Quickie trip description

In typical Bonnie hindsight, i wish I had taken the time to just blog or record our activities as we went along rather than waiting for now. we've been back for about 3 hours and I can hardly keep my eyes open, so I will have to continue later. But for now, the trip was wonderful. Nauvoo was as hot as expected and completely wonderful. There were unexpected moments of sweetness like listening to a Scottish group play their bagpipes amazing Grace next to the temple as I looked down the hill to the river the pioneers crossed. The unknown reason that Carthage jail is still standing for us to feel Joseph and Hyrums last testimony when it probably should have been leveled like everything else was. Why is it one of the only things to still actually stand and not be a replication? To know we stood where they were was beyond words. That our best family photo is under the window he stood in seems a little wrong? The drive up and back was long but actually not too bad. I hope the kids learned something of our church history, I hope they have stronger feelings for the sacrifices made for us. It was so great to get to hang out with Ken and Kris, Cole and Dane!! A cuter family I don't know! It was a fun experience to watch them in action. My little brother as a dad and husband, what a kick! I had to stop myself from doing the "wonder twins" ring bump several times, since I don't know if he's forgiven me yet for buying a ring just like his :) I'll blog more, but I had to get a few pictures and thoughts up. Because time isn't going to slow down, I have Mom coming in this week and only a week and a half getting ready for school!!

Sleepless in Alpharetta

OK two night in a row I've been wide, WIDE awake until 1 or 3 in the morning and I have no idea why. I haven't had any soda, no caffeine, minuscule amounts of chocolate. Granted I have a lot on my mind, but I don't feel like I lay there thinking. It's just weird. One night I was up till 3:30 and I came down at 2:30 and Matt was watching TV cooking a burger on the grill. Not kidding. Clearly he sleeps in way too much. I remember getting snacks in the middle of the night as a teenager, but cooking a burger?

So do I need to read this since it's called Bonnie? Has anyone read this author?/

Scout camp

Well Connor is off to scout camp this week in the worst heat ever! Poor kid. I don't think even being in the mountains is going to help much, plus it's a camp with a pretty lousy lake. But the lake information is from Matt, so hopefully he was exaggerating. Anyway he was kind of excited to go, I think he likes being off on his own. As long as he can remember to be nice to all the adults even the one he doesn't like, and to have fun and relax he should be good! He's been busy writing up his eagle project so he can submit the first draft soon! Hopefully we'll keep to my October Eagle Court of Honor schedule!!

Mike and Tiff were so nice to take AJ and Elle with them and their kids to six flags on Saturday! Needless to say the kids had a riot and are now roller coaster junkies! The best part is I got to watch it through the pictures Tiff took. (I really need a phone that takes good pictures!)

Reunion

What does it feel like to see a boyfriend 19 years later? Werid. But also really fun. Its funny to see how we grow and change and yet it's still us. David is in town to sell his Christian based art work at a art show at the World Congress center downtown. You should check out his website at www.bowman-art.com, I love his sttuff and I was lucky enough he signed some prints for me when he came to visit. Kirk mentioned I still own the VHS of the performance David and I were in back in 1992 and then enormous pressure was put on me to find it. I kinda wish it had stayed lost for another 20 years!! I remind everyone the tape was made after our tour of Venezuela and I was hoarse and exhausted so my voice was not strong!! But it was a riot to see. Guess I need to convert the tape to dvd. Maybe in 20 more years I'll sound good :)
Anyway it was a nice visit, I got to say thank you for being my friend when I really needed one and how grateful I was he brought me in the performing group which lead me to Ricks which lead me to Kirk.

