It's Not Always Clear...

When your vocabulary and the picture don't always fit...

Owen was looking through our reverence book at church and came to this picture by Carl Bloch. He leaned over to me and whispered, "Mom, isn't this the picture of Jesus healing the leprechauns?"

Scenario #2

After looking at my blog post pictures of our trip to Las Vegas to see BYU play, Owen said, "Mom, I love that picture of you and dad! Isn't that where you saw everyone wearing Jiminy Cricket T-shirts?"

And who says our kids aren't listening?

My Favorite NEW Cookbook

I'm sure a lot of you visit the blog Our Best Bites. I have visited the site several times and drooled over the delcious looking food. I was even going to make one of their recipes when I discovered they were going to publish a cookbook. Now I realize that MOST of the recipes in the cookbook are also on the blog, but I am really a fan of a good cookbook--just ask my husband, he thinks I have some cookbook hoarding disease. So, I bought the cookbook three weeks ago.

Since then, I have made The World's Best Dinner Rolls (I'm not bragging--that's what they are called):

I then prepared their Cheesesteake Sandwiches. I am going to confess here that I thought that the flavor was going to fall short, so I generously added Montreal Steak Seasoning. A seasoning that can do no wrong on any meat as far as I'm concerned.

I then made their super delicious Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos. No picture, but they were soooo good that Ryanna--the resident cheese hater--LOVED them. I just dipped them in sour cream and salsa, but I hear they are good with the lime cilantro dip that is also found on their website.

I then had to try their Brazilian Lemonade--ever since my friend Koby made it and brought me enough to leave me in deep desire for a month or more. What better to wash down those taquitos with?

Sunday I pulled out all the stops and made their Pineapple and Ginger Flank Steak--which is not to be found on their blog--only in their cookbook apparently. We put the steak on top of their Coconut Rice (once again not found on the site, but in the cookbook) and for a side dish we did super yummy Carmelized Green Beans. Fresh green beans with red onion and bacon--can you ever go wrong with BACON?!?!?

And then Ryanna's birthday. What to do for her cake? I don't do cutely decorated cakes. It should probably be in my genes, but I don't go there. I happened to be flipping through this cookbook and saw a picture of their Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake and Ryanna's eyes got really big and she said, "I want that for my birthday cake." (along with some chocolate ice cream with brownie bits because she is MY daughter)

Doesn't that cake look fancy and it's sooo easy--even making your own mousse is really not a big deal.

This week I took it a bit slower and only made a Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes recipe (yes, I made the pesto from scratch and it turned out delightful), but I can't find this recipe on their blog either. Although it is similar to their Creamy Pesto Pasta--it's not exactly that recipe. Apparently, you really do need to buy the book.

You think I'm done? I'm not even started. However, last night I did make their Orange Kissed Cookies and called it good. I'm making myself type this right now, so that I don't eat every single cookie that is left.

And you, what is your favorite recipe you've discovered from their blog?

Last weekend

Last weekend I was in Las Vegas--watching Jimmer Fredette and the rest of the Cougars play in person. This weekend I watched from home while trying to gently, and at other times not so gently, maneuver children out of my view of the TV. Who didn't cheer when they beat Wofford--but that was expected right? Then, I watched Gonzaga play their first round team--Gonzaga who has TWO men who are seven feet tall--and I worried about the Cougars' chances. Saturday night there was a lot of screaming and clapping and overall excitement as the Cougars won against this freakishly tall Gonzaga team. I loved it (but I did miss singing the school song and pumping my fist while yelling "Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah..."). Some feelings and experiences can't be replicated outside of a stadium.

And, so you don't feel lonely about not going to Las Vegas with us, I'll entertain you with photos from the occasion.

I love this picture because you can see that we were some of the first people in the stadium and I can just see Derek's face all lit up in anticipation of great things to come. This trip was my gift to him--I planned it and executed it, but I couldn't surprise him because I think that would've pushed him over the edge--he's a little bit responsible about his job.

Jimmer's so good he warms up by shooting two balls at a time--ha, ha!



