The "New" Oven

I have found out to day that I can use the old Nesco 18 Qt roster oven to bake stuff. I can't believe that it took me so long to find this one out. The temperature will go up passed 350 degrees. So I decided to try and bake frozen/thawed rolls. I can't really do this without the help of frozen rolls from the store. I have tried making bread from scratch......that was an interesting adventure.

Anyway it so worked! I was so surprised that it did. I had to put a 9/13in pan on the bottom first then a cookie rack on top of the 9/13in pan. On top of that was the thawed out rolls. Bake for 20 mins and there you go! I am sure that you can use almost any roster oven to bake stuff.

My next stop with this method of baking? Brownies, once I have the box mix stuff, or flour whatever comes first. I can make brownies from scratch. One of the few things that I can make from scratch. :)

~

Now on a update on my Rosy Complexion. Within a week the rash on my face spread to my neck fast. So all week I was hunting down labels and reading them. Freakzoides my eyes were opened! That is when I have found out that almost everything has dairy, soy, and whey in it.

Just this last Sunday I went to see this older couple and the wife asked me if I was out in the sun, she told me that I look sun kissed.I had to laugh a little. So I told her that it was a rash, and that I had to take off my make-up because it was aggravating my rash.

I had a rash that was a long streak going down my cheek. It looked like someone whipped my face. So with the aggravation the make-up was causing, hence the taking on and off the make-up. Had it on for church, took it right off after choir practice.

The good news is that the rash is gone! I have also miss placed some inches that I am not missing, so I am not looking for it, I am not missing the inches. So please don't ask me to look for the lost inches.

Cheers Everyone!

My top 5 books for 2010

I got this idea from my SIL go to My Meandering Musing for my SIL's picks for 2010.
Some of these books may not have been published in 2010, but they are still my top picks for the books that I have read this year. Unfortunate I only picked 5 books, there are others that I have loved from start to finish. I tried not to put up series. I have read book series and they tend to drive-me-up-the-wall and yet I keep reading book series..........hmmmm that explains it. So my 2010 picks are:


I couldn't believe it took me so long to pick this book up, and I am so glad that I had. I had felt so sympathetic for the Invisible Man, I just couldn't help it. So you can possibly imagine my surprise when I found out that this main character (Griffin) was just a deluded, mad, stupid, smartest, albino scientist, I have ever met. All in all I did have fun reading this book. H. G. Wells makes the question of invisibility a possibility, however after reading this book and the adventures that Griffin has, I think being invisible is an option that I don't want want to make.

Synopsis:A gripping and entertaining tale of terror and suspense as well as a potent Faustian allegory of hubris and science run amok, The Invisible Man endures as one of the signature stories in the literature of science fiction. A brilliant scientist uncovers the secret to invisibility, but his grandiose dreams and the power he unleashes cause him to spiral into intrigue, madness, and murder. The inspiration for countless imitations and film adaptations, The Invisible Man is as remarkable and relevant today as it was a hundred years ago.


I was so surprised by this book, The Mark by M.R. Bunderson. Perhaps you have notice that I have this book on my side bar under the list of my favorite books to read. I didn't want to put this one down at all once I started to read it. There are twist, turns, teen love, forgiveness, murder, mystery, plotting, prejudice, fantasy, puzzle, with an emotional roller coaster. Oh yeah, this was fun for me to read.

Synopsis:She's had it forever. A tiny mark on her hand. No big deal, right? But when Tori discovers that her ordinary freckle is really some kind of microscopic tattoo, she doesn't know what to think, especially after meeting Eric, a guy she feels strangely connected to--and not just because he has a mark too.


All too soon, Tori and Eric realize that their marks are only the first clue to a mystery that will change everything. And with each new discovery, Tori finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into a world she could never have imagined.

Before My Heart Stops by Paul Cardall. Wow this one is emotional, and a hard one to read when you, yourself are going through a some hard trials. I have never had any heart problems but I have had some hard times myself. So even as different as our trials are, I still learned a lot on how to over come hard times.

Synopsis:"I was born with half a heart. God made up the difference."

