The Adventure Continues!

One of the first outings that Les and I took when we were dating was to Yosemite. October 14, 1989 started a tradition of visiting this beautiful place. Since we were in the early stages of our dating, I dressed accordingly - cute jean skirt and sweater, with black flats. Little did I know we would end up hiking that day! But hike I did, in my black flats! The things we do for love! A little over a year later on November 3, 1990, Les proposed in Yosemite, so we have definitely made memories there. We have hiked Yosemite Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls! I've also learned to wear the proper footwear - trail hiking shoes work much better than black flats!!


On the years that we spend Thanksgiving in Fresno, we try to spend Black Friday in Yosemite. It doesn't work out every year, but it did this year and the day was beautiful! We decided to try a new hike for us - the Four Mile Trail. We were a little slow in getting up there, so we didn't do the entire trail, but we did enjoy an amazing hike! Dozens of switchbacks provided panoramic views of the cliffs, waterfalls, and Yosemite valley. There wasn't parking near the trail head, so we parked about 1.4 miles, then walked. We then hiked 2.7 miles STRAIGHT UP! Over 1800 feet elevation gain, starting at 4100 feet. That got our hearts pumping!

We knew we had to turn around at 3:00 to give ourselves time to get back to our car before dark. We also watched clouds roll in. Just before 3:00 we hit the 4 mile mark, then decided to go to this tree and "tag in". (Go learn what that means!)



It was STRAIGHT DOWN for the next 2.7 miles and to me that is as difficult as STRAIGHT UP! On our way down, it started sprinkling a little, but we didn't get very wet since we were under trees. It started coming down harder on our way out of the park and as we got near the 6000 foot elevation mark, we even got a little snow! It was about 34 degrees out, so it wasn't sticking (yet!).


We safely made it back to Fresno and after an 8 mile day, we ended the evening with another tradition - Popolo's Pizza!!!



I also ran 7 miles Saturday morning, earning a total of 22 miles while we were gone. I'm happy to report that my weight was exactly the same this morning as it was last Monday!!

Thanksgiving 2009

(Grandma with her newest great grandson)

We had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving. For the past 10 years or more, Dad's youngest sister, Suzie, has hosted the family at her house in Visalia. This year, 23 of Grandma Ruby's 25 descendants were in attendance! The only 2 missing were my cousin Cheryl, and my nephew Ryan. Grandma will be 90 in January and the youngest family member is Terry Dawson Childers who was born on November 3rd!

(Grandma with her kids and their spouses)

It's really a shame there wasn't much food...

Two sets of four generations:

(My cousin Melanie, her mom Suzie, Melanie's boys Michael and Terry, and Grandma)

(Grandma, Dad, Lauren, me, Krysten, Grandpa, Kim, and Rick)

I took lots of pictures, so I thought a slide show was in order today! Little Terry slept through all the paparazzi, but we didn't care, we kept snapping away!

Friday Foodie

Turkey - Turkey - Turkey! What do with all that leftover turkey??? Here's one quick and easy idea that I invented last week.

1 1/2 to 2 cups diced turkey
1/2 diced apple
1/4 cup dried cranberries
mayonnaise and cranberry relish to taste

Serves 4

This made the best sandwiches! I'm not sure how much mayo or relish I used, I made it like I make tuna salad - put some in, stir, add some more, stir until you get the texture you like.

I have no idea what the nutritional value is, but I know it's pretty low, especially with fat free mayo!

P.S. I ran 7 miles yesterday morning, burned 453 calories which equals one piece of pie!

Thankful for YOU

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you
- Philippians 1:3

If you're reading my blog today, I'm thankful for YOU!

If you're part of my family, by blood or marriage, I'm thankful for YOU!

If you're part of my Victory Tabernacle family, I'm thankful for YOU!

If you're part of my Truth Tabernacle family, I'm thankful for YOU!

If you've known me since I was a shy little blond, I'm thankful for YOU!

If you've just met me through blogging, I'm thankful for YOU!

If I saw you last night, last week, or it's been 20 years or more, I'm thankful for YOU!

I hope YOU have a wonderful day today! Because of YOU, I'm drinking from my Saucer!

I Am Drinking From My Saucer
Author: John Paul Moore

I've never made a fortune
and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much,
I'm happy anyhow.

And as I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I haven't got a lot of riches,
and sometimes the going's tough.
But I've got loved ones around me,
and that makes me rich enough.

I thank God for his blessings,
and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke,
and the sun peeped through again.

So God, help me not to gripe about
the tough rows that I've hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage,
when the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already blessed enough.

And may I never be too busy,
to help others bear their loads.
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

(I know he's drinking from his cup, but he was too cute to not use!)

