Today has been just one of those special days! Thank you my father in heaven for my many many many blessings! How can one girl have so much happiness and joy.... AMEN.........

I ♥ YOU

I am so excited to make these with them adorable granbabies this coming weekend!

For the directions go here: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/01/chocolate-dipped-krispie-treats-heart-shaped.html

Faith And Courage

"We move on with no regrets to our destiny, held by the hands of the Father. We share His love and He leads us through all these days..."

Outdoor Pallet Table

Who knew there were so many things that you could do with wood pallets! This is the coolest table and all because of the "pinterest" website. That's all I need.......another website to get hooked on!

Go here for this project: http://www.joyeverafter.com/blog/2011/7/13/outdoor-pallet-table-diy.html

And then for other pallet projects follow this link: http://blog.builddirect.com/do-it-yourself-projects-using-pallets/

The Aircraft Flying Over Me As I Blog!

B-1 Lancer

E-3 Sentry

F-15 Eagle

F-16 Fighting Falcon

KC-135 Stratotanker

The Mystery Is Solved

AND SERIOUSLY........HOW COOL IS THIS!!!!

ST. GEORGE – Washington County residents have been experiencing loud booms and shaking homes since Monday and wondered what was happening – the U.S. Air Force has the answer.
Capt. Jessica Martin, a public relations officer for Nellis Air Force Base, confirmed that the base was taking part in Red Flag, a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies.

Red Flag began on Monday, Jan. 23, and will continue to Feb. 3. Until then, southern Utah residents may continue to experience incidents involving loud disturbances, and in some cases, shaken homes.

While the thunderous sounds and shaking created by exercise will cease in less than two weeks, Capt. Martin added that Red Flag is held up to four times a year.

The exercise is hosted north of Las Vegas on the Nevada Test and Training Range – the U.S. Air Force’s premier military training area with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. With 1,900 possible targets, realistic threat systems and an opposing enemy force that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world, Nellis and the NTTR are the home of a “peacetime battlefield,” providing combat air forces with the ability to train to fight together, survive together and win together.

The 414th Combat Training Squadron is responsible for executing Red Flag and the exercise is just one of a series of advanced training programs administered at Nellis and on the NTTR by organizations assigned to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center.

Throughout the Red Flag exercise, more than 90 aircraft are scheduled to depart Nellis twice a day, around noon and again around 6 p.m. Aircraft may remain in the air for up to four hours. The flying times are scheduled to accommodate the other flying missions at Nellis and provide Red Flag participants with valuable training in planning and executing a wide-variety of combat missions.

The exercise will include units from Nevada, Colorado, South Dakota, Louisiana, Utah, California, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Massachusetts and Oklahoma flying aircraft including the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, E-3 Sentry, B-1 Lancer, and KC-135 Stratotanker.

In addition to U.S. aircraft, the Saudi Royal Air Force and the Republic of Korea will participate with their nations’ F-15 aircraft.
For more information about Red Flag, call the Nellis Public Affairs Office at (702) 652-2750 or go to http://www.nellis.af.mil/redflag-nellis/. \

Night Rumblings Continue

Well....the night rumblings and window shakings continue. It's always around 9PM and now there are folks feeling and hearing this in Washington County and Iron County. It was so bad last night that my windows shook and now we are hearing "jets" so...........being the Sherlock Holmes that I am, I have done some investigating and with the help of locals and of course my friends on FB this is our logic.

Not far from us here in Zion is a place called Smith's Mesa or Monkey Mesa (the name monkey mesa is another story and includes monkeys riding on jet seats and being shot off of rockets). It is just outside the city limits of Virgin, Utah. Any moment now I expect the feds at my door....just kidding! This info is public knowledge and all over the internet. During my days as a home health nurse I had a patient that also divulged alot of information in his great stories when he was employed there! *******still waiting for the feds to come knocking! ha ha ha ha.

Back to our theory! There appears to be some sort of night training going on! Smith's Mesa is located between Hill Force Base and Nellis!.....Hmmm....you do the math!

The photo above is the airstrip or testing strip. I'm pretty sure this is the rocket testing strip. I have been up here years ago and this place is pretty secure with fencing and an electric eye at the gate and a HUGE sign that says you are being watched per the USAF......I love it!

