My Two Dresses

Adam and I went to Goodwill today to look around.While we were there I saw things on the rack that I had donated.It was a bittersweet moment.A couple of months ago, I cleaned out my closet with old clothes and added it to clothes others had given me to donate. I wanted to donate some of the more professional clothing to a women's center, however since I had everything mixed together in two boxes, it was easier to give all the items to Goodwill. I know I should give to Desert Industries instead of Goodwill, however GW is closer and has more locations and is more frequented.

Seeing these items on the rack was bittersweet because I was happy I had cleaned out my closet but sad that I have such fond memories of the clothes. The first was a navy suit dress that I purchased years ago. It looked very professional and fit me nicely (then.) It was navy and off-white and when I wore it I felt like I was dressed for success. I added it to the giveaway pile because it fit me many moons ago.

The second item I saw on the rack was my Prom dress. I saw this dress while shopping with friends for Homecoming dresses in October 1992. I fell in love with it then, but the price was out of my budget. So I continued shopping and found a beautiful dress, which I still have in my dress-up/Halloween box, to wear to Homecoming. Months later, I was shopping for Prom and the dress was on clearance!!! It was now within budget and I bought it and wore it proudly to Prom. I had broken my ankle that year so I wore a beautiful cast on one leg. It was a perfect accessory to my dress (that was me being sarcastic.) I wore the dress again the next year when I attended another school's Prom. I even loaned it to a friend who wore it to one of her school dances. I was able to fit into it 8 years later and wore it to a church Christmas party. Seeing it on the rack at Goodwill brought back all these memories. I hung onto it in hopes that girls from church might want to borrow it or that one day my daughter would wear it. Since I still don't have a daughter, it would be over 30 years old before it would be worn by her.

My wish is that these two dresses bring the same joy they've brought me. A woman might wear the navy dress to an interview and get the job that she's been looking for.
A young woman can feel beautiful at her school dance. That is the joy that arrives from donating time, items, or money to charitable organizations. By giving we receive. By sharing, others can be blessed.

Pumpkin Season

Since we brought home pumpkins the other day from Tolmachoff Farms, I thought I'd put them to good use. My friend Debbie once told me that her friend's mom always used the insides of the pumpkin to make the best pumpkin pie and she had taught her how to do it too. I am not a fan of pumpkin pie. I like the taste just not the texture so I have NEVER made a pumpkin pie. However, now that I have 7 little pumpkins lying around my house, I figured I need to learn how to do something with them.

On Thursday, I researched (googled) pumpkin puree, the official name of the canned pumpkin product. I found several recipes on how to create pumpkin puree. One way was to bake it and then other was to boil it with the skin still on. Either way, once it was softened it would merely peel off the skin. Then place the pumpkin in the food processor and process until it is smooth. I ate a few pieces of it and can't believe how good pumpkin is on its own. Two little pumpkins made a lot of puree.

So now I begin my search for pumpkin recipes. What I have found so far is pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, a pumpkin pie cake my mom makes, and I bought some oatmeal yesterday and it came with a cake recipe on the back, too. Today I am going to make one of those items. Most likely it'll be pumpkin bars, but the boys really want pie. Joe really likes the ice cream. I still have 5 more pumpkins to puree so I've got time to make many different recipes. I wonder if pumpkin would be good in chili. I can freeze the puree too for later.

PS I typed this with the new blog format in Word.

Sam kisses chicks

I know what you are thinking.  Sam is 3 and he's already kissing girls.  While I may say chick flick to describe, well, chick flicks, I don't usually call girls chicks.  Therefore, here is rare footage of Sam kissing a baby chick. 

Sam kisses chick


I actually felt sorry for the chick because the more he wanted to love it the stronger he'd squeeze it. 


We went to Tolmachoff Farms for a school field trip for Joseph.  It was $10 person and it came with admittance (which includes visiting all the things they have there - even the corn mazes,) a free small pumpkin, picking fresh produce, an ice cream sandwich, and a train ride.  Joseph finally got to meet his teacher.  When he came home and told dad about the trip he said about his teacher, "And she's good looking, too."  Joseph has always liked it when his teachers are good looking.  I allowed Joseph to do his own thing during free time, which I think he enjoyed because he often doesn't get to run free.  I was busy chasing Sam everywhere.  This would be why there are more photos of Sam than Joseph.  And I am not in any photos either, but I was there.   

