Do you Zumba?

Until today, my answer to that question was no. A friend from my other exercise classes told me how great Zumba was and that I should give it a go. So, today I let go of my inhibitions (because you have to in this class) and let it shake, shimmy and salsa.

Zumba is a Latin dance based exercise class. The music is great, very dancy and just really good. Our instructor's name is Cass, but I think she should change it to motor butt or swivel hips or Caffeinated, because she is all that and a bag of sliced fresh fruit (she doesn't look like she eats chips). The moves were fairly simple and the time flew by. It was like doing a huge group dance with a bunch of strangers, mostly women and the lone man. Gotta give it up to the lone man.


BTW, this isn't my class, but it is a really good representation - and they even have the lone man.

So will Zumba be a repeat class for me? Hard to say right now. I was really sweaty after class and there were times of maximum heart rate, but I am not sure. I think I will give it a few more tries before I cast my vote.

Raspberry Dreams

Last night I dreamed that my raspberry bushes were loaded with perfectly ripe raspberries. Oh well, a girl can dream.

Mustard Pickles

While Toby was out of town a couple weeks ago, I purchased the Ball Complete Book of Canning. And now, thanks to the great recipes in that book, I have at least a 2 years supply of mustard pickles sitting on my shelves. I don't understand my obsessive compulsive behavior when it comes to projects, but I am sure I will be glad to have the 20 pints of mustardy goodness on my shelves in the winter. (I can't tell you how many times people say that I will be glad to have the grape juice, pears, plum leather and now mustard pickles in the winter. I wonder why only the winter?)

Hawaii Mission Memories part 1

Most people know that I served a mission to Hawaii. Yes, they really do have missionaries there and I know I was truly blessed.

After spending 6 weeks in the missionary training center, I was ready to fly the coop. Actually, we were supposed to stay for 8 weeks because we were learning Japanese, but we left earlier. Not a moment too soon for I was ready to get to work. Script for tram tours memorized? Check. Speaking and understanding Japanese? Yeah right. Ready to hit the pavement? You bet!

So, when we arrived we spend the first day at the mission office. The AP's were so helpful to all of the new bleary eyed missionaries by passing a huge candy bucket around every 15 minutes or so to ward off sleeping. First night was spent with one of the couple missionaries. I remember the apartment smelling like bengay liniment. Every time I smell that strong pepperminty smell, I am right back in that apartment. The next morning we were picked up by the district leaders from Laie and off we went. I was awestruck by the beauty of that island. Once through the pass, the mountains were surreal in their beauty. Seriously, how could a place be more beautiful. I loved the monkey pod trees with their vast canopies and another flowering tree with orange flowers and the many plumeria, papaya, and coconut trees. I seriously had visual sensory overload for the first couple of weeks.
Often the ocean was quite close to the road and I was amazed at clear aqua water. I had never seen water so clear and sand so perfectly sandy.

I met my new companion, Sister Ishihara and Sister Padeken met Sister Kaito and we had lunch at Subway. I remember this because it was one of the most awkward meals I had ever had - lots of silence. Not that silence is bad, but that memory just sticks in my mind.

Sister Ishihara and I were on trams that evening and boy howdy was I ready to do my thing. If you haven't been to the Polynesian Cultural Center, let me explain what we Sisters did at that park.

We conducted tours from the PCC though the town of Laie, sharing information about BYU-Hawaii and its campus all the while driving to the top of a roundabout where we directed the audience to the right-hand side of the tram to take in the beauty of Temple Beach, aptly named. Then we conveniently segued into our dialogue about the Hawaii Temple and asked the crowd to take a look on the other side of the tram, down the long street lined with huge palm trees ending with the breathtaking, gleaming white Hawaii Temple. Truly one of the most beautiful places on this earth, in my humble opinion.

Photo by Rick Satterfield, 2005

Anyhow, just a thought that was in my head. I have more I would like to share so if interested, stay tuned.

Pears

Autumn arrived at our house today in the form of beautifully ripened bartlett pears. I purchased them on Thursday and they rested in the dugout until today. I knew that it was today or never, so after an invigorating gym class, I draped my apron about me and began to get the kitchen ready for canning. I have to wipe all surfaces down before I preserve anything - it just doesn't feel right if I see crumbs or fingerprints.

The process was long. Longer than I remember from last year. Perhaps it was that I was flying solo for the first batch. Maybe that invigorating gym class sapped my energy(it was a great class). Whatever it was, I was glad to see those last seven quarts in the boiling water before I headed in for my shower. After what seemed like eternity, I have 13 quarts of pears sitting on my picnic table in the backyard. I swear I canned more than just 13 quarts - at least if felt like I peeled more that 13 quarts worth of pears. I still have pears left over - a little green for canning. They are resting and growing sweeter with every passing minute. These guys will get to try out my new drying sheets for the dehydrator. I'll let you know how pear leather turns out in the next couple of days.

Homesick

It has been almost 2 weeks since my firstborn started another school year. He was nervous in the days preceeding the start of school because he was certain that he would not like his teacher. She has a reputation as being mean and yelling. After meeting her at back to school night and also during a reading interview, he changed his mind. "She's really nice!", was the reply to "So what do you think of your teacher?" I feel comfortable with his teacher and am glad that she keeps a finger on her students. The class is small, only 17 students at my last count on back to school night, which I consider a good thing.

So why the title Homesick? Well, my blonde cutie tells me that he gets homesick at recess. My heart melts because I know what that feeling is like and I know it is hard to overcome when so young. My son is such a tender soul and my aching heart just wants to scoop him up, wrap him in a blanket, have treats and play all day. As we were talking about his homesickness, I said I could put a small picture of our family in his binder. He said he would probably cry. Oh, my heartstrings! I have been praying to know how to help him and I hope I will do what is good and right for him. Does anyone out there have advice for soothing the ache of homesickness?

