A Time to Give

I just donated 91 shirts, 23 pants, 13 shorts, 10 skirts, 5 jackets, 10 jammies, 9 sweaters, 1 belt, 1 tie, 4 dresses, 1 swimsuit and we barely even went through the kids closets....time to purge?!

The Bain Family on Ice

We love having a community outdoor skating rink in California! Even if it is just for a few months and even if it does cost $100 for our family to skate. There is just something wonderful about gliding on the ice as the Olympics are beginning. They make it look so easy!

Ginormous Cookies

The other day Ryan and his buddy Blair wanted to make cookies so I immediately dropped everything, spent 5 minutes making the dough, and let them add what they wanted to it and make whatever shape they wanted. They ended up with huge cookie pizzas! I love it when I can look back at the day and realize that I put my kids first...too often I am guilty of saying "in a minute" until the spontaneity is gone. I'm working on it.

Things You Should Never Buy

Andy and I stopped in Rite Aid yesterday to pick up some knee supports (for him, not me!!) and saw this "Anti Monkey Butt Powder". I'm sorry, but what exactly is monkey butt?

Then we saw the dog snuggi and had to leave...that one is best left for as seen on TV purchasing. Conan O'Brien said a few weeks before he was canned that there is a new neck snuggi...it's called a scarf!

Pesto Grilled Chicken Salad

1/2 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup prepared pesto
sea salt to taste
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 bags triple hearts or romaine lettuce
12 baby carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup jicama, cut in matchstick pieces
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Combine pesto, lemon juice, oil, and salt and mix well. Put chicken in plastic bag and pour 1/2 cup pesto mixture over. Turn bag to coat chicken evenly. Refrigerate 30 min or up to 4 hours.
Place lettuce, carrots, jicama, and tomatoes in serving bowl and toss well.
Grill chicken over medium heat until no longer pink inside, about 7 minutes per side. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch slices and place on top of the salad. Whisk remaining pesto mixture and pour enough over the chicken salad to moisten it and pass the rest of the dressing at the table. Sprinkle toasted pecans over the salad and serve right away.

I had to start the post off with this delicious recipe in case the rest is too boring to read through to the end. I adapted it from a newspaper clipping and it is great!

Do you ever think you should do something but wait too long so that when you finally do it, it appears that you have ulterior motives? It happens to me all the time and I fear it causes me to seem insincere, one of my biggest pet peeves...I am honestly a very sincere person, but it may not look that way sometimes. My kids' gymnastics teacher from 9 1/2 years ago moved across the street last summer and I stopped by a few times, left note once to invite her to the Ward Halloween party, but since I didn't have her phone number, I couldn't call her and just kind of forgot. Imagine my surprise in January when I saw her and her daughter sitting in front of me in church! I knew she was a member but she hadn't been to church in a long time.

I was immediately ashamed that I hadn't done more to get in contact with her because I was afraid it would seem like it was all about church if I invited them over now. So, I waited a few weeks, which made it worse. Finally I had her come to lunch yesterday and we are just about the same person! It was amazing how many similarities we have and we talked for nearly 3 hours (while eating this salad!). I feel like I found a long lost friend and really wish I'd done more to get in contact with her and her family sooner so it wouldn't seem contrived. Well, better late than never. Luckily she is forgiving, like me, as well. I am so thankful I am getting to know her better!

Andy's 15th Birthday

Click on the picture to see it more clearly

Somehow Andy turned 15 last week! He opened his presents before school and was most excited about the jumbo pogo stick and the mashoonga sticks that he'd been asking for for 2 years. After school on Friday I took him and 7 friends bowling, then we came back to our house and they each made their own pizza. They played rock band on the Wii and arcarde basketball, then they all used the mashoonga sticks. I think every teenage boy should have a pair. In fact, that is what I am sending for Christmas this year...beware!

Andy started a tradition last year and for his cake and ice cream he has monkey bread and pink lemonade pie. Two of his very favorite things.

(Let me know if you want the recipes.)

The boys were going to watch a movie but one of his gifts was Mastermind and they started playing that and Othello. And suddenly it was time for them to go home. Parties get so much easier when the kids are older. I am sure thankful for my Andy! He is such a wonderful kid and a great example. Always helping others and making people feel welcome in any situation. Thanks for being so awesome!