They're Baaack!!

Remember these guys?


We took them down in September so our stone work could be finished...


Today was the day to put them back! God was so good to send our friend Bro. Flores by to pick up one of Les' bikes he is borrowing. He was a blessing and helped get our little friends back in their rightful place!





So I'm also thankful for willing friends and that no one was hurt in this process!

Thankful for Les

I have the most wonderful husband in the world! I hope, if you're a wife, you feel the same way about your husband! We have so much fun together - whether we're being silly on purpose, or just can't hear, we laugh A LOT! I trust Les completely. He's a faithful worker and God has prospered him because of it. He's my favorite Sunday school teacher - I always learn something new!

This week Les decided to take some vacation time. He has not been sleeping in or going on long, leisurely bike rides. He's been working around the house! He installed new gutters, started sanding our patio covers (fighting Santa Ana winds in the process) and later today we're going to return our lions back to the top of the columns (pray saints!)



Yesterday morning I came home from my run and decided to make a quick hash brown casserole. When Les came in from his bike ride I told him what we were having and said, "Want some eggs?" In our household, if we want eggs Les is the one who makes them! Pictured is a perfect egg, over easy, just like I ordered it! So yummy and runny!!!


Les, thanks for loving me and being my best friend!

Thankful for Mom and Dad

We will be having our midweek service tonight due to Thanksgiving. It's always a special time at Victory Tabernacle and tonight will be no exception. The microphone will be passed around to anyone wanting to testify, but this year Pastor White has asked that we say why we are thankful for our parents. He made the announcement last Wednesday night and allowed three of us to give our testimony in advance. It was very easy for me to do that without any warning - I love my parents and am so thankful for both of them! I know I could take the entire service talking about my parents, I have said many things on this blog, but here are two that come to mind:


Dad - Faithfulness, commitment, loyalty. These are words that describe Dad. He worked faithfully until his retirement, bringing home a paycheck, often doing without for the sake of his family. I've written about it before, but one of the greatest examples of Dad's love for his family is when Rod broke his femur when he was about 11. Because of Rod's hemophilia, the doctors could not operate to put a pin in the bone (they may have not even done that back then), so he spent about 6 weeks in the hospital with his leg in traction until the bone could begin mending (then another 6-8 weeks in a body cast). Dad would come home from work every night, hurriedly shower and eat dinner, then we'd be off to the hospital. EVERY.NIGHT. No matter how hard he worked that day, how tired he was, he wasn't going to let his little boy spend the evening in the hospital by himself. Rod broke that leg twice in less than 12 months time, and our routine did not change with Rod's second hospitalization.

In Matthew 11:7, Jesus said, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" Because of Dad's love, his desire to give good gifts to his children, it is not difficult for me to embrace my heavenly Father. Yes, Dad disciplined, but his love was unconditional. One time Elder Morton said something to Dad about being proud of me. Dad replied, "I'm proud of all my kids." We're not a perfect bunch, but we're his and he continues to love us.

I love you, Dad! Thank you for being MY Dad! See you tomorrow!


Mom - One of the things that stands out in my mind today is Mom's habit of writing good things in her Bible. I don't know where the following story comes from, but I think this is exactly what Mom was doing:

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

The first 2 pages inside Mom's Bible have the following notes:

• God promised a safe landing, but not a calm passage
• Go out each day and do something that nobody but a Christian would do.
• Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits. Ps. 68:19
• Other books were given for our information. The Bible was given for our transformation.
• Only those who are assured of an eternal life can be happy here and now.
• Everything that happens is not good, but God works for good in all things.

These are just a few of the notes that are written in Mom's Bible. I KNOW that Mom experience hurts, grief, sickness, and sorrow during these times but she chose to write her hurts in sand and carve her benefits in stone. That is an example I want to model.

I love you, Mom! Thank you for being MY Mom! See you in the sweet by and by!

His Benefits

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

I hope you're planning on spending time with loved ones. We'll be making the drive to Fresno on Wednesday, then to Visalia on Thanksgiving Day. We'll get to visit with family from age 3 weeks to almost 90!

As I think of all I have to be thankful for, I know I could write a post every day of every week and never run out of things. And when I say things, I don't mean material things.

Psalm 103, verse 1-5 speaks of some of those "things".

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
² Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
³ Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

I am blessed! My cup runneth over with His benefits!

Today Was a Good Day

To make No Pudge Brownies with White Chocolate Raspberry Yogurt!!!


Mmmmm!!!

It was also a good day to EAT No Pudge Brownies with White Chocolate Raspberry Yogurt!!!

Do You Really Want to Know?

