Southern Cooking

I have a great friend here who was raised in NC. She blessed her baby yesterday and we went to their house after for the family dinner. It was fun and the food was an experience! The BBQ and salads were delicious. The deserts were to die for, homemade pecan pie and strawberry cake. Who even knew there was such a thing as strawberry cake that doesn't come out of a box and actually tastes divine?

All vegetable dishes were unrecognizable. They were basically butter and salt with some limp WAY overcooked corn or beans thrown in. The mashed potatoes had so much cheese in them that my kids wouldn't eat them. I had no idea asparagus could be the texture of spaghetti. And then there was a dish of turnips. Being an adventurous eater I took a few. Jason unfortunately took several. Our friend's grandma was standing right there and commenting on how no one was eating her turnips. She stood and talked with Jason while he ate. There was a reason no one was eating the turnips!!! I had no idea a vegetable could be so disgusting! Sweet, bitter and spicy hot all at the same time. Of course butter was not masking this taste and Jason had a whole serving to eat right in front of Grandma. On the way home he told me they were so bad that he threw up a little in his mouth as he was trying to get them down.

I did have a heads up to this episode. My friend's SIL came to St. George to help them move back to NC. A family in their ward had them over for dinner and she took one bite of the broccoli and told the hostess that she had forgotten to cook the veggies. No wallflowers in this family!

Do you need some inspiration?

If you could use some inspiration today, and really who of us can't?, log on to utube and watch this video. I just watched it 3 times in a row. Or if you just really like the music from Le Miserable.

Britain's original version of American Idol has a contestant who is older, frumpy and very unlike who you see competing here. She brings the audience to their feet and completely takes everyone by surprise with her voice, Simon Cowell included.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

(Mom :) just copy the above address, hit enter and it should come on. Or you can type in www.utube.com and search for Susan Boyle.)

Hi From the South

Happy Easter!

Happy Spring!

Finding Joy

I was driving Noah to the doctor today and feeling a little sorry for myself. I love Conference weekend and I was missing Sunday morning's session. I was grouchy from the sleep deprivation of being up with him all night and just generally feeling sorry for myself (and of course for Noah, since he was the one actually sick). I stopped at an intersection and there in his bright orange vest was a guy holding a sign advertising for a pizza store. But this guy was not just standing there or walking around...he was dancing his butt off! He was not being silly, doing the crazy chicken, etc. But DANCING! and he was good! It was hilarious and cool and really fun. It made me smile and then laugh out loud.

You know the guy can't be enjoying the best of times if his job is holding a pizza sign at an intersection. But there he was enjoying the heck out of himself and making a whole bunch of people happy. I am not one for dancing in public but I am going to find more joy this week.
Who knows, maybe Kanye West's manager has a great aunt in Greensboro who he was visiting today, saw the dancing pizza man, and hired him on the spot.

PS-Noah is fine. Of course after all the work to get him to the doctor on Sunday morning, it is just a virus. So we will wait the 5 days, load him up on ibuprofen and hope not all of the other kids get sick too.

PPS -When we got home, Grace and Luke had picked me a dandelion and wild violet bouquet. Lots of joy!