*Monday Memos* (My Birthday and Tanae's Wedding Edition)

*MONDAY MEMOS*

   

 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge) 
Weekly recap of my rather crazy, insane, but fun and rewarding life!

dear birthday week!  Yippee!  I get to celebrate all week long and into next week too!  Heck, I think I'll just carry it out to the end of the month! 

dear long run, to celebrate my birthday week (NOT!), I got up really early on Monday and did my 17 miler!  UGH!  I was so dreading doing this one because Robin was gone on vacay and I knew I would be doing it alone.  I could have called another runner friend or two, but I decided to just make it simple and do it on my own when I could do it.  I found out later Jen almost text me to go run Ben Lomond Peak this morning.  That would be 18 miles and it would definitely count, but I would have needed another four hours which I didn't have today. 

 Sunrise across the lake.  Stunning.

 Two bucks in the brush

It is so beautiful to be in nature when everything is waking up.

I love my new phone! 

I decided to drive to Mantua and run around the dam twice then drive back and do 10 more miles in town.  That WAS my plan, but when I got there I decided to run the dame three times and run around Mantua for my other five miles.  I thought I would go stark raving mad running around the dam that many times, but it really wasn't that bad.  It was early in the morning and I saw the sunrise and two buck deer as well as many waterfowl and it was just peaceful.  I did take my pepper spray though to be safe.  The only thing that I could have used it on was a very WET dog that ran up and jumped on me!  I changed my direction each time which also helped.  Dave really didn't want me running down the canyon alone and I agreed, so I think my route was actually pretty good.  But, no matter what route I take, 17 miles is a VERY LONG run!  I wasn't really trying to run fast either.  Actually, I was not feeling like I could have even if I had wanted to.  Man, was I glad to have that over!  

I did it!  What a HUGE relief!

dear harp lesson, after my long run, I rushed and got ready for my harp lesson.  This week was probably the very worst lesson I've had so far because I wasn't home to practice due to the family reunion and when I was home, every minute went into getting ready for that.  She was understanding but I wish I would have found more time to practice.

dear purple birthday lunch, after my harp lesson, I met Dawn and Kathy at Marie Callendar's for lunch.   

Carla and Robin couldn't make it and we all missed them, but the three of us know how to have a good time together.  

Everyone wore purple for me and Kathy even brought crepe paper to decorate the table!  Leave it to Kathy! hah 

The waiter reminded me of Marty McFly!  He sounded just like him! He was very sweet though.  When I dumped my FREE pie in my lap he even brought me a new piece!  I feel like I am jinxed lately.  I keep doing stupid things.  Yesterday I pulled out of my parking place at the church and backed right into the huge dumpster.  Now the driver side door is all dented and scratched with white paint!  UGH!  I can NOT let my Dad see what I have done to his ex-car! 

Dave was very sweet about it, though I don't know why.  The boys just kept shaking their heads in shock.  I think the reunion did me in.  That and the shower.  And now the cake.  Maybe my brain can no longer take on big projects back to back.  It didn't use to be a problem. I was usually juggling three or four BIG things at the same time ALWAYS.  Hmmm......  

I really needed this lunch today!  It was so nice to be with friends that make my life so much brighter!  I am abundantly blessed with the most amazing friends!  I truly am. 

It's so nice to have people in your life that will celebrate you and your birthday.  For all the disses Facebook gets, I will always be grateful for it because it brought my old friends back into my life and it brought new friends I would have never got to know in my life as well. 

This is us!  We have a good time that's for sure.

dear fhe, when I got home we decided to take the boys to Jason Bourne for FHE.  It was funny because they didn't even sit by us.  Well, they sat in our row but had a few chairs between us.  That's okay.  The movie was intense.  I have loved all the Bourne movies.  Not as much as the guys do, but they are good. The place was packed.  I'm sure there were peeps in there I knew but we sat and watched the credits after and most people had left by then.  

dear happy birthday to me! I must say I do love my birthday!  It is fun to get to spend the entire day being pampered and receiving gifts.  What's not to love!???   I chose not to run today because I was pretty sore from yesterday's 17 miler.  I met Karen and Julie and Linda at Idle Isle for our birthday lunch.  Linda and I share a birthday.  She is one year older and I make sure to remind her of that each year.  hah!  We are exchanging our gifts later because she has been SO swamped with the wedding that she hasn't had time to get me one and I still haven't got her one either.  But here we are with the gifts Karen and Julie gave us!  So fun! 

 We met at Idle Isle at 11 a.m. and we were grateful we chose that time because right after they brought us our salads they told us they had to close the restaurant for the rest of the day due to something overheating in the kitchen.  We still got our food but no one else came in and we also each got half a dozen rolls to take home.  Mmm...... 

