Father and Daughters....

February 2006

Daddy-Daughter Dance

Wellington Christian School

I was in Utah the day of this dance, so I just held my breath that they would be ready for their special Daddy Daughter Date. My friend did thieir hair and nails. Ron picked up the flowers, helped them get dressed, and treated them to a magical night they will remember for many years to come. They truly danced the night away! Oh how I wanted to be a "fly on the wall" that night!

Every girl deserves an amazing father like Ron!

Lets Have A Conversation...

Or Not...

The Truth is out...you read it here.

I don't like the taste of Conversations Hearts and neither does my little Megan. Now, the look of Conversation Hearts, for decorating purposes....I do like.

Last week, this was Megan's request.
"Mom, Please don't buy the little boxes of Conversation Hearts for me to give out as Valentines for my school class mates. Pleeeeease. I don't like them and neither do most kids."

And here, I thought it was just me that did not care for the taste of these ever popular Valentine Candies. I think the flavors have changed over the years because when I was little, I liked certain colors, but now....not so much for any color or flavor.

As much as I don't care for their taste, I cannot imagine Valentines Day without Candy Conversation Hearts. I always buy them and someone always eats them and/or uses them to decorate cakes, cookies, cupcakes, etc.

For parties, I use Conversation Hearts for a FUN GAME. I scoop out 1/2 Cup of CC Hearts per person or group. Within a Time Limit, the game is to see who can make the most sentences (that actually make sense) and use up the most CC Hearts. This gets crazy and fun.

While we are on the subject of Valentine Candy....Chocolate for Valentines Day....Now you're talking! Chocolate in any form. Maybe I should try Chocolate CC Hearts. I am sure it has been done.

Do You Like Conversation Heart Candy?

What is your Favorite Valentine Candy or Treat?

All Is Right With The World

Bring on Valentines Day...
My Mom's Valentine Cookies Arrived Tonight!
They are a most unusual cookie with an equally unusual icing. I grew up on these cookies each Valentines Day and now, they are carefully baked, iced, wrapped, and mailed to each child and grandchild during the week of Valentines Day from Grandma and Grandpa (yes, I have seen Grandpa help with this process)

These are THE BEST..Full of LOVE and Lots of Flavor!

Recipe shared below

Yesterday, my mom sent our cookies home from the Temple with a member of our Ward who we normally see each Sunday. Today he was on a Stake assignment, so the cookies were not delivered to us (we did not know they were in town) This evening, my mom asked if I got a box from our friend. No, I said. However, when I hung up, you can guess what I did....I called our friend to confirm he had the box from my mom. He said yes and he would run it by our house tomorrow. No way... that would not do...Ron and Megan were out the door to retrieve the cookies.

I had just prepared my children for the possibility of no cookies from Grandma this year due to the increase in Postage Rates. I had even considered making a batch on my own this week (even though MINE never taste as good as my mom's) I had even purchased the Cinnamon Red Hot Candies needed for the icing, and then...all is right with the world ...we got Cookies from my mom, after all. And so did all the other Grandchildren and children. Guarantee....ANDREW inhaled his cookies before he could even say, Valentine!

As a child, I remember filling a plate with these cookies and placing them on a friend or neighbor's front porch, knocking on the door, and then RUN, RUN before they could catch us.

By sharing this recipe, I feel like I am divulging a HUGE family secret. The icing recipe is so secret...I sometimes cannot remember exactly how to make it. But now...no more secrets... Enjoy!

Valentine Cookies

1 C Butter

1 C Confectioners Powdered Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 C All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 Cup Oats (see they are even healthy!)

Beat Butter, pwd sugar, egg, and vanilla together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness and use a heart shaped cookie cutter (ours have to be made with a scalloped edge cookie cutter that my mom has used forever)

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

ICING

1 Package Cinnamon Red Hots Candy (8oz)

1/2 Cup Butter

1 Pound Powdered Sugar

Place Red Hots in a saucepan on the stove top with just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and simmer, add butter and stir until dissolved. Add Powdered Sugar and beat until desired consistency. Don't get it too thick as it thickens as it cools.

If icing gets too thick, add a little water.

This icing recipe is a little trial and error at first, but once you get it right, you will know it and LOVE IT.

Ice immediately.

These cookies are near the top of my Comfort-Grew-Up-With-It Foods List! Thank You, Mom and Dad!