I realize that these photos of the players are a bit grainy, but my camera was maxing out on zoom to try and get these, so you'll have to forgive me.

If you don't know who this is--you don't follow BYU sports.

We were LOVING this game!!!

He had just scored 52 points--a record that will probably never be broken. I guess it took his breath away too!

After reading some reviews and talking with some friends, we decided to go to the buffet at the Bellagio. It was delicious (for example--custom made omelets, seveal types of fish, sushi, prime rib, fresh fruit, several types of oven roasted pizzas, Indian dishes and desserts!!!!). Derek thought it was funny that I happened to grab several desserts my first time through. I consider that strategic planning. Why fill up on junk like salad and bread sticks when I can have a key lime tart or chocolate goodness?

This was the garden court area of the Bellagio. It was really cool. There are so many flowers and the little shed you're seeing the top of houses lots of different types of butterflies. If we were any good at photography, we could've spent some serious time here.

I thought this tree was so fun to look at and so artistic.


This was a living piece of art. As the flowers dry out, they are replaced, so there are always fresh flowers being displayed. If you look closely, you'll see a hose hooked up to the back to keep the flowers fresh.

This also was in the Bellagio--can you tell where I'd stay if I had the choice? It's the world's largest chocolate fountain. No really--I'll show you the certificate even.

Doesn't convince you still? Here's a better picture.

While we were there we also went and saw Cirque du Soleil's KA. We thought it was awesome--the stage moves--not just up and down, but completely vertically. They had some amazing stunts and the costumes were awesome. No pictures allowed though.

We also lost our car. Yes, probably the only two sober people in the entire casino and we forgot the level we parked our rental car on. I remembered the letter is the most frustrating thing. We looked for about 40 minutes before seeking help from the valet station where they put their people on it. They found it in about 10 minutes.

It also has to be mentioned that we began the trip by eating lunch with our cousin Jarom who recommended that we eat at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. I am now extending the same invitation to you. I loved my food and we all agreed that the Queso Fundido appetizer was to die for.

Now I'm home where women cover themselves up at least a little more, people don't wear their alcoholic beverage around their necks, you don't see "dancers" performing inside buses while you're driving down the road and I can breath the air without fear of emphysema. It was fun while it lasted, but it's good to be home too.

William Tyndale--Father of the English Bible

Usually I consume a pretty steady diet of novels--about two a month. However, given that last month both of the book clubs that I belong to were reading books I had already read last year, I decided to pursue a more academic novel. I just finished reading Fire in the Bones William Tyndale -- Martyr, Father of the English Bible. This book was not masterfully crafted with language that takes you away. It was not a historical fiction novel that creates characters and embellishes stories, it simply was the life of William Tyndale according to the author's research of his life. I had been interested in reading the book since I gave a talk earlier in the year and began my talk with a brief biographical sketch about Tyndale's life which story I merely repeated from a talk given by D. Todd Christofferson at the April 2010 General Conference (here). I would encourage you to read it because it will make you curious about the life of such an extraordinary man. I wanted to share a few of the fascinating tidbits that I learned from the book.

• William Tyndale was fluent in SEVEN languages. When I say fluent I mean that there is a historical account of a person who said that his fluency in reading and writing these languages was so complete that whatever tongue he was speaking in you would think was his native tongue. These languages were: Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, French and German. He taught himself Hebrew because he wanted to translate the Bible from it's text in Hebrew as well as the Greek.


• He was educated at Oxford and Cambridge. His education at Oxford began at age 12 because of his bright and able mind. While there, he studied rhetoric (the study or effective use of language--not the negative definitions that this word incites today). This class on rhetoric included reading Erasmus' novel De Copia, which studies how you could write the phrase, "Your letter has delighted me very much" in 150 different ways.


• While it may seem ridiculous that the study of language and which words to place together would be very important in translation, there was an example provided by the author that shows the beauty of Tyndale's use of word to bring the Spirit into his work versus the text of the Phillips Modern English version of the Bible.

