Bab's Kids

Andersen Family Newsletter

2011-12-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

We know this isn't really "new" news, but thought we would share our Christmas newsletter with each of you :) If you click on the image, it will make it larger.

Wedding cake and flowers

2011-11-06T16:14:00.000-08:00

A girl in our ward hired me to do her wedding flowers. She wanted silk because she was getting married and having a reception in Utah and then an open house here two weeks later. This was my first wedding job using silk, so I was already a little nervous, but then she told me she wanted red, white and blue flowers and I was afraid everyone would think it was the 4th of July. I was surprised at how difficult it was to find suitable, affordable silk flowers here - I ended up ordered most of them. They turned out well - I used magnets for the first time too - so no pins needed. Their situation hasn't been good for quite a while -her mom was a single mom raising 3 kids - and they approached me about doing a cake. I really enjoy the food side of things as you know, so I said yes. We did fondant because it had to travel, too, but I had only done cookies with fondant, so it was a learning experience. I was pleased with how it looked, although the top layer had major problems duriing the trip to Utah, the buttercream got warm, the fondant started to tear at the edge and slid down the side of the cake. They got it patched and put a flower over it, and I made a new one for the open house here (I was planning to do that anyway) All in all it was pretty fun and looked good.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would post a picture of the candy bar bouquets I made for our visiting and home teaching families. Some of the others that I already delivered had a central orange and black lollipop with Happy Halloween written on it and some wooden witches, ghosts or black cat wooden cutouts skewered in as well. The hot chocolate spoons were fun to do - idea from your home-based mom blog.

Teacher's Breakfast

2011-09-01T23:23:00.001-07:00

I catered a teacher's breakfast for their first day of school this past Tuesday. It was my first paid food venture and it turned out pretty well. I prepared several kinds of quiche, cranberry orange scones, a new blueberry breakfast cake recipe, and cinnamon twists (cinnamon rolls , basically, but twisted like in the Make a Mix book). I made some pink and green flower arrangements with zinnias from my garden and printed up some menu tags. Because I had seven quiche to display, plus all the breads, I needed more cake stands. I used an idea I saw on Homebased Mom and in Christopher Lowell's book, the hassle-free host, and stacked glass plates on overturned vases. They were a fun addition to the silver restaurant cake stands I had. I didn't get any pictures the day of the event - I'm always running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, but here are a few after the fact. The new blueberry cake recipe came from Alexandra's kitchen and it is a keeper. Check it out and be prepared to drool!
Here is the address:
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2011/06/29/buttermilk-blueberry-breakfast-cake/

Jacob and Derek

2011-06-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Derek's Junior Prom

Jacob's 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony

Flowers

2011-06-01T16:01:00.001-07:00

Tulips

2011-03-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

The tulips have been very fun this spring. I'm not sure what I'll put in this vase when the tulips are gone.

Cupcakes Again

2011-03-18T07:01:00.001-07:00

Our last order we made these cupcakes. Lemon and lime. I really like the cupcake boxes we found to put them in.

Flowers and Treats

2011-03-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

So excited that I was able to use one of the vases from Kathryn's reception again. And lucky that I happened upon these long stem Calla lilies at the grocery store.

I love that the height worked out perfectly with the mirror in the Studio.

This week's treats were Lemon Drop Cupcakes and Lovely Lime Cupcakes.

Both new recipes were definitely keepers.

Flowers for Studio 55

2011-02-24T07:11:00.000-08:00

Flowers for Studio 55

2011-02-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

Studio 55 Sweets

2011-02-24T06:50:00.000-08:00

Here are the last things I made for the Studio 55 Sweets.

White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn

Caramel and Chocolate Pretzels

Valentine's Oreo Bark

Flowers

2011-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have started working a little part-time. And since my husband is a part owner, I have been doing a few florals to brighten up the space. I am definitely a beginner and wish I had some education on the subject but it's been fun.

Flowers

2011-02-02T06:00:00.001-08:00

My Poor Car

2011-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when you are in the middle of a 5 or 6 car multiple vehicle accident. I'm just fine though a little sore.

A Few Treats

2011-02-01T07:19:00.001-08:00

We made 39 pans of frosted brownies for an order.

The caramel and chocolate pretzels were a hit this year as was the peppermint oreo bark.

These were the favors for Cody and Amy's wedding luncheon.

Here's a few things I've made over the last year. Been awhile since I blogged about the treats.

Janelle & Ryan Engagement

2010-12-19T23:16:00.000-08:00

Well family, the day has finally come.

I
AM
ENGAGED

Yes folks. Its true. You want all the details? Sweet. I'm going to give them to you! You get the "engagement story" first then can keep reading for the "dating story".

Wednesday morning Dad went into work, Caidin was at school and Mom decided to go visiting teaching. We were watching Jonny Lingo and at one point he got up to go to the bathroom. Yeah... right. I was suspicious when he went all the way upstairs to go when there's a bathroom 5 feet away. Then I could hear him puttering around upstairs. Then he finally came back downstairs but went into the living room first. We finished the movie then decided to go down and look at the temple.

I got ready to go but he was at the computer so I sat down at the piano to play for a few minutes while I waited for him to be done. He finished up, came and sat next to me while I continued to play. When I was finished he said, "Ok. Now I'm going to play you a song."

So he turned on "Kiss Me" and we began dancing like we always do. And then I got thinking "Oh Wow. THIS COULD BE IT!" When the song was over he said, "Ok, are you ready to go?" and then he turned around and I just thought, "Oh shoot!"

And then he started playing "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not". This song is the one that I'd heard the day we started talking about marriage and I'd made him look it up and listen to it. It unofficially became our song. So we started to dance once again (I LOVE DANCING WITH HIM) Before long he told me he had one of my Christmas presents. Now, I had checked the Christmas tree earlier and no new Christmas presents were to be found under the tree. But he bent down and lifted up the tree skirt and pulled out THE RING BOX! Along with the words of the song, he got down on his knee and asked,

"Janelle Cheney, Will You Marry Me?

AHHHH! YES!

I started crying. And I couldn't stop hugging him. Or kissing him for that matter. Or smiling.

I am in love with the most incredible man. He is indescribably good to me. I know I can trust him and rely on him. He is handsome, intelligent, funny, loving, spiritual, and so much more! He is respectful. He is kind and generous. He is wise with his money. He is tender. He is a teaser.
I love his family. He loves my family.
And we love each other.

