Nicole's OVERNIGHT Backpack!!!! Yep, she's my daughter!!!

For everyone who has been wanting Nicole's dance schedule here it is:
Clogging Only Competition
March 5th - 6th
Thanksgiving Point

St. George Competition
March 26th - 27th
Dixie High

Thursday-Monday, April 1st- 5th
Choreographer’s Concert
Cottonwood High
Saturday, April 10th, 7:00 PM
Dress Rehearsal: Fri, April 9th

April Competition
Dance & Clog

April 16th - 17th
Dance-A-Rama Competition

May 7th - 8th
Kearns High School
Year-End Picture Days

Thursday - Friday, May 13th - 14th
Company Closing Social

Saturday, May 15th
Clogging Competition
May 21st - 22nd
Lagoon

Mon, May 31st
Try-outs for Next Year

Saturday, June 5th
Year-End Showcase
Cottonwood High
Saturday, June 12th, 5:00 PM
Dress Rehearsal: Friday, June 11th

Nicole will be dancing at her father's high school while we are in St. George! It has been a fun year of performances and lots and lots of practice. Nicole dances 4 nights a week, between 3 and 4 hours a night and Saturday all morning every week. She loves Misty Peterson who used to come to Moses Lake for choreography and is now her main teacher. It doesn't hurt that Misty has a good looking son that Nicole gets to dance with. Funny how her attitude improved dramatically. She is now on point. That has been a painful experience that she always thought she wanted to have. Nicole gets to go to her friends cabin this weekend. We got her all outfitted in a hot new ski outfit, she is excited about that part. She is such a chicken about snowboarding. There are a couple young men and a best friend that want to teach her. We live in Utah...how can you not ski...I am going to be ready for this next year. Look out...here I come! Okay...I may hang out on bunny hill...but it is a fond memory I just have to revisit!!!! Can you imagine me screaming down the hill "OUT OF CONTROL!!!" Life is ever so GOOD!!! :)

Agent Bishop

This morning I ran to Costco to pick up a few things. It is only a couple miles from my home. I saw a man signing his books. I had heard there was a past FBI Agent from Moses Lake who wrote a book. I couldn't place the name at first. If they would have said he was Marnie Wilk's Dad or Kathy's husband, I would have put it together. Needless to say I bought a copy and had it signed to give to Kim as a gift. I will read it too!!! It has been getting a lot of praise here. You have to get a copy!!!

You can order it from Amazon...
http://www.amazon.com/Agent-Bishop-Stories-Moonlighting-Mormon/dp/1599553171

To think Salt Lake has both Brother Mike McPheter's book and Silverbow Honey from Moses Lake available at Costco!!! :)

My Uncle Grant

My mother's brother, MY UNCLE, passed away this past Friday. He lived in Dillon, Montana. I have fun memories of Grant. I know when I came to visit, he willingly slept on the couch so that I could have a bed. I loved his gentle smile. I loved watching my grandmother care for him.
Grant A. Darley, 76, passed away February 19, 2010 in Dillon, Montana. He was born May 24, 1934 in Rupert, Idaho to George and Mary Grace Darley. He grew up in Rupert, Idaho, attending the schools and the activities of the LDS Church in that vicinity. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and was stationed at Santa Ana, California. He came out of the service with some handicaps that changed his life. I miss him. I wish I had reached out and been "more" in his life. I think this experience makes me appreciate all the sweet people who touch my world. I know I can do better. I love ALL of my family. I love that I have 3 new cousins that I get to have more contact with (Marilyn, Zella and Patty). My goal this year is to reach out to family. We have 3 family reunions this year (Sanderson, McConkie and Sparks) that should be a start. I could be a better friend too! It has been hard to leave all my friends in Moses Lake. I have incredible friends here but they will never replace those who have weathered the years and the ups and downs of life with me. You know who you are! Love from a more humble and teachable Sharon

CAN YOU IMAGINE?!?

It has been fun to watch Kim figure out Nicole. She is so funny with him. I have a wild and crazy side but Kim is sooooo proper. It took a couple of months and he has joined the party! He loves to go places, have fun and be challenged. He still does it in a very "proper" way but we are constantly amazed by his unique sense of humor. I know a loving Heavenly Father brought him to our family. No one can ever take Paul's place and no one could ever replace his sweet wife Barbie, but oh what a gift it is to find someone to share the rest of this life with. I am amazed and feel blessed for this wonderful gift he is in our lives. Prayers are answered and there are rainbows bursting forward every day, you just have to hang on and weather the storm!!!! Life is Good!!! :)

ARIZONA HEAT!!!