Yesterday at our Weight Watcher meeting we "made" our Thanksgiving meal. Carol, our leader, read the different items, then we chose if we would eat them or not. Just so you know, I don't use a lot of restraint on Thanksgiving! I'll eat one plate of whatever I want. I don't count calories or points, I'll enjoy gravy, mashed potatoes, and pie! BUT, I'll only eat ONE plate full and only on this ONE day!

This year we'll be with Dad's family in Visalia - Grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, nieces, and a newborn! On Friday Les and I will most likely work the meal off with a trip to Yosemite and there will be no leftovers since the gathering is at my aunt's.



So... do you want to know how much your Thanksgiving meal is going to put you back? Or do you even care? Well, just in case you want to know, here's a list of food items, serving sizes, and WW points. If you are not familiar with WW points, generally 1 point = approximately 50 calories, so you can calculate your calories if you so desire. I get 20 points per day, plus whatever extra points I earn for running.


Honestly, most of the foods on this list are not that outrageously high, it's just eating 2-3 helpings of ALL of it that will get you!! Here we go:

Turkey breast - 2 oz. - 2 pts. (dark meat and skin are more)
Ham - 3 oz. - 3 pts.
Stuffing - 1/2 cup - 4 pts.
Brown gravy - 1/4 cup - 2 pts. (Is anyone really capable of eating just 1/4 cup of gravy??)
Butternut squash - 1 cup - 1 pt.
Cranberry sauce - 1/4 cup - 2 pts. (Or make Zesty Cranberry Relish from yesterday's post for 0 pts!)
Mashed potatoes - 1/2 cup - 2 pts. (this is without butter)
Baked sweet potato - 1 large - 3 pts. (this is JUST the potato - not casserole with brown sugar and marshmallows!)
Green beans steamed - 1 cup - 0 pts.
Green bean casserole - 1 cup - 5 pts. (who knew fried onions and mushroom soup could do so much damage?)
Fruit cocktail - 1 cup - 2 pts.


And how many slices of pie shall we have?? (1/8 of a 9" pie)
Pumpkin pie - 9 pts.
Apple pie - 8 pts.
Cherry pie - 9 pts.
Pecan pie - 12 pts.

Friday Foodie

It's beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving...


I wanted to try some new recipes for Thanksgiving, but do not like to try something for a crowd that I haven't made at least once. So we had an early Thanksgiving meal this week! Not the full up, every side dish imaginable Thanksgiving meal, but I did make a turkey! The two side dishes I wanted to try were Double Duchess Potatoes and Zesty Cranberry Relish. They both turned out great!


Double Duchess Potatoes
Serves 10 (pictured is 1/2 recipe listed below)


4 Tbs. butter (I left this out!)
1 Gala or Fuji apple, peeled, cored, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 lbs. all-purpose potatoes, peeled, cut in 2" pieces
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in 2" pieces
3 eggs (I used 3/4 cup Eggbeaters)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. In large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apple and onion; cook, stirring until very tender, 20 minutes. I decided to eliminate the butter, so I cooked my apple and onion in the microwave with a little water, took about 5 minutes.

2. Place potatoes in separate large pots with enough water to cover. Over high heat bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain each pot separately.

3. Preheat oven to 375. Coat 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. On medium speed, beat all-purpose potatoes, 1/4 cup Eggbeaters, and milk until smooth; beat in apple-onion mixture until combined. If desired, transfer to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe or spoon into mounds, 2" apart, in baking dish. (I used a 1/2 cup measuring cup and scooped from the bowl to the baking dish.)

4. On medium speed, beat sweet potatoes, paprika, pepper and remaining 1/2 cup Eggbeaters until smooth. If desired, transfer to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe or spoon between mounds in baking dish. Bake until heated though and lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.

This was very good!! And I'm happy to report I was able to almost cut the calories IN HALF from the original recipe!! Believe me, we did not need 4 tablespoons of butter - they add 264 calories and 32 grams of fat to the recipe!

Original nutritional info: 216 calories / 8 g fat / 3 g fiber / 4.4 WW points for approximately 3/4 cup.
Revised nutrition: 113 calories / 0 g fat / 3 g fiber / 1.7 WW points for approximately 3/4 cup.


Zesty Cranberry Relish
Serves 12


1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
2 navel oranges, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar

Put all the ingredients in a food processor, process until coarsely chopped, about one minute.

This is a Weight Watchers recipe that I have had for about 3 years and always meant to try it. I'm glad I finally did!! Especially when you consider the nutritional information!