Now with the oats in the cookie dough, if I eat a cookie with a cup

of organic low-fat milk (which is what we are drinking these days), Can I count

this as a meal? OK, maybe just a super-healthy snack?

Happy Valentines Day!

Valentine Idea

Oh My..
You MUST to click HERE to see this adorable Valentine Idea shared by Mandee and Brandee. It doubles as a Great Family Home Evening Lesson and
Easy-Functional-Meaningful Valentine Decorations for your house!
But don't stop there... I can see these hearts hanging in a Primary Room or Young Women Room after a lesson on LOVE. Of course there are the Cub Scout and Girl Scout Activities to build around this idea!
I may use this for my Neighborhood Children Valentine Party..especially since there have been a few little spats out there amongst the kiddos (not mine) This activity may just bring the love back to our corner of the world!
No baking, No Calories, and Very little mess! You probably have all the supplies at home to pull this off!
Thank you for sharing this idea, my friends! Isn't the Blogosphere Wonderful?
I do trust you are submitting this idea to Sugardoodle and/or Tip Junkie! You may think it was simple, I consider this idea like GOLD....valuable!

Valentine Party Idea

Be Mine...Valentine!

Here is a great idea for a Valentine Party for children of all ages...even teens. This idea could be called...Room Mom Alert....

This is Jeffrey in 1990 (no I don't know what he was looking at...) with the decorated Pizza Box. Inside is a large Heart Shaped Sugar Cookie that is also decorated. This activity is a Two in One and will fill the time for an entire party...no need to have several activities. See below for details...

• Use NEW Pizza Boxes, please. Go to your local Pizza Shop and ask for the number of Pizza Boxes you need. If the number is reasonable 20 or so, they will generally hand them to you...no cost. However, offer to pay for them. If they want you to pay for them it is cheap. We are talking 25 cents give or take.
• Go to the Pizza places with the least amount of print on the Box
• Have the children paint the outside of the box to cover the logos and print OR, cut out large hearts they can glue over the printing. Somehow, come up with a way to decorate the Pizza Boxes. I have had cute "to" and "from" tags to glue on the boxes. Use your creativity here...doilies, hearts, hearts, hearts...(Whew...one activity down)
• NEXT: In advance Cut out and Bake LARGE HEART SHAPED Sugar Cookies (the size of a small-medium Pizza) You can do this at home or have a local bakery make them for you. I had Publix (my local grocery store) make them for a group one year. Most public schools ban the serving of anything baked at home at school functions, so the bakery option is important, if this is the case for you. Generally, I make them at home using my own pattern. It is a little hit and miss until you figure out how to adjust the baking time for a larger than normal cookie.
• At the Party, provide the supplies for decorating this large Heart Shaped Cookie. Icing, sprinkles, Red String Licorice, Conversation Hearts, etc.
• The decorating of the box and/or the cookie can be as simple or elaborate as you decide. The age of the children and the time you have for your event will help determine your plans.
• The children love this activity and having something fun to bring home to their family as a gift.
  

Enjoy! Yes, I am talking about Valentines Day...even this early. My days of blogging will be lighter and lighter as Time Out For Women approaches, meaning, have to post while I am thinking of it, or have the time! Does anyone remember my Love Bucket idea and posts from last year? Time to find your containers.....Buckets, Bags, Baskets, Chinese Take-Out Boxes, etc. Just change the poem to fit the container and go have fun!!!

Valentines Day

Valentines Day Activities

And Thoughts

Katherine prepared a beautiful box for her School Class Valentine deliveries. As a child, this was always a stressful part of Valentines Day for me. The boxes at school were so elaborate and there were always prizes for the best decorated boxes. It overwhelmed me. For two diffrerent Valentines Days, I was the new kid at school and stressed about whether anyone would even remember to send me a Valentine. Somehow, I got taken care of both of those years. This, and many other life experiences, is the reason I am so aware of including others and making people feel comfortable and welcome.

At the risk of having too many guests at a party, I invite a huge list, so as to not leave those out who need friendshipping and extra attention. It is a strength that could be a weakness if I invite too many or not enough people.