 I love these sisters of mine.   I have always called them my sisters because they truly have been sisters to me.  Not having any of my own, I think I scored pretty nicely in this department.  I look so tired in all these pix!  I was!  Still trying to catch up on my sleep after a crazy couple of weeks!

We walked across the street to get some Idle Isle candy and I loved this sign they had hanging up.

On our way back to our cars, we found the missing army man from the family reunion!  At Boot Camp's Search and Rescue, only ONE soldier was unaccounted for, but we found him!  :)  How he got to BC all the way from Alpine, we do not know.  ;)

But the BEST find of the day was this penny laying in Main Street. I spotted it from quite a distance but wasn't quite sure if was one or not, but it was!!!  I KNOW it was TYSON wishing his Mama a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Thanks Bud!!

BEST Birthday gift ALL day!!!

Bryce left for Montana to attend a friend's wedding and so I didn't get to have him here for my birthday.  We met my parents at Rainbow Gardens to eat at The Greenery.  I wanted to go to Union Grill because I was craving Caramel Bread Pudding, but they aren't open yet since they moved.  So, even though The Greenery isn't a fave among most men, I really wanted a Mormon Muffin and so I chose it. 

Yummy food!

I even got a free piece of chocolate cake.  And, let me tell you, it was good! 

My Mom also brought me a cake!  My Dad is trying to light a match on his pants to light the candles. He wasn't having great success. But he was entertaining!  The waiter finally brought us a lighter.  Hah!

It was a fun birthday!

 One of my most favorite things of my birthday is when I come home and have gifts sitting on my porch.  I also had many friends stop by, text, call, and over 200 Facebook birthday wishes.  How can you NOT love your birthday when you get spoiled like that?  It's just so much fun! 

My friend Jen gave me this card. I laughed SO hard! 

Pat (our RS Pres) dropped this ↓ by.  How cute is that?

Dave spoiled me too...

Here are some of my gifts of the day....

I tried to collage most of them. A few came after my bday and a few are missing. Truthfully, I was spoiled!  I am so blessed with so many friends and family who made this day special! 

If I had to choose my most favorite thing I received today, I honestly could not because EVERY single thing I got, I absolutely LOVE! What a great day!  One of my friends told me HAPPY DOUBLE NICKEL!  Hey, if I get pampered and spoiled like this, then turning the double nickel isn't so bad!

dear wednesday, I got up early and did hill repeats.  I got in 16.  I was very happy about that!   I also had another birthday lunch at Taco Time for some of the sister's in my ward.  Cute Leslie organized it and it was so sweet of her.  We had a fun lunch and chat and she showered me with gifts including homemade fudge.  She is a very thoughtful person.  Jen took this selfie of us.

dear wedding cake, I rushed home so I could get a start on the wedding cake.  I wanted to get it all baked today and possibly cover one or two with fondant.  I got it baked but decided to do the fondant tomorrow.  After much research, I found a recipe that I think I will be using for all future cakes.  I really like how dense and sturdy it is and the taste is amazing. After Weston's cake's fiasco, I am not willing to risk that happening again.

The bottom layer is styrofoam and so I prepared that today.  I had to sandpaper off the rough edges so the fondant will go on smooth.  I am a little anxious about how tomorrow will go.  You just never know.  But I have done all I can to make sure it is a success so we will see.  

I am going to include the recipe for the cake here for future reference. I highly recommend this.  It tastes REALLY good and it is dense enough for a tier cake.

WHITE WEDDING CAKE RECIPE

Servings 30-40 (This made two 6" inch and two 8" squares)

• 2 (18 ounce) boxes white cake mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
• 2 ²⁄₃ cups water
• ¹⁄₄ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 cups sour cream
• 8 large egg whites

Directions:

1. Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Pour into greased and floured cake pans, filling each pan a little over half full.
4. Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
5. Bake in preheated 325° F oven until cake tests done.
6. Baking time varies according to the size and depth of pans being used.
7. I used Wilton's Bake Even Strips on my cake pans to ensure a level-topped cake which required absolutely no trimming-- I highly recommend these.
8. In 2" deep pans, this recipe makes:.
9. One 14" round and one 6" round.
10. or One 16" round.
11. or One 12" round and one 10" round.
12. or One 12 X 18" sheet cake.
13. or One 12" round and one 8" round and one 6" round.
14. or Two 9" squares.
15. or 5 dozen cupcakes.
16. Half the recipe makes:.
17. Two 7" rounds.
18. or Two 6" rounds and 6 cupcakes.
19. For chocolate cake: use chocolate mixes and substitute 6 whole eggs for the egg whites.
20. For berry flavors: use frozen berries, thaw reserving the juice. Substitute the berry juice for part of the water in the recipe, and stir the berries in at the end.
21. For lemon cake: substitute lemon juice for about 1 cup of the water in the recipe, use 6 whole eggs instead of the whites, stir in 1 Tblsp lemon zest, and use 1 tsp of a good lemon extract in place of the almond.
22. For white chocolate: melt 8oz white baking chocolate & cool slightly. use 6 whole eggs in the recipe instead of the whites, temper the chocolate by stirring in a small amount of the batter, then add the white chocolate to the entire batter and stir well. Doesn't bake up quite as high as the original, so add a pinch more batter to the pans. 