This link really is the best that I have found that talks about the mesa and the history! Enjoy it.
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/UT/Airfields_UT_SW.htm

FAMILY

For details on the how 2's visit here: http://cottageinstincts.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-to-do-with-old-windows.html. I love the blogging world! It is so much fun to share all these super cute ideas.

Sleepless in Zion.....

Well, it has been two nights in a row now that we have had loud rumbling noises here in the Canyon.

YES, for me it is very scary and I remain sleepless! It has to be rock slides... as in the past weekend we had nearly 48 hours worth of moisture! I plan to do some hiking this weekend and will investigate. At first I felt like I was only one of two locals who heard and felt it but it continued last night and now others are commenting.

We had a terrible earthquake back in 91 or 92 and I will try to hike up to the center of it ....this weekend as it is only about 2 miles from me.

Nothing like an adventure for this "zion girl"!

Button Button...........

How cute is this idea! This would be adorable in any childs room!

Supplies needed:- Printer- Scissors- Cardstock- Pen or Pencil- Adhesive- Paper Piercer- Buttons and Brads, Frame without glass or shadowbox.

To create your monogram, begin by cutting cardstock large enough to fit in your frame. Next, you will need to print out a letter. Keep in mind that you want thick lines in order to fill them up with buttons and brads. Then cut out your letter and place in the center of your cardstock, tracing the lines onto the paper.
Start placing your large buttons and/or brads onto the cardstock, keeping them as lined up with the edges as possible. Since we’re using rounded Elements, you won’t be able to fill the corners, but we will fill them in with smaller brads and buttons later. Use the AC tape runner to put a little adhesive on the back, I wouldn’t use a liquid adhesive because you may need to rearrange some things as you go.

Once you’ve filled up a large portion of your monogram, it’s time to start doing the filler. For this, use smaller buttons and different size brads. Begin with the smaller buttons, then it’s time to start with your brads. You can use all different sizes of these, you just need a small spot to poke it through, and then it can overlap with the buttons which adds a lot more dimension. Pop them through with your hands, there’s not really enough space to use a hole punch, but a paper piercer would work fine as well.
Once you’ve covered your letter with Elements, place it in a frame.

Front Lawn Mystery

A friend of mine who lives in Hollywood awoke to this on his front yard this morning! Is there such a thing as a potato curse? I thought it was hilarious and totally blog worthy!

Cake Batter Popcorn

Cake Batter Popcorn
1 3 oz bag of microwave butter popcorn
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of vanilla cake mix
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extractColored Sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Pop popcorn in the microwave according to package instructions- remove unopened kernels and pour into a large bowl
2. Grease a baking sheet, set aside
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the cake mix, sugar, corn syrup, and salt
4. Bring to a slow simmer, making sure not to boil (or burn the sugar) and stir constantly for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract
5. Pour mixture over popcorn in the bowl, stirring until all corn is coated
6. Spread popcorn evenly over baking sheet and place in the oven
7. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the popcorn has turned brown. It will harden more as it cools
8. Remove from oven and top with sprinkles
9. Let cool and then store in an airtight container

I Love Salad

I love Salad! Seriously, I can eat salad almost everyday but I am constantly looking for new ways to prepare a salad and this looks super yummy.

Autumn Chopped Salad

Ingredients*

6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

*2 medium pears, chopped

*1 cup dried cranberries

*1 cup chopped pecans

*8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

*4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

*Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)

*Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions

*On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

Happy Cooking!

Vacation Hint Photo #2

Oooooohhhhh........Where is this Zion Girl going?

Valentine's Candlestick Holders

How cute are these candlestick holders with matching candles?



Simply purchase candles in all different Valentine colors, from Dark red to pink. Then spray paint your candle holders to match and display them dark to light for a trendy hombre effect.

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Try everything twice. On one woman's tombstone she said she wanted this epitaph: "Tried everything twice. Loved it both times!"

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)

3. Keep learning:Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever...Never let the brain get idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh,spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.

6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love: whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, jewelry, shoes, purses, whatever..Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health:If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips..Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.I love you, my special friend!

11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second chance..Remember! Lost time can never be found.Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

~borrowed from my blogging mate, Sylvia at Over the Hill ~

It's Snowing It's Snowing!

