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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Welcome Wednesday

Enjoy your stay here on the Ridge, and Welcome! It's Wednesday!





-Tracy

A New Solo Dress


After many, many hours of research, Panda and I finally agreed on a solo dress we both liked. Downside: it is clearly out of the budget! We have a $500 budget, and the dress we like is $750. (Okay, okay, so there are tons of dresses that we like that are out of budget, but this one just "speaks" to me, you know??)
So I have emailed current owner, since it says to make an offer. Hopefully, she will accept what we've offered!!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

I'm not angry anymore

Okay, so I just read over my last year or so of blogposts.
Yikes.
I have been one angry and disgruntled woman. I suppose it was a mid-life crisis of sorts.
These posts would've been me talking at the height of learning to deal with Clinical Depression, and I hope not to go back there again. I have deleted some of the more serious offenses.
I am thankful for the Lord in my life, and for his ever-present love. As I was feeling alone and abandoned, I realize now how much He was looking out for ME!! The poem "Footprints In the Sand" has taken on a new, personal meaning. Although many of us have read it many times, it bears repeating:

Footprints

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

...Mary Stevenson

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Uh, it's been a while, hasn't it?

Well, now, we all slack off sometimes, don't we?
Rather than spend 20 pages trying to update recent events in our household, I thought I'd share with you our family Christmas letter. (If you've received it already at home, I apologize for the repeat.)

Sprout- This has been an eventful year! He has earned his Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks in Boy Scouts, as well as 7 merit badges! He has started the Sixth grade, and has his favorite teacher again! Sprout has found a new passion in fishing, and wishes we lived near a fishing hole. He also loves hiking, camping, and backpacking. He has lots of friends and enjoys hanging out and playing video games with them. He also received the Aaronic Priesthood, which is a big step in a Mormon boy's life.

Panda- She advanced to Beginner II in Irish Dance. She worked really hard for this achievement. It means she gets to dance in "hard shoes" now!! She attended 3 feisanna (Irish Dance Competitions) this year, and earned a bunch of medals. She is now ready for a Team Dress, which is a really big step in our Irish Dance School. Panda is in the Fourth grade and adores her teacher. Our Panda loves to bake brownies, cakes cookies, etc. You name and she wants to bake it!! She hope sit be a pastry chef and Irish Dance Teacher when she grows up!


LuLu - Our little girl is all grown up! She is in the Second grade and is an amazing reader! She is even in the "hard" math class. Felicity has attended 2 feisanna this year, and earned some medals and even a TROPHT for her reel! She has just started "hard shoes" but hasn't danced in them yet (just some drills.) She also gets a Team Dress (At $500 a piece, we have some saving to do!) LuLu is adored by everyone she meets, and we are frequently told what a wonderful girl she is. She loves to play house, go to school, and her sister is her best friend. When she grows up she wants to be a mom, just like me!! We love our LuLu!

DH Mark - Kilts, Cabers and meat pies. This is our life now. The Scottish Highland games have taken over our summers. Mark loves to compete in this strong-man sport, and we love to be there to support him. He earned several medals this year, and placed 2nd in the Utah Caber Championship. We hope he will be able to spend more time at home with us soon.

Me- I volunteer frequently at the kid's school, shuttle the girls to Irish dance and Sprout to scouts! I love to read, and was so happy when Diana Gabaldon's newest installment in the Outlander series came out in September. (I was sorely disappointed with it though. ) I am the Southern Area Coordinator for our Irish Dance School and spend a lot of time with performances, competitions and helping new parents navigate the world of Irish Dance. It's an obsession, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Irish Dance and love to watch my girls do it! Mark calls me his Talladega Queen because I yell and holler and make a general nuisance of myself while cheering him on in the Scottish Highland games. It is so fun to cheer them all on in their endeavors.

Family Update, 2009!!
Hope you enjoyed it!

SLAINTE!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Nothing says I love you like a clean toilet

My mantra for years has been: "Nothing says I love you like a clean toilet!" (thank you Flylady)
You'd think someone in my household would pick up on this after a few YEARS of saying this.
Well, finally a miracle has come to pass.
Before my husband left for Wyoming, he scrubbed my toilets, and left me a note that says: I love you so much I cleaned the toilets.
What a romantic guy.
I'd take pictures and show you, but I don't want you to be jealous.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Crockpot Enchiladas

1 lb. ground beef (I leave this out sometimes. I don't love to eat a lot of meat.)
1 med. onion sauteed
1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning (you can use garlic salt instead)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 flour tortillas
1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, a mexican blend, whatever you have on hand.)

In a bowl, combine ground beef, onion, adobo seasoning, salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix the Rotel and enchilada sauce. Place 2 tortillas in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place half of the following in layers over the tortillas: meat, sauce mixture, and cheese. Repeat layers. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.


A fun variation: use shredded chicken and green enchilada sauce instead of ground beef and red sauce. I'd actually cut out the tomatoes/green chiles and use 2 cans of green sauce.

I hope you enjoy!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

cooler weather, cooler tempers

Heat really brings out the anger in me. I cannot be bothered with cheerfulness when I'm hot. I just don't have the energy nor the desire to do so. The last few days have been lovely in the weather department, and with that my temper has cooled off as well. I'd say my children are quite pleased. For me, however, I have quite enjoyed the cooler temps by getting something done that I have long put off. Sleep. That's right. The last few days I have slept through the night, at least 10 hours at a stretch and I have managed to put in a few naps that have been over 2 hours long. I feel like a new woman.
Now, if we can just convince mother nature to not go back to the heat...