Backyard Baking!

Jessi's birthday was a couple of weeks ago and since she loves to help me in the kitchen, we decided to have a baking party. Actually, I did all the baking before the party ever began. The kids got to do the best parts--decorate and eat. We invited 12 kids to our crazy backyard bash, and it turned out to be lots of fun. We had some darling apron invitations thanks to my friend Kezia, and I also used her cookie recipe, which you can find here. She told me they'd be good and she was right--they were delicious! Check out the recipe and make some. You won't be sorry. Here are some highlights of all the fun:

We had 2 stations: cupcakes and cookies. I made about 100 mini cupcakes and another 100 cookies. We had way too many, but I didn't want to run out. Besides, this way they got to decorate to their heart's content. We had every color of frosting and a huge assortment of sprinkles so they could all add just the right touch to their creations.

I made cake plates for everyone out of ice cream dishes and glass plates. Just tip the sundae dish upside down, glue the plate to the base of the sundae dish, and...voila!...instant mini cake plate. The kids loved them! I had planned on them decorating the cookies and cupcakes before putting them on the plate, but they insisted they needed to decorate everything while they were on the plate. Just about drove me nuts, but whatever makes them happy...

Here's Jessi trying to decide what to decorate next...oh, the possibilities!

After the decorating, we paused long enough to open presents.

Then it was back to decorating for some of the kids, while others took a trampoline break. Ali was supposed to be my party helper, but notice she did more decorating than helping. Actually, it turned out I didn't need much help once the party began because the kids were so engrossed in their decorating.

Here's Jessi's birthday cake. We didn't eat it at the party, though. I hadn't planned on the kids eating almost everything they decorated. I'm pretty sure that I didn't want any sick kids even if the party was in my backyard. Note the rolled fondant on the cake--my first attempt thanks to Davis who insisted I channel my inner Cake Boss. I must say it was lots of fun to make. I used a homemade buttercream fondant recipe that was delicious and easy to use!

I also made aprons for all the girls (and boy) to take home as well. Along with the aprons, I sent the kids home with whatever was left on their cake plates and an apology to the moms for the sugar high.

Oh, the things we do for our kids! Happy birthday Jessi. I love you.

Visitors to our Yard.

In Memory

In memory of a wonderful Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma.

We love you and miss you.

Way Better Than Seeing Audra McDonald

Yesterday morning our family had an great experience at Temple Square. It was a special opportunity for us to attend Music and the Spoken Word, and this was one day we weren't going to miss. The last time we went to Music and the Spoken Word was December 2004 when Audra McDonald was the guest artist. And that was an amazing performance. Audra McDonald. Singing live. Phenomenal. Yesterday was an even bigger day because we were there to see my mom. Singing for the last time with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Way better than seeing Audra McDonald. And if you know how much I love Broadway, that's a pretty big statement.

**Sidenote unrelated to my love for  Audra McDonald or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir: David Archuleta--talented as well,  don't want to offend-- was a spectator at this performance of Music and the Spoken Word. To see a good paparazzi picture of David A. meeting Elder Oaks, visit my brother Steven's blog, but don't forget to come back here to finish reading this post :)

After the broadcast, they had a retirement ceremony honoring each of the retiring choir members for their service. The choir rules are that you can be a member for either 20 years or until you turn 60, whichever comes first. Every April, they have a retirement ceremony for that year's retirees.

Mom receiving her "thank you" from Mac Wilberg.

Mom receiving a plaque from President Monson, Choir President Mac Christensen, and Mac Wilberg.

Ali, Jessi, and Davis got to pose for a picture with Grandma in front of the famous organ pipes.

Jessi loves to pose for pictures.

The flowers (and the children) at Temple Square are beautiful this time of year!

We are so grateful, Mom, for your willingness to share your talent and love of music with the world. We will miss playing "Where's Grandma" during Music and the Spoken Word  and General Conference as well as any other time we see the choir. We are grateful for your example of service by sacrificing countless hours for practices and performances and cross-country tours in order to share your testimony through music. When you joined the choir, Ali was 8, Davis was 7, and Jessi wasn't even born yet! Because the choir has been such a big part of your life, it has become a part of ours as well. We will miss hearing about your experiences, but at the same time are glad to have you "back". We are proud of you, Mom, and we love you.

Under the Sea

I'm slowly getting the videos off the camcorder and converted to .mpg format, so I'll post this year's dances as I get them done. Here's Jessi in her first performance of Under the Sea. She did a great job and had lots of fun!

Jessi's Highlights

I posted some pictures of Ali, and now it's Jessi's turn. This is her first year in performing dance, and after one performance she informed me she loves it. When I asked her if she was scared, nervous or excited she responded with an ear-to-ear grin and two thumbs up--a pretty good endorsement. Here are some photo highlights of her dances to Under the Sea and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (by the Chipettes, much to my dismay). Oh, and notice the awesome photo job by Sean in capturing that C-jump in the 3rd picture. I'm still working on getting that video footage off our camcorder. Who knew it would be this hard?

Funky Divas

It looks like I finally got the video to work, so here is Ali with the rest of the 9th graders in their hip hop dance. Enjoy!

Pocatello Highlights of Ali

Here are some photo highlights of Ali's dances in Pocatello last week. As soon as I figure out how to get the video to work, I'll post some video clips as well for those of you who have asked to see them.

These last two pictures are of Ali during her solo routine. She performed a lyrical dance to Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne. I'm so proud of how hard she has worked this year and how much she has grown as a dancer, and her hard work really showed during this solo. It takes a lot of courage to perform by yourself in front of hundreds of people. Great job, Ali!

