Saturday, October 29, 2011

Sister's recap

Our Annual Sister's Trip was short, sweet and different this year.  
We never got a condo at Park City, and with my mom and dad's health issues, we felt it best to keep close to home.  
 IT was still good to be together. 
 Making family a priority is so necessary in our world.  
We had all of the girls in the family join in this year.   Everyone made it but Bre...she was busy with Xanadu rehearsals and being on roller skates till her feet were burning.
  
We started off with Breakfast at Kneaders and a trip to Angela's house to see her new hairless puppy, Oreo.    Then off to a store, where mom slipped and fell and cracked her rib.  That's right.  I didn't get a picture of that....... She is a trouper though and just kept moving forward with tylenol and lifting her arm up as we walked around to get some relief.  IT was comical.  All of the store clerks thought she had a question.


We took a break in the late afternoon for the BHS football playoff game to watch Hayden.  We have had many sister's trips where we have a football game as part of our festivities.  
Crazy Cole Girls all squished in the back seat.
Joy Luck and the round table was the perfect dinner.  Then to Mom's for cards and talking.  The next morning we went to Park City Outlets.  We walked and shopped til our feet fell off.  We had our usual Baja Cantina Mexican meal at the ski resort.  Mmmmm good.

We have been doing a version of this trip for 23 years.  That is a wild thought.  That means our first trip was when my mom was 49 years old....that's how old I am now.
I know sister's trips will continue to evolve over the years.  I am just glad we have this tradition.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Friday 5 Fave...... My Children

In no Particular Order............other than birth......

Addison
Landon
Truman
Monson
Laila
I tell them all they are my favorites, and I believe they are, although at times they all take their turn driving me crazy, breaking my heart, and not eating what I cooked for dinner.

I guess I could also put my 5- fave Daughter in laws list in while I am at it........
1. Bre
2. Breezy
3.  Breanne
4. Bre Bre
5. That Briggs girl

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Call me Sheri...

My mom  loves to feed people, and she loves parties.
 What began as a small family night before thanksgiving Pie Party  has turned into a huge, "now, who are you?"  event  years later.  We knew it was totally out of control, when on the  night of the annual Pie Party extravaganza, we were choosing between 20 different kinds of pie, for our "One-of-each" plate and the Schwann's delivery man was filling up his plate as well.
He was making a delivery, and as any good hostess would, my mom invited him in for  pie.
We've had a standard family joke about my mother and this event for many years.

Well last night I pulled a Sheri.

As I was fixing vegetable chili and hot homemade rolls to feed Wayne as his welcome home meal,  (He's been in China for 11 LONG days), our doorbell rang.  I looked out and told Wayne it was a utility guy.  Well it was the Comcast-Xfinity  guy who was in our area and was seeing if any of the comcast houses wanted to update their service.  Wayne invited him in, listened to his bundle shpeeel and said yes. What we thought would be a quick telephone call fix, turned into an hour long process.  Dinner was on the table and Laila was starving, so I off handedly asked, "Hey, do you want to stay for  dinner?"
He looked surprised, and said, "Yes."
Now I was surprised.  
I thought for sure he would laugh and say thanks, but no thanks. But it was all good
I quickly added another place setting and he joined Wayne, Laila and I at the counter.
It was ok......a bit awkward, but Ok.
Landon came home a few minutes later and the look on his face was priceless as I announced,  "Oh Landon, just in time.  We are having dinner with the Comcast guy."  I couldn't remember his name, still can't.
He and Wayne chatted about the gospel and missions,  families and business books he's been reading.
Then he cleared his plate.
Wayne signed the agreement.
Laila giggled.
And the Comcast guy left.

Call me Sheri.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Insane Asylum Party

How to Host an Insane Asylum party
........First you have to be a little bit crazy yourself.  It helps having Wayne out of town for 11 days...........I am going insane!!!
2.  Invite a fun group of people  patients who are wanting some fun.  We had Liz Corona, Sean Biship. Shelby Anderson, Alex and Mickey Larsen with baby Charlotte....all are WSU friends of Addison, Bre and Landon.  Costumes and Makeup were optional.


3.  Have a Scream-a thon.........who can scream the loudest...or quietest.
4.  Capture all of the amazing scream faces on film.  Video tape another face game--- 5 seconds of grimacing then a sound.  We Laughed our GUTS out....literally!

Even Baby Charlotte got into the action.

4.   Get a toilet bowl for your punch bowl!   Fill with lemonade.    "Urine for a tasty treat!"  This is totally going for the gross factor.  (New Toilet bowls are only 25 bucks....who knew?)
"It's potty time.  Drink up!"
5.  Eat Mr. BODY for dinner.  Really just a baked potato bar, but the presentation and spiders and gummy worms spread throughout  add to the creep factor.