It got up to 80 degrees in YUMA!!! We had so much fun. My little sister Tina was there with her sweet daughter Tatiana. Tina is 12 years younger than I am. She is incredibly talented and I loved spending time with her. Nicole and Tat played on the 4 wheeler for hours; running up and down the hills and roads. We had time to catch up on each others lives and remember our shared lives. We ate wonderful meals. The most exciting thing was I found out Babette's daughter Barb and husband Alan and son Bret were baptized in Moses Lake. I know Paul was there in spirit. I loved spending time with my family and remembering how truely blessed I am. Life is Good...very very Good! For all of you sweet friends in Moses Lake...please fellowship Barb and Alan...they are incredible people and I love them!!!

GRANDPA KIM & JACKS 3RD B-DAY

Kim's son Eric was recently called as a bishop. His son Briggs' was blessed this past fast sunday. We attended our meetings and their sacrament. Their building has stained glass windows and is a historic landmark. It was fun to all get together, potluck and enjoy each other. Monday was Jack's 3rd Birthday Party. Kim took him on his horse a couple days before. Of course the kids all love going on the horse. Little Halle got to go to. The party was lots of family, more food and a really good time. I kind of think my life is going to be one party after another with 11 children and 25 (2 on the way) Grandchildren. Life is Good!!! Leave for Arizona in the morning; better get packing. It is suppose to get up to 80 degrees. I'm all over that!!! Post pictures when we get back............

THANK HEAVENS FOR BULBS

One of Kim's lab workers gave him a Amarillus at Christmas. It was a bulb and we went away for the holidays. I put it under the sink and forgot it. Several weeks after we got back my neice Holly mentioned that her bulbs were coming up (she lives in las vegas). It reminded me of the Christmas Flower. I got it out. It had already started shooting out green leaves. I put it in the kitchen window and watered it. It has 3 flowers. I call it our family flower. First there was a big bloom...that was Kim. Next came a simular bloom..that is ME. There was a smaller bloom that took a week longer...that is Nicole! It is fun to have a beautiful flower bloom in the midst of winter. I am soooo ready for Spring! I hope the 300 bulbs we planted GROW!!! :)

FLY LADY IS A WONDERFUL SITE!!!

I love the enthusiam this site has. FLYing means Finally Loving Yourself. It will give you ... Peace of Mind, Pride in your home and a Passion for Living. FLYing works for everyone. It doesn't matter if you work outside of your home, stay home with children, are retired, work from home or a combination of any of these. You can FLY. They (the site) helps you establish routines and build a basic weekly plan. FlyLady uses the Sidetracked Home Executive (SHE) system as a basis for organizing her home and her life. I love that system!!! They do a lot of things the way I like to do them. They use a timer and get a lot done in short spurts of time. I used to tell my children...we do the things we don't like to do "quickly" so we have time to do all the things we "love to do"!!! She makes it so much fun and you feel like part of a team! I just finished organizing all my craft and scrapbooking stull. I will post pictures later. I love it!!! Okay...I admit it...I love the freedom of having a system and more time to PLAY!!! Let me know what you think? :) I LOVE IT!!!

BYU EDUCATION WEEK

OKAY...For all of you who have excuses for Women's Conference...consider Education Week. I am going! Let me know if you are interested.

For one week each August the program utilizes the campus of Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) to present approximately 1,000 classes on education, religion, marriage, family relations, health, history, genealogy, science, youth interests, and many other areas. The program is designed primarily for adults, although anyone age 14 and over may attend. It is believed to be the largest continuing education program of its type.

Love to have you!!!

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE!!!

Oh, my goodness!!! I can go...you want to come?!? GIRLS, YA KNOW YOU WANT TO COME!!! Just the thought of SPRING makes gets me EXCITED!!! I love Women's Conference...you can pick the classes that pertain to your individual needs. Life is SWEET!!!

Some Pretty Talented People!!!

Matt Townsend and his family, beautiful wife and 6 children live in our ward. He is speaking this Friday at a Relationship Class, part of my new calling. Matt has the perfect mix of cutting edge research in communication and human relationships combined with the skill of a top-notch humorist. This blend ensures that audiences are entertained as well as enlightened and leave with practical information that can be immediately applied to their life. Matt has worked extensively in the areas of results-oriented communication, conflict resolution and time management training. He has experience with speaking and training hundreds of Fortune 500 companies such as CNN, Cox Communications, and Lockheed Martin. Other past clients include: AT&T, American Express, Dupont, General Mills, Hewlett Packard, Honda, IBM, Nike, and the US Army, and the US Navy.
KSL News Radio broadcasts The Matt Townsend Show each week to hundreds of listeners. This hour-long program is a great opportunity to hear Matt's relationship help and guidance. As a Relationship Expert, he also contributes to the daytime TV program Studio 5 as well as BrideAccess.com. His book, Feeding the STARVED Relationship, outlines the basic principles he teaches.