When we'd been dating for not very long, I knew that we were going to get married so I started to keep track of special dates in our lives.

May 15 - The day we met for the first time.

We met at church in the hall right outside the clerk's office. I had just filled out and turned in my records sheet. Him and his friend Charlotte were standing there chatting and introduced themselves.

From here out until about the end of July, we really didn't see much of each other or hang out. We didn't date or anything like that. He later told me he would've loved to date me earlier and wanted to ask me out the first time he met me, but figured that every guy would be thinking the same thing! July and August saw a lot of swimsuits and water for our group of friends and this is where we got comfortable with each other. I learned to trust him when he helped me overcome my fear of water as he encouraged me to go beyond my comfort zone - the beach.

September By now we had a running joke that we were getting married and having 12 children. For weeks that was the talk in our little group but finally one of my friends called me out on it. I was sitting with Logan Hansen in Sunday School (Ryan was in Blackfoot for the weekend - on a blind date no less) and:

Logan: "Sooo... Ryan."
Me: "Yeah? What about Ryan?"
Logan: "You two should totally date."
Me: "Yeah, I've thought about it. And I'm still thinking about it-"
Logan: "He's thought about it too."
Me: "REALLY?!? Tell me more!"
Logan: "Nope. I already said too much. That's all you get."

And that's how I decided that it would be ok to make myself slightly more available. But let me make it clear. He took the initiative ;)

September 13 - Our 'first date'.

I invited Ryan to come on a photo shoot with me. The lighting was fabulous and I was anxious to get out and take some pictures. Why not have enjoyable company along for the ride? At the construction site where I wanted to take a few pictures the owner asked if we were dating. I hesitated yet Ryan blurted out, "Yes!". The man then commented, "You're a cute couple and will have adorable children." Later at FHE a kid asked us if we're dating because of the joke about us getting married and having 12 kids. We went to his house and while we were listening to his friend Nick play songs on his guitar he put his hand on my knee. We danced our first ever dance & told Nick he had to play that song at our wedding reception. A few days later we held hands :)

September 18 - Our First Kiss
September 23 -Flowers on my front porch for my birthday
October 1 - Feeling like telling him "I Love You" but refused to say it first.
October 14 - "I LOVE YOU"
October 25 - 6 weeks dating & mushy text
October 30 - "What if we got married?" discussion
November 17 - Ring shopping, dinner, and pre-registry looking
November 18 - We found the Ring!

December 15 - ENGAGED

RYAN & JANELLE ANDERSEN

hmm. That looks DANG GOOD.

Walking

2010-10-08T07:03:00.001-07:00

Since I decided that I would be more accountable if I shared in a public forum, here's an update. I have started walking. Tuesday, I went 1.5 miles. The next three days, I walked 2.5 miles each day. I do not have a very fast pace but hopefully I will work up to one. The downside is that my shins are killing me. I hope that goes away also. I have been able to stay under 750 calories the last two days also but know that the weekends are always more calorie laden especially with a trip to Six Flags tomorrow. Happy goal keeping for those of you who have something you are working towards. Have a great day!

Hoping to Break the Minus 40 Barrier

2010-10-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I will join the dieting blogging! I am needing something! In the past 6 years I have lost and gained the same 40 pounds four times! Every time I get to the minus 40 mark, I hover for a while and then the scale starts to go back up the other way. Now usually I don't regain ALL 40 pounds every time, but last year I came within 5 lbs. of it. So I made it down to minus 41.4 lbs on June 25th and thought maybe I had broken the "down 40 lb" barrier, but during the summer I gained 5 of those back.

I am beginning to think I can't go any lower, but my goal is to lose another 25 - well actually now it's to lose another 30 because of that 5 pound gain.

I told Pauline I have the exercise piece down for now (I'm getting in 30 - 40 minutes 4 - 5 times a week) - but I need to wire my jaw shut!

Any suggestions? (Besides wiring the jaw shut?)

Becoming

2010-10-05T07:07:00.001-07:00

Hopefully, I am becoming thinner and healthier. Cindy said there had been some talk about blogging about our dieting so I'll start with the first post. The losing has slowed down too much, so I am trying to commit to exercising too. This morning I finally got out there and walked. So a question for you out there, has anyone tried Wii Fit or Wii Fit Plus? Anyone know the difference between them? So my goal for this week is to walk 1.5 miles every weekday morning and throw in some yardwork on those mornings I have extra time. What are you doing? This sibs have all set a goal of 10 pounds before Halloween. I lost 3 but am afraid I gained back. My personal goal is to lose 100 before Christmas. We'll see. Now I guess I'm accountable to all of you. Hope that helps me. Have a great day! And anyone who wants to join in tell us what your goal is before Halloween, diet, fitness or anything else you want to accomplish!

(A little before and so far comparison. Not the best pictures.)

Cody's wedding

2010-06-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

These are Bab's Kids!

Rejoice, Barbara and Homer! These are your children
celebrating with the next generation at the Temple of the Lord!

Memorial Day Weekend (email from mom and dad)

2010-06-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a good Memorial Day weekend. We took advantage of the extra day off, took a couple more off and made a last minute trip to Salt Lake. Stuart came up from Provo and Janelle came down from Rexburg and we all stayed in a little cabin at an RV resort out near the airport. Way cheaper than two hotel rooms and almost as convenient. On Saturday we shopped at Gateway in the morning because it wasn't very nice weather, then drove up Emigration Canyon to the Mormon Pioneer Trail and ate our picnic in the car cuz it was so darn cold and windy. We hiked a short ways just to say we had hiked on the Pioneer trail and then headed down to This is the Place Monument. After a while we headed back to camp and ate tacos before driving in to see the Young Ambassadors at the Conference Center Theatre. What a terrific show! Every number had great singing and awesome dancing! Afterwards we went back to the cabin and had German Chocolate birthday cake for Stuart's 24th birthday.