Connor and AJ in the pool

Connor holding Aj on his shoulders so J can flip off

our whirlwind beach trip

Kirk called me from Jacksonville FL on Wednesday afternoon and said hey why don't you guys drive down here and stay with me for a few days while I'm working. We though about it for maybe 10 minutes then had the car packed in 15. We drove for 5:53 and it was worth every minute of it to spend 2 days at the beach! Since we were trying for a cheap trip we stayed in Kirks hotel room that was covered by the firm so we had 2 queen beds for the 6 of us. Elle slept between kirk and I which is her favorite place no matter where we are, and Matt and Connor shared the other bed while AJ made a giant bed cushion mattress on the floor. The kids thought it was the coolest thing ever to swim in the 19th floor rooftop pool complete with blue underwater lights. We probably didn't turn out the lights until midnight but that's when the giggling fits kicked in. I'm embarrassed to say much of the hilarity revolved around gas(farts, sorry Mom). My favorite moment I will now attempt to dialog,
Matt shuffles around the bed and says quite seriously, "OK, I'm now going to take my pants off since I like to sleep, naked"
Connor without a moment to consider replies "I'm already naked."
Maybe it was because I was so tired but I laughed and laughed and laughed, Connor was so quick on the come back. I thought it was going to be something like, ewww, or gross, or not when you sleep in my bed. But the, I'm already naked was too awesome. I'm still laughing.
Anyway the waves were really big at this beach and their were lots of surfers. I guess I've gotten used to taking the kids to beaches with pathetic waves. I've gotten used to reading and sleeping on the beach, but this one I felt compelled to watch them or be out there with them the whole time. Granted they did great, but it was nerve wracking!! We are back tonight and exhausted. we had hoped to leave late Friday afternoon but instead took off about 2 due to lots and lots of rain. We were about 3 hours north of Cape Canaveral. If we had been any closer I would have driven there to watch the lift off today. I'm told if it wasn't so cloudy we could have seen some of it. Do you think so? And that's too bad.

I'm gonna try this!

Ok I must have 4 or 5 different french toast type recipes. Clearly it is one of my weaknesses. And it is fast Sunday so maybe thats why just reading this is making me hungry! But I think I need to try it... french toast with orange and pecans??? Hello Yum!!!
Orange Pecan French Toast
Ingredients

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup chopped pecans
12 (3/4 inch thick) slices French bread
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup 2% milk
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 egg whites
2 eggs
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting
Directions

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, melted butter, and corn syrup. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish, and spread evenly. Sprinkle pecans over the sugar mixture. Arrange the bread slices in the bottom of the dish so they are in a snug single layer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, egg whites, and eggs. Pour this mixture over the bread, pressing on the bread slices to help absorb the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Remove the cover from the baking dish, and let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Hapy birthday me

Well it was a interesting birthday this year. My Grandpa Clark passed away Thursday afternoon. I was up really late texting and talking to family so I couldn't pull myself out of bed for a birthday run. Then spent the morning kinda crying as I ordered flowers for his funeral from myself and my siblings. Out of all my friends only 2 were around to go lunch, but it was still really nice to get to sit and chat. I went to dinner with the inlaws, which was ok because they took us to Stoney River, which is one of my favorite steaks!! We never get to go there so it was wonderful. Except in the middle of dinner a real estate agent who I was schedule to see on Saturday to look through a house I'm in love with called to say the house just sold. I had wanted a sign if it was the right house or not, but I was kinda hoping for a different sign. So I'm not trying to mope or have high expectations about just another day, but between losing a loved one, missing out on a house, not being able to fly out for the funeral it just wasn't my favorite day. Plus 2 brothers never called me.... one I expect better of since I used to paint his nails and dress him up, but the other I forgot to call as well so I guess we are even!
Kirk got me the little tiny one inch ipod that clips on your clothes while you work out, which was really nice. He got it inscribed on the back to say, "Run Bonnie Run". I loved it this morning when I made up my run from yesterday and I thought of my Mom running in Spokane on the river before the funeral. I wish so much I was there, but a ticket with several stops was going to be almost a $1000. None of us thought that's what Grandpa and my parents would want me to spend that kind of money on. But knowing that doesn't make it easier.