We Seek After
These Things
Recently returned from serving the people of Honduras for 3 years

Thursday, October 28, 2010

It's That Time of Year Again!

Don't really want to repeat myself - 

But this kinda says it all :)

Just Get the Shot Already



Hee!  Sooo funny I love em all :)

**** FLU UPDATE
The U.S. 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine will protect against an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus, and the 2009 H1N1 virus that emerged last year to cause the first global pandemic in more than 40 years and resulted in substantial illness, hospitalizations and deaths. Seasonal 2010-11 vaccine has begun shipping from manufacturers and CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a 2010-2011 flu vaccine for the upcoming season as vaccine is available.

Stuck like Glue . . .

and it's called . . .




soooooo good . . .

I totally feel a new favorite will
be added to the list soon.

See you in about week, meanwhile I'll be 
cuddled up with a good book :)





Monday, October 25, 2010

'Twas Brillig and the Slithy Toves . . .

did Gyre and Gimble in the wabe:

I'm always reminded of this my favorite poem
(the Jabberwocky - by Lewis Carroll)
as the weather turns to Fall, and one begins to hear the storms a brewin'
outside the window. The strong rustle of the leaves blowing on the trees
as they trickle past the window in a steady flow with the oncoming thoughts of
winter approaching.

The changing of the seasons here in Utah is spectacular with the amazing color
presentation we're surrounded by here in our little mountainous corner. Being surrounded on
three sides by Autumn foliage is an amazing sight
and I'm grateful for every day that it lingers . . .

But I hear winter storms a brewin' outside my window . . .

It recalls to mind some of my favorite memories of summer
and I have to relive them just one more time . . .


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This was a favorite treat from the summer - 
Pineapple BBQ's on the grill . . .


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This summer, Norm and the kids perfected the art
of the shish - kabob

Thank you Dustin for the inspiration - 
it is our new favorite . . .



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We all couldn't help but laugh the day 
the kids took out "Christine"

It totally lends itself to silly antics . . .

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One of the last gatherings of summer
family, friends, sisters, cousins
and dogs . . .

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and newlyweds
(at least the most recent ones ;)


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of summer biking adventures
to Bridal Veil Falls



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It's hard to tell whose
holding onto who here . . .
(and the other newlyweds)

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and finally from us all . . .
that currently live here at
The Alpine Klein Bunch

We'll miss you summer . . .

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Friday, October 15, 2010

For ALL my girls . . .

This makes me happy :)





Now you'll have to excuse me for just a bit . . .

(turning on the music)

I'm gonna go dance :)





EVERYBODY cut FOOTLOOSE!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Of Halloween and Chocolate Silk . . .

Did I mention . . .

I  L.O.V.E October!

for various reasons,
but you can't beat the deal on pie at 
 
Marie Callendars - $6.99

any whole pie to go!  Every year  - gotta check it out . . .

This is my FAV - chocolate silk

(and if you don't have one in your neighborhood see MY recipe below!
**which actually comes from Martha Stewart)
 

Then you find picturesque sights like these around every corner . . .

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And finally, cute little ones like this come knocking at your door,'
whole bunches of them,
all CUTE as can BE!




Chocolate Silk Pie

Makes 1 nine-inch pie
FOR THE CRUST
8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled salted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan *
1/3 cup pecan halves
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR THE FILLING
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Whipped cream, for serving (Stabilized Whipped Cream recipe follows)
Chocolate curls, for serving

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie plate; set aside. (I recommend using a deep dish plate–I used a regular one and had enough leftover crust & filling to make a second miniature pie.) Grind pecans in a food processor, or chop very finely with a knife. In a medium bowl, combine flour, pecans, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press firmly into prepared pie plate. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With machine running, gradually add melted chocolate and the vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating at medium speed for five minutes after each addition. Pour filling into cooled pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Just before serving, top pie with whipped cream, and decorate with chocolate curls.


