Yummy Bread and Quilting..

I've been really horrible about blogging! When I actually have something to blog about I Facebook it and then forget to write more later.. it's how my journal is too so I just am bad, but want to do better about it!

A little while ago I was thinking about how nice it would be to make my own bread instead of paying so much for the kind that I really like, but I needed to find a recipe first and wasn't horribly motivated to find one. However while I was browsing Pinterest one night I found a recipe for honey oat bread... the kind I buy! It looks so good! So I pinned it with the plan to make it.. like all things on Pinterest that get lost and never made. This time though I decided I was going to do it! So today I printed the recipe and made it.. Oh my goodness!! So so good! I had my parents and sister over to have some as soon as it came out of the oven and it was amazing! It's been too long since I've had fresh from the oven bread! (recipe link is in caption of photo)

http://bakingdom.com/2011/09/homemade-honey-oat-bread.html

While at the Kinsman Family reunion this summer (yet another thing I failed to blog about) one of my Aunts suggested we make family quilts. She would send the first patch and we choose a material to go with it and cut it into 8 1/2X8 1/2 inch patches and mail the patches out and keep one for ourselves. The deadline is in January to send out the patches and then we put together our quilts however we want. At the next family reunion we will get together and help those who need help putting together their quilts and then show each other our quilts and see how everyone decided to put theirs together. All different quilts, but from the same patches :) I'm pretty excited for this quilt! These are the patches I've received so far, the material I picked is on the bottom far left. Tonight I cut out the patches and packaged them, all ready to send out on Tuesday!
I'm also really excited that my mom found me a sewing machine for pretty cheap at a garage sale!! :) Now to practice because it's been way too long since I've sewn. Here's hoping it goes well!

North Carolina Trip May 2013!

I just got back from NC a few days ago and I had a BLAST!!! :) It was great seeing the guys again and meeting one of their girlfriends. I spent the majority of my time there with the 2 of them and we had a great time! We went and spent one day in Wilmington, NC and at first just walked around. We found this reptile house by the water and decided to go in and check it out.. and we made it in time for feeding of the snakes.. Yay!!... not lol. Chris and Katie were stoked for the feeding time, I did better with it after the first snake, I think mainly because I was on the second floor, not right there. 

 Right in the entry way they had these birds (there were 4 or 5 of them) not in cages, just sitting on these structures right in the middle of the entrance. They are beautiful! I was shocked to see them free! :)

 This snake kept following me the whole time I was right there, he would follow me and just stare at me. Kind of freaky, but he was fed later and didn't follow me after that! To feed them these guys would set up a fence around the display and then lift up the glass and feed certain snakes right in front of us. One of them, I can't remember the name, but they said it was one of their most poisonous snakes and that that kind of snake had actually killed the curator of one of the reptile places once.. kind of freaky! Anyway, that was the first snake they fed, and I couldn't watch, the more they talked about it the more it freaked me out, almost bit the guy feeding it. They waited for a little bit after that before feeding the next one and he was pretty shaken. When they fed the king cobra they actually asked everyone to be quiet and hold still because that one really freaked them out to feed, and the king cobra wasn't even interested in the food at first, it just kept heading for the guys feeding it until they started frantically getting it to eat the food they had for it. They shut the glass as soon as it had the food. Really can't blame them! I really hope those guys get paid well! 

Another day that I was there Chris, Katie and I headed off to Asheville, NC to the Biltmore Estates. It was absolutely amazing!! So worth it to go. Next time I definitely want to spend more time there though! We took a tour of the mansion (self guided) and it took almost 2 hours, I wish we could have taken pictures of the inside! We also took a tour of the winery and ate dinner there before having to leave because Chris had work and early PT the next day. It rained the whole time we were there, which maybe was a good thing or else we wouldn't have left ;).

I definitely want to see the gardens next time I go instead of just driving by them. I also want to spend some time in the village and see other parts of the estate that I missed. I loved it there! :) Hopefully I will be able to go again! I told the guys though that it's their turn now to visit me! Chris will hopefully be able to visit over Memorial weekend. We're still waiting to find out if his leave has been approved. Fingers crossed!!

Robotics State Competition

Tayler and Sydney's team went to State for their robotics competition. They did an awesome job! Made it to semi finals, won an award, and came in 3rd for the Inspire Award which if they had won they would have gone to World. They did a great job and their robot was working amazing! 

Cool name tags they got made the night before the competition.

How the gym was set up for the competition.

The team competing (they're in the black on the left) :) The pics were either too dark or too blury, the dark ones turned out better than I thought they would.

