My Favorite Restaurant(s)

Tiburon is so clever with her themes for different days, and today's My Favorite Monday was definitely one I could play. Tib asked what our favorite restaurant is, and being the ambitious over-achiever I am, I can't stop at just one. Let me list a few!
1. The Foundry Grill- this Sundance restaurant is the full package- beautiful scenery, ambiance, delicious food. This is my favorite place to go for special occasions!
2. Harvest- not everyone loves this place, but I do! Everything I've ever ordered has been excellent, and it's very close to home for me, definitely a perk. While providing you the link, I just saw that they're serving Mother's Day brunch on Saturday- a great idea and one I will definitely consider!
3. Kneader's is one of my definite faves for on the go. I love a good sandwich. Or a good salad. And definitely a delicious baked good. Kneader's has all three. It's one of Addie's favorites, too. The apple doesn't fall far, folks.
4. Pizzeria 712 is quickly becoming a favorite. I blogged about our trip there recently. I'm drooling typing this entry. I need to go back ASAP!

Ok, I need to stop there. I made a yummy dinner tonight (roasted chicken and roasted red potatoes, green beans and mushrooms, fruit salad) but all this talk of eating establishments is getting me ready to eat again. Not in my best interest.

Ch-Ch-Changes

Well, I've felt it coming for a while now. I told Pat last week I was ready for it. I've had a few recent conversations about other areas of interest. And today, it finally happened. After the standard cryptic executive secretary message on the answering machine to come meet with the bishop this morning, I was left all night wondering what my new calling could be. I usually have an idea about what may be coming, but I was drawing a total blank. Pat was instructed to come along, and he was convinced I was getting called as the ward choir director, but I was pretty sure he wouldn't need to come if that was my calling. I decided I was being called as the ward float chairperson since all wards in our town have one to get ready for the town parade every summer. To my surprise, I was called as the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society presidency. I've had a few talks recently with different people about the new enrichment structure and how hard it has seemed for wards to catch the vision. Our ward has kind of struggled to set up successful enrichment activities. Little did I know that I would be implementing this vision in my near future! I'm excited to get this party started, so feel free to give me your best ideas! We have a successful book group going (that I helped to start last summer) and a fledgling playgroup going (that I helped to start a few months ago), and there is also a group of sisters who attend the temple together once a month. That's currently all we've got. I guess since I've already been kind of involved, this was a good fit for me. I'll post a list soon of ideas, but I'd love to hear what classes and activities you've enjoyed and had interest in attending. Hope your Sunday was a day of rest and a great start to your week!

Thank Goodness for Thursday!

Thanks to Tib for the banner. I almost didn't play along this week, but I think when I don't feel like digging for things to be thankful for, it's probably a sign I need to!

1. Book club. More specifically, this book. It's been great escape reading the past couple of days. I'm loving having a reason to read and enjoy a good book, and I can't wait to see what happens- I've got about 100 pages left.
2. The internet (or the oracle as Pat calls it). It's so nice to need to know something and have a resource to consult and many times get an instant answer. Lately I'm constantly looking up recipes, and since my desk is right next to my kitchen, I'm back and forth double checking what comes next while making dinner. The past few weeks I've had a rash, and via internet I think I've narrowed down the new culprit. So now I can make a dermatologist appointment to confirm what I already know instead of wondering why my arms have itched to beat the band after spending time outside.
3. Days off. I'm so glad tomorrow is Pat's Friday at home. And our fence is (almost- just one gate left) done, which hopefully means lots of working in the yard if the weather will cooperate. And Pat has started to build up more time off, so hopefully he'll take a couple of days soon so we can get some projects done and enjoy time doing fun things!
4. The scriptures. Today I wanted to get cozy during the snow and read, so Addie cuddled up next to me with her Book of Mormon and read along with me. Her scripture stories just happened to include things like Pocahontas and pink suckers and going to Dizzily-Land (Addie speak for DisneyLand which we've never been to but she professes her love and desire for daily), but there was some Joseph Smith and Nephi mixed in there. I know I'm not doing a perfect job, but I know that she does love the scriptures and knows they're important, and it makes my heart happy.
5. Motrin. I think Sam's got 4 teeth coming at once. All he wants is to be held all.day.long. At least I can give him a little Motrin to take the edge off so I can put him down (sometimes) without screaming (rarely) to do important things (like use the bathroom).
6. Blogs. I'll do a post soon with some of the latest I've been spying. I find so much inspiration for my home, my cooking, my kids, my life, through blogs.

Obviously, not in order of importance this week. Oh, also grateful for a new Office tonight. I thought I was going to die laughing when Meredith got hit with the football. On that note, have a lovely Friday!

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

I thought I'd share one of my favorite easy recipes today. I got this recipe from my old roommate Alison. I always loved when she'd make them when it was her turn to cook dinner, and I've made it countless times since we lived together. It's always good comfort food for me, and while I'm looking out my window at snow/rain, I think some comfort food is exactly what I need!

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

1 loaf bread
ham
turkey
swiss cheese

Lightly beat 2 eggs. Add 1 cup pancake mix and 1 cup milk, mix until smooth. This is enough batter to do a whole loaf of sandwiches, so if you make less, just cut the batter recipe in half. Make sandwiches- I usually do double decker so I layer bread, cheese, ham turkey, bread, ham, turkey, cheese, bread- I find it's easier to cook when they're bigger, and I like my cheese to be on the outside to get nice and melted. Dip sandwiches into the batter, making sure to coat all sides. Place battered sandwiches on griddle to cook, making sure you cook all sides. I prop them against each other when doing the "skinny" sides to help them stand up.