Sunday was a beautiful, warm day. We went to Music and the Spoken Word - which was a special Memorial Day Tribute. The music was fantastic - although we didn't get into the Tabernacle, we watched it in the Assembly Hall. Temple Square was packed with loads of people (tour buses full) and they had to use the visitor centers theatres and Assembly hall for overflow. My favorite number was John Williams "America - The Dream Goes On!" They had beautiful photos with it, but the music itself was so inspiring. They had the Orchestra and a hand bell choir accompany them. I didn't realize that really the whole program is music with just a short message at the end. It was wonderful. They also had in attendance a 89 year old veteran who had taken his trumpet with him and played it for the men as they prepared to land on the beaches of Normandy on D- Day. He played "O Danny Boy", the same song he played that day so long ago, on that same trumpet, one he had gotten when he was 9 years old. He was incredible. Afterwards Caidin wanted a tour of the Conference Center so we did that and got to see all the beautiful paintings and sculptures inside it as well. Someone was practicing the organ while we were there and the sound from those 7000 pipes really filled that giant space. It was awesome. Then we made our way to Liberty Park for a picnic. My new sandals were scraping the back of my feet raw so we eventually had to go back to camp and change out of our Sunday clothes. That led to naps out on the grass and inside the cabin for some, horseshoes and a game of pool in the clubhouse and swimming in the pool for others. We never did make it back to Temple Square and I didn't get to see the gardens. Oh well!

Monday we drove up American Fork Canyon and had a beautiful 4 mile hike to Stewart Falls and back. The Aspens were just barely leafed out some places, and up higher they weren't yet. The weather was nice that day too (almost too nice for hiking uphill. That's why my face is red in one picture.) Bryce's family invited us to their home in Sandy for a BBQ Monday night. We got to meet Bryce's parents and all but one married sister. We had a great time visiting with his family and playing Bocce in their backyard. You can see the Draper temple on the hill across from their house and three others from different spots in the yard. Janelle had to head home early in the evening. We sure enjoyed seeing her. We miss her a lot. Stuart is getting ready to do a two month pharmacy tech program starting tomorrow that will hopefully land him an internship somewhere. It was great seeing him, too. What fun to be together - even if we are all crammed into our mini-van (it's a lot tighter now that they are all young adults with long legs and not kids anymore!) and getting lost and getting carsick on the winding roads etc.i-van (it's a lot tighter now that they are all young adults with long legs and not kids anymore!) and getting lost and getting carsick on the winding roads etc.

We came home to lots and lots of rain. It's getting a little ridiculous! 5.79 or is it 5.87? inches for May. I'm ready for sun!

Trifle and Trifle

2010-01-14T17:34:00.001-08:00

This is what I have been doing all day today. Definitely learned what to do different next time. I hope they taste good.

A Wonderful Christmas in St. George

2010-01-11T16:45:00.001-08:00

We so enjoyed being able to attend Kathryn and Karl's wedding and reception. Everything seemed so perfect! The timing was perfect, the family and friends all there, the decorations were divine and all went so smoothly.

We were able to take Mom and Dad some of the handwork of the talented Cindy, Deanne and Pauline. The centerpiece arrangement that we took lasted for days and looked so festive on the coffee table in the family room. The chocolates and the caramels, that Pauline and Deanne made, were put away in the outside refrigerator and so we hope Mom and Dad have enjoyed each and every yummy bite!

We had such a nice,relaxing visit in St George. Christmas was festive, but not hurried, as there were no little children eager to see what Santa brought to their stocking. We had time to visit and be visited by relatives. Aunt Janet went with Stevie and me to see New Moon and Dean, Brady and I were able to feast our eyes at the 3D version of the movie, Avatar. It was so colorful and kewl in 3D! And I enjoyed the story line too, so for me it is a must see! We enjoyed our time with Stevie, now a student at BYU. We had a couple really great shopping trips that she really scored! 3 new pairs of shoes, a couple really nice outfits and a winter dress coat!
We loved our vacation that was over 2 weeks away from home.
Our time away was marred for us by the news of the break-in at home in Auburn, WA. Cody came home from work to find that our new 50" plasma TV and our blue ray player were missing. He called the police and the break in was documented, and we heard through neighbors that the thief had been caught. When we returned home, I went to the police station to give an updated theft report (Brady had 2 game consoles and almost 40 games stolen) and was told that it was only a rumor that the thief was caught. We were also warned that repeat break ins are common, usually only a few months after the first theft, to steal again after the homeowners have replaced their stolen belongings. So we continue to beef up our home security.
Life has returned to the same ol', same ol' but we continue to reminisce about our vacation we were able to spend with family. Thank you all for your hospitality and great memories.

Kathryn's Quilt

2009-11-29T18:56:00.001-08:00

Five or six years ago, when my daughter Kathryn was about 14 years old, we took a block of the month club class together. We each made the block for that month and then tucked them away and forgot about them. She got engaged in September and I decided it was time to do a wedding quilt for her. I combined our blocks minus two months worth that just didn't fit in and made her this quilt. Half the blocks were sewn by her and I hired someone to do the overall quilting. I really like how it turned out considering the selection of blocks and the fact that 6 years later you cannot find any of the fabric we originally used. It is huge. Turned out to be 98 x 120 inches! If you look closely, I picked a quilting pattern with very subtle hearts here and there. I gave it to her at her bridal shower. I hope she loves it!

Christmas Projects

2009-11-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

I"ve been working on a few Christmas projects and have finally got them done and ready to take with me to St. George. That's probably all the sewing I will get done for this Christmas, since I get to go to California to do wedding flowers twice in December and will be gone for almost two weeks total (It's gonna be great fun!) I made Ashley a dress out of Alyssa's leftover prom dress material from a couple of years ago. It's cuter than it looks in the picture. I made Stuart a plaid flannel quilt and Dad a bathrobe. I made Alyssa a coat - I actually gave her the fabric last year and finally got it sewn- so it doesn't really count for this year. Anyway, we're off to St. George in the morning and so excited to see everyone and have a great big Thanksgiving dinner with Mom and Dad and a whole bunch of our kids and grandkids and neices and nephews and all! It is going to be so fun!

Bridal Shower

2009-11-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

I gave a bridal shower for Janelle's friend, Tasha. Since they are going to Hawaii for their honeymoon, I went with that for a theme. Everyone got a plastic lei and a Hawaiin name, and had to give up their lei to anyone who caught them not using the Hawaiin names. We played some other fun games, like purse Bingo, too.

For food, I made Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Cheese Ball with pineapple, bell peppers and cherries, Veggie tray with cucumber and bell pepper palm trees, Fruit tray, Cream puff swans, pecan sandies and Hawaiin pineapple punch. My friend made brownies and frosted pineapple bars.

I did a tropical centerpiece with Tii leaves, bird of paradise. carnations and ginger (I took a picture, but it turned out really blurry). It was a fun night.

Bibs

2009-11-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

I found a tutorial online for these bibs and had to try them out.

