How does Google & Pistachio's fit?

Have you ever tried these pistachio's? Dear friend, Babette gave me a bag for Cara & my road trip back to Michigan in 2008.  We buy them at Costco and they just got them back in our store.  (Don't you wish Costco would warn you when they won't get one of your favorites products in for a few months....then you could stock up until they are stocked again?)  This item is one of those products.... Salt & Pepper Pistachio's  (ok...enough for the plug but they really are better than plain pistachio's)

On to the main reason for the post. Have you ever started eating these nuts and get to the bottom of the dish and there are those pesky one's that are barely cracked open? I usually throw those away but due to the high cost of these little treats I decided to "google" how is one to deal with this issue.  Now, a mention about google...several years ago I would google everything and my children gave me such a hard time.  Why? I still don't know because 99% of the time I would get a great & helpful answer.  So last night I went to google and I got my answer on how to open these little nuts that were hard to open.

The full pistachio shown to the left, really has a smaller opening than it looks like.  What you do is get an already opened nut and put the tip of it into the hard to open nut and BAM  there you go and you can consume the pistachio!

This shot is a little better of the nut but this little tip truly works!  I just had to share it and hopefully it helps for those of you who don't google.  Let me know if this problem has ever plagued you!!!

Alpine 8th Ward Mission Statement

We live in the Alpine 8th Ward.  We have a new bishop who is such an inspired man.  His name is Bishop Rasmussen.  He is one of those bishop's that has a heart of gold and lives by the spirit of God.  This is our ward's mission statement.....eliminate the weakness of one standing alone and substitute instead the strength of many working together.  Pres. Thomas S. Monson (prophet)


This quote exemplifies to me what it is all about.  Helping each other through the tough times we all have by strengthening each other as we carry on with life.  This journey is so much better when we have someone there to lift, encourage and help us as we endure life's trials.  I know that I could not have gotten through the last few years without the love, support, kindness, prayers, generosity of so many of you, my dear friends.  Let's all remember to not let those around us stand alone... it can be as simple as a smile or hug or prayer.  We are all here for a purpose and we need each other to reach our goals.  Thank you to all....

Busy last part of February

Kelsey and Aly came once...no twice this month!! It was great fun having the college girls visit.

Of course, we celebrated Valentine's and did it with dear friends, Cindy & Steve (friends from our Washington days) who moved to Utah several years ago!  Cindy made an amazing dinner!

Here we are on Valentine's day.....love to all!!!

I have been in this cooking craze and made my first creme brulee!!!  Can I brag and tell you it tasted as good as any of the fine dining we have ever had?  I need to make some more!  Cute ramekins....Thanks to TJ's.

The second visit from the girls they added some guy friends...Brock & Blaine.  Brock's family just happens to live in Alpine!  They had Sunday dinner with us. I made this yummy stew with our "elk" meat...

And here are some of the cute blanket's I made for new babies of family and dear friends!  They are even cuter unrolled but I thought this was clever!!!

Last day of my 30 for 30....

It is officially over!  Tomorrow I can wear another pair of pants and not feel guilty. The four pair of pants I have worn for the last thirty days can take a breather.  I'd like to thank all of my photographers....Rick (did the most & I know he will be sad!), Jen was my next...thanks for doing this for me! Klara took some of me when we went on our evening out! Kelsey took one of me last weekend at Cocoa Bean, Cindy Routsen took pictures of me yesterday and Jeanie Vance just happened to bring me a Valentine today and she got roped into taking this lovely shot!  

I'm glad that I have such amazing people in my life! and that you all put up with me!  Both Jamie and Kenzie said they would do this again but in the summertime and Jamie said no more pictures! It was getting a little crazy.  I'm now thinking about starting a cooking blog...So look for my next adventure!

Happy Valentine's weekend to one and all...

