28 February 2009

Happy Birthday Doyle!

My cousin Doyle is my Uncle Bill's son (that's my mom's older brother). He was named after my mom's twin brother who died in a tragic car and train accident when he was only seventeen years old. My brothers, sister and I always thought Doyle was so "cool" when we were growing up. We still think he's pretty neat. In "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" terms--he's my "Family History Lifeline." He's done so much genealogy work. I'm very grateful for his love for family history. He's truly an inspiration. (picture to the side is Doyle & Cassie visiting me as a baby and my brother Mark and my sister Martha)
Love you Doyle,
hope you have a great birthday!

Julie & Doyle & Family
Phillip, Todd & Sean
(Heather & William born later)


27 February 2009

Happy Birthday Becky!


Rebecca Mae
born February 27th 1983
was the first of three cousins born in '83. The others were Robert and Angie. Becky is Martha's oldest daughter, Robert is Mark's oldest son and Angie is my oldest daughter. We love you "Beek" Hope you had a great birthday!

This special Birthday greeting
Is being sent your way,
With many happy wishes
For a truly perfect day.

26 February 2009

Carson Gets an Award

Carson earns his Arrow of Light
Last night we had our annual Blue and Gold Banquet for the cub scouts. Carson got his Arrow of Light award. A special friend in our ward, Gary R., made each boy a plaque with an arrow that has painted on it markings that represent each award received in cub scouts. It was a special night. Carson will be moving on to boy scouts in April. Its been fun to see him grow and learn in this great program.
"I, Carson, promise to do my best
to do my duty to God and my country,
to help other people,
and to obey the Law of the Pack."
Cub Scout Promise

25 February 2009

My February Recipe

DAVE'S FAVORITE
"OLIVE GARDEN" TOSCANA SOUP
3/4 cup onion, diced 1/8-inch
1 slice bacon, 1/4-inch diced
1 1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 ounce chicken bouillon
1 quart water
2 medium potatoes, cut in half length-wise, then cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 cups cavallo greens (kale can be substituted), cut in half and then sliced into 1/16-inch strips
1 1/2 cup sausage link - spicy pre-cooked, cut in half length-wise, then cut at an angle into 1/2 inch slices
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
DIRECTIONS: Place sausage link onto sheet pan and bake in 300 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Place onions and bacon into 3 to 4 quart saucepan and cook onions over medium heat until the onions are almost clear. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken bouillon, water, and potatoes, bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients then simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

This is Dave's absolute favorite and you don't have to go to "Olive Garden" to enjoy it.

24 February 2009

Welcome Baby Ryan!

Baby Ryan Mae
7 lbs. 13.5 oz.
born 23rd February 2009
Parents: Bill & Chesea B.
Grandparents: Martha & Hugh B.
Baby Ryan is my nephew Bill's first baby. It's my sister Martha's sixth grandchild.
Congratulations!!!

"A baby has a special way of
adding joy in every single day."
--Author Unknown

19 February 2009

My Favorite Love Quotes - 2009

I had so much fun finding these quotes for my blog sidebar this month.

Love begins at home
and it is not how much we do. . .
but how much love we put in that action."
--Mother Teresa

"Love is something eternal,
the aspects may change,
but not the essence."
--Vincent Van Gough

"If you loved someone
you would be willing
to give up everything for them,
but if they loved you back,
they'd never ask you to. "
--Anonymous

"Love. . . everybody wants it,
everybody seeks it,
but few ever achieve it,
those who do
will cherish it, be lost in it,
and among all. . . never forget it."

--Curtis Judalet

17 February 2009

Happy Birthday Cassie!

Actually, "Happy Belated Birthday" Cassie is the oldest daughter of my mom's brother, William, who we called "Uncle Bill." She was fondly named after my grandma Cassie. I have fond memories of visiting their home. We usually always got together at Thanksgiving growing up and we have gotten together occasionally when I try (Cassie & Adam) to visit family in California. Her birthday was February 12th. Hope you had a great birthday.
Cassie & Family at My Wedding 1983
Cassie, Jim,
Shellee, Carrie, Windy, Perri
Martha B., Doyle M., Julie M., Cassie W., Jim W., Beth L.
COUSINS VISITING, SUMMER 2008

14 February 2009

You're My Inspiration--Dave

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

DAVE THE MARATHON MAN
at Myrtle Beach Marathon 2006
He missed it this year

Anyone that knows me, knows that I'm not a person that shows a lot of "public display of affection." In fact, true love is so emotional to me that I keep a lot of it locked in my heart because I can get so crazy and goofy about it. Another reason I don't talk about it a lot is that I'm a afraid that if I get too repetitive with my love expressions that it could be perceived as insincere because I'm always teasing an joking about my husband. Anyway, but this is Valentine's Day and I truly love my husband and want to express it. Dave has been an inspiration to me from the moment I met him. About twenty-seven years ago, I was visiting a friend in her apartment at BYU--Provo, Utah. As I looked out her window, I saw this guy going door to door to each apartment and my first inclination was to think "What's with this guy," is he mooching food from every girl in the apartment building." Then my friend told me he was the elders quorum president and that he does that all the time. He just likes checking up on everyone. When he eventually got to my friend's apartment and I met him, I was totally smitten. Dave is so good, not only spiritually but in almost every way. I think his most endearing trait is that he is so self-sacrificing. Whether it be church service or going the extra mile for a customer at work. He tries to help everyone he can, almost too much in my opinion but that's another story. This year is the first year that we've missed the Myrtle Beach Marathon or half Marathon. Dave loves to run, he even got me to run a marathon one year that's how inspiring he is but we just had too much going on to get there this year. When Dave became bishop he had just bought a new pair of running shoes. He brought them to church the day he was sustained and told the ward that he knew he would have to give up most of his running because he knew being bishop would take up a lot of his time. So its a little sad around our house today because we missed our annual trek to Myrtle Beach to see Dave run but its bittersweet because we know he's dong nobler things. But, just for the record. . . He's out running right now. He hasn't given it totally up. . just some of it. I love you Dave, thanks for putting up with my weirdness all these years.

