I'm hungry-What's for dinner, Alex?

It seems that our family functions differently when one of the parent's gone for a while. For example, when I was at the Girls' Camp last week, I heard Rod tell Alex: "When I come home from work, we will have fun until 1am." They would go golfing, or to the late movie, or both during the same evening. There would be donuts for dinner, and they would live like Alex didn't have a mom, or Rod didn't have a wife. Just a couple of bachelors having a party all night long.

So, when Rod left for Mexico yesterday morning, I asked Alex what we should do while dad's gone. I found myself suggesting him the different dishes we could try and cook. Late at night I often watch the Food Network cooking shows and lately Alex has been watching them too. Just on Sunday he asked us if he could make us some strawberries and cream. A few minutes later he appears with a bowl of strawberries and tells us that he made a "blueberry ganache that is kind of tangy but sweet".

At least Alex is a man of action, unlike my father who loved to watch cooking shows, and knew in theory how to make different dishes. But when it came to the actual time to cook, all he could do is boil water, and once or twice left the water pot on the stove and the whole pot burned. Actually, I have to give him more credit than that. He was able to boil potatoes.

When I started cooking for my family when I was 13, my dad would hover behind me in the kitchen and tell me how to filé a salmon, or how to make this or that. I asked (I think I actually yelled) him once, quite frustrated, if he knows so well how to do all these things, how come I can't find him cooking, EVER. He quickly laughed and left the kitchen, never to return. He would tell me always that his mother was so well known for her cooking skills. Obviously that gene skipped a generation. According to my father, his sisters couldn't cook either.

Now I find Alex creating recipes every once in a while. Even when the Finns were here a month ago, Alex made them yummy breakfast and one of the boys said to his mom to get Alex's recipe, so she could make it in Finland when they return.

Last night, Alex decided that he would make biscuits and gravy for dinner.


Alex making the country gravy from scratch.


Alex pulling the fresh biscuits out of the oven, also made from scratch.


"Wait, mom. Take another picture".


And a nice sprig of chives on top to make this extremely yummy dinner complete.

What's for dinner tonight?

Rise and Shout the 7th ward's out-last days at camp

Friday afternoon Chloe and Hannah played the game "who do you love" with Misty and Rachel. This is where Rachel cracked up when the truth came out.


On Friday night our Stake President entertained us with his singing and guitar playing. And then we had chocolate.


This is our beloved cabin # 5.

Chloe, Katie and Hannah on their way to the Saturday morning flag ceremony. Can't believe how clean these women are after 5 days of non-showering.

Our theme for this year.

Can't wait to return for my 8th year of Girl's Camp next year.

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Yesterday when I was returning to the Girl's Camp, I saw a hillside full of these sheep. Before I was coming around the corner where these sheep were, I couldn't figure out what the black nuggety matter was on the road, until "just around the riverbend" was this HUGE herd of them. And of course, there was that one black sheep among the other sheep. I rolled down the window and sure enough, they were all singing the same "baa baa" song.

When I arrived to Girl's Camp, surprisingly all the girls were still alive and well-nourished. We had a fun night together with Thursday being our Value Night. Didn't get to bed until right before midnight, and I knew for sure that I was heading toward another night of no sleep.

I got up this morning at 5:20am, put my clothes on and drove home (1 1/2 hour drive), and then work. Tuesday night was the same thing except I got out of there at 4am because I couldn't lay in my sleeping bag another hour. Didn't sleep at all that night either. Guess if I'm exhausted? Yep, for sure. I'm heading back today after work for more fun and a sleepless night. Luckily the camp is over tomorrow morning so I can come home and crash. I think I'm going to take something for my sleeplessness tonight. Maybe I'll bring an Ensign and a flashlight, and I'm sure I will fall asleep under a minute, flat.

Dinner with Jarkki

Our friend Jarkki from Finland came to visit us last night. We drove him around town and BYU and ended up at dinner at Outback.

It was so good to see him again. Maybe we will catch him and Pia in Finland next summer.

Jarkki and Rod patiently waiting for their steaks.

Austria week-Day One

Our Young Women are at camp this week. This is my 7th year at camp. I spent 5 of them as a camp director and the last 2 as the young women's president. I know there is an end in sight, I just know it. We took off at 11am with Hannah and Kayla, and the rest of the girls were either on the bus or got to Mia Shalom some other way. The camp itself is at 10,000 feet, and the weather could be questionable at times. Usually when we set up camp, we either get rained or snowed on, but this year, it was perfect.

Also, Rod has informed us many times that what we girls do, is not really camping. For us, it really is. This is why: We sleep in cabins with no beds. We have ice cold showers. When we flush the toilets, we have to keep the handle down for 10 seconds. We cook our meals outside. We see animals roaming around all the time. We can't swim in the lake, and there is no pool. Now, if that is not called camping, I don't know what is.


We pulled over in Fairview for Hannah to make a phone call, and came upon this sign. Looks like there is a killer dog on the premises.


Until this fuzzy ball comes out to protect the house from all the evil. We were scared.


Deer wandering around the camp at all times. Beautiful sight.

Hannah and Kayla in our cabin.

Misty and Rachel dressed in Austrian red. (This year our theme was the Olympics, and our ward chose Austria as our country.)

Yes, I am tanning at camp. This is a tradition for me when it is not either raining or snowing. I will take any opportunity to catch some rays. Result: Burned scalp and a heatstroke. Note to self: Hat, sunscreen and lots of fluids.

Our girls at the flag ceremony. Notice we sit at the back bench. This is also a tradition.

You will not see the 7th ward at any other bench, ever.