Jenny Jordan Frogley is the entertainment for our ward RS Birthday Dinner. She used to live in this ward and has consented to perform and speak at our dinner. She sings LDS music- pop with an extra twist of energy! Jenny Jordan Frogley belts it out with the best of them but can also tone it down to a smooth ballad conveying her deep feelings for the gospel. Track list includes: 'Peacegiver,' 'One and Only,' 'Shining Star,' 'Heart Wide Open,' 'He Knows Me,' 'I Need Thee Every Hour,' and more! It should be fun. Did I say...I love my job. We had a board meeting last night in our home. There are some incredible women to work with. Life is Good!!!

MOUNTAIN POINT STAKE RS CONFERENCE

I got to decorate the tables. I hemmed 17 red checkered tableclothes and did centerpieces with red geraniums and food storage items. I thought about using #10 cans and quickly changed my mind. It wasn't easy getting them all down into the cold room in the first place. Kim is always laughing at me and my buckets of stuff. I explained it is a "woman thing" and he just laughed as to say...I understand or maybe I don't understand and that's okay!?! The conference was on starting with a 90 day food storage. Since I have been doing food storage all my life...I enjoy seeing all these little hints to make it fun and easier. Mostly it is the same stuff packaged a little different. I did learn some new ideas that I am excited about. Start on your 90 days food supply - things that your family will eat. Once you have your 90 days work towards getting your full year. Be obedient.

Suggestions on working on the 90 days of food for your family:
1. Gather family favorite recipes
2. Select 10 - 15 nutritous meals your family will enjoy.
3. Using these meals, create a shopping list.
4. Begin by purchasing a few items as they go on sale to start building. (recommendation for using Pinchingyourpennies.com to get the sales on local grocery store - it's free and has other great things like coupons...)
5. Gradually increase your supply until it is sufficient for 3 months. Continue building and rotating as desired.

Here is a sample of selecting a few menu items through creating a shopping list.
http://www.simplyprepared.com/using_a_rotating_menu_plan.htm

The sisters teaching the class recommended this book. This site tells you a bit more about it. I looked on amazon to see if there was a cheaper copy but there isn't.
http://www.simplyprepared.com/books.htm

These sisters also mentioned that they kindof patterned their presentation after Wendy Dewitt's presentation. Wendy has put a handout on the internet - it's worth reading:
http://www.theideadoor.com/PDF%20Files/RS/EverythingUnderTheSun.pdf
Wendy also has some utube videos on her presentations.

It was a fun night with a lot of enthusiasm. I love our ward and stake. We are having a board meeting at my home tonight. I better GET PREPARED!!!

PS I love this site http://extension.usu.edu/ueden/htm/preparedness

THANKSGIVING POINT COOKING CLASS

One of my Christmas gifts was a cooking class at Thanksgiving Point. I asked for a panini grill and Kim bought it and added a certificate for a "5 minute breads" cooking class. It was fabulous! Heidi went with me and we had a lot of fun!

Raspberry Butter Braid
(PERFECT VALENTINE'S GIFT!!!)
Yield: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS

1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 envelope dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 large egg, beaten to blend, room temperature
4 cups (about) unbleached all-purpose flour I only needed 3 1/2 cups
3/4 cup raspberry jam (or other filling of your choice)
1 large egg, beaten with 2 tbsp. water
DIRECTIONS

Scald milk in heavy, medium saucepan. Add butter, sugar, and salt. Let stand until butter melts. Pour mixture into large bowl. Cool to 105 to 115 degrees. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature.

Add yeast mixture and 1 beaten egg to milk mixture. Stir in enough flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form soft, slightly sticky dough. Lightly grease large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with kitchen towel and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Grease two heavy large cookie sheets. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 2 minutes. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 3 pieces. Roll each piece out between hands and floured surface to 18 inch long rope. Using a rolling pin, roll each rope flat, into about, a 3 inch wide strip.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of jam (or filling of your choice) down the length of each strip. Fold dough over filling to seal in jam in the ropes. You can brush the edges of the dough with a bit of water to help seal the dough.

Arrange 3 ropes side by side on 1 prepared sheet. Braid ropes. Pinch ends together and tuck under loaf. Repeat process with remaining 3 ropes on second cookie sheet for second loaf. Cover each loaf with kitchen towel and let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush egg wash over loaves. Bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 20 - 25 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.

You don’t really need a glaze, but if you wish to use one CREAM CHEESE FROSTING is my favorite!!! You can get raspberry filling from your bakery and sprinkle fresh raspberries over the filling. If you like you can also sprinkle sliced almonds on the top.