Greg's Dinner

2009-11-03T20:21:00.001-08:00

This is what Greg ate recently. It is called balut, a Filipino specialty. It is a 15-21 day old duck fetus/egg, hardboiled. He was brave enough to eat two of them. To get the full effect enlarge the picture to catch all the details like the eye, feather and foot. YUM,YUM!

Halloween Treats

2009-10-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Molasses Cookies wrapped in an inexpensive towel from Target.

Greg

2009-10-16T16:12:00.001-07:00

Just got a few new pictures from Greg.

Fall Crafts

2009-10-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

We made these last night at Relief Society.

Mini Lemon Pies

2009-10-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

I made mini lemon pies. They tasted really good but I'm not sure I love the way they look.

The House at Pingree

2009-09-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

This is the house with it's new coat of paint.

Grandpa's birthday cake

2009-09-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Grandpa....
This was Grandpa's cake when we celebrated his 81st birthday in Pingree this year. It was fun! Deanne and Jeff were there with Missy, Daniel and Stephanie, and Janelle came down from Rexburg and Dean and I had Brady and Stevie with us. Grandma and Grandpa had a houseful and their hospitality was once again wonderfully welcoming. Stevie and Danny are now happily in their second week of BYU.

Brownie Pops

2009-09-04T17:56:00.001-07:00

75 brownie pops for a baby boy shower!

First Catering Job

2009-09-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

We catered our first wedding reception. We made chinese chicken salad and a pasta salad. Rolls and mini lemon poppyseed muffins fruit platters and pineapple limeade in my new beverage jars. Exhausting but fun to do.

I hope you don't mind a proud mom

2009-07-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

And I am the third missionary in President Traveller's history to stay five transfers in one area. I will NOT be transferring this transfer - and neither will my companion. I did, however, receive another new responsibility. I'll be the district leader this transfer, which should be fun. Our zone has a lot of people with baptismal dates though, and Ina is really far from other areas so going to interview their candidates will be a little bit tough on time and money. I'm really excited about it, though. Five transfers is a LONG time though. I'm still in shock - I had all the stuff I never really use packed away haha... Oops.

So... Annie was baptized on Friday, and confirmed at church on Sunday. I was asked to do both the baptism and the confirmation, so it was a great experience for me too. She is such a pure and elect person. She did, however, break down into really heavy tears the second she came up out of the water. I thought maybe she was worried or sad or something, but they turned out to be tears of joy. I honestly didn't think they were at first, but she started smiling a few minutes later. The most awkward part was that as soon as they start to close the doors to the font, Annie decided to try to go for an all-out hug in front of everyone. We forgot to warn her that the hug after the baptism is a no-go, so she went for it. Way funny, kind of awkward, and the last thing I could hear as I was leaving the font was President laughing on the other side of the doors - and then I started laughing too. But seriously, it was an extremely spiritual and beautiful baptismal service, and I feel pretty lucky I got to participate.

This week after church we had Shokujikai - something I think every American ward should definitely start doing. It is basically just a potluck lunch once a month after church ends. So good. But the special part was, we were in charge of preparing some sort of game/activity to play as a branch because the District President was coming. So we played Gospel Jeopardy, complete with Jeopardy song and blue and white construction paper board. I have never seen the members be that excited or that involved in an activity or game. It was a blast.

Other things this week... We had interviews with the President, and that was good. We also had interviews with his wife, and she told me she knew something big about the future part of my mission, but that she couldn't tell me. She was totally making fun of me, it was funny. I guess something big will happen in the next few transfers - but big to her could be anything. I guess it could have even been staying in Ina one more. President and Sister Traveller really are the best Mission President and wife any mission could have (no offense, LeeAnne, but it is true). He also talked to me about the exact date I will go home but I forgot it. Mid-to-late June or something. I'll look at a calendar sometime and tell you. It really is weird to think there are only ten months or so left. I'm becoming an old missionary. In six weeks my transfer count will be in double digits!

Good to hear everyone at home is doing well, both on the business front and the health front. I'm excited to hear the news on the property that Dad is trying to buy with Richard - is it a commercial building like a shopping center or what? I don't really know the details. It is also good to hear Intel and Apple stock are doing better. It will be interesting to see what kind of earnings Apple reports. It should be pretty impressive. I'll likely hear it from the Matsumoto Branch President, who is also an Apple nut. The good news is even though the internet is out at the house, you should be able to see the picture I sent on your phones...

I can't think of much else. Our other investigators are doing well. Kouta-kun reset his baptismal date to the end of August - meaning I might be able to baptize him as well before transfers. If all goes well, that is.

I still don't have anything I really need sent to me or anything, but I do have one weird request. Shawn McDonald is a lovely church artist who writes great music, and if you happen to find a CD of his somehow somewhere, I would appreciate it. Simply Nothing is the CD that I heard while waiting for interviews this week - I actually really liked it. Kind of has a Snow Patrol mixed with the Fray plus some Audioslave mixed in - and it is all about Christ! Sister Traveller recommended it to us. That is all really.

Well, thanks again for all the emails - it is great to hear what is happening in everyone's life. I feel kind of out of the mission loop in Ina - we are kind of the forgotten area since it is brand new and separated from everyone, so hearing news from home is really nice.

Keep hangin in there, and I'll keep hangin in here.

Love you all,
Elder Burnham

Greg Burnham
gregburnham@myldsmail.net
1-304 Itakadai
Meito-ku Nagoya-shi Aichi-ken
465-0028 Japan

Wedding Flowers

2009-07-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday I made centerpieces for a friend who had a wedding reception for her son and his new bride in their backyard. She had wanted roses and peonies, but the peonies are out of season and would have been prohibitively priced as a special order. I found these gorgeous English roses at the flower market so they filled in nicely. Don't ya just love pink! Every shade of it!

Oh Raspberries!

2009-07-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

We've been picking raspberries every other day for a week and a half now. Every picking yields about 7 quarts of bottled raspberries (I'm taking some to Dad, he's quite fond of them), about 30 half pints of jam and 4 or 5 quart bags of whole berries for the freezer, plus a ton to eat fresh, put on waffles or ice cream, etc. Our biggest picking was Tuesday, I'm afraid it's downhill from now on, which is fine since we're leaving for Idaho on Wednesday. They sure have produced beautifully and now we have jewels to line the shelves of our fruit room!