And the swimsuits kept coming off

We went to the funnest birthday party on Saturday. It was our friend, Mike's, 30th birthday party in Ogden at the Salomon Center. We had Elle with us, so Rod, Alex and Elle had a chance to boogie board many, many times. Sometimes the swimsuits kept sliding off the surfers. But nobody cared, or saw anything, right? Thanks Tai and Mike for the funnest time, ever!

Push "play" (or the arrow) twice and the videos load.

Alex boogie boarding

Elle boogie boarding

Rod boogie boarding.

Dining and shopping with best friends

See the happy faces? Need I say more? Those faces can be produced only after having a good meal (Enchiladas Suizas x 3) and a fabulous shopping experience in Park City.


Kristine and Katie at the check-out at TJ Maxx (women's heaven on earth).

Happy Birthday, Täti!

Today is Täti's 82nd birthday. Happy Birthday!! Täti (aunt) came to be our nanny when I was 6 weeks old when my mom went back to work after having me. Täti was unable to have her own kids so she in a round about way had us as her kids. I've always had great love for this incredible woman. How many women you know would "sacrifice" their life raising somebody else's kids for 13 years?

Every summer she would take my sister and I with her and her husband, Setä (uncle) to their summer cabin in the country. There she would teach us how to swim, how to fish, how to have the hottest sauna, how to dance, how to bake, and how to work hard (we didn't learn the work thing very well). I loved to sleep on straw mattresses, and crawl into her earth cellar to fetch some milk. At night we would pee into a bucket because the outhouse was too far away. If I drank too much water at night, I would find myself and the straw mattress wet in the morning.

When Setä and Täti would come back from their morning fishing trip to the lake (they would put the nets in at night and in the morning they gathered the nets with full of fish), we would sit by a table right by the lake and clean all the fish. Then Setä would either smoke the fish, or Täti would make fish soup. I was the lucky one who got to eat the fish heads and suck on the fish eyes. Yeah, it sounds gross but my favorite were definitely the fish tongue or the fish cheeks. Truly a delicacy.

I remember Täti making coffee and pouring it onto a plate and slurping it off the plate because it was too hot. Täti taught me how to bake and use Karelian words in my sentences. One summer when I was quite little, Täti left to run an errand and left Setä in charge. It was nap time and unfortunately Setä fell asleep but I didn't. When Täti returned she found me, Setä, the blankets, the wallpaper and everything else nearby covered with her favorite hand cream. Setä was still asleep!

When Täti and Setä build their summer cabin in the country, it was just 300 yards away from our cousins house. Täti dug the road from the main road to the cabin with her own bare hands and a pick ax. She also made a lot of our clothes, and crocheted many lace bedspreads. She was always busy with her hands, and couldn't sit still.

When I was 8 years old I joined our city's conservatory choir, and had our first trip to Stockholm, Sweden. Täti came with us as a chaperon. I remember eating cold meatballs on crisp bread at the local department store cafeteria. Täti had made my new coat and a matching hat for the trip.

Täti and Setä were some of the few people I know who have traveled the world more than anyone. They have literally been everywhere in the world.

When I got bigger, Täti was there when I came home from school. When I turned 13, Täti was let go because we girls were too big to have a nanny. Even though she wasn't at our house anymore, we saw her frequently. Every summer when we went to our cousins house in the country, I would spend time with Täti and Setä at their cabin.

A few years ago, Täti lost the love of her life. Since then she has been lonely and missing her husband so much. This morning when I called her to wish her happy birthday, she told me how busy she has been with visiting friends and relatives, and traveling all over.

I miss her and truly consider her as one of my best friends. I love you, Täti!

Pajama Pageant

Sunday Night

Alex: "What are you watching?"
Me: "Miss Universe pageant"

Host of Miss Universe Pageant on TV:"After the break, an evening gown competition"

-First contestant walks onto the stage in an evening gown-

Alex: "That's not an evening gown, that's a dress."
Me: "What did you think an evening gown was, pajamas?"
Alex: "Yeah, I thought it was like lingerie or like pajamas."
Me: Hysterically laughing.
Alex: "Where would you even wear a dress like that?"
Me: "Maybe a red-carpet event, maybe a fancy dinner, or a benefit."
Alex: "A buffet? Like Chuck-a-Rama?"
Me: Laughing again. "No! A benefit, like a concert to benefit some organization."
Alex: "ohhh."

Alex's favorite: Miss Mexico-the 5th runner up.

"Be Prepared"-Scout Camp-Friday night

On Friday night we drove up to Maple Dell Scout camp in Payson canyon. They had a parents' night for all the scouts who just spent the whole week there. Our ward and the 5th and 9th ward boy scouts were in the same camp together. Alex was chosen to be the senior patrol leader, and according to the adult leaders did a great job. What's hard about telling other people what to do? In the sacrament meeting yesterday one of the leaders who was there said that Alex was one of the boys who always lead by example and was doing the things that he was supposed to delegate to others. Good job, Alex. Alex finished 4 merit badges towards his Eagle: Rowing, Archery, Cooking, and Canoeing.


This is how we found Alex on Friday night when we hiked up to the Cherokee camp site: Completely dirty, sunburned, eyes swollen from allergies and totally stuffed up from the same allergies.


Eating area at the Cherokee camp. The parents were invited to eat dinner with the scouts. Chef's Table provided the ribs, the barbecue chicken and the wonderful apple cobbler (not your typical Chef's Table food, mind you, and no, I didn't have any because I'm off sugar).


Alex, Jace Henwood and Kevin Erazo slept in these two tents that were joined together. I didn't look inside because I think I might have been horrified.

Patriotic program in the evening.

"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free"...

A huge American flag was displayed at the end of the program. Seeing the flag always makes me cry, even though I know it is coming. It is a very touching program and a great way to end a week of hard work.