Thanksgiving

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, but I was a little busy cooking to post.

I am so thankful for so many things: my family, my health, my faith, and every single day of my life. Even when some of those days aren't the best, there is always hope for a better one tomorrow.

We had a really nice day yesterday shared with one of my best friends and her two kids. We also had a lucious turkey. In fact, Linda declared it as the best turkey she has ever tasted in her whole entire life! I shared some leftovers with a blind man whose house I cleaned today, and he claimed the same thing. He actually thought he was eating the dark meat when he was really eating white.

Since it seemed to be such a hit, I thought I would share with you all how it's done. I know I always love when others post recipes for me to try. So. . . I know it may be a while until many of you cook a turkey again, but maybe keep this in mind for next year:

I make a brine with apple juice, brown sugar, salt, oranges, fresh ginger, garlic and cloves. The turkey soaks in the brine overnight.

The next day, Jim prepares the BBQ with coals and hickory (or mesquite) chips. The turkey is set into the BBQ, covered, and it is finished in 3 hours.

This is the absolute moistest and flavorful turkey we have ever had. It is the only way we do a turkey anymore.

I didn't write out the exact recipe because I am tired and I'm sure it will be a while before anyone is actually in the mood to cook a full turkey again. But if you would like the exact recipe, let me know and I will write it out fully. And if you didn't want to cook it in the BBQ, you could use the brine and then roast it in the oven as usual. Either way, the brine makes all the difference in the world.

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving day!

Twilight

Last night Nikita and I saw THE MOVIE.
You do things for your children that you wouldn't otherwise do.
I would have seen the movie, eventually. But I would not have stood in line for an hour and a half in a hot theater lobby surrounded by teenagers if Nikita hadn't gotten $5 tickets for a special Spanish Fork High School viewing of the movie.

However, I did like the movie. But I think that all the teenage girls liked it a bit more than I did. I am not the least bit in love with Edward, or any other character in the story. In fact, I think the best looking guy was Bella's father, Charlie. I was put off by the super pale skin and too-red lips on the Cullen males. I actually laughed out loud when his "father", Carlisle first appeared on the screen. I actually expected Bella to be shocked at his white face and make some kind of comment. He was definietly overdone.

But Nikita loved it and thought it ended way too soon. We'll be seeing the second one whenever it comes out, but not on opening weekend.

A Riddle:

Something funny has been happening lately almost every time I go to the grocery store. I'll be coming down an aisle where someone is looking up at a high shelf. Then they see me and suddenly look very happy. Why do you think they would be happy to see me? What do you think they might say to me?
Here's a hint:

November 11, 1988

Anniversary

Today, I've been married to my best friend for 20 years.
It seems like just yesterday we were on our honeymoon. I remember wanting to get home and start living our life. . . . .

What was I thinking???
I wish I was still there in Palm Springs, lounging by the pool, shopping, staying in. . .

No, honestly, I wouldn't trade the family we have now for all the lounging, swimming and shopping in the world.

I remember also daydreaming ahead 20 years and wondering what our life would be like. I must say, our life is nothing like I'd imagined. Many things that we wanted to happen, didn't. And many things that we couldn't have wished for, did.

It's been quite a ride. A bit like a rollercoaster, really.
I LOVE rollercoasters!

I can't wait to see what's in store for the next 20 years, but I'm not going to wish away today.

Masquerade

Last weekend Nikita went to the Masquerade Dance at her school. She went with a couple of gangsters, a biker dude (she was his chick), and Malibu Barbie and Ken.

I know - she's too cute to be a real biker chick, isn't she?

Spoke Too Soon

It seems I may have given the impression that the car situation is fixed.

I suppose that's because I actually believed that it was!

This morning, while already running late-ish to church, I go out the door and see Jim hooking the jumper cables up to the car - again.

So we took both cars to church so that he could jump-start me again after church (we can't all fit in his pickup.)

Long story short: The dying alternator drained all of the power from the battery.

So, I get to take Jim to work at 4:00 in the morning so that I can have his truck to pick up a new battery for the van tomorrow.

Then I get to change my very first car battery.

What a good automotive education I am getting!

I hope I don't do it incorrectly:

Car Trouble

OK, the kids are cute, but it's time for something new.

It's been a very frustrating week. Car trouble always makes me feel that way.
Apparently the alternator in my car has been suffering lately. Then it died. I knew it was time for a new one when I had to ask the woman whose house I'd just cleaned to give me a jump-start. (How embarassing do you think that was?)
But that was on Monday, and payday wasn't until Friday. And when a car part will take half of your paycheck, you really have to time it just right.
Thank goodness Jim's very generous uncle had a spare vehicle.
So, today Jim picked up the part.
Did you know that car repair is a really good bonding experience? It's a precious time together that money cannot buy. (If we had the money, we would have taken it to a mechanic.)
Well, after about two freezing cold hours of dropping tools and mangling and blackening our hands, we finished installing the new alternator, only to have it die again at the gas station.
When Jim came to rescue me, he found that the only problem was a loose battery connection.
So now, hopefully, the car will start tomorrow, and life (so far) will be back to normal.