Celebrating 34 LONG Years (just kidding)

2009-07-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

We made it to out 34th! Candace and Kevin took us out to dinner while they were here. The food was great (McGraths Fish House - try the Coconut Shrimp and the Halibut platter) and the company was terrific! Thanks to Alyssa who babysat the whole crew so we could go without kids (even the nursing baby stayed home!)

Father's Day Gifts

2009-06-22T20:31:00.001-07:00

For Father's Day this year, I foil wrapped 300 caramels. Then into a box with a little paper shred.
Halfway done.
One hundred boxes to church and not a one left to bring home.

Gardening Night at Enrichment

2009-06-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

We recently had an enrichment night on gardening. I put together a deck size herb garden in a fun stacked container. My enrichment leader planted wheat grass and we made these cute centerpieces for the tables.

Stephanie's Pioneer Day Dress

2009-06-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

I sewed a pioneer dress for Steph's 4th grade pioneer day. She had so much fun!

Chocolate Mint Brownies

2009-06-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

Deanne and I have different versions of the chocolate mint brownie recipe so here's mine for comparison.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Brownie:

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup softened butter

4 eggs

1 ½ cup (16 ozs.) Hershey’s Syrup

Combine together. Bake in greased 9 x 13 in. pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Let cool.

Mint Cream Center:

2 cups powdered sugar

½ cup softened butter

½-¾ teaspoon mint extract

3 drops green food coloring

1 tablespoon water

Mix together and frost the brownies. Refrigerate.

Chocolate Topping:

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt together. Spread over mint layer. Let cool slightly, then chill brownies for about one hour to set chocolate.

Beauty and the Beast

2009-06-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time with Lance and Mandy, Janelle, and Stuart in town to see Alyssa play Belle in Beauty and the Beast the opening weekend. She did an amazing and fantastic job in the role. She had seven solos/duets and sounded awesome! This year of voice lessons has really developed her talent. She got a lot of very nice compliments and had several little girls who got pictures taken with her afterwards. She really looked the part too, after her team of stylists- Janelle, Mom, and even Caidin (who will occasionally consent to holding the curling iron after it is rolled up) get done with her. It's two or three curling irons, lots of mousse and hairspray, an hour of time equals dozens of ringlets. Our old friends, Holly Andrews and her daughter Bonnie, who is Janelle's age, came down from Olympia to see the play as well. Bonnie had seen it posted on Alyssa's Facebook page and talked her mom into a visit. We hadn't seen them since 2001, so it was a nice reunion.

If any of you can come and see it Alyssa would be absolutely thrilled to have you attend as it is truly a dream come true for her to be performing this role in this play. The entire cast is absolutely fantastic, from Mrs. Potts to Luminere and Cogsworth. The orchestra even sounds half decent! There are four shows left this week - Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Saturday night (June 4th, 5th and 6th at 7 pm, Matinee at 2 pm Saturday. We'd be happy to put you up for the night!

Apron in an Hour

2009-05-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

This was a quick apron. I found the tutorial online. The pattern is an apron in an hour and it only took about that long. The photo is a little washed out. It is a bright pink and green. It was fun to make.

More Flowers

2009-05-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share a photo of a funeral arrangement I did on Friday. They ordered pink roses, with any other flowers I wanted to include. I was happy with how it turned out.

She's Here!

2009-05-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the arrival of a new addition to our family. Marinda and Teddy had their baby girl on Friday, May 22nd (Happy Birthday, Marianne!). She weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz. and is named Llorelei (Yes, that is spelled with two Lls at the beginning) She is a sweetheart and we are very proud grandparents!

wedding flowers

2009-05-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post pictures of the wedding reception flowers I did yesterday for one of Janelle's good friends in our ward, Chelsie McGuire. She married Nick Blight, from Moreland ID, his mother is Mary Martin. They are a very cute couple. She wanted calla lilies, which I think are beautiful, but they are the absolutely hardest flower to work with and to work in with other flowers in my opinion. Fortunately she wanted just callas on the tables for centerpieces and at the guest book, so those were easy. We ordered them from Costco and from past experience I ordered them to arrive on Wednesday for a Saturday evening reception. They come as straight sticks, like a bundle of firewood - with a big fat rhubarb-like stem and just plain straight. They have curve, no anything - just straight long sticks. They still hadn't fully opened up by Saturday, but had started to arch slightly - but I was not very happy with them. Fortunately they let me have free range on the rest of the flowers as long as they were purple or white. Let me tell you there are many shades of purple, but no flowers are the exact color of the purple they were using. The big urn for the buffet was the most fun to do-it was at least 4 feet tall when finished. There were many adventures along the way including the urn not being waterproof and water starting to seep out at an alarming rate. You don't want to know how we got it to the church. Chelsie gave me a picture of what she wanted for the boutonnieres -two mini callas with black ribbon - they turned out nice. The corsages were two mini callas with purple freesias (they smelled so good!) and tiny lavender daisies. I didn't get a picture of those or her bouquet. That's fine with me - do you know how difficult it is to make a bundle of sticks look like a bridal bouquet? Future brides take note - if you MUST have calla lilies, pick minis! They are much easier to work with and they are very sweet! Or pick a florist who loves the big ones and knows what they are doing! That wouldn't be me! Unfortunately Janelle informed me a long time ago that she was going to have calla lilies for her wedding, so I'm hosed!

Wedding Breakfast Quiche

2009-04-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

I had some requests for this quiche recipe, so I decided to post it. Even though the recipe below is for the appetizer mini quiches, I discovered it's a perfect start for a pie sized quiche as well. I am posting the original, appetizer sized recipe first, then my adjusted recipe that I used for Lance and Mandy’s wedding breakfast below it. Some of the changes I made were: I omitted the mushrooms because Mandy is allergic to them, and also the garlic, because it's just not right to eat garlic at breakfast! It is delicious with both of those in it, however. I added diced red bell pepper for color. I used half and half instead of milk to make it extra creamy, smooth and delicious since it was a special occasion. If you do use milk, whole milk would be best. I also used tabasco sauce instead of black pepper and added a dash of nutmeg. I doubled the recipe basically as far as milk (half and half) and eggs go, but I used different amounts of vegetables. And speaking of vegetables, chopped fresh spinach is also yummy in it and Deanne said for Enrichment they had one made with whole baby spinach leaves arranged in a pattern on the top of the quiche that was gorgeous. It will stay warm for quite a long time and I actually like it better warm than I do piping hot. It also reheats nicely and so leftovers taste great the next day. So here goes:

Original Recipe
Savory Vegetable Mini Quiches
from The Pampered Chef

1 pkg ready to bake pie crust (such as Ready Crust in the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mushcrooms, chopped
1/4 cup cooked bacon or bacon bits
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
dash black pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Divide crust into 24 pieces and pres into mini-muffin tin. Whisk milk and eggs together. Stir in vegetables and remaining ingredients. Fill each muffin cup with 1 Tbls. filling. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes, remove carefully.