Last year, Katherine and Megan were the "new kids" in their school classes at Valentines Day. I spoke with both of their teachers to make sure their names were included on the Class Valentine list that went home. Not only were they included, many children in the school remembered them with "Secret Admirer" lollipops from the school fundraiser. Whether you are a kid or a parent, this holiday requires some serious "covering your bases"

Grandpa David surprised us with a Valentines Day visit. We made a nice dinner and enjoyed his company before he headed back to Arizona.
In addition to a dozen red roses from Ron, he gave Katherine, Megan, and me each red mylar Happy Valentines Day balloon. They are so festive and added to our extended celebration last night!
Megan and Katherine loved celebrating with Grandpa David!

Now that Curt lives in Michigan, he will see Grandpa David less and less. This visit was a nice treat!

We ended up with two wonderful Valentine Dinner Celebrations. One on Valentines Day evening and a formal dinner last night (Sunday) with my parents , Curt and Carmen, all of us, and John and Katie. Now here is where you will know I am slipping..... I did not take any photos! Oh my. None of the Valentine Dinner last night, none of my parents, and none of our guests, John and Katie. Thanks for the great memories everyone!

Now Curt and Carmen are en route to their new home, Michigan. My parents are en route to their home in Orlando, Ron is at work, and the girls are home for Presidents Day. A Beach Day was in the works, but the weather decided otherwise for us!

Happy Presidents Day, everyone! I am old enough to remember when we celebrated Lincoln and Washingtons Birthdays separately!

Happy Valentines Day

Valentines Day Memory

February 1982

Lake Worth Ward Valentines Dance with my Sweetheart!

What a blast from the past. I was a 21 year old Relief Society President with 7 month old, Curt. Ron was the Seminary Teacher and serving on the High Council. Ron was the DJ at this dance, as he was often in those days. I can still remember setting up and decorating for this event! Wow.... those were the days!
Ron, I love you now more than ever!!!
Happy Valentines Day!

Youth Dance

Dancing With The True Stars

When you start with amazing teens, incredible support, great planning, and awesome attitudes, the result is a Friday Night Youth Dance packed with fun for all! These Young Men and Young Women are true stars. They are a delight to be around and positive examples to all.

The Beehive Class (12-13 year old girls) spent this past month learning how to plan and execute an activity. They made decorations, planned food, set up, cleaned up, and wrote thank you notes! As I have tried to teach them.....An Activity is not over until the Thank You Notes are written and sent!

Warning.... This post contains more photos than I have ever posted at once, yet this is only a fraction of all the photos taken. If you don't see a photo of yourself or someone you know... stay tuned...all the photos will be on display at the Church this coming week.

Click on any photo to enlarge!

This one is blurry, yet there are some new faces that jumped in when the camera was rolling..
I will not attempt to label all the photos. You know who you are!
Some of the photos have comments.
With Dance Partners like these, the girls were loving every minute of this dance!

Lacey wanted to make sure there was a photo of her spinning.... Logan, thank you for helping me get this photo!

Right before my camera battery died, I remembered there were no photos of me.... so here I am doing the Macarena. I know it is hard to tell me apart from the teenagers! Not!

If you think these two are cute... you should see them dance. Wow!!!!

Kyle was loving life!

Mariah, David, and Maverick

AJ and Caroline with Morgan looking on. AJ is an amazing dancer. He has the twirling and spinning of his partners down!

Happy Birthday, Gigi, who is dancing with Ariel!

Mariah and Maverick with light from the Disco Ball!

The Dance Contestants AJ and Ashleigh

A Conga Line that went all over the room.

Stephanie was amazing with every one of her dance partners.

Alison and AJ

Alivia and Jackson

There is no shortage of great Young Men. They are all great dancers and know how to have fun!

Yes, these Young Women are this cute.

More incredible Young Women. Sweet inside and out!

David taking his turn dancing with the broom during The Broom Dance

Yes, Ashleigh, we know you have an awesome dance partner!

Zach and Lacey

Ariel with the Broom as his partner during The Broom Dance. Jackie is looking on!

Musical Chairs!

AJ and Ashleigh planning their Dance Contest Strategy

Maverick and Mariah

Happy Birthday, Gigi! Note her Birthday Valentine "Crown". Caroline made an impromtu heart scarf!

If you made it to the bottom of these photos... congratulations! You can see by now that they are truly the best Stars to be Dancing!

Just in case you are wondering.... I love these kids. Every single one of them! Those of you who know them feel the same way, I am certain!

Photos will be posted at the Church Building this week!

She Is On The Way!!!!

Carmen Is On The Way To Michigan

I am not sure who is more excited...Curt or Carmen. They have been apart for too long.

