Week of April 7-13, 2014

Monday-I cleaned. Dad had the car at meetings, but it was all good, since I got most of my dusting done too. I worked outside in the yard: weeds…and I worked on the grapevine gazebo, trimming and threading vines. It's a really nice shady place now. Poor Nate came home from work with a doozy of a headache. I cannot even fathom how awful it is to have constant pain, especially head pain. It just makes Dad and I so sad…and it hurts him so much that everything is awful. Poor Jessica was home sick with a cold on top of it all. Dad did get some work done on a project, I got all the sunflower hair/collar pieces done and packed up for the wedding, and the pearlized leafy cupcake wrappers arrived from China.

Tuesday-Dee was off to meetings, so I planted sunflowers in the flower bed for the wedding. I am still gonna surround the bed with marigolds and other yellow flowers, but it's gonna be so hot this week, so not today. I got to use the Jeep! I went and got the pecans for Dee's birthday cake frosting, that Germann Chocolate Coconut Pecan frosting.

Recipe for Coconut Pecan Filling and Frosting from Kraft

4 egg yolks
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 pkg (7 oz) Bakers Angel Flake Coconut (2 2/3 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Beat egg yolks, milk, and vanilla in large saucepan with whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter. Cook on medium heat. When it begins to boil, set timer for 12 minutes, stilling constantly. It will thicken and become a golden brown. Remove from heat.

Add coconut and nuts; Mix well. Cool to desired spreading consistency.

NOTE: I always double this recipe, so there is plenty for the cake, and for Dad's snitching! He only gets this once a year (and once when Cameo and I make Ethan's). I have frozen this for months ahead in a rubbermaid container and slowly thawed for use and it has come out perfectly.



I went to Sprouts, but the nuts were crazy expensive, so I went to Winco and got them. I also went to Michaels and got the royal blue ribbon. The afternoon was spent making and hiding the cake icing (no cake till next Saturday), making two pretty awesome wreaths for the wedding,

and then I crawled under the Jeep with Dee and helped change the front differential gasket and fill the front differential with gear lube. Dinner was healthy baked chicken and asparagus. Nate came home headachy and exhausted and fell asleep before he could even eat. Missionaries came for a scheduled visit. Kayty worked the afternoon and then went on a date to a movie.

Wednesday - More weeding, watering...and an awesome lunch salad for Dee.

 I noticed a crack in Kayty's windshield, so she was sent off with paperwork and made an appointment to get the windshield fixed tomorrow. Dad's Webelos went well again.

Thursday- I have been working more on the back yard. Dee mowed and I found more and more grass type weeds. I need a knife to get them out. It's kind of like a cut/dig thing. My watering is paying off in the flower bed. Nate and Jessica's sunflowers are growing and mine should come up soon. I worked on more wreaths. Jess has been sick but briefly came by and gave an ok to them. I am just decorating doors and porch posts with them. Kayty got her windshield fixed...and loves it.


Friday - I cleaned and got the kitchen floor mopped. Then, I headed out. Target dollar spot was not interesting at all, and I looked for a khaki or navy skirt...which they had NONE of. I went to Michael's and hit the jackpot. Both the grapevine wreaths and the royal blue ribbon were on sale! I bought 7 wreaths and all the ribbon they had...which was not enough...but I got it.

 I headed to Costco and got water bottles, and just basics. I wanted more, but the cart was so doggone heavy and my hip was hurting...perhaps still from my fall last week. I worked in the garden after the sun went lower in the sky...I wind grapevines on the gazebo constantly. It's a really nice place to sit and reflect now! Love it in there.

Saturday-We yard saled with Nathan for a while and then headed out to Prescott to spend some time with Dee's Tech Lead, Klemens Raab, and his wife, Gloria. While Dee got to get some more red dirt for the garden, I got to read some Conference talks...I got the Saturday Morning session all read and the scriptures looked up. We found our way there...finally. They call it a cabin, but it looked like and awful nice house to me. We ate German sausage and potato salad and had a good visit.

It is always amazing to me that I can actually carry on an adult conversation. While Gloria didn't think much of stay at home moms (her daughter in law) she and I could get along. And...I think she was a bit jealous when I was getting texts from Adam and Grace. I love my grandkids texts so much!!! It was a nice trip in the new jeep and we enjoyed visiting. Best part was stopping at a Michael's in Prescott Valley and scoring the rest of the on sale ribbon I needed!  The evening ended with a trip to Winco.

Sunday-IT was a lovely Sabbath morning. I watered the flowerbed...and my flowers are coming up too!

 I was surprised when we got to church...it was Fast Sunday. I guess the message didn't get around well, because many were not aware. We had an awesome lesson in Sunday School about Moses and the 12 tribes of Israel. I learned so much. My nursery kids were great singing today. The rest of the day was spent in scout meetings, figuring out our Stake Baptism Coordinator Callings, home teaching, and I made potato salad to go with the chicken Dee grilled. Nate and Jess and Kayty had singles stake conference, but Jess was sick from her meds, and Kayty slept in, so Nate and Jess went late...and were really tired all afternoon. Kayty and I visited and laughed...and threatened to run away to a hotel with two king sized beds...but we grew up and stayed home.

My week was busy, but next week will be moreso. I am watching Kaylee for more hours Tuesday, and Wednesday I have both Kaylee and Kooper. Should be interesting...