Nutritional info (1/4 cup): 34 calories/0 g fat / 2 g fib/ 0 WW points

According to the recipe this refreshing relish can be made up to 1 month ahead and frozen. So that is what I did! One dish is ready for next week!! To defrost, place it in the refrigerator overnight.

For my turkey, I bought a small turkey breast (just under 4 pounds) and cooked it in my crockpot. I added 2 cans of chicken broth, seasoned the turkey, put it in breast down, then cooked for about 4 hours on high. The button popped out and my turkey was done! It was extremely juicy and just about fell off the bone. Of course this will only work if your turkey will fit in your crockpot with the lid completely closed. If you have a small family this will work perfectly, freeing up your oven for all your yummy side dishes!

Good Sense

Good health and good sense are two of life's greatest blessings.
- Mom's Bible

As I was running yesterday morning, I noticed more of our trees are finally changing colors. It made me so thankful for the gift of sight! That in turn made me thankful for all of my senses.

The ability to taste (especially chocolate!)


The ability to hear, whether it's the roar of waves or a soft "I love you."


To feel the warmth of a fire


or the touch of a loved one


Or to be able to stop and smell the roses!


So today I'm using my good sense to thank God for good health to enjoy all my senses!!

If Not For Your Grace

Our choir sang a couple of new songs Sunday night. One in particular has been running through my mind for weeks. The song is "If Not For Your Grace" and is from A Deeper Level by Israel and New Breed. It was recorded in 2007, so technically it's not new, but it was new to us! If you're a choir director and haven't done this song, I encourage you to give it a try. It took some work, but was definitely worth it!

Verse
Where would I be, if not for your grace?
Carrying me in every season
Where would I be, if not for Your grace?
You came to my rescue
And I want to thank You
For Your grace

Chorus
Grace that restores
Grace that redeems
Grace that releases me to worship
Grace that repairs
Visions and dreams
Grace that releases miracles
Your grace

As my mind starts thinking of all I have to be thankful for, God's grace tops my list. I don't have to look far to see where I would be without His grace in my life. Others have chosen to walk outside of God's grace, turning their backs on the most marvelous gift of all, and they often pay a heavy price.

I'm sure I'll have more to say about being thankful, but today I just want to say "Thank You, God, for Grace!"

Celebrating 35 Years!

What a day we had yesterday! I think I've said something similar the past two Mondays - but we've just been having great church lately! Yesterday we took the time to honor Pastor and Sis. White as they celebrated their 28th Pastoral Anniversary and 35 Years in the Ministry. Both services were full of surprises, kind words, and special guests.

Bro. David Abbott from Scottsdale, Arizona preached both services. Of course in my mind, Bro. Abbott is not complete without Sis. Darcy Abbott! Not only was Sis. Abbott with him, but their youngest daughter, Danae, came too. Their singing blessed both services. From new songs that Danae has written to oldies like "He's My Lord and My God." Bro. Abbott preached about "The Mighty God in Christ" and "The Precious Gift of the Holy Ghost." There were souls in the altar both services feeling God's Spirit.

The highlight of the day was when we presented our final gift. Anyone who knows Pastor White, knows he has a heart for souls. Bro. P.J. White told the story of his grandmother, Sis. Gloria White, who also loved souls. Many times Granny White would take P.J. to McDonald's and while praying for her food she would pray for the "children of Africa." That prayer was part of her daily prayer life. So in honor of Pastor White, Victory Tabernacle of Burbank, along with our three daughter churches, is building The Gloria J. White Memorial Church in Liberia, Africa! I honestly cannot think of a greater gift - there is no car, house, or trip that would mean more to Pastor White.

After service we had a potluck. I forgot to bring my camera to church - I had food and choir music on my mind, but I did snap this with my iPhone. Isn't she a cutie?


As Les and I climbed into bed around midnight last night, we were exhausted but so thankful for such a great day. Once again, I have an overwhelming thankfulness for my pastor and his wife! I love these two and thank God so much for putting them in my life.

A Deer Memory

While running each morning this week I've spotted deer on the hills around our neighborhood. There seems to be a herd of about six, including a four-point buck. I love to watch them grazing, then pop their heads up to watch me run by.


Seeing deer this close to Christmas brings to mind a close encounter I had with a deer one day. I was working at Amgen at the time. Amgen has a very large campus, with dozens of buildings. I regularly made trips from my building (building 17 at the time) to other parts of the campus. I was on my way out the door one December morning when a very large deer came bouding toward me! I have no idea where it came from, but I thought I would have a heart attack!! The receptionist in our building watch the entire thing and laughed about it for weeks! We wondered if it was an escapee from a Christmas drama somewhere!!


I'm not a grandma, but I think this is what I must have looked like!!