Another picture of them competing (black shirts)

What I've been working on

I have started working out again. It's been way too long since I have and I decided to get my butt into gear. I decided I needed to workout with someone who would make me workout. Well that person is Jillian Michaels. That woman scares me!! I've been working out to her 90 day body revolution. I haven't been doing her meal plan (it's a lot of fish, I can't eat that much seafood!) but I have been trying to eat healthier and smaller portions. She is kicking me into gear that is for sure! It's been great so far. I'm on week 3 and feeling it! I feel so much better and I have actually been sleeping at night! I haven't had a sleepless night since I started this workout! Can't wait to see how the rest of the workout goes and how much it helps me :)

Busy Busy

I was just talking to my mom about all my plans up to September.. Wow!! I'm going to be really busy this year, but I am so excited!! :) Lots of posts to come! Hopefully lots of hikes, I know there will be lots of trips, and a few events. The beginning of which will be...

Regional Conference in Tacoma for Gold Star Wives. A day of meetings, but otherwise a good weekend to spend with other widows in my area from WWII to now. I always learn so much from these women! This year I get to go up to Tacoma instead of just to Portland. I won't be making National Conference in Colorado this year, but next year I know it will be in Tacoma or Portland which will be a lot easier! Especially if next year is anything near as busy as now.

I always get together with GSW once a month for a meeting. This will be my second year going to Regionals.. It's crazy to think it's been almost two years of being a military widow!

 http://www.goldstarwives.org/  

I just finished the "Tiger's Curse" series recently. (Tiger's Curse, Tiger's Quest, Tiger's Voyage, Tiger's Destiny) I loved them! They were an easy read, but at the same time I learned a lot about Indian and Chinese culture and religion. These books are based in Oregon, India and various countries around it. They are in libraries and they sell them at Deseret Book (so they are also a clean read).

Tiger's Curse

by Colleen Houck

Synopsis

Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and  mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Tiger’s Curse is the exciting first volume in an epic fantasy-romance that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.
 

 "I was wrapped up in the sweet romance and heart-pounding adventure of TIGER'S CURSE.  I found myself cheering, squealing and biting my nails--all within a few pages.  In short, it was magical!"  -Becca Fitzpatrick, New York Times best-selling author of HUSH, HUSHhttp://www.tigerscursebook.com/book

Exhausted

I just got back from Dallas, TX tonight and I am absolutely head to toe, mentally and emotionally exhausted!! It was a great weekend and a lot of fun, but it was so bittersweets. Snowball Express is an amazing organization for the children of our fallen troops since 9/11 ages 5-18.. so you can see why it was so exhausting. The families, volunteers, and companies who donate are absolutely amazing. There were a couple thousand people there. I definitely want to volunteer again next year! As crazy of a weekend as it was it was amazing, and I was able to meet and spend a lot of time with some amazing people and children.

http://www.snowballexpress.org/

Multnomah Falls visit

 Today some plans fell through and I had been talking to a friend last night about needing to see these gorgeous falls again since it's been too long for it only being an hour away from me, so today I took Tayler and Emma and we headed off to brave the cold and the wind and see the falls :)

 Mt Hood looking gorgeous today on our way to the falls

 The bottom of the top waterfall

There was another waterfall a quarter of a mile away from Multnomah falls so we decided to go see it as well

It was a beautiful and full day :) Now to start packing tomorrow for Dallas, TX!

Veterans Weekend

 This weekend has become a busy one for me. This and memorial weekend just used to be a time when I took off with friends and enjoyed the sales and the nice long weekend. Now it's full of events with veterans and in cemeteries. This weekend has been set aside to thank those who have served and are still serving in the military, especially if you don't every other day of the year.

 Saturday night I went to a ceremony in Portland at Skyline Memorial for their POW/MIA ceremony with the moving Vietnam Memorial Wall. This is the last year it will be in Oregon because they are retiring the moving wall. It was very impressive and the ceremony very moving. (the closeups on the wall have a film over them, that's the condensation from the fog, it was 30 degrees)

 Me with some of the Korean War veterans that I met. 3 marines and 1 corpsman (the corpsman is the one with the giant smile and the rope around his arm). They had some amazing stories and they were all talking to me about Ryley. They had all been at his funeral. It sounds like they go to as many funerals as they can for those who die in combat from Oregon.

 At the ceremony they had all of us in attendance hold candles the whole time.

They had a table set up on stage with 5 empty seats, 5 hats, 5 upside down glasses etc for the men and women who are no longer with us and those who have not been found from the 5 different branches of the United States Military. They also unfolded an American flag, sounded the 21 gun salute, played taps, and refolded the flag and presented it to a widow that I know. They also presented her with the folded MIA/POW flag and some other documents. It was  a very moving ceremony and I'm glad I was able to be there with her and some of the other widows in the area.

Sunday Ryley's family, some of his friends, and some family friends went to the Elks Lodge for their Veterans day ceremony. While there they presented Ryley's mom with their Elks Medal of Valor. It was very moving as were their speeches addressed to those Veterans still alive and in attendance.

All in all it was a very moving and powerful Veterans weekend. Remember to thank those men and women in the military for their service and not just on Veterans day.

