Take me home

Our little family has been out West for Jed's brother's wedding. Last week Benjamin and I visited my family in Utah while Jed was taking finals. I got to hold my new nephew, Gabe. :) And Benjamin loved playing with his four cousins.

We went to the Hogle Zoo with my sister Melanie and her four boys (Connor, Tanner, Coleman, and Bridger) and my other sister, Mindy.

We drove from Utah to Montana for the wedding. Jed flew into Billings the day after Benny and I arrived. Nate and Kylie had a beautiful wedding at the Billings Montana temple.

Jed, Benny and I will be staying in Montana for another week now that Jed is on break.

Benjammin'

Baby Gabe

My sister just had her first baby, a little boy they named Gabriel Eric. He is 8 lbs 2 oz and 5 days overdue. He is in the Newborn ICU right now because he has some trouble with his lungs. They have had to intubate him this morning and give him surfactant. We're all praying for him. This is a picture of my mom with him.

These are some of my best friends here in Missouri. In a few short months, we will be splitting up & moving away for rotations. It makes me so sad to think of leaving such good friends. What will I do without them?! We have supported each other these past two years, and hung out with each other when our husbands were chained to the books. Because of our unique situation, we have truly bonded. I will miss them so much!
From left: Ashley, Melody, Jill, Katherine, and me.

Benjamin's back flips

I LOVE MISSOURI BIRDS

We have a little birdfeeder just outside of our sliding glass door. I love seeing the birds there every day. We have cardinals and bluejays multiple times a day. I've learned to recognize the chirping of the cardinals, so I always know when they are visiting us. I love it!

These are pictures of male and female cardinals, finches, and a bluejay.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes

These are my absolute favorite pancakes ever. Jed and I made them today for my birthday. I've made the blueberry topping once before and it was good, but I think they are delicious without any syrup at all.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes

Pancakes:
2 c. all-purpose flour
¼ c. sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
1 ½ c. milk
1 c. (8-oz) sour cream
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Mix in milk, sour cream, and butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the blueberries. Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes.

Blueberry Sauce:
½ c. sugar
2 Tb. cornstarch
1 c. water
4 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in water. Add blueberries; bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; cover and keep warm. Yield: 3 ½ c. sauce.

Coconut Cake

I had a party at my house last night and it was really fun! We chatted, played Scattegories, and enjoyed Coconut Cake along with my all-time favorite ice cream: Breyers Natural Vanilla with real vanilla bean specks. The Coconut Cake was in honor of my friend Katherine's birthday... it was last September... but luckily she still liked her cake. :)

This is the recipe for this scrumptious cake. Courtesy of my sister, Melanie, who is an awesome cook.

1 pkg white cake mix
1 ½ c. unsweetened coconut milk
4 large egg whites

Beat together. Pour into 2 round 8-inch cake pans. OR double recipe and pour into 3 round 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes. Frost the cake once it cools, and then press flaked coconut all over top and sides. Beautiful and delicious.

Frosting:
3 ½ c. powdered sugar
½ c. butter, softened
1 tsp coconut extract
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1-2 Tb. milk, to desired consistency

Turtle Stew for Dinner

TRUE STORY: Yesterday morning, as I was jogging, I came across this enormous snapping turtle on the side of the road (there was a marshy area of land adjacent to the road where it must have come from). I was intrigued, so I started to poke at it and I discovered that it was a vicious little creature. I have to admit that when it lunged at me the first time, I was very surprised! (If you click on the photo of the entire turtle, then you'll be able to see it's long threatening hind claws!)
I jogged my loop again, and when I came back to the turtle, it was about to try to cross the road (45 mile/hour road). I irritated it enough that it turned itself around. I jogged home, grabbed my camera, and drove back to make sure it crossed the road without getting itself flattened. When I got back, a woman in an old beatup truck had stopped and was in the middle of the road poking the turtle with an old broom. I walked out and talked to her for a minute. She bugged the turtle so it bit the broomstick and then she picked it up by the tail and carried it to the other side of the road. She winked at me and said she wanted to take it home. I laughed and said, "For a pet?" She looked at me in complete seriousness and said, "No, to EAT it." I was totally taken aback. To EAT it??! I asked her if she was serious and she said, "Oh yeah. Have you ever had turtle?" Well, you won't believe it, but she put that grimy mean turtle into the back of her pickup truck and drove away.
How is she going to kill it and de-shell it? Don't ask ME. And how much edible muscle is there to eat on a wild snapping turtle? Who knows. CRAZY. Anyway, how ironic - I drive back to try to keep it alive, and instead I witness it get hauled off for dinner. So disturbing....