Oatmeal Cookies

Hey, I'm proud of this recipe because I actually altered an existing recipe to fit my needs. The last 2 times I made them (yikes, in the same weekend!), I added different things: once dried cranberries and pecans; then raisins and pecans. The cranberry version was definitely better. Because of the butter in the recipe, these cookies store well and stay soft. They were actually softer the next day than the night I baked them and overcooked them.

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (maybe less)
2 1/2 cups oatmeal

Bake 'em for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Either use a baking stone or lightly greased cookie sheet.

What Would it Take?

I'm wondering what it would take to make me willing enter a Ford Excursion with a minimum of 21 other people. If the driver pulled out the back seat, charged me money, and then said "lay down there, I'm going to stack 2-3 more people on top of you and around you and cram this vehicle as full of desperate people as I can." Then, in the beginning of the summer, we started a long drive over the border between Mexico and Arizona, probably never stopping for fear of being caught. Maybe I was one of the first of many to enter that vehicle and my sister or brother or spouse was waiting to go as well. But I won't know if they got in or not because I jumped at the chance when they offered me a spot in that Ford. Or maybe my mom said, "go sweetheart, it will be OK, I'll find you if I don't make it this trip," as she held back the tears because she knew that she would never see me again.

What would it take?

How terrible would my life have to be?

How desperate would I have to be?

How great would I have to think America is?

What would I be willing to risk?

This article popped up on the Cox homepage this morning as I logged in. It's very brief, reports only the facts, and avoids any mention of what I consider the real issue of immigration: the human factor. Many people will read the article and wonder how long they will have to pay to support and treat the illegal immigrants that were hurt in the roll over accident. Some will pray for those who died. Some will volunteer for Sheriff Joe's posse and go patrol the border, thinking that the solution is to stop the vehicle from entering our country in the first place. This country, my country, the land of the free.

I know that there are many things to be considered when looking at immigration. I know that people have been entering our country, legally, for decades. I know there is a right and a wrong way to do something; a legal and an illegal way to make things happen. I'm just wondering: what would it take to make me risk my life to leave the place I grew up in for a land that is completely foreign to me, that I may or may not make it to?

NTS: The 3pm Temple Session is FULL

I try to make it to the temple once a week. That was pretty easy when the kids were in school because I could go in the morning during the week. I suppose once camp is over in June I can try to do that again and find someone to watch the girls for me. But, for right now, I'm pretty much stuck with Saturdays and/or Tuesday or Thursday night. I haven't been getting up at the crack of dawn anymore, so by the time I'm up and moving on Saturday, and gotten something done (like some laundry) it's after noon already. Then Bill is finishing the lawn work, I'm feeding people lunch and next thing I know it's after 1 or 2pm.

Me: "Babe, I haven't made it to the temple yet this week."
Babe: "Go."
Me: "OK."

Then, like 30 minutes to an hour later (because I've finished doing something or checked my email), I finally leave. I arrive just in time for the 3pm session. This has happened twice now.

Note to self (and anyone else that cares): The 3:00pm Saturday session at the Mesa Temple is for people going through for the first time. When people go through for the first time, other people that they know tend to go with them. Because of this, the session tends to be quite full. Not just full, but overflowing. They always ask you to stay behind if you aren't with the newbies. And let's face it, who's gonna sneak into a temple session on false pretenses? Nope, not me. So you wait until the 3:30 session and it takes FOREVER because you are still waiting for that session before you to finish up because it was so stinking full.

I usually don't mind waiting around at the temple because it is so peaceful and calm. I have time to contemplate, read scriptures, pray, etc. BUT, when I tell Bill that I should be home by 5 or 5:30 and I don't even get out until after 6pm, I start to feel guilty. Not guilty enough to not stop at the bookstore to call him (because I forgot my phone), and not guilty enough to not do a little shopping while I was in said bookstore, but a little guilty none the less. He did get a nice new tie tack out of the ordeal though. Be sure to ooh and aah on Sunday. CTR baby!

Selling Crap and Washing Cars

Apparently I've not been out on Saturday very often. Either that, or this was the weekend for everyone to sell their crap (AKA: Yard Sales) and have an end of the year car wash. I saw no fewer than 10 yard sale signs and 4 car washes. What was so strange was that 3 of the yard sales were right by where I was going so I could not avoid them and had to look at their crap. Yep, crap, I don't need it. Then, after passing one of the car washes for the 3rd time of the day, I was harassed by the sign guy. I guess the bird poop on the passenger's side window was screaming "I need a car wash!" and since I was clearly not complying they felt it necessary to bug me about it. Nice.

The Youth ROCK!!!

Wednesday is clearly now my favorite day of the week. I'm totally exhausted by the end of the evening, but it is all well worth it. I get to spend a couple of hours with the 12-18 year old girls (and sometimes boys) of our church doing any number of things. Last week we looked at the Personal Progress book to help the girls get on track spiritually, set goals with them, read scriptures, and increased our knowledge to help them pass off one experience in the book. This week was a whole 'nother story...

We had a combined activity with the boys, "Idaho Style". One of the leaders was from Idaho and she set us up to do a video scavenger hunt. We split into 2 teams and set off to record several silly tasks. Our group passed off 12/12 main tasks (only 10 were required) and a couple bonus tasks. It's not like I'm competitive or anything, but team me up with McKinnon and the other team doesn't have a chance! Here's a list of what we got on tape (all kids were required to do each task as a group):

• Introduce the group members and group name ("Holy Rollers")
• Sing the Oscar Meyer wiener song while holding a package of hot dogs
• Share an ice cream
• Buy exactly $.10 of gas
• Film a commercial outside of Blockbuster
• Help a stranger unload their groceries
• Make a train down a slide
• Roll down a hill
• Form a letter or symbol with your body, using all members of the group
• Get 2 strangers to sing YMCA with the group (this actually took quite a bit of convincing, we asked probably 5-6 people before we had any takers)
• Recite the Pledge of Allegiance while hanging from a tree
• Christmas Carol to someone in the ward
• Have an old couple kiss
• Hug a gas station attendant

It was HILARIOUS!!! We had a great group of kids with us, including one investigator who had never met any of us before. A little shy at times, they all got behind the fun of it and were game for it all. I wish I had been the gas station attendant, I would have felt the love.

I've got video proof if anyone want to see the footage.

WW: Because Bill Complained to Me About not Posting...

WHY!?!

Why do I make the bed everyday, just to fold down the sheet and blanket each night and sleep on top of the bottom sheet? It would be socially unacceptable to have a bed with just a bottom sheet and pillows, wouldn't it? But this is my house, my bedroom, what should I care?

Oh well, I will continue to do it because the bed is just prettier with a blanket on it.