Consider this account, "Lord, if it is really you,' said Peter, 'tell me to come to you on the water.' 'Come on, then' replied Jesus. Peter stepped down from the boat and began to walk on the water, making for Jesus. But when he saw the fury of the wind he panicked and began to sink, calling out, 'Lord save me!' At once Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying, 'You little-faith! What made you love your nerve like that?' Then, when they were both aboard the boat, the wind dropped. The whole crew came and knelt down before Jesus, crying 'You are indeed the Son of God!'"

Now compare that to the King James version of the Bible of which Tyndale is responsible for about 90% of the translated copy that we use today, "Peter answered and said: If thou be he, bid me come unto thee on the water. and he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw a mighty wind, he was afraid. And as he began to sink, he cried saying: Master save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said to him: O thou of little faith: wherefore didst thou doubt? And as soon as they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped him, saying: Of a truth thou art the Son of God."

It's easy to hear the difference and not just hear the beauty of the language when the same words are translated differently, but to FEEL the difference. One translation brings beauty and calm and the other reads like any common account you'd hear from a person relating the experience to a friend. Listen to the sound of, "If thou be he, bid me come unto thee on the water." Tyndale believed in using simple English to bring out the beauty of the words.

• The word Atonement with its religious meaning is Tyndale's creation. It only appears one time in the New Testament (Romans 5:11), but within my own faith it is a word commonly and frequently used. Sir Thomas More used it in a secular sense, but as applying to Jesus' act in our behalf it is Tyndale's creation.


• Tyndale lived in hiding almost his entire adult life. He fled England because he desired to translate the scriptures into English for the common man to read, but it was forbidden by the Catholic church. English was considered a vulgar language and the priests held all of the power in their day since any repentance for sins committed was tied into penance that was determined by the priests (among other reasons). The church had a lot to lose monetarily if the Bible was in the hands of the common man. However, Tyndale felt so compelled to allow every man in England to read the scriptures for himself, that he fled his own country and lived in hiding in order to work on his translations.


• His translations of the New Testament--though illegal to possess--were so popular and prized by the people, that the printers could hardly keep up with the demand. Initially people found with these books were punished publicly and forced to state their guilt, but after the church saw that it could no longer control the reading of these texts with public shaming, they began to burn people found with these texts at the stake. One of the leading opponents of the day was Sir Thomas More.


• Tyndale's revised New Testament contained about 5,000 changes. Many of the changes make the text more like the original Greek. The word, "Senior" was changed to "elder." The phrase, "Blessed are the maintainers of peace" is changed to "Blessed are the peacemakers."


• Unfortunately, at the time of his capture, Tyndale was working on translating the Old Testament, so we don't get to experience the beauty and influence that the Spirit brought to him. However, there are some examples that were included in the book which I really enjoyed:

Isaiah 53:8

KJV (King James Version): Who shall declare his generation?

Tyndale: His generation who can number [them]?

Isaiah 53:10

KJV: Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Tyndale: And yet the Lord determined to bruise him with infirmities. His soul giving herself for transgression, he shall see seed of long continuance, and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Ultimately, Tyndale gave his life for this work which meant everything to him. Over and over again the book mentions that there was not a single record of anyone who came into contact with him that was not won over by his gentle nature and unassuming honesty. He was a man who desired only to provide Christ's words to every man to read for himself. To feel the power of the scriptures--to be touched by God's words. Even his jailers were won over by their prisoner. A mind so brilliant and dedicated so singularly to helping his fellow man with his talents. What an impressive individual. How lucky I am for his sacrifices and those of men like him.

Two Violin Concerts

Ryanna had two violin concerts this month. She did excellent in both and I thought I'd share her songs. This first video is Gavotte from Mignon. Unfortunately we only were able to practice with this piano player one time and as you can see from the performance, she wasn't able to quite keep up with the violin. This performance was the first time Ryanna has started the song instead of having an introduction by the piano. She did awesome!!!!

The second video is Ryanna playing Minuet in G by Beethoven. I think the trickiest thing about this song is the bowing. Remembering whether you're supposed to be going up a second time or down. I thought she did really well in this performance too. She really rises to the occasion--so different than I am in front of a crowd. I get soooo nervous for her, but she's always ready. I'm so proud of all of her hard work. We only have to put together this last couple measures of Minuet by Boccherini and we're on to book three!