*When using filling don't add buttercream on bottom just add filling. That way it will absorb better and not push out on sides.  Also for the dam around edge, make sure it is extra stiff.  Can almost roll it with hands.

Everything turned out well.  I am hoping tomorrow things go as smoothly!
 

dear thursday run, I only got in four miles this morning because I wanted to get right on the cake.  But I am glad I got in four because I needed that in order to be able to concentrate today on doing the cake.  Running always makes me feel better...once it's done. 

dear decorating the wedding cake, I really wanted this cake to come off without a hitch.  I was so hoping it would go smoothly and actually be fun.  But when I covered the first layer with fondant and it tore on the sides, I was already ready to bawl. I just was not up for another disaster.  So, I regrouped and added some Crisco to the fondant because I knew it tore because it was too dry. I was using a different brand of fondant (Satin Ice) that most cake decorator's recommend and so I was confident it would be successful, but after it tore I was no longer sure.  Square cakes are tougher to cover than round cakes, but I was just praying it would not be a disaster. So, I said a few prayers and even blessed the cake that it would turn out and went forward with another attempt, only the second time I did it on the bottom layer first.  It worked really nice and I felt confident again that things would work out.  I also covered the middle layer and it worked out well too.  But holy heck, rolling that stuff is hard work!  My hands were killing me! 

Then I started on the ruffles. I was out of Satin Ice brand and so I used Wilton brand.  I honestly think I like it better even though most decorators on the internet recommend Satin Ice. I could have made my own, but that is very time consuming.  I could only roll out a couple rows at a time and then I had to keep them covered so they wouldn't dry out.  It was very monotonous and hard on the hands.  Especially kneading the fondant each time.  The ruffles were not working out at all with the tool I bought.  I watched several videos on how to ruffle it but it was not even coming close to how it was supposed to.  I was in a little panic when I couldn't get it to work, but I tried to think of another way to ruffle and I finally just ruffled each piece by hand and then it looked great.  It was VERY time consuming, but I liked how it was turning out.  I feared it was going to be a little too ruffly for what she wanted though.  But I thought it looked pretty.

It took me several hours - I basically worked on it from about 1:00 until after 10:00 p.m. with about a two hour break to go to the Stake Pool party.

I had to use a lot of toothpicks to keep the weight of the ruffles falling down until it dried.

This is what it looked like when I went to bed.  I wasn't going to stack it until right before the reception.  I am glad the top layer was covered in ruffles because I used some pans that didn't have straight edges and you could tell.  Not sure why any cake decorating company would make pans without straight edges, but they all seem to.

 What a relief that it turned out!  Now to get it to the reception without incident!

dear stake pool party, I really didn't have time to go, but Dave needed me to and so I was the supportive wife and went.  I looked a mess, but oh well.  I ran into Sharon who was wearing almost the same shirt I was.   Carol H. took our photo and I got an email from her the next day with the picture.  There were SO many peeps there.  We waited and waited for the line to go down, but it never did.  I finally told Dave I better go home so I can finish the cake.  The Singletons tried to get us to go to Taco Time with them because they were tired of waiting as well.  I decided I just better get home.  One of the servers grabbed us each a plate as we were leaving.  Robin told me after that there were about six couples that left the party eating at Taco Time.  Haha 

Twins

dear tanae's wedding, we didn't have to be to the temple until 11:00 a.m. and so I had time to get in a run.  Taylor and I drove to the temple together and met Dave there.  There was a huge group!  It was a nice ceremony.  We gathered outside and waited for them to come out.  It was SO hot! 

The cute couple with the even cuter Kylah!

With Dave and Taylor.  Bryce was in Montana at his good friend's wedding that had been planned for a year and so he missed it all.

We took a few pictures and then I ran home and finished some detail work on the cake and then headed to the luncheon.  It was at their church. My niece Aubrey wrote a song for them and it was amazing.  I wish I had a video of it.

 the cake...

Getting it there....we took it in two trips because the reception was only a couple blocks away.   It survived the ride!!!

