Happy Birthday to US!

♪♫•*♥One year older and a lot of fuss.....Happy Birthday to US!♥*•♫♪  I love having my birthday just before my sisters.  We always celebrate together and it's fun.  My dear parents bring everything for the party to my house and we have a great time together! (bless their hearts)

The older kids pitch in and bring food too....thus there is always so much food!  It's yummy and filling!

I love seeing everyone together!  I love visiting with my sister and her kids and seeing her grands play with my grands.  My heart is always full and smiling when we are together!

I didn't take as many pics this year and noticed I didn't have pictures of my boys!  I did get a cute one with my older girls though.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love my girls and how much each of them teach me?  Well it's true they all do!  Each one texted me on my Birthday and made my day brighter.  I am very blessed to have such wonderful kids....including the ones that marry into our family.  I love them all so much!

We ate and visited and enjoyed each other for hours.  When Shannie was leaving she noticed all the grands in Natalie and Justin's vehicle.  We went out to  get them out and I just laughed.  The girls were all seat belted in their spots and the two little boys were running around the back.  We're just glad they didn't try starting the car since the keys were inside still.  I hope the grands remember some of the cute things they do together and are making happy memories!  

Family Time is the Best Time!  I sure do LOVE MY FAMILY!!!

The Story of Ed Week.....

I absolutely love Education Week!  Heather (Clark) Joy introduced me to this wonderful program many, many years ago. (I remember taking Jaydan as a baby)  What a blessing it has been in my life.  I always learn so much!  My testimony is always strengthened and I always feel better about myself.  The topics I have been drawn to have changed over the years.....because I have changed.  I started out going to self esteem and parenting classes.  Now I go to more classes that build me spiritually.  This year the main topics I was drawn to were on the Atonement, the Sacrament, and Repentance.  All of which intertwine and go together. My first three classes were all I needed.  In those three classes I had plenty to work on.  I continued following them the next few days.  Right off the bat in one of the first classes I had the strongest "feeling" of the Love Our Heavenly Father has for me.....Dawn Ropelato.  It was awesome and appreciated!

The morning of my birthday (Saturday) the first class I went to was Heartbound and they sang Happy Birthday to me!  I couldn't help but smile!  I also received many texts throughout the day that also brightened my day for me!

It has been said that this could be the last year of Education Week in Idaho. :(  I am very sad about that since I really like the campus there.  It's so nice and there aren't people everywhere like in Provo at Ed Week. (I don't really care for crowds)  I have enjoyed going over the years and appreciate my family for allowing that in my life.

One of the things I also love is being with my friends and being crazy and laughing.  Not being responsible is so much fun and we really take advantage of the time we have while we're away.  We laugh a lot but we also share our testimonies with each other and teach each other.  It's quite wonderful.

Since I would be in Idaho again for my birthday I decided months ago to take crowns and sucker rings for all the ladies.  We are Princesses forever....no matter what age we are!  I also shared one of my childhood treats with them.  I got on line and ordered Honey Comb in the form of a Candy Bar.  It taste exactly as I remembered as a child......yummmmm!!!  We went out to dinner one night and again for lunch on my birthday to celebrate it!  I like celebrating Birthdays....especially mine!

I just want to mention a few funny things about our room events this year.  The first night I woke up sure I was a Popsicle.   We all prefer a COLD room and it sure was.  I was really glad I brought my blanket Tonya had made me.....it was needed and appreciated.  I believe it was the second night I woke up to an
"explosion"!!! Scared me at first until I realized one of the ladies was relieving herself while she slept.  It happened a few times and if awards were being given for such behavior....this friend of mine would have won it!  I have never heard such loud, explosive, long........... (you know what I'm talking about)  I got the giggles.  I covered my heard in the blankets and just shook from giggling.  I had to really work at not giggling because I didn't want to wake my bed partner up.  It was so funny and it was mentioned the next day.  I wasn't going to say a word but someone else brought it up and good for her that she did because I had really thought it was her. Hahaha Good Times!

I was welcomed home with a Bouquet of Balloons tied to my car.  The house was clean and my family was home. (the ones that live here) Jaydan, Kimi and Jared all gave me the memory page they made for me.  I love the memory pages.  They had a mint-chocolate cake that was moist and yummy waiting for me too.  It was so nice to come home to all of that.  Larry took me to dinner and since neither of us were very hungry I chose Zupa's.  It was a wonderful Birthday in every way! (Larry had asked me earlier what I wanted for my birthday and I chose to have him pay for my Blog Book for 2011....which came last week!)

I am thankful for all the many things I am able to do.  For the people that surround and bless my life!  I am thankful for My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ!

Ed Week & My birthday! (pics only)

Chococo Salad....... (I made it up)

Today at lunch I had this "brilliant" idea for a Salad.  A salad with Chocolate and Coconut.....I call it the Chococo Salad!  It's a healthier way to enjoy Chocolate.  (I know I said I didn't care about healthy and I still don't but some people do)

To make this Fabulous Salad you will need: Greens of your choice.  (I used Spinach & a Variety Mix) Mounds and/or Almond Joy (I used one of each bar) Chocolate and Coconut Syrup and fruit if you desire.  I liked how the fruit brightened the salad as well as add to its deliciousness.

 Mix the greens and put on a plate.  Cut the candy bars and put over the top.  Then drizzle the chocolate and the coconut syrups over the top.  You can eat like this or add some fruit.  I thought the pineapple was a good choice with the coconut and the berries made it look better and was wonderful too.

It tasted yummy!  I am feeling pretty good about my creativity today.  I bet we will see a salad similar to this one day.  I use to order "melted cheese" on my fries and that was before Cheese Fries. (I didn't get credit for that but I should have)

Yummmmm!  Be brave and give this a try.....it really is yummy!  Larry and Kimi both tried it and they liked it!  Of course I liked it.....it's Chocolate and Sweet!

FuN....FuN

Today Pam & I planned to play and have fun and FUN it was!  I drove to her house and we went to lunch at Art City Trolley.  We wanted something healthy.....really Pam wanted something healthy.  I should care more but......well.....I don't care much.  We both had salads and oh my crud they were delicious. (I tried Pam's)  I wouldn't mind going again sometime and trying another kind.  YUM is a good expression for them!

Then we wiggled over to Lisa Clement Shaw's house who happens to live really close to Pam.  I went to school with Lisa and so it was really fun seeing her and visiting with her at her house.  I think we kind of surprised her when we rolled up on our wiggle cars.  Little note about wiggle cars....they roll best on smooth, flat surfaces!  The road had little rocks on it and it was really hard to get them to go.  We had to use our legs like the little kids do.  It was too much of a work out for me.  Oh besides not caring about eating healthy, I really don't like to exercise any more either.  I'm pretty sure I'll live as long as I'm suppose to regardless so for now I will have my rebellious attitude.  I really am enjoying my life and that's most important.....right?

The time flew by.  I didn't think I'd stay for more than a few hours but it was a bit over 4 hrs by the time I left.  It would be so fun to live closer to Pam.  Pam is so much fun!  I am really glad that Braxton and her son....Kyle suggested we be friends.  They are smart boys and we are both very happy about it.  I borrowed some pictures of Pam's ancestors so I will need to return them and will get to see her again.  I love Pam and today went as planned---Very Fun and Much Laughter!  If we want to have fun....we need to plan it!


While enjoying our salads I came up with one of my own that I plan on making.  I will call it the Chococo Salad.  I will post about it later!