6.  Have crazy utensils to eat with.  Not a normal sized fork, spoon or knife insight.  We had spatulas, potato mashers, fondue spears, whisks, ice cream scoops.....  It was INSANE!

7.  After a fun filled game of Celebrity Charades.... a Dessert of Blood and Guts was devoured by all!  (Really just Raspberry and White Chocolate trifle made by  Gma Sheri  who wanted to call it mushy brains with tumors.....)
8.  Take Crime Scene pics around the house....Asylum.   "How did she/he die?"
Death by Stairs....
Death by Baking....
Death by Crazy Jack o Lantern.
9.  Top the evening off with an old Suspense-filled movie.......Goldie Hahn in Deceived.  We had many screams before the night was through.


Friday, October 21, 2011

Friday 5 Fave........Candy Bars

With Halloween right around the corner, my thoughts have been turning to candy.  HALLOWEEN  is Laila's favorite holiday.  She can't wait for the night and plans her costume and parties months in advance.

My favorite candy bars will not be a surprise.  I love chocolate and nuts....
When I am perusing the candy aisles or grabbing an on the road snack at Maverick...these are my go to candy bars in order of preference:

1.  Dove Dark   -- I am reminded of an NYC trip  with the Belnaps where we searched for the perfect dark chocolate treat.  We bought a different "brand of dark" every where we went.  I was in dark chocolate heaven along with Wayne and Eric.  Laura just rolled her eyes and thought we were crazy.

2.  Milky Way Dark-- a total improvement to a regular Milky Way.  Love how it melts in my mouth!

3.  Snickers -- I love when my kids get this bar in their halloween loot bag.   They were great to share with me and with Grandpa Lyle, when they were little.  Now they like this candy too.   But I get all of their Almond Joys and Mounds!

4.  Salted Nut Roll/Almond Joy  (truly a tie)  I craved Salted Nut rolls when I was pregnant with Tru.  I couldn't get enough.  I made sure I had a supply in my cupboard.  Maybe this is why Tru ended up being a boy?

5.  Reeses Peanut Butter Cups-- easy to share......' Nuf said.
I love Peanut Butter M& M's too, although not a "candy bar".  

You can have all of the fruity, chewy candy...Starbursts, Dots, Skittles, Gummi Bears, Laughy taffy etc.... Gimmeeee Chocolate!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Wacky Wednesday

 I spent the afternoon with Max and Laila at the pumpkin patch/corn maze.  They took a ride out to the pumpkin fields on a tractor and picked their very own pumpkin off the vine.  Then they got lost in the corn maze.  I thought they would never find their way out.  
They had the most fun playing in the maize box.  Corn and corn dust everywhere.  
The beautiful Desert Mountains right up my street.  Can't believe how gorgeous the colors turned just this past weekend.  






This thought continues to pester me.  Why is it so true??

"One of these things is not like the others.  One of these things just doesn't belong.  Can you guess which one is not like the others, before I finish my song?"
Trying to look like the beautiful Foster Girls at the U of U game.  We love Football....even when we lose.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Boo!!!

Laila and I have been pulling out the Spooky Halloween decorations this weekend.

Laila painted up her 134 pound pumpkin, courtesy of Max Eiting.  We strung spider webs and donned witches hats, made a banner and put up all of the black and orange we could handle.


It's the most wonderful time of the year, because I don't need to Dust or take down any spider webs for a month!!!!




We are looking creepooky  (that's a creepy and spooky mashup) and hoping it will last for 15 more eves...!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Friday 5 fave....colors

My happy  5 fave colors................

I have a favorite  color site.... the Perfect Palate that puts beautiful pics together for weddings.
 I am always drawn to these colors.



1.   Sea Glass Turquoise
2.  Sunshine Yellow
3.  Tangerine coral orange
4.  Apple green
5.  Raspberry Red














Sunday, October 9, 2011

10 Things we did this weekend


  









1.  Monson took endowments out at the  Bountiful Temple

2.  Grandma Ruth Bentley's -- Clark's mom-- 90th birthday party.

3.  "Oklahoma" at BHS.  Laila and cousin Hayden sing and dance on stage every night.

4.  Got ready for Add's gift/art show in SLC this coming weekend.

5.  Celebrated Bre's 22nd birthday. (Blog book, shadow box, fingerless gloves)

6.  Went to a movie with my Wayne.  (Abduction....it was ok)

7.  Watched the U lose....and the Y win.

8.  Cooked Roast beef and Mashed potatoes.

9.  Bought new pottery from mom's next door neighbor, Cindy...White Buffalo Pottery is the best!
10.  Went out to lunch with Wayne, Add, Bre, Landon, Monson, Grandpa Lyle, Grandma Sheri and Grandma Welch.