Stabilized Whipped Cream

2 T powdered sugar
1 t cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 t vanilla
Refrigerate your mixing bowl and beaters for at least 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan place powdered sugar and cornstarch and gradually stir in 1/4 c of the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer for just a few seconds (until liquid is thickened). (Mine thickened before it ever came to a boil.) Scrape into a small bowl and cool to room temperature. (I placed mine in the freezer, stirring every few minutes, to speed the process.) Add vanilla
.
Beat the remaining 3/4 cup cream just until traces of beater marks begin to show distinctly. Add the cornstarch mixture in a steady stream, beating constantly. Beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Treasures of the Heart and Home

With conference weekend behind us now, my thoughts have turned frequently to the many messages and guidance we've received from our prophets, apostles and other church leaders.  It's not that gratitude doesn't frequently fill my heart, but I feel such an overwhelming sense of gratefulness for blessings, gospel principles that guide us amidst the confusion of current events, and the peace that we feel as we ponder and serve and adhere to these gospel principles.



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As I have opportunity to visit with neighborhood families, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances, the underlying commonality that we all seem to have is that life is frequently filled with challenges.  Many days can be difficult, and just as we surmount one hill, another arises in a different direction waiting to be climbed.  Such is life.  I so appreciate the council of President Holland in our recent Regional conference where he shared comments about learning from the challenges of the past, our ancestors, the pilgrims, pioneers and early Latter Day Saints.




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I look around my home and realize that while I do not live in a castle, far from it indeed, my home is filled with treasures.  Treasures that are close to my heart.  Each little item, knick knack, doo-dad, trifle, trinket, objet d'art, a precious memory and a lesson learned, a reminder of encouragement from a life lived, challenges overcome, hard days come and gone from the past.

A grandfather and grandmother, their young children,  with already a lifetime of military service in their mid thirties, charged with the rebuilding of a city in Japan after the bombings that ended world war two.  Some of the furnishings they acquired there, I now have to grace my living room, now worn and almost threadbare.



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"The White House Cookbook" dated 1923 came to me from another grandmother who was raised with her 15 brothers and sisters in a little two-room, dirt-roofed house, then raised her own 9 children in a home just twice that size.  What a luxury that must have been.

My own parents, who sacrificed much over the years, working frequently 2-3 jobs to provide for their young family, their dining room table which today stands in my kitchen, where we gathered on special occasions, uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins each traveling from far away, to enjoy holidays and special occasions gathered around a common table.  It's where my little ones learned to sew on buttons from their grandmother, did their homework, built houses of cards and played family games. We all still gather around it today, to celebrate holidays, special occasions and to play family games.  What a treasure.



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And now as I look around me each day, I can see my treasures.  Treasures of my heart and home, and remember the challenges of the past.  Knowing that even in the good 'ol days, life was full of challenges and blessings that come from seeing them through.  
 
And I'll remember . . .



Saturday, October 2, 2010

Girls Night Out - General Conference Weekend

What did we do today?

Besides enjoy conference which was fabulous and will be it's own post soon . . .

Had sooooo much fun!

Manicures, pedicures and cute little flower fabric crafts.



We started here with the hands,

If you haven't tried the Mary Kay Satin Hand products
(and I DO NOT sell Mary Kay)
you have to try them.  They are so awesome.  You wouldn't believe how wonderful, 
soft and tingling your hand feel after you use these products on them.
Oh  - la la!



Then we soaked and soaked our feet in sea salts,
used these gorgeous products on each little toe, feet bottoms and heels.
Oh - so soft little feetsies!

And they smell lovvvellly!


All dressed up and ready for some gorgeous sandals to show them off . . .
(hee!  Kelsie's toes are a little bi-polar!)
Sara and Cami - we miss you so!

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Then it was on to the crafting portion of the evening.

We looked up these simple little fabric flower petal creations online.
They are ever so easy and look so cute as a hairpiece,
a broach for a jacket, and I think I'm going to add them to my next
QUILTING PROJECT.


Fabric flower - easy as pie!

You need a fabric strip between 2-4 inches wide and 45 inches long.  Make a running
stitch along the bottom side, gather it up and shape into a floral pattern.
Stitch all the layers together on the backside by making a circular
stitching pattern.

Fasten on the button and you all done.

More about General Conference tomorrow . . .

Can I just say this?

President Uchtdorf quoting Leonardo Da Vinci
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication"
 - - - ahhhh . . . . feeling so much better already :)





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