Spring Break

This smattering of pictures is an attempt at describing my spring break...:)

The adventure to see the Big Horn Sheep...without seeing any sheep...we played in the water!

barefoot on the brown grass...

Graham and Jenna

The little kiddos wading.  

and of course...we played on the swing-set! :)

Me 'n my Mommy!

Project #1: sew a bridesmaid dress

Voila! 

Project #2: bake Birthday cupcakes for Sam.

Project #3: grill BBQ pizza!!!  (oh, man...this was the best)

Trip to see Aryn...and the Grace University Chorale

Liz, Leah, me, and Aryn!  

Yes, we are awesome people.  And yes, we get our coffee from Dunn Brothers

So, there you have it.  Not quiet all-encompassing, but it is a decent try!
All in all, break was really nice.  I loved getting to spend time with my family and also getting to see some old friends!
Now, to finish out the semester!  :)

Celebrate Everyday pt. 31 (the end)

Can you believe that the month of October is already over?! It seems like yesterday that I decided to start my ritualistic blogging everyday, and now I am almost done. After 31 days of blogging (+ or - a few days when I combined the days), I must say that I really like this habit. It has become a fun way to express the little things to look for everyday. It also is a great way to laugh about the everyday randomness! :)

Here is a recap...
1. yummy cookies
2. 3 cheers for janitors and teachers
3. oooohhhh, the leaves are sooo pretty
4. Happy Frugal Fun!
5. tell a story
6. garlic breath
7. flowers
8. the good ol' teddy bear
9. tennis shoes
10. early Thanksgiving Day
11. the Incredible, Edible Egg
12. aaaaaaahhhhhhh...Moment of frustration scream day!
13. is this 13? (sceptics)
14. lovely little lower case letters
15. poetry
16. increase your vocabulary
17. "go ahead, adjust that chair!"
18. no-shave November
19. evaluating your life
20. fruit
21. the babbling brook
22. PUMPKINS
23. *yawn* staying up late!
24. crazy day
25. pasta...(or talk in an Italian accent day)
26. sleep in day
27. peace, friendship, and goodwill
28. (do you hear the ethereal music playing) Chocolate Day
29. all for hermits
30. mischief awaits...
31. the end!

And so it is the end of my tail, but not the end of Bekah! I will continue my writing (but I'll not promise everyday!)
As I am writing this last installment, some people are indulging their sense of adventure (or whatever you call it) by celebrating the "holiday" of Halloween. I am not particularly fond of that holiday, or the connotations that are associated with it. But why not come up with another way to celebrate the end of October!
So for this last day...do something Brilliant, Ingenious, Creative!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 25

spaghetti... macaroni... linguine... fettuccine... manicotti... ravioli... tortellini... lasagne... penne... rigatoni...

It's World Pasta Day!

It's a day for celebrating the "inner Italian",

bursting out in a love song, and talking with an accent!

Pasta is a world renown Italian food. It has been used as a staple in their cuisine for centuries. The pasta is made out of flour, water, and sometimes eggs. Traditionally, pasta is used as a base for any number of kinds of sauces and toppings. Pasta includes a variety of shapes and sizes, from the large cyclical manicotti to the delicately thin angel hair past.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta
Here are some fun facts about pasta:

• Thomas Jefferson is credited with introducing macaroni to the United States. It seems that he fell in love with a certain dish he sampled in Naples, while serving as the U.S. Ambassador to France. In fact, he promptly ordered crates of "macaroni," along with a pasta-making machine, sent back to the States.



• The first American pasta factory was opened in Brooklyn, New York, in 1848, by a Frenchman named Antoine Zerega. Mr. Zerega managed the entire operation with just one horse in his basement to power the machinery. To dry his spaghetti, he placed strands of the pasta on the roof to dry in the sunshine.



• During the 1980s, macaroni, which was traditionally considered a "blue-collar" down-home meal, was transformed into the more upscale "pasta." As more and more people began to have fun with it and romanticize it throughout the '60s and '70s, its image began to change along with its name.



• There are more than 600 pasta shapes produced worldwide.



• Pasta is found in the will of Ponzio Baestone, a Genoan soldier who requested "bariscella peina de macarone" - a small basket of macaroni

http://www.kitchenhelpfulhints.com/pasta/pasta-facts.htm

Enjoy your pasta today!

Celebrate Everyday pt. 1

Happy October, everyone!

Isn't it amazing how fast time flies!

It seems like just yesterday that it was August, and school was just starting.

In light of the aforementioned truth about the passing of time, I am endeavoring to write a series of posts about the "everyday holidays". Each day that are alive is a gift from God! We have a choice about how we look at life. Why not choose to make each day special, and live to the fullest for the glory of God EVERY MOMENT!?!

Isn't fall the most lovely time of year? This is when the temperature gets a little chilly, and sweaters and hoodies are most welcome. The leaves on the trees are just starting to change colors. The air is crisp. You go outside and leaves are cruching under your feet, leaving a earthy musty scent in the air. You go inside and are immediately hit with the warmth of the house. Then one of the most wonderful smells hits your nose! Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!!

To celebrate today, it is Homemade Cookie Day!

Use this as an excuse to do some baking. Find your favorite (or a new) cookie receipe...and CELEBRATE!

Here is a receipe for

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. (allrecipes.com)

little creations

My new "office" of sorts is my kitchen table. It is a very nice table and has a great view, through the double doors, of the Rim-rocks. At this table, some wonderful "little creations" have been made. And the only rules that reign supreme are neatness, creativity, and fun!

The first was a double-sided sign announcing the Backyard Bible clubs. This was a project which did not require much thought, but only patience and precision in tracing and filling in the letters! But I do need to mention the Magnum Sharpie Markers and the slight headache that followed the completion of the project! Next, is a puzzle made from poster-board, which is going to become a memory verse game for one of the lessons of the Bible Club. I had never made a puzzle before, but the compass and protractor came in very handy! Another creation, which is definitely more yummy than the other two, are some home-made chocolate-chip peanut butter cookies. I cannot take the full credit for the recipe--part was taken from the back of the chocolate chip bag!

~Bekah's Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/2 c.whole wheat flour (or white flour if you prefer.)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

1 c. chocolate chips

Combine butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Stir in flour, salt, and baking soda. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Yield about 2 dozen.