Finally today January 23rd and we are seeing our first Zion Snow! It is beautiful and magical!

This was taken during our big storm on Saturday! You can tell how hard the wind is blowing by the tree tops!

This was the snow on my mountain Saturday morning.

Brownie Heart Cupcake

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, cooking spray
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces
12 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray, line bottom with parchment, then spray parchment.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until chocolate melts.
Attach bowl to mixer, add sugar, and whisk on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture.
Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Spread remaining batter in square pan. Bake until set but still soft, about 18 minutes. Let cool in tins and pan on wire racks.
Frost cupcakes with buttercream. Cut out 24 hearts from brownie in pan using a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter. Top each cupcake with a heart.

Basic Buttercream frosting:

Ingredients
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high). Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

Ooh La La

This store has my name written all over it and I am definitely visiting here on my vacation!

Balance

So, I just finished watching this movie and I have to say it does give you some messages to ponder. I guess the message I am taking away from this is about how important it is to have your life in balance. I can honestly say that I feel my life is balanced and only because I work hard at it every day. I only wish there were more hours in the day to do all the things that I want to do! We can always hope, wish and want .........but until we make up our minds to just do it........well............you will always live in limbo and continue to live on should of's, could of's and maybe's.

I am happy that I have figured out the important things.......you know..........the things that matter most, that I must care for and nurture on a daily basis. It is hard work and it takes some planning but the rewards make it all worth it! It's really what keeps us going isn't it?

The only regret I have is that it took me so long to figure it all out.
I try to never look back with the exception of pondering the lesson's I've learned!

Valentine's Tree

To create a Valentine's Day tree, make little felt hearts adorned with different embellishments and hang them from twig lights. Super cute idea and if you miss the warmth of the Christmas holiday lights ..... well, this is sure to fill the void!

Hand Written Love Lines

Super Cute Family Night Activity!

Send a touching message with valentines traced from little hands. Just cut from construction paper, and then decorate. You can hand over sweets or a toy ring, or let someone know he's your hands-down favorite. Let your imagination wander............

Heart-Shaped Pot Holders

How cute are these and what a sweet gift to give for Valentines. I love collecting pot holders and when I travel I love to pick up unique ones for my own daughters. I know those of us who sew always have lots of left over fabric laying around and really you could make these for any holiday.

I shopped today at Joann's Fabric and I was so delighted to find the flannel on sale for 50% off. I have lots of blankets and burp cloths to make and our own sweet Lit'l Becky is have a baby girl in March and I found the perfect fabric today ♥

For the directions please visit here: http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/heart-shaped-pot-holders?czone=holiday/valentine-center/valentine-cnt-gifts&center=276967&gallery=274866&slide=279927

Where In The World Is This Zion Girl Going?

Here is the first hint of my trip that is coming up next month. Can you guess where I might be headed?

LOVE

How cute is this door hanger? This is from Amber over at sewtotallysmitten. If you would like to make this you can visit here and see her cute step by step super easy directions.

http://sewtotallysmitten.blogspot.com/2011/01/love-door-hanger.html

I Read I Read...

Robert Pattinson Quote : "If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are. Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads." ♥♥♥

My Zion Sky

I just ran out the door to capture this beautiful Zion Sky! I truly live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I do believe this sky fortells the rain that is forecast to come in the next couple of days! Snow would even be better.................(giggles)

A Proper Thank You

I have been pondering this topic for quite sometime now and I have been thinking about why I didn't receive "Thank You" notes for the many wedding/shower gifts that I have sent this past year. I would like to think that this isn't our younger generation not caring .....but that just maybe they have not been taught the importance of the "Thank You Note"!

I have to say that I know that I have alot of blog readers and maybe we can just pass this information along in hopes that this expression of gratitude is not a lost or forgotten form of appreciation. I hope I am not offending anyone either....you might say.....well, just stop sending gifts! I have a special love for these youth and I enjoy spending time picking out that special gift just for them. So.........not giving gifts is not an option for me, I would just like a thank you!

My girls have Always sent thank you cards for these above gifts! Maybe we are just old school but I have to say that I am hurt that I didn't receive a thank you from these past gifts that I have sent. Also, It makes you question the fact that "did they even receive my gift"?