Fallen

I've seen these books everywhere and was really curious about them, but hesitant to read them until I heard from someone how they liked the books. Well that happened this summer. My cousin was reading them and told me they were really good. So far I've only finished the first book, but I enjoyed it! 

 Some Angels are Destined to Fall

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

“Sexy and fascinating and scary…I loved love loved it!” -P.C. Cast, New York Times bestselling author of the House of Night Series (from Lauren Kate's website)

I just started the second book, Torment, the other night. Can't wait to see how this one and the other 2 books go! :)

HAWAII!!!!

So as most of you already know I just got back from Hawaii!!! :) I was on Oahu staying at the Hale Koa right off the beach in Waikiki. I had so much fun! I started dating Alex and he flew me out there to spend some time together and to show me around where he's living. We drove around a lot, he wanted to take me hiking as well as the driving to different view points, but the hikes he wanted to take me on were overcast the whole time I was there so the view would have been clouds and rain lol.

 Up at the Pali lookout. the picture above is a view of where he's stationed out by the ocean

 Flat root tree. It was pretty cool to see

 At a botanical garden he wanted to show me that had a beautiful waterfall as well.

 First time feeling the Pacific in Hawaii lol

 At the Dole Plantation there were these really weird trees with multi colored bark. I called a lot of the trees and plants fake or Dr. Seuss plants. Alex had a great time teasing me about it

 Pearls I got from the plantation. I got the first one on sale and the second 2 I actually got for free (but I also put it on jewelry and that wasn't free)

 Alex's pineapple soft serve with pineapple chunks and my pineapple float (pineapple soft serve in pineapple juice). So delicious, but way too sweet for me.. I couldn't eat very much of it it was so sweet.

 Pineapple!!

 Another beach spot we stopped at to take pictures

 We even made it to the Laie temple! Absolutely beautiful!!

 Alex and I at the Marine Corps/Navy birthday ball.. outside in Hawaii.. It was extremely hot!! I felt really bad for everyone in uniform that were wiping their foreheads they were so hot, luckily we had a table in the covered area with fans and not out under a canopy. We had fun!

 We ended up meeting up with one of Ryley's friends and her daughter at the zoo. That orangutan was just sitting there playing in the sheet and playing with the grass.

 Big tortoises and bigger tortoises 

 They were huge!!

 Weird looking crocodile. His nose was very long and skinny.. more than normal

 The hippos thought it was feeding time, and it wasn't. They were just cleaning where they normally feed them from. They kept leaning back with their mouths open the whole time we were looking at them, which was a while before we even figured out they weren't going to be feeding them any time soon darn it.

 Ceiling at one of the entrances of the Navy Exchange in Pearl Harbor. It's all painted and the sting ray is painted on a sun roof of sorts. It was pretty cool to see!

 Rainbow while leaving the exchange

 Temple at night when we went to pick up another friend of mine to go out and eat dinner at this hole in the wall curry place. The curry was SO GOOD!!!!! After we ate and were just sitting talking she got a text from her land lord asking where she was and to hurry home because a tsunami warning was in effect.

 The lines at the gas stations were crazy long, and the sirens were very freaky sounding. I was just a little scared to death that something was going to happen besides everyone telling me they happened all the time and there was never any damage done.

 We couldn't make it back into Waikiki, they had it evacuated and wouldn't let anyone in, so we ended up going up to Tripler (the Army hospital) and waiting in the parking lot. We were there until 2 in the morning before we got the all clear to head back down. The biggest wave from the tsunami was only 3.5 feet... the surfers who didn't evacuate and were just sitting in the ocean waiting for the wave were even disappointed.

 At the Peal Harbor memorial

On the boat heading out to the USS Arizona memorial after watching a video with lots of live footage from the attack that I had never seen.. the atmosphere out there was incredibly strong, and heartbreaking

 The men who served on the USS Arizona and lived, but wanted to be buried with their shipmates and were. They cremate them and have a funeral service out at the memorial and a diver takes the urn to a drop spot in one of the hulls..

 We took a submarine tour off the beach of Waikiki

 They have these artificial reefs in the water to attract more fish and plant life in the ocean. Waikiki is a man made beach and the sand choked out all the natural reefs so this is an effort to bring it back..

 Some fish that swam really close to my window

 A sample of how thick the glass is.

 They took us down over 100ft, so everything was in shades of blue and green

 At the beginning of the luau at the Hale Koa. The guy (Cousin Jerry) climbed to the top of one of the coconut trees

 The food was amazing!!! Fried rice, fried banana, fish, pork, beef, chicken and some really good sweet potato.

 The men and women dancers were really good! I loved it it was so much fun!

 The fire dancers at the end were great too, and they were only 12 and 13. It was really impressive :)

I had so much fun in Hawaii and can't wait to go back for another visit!!