First of all, we took a look at Ruth's recipe and want to try it this week! Nick says if anyone needs Balsamic vinegar we can mail it to you because we have about 4 bottles of it. Why? I don't know.
Nothing too out of the ordinary this week. Just teaching, prepping for school and trying to be outside before the weather turns bitter.
I have been reading a book called "Just Married," by Mark Ogletree that Grandpa Belliston gave to us. It is a delightful read (probably just for newlyweds though). Today I was reading the chapter about parenting and (no, this is not an announcement) it tickled my funny bone so I thought I would share since some of you might relate. The author included a piece he found on the Internet called, "11 Step Program for Those Thinking of Having Kids." I won't put all the lessons down but here is a taste... Lesson 1.
1. Go to the Grocery Store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go Home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2.
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's sleep habits, toilet training, table manners and overall behavior. Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 5.
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this: all morning.
Lesson 6.
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family-size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the backseat. Sprinkle Cheerios all over the floor, then smash them.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There, doesn't that look nice?
Lesson 7. (I related to this one)
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a preschool child. (A full grown goat is an excellent choice.) If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
I know you want to hear the rest now but hopefully it got you laughing! Love you all!
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Happy (kind of) in Hyde Park
From my journal entry today:
"Well, I am winning the award for the worst Belliston grandma ever. Not only did I forget the twins birthday this year, I also got mixed up on the dates for Grace's performance in 'James and the Giant Peach' in Springville this week. I'm so embarrassed, not to mention frustrated and angry at myself for doing such a dumb thing. The worst part is, there is no way to make it up to her. It's done and over and I missed it. I hope she, and her parents, can forgive me."
Urrrrgggh! I have no idea why my brain waves won't reach as far as Springville... I do hope the Joe and Lori Belliston crew will still talk to me and let me in next time I make it down there! I am very sorry. I was really looking forward to seeing her theatre debut.
Last Sunday, Thomas came home early from church because his back was hurting so much he couldn't sit any longer. He threw up as soon as he got home. Then his head began to ache. I put some oils on his head and stomach that night, which took the headache and stomach ache away, but when he got up the next morning, his neck was swollen and sore and he couldn't swallow. Now, you know Thomas is sick when he doesn't go to his mandatory Big Blue practice or to his coaching job. He stayed in bed until I could get him to the doctor. The diagnosis was a raging case of tonsillitis and he was told to go home and gargle with salt water. Miserable. He went back to bed until he had to go to Pickleville (there is no substitute for Chester the monkey) and Dad had to drive him there because he couldn't turn his head. Anyway, we nursed him for the better part of the week with salt water, herbs and vitamins. Yesterday he reported feeling 87% better.
The lawn was very long when Dad returned from Cedar City, but when he tried to mow, it was too much for the poor lawn mower and it gave up the ghost. He purchased a new one and was getting used to it yesterday. The yard now looks like someone lives here and cares about it. It's just a bit dry. Our air conditioner also decided to take a break as the temperature increased this week. It's as hot inside as it is outside, so I may have to come visit someone who has air conditioning...
Emma is done with band practices until after school starts (which happens to be this Thursday), so she has lots of plans for her spare time for the next few days. Thomas' Pickleville schedule is easing up, so he has a little more time, too. I've got most of the babies here that I've been waiting for so now maybe we can get some of the unfinished projects done that we've had to keep postponing!
Happy week to all! Please accept my apologies if I've forgotten or misunderstood important events in your lives. I do love you all very much and am trying to get my brain to function better. Thanks for your patience and forgiveness.
"Well, I am winning the award for the worst Belliston grandma ever. Not only did I forget the twins birthday this year, I also got mixed up on the dates for Grace's performance in 'James and the Giant Peach' in Springville this week. I'm so embarrassed, not to mention frustrated and angry at myself for doing such a dumb thing. The worst part is, there is no way to make it up to her. It's done and over and I missed it. I hope she, and her parents, can forgive me."
Urrrrgggh! I have no idea why my brain waves won't reach as far as Springville... I do hope the Joe and Lori Belliston crew will still talk to me and let me in next time I make it down there! I am very sorry. I was really looking forward to seeing her theatre debut.