After living for more than three decades with congenital heart disease, popular musician Paul Cardall has undergone twenty-eight operations and seven open-heart surgeries. But the one surgery he needed most - his last chance at seeing his three-year-old daughter, Eden, grow up - was a heart transplant. This is the remarkable true story of one man's struggle to survive long enough to get a second chance at life.

Along the way, Paul wrote down his thoughts, feelings, and observations in an online blog called Living for Eden. This book reflects those weekly blog entries - insights and wisdom beyond his years. After reading his story, you may come away asking yourself, "Who do I need to love ... before my heart stops?"

My Fair Godmother is a very fun, fast read loved it to the very end. As a younger sister I can relate in more ways then one. I loved how Janette Rallison put together different fairy tales to make a delightful read. I can't wait until the next one.

Synopsis:After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy.

As one of my non fiction picks this one is amazing! I learned a lot from this book by Dieter F. Uchtdorf .

Synopsis:If you are feeling overwhelmed with change, challenges, or checklists, you may wonder how you can partake now of God's happiness and find your pathway to peace, hope, and joy. With loving insight, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf addresses two attributes that contribute to our Heavenly Father's perfect happiness the power of creation and service with compassion. As a treasured daughter of our Heavenly Father, you can develop those remarkable abilities as well as find happiness in the journey. In The Remarkable Soul of a Woman, President Uchtdorf's timely thoughts on creating and being compassionate will buoy you up, give you strength, and help you realize what a great power for good you truly are.

Google SketchUp

I have found an article called Google workshop to help parents and teachers of children of Autism. Using a 3D program that is used and originally made for architects, however the entertainment industry have used this program also. Google have decided to put the program to use for a different type of audience, that audience is children with ASD,(Autism Spectrum Disorder), called Google SketchUp .

This is free to download, watch a video, create your own models, share with friends, and it is also for educators.

Also on Saturday February 6 10 a.m. to noon at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, 320 Alfred Emery Building, 225 S. 1400 East in President's Circle. The designer of SketchUp and a designer for Universal Creative will be at the University of Utah for a presentation on Google SketchUp.

Cheers!

Valentines day craft

Ok I'm not really a crafty person, I need to be in the mood to do things like this. The mood needs to be after, I have no problem cleaning up after the mess. But I got creative. My mom had these wood cut outs, I painted one she did the other.

Mine is the pink one on the right. My mom did the one of the left. The creative part is that I used Pink Twinkle, glitter nail polish, on the wood lace that surrounds the word love. On the word it's self I used Pink glitter glue. It doesn't look half bad.

For what my mom used was just regular acrylic paint. But used red glitter glue on the on the small heart, and the same glitter glue was used for the dots on the white wood lace.



What a great way to decorate for Singles Awareness Day. You know what they say:

"The sky is the limit!"

Cheers!

My Epistle: Dear Sweeter

My dearest sweeter, (sweater)

You have been so kind to this past winter, and you still are. I have enjoyed your warmth, and the feel of you against my skin. Oh how I have loved you during those cold, windblown, snowing nights. How I have love to have you near while I was drinking hot chocolate, curled up on the couch with a blanket, reading.

I have to confess something very important, I have Spring fever. So to day I did something that I know you would detest. I wore my short-sleeve shirt, purple; you know the one, you have shared the same closet for over a year.

I know what you are thinking. It's still cold! It snowed only yesterday, and still you choose an article of clothing that is for spring and summer! Please now my dear sweater, don't overreact, please. I am sure that before this day is out, I will put you on over my purple short-sleeve shirt; it is as you are thinking it is still cold out, but as of now, it is just the shirt.

I would appreciated that you would not remind me of February 14, singles awareness day out of spite. I am aware that day is stocking me. Boy do I know, I am the one who is single, after all. Mother always reminds me of just that often enough. Just yesterday in church she found out that their is a group of single young men who will go to the temple every Friday. How do I know this? I was bombarded by Relief Society women after church, they told me along with my mother's reaction. Just know dear sweater I have not forgotten you, it is just this blasted fever that I have.

You must understand, it is the first of February. That means that Spring is just around the corner also. So you must know of my anticipation for rock climbing, fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, running around in my sandals, or bare foot. How delightful would that be!

