An This Is Why.......

This is why I love this place!
Friday afternoon football games...where everyone comes out to support the team. Where kids are found everywhere......
Playing,
Selling pumpkins, Huck Finn Style....whay to go Rooster!
Visiting....
Eating yummy food...
Where the Ref is AKA...The Bishop.
Where your uncle runs along the sidelines with you,
while you are running a touchdown in...
yelling..."You can do it...Boy...RUN!!!"
Where your cousins are the cheerleaders.
Where The Mom, can be on the sidelines to take pictures.
Where you get to ring the bell of the clock tower once for every winning point.
Where singing "Army of Helaman" at the end of every game, win or loose.....
Is A Tradition!

Oh Boy!!!

A Fall Must!

I have made it my personal quest to find the best ever Apple Dumpling.....Baked Apple....

in the whole world...and I think this just may be it!

It is the perfect taste of Fall....and it left our home smelling very good!

Baked Apples To Die For

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 stick unsalted room temperature butter

8 Granny Smith Apples

Ready to use pie crust (dough)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in the food processor again), mix together all ingredients for the filling.

Using an apple peeler/slicer machine, peel, slice and core the apples.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut

dough in fourths. Roll a piece of dough out to make an 8 inch circle and place one of the apples in the center. Stuff the middle of the apple with 2-3 tablespoons of the filling and pull the dough up the sides, using water to make the dough stick and seal in the apple.

Place a small amount of the filling on the top. Repeat with remaining apples and place in a large cast iron skillet or casserole dish.

Brush the tops of the apples with cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Sprinkle some of the leftover filling in and around the apples, and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the pastry is golden brown.

Serve warm with lots of vanilla ice cream! YUM!!

PreShie.....A Weekend Celebration!!

Happy Birthday to Sweet PreShie!

And how better to celebrate than to stretch it out as long as possible! I am all for that!

One of my dear brothers says it should be called "birth-month" rather than "birthday," and I totally agree with that!!

Our PreShie was a very welcome suprise. She has been full of emotion since the day she was born, and it has been alot of fun for us. Our celebration began in El Paso, with a birthday breakfast, birthday lunch, birthday shopping.....and anything else birthday that she could

squeeze in there. Saturday we had a birthday party, Sunday another party with

the family for yummy cake. Monday brought the birthday lunch of choice,

delivered to the high school for friends and cousins!!

You can never have enough birthday celebrations!

PreShie and the cousins.....they are beautiful girls!

The "birthday group" having a little birthday lunch.

The birthday cupcakes...complete with eyeballs and spider rings.

It was also "boot" day with the cousins.....some got new boots over the weekend and were anxious to show them off!

A little birthday "roping" is always in order. The Rooster offered himself up as the one to be roped.

The Boy and a good friend gladly did the roping.

On my way home from the birthday lunch......I had a moment.

One that I was reminded how much I love this place that I live. The afternoon was

beautiful, a little cloudy and just darn lovely.

And I found myself full of gratitude that I live where I do, with family and

friends that I love.

The weekend also brought a much deserved WIN for the Lobos,

The Boy played well. It was a great game.

Way to go Lobos!!!

Rooster's Conference Notes....

During the Priesthood session, last weekend, The Rooster asked The Farmer

for a piece of paper. The Farmer thought he needed something to draw on, and gave him a scrap of paper he happened to have in his pocket.

After Priesthood was over, The Farmer took his boys out to a lovely dinner,

a little family tradition. During dinner The Farmer asked his boys...what

they had learned from the talks they had just heard. The Rooster quickly

took a wadded up piece of paper out of the pocket of his suit and began to share

quotes that he had written from each speaker.

The Farmer was shocked! Pleasantly shocked I might add;)

When The Rooster arrived home that same night, he asked me for a notebook

and he then carefully copied his notes from the meeting.

(his gift is not spelling....as you might notice....be he is a "keeper!")

Another Football Weekend!

Another football weekend found us on the road again. We are so enjoying, following The Boy around to his games. The team is such a great group of boys and some of his dearest friends.

This weekend found us in Silver City, New Mexico. We have been to this little town

many times, but this was the first time for a football game. Many lessons are learned from sports, and well the coach of the opposing team reminded us that there are some

pretty unbalanced people in the world. Much too long of a story to repeat, but thankfully another administrator corrected is completely foolish behavior.

(I secretly hope he is reading my blog at this very moment!)

The Boy sprained (my opinion) a couple of his fingers during the game, but blessed with his grandmother's tolerance for pain....he was basically okay.

p.s. I really like #80....he is a dear friend to The Boy....they have been basically since birth.

After the game.....and after some yummy Mexican food, The Boy and #80 took off to the Ranch with one of The Farmer's brothers.....for a weekend round-up. Oh....those two boys needed a trip to the ranch. A little mental R&R.

On our way home.....we all enjoyed a flu shot....we are begining to see outbreaks here.

I know that opinions are mixed about the shots, but we are not sure which risk is greater....to get the shot....or not to?????

It's done now!

Halloween decorations have taken over our home.

We are really having fun this year....

This is Wanda....

She is my favorite! My sister-in-law painted this for me a few years ago,

and she is must each Halloween!

A fire is roaring in the fireplace...and The Farmer just asked....

"Who started that fire???" and I answered "ME!!"

to which he replied...."why...it isn't even cold,"

and I said

"because I can...that's why!"

Fall Corn Chowder

It is starting to feel like and look like Fall around here!

The mornings and evenings are quite cool and the leaves are looking a little yellow.

We had our first fire in our fireplace Saturday night....not because it was so cold, but because it was cold enough to justify it;) When the seasons change, I start thinking soup and bread.

I made this a couple of weeks ago and it is a keeper!

We added cornbread and a salad for the perfect Fall dinner!

Fall Corn Chowder

4 silces of bacon, chopped

1 large onion, finely diced

pinch of cayenne

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 t. thyme

8 c. corn kernels, frozen or fresh

1 can of evaporated milk

2 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. chopped scallions

In a large stock pot, cook bacon until crispy, then remove to a paper towel to drain.

In same pot add onion, saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add cayenne, garlic, thyme, and cook for 30 seconds. Combine 4 cups of corn and 2 cups of broth in a blender. Puree until smooth. Add blended corn mixture, remaining corn and remaining broth to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. Add canned milk and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with crispy bacon and scallions.

Where In The World Is.......????

The weekend found us on the road again....another football game for The Boy.

We are having so much fun following the team.

I had really heard alot about Marfa, Texas, mostly comments like,

"there is nothing in Marfa....it is a looooooong drive, not worth the trip."

Well, I must be easily entertained because The Farmer and I had a great time!!

When you are fairly near the border of Mexico and the US, you will often find these types

of stations.

The "balloon" is huge, and has camera equipment to monitor the traffic along the border.

the illegal type of traffic.

They seem to be in very remote areas.

Some friends told us that there was a Prada store in Marfa, and I did know enough to know

that there must be some joke involved. No joke.....just some modern art.

Really..... the point was to show the most urban of ideas in the most rural of settings.

It was fun to see!

Marfa is the home to the historic Paisano Hotel. It is the hotel where all of the celebrities stayed while filming "Giant." Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor were just a couple who stayed there. It has been completely restored and it really great!

The town is filled with art galleries and darling boutique type shops.

Marfa is famous for the Marfa Mystery Lights. After the football game, The Farmer

and I drove to the observation area in hoped of seeing the mysterious lights,

and yes.....we saw them! There were many people sitting in lawn chairs with telescopes

admiring the lights. It was interesting and fun.

It was a fun weekend.....we will certainly go back next year!