Two of My Loves from Sunday

There were many more than two but here are some small joys I found.


Number One:

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, 

wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, 

my hair expertly coiffed, 

and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon 

that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter 

on my shirt from making sandwiches for 

a sick neighbors children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails 

from helping to weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks 

and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here 

and that I really lived."

- Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Number Two:

Apple Rhubarb Pie. . . 

Delicious and a half.

Once I spent over an hour chopping delicious the large bag of rhubarb my dear friend the newly Mrs. Quebbeman provided for me I realized just how much that bag contained. 

We made pie, "jam," and syrup, yet still have a TON of rhubarb.

We discovered that it's fine raw, without sugar, if you keep eating it.

Back to the pie though - I loved it so I am sharing it!

Apple Rhubarb Pie

1 1/2 c. rhubarb, diced
1 1/2 c. apples, sliced
1 3oz box of raspberry gelatin
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. melted butter

Extra-sugared Pie Crust (enough for top and bottom)

1 egg

2 TBS sugar

Arrange rhubarb and apples in pie shell, sprinkle with dry gelatin
(we didn't use the whole box but we maybe used 1/3 of it).

Combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle on top of pie.

Cover with top crust and cover pie with tin foil

and bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

With ~15 minutes left whip egg and remove tin foil 

brush egg over the top and sprinkle sugar.

Let cool and enjoy.

I highly recommend tracking down some rhubarb 

and making friends with your taste buddies!

In the Words of James Brown

"I'm back!"

(beware this is an extremely long post)

Wow. The past few weeks have been insane.

Finals was . . . insane in a bad way 

BUT I am glad to say that I have officially graduated from college. . . 

Now what?

I guess anything is possible.

Find a dream and follow it!?!

Literally Right after my last final I ran out and hopped in a truck 

which whisked me away from the troubles and worries that finals left me with.

I was tired and the week of craziness taught me a lot about myself.

I hopped on an airplane or two and jumped aboard a cruise ship which took me to foreign lands and I learned the following:

1. I love the sun more than I thought.

Except when this happens BUT this rag thing really worked so all was well. :)

2. This book is unbelievably amazing.

3. Inadvertently playing a continuous game of  MadGab makes for a lot of inside jokes and even more laughs.

4. So does the fishbowl effect on some cameras.

 

That's priceless stuff right there.

 5. And pouring vinegar from the buffet line on your sunburns to take the heat out.

6. The water is beautiful in Cozumel, Mexico.

 7. Celebrity look-a-likes hang in the same places I went.

We found Waldo!

A little Dr. Phil?

Johnny Depp anyone?

8. Ziplining is fun (especially through the rain forest).

9. Coasta Rica bus drivers are fearless but sometimes their roads help them get stuck after rain.

Went right off the road and couldn't get out. Oops.

10. Ports can be somewhat boring places when you have a lot of time to kill - so you just take pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 11. People might just pretend their cars are taxis to make money and the nearest beach may be 10 minutes away by car but you can sit by the ocean by walking three.

12. Bus drivers in Panama are insane (as the traffic is too). You know you're lucky when they say, "Don't worry. We have the best driver in the tour, his average is one accident a month and his last one was three weeks ago so we are safe."

13. That same bus driver sees a sloth HIGH in the trees and backs the bus up while on the road so those on the bus (who are late back to the port) can see it.

14. Cashew nuts come from a fruit. 

15. The Panama Canal is C-O-O-L. Cool. Period. The end.

They let us touch the walls.

The gates closing behind us. :)

16. Seeing dolphins out your dining room window is a great gift to someone for Mother's Day.

17. Friends can be made in days and just through interacting around food. Also when you say thank you, hearing my pleasure in return is happy.

Our waiters and waitress.

Love them!

18. Grandpa's can be hilarious, birthday songs can be more fun than you think they can, and watching Grandma and Grandpa together is sweet.

19. I can say I have experienced a canceled, missed, and delayed flight within 24 hours. Airports aren't that fun of places after so long.

20. There's no place like home . . . too bad I didn't have one set up when I left.

*sigh*

Adventure. Is a wonderful thing!

I loved spending time with Shayna, BreAnna, Grandma, and Grandpa. 

That's where the treasure truly lies; the inside jokes we have, the memories we have together, and the songs we can't get out of our heads.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa ever so much!

p.s. as I found these pictures there are MORE so you will be hearing about this for a while or so. :) Happy Summer.

Made it and Outta Here

Whew.

I have survived the roughest finals week of my life!

(literally, it was tough . . . especially with all the papers, moving, and cleaning)

I also learned (remembered) a lot about myself like how incredibly cranky I get when I am stressed (oops, sorry callers of USU),

and that when I have to stop in the middle of the test to calculate whether or not I could pass the class if I literally bomb it, I probably should have studied more,

and how much I love and really appreciate friends who reach out when I "don't have time,"

and who provide things for me even I don't know I need,

and the beauty of spring really can make everything right for a bit,

and how incredibly, stinkin' blessed I am,

And now, I am (as far as I know) a college graduate!

YES!

(if anyone wants to hire me let me know . . . ;) just sayin')

Right now I am headed out to have an amazing adventure!

Pictures will follow soon!

:D

p.s. I am LOVING life right now!