Note: I made these mini quiches ahead and froze them for Candace and Kevin's wedding reception and they reheat beautifully.

Wedding Breakfast Quiche

1 frozen pie shell (see note)

Note: I used Marie Callendar frozen pie shells from Wal-Mart. Check them carefully before you buy and try to get unbroken, uncracked ones. Usually if the top one is fine, the bottom one will be also. Unwrap them, put them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and let them thaw for about 10 minutes while you whip up the filling. When I was researching and testing recipes, I found that many sources recommended pre-baking the crust. Deanne’s ward did an Enrichment on quiches and she mentioned that they had also found that the quiches turned out better with pre-baking. So, I did that as well. For best results, blind bake the shells at 350 for about 8 minutes. Prick the shells lightly with a fork, then put a piece of parchment or wax paper in the pie shell, add some dried beans and bake it for about 8 minutes. (The beans keep the shell from puffing up and distorting) Lift out the paper and beans and return the pie shell to the oven to bake an additional 1 or 2 minutes. Have the filling ready and pour it in while the crust is still hot.) Lower heat to 325 degrees and finish baking.

4 eggs
1 cup half and half
dash nutmeg
dash tabasco sauce
1 cup zucchini, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cooked bacon or real bacon bits (don't use imitation bacon bits)

Whisk together eggs, half and half, nutmeg and tabasco sauce. Stir in chopped vegetables, cheese and bacon bits. Pour into hot, pre-baked crust and return to oven. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting and serving. Serves 8.

Strawberry Onion Salad

2009-03-31T17:41:00.000-07:00

Pauline asked for this recipe, so here it is:
Strawberry-Onion Salad

Combine:
Romaine lettuce, cut or torn into bite size pieces, enough for 6 - 8 persons
Thinly sliced red onions to taste - I usually use 1/2 large onion, but perhaps I'm too cautious
1 pint sliced fresh strawberries

Dressing:
1 cup real mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk or cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbls poppy seeds
2 Tbls. raspberry vinegar

Mix well to dissolve sugar, then pour over combined romaine, onions and strawberries (you may not want all the dressing, I add most of it, then toss well and add the rest if it needs it). Serves 6 - 8 persons. Add dressing just before serving, then eat right away; it loses it's crispness after being dressed.

Variation:
I had a similar salad at a garden party that had fresh blueberries and raspberries in it along with the strawberries. It was delicious as well. I wonder how it would be with candied nuts? maybe too sweet.

Let Them Eat Cake

2009-03-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Cowboy Caviar

2009-03-19T16:44:00.001-07:00

1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed

2 17 ounce cans whole kern corn, drained

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 large avocado, diced

½ red onion, chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 sm can diced green chiles, optional

Dressing:

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3-4 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 tsp. cumin

This is great as a side or as a dip with tortilla chips. Can be used like a salsa over grilled chicken, etc.

Photos from Lance and Mandy Cheney's wedding

2009-03-16T17:17:00.001-07:00

It's All In The Presentation

2009-03-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

It really is all in the presentation. Just a roast with some roasted vegetables. And a fairly simple salad. But wow looks impressive if plated right. I did add some parsley to the beef and vegetable platter. It added a lot. But as dinner was off to a friend, I didn't get a second picture

Shhh, It's a Surprise

2009-03-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Just got done making 100 favors for Lance and Mandy's wedding breakfast.

Over 300 red foil wrapped caramels.

3 in each of these darling boxes.

Little favor boxes

Even more boxes.

And of course one big chinese takeout box for the bride and groom.

Turkey Vegetable Burritos

2009-03-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

1 onion chopped 3 carrots cut in thin half moons

1 sweet pepper diced 1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic 2 14.5 oz stewed tomatoes

3 zucchini in half moons 1 can chicken broth (or V8 juice)

3 yellow crookneck squash in half moons

1 can enchilada sauce 2 pkg. taco seasoning

½ tsp. salt

20 oz. ground turkey (or chicken) 2 cup instant rice

30 soft taco size flour tortillas 16 oz. shredded taco cheese mix

Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add onion, carrot and green pepper. Sauté until softened about 6 minutes. Add chicken and garlic. Cook until chicken is no longer pink about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, zucchini, broth, taco seasoning and salt. Cook covered 4 minutes until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat and stir in rice. Cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Fill burrito and place in 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with taco cheese. Heat for 20 minutes.

Here's the filling. This time I added a can of pinto beans and 2 cans sliced olives. (not pictured)

Assembly line.

I put a little enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan and then more on top before the cheese.

Sharpies work great on foil for writing instructions.

As you can see this made three pans of burritos. One to take to another family, one to freeze and one for tonight's dinner. The original recipe had less vegetables and 1/2 the amount of seasoning tomatoes etc.

The Original Recipe That I Adapted the one above from is this one:

Chicken and Vegetable Burritos

1 onion chopped 1 carrot cut in thin half moons

1 sweet pepper diced 1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic 1 14.5 oz stewed tomatoes

1 zucchini in half moons 1 cup chicken broth

1 pkg. taco seasoning ½ tsp. salt

1 lb. ground chicken 1 cup instant rice

flour tortillas 8 oz. shredded taco cheese mix

Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add onion, carrot and green pepper. Sauté until softened about 6 minutes. Add chicken and garlic. Cook until chicken is no longer pink about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, zucchini, broth, taco seasoning and salt. Cook covered 4 minutes until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat and stir in rice. Cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Fill burrito and place in 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with taco cheese. Heat for 10 minutes.

2009-03-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

Spring is in the air. My ornamental and fruiting plums trees are in bloom.

The peas in the garden are blooming and the radishes are small but from the garden.

Enrichment Recipes

2009-03-03T19:08:00.000-08:00

I helped with Enrichment this last month and was asked to publish the recipes such as they are. They are published at cookinforchurch.blogspot.com.

MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice Concert!!!!

2009-03-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

My friend Taylor and I went to go see MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice in concert this weekend! WE dressed up in 80s clothes and had a blast!!!

