Mesa Arizona Temple

I heard a fabulous talk on Temple attendance last Sunday. It was a reminder of how fortunate it is to live only a few minutes from this Temple. President Monson announced in 2008 that a new Arizona Temple will be built. The Gilbert Temple will be 7 miles from where we live. What a blessing it is to be able to enter the House of the Lord in service to others, to feel comfort and peace and having the knowledge that I have a family sealed to me for eternity.

What a great primary class!

Children! Aren't they just wonderful? I am a new primary teacher to these precious 4-5 year olds. It's been an adjustment from being R.S. president to teaching young children again. It's just what I need to feel young, enthusiastic and full of love.

A special program for Young Women....

Jessica has been Laurel President this past year and has had a lot of practice conducting meetings. She received her personal progress medallion when she was 13 and continues to set new goals. Aubrey has a goal to complete her program this year. I am very proud of the accomplishments these girls have achieved and the wonderful young women they have become.

Ryan turned thirteen this month!

Happy Birthday, Ryan. Thirteen wonderful years we have shared with Ryan. Ryan enjoys life. Loves to tease his three older sisters, scouts, friends, vacations, board games, soccer, basketball, entertaining his two year old niece, water-skiing, pingpong and most of all, being with his family. We love you Ryan.

In Loving Memory.....

Eileen Burnham Jones born August 20, 1915 in Mancos, Colorado - passed away January 12, 2009 in Thatcher, Arizona. Grandma had 6 children, 17 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. She loved her family and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her strong testimony will live in our hearts and will be an example to her family forever. She wrote: "Nothing could make me prouder than to have my children and grandchildren follow in Christ's footsteps and do as He does."

Slide Show

These paintings are the artworks by Richard Franklin. Richard was my late husband and father of my children. He died in a private plane accident in 1997 at the age of 35. More of his artworks can be viewed online. Google: Richard Franklin Art.

I love granola

I want to share my recipe because it is my favorite. I hope you enjoy granola as much as I do as cereal or on top of fruit and yogurt. Enjoy!



GRANOLA
3 1/4 C Oats (old fashioned/quick-any combination)
1 1/4 C white wheat flour-freshly ground if possible
1 1/3 C shredded coconut
1/4 C flax seed (optional)
1 C coarsely chopped almonds or pecans
1 C brown sugar
6 T coconut oil/ or 1 stick butter
1/3 C water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, flax seed, coconut and nuts. Set aside. In a saucepan over meduim heat, combine brown sugar, oil (butter), and water and heat until the oil (butter) has melted and the mixture is bubbly. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture together until smooth, and then still in the salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture over the oats mixture and still til well coated. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Spread mixture on a large baking sheet, separating it into irregular clumps with your fingers, and allowing space between clumps for the hot air to circulate. Put baking sheet on middle rack and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to break up the mixture into medium sized clumps. Return to the oven and bake again for 15 minutes before stirring again. Bake for another 15 minutes or until the granola is uniform golden brown and completely dry--this usually takes about 45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

I'm bad!!

We built our home 10 years ago and planted about 13 citrus/fruit trees. Steve and the kids work together to pick the citrus and squeeze fresh orange every morning. Yesterday, I wanted an orange and grapefruit and their wasn't any in the house, so I went out to pick a few and noticed that our trees were loaded with citrus. Why was this a new discovery? I realized that I never go on that side of the property to notice all the fruit we have and I have never shared it. My sister once asked me why we don't give her bags of citrus when she comes to visit in the Winter and I told her that Steve uses all the citrus for orange juice and we didn't have any left to pass along. I had no idea!! Whoever comes to visit will surely go home with citrus from our trees from now on. Our friends and neighbors will now receive a bag of citrus every Christmas instead of our traditional chips/salsa or chocolate & caramel dipped pretzel rods.

What a joy to be grandparents!

Payson likes to play with Disney characters and truly believes her name is Sleeping Beauty.

Ridgon is three months old in this picture and already looks like a stud.

Back to the foot specialist

Ryan spend the last weeks of December 2008 in a cast from the knee down. He had a foot injury from playing soccer. A few days after the cast was removed I noticed that he was limping and had a swollen ankle. So we made our third trip to the doctor to have it checked out.

It's Birthday Time

Michelle loves Strawberry Short cake so I made an angel food cake and took it out of the oven and within 10 minutes this is what it looked like. I wasn't all that happy with my two youngest children who helped themselves to the entire cake before I had a chance to take it out of the pan and sing happy birthday with the family. Another cake was made by the cake-monsters and candles were lit, but we were having fun making butterfinger blizzards that we forgot to have Michelle blow out her candles before her cake started melting.

Family

Nick is my oldest child. He served a LDS mission in Buenos Aires North Argentina in 2003-2005. He returned and married his High School sweetheart, Jenny. They now have two children: Payson, 2 1/2 and Rigdon, 3 months.

and more family....

Happy New Year 2009!!!!!

Michelle will be 21 years old in January. She is currently living in Utah going to school. Jessica is 18, graduates from high school and receive her cosmetology license in May 2009. Aubrey turns 16 in March-looks forward to driving and dating. Ryan turns 13 in January. He enjoys playing the piano with his three sisters, loves soccer and basketball.