So again I plead with you, don't be angry. As much as I love the changing of the seasons, but my favorite time of the year is almost hear! My soul feels like it will almost burst with anticipation, and joy. All that I ask of you is that you will be happy for me.

With all of my love dear sweeter,(sweater).
Hollie

Now to all of you who are reading this. I really do have spring fever, and I am a huge fan of the warmer weather. So this was just all in fun, and I am warring a purple short sleeve shirt. :)

Cheers!

You can leave your religion on the door step. Thank you!

I came back from VT. The woman that I VT is inactive and bitter about the church, and would like it if I would leave my religion on the door step. I have known this inactive sister for quite a long time. About three years ago she and her husband has stopped smoking. I was so proud of them! But over time I would talk to her and her husband, and was appointed to be her visiting teacher. My companion and I are the only ones that she would let in to visit teach her. From time to time I have bean able to tell her of some experiences that I would have with an LDS program called "Special Needs Mutual." She would laugh or be in awe with some of the experiences that I have shared. But never apostolate or teach.

Well I have found some painting's in the December Ensign (pg 39) called "GARDENING IN THE RAIN" By Brian Kershisnik and the other on, (pg 41) call "THE FACE OF NEW ENGLAND" by Robert Duncan. This inactive sister loves art and so I took over the Ensign to show her the incredible paintings. She laughed at "GARDENING IN THE RAIN." She thought that it was cute, so did her husband. But "THE FACE OF NEW ENGLAND" she loved, she couldn't believe that it was a painting. Robert Frost once said:

"Art is anything that moves you."

I didn't apostolate or teach to her, I have only shown her and her husband the paintings in the Ensign. So who said that the Ensign cannot be in every home, in one time or another. They have come so far.

New adventures

I'm totally going out on a limb hear and I am dead scared!! A couple of people have planted a seed in my head. They want me to be an editor, one talented author wants me as his agent, as well as his editor. I have thought about it for a while and tho I am scared out of my wits; I have never thought of myself as doing anything like this. I have also talked to different family members about this; they think that it is a good idea, they are supportive. I still don't think that I am qualified to be an agent, so I am very timid at that idea. I am afraid that I point someone in the wrong direction.

It all started as various people asking my opinion on novels. These people wanted novels that entertains, easy reading, but not something that would make them embarrassed to read. Then different authors wanted my help with their novels. One is very talented. Sorry I cant tell you who, he is just starting out and his novel is still in editing stages.

I have decided to use the contacts that I have to benefit everyone involved. So now I am a freelance editor.

Shoshone Falls

Ok I have more pic's of my vacation. I have also done the last of my packing this morning. I want to go back on the road. Sound fun to me! Anyway I saw my coat. On the arm of my coat, have been melted/burned off. I was waring that coat when that happened. So thank my "lucky stars" that it was my coat and not my arm. The bad side of it is that now I need to buy a new coat for this winter. Oh well, I'm still glad that it was my coat and not my arm.

Going from Craters of the Moon towards Twin Falls. My parents and I passed though, I guess it's a mountain pass. Anyway people have been putting graffiti on the rocks. Come on don't do that, it take a way the natural beauty of the rocks. I rely don't care that L+M. Or that Micheil has been their, or that Lindsey is hot, and ect. You are just a name's and initials to me, nothing more.

I have also saw that people have put graffiti on the rock walls going to Shoshone falls. But without further a due here is the picks of Shoshone falls and the Canyon up above Shoshone falls.





These are just wild flowers. They were at the rest stop going from Utah to Idaho. They are just so pretty.

My strange obsession

I have a strange obsession with rocks. I came from my grandfather Robb, that was his hobby. He also would make jewelry out of Opal, Crystal and others.

So I went to Stanly Idaho, camping. They have this Dredge. It's called Yankee Fork Gold Dredge. This link has pics of Stanly Idaho, the Gold Dredge and two of her ghost towns. Bonanza and Custer. These towns have amazing history.

Here is some amazing history of the ghost town Bonanza. A love triangle. This happened 130 years ago.