Bottom line here...........It is still proper etiquette to send a thank you note. It really doesn't even matter to me that it is a year or so later. I would like to know that you have acknowledged my kind gesture and that you are thankful.

Writing a thank you note seems like a simple enough task, but there are a few etiquette rules to remember. Thank you notes are written to express gratitude for any gift you receive. They let the giver feel appreciated and they're likely to remember your gratitude in the future.

Look Up

A challenge for all of us is not to look sideways to see how others are viewing our lives, but to look up to see how Heavenly Father sees us.

Home Made Pop Tarts

There are just some things you remember as a child! I can still remember where I was when President John F. Kennedy was shot...........I can still see my desk at school and I can close my eyes and see everything in that 3rd grade classroom.

Some things are just that "BIG". Certain things you never forget! Ok........so getting to my point here. I can still remember my very first magical frosted pop tart encounter!

I was at my girlfriend, Shelly Cox's house and besides her having the coolest bedroom and in the coolest house ever........SHE HAD POP TARTS! And I am not talking about "a" box............When she opened her kitchen cupboard there were boxes and boxes. I am still in awe of this some forty five years later. The year was 1967 that the first frosted pop tart "popped" into our lives.

On a local Utah noon TV show today (Studio 5) they had a segment on how to make home made ones. Here is the link for the actual video if you are interested: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=204&sid=18918113.

After doing a little research...........I see they are everywhere.

Yes, Wikipedia...........I needed you today!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Well.........it's here! The holiday of love! The colors of red, pink and white are everywhere! There is just something soooo wrong about seeing Valentines goodies next to the lonely and sad shopping carts filled with all of the Christmas sale items. Oh well.........It is what it is!

So .......moving on! How cute are these Red Velvet Cupcakes?

Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line trays with cupcake papers.
Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside.

Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together with another wire whisk.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.

Pour into cupcake pans and drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
Bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Makes 24 cupcakes

Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups confectioners’ sugar

Sift sugar and set aside.
Beat cream cheese and butter on high until creamy. Add vanilla.
Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides in between each addition.
And frost away.

I LOVE these little miniature heart sprinkles♥




You can turn them into bleeding heart cupcakes, too. So easy!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

XOXOXO

One of my most favorite things to make for my sweet granbabies are holiday pillowcases. I have been making these for years and even when my girls were little I made them for every holiday. They are just so darn easy and the kids love them. I can spend a whole day and just sit and sew as I sit looking out the window.... and it would have been the perfect day if it would have been snowing! (weather update here in Zion Canyon........no snow yet!)



These special ones are for my little Wynter Brooke, as she loves........Hello Kitty! I think she will be so excited to get them in the mail from her Nana. She has the cutest facial expressions in all of her recent family photos. She is adorable and we love her so much!

Thank you, Father in heaven for "My Family"

Shoe Trees...........What?

I have been driving past this tree for a couple of years now and I kept telling myself that one of theses days I was going to pull over and snap a few photos of this crazy "shoe tree"! I'm trying to think when it first appeared. .... I'm guessing just about that length of time. When I first noticed it, it had a longer tree arm that was recently cut down with tons of shoes on it. It remained somewhat sad and shoeless for about three months and then it took off again.

This particular tree is located just a few miles east of Virgin, Utah near the Ostrich Ranch.

and............how funny was that sentence?

I was certainly surprised after I did some research this week on the internet!

Shoe Trees may be the greatest embodiment of the American Spirit you can find on the highway (free of admission charge, anyway).

A shoe tree starts with one dreamer, tossing his or her footwear-of-old high into the sky, to catch on an out-of-reach branch. It usually ends there, unseen and neglected by others. But on rare occasions, that first pair of shoes triggers a shoe tossing cascade. Soon, teens are gathering up their old Adidas and Sauconys, families are driving out after church with Dad's Reeboks and grandma's Keds. Many inscribe messages on the sneakers in permanent marker -- greetings, love poems and life accomplishments.

No way I was looking in this zip lock baggie.............Ewe!

The shoe tree blooms with polymer beauty. A work of art like this may last for generations, tracing our history by our sneakers . . . as long as the tree doesn't die or get attacked by shoe tree murderers.

Some might consider this art, while others consider it a form of littering! Either way...........I thought it was totally "blog worthy"!