Carmen and her dad, Steve, are driving from Utah to Michigan and should be there this weekend!

On Monday, after a glorious reunion, Curt and Carmen head to Florida!

Curt has a business trip in, of all places..... Wellington, Florida...no kidding. Carmen will join him!

Next weekend, Jeff, Alison, and my parents will join all of us. I feel a part weekend coming on. We are planning a belated Family Valentine Dinner** next Sunday!

**Our Tradition for Valentines Day is to have a Family "Love One Another' Dinner on actual Valentines Day and then Ron and I go out for a romantic dinner the weekend before or after. This way we avoid the crowded restaurants. The home dinner is generaly an all red, as much as possible, dinner. Strawberries, red meat, tomatoes, etc.

I am so excited to share this with all of my children (sans Andrew) and my parents this year!

Love Buckets

Valentines Day Is Just Around The Corner

And so is the Target Dollar Spot for these adorable "Love Buckets"

You never know when one of these may land on your front door step filled with goodies.

Read below for the Love Buckets Story and Poem

My Favorite Is this striped one.
I have always liked Pink and Red together!

The Love Bucket idea came from a dear friend, Dawn K. Years ago, she inspired me in so many directions as I served in any calling and in my daily life. That inspiration continues today. I call upon the many things I learned from her over and over as I teach, lead, or live day to day.
I always have a million ideas whirring around in my head. More than I can possibly implement. I am always thinking way ahead of an event or holiday. I always have more ideas than energy, yet I know when I need to focus in on a certain project and I know who can help and how to get it done. I always ask myself, "How would Dawn make this or do this" She is simply amazing. She should have her own blog of craft and decorating ideas.

Before I could even get the Christmas stuff all packed away, I was thinking about the Love Buckets and the poem that goes with them. I just could not remember the poem, so I went straight to the source, via e-mail, I contacted Dawn, who lives in Georgia.
It has been 18 years since the first Love Bucket showed up on my door step (secretly from Dawn and the Primary girls she led at the time-it had Dawn's signature TLC all over it)
I hoped Dawn would give me some sort of idea how the poem went after all these years. Being the awesome person she is... within 24 hours, she located the poem and sent to me. She made a few phone calls and then found it here.
(You can tell my age- I do not always look on line first before I talk to people)
Dawn also told me that she saw these Valentine Pails at the Target Dollar Spot (I had not even found the buckets yet, but knew I needed to plan this activity) and she thought of me. See, Dawn, we share a brain! I miss you!
I am planning to do this Activity with my Young Women the week before Valentines Day. I showed them the buckets last night and asked them to be prepared to fill one of them for a secret "Ding Dong Ditch" Valentine surprise.
Here is the poem:
This little love bucket* is meant to express
Love from a friend* whom you'll never guess.
Replace the goodies with a treat from you
And pass it on to someone whom you love too.

*The word bucket could be replaced with bag or basket
*The word friend could be replaced by neighbor

How are Valentine surprised delivered in your area? When we lived in Utah and Idaho, On Valentines Day, everyone in the neighborhood would leave valentines and cookies, etc. on each other's doorsteps and knock and run. Then we moved to Missouri and New Jersey and did the Knock and Run approach...no one "got it". Is that just a thing in the west? It isn't done here in Florida either. Every place else I have lived, people deliver their Valentines in person.
Now the Love Buckets... that is a different story.... we are going to saturate this area with Surprise Love Buckets and hope that the recipients pass on the love!

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day. Over the past few years, my Valentine Celebrations have become predictable, yet very enjoyable. The restaurants are so crowded, so I started a tradition of cooking a formal "Love One Another" Red dinner for my family. We all take turns telling each other the things we love and appreciate about each other. The weekend before or after Valentines Day is when I go on a hot date with my hubby!

The other exciting thing I do is go to lunch with my friends. One of my dearest friends has a birthday on Valentines Day. A group of 5 of us have enjoyed a Valentines lunch for the past many many years.

There is always a school party to volunteer at in the afternoon--fun to see the children distribute and enjoy Valentines from friends and secret admirerers.

For my entire life, Valentines Day has been marked by my mother making Valentine Cookies with Red Hot Icing. I need nothing else to celebrate Valentines Day. Now, I wait in anticipation for the shoebox to arrive in the mail filled with the individually wrapped cookies. They are the best. Mostly because they come from my mom. Amazing how the simple traditions make such a big impression on us.