Our Boulder 2009 Trip

This summer could not have handled another outing. We filled the summer holiday with camping, swimming, exploring and roller coaster riding. Allow me to share our adventures.

As a youth, our family always went camping in the summer in one of two places. Either it was the Boulder Mountain year or it was the Beaver Mountain year. This tradition starts way before my time, much like my dad's deer hunting, which is for another time. I always enjoyed going to these places. Boulder is red rock, Ponderosa pines and long jeep rides to the watering hole and Capitol Reef. Boulder is three wheelers and motorcycles down the rosebud trail with hair whipping into a tangled dusty mat at the end of the day. This year, Boulder was introducing my memories to my children and to my husband. Toby has only heard of the adventures in Hardy camping and I was excited to share this beautiful mountain and lake with him and our family.
We left around 9:00 am and arrived around 5:00 pm. Whoa you say. Well we had a little truck trouble around Torrey (the town at the base of the mountain). We stopped for some final provisions and Sundance notice that a liquid was leaking from the truck. I hopped out and took a peek for myself and sure enough, oil was hemorraging out of the truck and making a large puddle in the dusty gravel. We quickly asked for the nearest mechanic and drove as fast as we dared to Bicknell. As we came smoking into town we feared the worst. However, our silent, slowmoving mechanic hopped up into the motor and flashed his little light around and had an "ah ha" moment. Twenty minutes later, he produced the problem and the solution.




Apparently there is a high pressure oil pump that runs the fuel injectors on this truck (I am assuming that there is such a machine on other vehicles as well). It turns out that there is a nut on the back of this device has a seal that keeps the oil in under the high pressure. Well, ours failed, causing the subsequent river and puddle of oil under the truck.








Five quarts of oil later and we were on our way up the mountain. We stopped at the Wildcat Ranger Station to fill up our fresh water tank (a Hardy tradition at least as old as me) and the rangers were more than happy to share their knowledge and trinkets with the kids, at least those who were still awake.

The rest is pretty much history and fond memories. Who can forget canoeing and fishing in Lower Bowns reservoir. Try as we may, we still cannot get the image of Kyle Hardy's backside (I'll spare you the image) peeking out of the water during his Au' natural swim in FRONT of his extended family. Our boys have new heroes in their cousins Kyle and McKay as they fished and rode doughnuts in the jeep. Our boys and Toby now know about the watering hole and skull rock. We also know that a Ford F-250 can indeed make it to Capitol Reef through the back door, although you may have a few rocky mountain pinstripes customizing your ride.

Here are a few more pictures of our adventure on Boulder Mountain.

Just above the infamous watering hole

Enjoying the ice cold water

Our Rig loaded to the gills

After a quad ride in the rain

Fishing, fishing, fishing

Skull Rock

Riding with cousin Roger Hardy

On the trail to Capitol Reef
(the jeep is Kyle's doughnut making machine that our boys adored)

Food Blogs

Today I am home nursing to health a sick daughter. While in the act of comforting her fevered brow, I happened upon a new food blog named Smitten Kitchen, found at the url of the same name. I found this new food blog through one of my favorites - The Pioneer Woman. What is it about food and pictures of food and experiences with food that draws me in like a moth to a light? I dunno.

I love looking at the creation photos (this seems to be the latest and greatest - documenting in photos the process of cooking) and most importantly - I like getting new ideas for meals to grace my own kitchen table. Meals such as tortilla de patatas and huevos rancheros. Or perhaps I will surprise my family with a little something from the Pioneer Woman, such as her much acclaimed "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake....Ever!" But whatever I may fancy, I know it will be good because, I mean if they say it is "The best chocolate sheet cake...ever!" then it is!

Look for more of my favorite food blogs on the right and I will see you at the gym!

What Skyler learned in Church

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, Toby asked Skyler what he learned in his primary class. Skyler replied, "I learned about erection from the lady with the purple boots." Man, I love little kids!

Talents

I love to cook. I love to collect recipes. I have to visit the gym 3-4 times per week, but I will make the sacrifice to continue these hobbies.

During my time on Facebook, I was able to visit old friends, see their pictures and admire the contributions they were making to society. However, along with this admiration came envy. I became so envious of my "friends" talents that I forgot that I had any that would be noteworthy. I mean what is so fantastic about cooking and collecting delicious, decadent, and dreamy recipes.

Well, let me tell you - I can whip out tasty and nutritious meals with minimal ingredients and no recipe in sight. I can bake my own bread that is actually eaten and enjoyed - even when room temperature without butter, honey or jam.

I just love knowing what to do with food. Knowing how to cook it, season it, preserve it. Sometimes I feel like a magician - most of the time magic occurs - sometimes I flop. But nonetheless, I love the look on people's faces when they are enjoying the fruits of my labors and talents. So thank you talent fairy for bestowing this gift upon me. I love it and will continue to make good use of this fantastic noteworthy gift.

Things I love about Spring

Yesterday as I was driving home from the cannery, I drove past a few of the remaining orchards in Orem. The orchards made me smile. Why? Because they had been recently prunned and that means there will be fruit coming from those trees. I was just so happy to see these trees ready for their swollen buds to burst forth into billowy, blushing blossoms.

Have you ever driven past orchards in bloom? When we lived in Sonora, CA, we would make the trip to Modesto for our greater shopping needs and would have the pleasure to drive through the almond and walnut orchards. I am sure there were peach and other stone fruit trees along the way. I would roll the window down and deeply inhale. Ahh, complete sensory delight.

So, thank you orchard owners for keeping your trees alive and for taking care of their needs. I will be paying your fruit stands a visit in a couple of months for your sweet cherries, juicy peaches and nectarines, plums and finally apples and pears.