Banana Cream Pie Filling

2009-02-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

Kathryn, here is the recipe you wanted.

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/8 tsp. salt

2 cups milk, scalded

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, well beaten

Combine butter, sugar, salt, flour and eggs. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Cook over double boiler until thick and smooth. Add flavoring and cool.

Christmas Table

2009-02-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

Okay everyone, we need more posts from someone besides me. That being said this is my latest project. I finally made these placemats and tablerunner with fabric I bought before Christmas last year. OH well, I did eventually make it.

Other Apron

2009-02-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

Here's both aprons. Kathryn's roommate really likes zebra print so that's what she did.

Soup for a cold day

2009-01-26T16:52:00.000-08:00

I made this soup the other day and remembered how good it is. I originally got the recipe from Deanne. I think it is too thick as written so plan on at least one additional can of V-8. Also, I left out the vinegar. Not sure what it would add but I don't like vinegar in too many things so I choose not to add it.

Pasta e Fagioli

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large carrot, julienned

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)

1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 12-ounce can V-8 juice

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

½ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. thyme

½ pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta (short tubes)

Brown the ground beef. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. Cook pasta separately until al dente then add to soup.

Retro Apron

2009-01-17T17:14:00.001-08:00

Kathryn decided to make a retro apron to have at school. It turned out pretty cute and she made one for her roommate for a gift too. I'm still waiting for a picture of her roommate it the other one.

Roomie Pics

2009-01-14T23:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Family!

I posted these on my blog, but thought I'd share with y'all! As roommates we decided to get pictures taken. A friend agreed to take them and I had fun working with editing. It was a cold day in Rexburg, but it was worth the results. Sometimes I wonder why family pictures never look quite like this... maybe its because we stick a camera on timer. Although it gets the job done, I like a little bit more creativity (no offense Dad, your camera rocks my socks).
School is going good! I'm taking 15 credits, but they're all going to be busy ones! I'm excited for this semester :)
Love, Janelle

Snow

2009-01-12T19:19:00.001-08:00

Greg had snow in Japan. I think not too common in his area.

Greg's New Years Dinner

2009-01-05T05:52:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

First email of the new year! Exciting eh? 新年おめでとう！Anyway, this last week was a very unique week for a missionary: we hardly did any normal missionary work. From December 31-January 3 we had two meals a day at members' houses, with their family or with people we are teaching. Lunch and dinner for every day was covered, to keep us from having to door to door when everyone is drunk or wanting to be spending family time. We still did a little when we could find time, but it was pretty busy.

One of the meals was at Parry, a Nigerian member's house. We ate traditional Nigerian food, which was pretty crazy. It was a potato grain paste dough thing that you scoop up with your hand and dip into a slow cooked spicy melon soup - then you just swallow without chewing. The only time you chew is when you pick up (with your hands) the meat in the soup - which is chicken innards and sliced chicken vein. It was tough to chew the vein, and too easy to chew the innards. You also eat the bones off the chicken wing that is set in the soup - because it is slow-cooked, the bones get just soft enough to chew and grind up. It took awhile, but we ate them. Overall though, I actually liked it, and would probably eat it again! I was surprised, considering how disgusting it sounds...

We also had meals with alot of the people we are teaching, which is good. We were able to teach lessons in a family home evening sort of environment, which was good for them. And this week, we got Parry and Syaiful (the only two non-Japanese members in our ward) both temple recommends, and some people to take them to the Tokyo temple this weekend! We are very excited for them.

On a sadder note, I feel bad for Kyle Smith's family. I always remember him in high school kinda dancing with the slightly shadier side of life, but I don't think he really got into that much trouble, relative to other people I knew. I don't think he deserved to die, and I hope the people who killed him get the justice they deserve. It must have been way scary for everyone else at that party too, I hope nobody who was there is too damaged by that.

Other than that, I'm not sure what else this week. The week has been fairly uneventful in terms of normal missionary experiences - just a ton of food and bonding with members and investigators.

Good to hear about Utah beating Alabama - the coach who was talking them down probably has a pretty sore tongue at the moment from biting it a bid too hard. It will be good for the MWC, and makes BYU look alot less disappointing by losing to Utah. Good stuff...

It is good to hear everything is still going overall well with the family, as usual. I do have one bit of news, from now on, my email day has been changed to Tuesday, so you will be wanting to check your emails on Monday nights now instead! That is starting next week, and I heard it was a worldwide change.

Anyway, love you guys so much! I have some more pictures I will hopefully be sending home soon! Miss you all!

Greg
Greg Burnham
gregburnham@myldsmail.net
1-304 Itakadai
Meito-ku Nagoya-shi Aichi-ken
465-0028 Japan

Count Me In!

2008-12-31T00:19:00.000-08:00

Hey what a fun idea! I enjoy blogging and this will be fun to share stories, pictures and anything else! Kyle and I have been enjoying our Christmas break here at home, we figure it will be one of the last times we get a long 2 week vacation. Next year around this time, we will *hopefully* be moving from Provo; Kyle graduates December 2009. Here are some Carlson family photos of our Merry Christmas!

Our annual holiday breakfast at IHOP!

Christmas Eve at homeMissy and Daniel enthusiastic about reading the Christmas storySteph and I showing off our new clothes/PJs! Daniel and Kyle received matching robes from Mom and Dad Christmas Eve

I caught Daniel opening the gifts early!Steph was so excited to see what Santa put in her stocking-especially her "Blitzen" antlers

Kyle and I leave for Utah on Saturday (Jan. 3rd). We hope to be back with family soon! I have a blog for us and our adventures (or lack thereof) in Utah. CLICK on this address to find it: http://monsoneverafter.blogspot.com/

Love, Becca

2008-12-13T13:49:00.000-08:00

Hey Mom,
I finally got a around to getting the recipe for the mexican rice to you. When we made this recipe, we doubled it. However, the combination of this and the 2 pans of enchiladas that they made weren't enough for the eight of us. Also, we didn't cook it as long as it says to, but our stove is a little wacky, so it may be okay for you.
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 small small onion, diced
2/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and saute until translucent.
2. Pour the rice into the pan and stir to coat grains with oil. Mix in cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, salt and water. Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cook at a simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir occasionally.

