Caramelled Apples

Yesterday we had FHE with Mom and Dad and we made Caramelled Apples. We had three toppings; chopped nuts, crushed Oreos and Mini Reeses Peaces. We stuck in the sticks and then started dipping. The caramel was so thick and sticky. We ended up with nine delicious looking caramelled apples. We then noticed that we had a thick layer of caramel still in the bowl, so we ate it! Dad made a caramelled banana, which was delicious, and then we ate the rest with our fingers. I felt like a little kid scooping the caramel up and sucking it off my fingers. Needless to say we were kind of sticky. We then went to play games and when we went back to the kitchen we found that the caramel had all melted OFF the apples (good thing we had put them on wax paper or it would have stuck).


What we learned:
- Our apples were sweet and so was the caramel so it became too sweet after a while. Next time use green sour apples.
- We think the caramel fell off because it didn’t get cold right away. We think if we had cold apples it would have worked better- maybe have the apples sitting in ice water before dipping.
- Even Caramelled Apples with melted off caramel are REALLY GOOD!

Before the meltage.

Caramel Covered Banana

After the melting...

Time Out for Women

This weekend I went with some ladies in my ward to the Time Out for Women. Time Out for Women is kind of like EFY for grown women hosted by Desert Book; it is filled with uplifting talks, Christian musicians and a whole lot of sappy. When it first started I was considering running out of the room because it was so estrogen filled and a little more than I could handle. However I made myself stay and it turned out good.

Friday night we had two speakers (Mary Ellen Edmunds and Heidi Swinton) and Dallyn Vail Bayles was our musical presenter. He toured with Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. Most recently he was in the new Joseph Smith movie and has been writing Christian songs for years. He was very good and brought the spirit with his music.

Some of the interesting thoughts from Mary Ellen Edmunds the night included:
- A rose is a rose from the time it was a seed. When looking at the rose you would never have guessed what great things would come from it. We are often seeds!
- We are not ‘Adults’ of God, we are Children of God! We need to humble ourselves and be teachable.
- When you know who you are Satan can not make you forget who you are (and therefore miserable)

Heidi Swinton talked a lot about CHOOSING to Become like the Savior. She wrote President Monson’s biography and has a very deep and personal relationship with the Prophet. She told stories about how President Monson does not hesitate when receiving a prompting from the spirit and that by doing so we can be the answer to another’s prayers. It was great hearing all the stories about President Monson and again affirming in my mind and in my heart that he truly is the prophet of God.

Saturday there were many more presenters (Mariama Kallon, Emily Watts, D. Kelly Ogden, Merrilee Boyack and Emily Freeman) and Hilary Weeks was the musical presenter. Hilary Weeks has put out many CD’s about motherhood and Christianity. In preface to one of her songs she talked about being positive in our lives. In the song she talked about when it rains and storms we can cuddle up with loads and chocolate and hide in our homes or we can go out and dance in the rain, meaning we can hit life’s trials head on and be glad for the knowledge they are supplying us with.

Some things I learned from this day (I do not remember which was said by who):
- “If we complain about life, it is only because we are thinking about ourselves” – The happiest people serve, the negative/complaining people are self centered.
- Heber C. Kimball: “ I am perfectly satisfied that my Father and my God is a cheerful, pleasant, lively, and good-natured Being. Why? Because I am cheerful, pleasant, lively, and good-natured when I have His Spirit.”
- You don’t cheer down, you cheer up- there is probably a reason for that direction!
- Don’t just enjoy happiness but produce it. Elder Maxwell said: We can have a bad day but still have a good life!
- The Gospel means good news, not bad news. We are not on this earth to be comfortable we are here to learn.
- How could you become what you are not thinking? You accomplish what you think about.
- What is almost? ‘I almost read my scriptures.’ ‘I almost said my prayers.’ ‘I almost went to church.’ No, you need to get to the point where you are not living on almost’s but on absolutes and are altogether committed
- Pray and Ask- “What is the most important thing to do today?”

It was a great day and...to add a little flavor. There was a bad storm outside and all the power died right in the middle of the second to last speaker. The speaker walked off the stage to the middle of the huge auditorium and spoke loudly (shouted) the rest of her message. The crew finally got batteries for a mic and we had a little more amplification. They were going to have the last speaker just give her testimony and then close the meeting and during her testimony the lights came back on. It might seem like a simple thing but she was able to give her talk, which was great, and we were able to finish the conference. It was a testimony that Heavenly Father was aware of us. That we kept going and the power was restored so quickly so that we could hear the messages and feel the spirit.

Although it was VERY sappy it was a very good weekend and I am glad that I went and got to participate.

W.O.W Children's Museum

The WOW Children’s Museum is truly amazing. It is a small building in Lafayette Colorado full of child centered creativity, imagination and education. There is a pirate ship, a music room, an art room, a wind room, a science room, a stage with puppets and costumes and a dance studio with costumes and tap shoes of all sizes. There is a bank, a store and a train station all made for children to learn and experience life. There are life sized link-in-logs and a bubble maker that traps a person inside. There are so many wonderful things, each with an educational description of how/why/where type answers.
In the past two weeks I learned about the museum and went three times. I first went while babysitting. Then I went with Erica, Alice and Evelyn. Then I went with Becky’s three oldest Melinda, Jacob and Alex. Each time I was able to learn and do more things- it is made for children but kept me (an adult) interested and having fun for hours. I really love this place and am happy I found it.

This is a picture of Erica's kids after the WOW Museum. They were pretty tired.

181st General Conference

Last weekend we had General Conference. I love General Conference. I love going to the church and watching the Prophet and Apostles teach on the big screen. I love taking notes and having my whole mind and body filled with the spirit. I love that every time it feels like the speakers have prepared exactly what you need to hear, that they comfort your specific burdens and that they bear testimony straight to your soul. This conference was no different.


I am grateful for the opportunity I have to hear the words of God through his latter-day Prophets , Apostles and witnesses.