Richard King and Anges Elizabeth King. Were are from England. Richard was a Realtor in Bonanza and he died all of the sodden. Their best friend Charles Hawthorne bought the grave plot for 3 people. They buried Richard in the first plot the best friend named started to "court" Elizabeth. They were courting for a year. When this other guy came into town and just swept Elizabeth off of her feet. They were married and 6 days latter they were found in bead shot to death. The best friend was found in Stanly in a remote cabin dead with her locket, with her picture in it, within his hand. Who was the murder? No one knows, it was never solved. In the other 2 plots are Elizabeth and her new husband.

The Gold Dredge would pull up tons, tons and I mean tons of rock and dirt to get to the gold. They would take only a certain size of gold nugget, and spew the other nuggets out on to the ground. So yes their is still "gold in them their hills" but they are only very small grain like sand. To get anything that is worth something you need to dig miles and miles of dirt and rock to get only an ounce of gold. That can take you up to one year?

So I was walking on the piles of dirt and rock that the dredge spewed out, amazingly enough the piles were very stable and it doesn't look like it, but you still need to be careful when walking on them. I have found lots of fossils, crystal, copper, jade, and amethyst.

Get this my mom found the amethyst and I throw it away thinking that it was nothing. So I had to go to the saloon in Custer to buy the amethyst. Go figure! The Saloon in Custer is now a gift shop. No alcohol is sold their at all, no longer. Now I can say that I have been into a Saloon.

So here is some of my pics of the fossils and others.
This is a fossil of some tree/bark. The one on top is a fossil of some Lichen. I have one of a fern also.

This is my Jade rock in the raw. It is very brittle.

This one is a picture rock. But what it is rely I don't know.


This is a desert rose. This is rely a plant. I have seen it growing at the Creators of the Moon. While I was their I got to walk up the side of a Infernal cone volcano. I got mostly all the way up, I stopped only because I had sandals on. I didn't know how I could walk down, I guess I could roll down, but that would hurt. So now I can say that I have walked up the side of a Volcano.

The impossible piggy backflip/ Up date

I don't know if any of you have seen this but all I can say is holy cow!





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Up date.
Yesterday I played my violin in church. Now I was not very confidant in some places in the song. But as my mother would always say:

"If you start together and end together, you are good. No one else knows what the song sound like."

She is right to a point. Another thing is that I don't know how it would sound I mean I was also playing with an organ, along with a piano. I have never done that before. But the good thing is that a lot of people was telling me that they loved the song, all three of us has done such a fabulous job.

Cheers Everyone!

My new toy

I have downloaded a new toy. Song writer by Finale. I'm having so much fun. So yes I'm making arrangements for my violin. I'm so tired of playing other peoples arrangements that I swear they have no idea how to play the violin. So they just put notes on the page and call it a "violin arrangement", believe me it turns out bad. It's like me trying to make an arrangement for the percussion, a bunch of interments that I have no idea how to play. So for me to try and write anything would be a huge blunder.

So yesterday I made an arrangement of Kolob for my violin, no piano accompaniment it sounds cool. I also took an old arrangement that was written for SATB, piano, and violin, called "The First Noel-Canon in D". I just put the violin solo on a page by it self. This arrangement was written back in 1996. It sounds amazing, Linda Wagner along with my Mother figured it out the arrangement. It's completely original and sorry you cant buy it or download it. I may however figure out how to make a page and put all the arrangements on line to so people can download them if they want them. However if I decide this it will take me a while to figure it all out, I also need to copyright everything, that is a must.

Cheers Everyone!!

Label: Freakish toothbrusher

Monday night a friend of mine and I were talking, we were at her in-laws and she called me a "Freakish toothbrusher." It took me a little bit to figure out what she meant. Mostly because I was on a sugar shock, so my mind was............................out there a little bit.

So I stared laughing at that label. I thought that it was hilarious, (I think mostly I was laughing because of the sugar shock, and all I had was one Cream Soda! I promise.). She looked at me with wide eyes that was all mirth, and said:

My friend: "You are! You brush your teeth every time after you eat! You are a freakish toothbrusher!"
Me: "I know, I jest had something to eat and my tongue keeps feeling my teeth! Years ago My dad got smart, he bought me an electric tooth brush, so I would stop brushing my teeth so hard! It works I don't brush as hard!"