I love this quote because it sounds like something I'd say,

"We are all a little weird,
and life's a little weird,
and when we find someone,
whose weirdness is compatible with ours,
we join up with them
and fall in mutual weirdness
and call it love."
Anonymous

12 February 2009

Cousins Serve In Same Mission

Jeanette and my husband Dave are cousins. Our husbands work together and her family lives just a few doors down from us. Her oldest son, Justin, got his mission call last night. Since Justin is at BYU, we all sat around the (photo: Justin and Jeanette) speaker phone as he announced his mission call. As I videotaped the call, Justin announced it was Buenos Aires Argentina, I could hardly contain myself because that is where my son Jake went on his mission but I was still not sure that it was the same mission as Jake's because there are at least four missions in the city of Buenos Aires so, I kept asking "which one, which one," and as you can see on the tape, I totally lost it when they said, "Buenos Aires North." Wow, I thought, what are the chances that cousins would serve in the exact same mission. We're so proud of Justin, he's such a good guy. He is so prepared to go on his mission and he's going to make a great missionary.

". . .Far and wide we tell the Father's story,
Far and wide His love proclaim. . ."
"Called to Serve"--Grace Gordon

Waiting to hear Justin's Mission Call
Lauren H., Jessica L., Erica H., Bob H.,
Kellee B., Jeanette H., Grandma Tamara L.,
Carson L., & Beth L.

10 February 2009

HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY JAKE!

Jake in Puno, Peru
Somehow I lost Jake's Birthday Slideshow , so if you missed it--here's a link.

08 February 2009

ANGIE'S GOING TO NURSING SCHOOL

SCHOOL UPDATES
ANGIE officially got accepted to nursing school. She applied to a handful of schools that were offering an Accelerated Nursing Bachelors Degree which is a program for students who already have their bachelor's degree. She'll finish her BS in April at BYU. St. Louis University is her top choice because it only takes 12 months and it starts in May. So, she'll probably go there unless she gets accepted to the Master's Nursing Program at University of Virginia (UVA) which is a two years program. She probably won't know if she gets accepted there for another month because the program doesn't start until the Fall Semester. Being a Nurse Practitioner is her ultimate goal so even if she goes to SLU for her BSN, she eventually wants to be a nurse practioner. So, we'll see how it goes in the next few months. Things change from day to day.
JAKE has changed his major from Political Science to Geography/Geospacial Intelligence. Geospatial intelligence is a rapidly growing field that uses technology to gather spatial data, then analyze and interpret it to monitor and solve situations that impact our national security. Sounds interesting, huh? Anyway, he's really excited about it. He says there are a lot of job opportunities in this field. So, I hope it works out for him. When he returns from Peru in April, he'll be working on his major at BYU--Provo.
"BE SMART. . ."
"You are moving into the most competitive age
the world has ever known.
All around you is competition.
. . .and your worth will increase
as you gain education and proficiency
in your chosen field."
Gordon B. Hinckley

07 February 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICK!

Rick & Wendy -- Okinawa, Japan
Rick is an audiologist for the Navy. He' s the first grandson of my parents. He's my nephew from my sister, Martha. Rick was born right before I went on my mission and I can remember missing him a lot because I got to be around him so much right before I left. Its been fun to see him all grown up now.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

03 February 2009

A CROWN WITHOUT CONFLICT

Steven David born 3rd February 1987,
died 25th February 1987
Steven was our third born infant child. He was 11 lbs. and 12 oz., my largest baby at birth and we thought he was our healthiest infant, born with no complications. I took him to his "well-baby check" at two weeks old and everything was thought to be good. We were living in Las Vegas at the time and so I went to go show him to my family in Lancaster, California where my parents and sister lived. After only a few days there, I took a rest on my sister's bed while Steven was sleeping and when I awoke and we checked on him, he had passed on. I had never experienced such grief in my life up to that point. Yet, when I reflect on it now, I thank the Lord for the spirit I felt comforting me the entire time during that period of my life. I'm so grateful to know that Heavenly Father has an eternal plan for all of us, including infants and children who die young. I also know that this life is but a small part of our entire life and that I can be with Steven again.
"We look at sorrows like death and we think
they are tragedies, but we are only looking
at things from the seamy side.
There is another side to the picture,
the designer's side--God's side.
And there are no blunders there.
Some day we will see it.
Some day we will be able to say,
The Lord liveth! The Lord giveth and
the Lord taketh away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord."
Elder Melvin J. Ballard

01 February 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLEE!!!



Kellee B. is Dave's 2nd cousin that we have gotten real close to since the Fall. We went to Olive Garden for lunch with her cousin Nathan H. and friend Brian earlier in the week but today is her official birthday. So,
"Happy, happy birthday Kellee dear,
happy days will come to you all year,
If I had a wish then it would be,
a happy, happy birthday to you from me."