Applying the finishing touches...

Final product....

 I must say I was happy with it....

 A couple more angles...

I can't even tell you how HAPPY it made me to see PURPLE HYDRANGEAS!  They are my second favorite flower (lilacs still are #1) but the ruffle look of them matched perfectly with the cake!  Tanae originally just wanted one big Gerber on the front of the cake, but she saw them and also thought they needed to be on the cake.  What a glorious combo!

Whew!  What a relief to have this done and safely on display!  I didn't even get too crazy when a 10 year old boy came up to the back of it and nearly put his head through it!  It was a close call, but even if he had, I would have just been grateful it arrived in one piece and nothing went wrong on my part!

The reception was beautiful!  It was held in a neighbor's backyard and it was stunning.  Everything turned out so gorgeous!

I got a few shots of Taylor having a good time.

 My 13 year old niece and 10 year old nephew caught the bouquet and garter.  Hmm.... 

With some of my sister-in-laws and nieces.

Cutting of the cake.  Everyone always asks me if it is hard for me to watch people cut my cake after putting so much time into it.  I have to say, I do cringe just a little, but that is it's purpose and so I am okay with it.  Tanae really liked how it tasted and so that is always a bonus too.  I guess if I want my art to be preserved I will have to start quilting!  hah

 I cut the rest up to serve to the guests. I'm not a fan of how fondant tastes, but the cake and filling were good.

And that was that!  Off they go to begin a wonderful life together.  I REALLY like Denver (the groom) and I know they will be so happy together. 

On their way to HAPPILY EVER AFTER!

dear long run, SO happy we only had to go 13 today!  Those 13 were STILL long.  But at least I didn't have to do it alone!  We got out really early and so the heat wasn't a huge factor today even though the high was in the mid 90's.

By the time I got out of the shower, Taylor had taken off for his trip to Oregon with his buds.  I know they will have a great time, but I sure do worry when my boys are on the road....which seems like ALL the TIME!  So this week I have one in Oregon, one in Montana, one in California, one in Russia, and one in heaven.  The one in heaven is the only one I don't worry about!  And sometimes, I even worry about him!  :)

dear baby shower, I was so excited to go meet my new little cousin Kalani.  She is Winston's new sister and such a cutie.  I went and picked up my Mom and we headed in but got stuck in all kinds of road closures.  We finally made it but I couldn't stay long because we were going to Bear Lake to look at a cabin we might buy with Dave's sister and hub.  But it was fun while we were there and I got to hold the sweet little thing!  She's a doll!

It's always a party with these guys!  Wish we could have stayed longer.

I took my Mom home and then met Dave in Mantua to go to Bear Lake.

dear bear lake, I am a little in shock that we are actually thinking about buying a cabin, but Dave's sister Karen and her hub Barry are going to buy one because he needs to for a 1031 tax thing and they asked if we were interested in going in on it with them.  I have ALWAYS wanted a cabin in Bear Lake.  In fact, when Dave had decided to move us to BC to practice, I really didn't want to.  He promised me that if we did then one day we would have a cabin in Bear Lake.   Instead we went in on one with his Dad in Alaska.  It's strictly an investment, hmmm...but still. I feel like we need a gathering place for our family now  that isn't too far away, as my boys will start to have families of their own very soon. (I hope!)

The cabin was absolutely gorgeous.  And huge!  It was much more than I would have ever dreamed I could have.  It has been well taken care of as well.  There were a few issues we are going to have looked at, but overall it was just a dream come true of a place.   If we can rent it out and turn it into an investment that makes money, we may think seriously about it.  But for now, it was just fun to dream!

When we set the appointment we didn't realize it was Raspberry Days.  The town was packed!  We headed to get a raspberry shake and some dinner and stood in line forever but it was worth it! Yum

Karen's kids all came as well as Dave's parents. 

I got hot fudge to add to my shake! Mmmm!!!  And the burgers were so good!  I haven't had a hamburger in ages!  Or a shake!  Probably not since the last time I was in Bear Lake almost a year ago! 

We will have a lot to talk about before we make a big decision like this. But it's always fun to dream!

dear garden, it totally recovered (and then some) from the hail storm in the spring!  We are getting tons of delicious produce and even some early peaches!

dear mr. cat,  he finally loves ME!  When he jumps on our bed at 4:30 a.m., it is ME he comes to instead of Dave!  (Lucky Dave!) He will lay on me and rub me until I pet him. Then after I pet him, he will lay his head on my hand and go to sleep for about 5 minutes. Then he gives himself a bath and jumps off.  The whole thing only takes less than 10 minutes.  But he likes ME! At least at 4:30 a.m. :)

dear manic manikin, no words.

dear quotes,