To all of you reading this blog. I'm so sorry but all this time you have been reading the thoughts of a "Freakish toothbrusher."

Cheers Everyone!

Research

As some of you know I have been writing a musical about pre Utah, so of course that is Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers. Now if you don't mind I'm going to write a little bit about Utah's history. This is fascinating stuff.

In short the Salt Lake Valley was barren, barren, barren. I think that the only thing that grew here was Brine Shrimp and Sagebrush, along with wild Snap Dragons, and other obnoxious weeds. No one wanted this land, not even the Native Americans. There have been reports from people saying that:

"The Mormons will be lucky if they can grow wheat and corn."

How about this quote by Jim Brigder:

" It was imprudent to bring a large population into the Great Basin until they were sure grain could be grown"

The mountain man's pessimism was such that he offered a $1,000 for the first ear of corn raised in the valley "or the Utah Outlet" (which the Mormons would name the Jordan River). Here is a quote from Brigham Young about this land:

"Until the Latter-day Saint's came here, not a person among all the mountaineers and those who had traveled here, so far as we could learn, believed that an ear of corn would ripen in these valleys. We know that corn and wheat produce abundantly here, and we know that we have an excellent region wherein to rise cattle, horse, and every other kind of domestic animal that we need.......There never has been a land, from the days of Adam until now, that has been blessed more than this land has been blessed by our Farther in Heaven; and it will still be blessed more and more, if we are faithful and humble and thankful to God for the wheat and the corn, the oats, and the fruit, vegetables, the cattle a and everything he bestows upon us, and try to use them for the building up of his Kingdom on the earth." (DBY, pg 483-485)

You see if this Salt Lake Valley was so dry and barren that people believe that nothing could grow here, it would need to blessed by God. And it still is!

Brigham young also said this:

"We have faith, we live by faith; we came to these mountains by faith. We came here, I often say, though to the ears of some the expression my sound rather rude, naked and barefoot, and comparatively this is true." (DBY, pg 481)

This has been seriously fascinating. A long cry from the traditional stories we are told; and yet still the same, but told in a different way. I am however going to try and keep this musical as historically correct as possible. So yes I will need to do much more research, and this will take a lot of time.

Cheers Everyone!!

I'm published!!!!

How cool is that? I did a poem called "The Rules of Perfection" Check it out!! This is the third time a poem of mine have been published. My first one was in high school, yeah way back then.


The Rules of Perfection
Make your own mark. Don't be afraid of who you are. Show your own style.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1564025/the_rules_of_perfection.html

Miracles of Miracles!!!!

Yes. yes, yes!!! The young women were there tonight at our RS (road show) practice! I'm so glad. I was jumping up and down for joy! Ok I was running to the other side of the building to unlock to door, but I was smiling while I was running.

The down side the young men were not there, they had an activity. The one time the Y/M are not there the Y/W are. I need to have both the YW/YM come together at the same night same time and dance together. What it this?? Are they still in the "girls have cooties-boys have germs" stage?

The challenge that I am now tackling is to have the curtains fixed and the burned out lights replaced/put in new ones. Yep we are missing light bulbs. A lot of them. Because of that the people on stage look like they are sick. I jest cant have that.

Telling Auntie Jeanie how to change her back ground

Hi ya all. This morning I got to tell my Auntie Jeanie how to change her back ground on her blog over the phone. She wanted to have the Three Wise Men on her blog for Christmas. It looks cool on her blog. She also told me that after this month she is going to call me again so I can help her change her back ground again. When it was done she was so happy!!!

So check it out at:
Aunt Jeanie

New heights

Each day I always think that I have reached my limit. I find that each new day I have reached new heights. Each day is always a new first for me.

I like what Audrey Hepburn said: 'Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.'

Digital TV transition in Feb. '09

My ideas

I got all of  my ideas for my blog from my sister-in-law, Andria.  Thank you!!!! This has been fun for me.    

First time

This is a first for me.  I have never thought that I would be doing a blog.  I couldn't understand why people would be posting there life on the web.  I thought why?  You will never meet the people who will read this.  But someone said that it is a way to find people who you have lost-in-touch-with-over-the-years.  So that is what I am hoping to do, find those people who have touch my life.

-Hollie