50th Birthday

Yes, I'm getting old. 

It sounds old when I think about the fact that I've lived more than half my life. 

Wow! 

Most of the time I think I'm still 30 so I'm really not that old! 

I had a great birthday. 

Hannah and I rode our bikes to the music store downtown. I learned that she likes to spend time there browsing, so she can pick out music to save for. Then we went to the library where we both picked up a book or two. I learned there that Hannah reads music alot more than she reads books. When we got home we stole a piece of my birthday cake. Too bad I didn't take a picture. It was too die for. 

Easy Chocolate Cake

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup applesauce

1 1/2 cup cold water

3 tsp vanilla

3 T vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 x 13 pan. Whisk together flour, cocoa, soda, salt and sugar. Add oil, applesauce, water, vanilla and stir. Add vinegar and quickly stir until combined. Pour into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. 16 servings equals 128 calories per serving. 

The frosting was kind of like a chocolate pudding. If you're interested call me. You'll die to find out what it was made of. And it was soooo good! 

Later that night we had a cooking clinic for girls' camp. We made Poppyseed Chicken, rice and brownies in Dutch ovens. We also roasted corn on the cob in the fire and made banana boats. The girls had alot of fun, and the food was yummy. Especially the corn and the banana boats. 

In the weeks leading up to my birthday, my sister in law Christi kept pestering me about my birthday plans. 

"What are you going to do for your 50th birthday? Are you going to have a party?" 

"No, I just want a quiet night at home with the family."

"Oh, come on. You only turn 50 once. You need to have a party or something special." 

Well, Christi...

I spent my 50th birthday with my girlfriends! 

James Stephen Jenson...high school graduate

 

There he is!

 

He's in line!

 

Walking the stage!

 

Seniors singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

 

James is right above the head, Hannah is in the orchestra

 

James with Grandma and Grandpa Bright--this is the first graduation they have attended

 

James Stephen Jenson

 

Proud parents

 

Hannah and James

 

James and Timothy

Four year seminary graduate

Sunday was seminary graduation. I cried through every hymn and when James's name was called. I'd better take a box of Kleenex to the other graduation on Friday!
 
I'm really proud of James, and look forward to seeing what he does with his future. 

James

 

With Bishop and Sister Smith

 

With President Christensen

 

With Bishop McMurdie

 

With Kaycee

 

With Grandma and Grandpa Bright

 

With Linda

The family and Vicky Wilson

 

James, Timothy and Tom

Senior Photos

Mandie Anderson did such a good job on these!

I can't believe my tiny guy is a senior and will graduate in less than two weeks. I never thought we'd get to this point in life. Here he is, all 5 foot 6 inch and 126 pounds...my future novelist and poet/English teacher.

I know he was being silly, but these are two of my favorites. It just captured him so perfectly.

 

I really like this one, too.

Junior Prom

Hannah wasn't even planning to go to the prom. She didn't even care about it. She had plans for going next year as a senior without a date, if necessary, but this year she didn't want the bother of finding a dress and all the other stuff that goes with it. 

A week before the prom Hannah's girlfriend got a boy to ask Hannah to go with him. Becca also told Hannah she could borrow Becca's dress from last year. Thursday before the prom, things fell through when the boy realized he couldn't go after all. Becca talked their friend Blue (Alex) into going with Hannah. So after five minutes of not going, she was going again. Blue was a good date. Hannah likes him alot and has been making him the subject of her missionary work. Since it was last minute Hannah paid for her own ticket to the prom (I can't believe how expensive those tickets are nowadays. $25 each just to walk in the door!) Blue covered dinner for her. 

Becca's mom took photos at Albertson's park.

This one was just in front of our house.

I can't believe she's so grown up!

"Would"

Tonight we attended a program about the school district's art and writing magazine, Valley Visions. Every year high school students submit their art work or writing and, if lucky, it is published in this magazine. This year 250 art pieces and 350 writing pieces were submitted. 55 of each were published. James submitted work during his sophomore year and wasn't chosen. He submitted three pieces this year...a prose piece and two poems. This poem was chosen.

Would 

I would write of a shadow

Or a great few words of a truth

That weren't seen before

I would write of the cracked canvas 

Of a girl's face

Or the thin vastness

Of a mountain river

I would write of the great things

I've seen

While remembering the dust

If I could see past these walls 

I would write you into existence

And create your hand

So I could take it in mine

And with the other

Write of my escape

Adventures in the kitchen

We decided at the beginning of March to move even more towards a vegan diet. We'll never be totally  vegan because I believe there is some place for animal products. I just don't believe they should be given as much a place as they get in our American diet. My other blog has more on the things I have learned. 

However, I have been trying lots if new recipes and the family has been very patient with me. Here are a couple latest...

The liquid is homemade rice milk. I'm quite pleased with it other than we have to shake it before we use it. The cinnamon roll is my regular recipe with rice milk and vegan margarine to replace the butter and milk. The family raved about the cinnamon rolls.

I really don't care to cook, but I must admit that learning something new and having a bit of a challenge in the kitchen can make it more satisfying.

It's birthday season again and it just blows my mind that 25 years ago Johnathan was born...when I was nearly 25. He is now expecting his first baby. So we will have three generations separated by 25 years with each one. I honestly don't know where the time went. 

James is having his own time warp. One of the boys in his English class has received his mission call, and another  boy is waiting for his. It really brings it home to James that his mission is right around the corner. 

That DAM run

Oh, I'm going to have fun with this!

Husband and I signed up for the Dam Run in Emmett, Idaho next month. The course raises 1800 feet in 3.8 miles. Husband is going to try running. I'll run when I can, but mostly walk. This will be good training for girl's camp.

Proud Mama Moment

James submitted a poem to the school district magazine Valley Visions. It was accepted for publication! Tom's mom would be thrilled. 

Painting and Baby

We finally got Hannah's room done. We wanted this darker pink and lighter color with a medium pink for trim. Tom won with just the two colors. We will soon be working on curtains to bring in the medium pink. 

 One wall is the dark color. The rest are the light color.

And our first pictures of baby!

 Baby is now the size of a blueberry.

 

 John eating baby