Updates

Where did the summer go? I can't believe how fast time is flying by so quickly and before you know it it will be summer again.
A lot has happened with our family since I blogged in July. Lacey turned 15 wow She is growing up so fast.
She just started High School and she is taking a journalism class and she will be working on the yearbook. She is also involved in FFA and plans to go to all the football games to cheer on her friends in color guard. I have also signed her up for piano again after having one year off. She will do well because she is very talented but well see how much she likes it when I get her up at 6:00 AM for her lessons.
Lacey also was involved in the fair showing her lamb. She does this every year and this year she did all right she earned a blue ribbon and sold it to the company Jay works for. she also entered a picture of Seymore as a puppy that she took on her cell phone she got 2nd place ribbon not to bad for only using a cell phone. We love the whole fair days. We were only able to spend one day at the fair and rodeo because this year we went to a baptism in American Fork and a sealing at Mt Timpanogas Temple and a missionary farewell in Orem and camping at lakeside RV park with my mom and Randy. It was a wonderful weekend seeing family and friends.
I also had to say goodbye to my terrific sister Tammy. She and Charlie moved far far away to Green Bay Wisconsin but I wish her all the joy and happiness that I can and we hope to come and see her next summer.
Something really exciting that has happened is that I will be a Grandma again! The baby is due in April and we are so happy for them. They are hoping for a boy so Rocky can share a room and Sam won't have to share her shoe money. J.J. isnt as excited as we are at least not yet since he is the babysitter while Sam works.
My news is getting even better Pete will graduate from Whyotech and he has all ready landed himself a good job in Lincoln Nebraska we are so proud of him but we will miss him but wish him all the best at his new life.
Other family members are doing great! Alex is working at a mattress pad company he is doing well at it and enjoys not working at Wendy's anymore.
Andy has stated USU again and working part time. Jay is busy with work and enjoying no calling at church for awhile. He is also having fun playing with our fifth wheel trailer.
I am now teaching Primary in our new ward I teach the 4 year olds. I also started school lunch again and I am enjoying getting back to a regular work routine.
As you can tell our lives have been very busy but non the less fulfilling.

Nothing Sweeter Than Summer Time

Good times at Flaming Gorge! Also, Rocky's 2nd Birthday was July 14!!

Let Summer Begin!

I am so excited that it is finally summer. But you can't tell by the weather lately, before you know it will get very hot soon and then we would wish for the cloudy weather back.
This summer should be great! I have it all planned out. I am going to go with Jay a lot in the truck hopefully somewhere exciting or maybe I will get to go to Washington to see Jennifer or possibly to Indiana to see Rocky.
I am also working a little at the summer lunch program to earn extra money for Lacey's drivers ed and school fees. Easy come easy go.
And the Big adventure will be girls camp at Cinnamon Creek it will be so fun to spend time with my daughter and drive her crazy.
We are also going to go camping a lot in our new trailer. Our plans are to go to California in July if we can scrape up a little more money. But if not we will go somewhere closer to home but it should be just as fun!
We will still be raising a lamb for FFA which is takes a lot of our time but well worth it.
With all these plans I hope to relax a little and just do fun things like spend some time with my sister Tammy, go to movies and swimming or just hanging out together.
Peter will also be visiting us from school in June. Not that I will see him much he has all his time scheduled for fun with his friends. But we will get to see him graduate in September.
Some exciting news is that next week Elder Jeffry R. Holland is coming to speak to the Youth and their leaders in our area.
I also planted a salsa garden so I will be busy canning and wondering why I even bother the boys eat it faster than I can make it.
My Last goal of my summer is to be more active by walking and biking. This is easier said than done.
I look forward to the wonderful summer that is ahead. It all goes so quickly Hopefully I can make this summer fun & memorable.

My Mom

I want to spotlight and honor my mom on this Mothers day and tell her how much she means to me.

Mom was always so giving especially around the holidays. She loved to see our faces as we opened up our gifts. She always took the time to get us just the right thing.

Mom always kept our home nice and she was a good cook. One of my favorite meals that she made was pork chops with Parmesan noodles. She made homemade bread, rolls and donuts sometimes. We always had fresh food from our garden year round because she canned which wasn't an easy job with a family of 9.

