10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

18 April - 25 April, 2010

"The really happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery when on a detour." unknown

Welcome new follower...AMY. (She is from Frosted Bake Shop:)

#1 A friend gave us a very large, boneless and cooked, very good ham. It was so good for Sunday dinner. I made "funeral potatoes" (what do people in other places call them? Frozen hash browns, cream of ____ soup, sour cream and grated cheese. More about the potatoes later this week.), too.

#2 Doug took Friday and Monday off. I love our quiet(er) times together. Our favourite dates are when we are home. Alone. I like that he will watch "Bones" with me. (It's the humour, not the cases.) This is the only one of MY shows he will watch with me. I could do without "Office, Community, 30 Rock", but they make me happy because he will rub my back while "we" watch them;) I would actually watch any shows with him for a back rub.

We also enjoy playing Mancala together. It relaxes me. No thinking involved. (Doug does think. Then he wins. I have more fun.)

#3 Someone left a comment about about SCRABBLE tiles. In their home they use "Remember who you are". My mom and (somewhat less often) my dad ALWAYS said that. I had/have something that I tell my family. It made me happy to remember my mom reminding me, and that my kids knew what I say. "BE SMART"

(Journal Entry-skip if you want to) One August we were having a family home evening about going back to school. We talked about choosing good friends and being a good friend. We talked about safety and being in good places. You know. Standard stuff. We also used a Reader's Digest article to talk about auto safety. Everything was reviewed. (On Monday.) On Friday there was a back to school stomp. Our newest (about to be) high school student was late home. (Our rule was "Be home or check in by about 12:oo.) It was only 12:15, but the (unidentified) child came in prepared. "I'm sorry I am late. We got pulled over by a policeman near the train tracks. (Me: WWHAT! WHY?) "We had too many people in the car. (11 in a 5 passenger.) But don't worry, mom. I remembered our family home evening lesson. I was on the bottom with a seat belt on". HUH?

#4 I enjoy Bees baseball games. Doug watches the game, and I read :) Baseball games relax me.

#5 Leslie's stake relief Society (woman's church group) is doing an activity that makes me happy. They are doing an activity based on a book from my childhood, "The Hundred Dresses" by Eleanor Estes. They are collecting dresses that will be donated to women's charities to help women entering the work place. I love this service idea. And the book. (I still have my childhood Scholastic edition.)

#6 I found a recipe on Recipezaar that made me happy. #1-when I found it #2- when I showed it to Lindsay #3-when I showed it to Hilary... If you are looking for a family recipe, go to http://www.recipezaar.com/ and make recipe #420398.

#7 We had Stake Conference this week-end. The Saturday night meeting is usually (in my opinion) a better meeting than the Sunday one. Although both were good, I did learn more from the Saturday night one.

#8 Cupcakes make me happy. I love... reading the recipes. I love looking at the pictures. I enjoy getting the cookbooks. Turns out I am just not that into making cupcakes. After all the hunting for a recipe, making the cupcakes, cleaning up the stuff, waiting for them to cool...I still have to make the frosting. Doug thinks I would like a 101 MUFFIN cookbook. Good idea, dear. But I still bought a couple more cupcake idea books. (Doug was with me ;)

#9 I tried 4 new recipes last week. I am at the stage where that makes me happy. One recipe I tried was from a neighbor. She took this soup to the Potluck Soup Social.

Greek Lemon Soup (not sure what makes it Greek)

from Joyce Shell (I adapted it a tiny bit. I will tell you how.)

olive oil

1/2 onion-chopped (This time I used 2 leeks-white and light green part-thinly sliced. I used the leeks because I had them.)

1 cup coarsely grated carrots (Bought that way:)

1 clove minced/chopped garlic

1 1/2 cup cooked chopped chicken (can use canned)

5 cups water

2 heaping teas. chicken base (she used 3 cans chicken broth)

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)

zest of 2 lemons-grated

2/3 cup orzo (She used rice)

1/4 teas. pepper

Saute' onion (or leeks) and carrots in oil. Then add garlic for about 1 min. Add chicken, water, chicken base, Cream of Chicken soup, lemon juice and zest. Bring to a boil, then add orzo and pepper. Turn down heat and simmer about 20-30 mins. until pasta (or rice) is cooked.

This soup had a fresh lemon flavour that feels springy. (If you are unsure, just cut the recipe in 1/2.)

#10 I found a new (king size) Matelasse' coverlet and dust ruffle for our bed (made in Portugal). I love linens. (Bedding, tablecloths. towels...darn.) (They were from the thrift store and were $8.oo and $4.oo respectively :^)

Tuesday or Wednesday I will post a SCRABBLE tile project that I just finished, and something new for the basket.