Last Sunday, Thomas came home early from church because his back was hurting so much he couldn't sit any longer. He threw up as soon as he got home. Then his head began to ache. I put some oils on his head and stomach that night, which took the headache and stomach ache away, but when he got up the next morning, his neck was swollen and sore and he couldn't swallow. Now, you know Thomas is sick when he doesn't go to his mandatory Big Blue practice or to his coaching job. He stayed in bed until I could get him to the doctor. The diagnosis was a raging case of tonsillitis and he was told to go home and gargle with salt water. Miserable. He went back to bed until he had to go to Pickleville (there is no substitute for Chester the monkey) and Dad had to drive him there because he couldn't turn his head. Anyway, we nursed him for the better part of the week with salt water, herbs and vitamins. Yesterday he reported feeling 87% better.
The lawn was very long when Dad returned from Cedar City, but when he tried to mow, it was too much for the poor lawn mower and it gave up the ghost. He purchased a new one and was getting used to it yesterday. The yard now looks like someone lives here and cares about it. It's just a bit dry. Our air conditioner also decided to take a break as the temperature increased this week. It's as hot inside as it is outside, so I may have to come visit someone who has air conditioning...
Emma is done with band practices until after school starts (which happens to be this Thursday), so she has lots of plans for her spare time for the next few days. Thomas' Pickleville schedule is easing up, so he has a little more time, too. I've got most of the babies here that I've been waiting for so now maybe we can get some of the unfinished projects done that we've had to keep postponing!
Happy week to all! Please accept my apologies if I've forgotten or misunderstood important events in your lives. I do love you all very much and am trying to get my brain to function better. Thanks for your patience and forgiveness.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
A Delectable Recipe!
Okay folks, hold on to your hats because this recipe will just about blow you away. First of all, the reason I am raving about this recipe is because my picky eater does not like new recipes and he actually ate this and.....LIKED IT!!! The other reason I like it is because it is pretty forgiving, meaning that you don't need to have exact measurements. It is also perfect with the fresh garden veggies that are coming on. Without further ado I present to you:
Bruschetta Chicken Pesto Wraps
Recipe by Our Best Bites (with variations by Ruth)
Recipe by Our Best Bites (with variations by Ruth)
Bruschetta:
1 tomato, diced (seeds removed)
1 tablespoon minced onion
1-2 tablespoons fresh minced basil or 1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon minced onion
1-2 tablespoons fresh minced basil or 1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
black pepper
Pesto chicken filling:
1 tablespoon mayo
1 tablespoon light sour cream or plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons pesto
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and a little zest
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken breast, about 4 ounces (I used some chicken that we had grilled and had put in the freezer)
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (I did not use these)
1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce or spinach leaves
greek pita flat bread (I like the flat bread over the pockets because it is much more moist and flavorful) Shredded cheese
1 tablespoon light sour cream or plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons pesto
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and a little zest
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken breast, about 4 ounces (I used some chicken that we had grilled and had put in the freezer)
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (I did not use these)
1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce or spinach leaves
greek pita flat bread (I like the flat bread over the pockets because it is much more moist and flavorful) Shredded cheese
Combine diced tomato, onion, basil, and balsamic vinegar. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Combine mayo, sour cream, pesto, lemon juice and a few grates of the lemon zest. Stir mixture and combine it with chicken and pine nuts (if using), stirring until combined. Layer lettuce on pita, top with chicken mixture, and then bruschetta. Add cheese if desired
This recipe originally serves 2 so I just cut up a few more things and doubled the chicken filling. I think that cilantro on top would also taste amazing! If you have leftover bruschetta, try using it on home made pizza, it's delish!
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Nilsson News
Apologies for not posting in forever but you haven't missed a whole lot. It is funny to think about how fast and busy this summer has been and then when I think back, I can't think of anything to write about. We have been harvesting some things and I canned the first batch of beans. I wish that school didn't start at the exact same time as canning season, but I guess my kids just get a crash course in home economics.
I think that Davis county has done something right and paid a little too much tithing because we have been getting drenched! On Monday, the rain began at 5 in the morning, increasing in strength through the day and didn't let up once until 5 that evening. The kids wanted to go out and do something fun so we decided to go to the pet store. The streets were like rivers and many of the intersections had turned to lakes. On main street there is a ton of construction so all of the gutters were non existent and that took puddle jumping to a whole new level. It was quite amazing actually. Like mom mentioned, we got another huge storm on Friday as well. It helped us to have an early harvest of peaches.
It was fun going up to Mom's this week and playing with the Hart boys. We went to the rodeo and the fair and that always brings back wondrous memories for me. You know, we had such a great life growing up. Thanks to great parents who knew what was good for us! Happy wedding day tomorrow! Sure glad that Dad will be home and you won't be stuck at the fair.