Life is Good!


Friday, October 7, 2011

Friday 5 fave..... cookies

Oh man, I love to EAT!
Cookies is this week's category and after much soul searching and sugar craving, I have opted for the following five.  I know a lot of what l like about these cookies are the memories involved, but I think that's half of the joy of eating.

Oatmeal Raisin-- This is one of Wayne's favorite cookies also.  When I want him to feel pampered, I make these.  None of our kids like raisins, so these cookies are just for Wayne, and me of course.  I love Grandma Butters recipe the best, no spices to mess it up...just a pure butter flavor.  She would make it with ground up raisins, so they were littered through out. I have a clear memory of  being a child, standing in her  swimming pool with chlorine water running down my face, munching on a warm oatmeal raisin cookie.  Delish.

Ginger Cream--I  rhapsodized about this cookie when we made it for Addison's wedding.  These are the softest ginger bread with a brown butter frosting.  My Grandma  Butters wanted to die with this cookie on her lips, almonds and strawberries clutched in one hand and a "sweet Aloha" ( diet Pepsi)-- in the other.  I I love this memory and the time I spent in Grandma Butter's kitchen learning all of the "tricks" to make this cookie just perfect.

German Chocolate Cookie-- Parson's Bakery makes this the best.  Think chocolate cookie with German chocolate nuts and coconut mixture on top...and a bit of extra chocolate frosting just to make sure you know it's really chocolatey.  I first had this at a speech and debate tournament 25 years ago, in the coach's room.  They must have been my fellow debate coach, Mr. B's fave as well, because he always got this cookie as a special treat for us.

Sugar Cookie with buttercream frosting or dipped in chocolate and on a stick-- I really like a good soft, sugar cookie with frosting.  I have a couple of recipes I like, including a pan cookie of Si Fosters.  My Sister Marcie always makes heart shaped sugar cookies on a stick for Valentines.  She dips them in chocolate and decorates them all up darling.  We look forward to and fight over  this sweet treat of love every year.  The  chocolate coating softens up the cookie and it's just mmmmmmm....goood.

Shortbread-- My Mom and Sister Liz have perfected this little button shaped cookie filled with butter and sugar.  Butter and sugar, the two best ingredients in the world!!!  Shortbreads  remind me of the Holidays and family.  These keep really well in a tin, so I can have melt in my mouth goodness for weeks.

Chocolate Chip --I couldn't leave this cookie out.  When this is made with a butter recipe and is loaded with semi sweet chips, and cooked in a convection oven, I am in my  bliss.  Si makes and takes these to Young Women's every time she teaches, and I WISH I was a Laurel again.  Mmmmmm.... I also like these cookies  with ice cream sandwiched in between.



Monday, October 3, 2011

Oct Goal: Creativity

What a week and what a month!  September soared by, but we "gathered" a lot, so I feel I atleast touched my goal. 
 Goal for October. To be more Artistic.  I am ready to unleash my creativity in many different ways.  Painting, crafting, mix media class, parties, costumes,  Blog look, Halloween.  
I am EXCITED!
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Other News:  Laila informed my Dad-- her Grandpa Lye-- that he isn't that old. " Just remember how Old Noah was when he built the Ark!"  This didn't necessarily make my dad feel better.
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I raced up to Park City to  sing the National Anthem  and "I am Proud to Be an American"  last Wednesday.  It was for the Hospital Volunteers Organization of Utah.  Many older volunteer type people filled the grand ballroom at the Marriott Hotel.  I seriously, ridiculously forgot all about this until it popped up on my computer screen with  a 15 minute advance notice.  Talk about frantic.  I had no music.  I hadn't practiced.  It hadn't crossed my mind. Good thing I had showered and dressed for the day or my franntic could have turned into an "I am sick, and I can't sing" experience.  As it was, I flew out of my house, missed the I-80 exchange, which added to my hectic, drove like a crazy person until my mom called me and said the event wasn't going to start til 4.  This helped me breathe easier.  I showed up, like I had prepared all along.  Sang acapella  like I had planned to all along.  And drove back down the mountain.  The other upshot is.. I forgot all of my mom-after-school-driving responsibilities.  Oh well...Laila was ticked, Dallas was left...and I get a second chance to make this right, this Wednesday.
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I am enjoying thinking about and making my Friday Fave 5's........... Some lists are more difficult to whittle down than others, but it's a pretty good experience to put myself through each week.  I am going to try and do it til the end of the year.