Photos of our trip to Tolmachoff Farms

My Night Hike by Joseph (notes only by mom)

I went hiking with the Webelos last night. We went to the place we always go (Thunderbird Mountain Park.) We saw 23 big beetles and 4 stink bugs and I almost stepped on one of them. One stink bug stuck his butt up to stink (photo by the Smiths.) And then we went to the top of the mountain and then we saw two kookaburras that looked like owls with some other birds. We took a picture of the stink bug with its butt up and the kookaburra. Then we went down and we didn’t see any more beetles or stink bugs or owls. And then we saw a scorpion that was a baby and it’s the poisonest.
And then we went on the trail and it took us a long time and we saw a ranger and we almost got in trouble because it was at night and they don’t want us to get hurt (park closes at sunset.) Then we went to the bridge and we drank some water so we could have a refreshment to keep on going. Then we went on the trail and then me and Aaron and Bro. Smith split up from Sis. Smith and Ethan and Ryan.
And then we went past a baby rattlesnake and it rattled so hard we all got scared. When Sis. Smith and Ethan and Ryan heard it, they got scared and Ethan and Ryan ran to us. And then Bro. Smith went in front of the snake about 10 feet away from it and then he kept getting closer and then he said for his wife (Sis. Smith) to go behind him, but the snake did not strike, so he can go to us. Then he walked away very slowly then we all ran away.
Then we followed the trail and then we went to the grassy area off the trail. Then we had to climb up this drainpipe and then we found the car. And then we drove home and got cookies at Fry’s. And I ate 2 cookies in the car. Tada (that means the end)

Conference Traditions

Besides watching conference and printing out those conference packets I receive via email, there are two traditions I have for conference weekend. They are to throw out my mascara and make cinnamon rolls. I've been doing both traditions for several years now.

It has been said, and I don't know by whom, women should replace their mascara every six months. My birthday is about 6 months from Christmas so I could've used that as a guide, however both are busy times for me. So I found conference happens to be a great time to do that. It's always the first Sunday (Saturday and Sunday) in April and October. It's more reliable than daylight savings time and it's not that busy of a weekend for me. I've heard we should replace lipsticks about as often.. I once read that Jackie O only used a tube of lipstick once. It was as if once it had her germs it was no longer good. Perhaps it was donated to the poor women who can't afford to buy their own new lipsticks. One would hope not, however as charitable as the Kennedy's seemed to be, I would expect such a thing. Anyhow, I digress. I do not toss my lipsticks until they are gone. Sometimes, I'll mix the leftover with some petroleum jelly to make lip gloss, but's for another blog.

My second tradition is to make cinnamon rolls. It all started when I told years ago (by the ex) that there was a talk given at Priesthood Session where the wife and family of this speaker would make donuts every conference weekend and the whole family would enjoy them once he (the speaker) came home from Priesthood. It was some sort of incentive to go. I've never heard nor read the talk, perhaps it was about traditions or the importance of making it to Priesthood (no matter how big or little the bribe.) Anyhow, from that day forward, I decided to attempt the task of rewarding my man for going to Priesthood. It started with mini-fried biscuit donuts that my mom used to make. And then the guy stopped going to Priesthood and church so there was no need to offer the reward.

Then I heard about Krispy Kreme donuts. Yummy. So after he was gone (from my life,) I continued the tradition for my boys. I explained to them that they were too little to go then, however I would buy KK donuts every conference weekend. Then I married Joe and he added to the tradition and without fail he always went. He really didn't need the reinforcement, but it was still fun to buy KK donuts with the boys. Then KK went out of business in AZ. Oh no! What was I going to do?

That's when I started making cinnamon rolls. KK is now back in business, but my cinnamon rolls win hands down. Over the years, I've perfected the recipe. Tweaking something here and finding we like it, or finding something we did not. I found any basic roll dough works, but I find the ones for the bread machine are easiest. I usually make two batches. The frosting recipe I always use is found here . Unfortunately, writing this blog, I found this site has now been removed or blocked, but I have saved a copy of the recipe. If you google "Gordon Family Cinnabon" you might have luck finding it elsewhere or you can email me for my complete recipe (dough, filling and frosting.) The only change I have on the frosting is the extract flavoring (I have yet to try lemon, but will this year. And I have used almond, too.) For the filling I've decided I like more than any recipe calls for so here's my filling recipe:
FILLING
1 cup packed brown sugar
7 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine, softened. (Cinnabon prefers margarine, however margarine is one molecule from plastic, so I always use butter)

My two conference traditions have gotten me far. By swapping my mascara, I follow experts and prevent possible eye infections. And by making cinnamon rolls, I encourage my men to do their duties. So this conference you'll find me in new mascara wearing an apron baking in the kitchen. Anyone want some warm gooey cinnamon rolls?