It's almost done...you can do it! One more day to see me...friends

Yes, fellow bloggers the thirty for thirty is almost behind us!  I know it just seems like yesterday that we started this journey....I will not know what to do with this quest behind us!  I say us because it has been a group effort!  So many of you have rallied around me and encouraged me in following this dream...

This dream of  my daughters, in that only one successfully followed through  and one of my daughter's friend did complete the task!  So three of the original five did do the do!  I hope you are seeing the humor in my words... :)

Today was an extremely busy, fun, eventful day!  Not only was it day twenty nine but it started out early with my new Zumba class!  It is so much fun and I'm learning to shake parts that have not been shaken for a time!  Then met Cindy at the park and ride and we toodled down to Salt Lake City to the Genealogy Library and worked on some family names.  Cindy is amazing at this and we walked thru Temple Square to find a lunch spot.  I asked if she would be my photographer today and she graciously obliged!  

This is the Joseph Smith Memorial building ceiling in the lobby.  It is so gorgeous.... How could I not take a picture?  I do think I find this to be true about most things that are beautiful....why shouldn't I share it with the world?  After spending several hours in downtown I met a friend who once lived in Michigan, Martha and we went to Cafe Rio and then off to Pleasant Grove High School's production of Phantom of the Opera.  One of the best show's I've seen a high school perform! The sets, costumes, orchestra & performers were amazing. They have put in another show on Saturday at two if anyone is interested.... You should be interested because it truly was worth watching!!!

This is the temple that we were sealed/married in  as well as Jamie & Conrad, Kurt and Jen, Joe & Nanette as well as many other's.  I love to see the temple....it inspires me and I hope it does you!  Did you know that it took forty years to build?

One more day!!!  I can start wearing other boots, other jeans, other tops, no more picture taking... I hope I won't miss it!  ha ha ha 

Day 27 & 28....two more to go!!!!

Here is my day twenty seven (Rick left that morning for Detroit so I lost my photographer!)  The cream jacket is one that Jamie bought me for Christmas from Nord's Rack, by cords are almost worn out from wearing them so much! (don't remember where they are from) and my light grey turtleneck.

Day twenty eight....my Miss Me jeans, green turtle and white vest from Costco...

Here are Kurt and Cannon.... I was able to watch Cannon while Kurt and Jen cleaned my Mom's house.  He is the sweetest little guy....of course, he missed Bapa but he does love his Nana when Bapa is not around!  We were able to go to my friend, Jeanie's house to work on some projects and she is a huge fan of Cannon.  He kept pointing to her missionary son's picture and would say, "Hi, Carson!"

Day 26 and a fun night with two elder's who served in our ward in Michigan

Here I am on day 26...four more days to go!!!  I am in my craft room where a bunch of sewing took place before Christmas!  I have a black jacket that Kels gave me and my DownEast jeans with my black patent leather boots.

Now for the fun of the day...Elder's Dunn and Moore reunite at our home!  Scott Dunn trained Jake Moore in our area in Kalamazoo/Portage.  We have not seen these two since they left our area of the mission and I don't think they had either until tonight.  What a treat to see them both.

Here is a picture of Scott and Summer Dunn with their oldest son, Dakota...(Bridger their two year old did not want to be in on the photo...what two year old does? :) )  with Jake Moore.

Days 23,24 & 25...ok I cheated a little!

Here I am on Friday at the midway part of our trip to Yellowstone.  What is a trip to RExburg without going to The Cocoa Bean? But, most importantly in seeing Kelsey! ??  After our dinner to Original Thai Restaurant we had to run around the corner to The Cocoa for my favorite drink...irish carmanilla.  It kept me going all the way to Yellowstone!  

This is what I wore for nine hours of my Saturday!  

What an awesome experience...Rick gave me this trip to Yellowstone on a snowmobile!  An

adventure I would highly recommend.  It snowed for about the first hour then the sunshine 

dominated for the rest of the day.  More pictures to come!!!

 This is my cheater picture!  