She always helped with my English home work. Mom loved and still does love to write mostly poetry. I love to read about her memories and stories of her childhood.

My mom plays the piano beautifully and she played the piano for church for many years. She was a great example to us girls who took lessons from Mrs. Peterson. I wish I could play as well as my mom.

Some of Moms favorite foods were raw peas. She spent many hours kneeling in the pea patch picking and eating. In the summer at lunch time she loved Pepsi right out of the glass bottle. Mom loves fresh garden tomatoes and she loves pastries and black licorice. But I know apples were never her favorite.

I remember all the fun vacations. Yellow stone, Grand Canyon, and the Redwood Forest just to name a few.

My mom has also loved cats. Many pictures I have are her with her cat. they were like her children.

Mom always took great care to celebrate our birthdays. I loved how she always had a store bought cake with our names written on it. And as we got older she would take us shopping and out to lunch. it made me feel special.

There are so may things I could say about my mom but it would take to many pages to say all I would like to say.

My mom is a wonderful lady our family has been blessed by her being in our lives.

We love you Mom and Grandma Love Monica, Jay,J.J., Sam, Rocky, Andy, Peter, Alex, Lacey, Bella, Seymour HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Today is my 27th wedding Anniversary. As Jay would say 24 good years. I know he is only joking. Ha Ha. But all kidding aside we have had some wonderful times together.
1982- met on a blind date, fell in love, got engaged
1983- married, started our family with J.J., lived in Orem Utah
1984- sealed in the Jordan River temple
1985- second son Andy was born, moved to Sandy Utah
1986-moved to American fork, Jay new job hauling grass sod
1987-enjoying life with our small family
1988- # 3 son Pete arrives, move to Tacoma Washington
1989- Alex our 4th son arrived the day after Christmas
1990-1993 living in Lakewood Washington, Jay working at a drywall company, Me a stay at home mom
1994- move back to Utah, living in North Salt lake
1995- surprise it's a girl! Lacey joined our family of boys
1996-1997- Jay working for LW miller, and finds a job in Corrine Ut. Making plans to move to Tremonton
1998-2000 enjoying life with teenagers
2001-2007 enjoyed boys graduating from high school,working with the kids a 4 h raising lambs, sending sons off to war, missions, enjoyed vacations to, North Carolina, Zions,California, Disneyland and cruise to the Mexican Riviera. Anniversary trips to Daniel summit lodge, Laughlin NV, Little America Hotel in Salt Lake city, Sherwood hills in Logan, wolf creek in Ogden and Idaho Falls
2008- oldest son gets married and moves to Indiana, our first Grand son is born.
2009- Jay working for B&B trucking for 6 years, I working as a school cook. visit grand baby in Indiana, send Pete off to college.
2010-anniversary trip to crystal hot springs.
we have had a wonderful time some ups and downs but mostly ups!

Rocky and his Hot Dog!

What.s for dinner

Most of you know I enjoy cooking very much. I love to collect recipes and come up different ideas for meals. So this is what I am having for dinner this coming week. I have also included a good pork roast recipe. Enjoy!
Thursday :Turkey Sandwiches with chips
Friday:Hamburgers and crinkle fries
Saturday: BBQ Chicken Macaroni Salad
Sunday: Company Pork Roast mashed potatoes and gravy, Lacey's dinner rolls, steamed broccoli, and chocolate cake for dessert.( I love to bake but we usually only have dessert on Sunday's)
Monday: Soft shell Tacos
Tuesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Wednesday:Teriyaki Chicken, Stir Fry vegetables and Rice.
Well that's what I have planned so far. I do change it around depending on what I am in the mood for or what ingredients I have on hand.
Company Pork Roast Marinade
4 lbs Pork loin
2 TBSP Honey
1TBSP Soy sauce
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard or regular mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients except roast in a bowl. Place roast in slow cooker and pour mixture over the top. Cook on low for approx. 10 hours or until tender.
Oven method: Place roast in foil lined roasting pan. Pour mixture over top. Cover with foil and bake at 325 for 2 1/2 hours basting frequently. uncover for the last 45 minuets to brown roast.