What to do during a recession

2008-12-05T08:16:00.000-08:00

Surprise, surprise - people are finally admitting we're in a recession - and probably a big one at that. I've spoken to several consultants over the last few years on what to do to prepare for a recession, and have found several online articles that support what I've heard. I pass them on to the readers of this blog as there are several very good (and highly important) things to take note of:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/personal-investing/recession-proof-your-finances-9-07/overview/recession-proof-your-finances-ov.htm

http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/what-to-do-during-a-recession.html

My Key Take-aways:

Don't sell your investments now and stop contributing to retirement/other savings! ...if you do, you're just locking in your losses. Now is the perfect time to invest, if you're in it for the long haul (> 10 years) - providing you have emergency funds set aside and in a secure account (money market, CD, etc). No sense in investing if you don't have emergency funds. 3-6 months of living expenses is typically considered a good allocation for emergency funds.
Get more training/education - employers are laying off like crazy - more training and education make you a less likely candidate for layoffs, and a more likley candidate for hiring if you do find yourself unemployed.
Be patient. Don't succomb to the media hype. History has shown that those who don't have knee-jerk reactions to the world around them typically do better. Keep working hard at your goals/plans and stick to your principles.

2008-12-04T17:32:00.000-08:00

These are what we made for our December treats.

Click below to read about Rannie's Cousin

2008-11-19T09:35:00.001-08:00

Seattle Times article on Don Wakamatsu

I'm related to someone famous

2008-11-18T23:08:00.000-08:00

My cousin's son is now the manager of the Mariners! Don Wakamatsu was just on the Seattle news talking about his new job! Too bad that I won't be able to milk any perks out of the situation. His parents moved to the Bay area when he was young and they never came to OR to visit much. So, I probably haven't seen him in 20 years or more. Oh well, at least I can celebrate just being related to someone famous!

Thanksgiving Treats

2008-11-18T20:23:00.000-08:00

This is what we made for our November treats. We have two mini loaves of pumpkin and poppy seed bread in each pumpkin pie plate.

White Chili

2008-11-17T09:12:00.000-08:00

Marianne, here's the recipe you requested.

4 cans great northern beans (not drained)

3 cups chicken broth plus 1 bouillon cube

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cans green chilies

1 Tbsp. oregano

2 Tbsp. cumin

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

4 cups diced, cooked chicken

1 32 oz. carton sour cream

2 cans white corn

4 cups grated jack cheese

Cook onions in butter or oil adding spices until onions are tender. Add rest of ingredients except cheese and sour cream. Simmer 20 minutes. Add sour cream and cheese reserving enough cheese to sprinkle some over top of individual bowls. Heat through but do not boil once sour cream has been added. Serve, topped with reserved cheese.

Isn't She Lovely?

2008-11-17T00:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Pauline! I love this idea of having this blog for all the family to post!

Thought I would share a picture, of course, not of me! This is of our princess, Stevie in her homecoming dress. The pictures that were taken at the dance did not show off how cute her dress was, or how lovely Stevie really is! I know, I know....after I took the pictures and got them home, I could see how terribly wrinkled the dress was after she had already worn it to the dance but at least I have some good full length pictures of her in it! Well, this one has weird lighting, but her face is so cute here!

She went to the dance with a guy named Josh. Those that keep up on her My Space will probably know that they have been together since last spring.

Greg's E-mail

2008-11-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

Last week I emailed on Tuesday, so I will continue from there in the things that are going on. It was kind of a tough week in a lot of ways, but a very good week in a lot of other ways. We had three appointments with people fall through, which was way hard. One of those was Imai-san. She went to Nagoya to visit her brother who works down there, but when she got to his apartment and knocked, nobody was home. When she called him, he totally forgot she was coming, and had picked up an extra work appointment/meeting that night. She was really devastated. That night we called her and she asked us to share our favorite Book of Mormon scriptures, and our number one favorite scripture about Christ to cheer her up. I shared the beginning of Mosiah, and 3 Nephi 12 for each topic relatively. It is amazing to see someone run to the scriptures as their first relief from a worldly issue, before they are ever baptized!

This weekend, we also had another appointment with Rumiko-san, and we did a sweet personality test by drawing a tree with fruit on it. The existance of roots, what kind of fruit you drew, how thick the trunk was, and whether you could see the top of the tree on the paper were all fundamental aspects of your personality. Apparently I'm a very self-stabilizing person, with clear goals, but I have a need to share myself with others too much. I thought that was mostly accurate.

Also, Uncle Reo came to church in Gifu this week. He called Mission President and asked for permission, then was able to Google Map directions and ask people along the way. It was a pretty neat experience for both of us, and I got a lot of neat advice and heard some stories I hadn't heard before. He took some pictures with us, so you will likely see those soon, if you haven't already.

LeeAnne is doing well, she was expecting (hoping for) her mission call this weekend, but it didn't come. She is working hard (as usual, she is way good about that) and preparing to serve. Sounds like she is about halfway through the Book of Mormon, and is getting pretty excited about the call coming. I think she is serving Japan Fukuoka, Greenhalgh thinks she is serving Japan Sapporo, and Elder Silva-Muniz (who was in the MTC with me) thinks she is serving in Brazil. Only because he is Brazilian. Guess we will find out next week!

I guess the last interesting thing is our dinner we had at the Bishop's house last night. It was kind of a practice family home evening/planning session. Multiple members here are starting to do monthly 'open' family home evenings, where anyone can come and bring friends, etc, and we are training them on how to do it. It is going to be way fun. Before it gets too much colder, we are going to teach the kids how to play capture the flag one FHE night, and they are all going to bring a couple friends, and we are going to bring two of the people we are teaching. It should be great fun, and a good way for nonmembers to realize we aren't as strict and weird as people think we are.

Anyway, that's really all I have for these week. I still need to reply to Derek/Jacob/Kathryn etc, so I'm going to do those quick before time runs out. Love you all, and thanks for keeping in touch! Talk to you soon!
Greg Burnham
gregburnham@myldsmail.net
1-304 Itakadai
Meito-ku Nagoya-shi Aichi-ken
465-0028 Japan

2008-11-16T10:44:00.001-08:00

Pauline, thanks for starting this! I think its a neat idea!

I'm planning on doing kind of a neat project for school and myself. If you'd like to contribute, email your testimonies to me at cheney.janelle@gmail.com. I think it would be awesome to have everyone contribute if possible! I know everyone is busy, but if I can have them by Sunday November 23, that would make this amazing!!!
Thanks and Love,
Janelle

Family Blog

2008-11-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to start an Anderson Family blog. I thought we could share pictures, recipes, thoughts, etc. We'll see how it goes.