I actually wore this last Sunday...so if I had really gone to church today this is what it would have been but we sat in the car for the most part of the day to come home from Yellowstone and a stop over to give Miss

Kelsey a squeeze or two!  The degree difference from our morning in Yellowstone to Utah by five thirty was forty three degrees!  We were at zero when we left Montana!  But, oh how I loved it and all the snow!

Broccoli/Cauliflower soup...yummy for those cold winter Arizona evenings

I promised Cara that I would put this recipe up of a yummy Broccoli soup I recently made.  The original recipe came from Kris Bumstead Williams but I have changed a few things with it and will call it my own.  Here are the ingredients for...

Broccoli/Cauliflower/Cheese Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup of butter

1/4 cup of flour

3 cups of water

1- 16oz. frozen chopped broccoli (thawed beforehand)

4 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tsp. chicken base

1 tsp. worchestershire sauce

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 cup half and half

3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese or cheese of choice

1 cup of fresh cut up cauliflower

Instructions:

cook onion & butter until tender, stir in flour, then gradually stir in water, then broccoli,cauliflower, bouillon & worcestershire over medium heat.  Cook & stir until thickened and vegetables are tender (don't over cook) cook for about ten minutes.  Add cheese and the whipping cream/ half & half.  Cook & stir until cheese melts.  You will love it!!!

day twenty two 22

Here I am on day twenty two.... that is the age of Kelsey! I am sitting next to the sewing/fly tying table that Rick just renovated.  It may look like an old sewing machine but in actuality it has been repurposed to be a fly tying table~ Rick's new hobby!  He did a great job on putting it back together and it belonged originally to his Great Grandmother.  I am in a skirt because I went to the temple with my dear friend, Cindy (who we knew in Washington!).  Love having a temple so close to us!  The relative that I did the temple work for today was born in 1711...yes, that's right! Madeleine has waited a long time!!

Smart Cookie's! day 21

I went to Smart Cookie with Cori and her three adorable children who are very much "smart cookie's"!!!  I love this little family!  As soon as they saw me they all gave me big hugs and screamed, "Cathy!"  How can you not love people who love you???

Here is a picture of me and Sophie who is six,  I just happened to have my camera on me and asked Cori if she would take pic's of me (and she asked...for your thirty for thirty?) and her little one's.

I knew Cori when she was a young teenager in our Washington days and we have been friends ever since. She watched me raise my children and it is so fun seeing her raise her children.  She is such a great Mom and so talented!  She happened to be in Enumclaw when we were there a few years ago living at the Butler's home, right after she had her set of twins...Carson and Bella.  Honestly, from the moment I held those tiny babies I felt a connection with them.  I am sure it is because I love their Mom & Dad but they really are a special  family.  We were being goofy in this picture.

What a fun time we had at this cookie shop.  Can't wait until our next outing....

day twenty.....

Here I am with Miss Katie-bug who plays for the Pleasant Grove Viking's sophomore basketball team. She is my very awesome niece and I love her to pieces! She modeled with me for my day twenty of my thirty for thirty. I'm sporting my cool boots, my jeans from DownEast and my sweater from GaP. Looks like I wear a lot of gray...

Today I finished an amazing book. The Forgotten Garden is now one of my all time favorite reads. So glad that I'm in a book club to hook me up! I have also learned to love to read while on the treadmill. It really helps me work up a sweat!!!

Beautiful, birthday girl....

Today...twenty eight year's ago we brought into the world, Jamie Lyn. She, as you can see has grown into a beautiful woman. She now is a mother of two beautiful daughter's of her own. She was born in the middle of Oklahoma City's ice storm. She was my only child who was born in the morning...I instantly fell in love with her. She has been a joy to all of our family her whole life. The house is always noisier when she is in it, she always has a song on her lips and a kind word to say. She is incredibly talented with her voice, her hands, her mind. She is an amazing sister to her siblings and a precious daughter to Rick and I. Her daughter's light up when they see her as does her husband. Jamie we all love you and wish you the happiest Birthday. Thanks for coming to our family....