Chocolate Dipping

My Mother, Carla, and my Grandmother, Menita, were both expert candy makers. Mother spent at least a week making her Christmas chocolates and was well-known for her professional-grade chocolates. I on the other hand was too busy licking spoons and sneaking samples to take learning seriously. Now it is too late.

However for years I've gotten together with my friend Christi Stone, her 3 daughters, some of their cousins and friends to make chocolates. I keep trying to tell them that they know more than I ever did but they insist I have to be there. We got together tonight for FHE and had a great time.

This year we did it at Christi's house and for the first time I enjoyed dipping and not worrying.

Only 3 fingers allowed

Sarah, Christi, Shelly, Sara (not pictured Brooklyn)

The aprons are part of the tradition

YUMMY!

Playdate with Summer

Today I spent a couple hours playing with my favorite 5-year- old, Summer. We had fun reading books, coloring and playing in her fort. Her face split into a huge smile when I walked in. I'm always amazed at how happy she is to see me. She gives me so many hugs and loves while I'm there if I could just store them up I'd be set. I love her sweetness and energy.

Hiking in the Haunted Hoodos

Well actually I just pretended the hoodos in Bryce Canyon were haunted, since it was Halloween and the sky was onimously threatening rain. I had a great time on this hike.


I got to hike Snow Canyon the next day and Kolob Canyon on Sunday. I spent a couple days at my friends condo in St George which was a great location to get to all these hikes. It was so fun to get away for a weekend.

Happy Halloween

Since I don't get to dress up this year for any Halloween festivities. I thought I'd wear my costume on my blog. I had a lot of fun putting this together a couple of years ago. For years I never seemed to have a good costume so I decided to make one and since then I've only had occassion to wear it once. Happy Halloween.

A Field Trip for UEA

I probably should have worked today, but instead I played hookey and went to Hoogle Zoo, lunch and Gilgal garden with the Nelsons for UEA. It was perfect!! I won't mind paying the fiddler tomorrow for playing today.

Hiking Stewart Falls

Click to enlarge photo

My neighbors, the Nelsons, and I hiked Stewart Falls yesteday. It is a short 4 mile roundtrip hike but very fun. We let the almost-3-year-old Abbey set the pace and so it took us a while. She hiked all the way to the falls and over half of the way back. After walking a mile she told me that she thought "this is very fun".

A Great Birthdate: A Great Lady

My Grandma, Menita Daines, had a very cool birthdate; October 10, 1910 (or 10-10-10). She would have been 98 today! Here is the only picture I have with her and me when I was 4.

Click to enlarge collage