Hope to post some pictures soon after I get a hold of Garrett's phone.
I think that Davis county has done something right and paid a little too much tithing because we have been getting drenched! On Monday, the rain began at 5 in the morning, increasing in strength through the day and didn't let up once until 5 that evening. The kids wanted to go out and do something fun so we decided to go to the pet store. The streets were like rivers and many of the intersections had turned to lakes. On main street there is a ton of construction so all of the gutters were non existent and that took puddle jumping to a whole new level. It was quite amazing actually. Like mom mentioned, we got another huge storm on Friday as well. It helped us to have an early harvest of peaches.
It was fun going up to Mom's this week and playing with the Hart boys. We went to the rodeo and the fair and that always brings back wondrous memories for me. You know, we had such a great life growing up. Thanks to great parents who knew what was good for us! Happy wedding day tomorrow! Sure glad that Dad will be home and you won't be stuck at the fair.
Hope to post some pictures soon after I get a hold of Garrett's phone.
Flake Fun
9 August 2015 - Happy anniversary to the best parents ever!!
This week has been one that was out of the ordinary. Nothing very exciting happened per say but things were just a little different. Scott attended a business conference so he left on Wednesday morning and returned Friday night. The conference was beneficial in that he was able to get the CPE credits he needs to maintain his license.
On Wednesday I participated in an active shooter exercise for work. That was quite the adventure! I was one of 3 photographers so I got up close and personal with the action. The drill was held at the local community college. The humorous/sad part was that the exercise coordinators must have forgotten to inform some key community members so a couple of nearby elementary and high schools went into lock down! Luckily school wasn't in session so it was only the teachers and staff that were affected!
We have cucumbers coming out of our ears. I think I mentioned that I learned how to pickle last weekend. Now I am learning how to give cucumbers away! Luckily we have great neighbors who are willing to take the extras off of our hands! We froze some corn from our garden for FHE on Monday. I also experimented yesterday and froze some green beans. This week's experiment will be freezing broccoli and maybe carrots. Perhaps I'll just freeze them all together and make ready to go stir fry mixes...
Isn't harvest time fun? I know that it can be time consuming, sticky and hot but it gives me a feeling of satisfaction and security. And we feel blessed that our garden is producing so well that we can help others be prepared with stocked pantries too.
This was the weekend of fun purchases - we bought a new weed eater (we burned our old one out tackling a "wilderness" portion of our yard), an ax (since we now have a wood burning stove), a chainsaw with all the accoutrements (we just need a wood permit now) and a chest freezer (since we are quickly running out of room in our current freezer.
Yesterday was a very productive day. I did a batch of freezer beans. Scott weed ate? eated? around the yard. Scott split some firewood that was on the back porch. I stacked a new load of wood blocks on the back porch. Scott started to build the wood sides for his pickup (so we can get a bigger load of wood when we go and cut fire wood). I paid bills.
Have a great week!
This week has been one that was out of the ordinary. Nothing very exciting happened per say but things were just a little different. Scott attended a business conference so he left on Wednesday morning and returned Friday night. The conference was beneficial in that he was able to get the CPE credits he needs to maintain his license.
On Wednesday I participated in an active shooter exercise for work. That was quite the adventure! I was one of 3 photographers so I got up close and personal with the action. The drill was held at the local community college. The humorous/sad part was that the exercise coordinators must have forgotten to inform some key community members so a couple of nearby elementary and high schools went into lock down! Luckily school wasn't in session so it was only the teachers and staff that were affected!
We have cucumbers coming out of our ears. I think I mentioned that I learned how to pickle last weekend. Now I am learning how to give cucumbers away! Luckily we have great neighbors who are willing to take the extras off of our hands! We froze some corn from our garden for FHE on Monday. I also experimented yesterday and froze some green beans. This week's experiment will be freezing broccoli and maybe carrots. Perhaps I'll just freeze them all together and make ready to go stir fry mixes...
Isn't harvest time fun? I know that it can be time consuming, sticky and hot but it gives me a feeling of satisfaction and security. And we feel blessed that our garden is producing so well that we can help others be prepared with stocked pantries too.
This was the weekend of fun purchases - we bought a new weed eater (we burned our old one out tackling a "wilderness" portion of our yard), an ax (since we now have a wood burning stove), a chainsaw with all the accoutrements (we just need a wood permit now) and a chest freezer (since we are quickly running out of room in our current freezer.