So Totally 80s

This year, Jessi gets to perform and go to dance competitions like her older sister. She has been waiting for this year to come for a long time (yes, I know she's only 6, but it seemed like she had to wait forever). About a month ago, she came home and excitedly told me that one of her dances was going to be to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and the costumes were going to be so awesome. They were going to have t-shirts with the neck cut out, headbands with their hair in a high ponytail, and leg warmers. In her words, it was going to be "So totally 60's". Having lived through the 80s, I knew exactly what she was talking about and when I said "You mean so totally 80s?" she replied "whatever". I guess it's all the same to her.

Well, she got her costume tonight, and she made a special request that I put a picture of her costume on the blog. So here it is:

Jessi Lost a Tooth!

After much wiggling and many tears, Jessi lost her first tooth this afternoon. It really should have come out days ago, and the many tears were actually a result of being bugged by all of us to pull it out. Sean finally convinced her to let him look at it, he stuck his fingernail underneath, and it was out in no time. We're all pretty sure she didn't know it was out until Sean showed it to her.


Now it waits under her pillow for a visit from the Tooth Fairy...

Dear Grandma, All Flowers Remind Me Of You...

I often go walking in meadows of clover,

And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue;

I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over,

Dear Grandma, all flowers remind me of you.

O Grandma, I give you my love with each flower,

To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through;

For if I love flowers and meadows and walking,

I learned how to love them, dear Grandma, from you

Last Sunday, my Grandma Jones passed away after a lengthy battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), which is a a rare brain disorder that closely resembles Parkinson's disease and also has no cure. Grandma Jones is truly one of the most amazing people I have ever had the opportunity to know, and I count it a great blessing that she is my grandmother. I love and miss you, Grandma, and look forward to the day we see each other again...

Lila Rae Clark Jones

   LOGAN — Lila Jones of River Heights, Utah, completed her mission on Earth following a long illness. She returned peacefully to her Heavenly Father on Jan. 24, 2010. She was born in Wellsville, Utah, on March 25, 1926, the oldest child of George Hughe Clark and Zella Hoskin Clark. She married her eternal sweetheart and companion, William L. Jones, on June 12, 1947, in the Logan LDS Temple.

   Music was an important part of Lila’s life. She was an accomplished pianist and organist. She played the organ in church services beginning at age 12 and continued throughout most of her life. After graduating from elementary and junior high schools in Wellsville, she played the saxophone in the South Cache High School Band along with serving as accompanist for the choruses there until she graduated in 1944. After graduation, she worked as a secretary at Bushnell Hospital and continued her schooling in music at BYU. She later continued her studies under Professor Irving Wassermann at USU and began teaching piano students in her home at that time. She was especially talented in teaching young people and continued teaching piano students even as she raised a family of six children.

   Her life was filled with loving service to others and in her church. She served as chorister in the MIA and as accompanist for the Mount Logan Stake Relief Society Singing Mothers. She also served as a member of the Mount Logan Stake Relief Society Board for 16 years, and later as a counselor in the River Heights 2nd Ward Relief Society presidency. After her husband retired she served a mission with him at the Temple Square Visitor’s Center, where she was an accompanist for many missionary services there. Lila was a member of the River Heights Civic Club, Cache Valley Home and Garden Club, Belletrist Book Club and a charter member of the River Heights Camp of DUP.

   She was a wonderful wife and mother and was known for her cooking and gardening skills, which she shared with her family while they were growing up. Her friends and neighbors enjoyed many gifts of flowers and garden produce from her greenhouse.

   She and her husband Bill are the parents of six children: Marilyn (Robert) Gutke of Logan; Gary (Anne Ferrin) of North Hollywood, Calif.; Karen (Joseph) Phillips of Smithfield; Ronald of Salt Lake City; Richard Kim (Stephanie Nelson) of Highland; and Dale (Joyce Hurren) of Centerville.

   She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Rulon; and greatgrandson, Jackson Bishop. In addition to her husband, children and spouses, she is survived by 23 grandchildren and 22 greatgrandchildren.

   Funeral services will be held on Monday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. in the River Heights Stake Center located at 600 E. 800 South. A viewing will be held at Allen Hall Mortuary, 34 E. Center St. on Sunday, Jan. 31 from 5 to 7 p.m., and at the stake center prior to the funeral from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Wellsville city cemetery.

Microwave Popcorn in a Brown Paper Lunch Sack

Who knew? Apparently everyone but me. So if you are just getting off the bus (like I just did) or are still on the bus, here it is: you can microwave your own popcorn in a brown paper bag. There. Now we're all caught up. Isn't that amazing? I read about it online this morning, so naturally I had to try it immediately. And it worked! And the heavens opened and angels sang! And...okay, okay, I'll calm down now. Trust me--this is exciting stuff. We eat lots of popcorn here. And now you can eat lots of it too! Here's how to make it:

Go and gather

1 brown paper lunch bag

1/4 c popcorn kernels

1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Toss the popcorn kernels with the oil and salt and pour into the paper bag. The bag will absorb the oil slightly, but that leaves less on the popcorn, so it's okay. Fold the top of the bag over two or three times and crease tightly. Set the bag standing up in microwave and cook on high for about 2 1/2 minutes. Your microwave time may differ, so watch and listen to when the popping slows. Remove from the microwave, pour into a bowl, and enjoy!

You're welcome.