me to my point. Are our elected officials trying to flame the fires so we aren't paying attention to what they are really up to? I can't figure out why all of us aren't kicking all of them out of office in droves, dems and repubs. What have they done for us lately but mess up what once was the most powerful and most respected nation in the world. They are spending money we don't have and forcing all kinds of legislation down our throats that we don't want. What is up with that? Why isn't anyone saying anything? Are we too busy to pay attention or are out elected officials using the smoke and mirror trick to keep us from knowing what they are really doing? I had to ask because I am concerned that we are headed down a long and dangerous path that we may not be able to get back from. And our children are going to pay the price.