Yesterday was a very productive day. I did a batch of freezer beans. Scott weed ate? eated? around the yard. Scott split some firewood that was on the back porch. I stacked a new load of wood blocks on the back porch. Scott started to build the wood sides for his pickup (so we can get a bigger load of wood when we go and cut fire wood). I paid bills.
Have a great week!
Happy in Hyde Park
The rain has made things very green and cool this week. It was nice for Emma to not get scorched at marching band camp - though she is a bit darker! She had a good time, made lots of friends and was a fine example of what an excellent marcher should be. She's looking forward to the competitions and to registering for a few concurrent enrollment classes at Sky View this year.
It's been delightful to have Ruth's family and the Hart boys here for a few days this week. We went to the fair, picked berries, gathered eggs, chased Gem who decided to make a run for freedom, played games, and otherwise enjoyed ourselves. Mostly, the kids played with each other and Ruth and I tried to keep up with them.
The baby that we were waiting for clear back at the Snowflake gathering finally made his appearance yesterday morning! Nice, healthy, big boy and the family is glad he's finally here. Thanks to Ruth for being here and holding down the fort while Dad, Emma and I were gone. She should be the mother of a few extra boys since she does such a good job of it!
I think Dad's done traveling for a little while! He got home from Arizona just in time to go to Washington. Returned from there just in time to head to Provo. Got back and left for Cedar City a couple of days later. Found his way home, finally, after forging a flooded freeway and hurricane winds, then slept a few hours and headed back to Salt Lake for a wedding. He tried to mow the jungle in the back yard last night, but it was too much for the mower. He's glad to be back in the home territory.
Grandpa's news was sobering - I hope you've all read the email I forwarded to you. It makes my heart heavy, but I "have no problem with the Plan of Salvation!" He is definitely one of the most prepared people that I know. Please keep them in your prayers.
It should be a great week coming up.... Our 36th anniversary, Emerson's 6th birthday, lots of other fun things, I'm sure! Have a great week!!!
It's been delightful to have Ruth's family and the Hart boys here for a few days this week. We went to the fair, picked berries, gathered eggs, chased Gem who decided to make a run for freedom, played games, and otherwise enjoyed ourselves. Mostly, the kids played with each other and Ruth and I tried to keep up with them.
The baby that we were waiting for clear back at the Snowflake gathering finally made his appearance yesterday morning! Nice, healthy, big boy and the family is glad he's finally here. Thanks to Ruth for being here and holding down the fort while Dad, Emma and I were gone. She should be the mother of a few extra boys since she does such a good job of it!
I think Dad's done traveling for a little while! He got home from Arizona just in time to go to Washington. Returned from there just in time to head to Provo. Got back and left for Cedar City a couple of days later. Found his way home, finally, after forging a flooded freeway and hurricane winds, then slept a few hours and headed back to Salt Lake for a wedding. He tried to mow the jungle in the back yard last night, but it was too much for the mower. He's glad to be back in the home territory.
Grandpa's news was sobering - I hope you've all read the email I forwarded to you. It makes my heart heavy, but I "have no problem with the Plan of Salvation!" He is definitely one of the most prepared people that I know. Please keep them in your prayers.
It should be a great week coming up.... Our 36th anniversary, Emerson's 6th birthday, lots of other fun things, I'm sure! Have a great week!!!
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Hart Happenings
Fun week! Monday and Tuesday were spent putting. Our house back together after the reunion. I swear we basically packed everything we owned in that van! Wednesday we decided to join the ranks of true Idahoans who make pilgrimages to the mountains every summer to pick huckleberries which are basically Idaho's version of a blueberry, but smaller. We took a friend again on Thursday and she was convinced that we should have had more to show for our efforts by the time we were done but the tiny little berries don't look like much. We're going to comine them with our raspberries to make some jam.
Wednesday night Ian and I went to a benefit sing off to raise funds for the domestic violence center here. There were some amazing participants including a little 8 year old girl who opened her mouth and blew our socks off! The winner gets to go to Nashville and record with a producer back there. Needless to say, Ian was inspired and wants to give it a go next year. 
The boys have been participating in the summer reading program hosted by our local library and one of their prizes was tickets to the minor league baseball game here in town. We usually go once a year and have a blast! This year was no different! Why can you eat a hot dog at a baseball game and feel American when at all other times they gross you out? 
Have a lovely week everyone!
Go Chukkars!
The raspberries are going strong, the flowers are blooming like crazy, what more can you ask for? This is the life!
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