This may be over the top for you, but it is so good with raspberry jam and powdered sugar on top. Definitely not the healthiest meal, but so delicious!

Tree-Hugger

Once upon a time when I was in high school and obsessed about doing all in my power to improve my getting-into-college-resume, I decided I should probably add a club to my already full schedule of choir, yearbook, honors classes, job, etc. With my little group of friends, we decided on Earth club, and the rest is history. Suddenly I was proudly sporting my "One Earth, One Love, One Problem, One Solution" t-shirts, and had a little bit of superiority about the fact that I was doing a little bit more for the earth than all the other 15 year olds. I attended park clean-ups, helped with the school recycling program, and volunteered at earth-friendly community functions, like the time I dressed up in a fish suit and paraded around as Sally the Salmon at Salmon and Steelhead Days and helped kids paint fish scaled and make fish prints. Now, if that didn't save the earth, I don't know what will.
I have to say, all of the green talk lately is getting to me. When people are pushing Sigg water bottles, now the in thing since Nalgene's are supposedly not the best plastic ever as previously touted, I have to think- why don't I just use a glass at home? Why do I have to use this bottle which proclaims my status as someone "doing my part"? Why do I need to buy reusable bags to use if not to make a statement when I've already been recycling my grocery bags at participating stores (sometimes bins are available at Wal-Mart or Albertson's) and re-using them as garbage can liners or for a plethora of other purposes? Why do I need to live on less when I've been living by the pioneer adage "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" for years and years? It just seems so common sense to me. It doesn't mean that I'm not looking forward to upgrading my washer and dryer to a more energy efficient model. It doesn't mean that I don't enjoy good gas mileage just as much as the next guy. But when my hairdresser laughed at me a couple of years ago because I was still refusing to use aerosol hair spray, not knowing that the chemicals I learned about in elementary school that were harming the ozone were no longer used in aerosol cans, I realized that I'm probably already doing my part.
Green was cool to me a long time ago. I think if there's a bandwagon you're going to jump on, this is definitely a good one. But the fact that companies are using it as a tag-line to spur consumers on to buy the next best greenest product really bugs. Be smart, people. It's common sense.
Happy Earth Day.

Healthy Heather

In case you haven't checked my profile for a while, you're probably not aware that I've started to contribute (ok, once so far, but hopefully more in the future) to a healthy recipe blog started by a high school friend, Heather. Heather and I took some classes together and were also in choir together, and I have fond memories of choir trips and school projects. She now keeps busy as a rock star mom, but her blog is currently private, which is too bad for all of you who can't read about her adventures as she raises 4 girls with the grace and sense of humor that all moms desire to possess!
Heather had the genius idea to start this blog so we can feed our families just a little bit better. I don't know anyone who doesn't have a little room for improvement, so check it out. I've tried a few of the recipes so far, and not one has disappointed! I really need to get on the healthy eating train hard-core. I love treats. They love me back so much that they want to stay with me forever- on my hips, my belly, and my badonkadonk. I wish they didn't love me back.

Powerful

Today I taught lesson 8 from the Joseph Smith Manual in Relief Society entitled "The Everlasting Priesthood." Some lessons feel a little sparse (like my lesson last month on John the Baptist), but this month was chock-full of serious amounts of substance. It seemed like there wasn't any filler- it was all good stuff. I'd encourage you all to give it a good read, but I just wanted to lure you to your blue manuals with a few of the truths that I took away from this lesson.
1. The Priesthood is the vehicle that gives Heavenly Father His power. I think I'd always just assumed that He does things just because He's Heavenly Father, but all of that power comes from the Priesthood.
2. The Priesthood held by our Father in Heaven and held by the Prophet is the same Priesthood held by our husbands. The Melchizedek Priesthood is the highest authority- our husbands just don't quite have the fullness and the ability to exercise all of these keys yet. It was very cool for me to realize there isn't separate "general authority priesthood" or "Heavenly Father priesthood", it's all the same authority.
3. Adam plays a much more significant role in the Priesthood than I ever before realized. His stewardship includes the dispensing of Priesthood keys. There's lots of good stuff about Adam in the lesson. I think I've taken Adam for granted.
4. Joseph Smith not only received Priesthood keys from heavenly messengers, but he was tutored by them. Prophets, heads of dispensations, they all came and imparted of their knowledge and wisdom to the young prophet. And they are still greatly involved in bringing about the work of the gospel today. We're not in this alone.
5. The Melchizedek Priesthood is necessary in all aspects of the gospel. There is no part of the gospel where it is not involved. All of our stewardships are had through Priesthood power. The stewardship I have as a visiting teacher was given to me through my visiting teaching assignment by virtue of the Priesthood. My callings were given to me through the Priesthood, and I was set apart as a steward in my callings through the Priesthood. My family, my greatest stewardship, was created through temple covenants made through the authority of the Priesthood. My stewardship over my own salvation comes through keeping all of the covenants I've made, which were only made through the Priesthood.

It's powerful. Go study. Serious blessings.