Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy!!!

IT'S A BOY!

Ashley and Jordan found out yesterday that they are having a baby boy! The pictures from the ultra-sound are pretty definitive if you know what I mean; Baby was pretty cooperative during the procedure so it's pretty certain. We are so filled with excitement and wonder and awe at the miracle that is taking place right before our eyes. Just take a look at what I'm talking about:
The proud parents are considering the name, Kimball Jordan. Pretty darn cute if you ask me. Of course, they could change their minds like we did with Ashley--THREE WEEKS AFTER SHE WAS BORN! Her baby book still bears the original name. You know what they say, it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind. And man, did I use the prerogative, much to the shock of many who were present at Ashley's baby blessing. Gasp! Whoa! Whisper, whisper, "He gave her the wrong name!" But I'm glad that I changed my mind because Ashley is definitely an Ashley to me. And I love her. So much. Congratulations Ashley and Jordan! I can't wait!

When Life Gives you Lemons . . .

When life gave us this enormous zucchini from our very own prolific garden--not!, I decided to take a chunk of it and turn it into some lovely chocolate zucchini muffins. This zucchini was actually one of two (2) items we harvested this entire season-woohoo! Talk about expensive produce.

As a gift to the farm hands out there who are bound to have better luck with your zucchini harvest than we did (not too hard to do, I know, I know), I'll give you the recipe. Now you won't have to skulk around in the dead of night leaving your zucchini on your neighbors' doorsteps with the hopes that your produce is going to a good home.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread/Muffins

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

3 eggs

2 c. grated zucchini

1 t. nutmeg

2 t. cinnamon

2 heaping T. cocoa

3 t. vanilla

3 1/2 c. flour

1/4 t. baking powder

1 t. soda

1 t. salt

1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Mix first four ingredients together in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Add seasonings. Stir in flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Mix just until combined. Spoon into greased muffin tins or loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes for muffins and 50-60 minutes for the bread, depending on the size of your loaf pan. Tops should spring back when touched.

Here is a picture of our garden today. Obviously, somebody (I'm not naming names) had had it with the weeds, er, I mean the garden and he gave it a dignified burial.

Naperville Friends

Betty Ann, Me, Ann, Kaaren

(Note my kicky little accessory to my outfit

of a big white bandage over my surgery incision.)

A couple of weeks ago, our family had the great fun of meeting up at Thankgiving Point with three dear friends from our Naperville days. It was a blast to catch up on the news of everyone from our old stomping grounds; much has changed! It is interesting to note that of the four of us in the picture, only Kaaren still lives in Naperville. Three out of four of us moving on is a pretty good representation of that community. When we first moved there, we were told that the area was very transient because it employed a lot of folks in the high-tech industry which tends to move people around a bunch. So true. Wouldn't you just know it then, that for us, for me, who so desperately wanted to move back to Utah after paying our dues in Chicago for only a few short years (dream on), we would end up staying there for SIXTEEN!

Naperville was actually a lovely place to raise our kids. They learned a lot about diversity, tolerance, respect for differences, appreciation for art, culture, refinement. They experienced a world of many viewpoints and opinions. We are so grateful for the exposure to and knowledge of the big wide world outside of Utah County's particular little corner of the universe. No offense intended, but sometimes I think we really do live in a Mr. Bubble here. Nevertheless, I graciously admit that for a boatload of reasons I am happy to be back!

Heaven Knows I'm Far From Perfect . . .

. . . but,

Dear John Edwards:
You should be ashamed of yourself.

See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26095810?GT1=43001

Och, Laddies!

To kill some time waiting for the Highland City parade to begin this morning, we watched the Highland Games athletic competition for a bit. Specifically, we saw the hammer throw and the stone put. Haarrrggghhh! Hefty things, those. We were amused by the fact that these guys were pretty much a dichotomy: They were heavily tattooed and muscular and burly in their sleeveless t-shirts and sunglasses, but let your eye wander further down and you see a beautiful tartan plaid kilt worn with darling knee high socks with a patch of the tartan plaid tucked carefully under the fold of the sock at the knee. Very cute. One of the guys must have been from the Levi Strauss Clan because his kilt was made out of solid denim. Not quite the same. Sorry. (That's when you wander perilously close to the cross-dressing territory.)

Yellow After the Rain

Check out Christian performing his awesome marimba solo! Sorry about the poor camera work (that would be my fault), and please disregard the peripheral noise--the school band was setting up on stage and it was making kind of a racket. When Christian performed this for the adjudicators a few weeks prior, he received a superior rating! This performance was more of a spur of the moment decision by his band director, and Christian hadn't touched his mallets for a couple of weeks. He is such a stud. We'll have to start calling him Mr. Mallet, which is a much better option than calling him, say, Mr. Mullet . . . .