Temple Square Tourists

On Mauri's birthday we went to Temple Square, although we've both been many times in the years we've lived here in Utah. I love that there is so much to do and see all around the temple. It's a special place. We went with the intention of seeing everything and taking lots of pictures, so here they are.

We asked someone to take our picture, so of course she cut the top of the temple out of the picture.
Clara enjoyed putting her feet in the cold water.
Clara discovering that there was more water in the 'fountain.'
We found some more water, but in the shade. Clara wanted to get in the water and splash her hands like in the bath.
I love this picture.

The Meekers with the Christus statue in the North Visitors Center.
The temple doors are so beautiful. I love our wedding pictures outside of these doors.

My friend Betsy has a beautiful painting of the temple door knobs, which I love.

We're blessed to live so close to the Salt Lake Temple and are grateful for all the blessings we have because we were married there.

Discovery Time

Clara and I went with Kendra and Braden to the Discovery Gateway Childrens Museum last week. It's a great museum, with a little mini-town consisting of a post office, house, construction zone, pond, grocery store and garden area. Clara and Braden played a lot in the house--Clara with the dolls and puzzles and Braden with his letters.

The kiddies also liked playing in the water area, where you could put ping pong balls in tubes that ran over the water and dumped the balls out into bowls of water. They both refused to let us put on water-proof smocks, but Clara didn't get too wet. I can't say the same for Braden.


Clara also found that she enjoyed riding side saddle, chasing bad guys, and delivering produce.

Yummy

Kendra asked me to share my pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe with her, so I decided to share a few of my favorite recipes. I really only use recipes that have ingredients already in my kitchen. I'll probably add more recipes later, so check back later. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
This is super easy because you won't have to wait for the dough to rise and it is delicious.

3 C sugar
1 C cooking oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2/3 C water
1 15-oz can pumpkin
Chocolate chips to taste

1. Grease bread pans. In a very large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well; set aside.

2. In another large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Alternately add flour mixture and water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin. Mix in chocolate chips.

3. Bake in 350 degree oven for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 1o minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.


Chili (This is a little variation from Mauri's recipe.)

1 large can stewed tomatoes (un-drained)
1 can kidney beans (un-drained)
1 can pinto beans (drained a little)
1 can black beans (un-drained)
2 Tbsp chilipowder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/4 C dried onions (roughly)

Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer for 20 minutes.


Vegetable Stir Fry

The ingredients aren't all necessary; we've used different combinations of the vegetables. Just put in whatever vegetables you like (just try to follow the order somewhat)--it will turn out great. Make sure that you slice all the vegetables before you start cooking anything; once you start cooking the veggies, it goes pretty quickly.

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1/2 C thinly sliced onion
1 yellow squash
1 C small broccoli florets
1 baby eggplant in large chunks
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 C teriyaki sauce
1/2 C snow peas
2 Tbs sesame oil

Heat canola oil over high heat until almost smoking. Add ingredients in following order: Peppers & onions; squash, broccoli, eggplant, garlic, teriyaki sauce. Constant stirring. Cook 2 minutes. Add pepper and salt to taste. Cook 2 more minutes. Add snow peas and sesame oil. Serve over rice.

West Coast Vacation

Last week we visited Jason's parents in Washington on Jason's week off. It's nice to have a week off every other week. The weather was wonderful--not 95 degrees, like here in Utah. It didn't rain one time, and we could always see Mt. Rainier from the back deck.

Clara picked her first blueberries from Grandma's garden and ate them right off the bush--they were delicious! She thought so, too.

We also picked apples and made apple juice on an old apple press. Clara helped us sort the apples, and tried to eat some unsuccessfully. We were glad that Clara was napping during the apple-pressing.



Jennifer is putting the apples into the press and holding a lid on them while Jason is turning the wheel that grinds them. Then the apple pieces fall into the bucket. Then we put the lid on the bucket and screw it down so it presses the juice out of the apples, which drains out into a bucket. It was hard to turn the handle, but it was fun and the apple juice was so yummy!



Lois took us to the Puyallup Fair, with Kathryn and Lily. Clara was excited to see the cows, sheep, baby chicks, and goats. She loved patting Lily on the back, giving her hugs, and walking next to Lily's stroller.


Lois entered produce and a scarecrow at the Fair; most of them got at least second place. Clara didn't quite know what to think of the scarecrow.


We went to the Point Defiance Zoo with Kathryn, Eric, Lily, and Lois. Clara didn't like to wear her shades for long, but she kept them on long enough for a picture. She liked seeing the wolf, walrus, belugas, and tiger.



One of the neighbors has two sheep, which Clara loved to 'baa' at constantly. She tried to feed them some green beans, but they wouldn't come near her and all her noise. Because we saw so many animals, Clara started to say the word animal, pronounced, "am-mul." She also started saying 'mana' for grandma.




Lois made a little 'house' out of a big box, which Clara (and Jason) liked to play in.



We had a really fun time and are grateful we could visit Jason's family. Here are a few pictures that I liked, that I thought you would, too. Thanks for reading!

Pictures & Memories

I was looking through some old pictures today and remembering memories and fun times I've had. I wanted to share some of these favorite places and pictures with you. I love that one picture can bring back so many memories.

Maui, Hawaii

Cook Strait, New Zealand

London, England

Sulfa Bay, Tanna, Vanuatu

North Carolina

Battery Park, Charleston, South Carolina

East Coast Visit

A few weeks ago we went to Myrtle Beach to see my family and to welcome Ashley home from her mission in Spain. The day she got home we made posters and decorated the kitchen with streamers, which was really fun.

Jason made a wonderful home-made cake with the Spanish flag on top. He was proud of himself.

The second week we were there, we rented a beach house so the whole family could stay together. We invited lots of people over and had a group Shag dance lesson (the Shag is the state dance of South Carolina--kind of like swing). We moved all the furniture back and danced in the living room. We also got some of the weather from Hurricane Fay, which was a bummer, but we got swim in some huge waves!

On the last night at the beach house we left the babies at home and went on a ghost tour at Atalaya Castle, where we listened to stories about the Lowcountry. I love all the legends and lore about that part of the country. Doing that tour made me want to read more books about the people that lived there and books set there; I want to read southern authors Pat Conroy and Josephine Humphrey.

Clara loved her cousin Tate and would say, "T-t-t" when she would see him. Sarah was sweet to Clara, too. Clara still wonders where Tate and Sarah are.



It was wonderful to be with my whole family again. With everyone living all over the world, it was special to have everyone together.