Unfortunately, Blogger is being ridiculous and after an entire day of trying to load the second video, I have given up and posted it on youtube instead. The link is here.

Jury Duty

So, I got the jury summons in the mail over a month ago and instead of trying to get out of it like I have before (nursing, stay at home mom, etc, etc) I decided to go ahead and play the odds. I thought to myself, "A lot of these juries never even get called in. The odds that I'll have to go in are slim." Well, apprarently I should never go to Vegas.
I called yesterday after 4:30 as per the instructions, to find out that I would have to call in again today at 11:00. This seemed a bit crazy to me. I couldn't really plan anything for the day given that I didn't know if I'd have to be in downtown Phoenix for half the day. Well, when I called in, I found out I would have to report to the court at 1:00!!! I frantically called Derek and he had to rush home, so that I, in turn, could rush out to the court.
I do have to say that I would describe the screening process as part speed dating and part Alcoholics Anonymous meeting--at least that's my imagined take given I've never participated in either activity. The judge summoned all 45 of us to his court and he asked several broad questions to us and if the question was true for us, we had to raise our juror number. I was lucky #37 by the way--way back in the pack.
Questions like:
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or criminal offense or are you closely related to someone who has been?
My first thought was no and then I immediately remembered that someone I'm very closely related to has spent time in jail. I'll leave you all in suspense wondering who and what they did. Although we weren't allowed to leave the judge in suspense because we had to confess the person's relationship to us as well as their convicted crime. Out of our group of 45 I would say 15 people had either been convicted themselves or were closely related to someone who had a DUI. YIKES!!! That was shocking to me.
He also asked us if any of us had ever done meth or knew someone who had. About a third of our group said they knew someone who had.
He followed that up by asking if we knew someone who was addicted to meth--about the same number replied in the affirmative again!
After asking the entire group the random questions, we then had to go through and stand up and state our juror number and what we did for a living and how long we had been doing that job and what our spouse did and the name of their company and how long they had worked there and the ages of our kids that were under 18 years of age.
This was my favorite part because I love to learn about people and I found myself being able to actually remember a lot of the juror numbers and associate professions or stories with their numbers.
For example--juror number 9 had a son who had been in drug rehab last year from April thru October. I also remember his occupation and that he is single with only one child.
Juror number two and I spoke before going in and she had been selected for jury duty previously and was not picked and was a little disappointed that she hadn't made the cut. (The judge told us not to take it personally).
Juror 44 had worked for the postal service for 25 years and had been the president of one of its union organizations.
Juror 45 worked for Lockheed Martin (sp?) and had sat as a juror for two previous juries which were both criminal trials.
Juror 36 had four teenagers ages 16, 15, 15 and 15. Not triplets, but twins and a child from her husband's previous marriage.
I actually knew juror number 28 from meeting her at a party at Christmas. We were the only two jurists who knew each other.
Juror 38 worked for Schwann's and had a friend who was a cop who lied in his grand jury testimony.
Juror 25 had a conviction for drug possession from 20 years ago. She also was a single mother with two children.
Juror 40 was a forensic architect which I thought sounded like the coolest profession of any of us in the room.
Juror 4 had sat on a jury 20 years ago where he was certain that a guilty guy went unpunished and he said he was not certain he could be impartial.
Juror 5 had dated a cop and a guy who claimed he was a secret agent--we all laughed at that. Even the judge jokingly asked her, "And I suppose he worked for the CIA?"
Juror 11 had had to testify in a trial against her own son.
There are other details I remember about the other jurists, but I don't remember their numbers.
So, I ended up not being summoned for duty, but I did think the whole process was fascinating. Long, and very uncomfortable given that I saw sitting on a hard, wooden pew almost the whole time, but still fascinating.

Valentine Wreath

Psst! Come here...

A little closer...

Whoa!!! Too close!

There, that's about right.

So, my cousin made a wreath like this and I just loved it, so I tried one myself. I think hers turned out cuter, but it was still neat to try something new. Want to make one too? Click here.