Christmas Table

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The Soundtrack to your Life...

Have you heard that before? I love the idea of having a life soundtrack. People really do. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Utah Symphony & James Taylor are all part of the soundtrack in our family which made Saturday, September 7th a night to remember when all three were together for a once-in-a-lifetime performance. They played so many favorites. The evening was magical and unforgettable.

Indian Bride in Purple & Turquoise Lengha

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Bride & Groom & Spot

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High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.

Where never lark, or even eagle flew —

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

- Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

~John Gillespie Magee WW2 Pilot & Poet

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Where's My Zucchini Bread Zucchini Bread

Ingredients: 1-1/2 c. all purpose flour 

1/2 c. sugar 

1/2 c. brown sugar 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon 

1/2 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. baking powder 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 egg 

1 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium) 

1/3 c. canola oil 

 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 c. shredded zucchini 

3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips 

3/4 whole pecans 

Directions: Heat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, beat the egg, bananas, canola oil, banana extract, and vanilla extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour batter into 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake approximately 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool almost completely before removing from pan to wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf

**you can easily double triple and quadruple this recipe and I recommend it :)

Married in Mother's Dress...

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Feature in NZ Bridal Magazine

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The Candy Bombers by Andrei Cherny

If your patriotism is a little rusty in light of "Scandalpalooza" and celebrating Independence Day is feeling a little marred, this is the book for you. The Berlin Airlift was one of America's finest hours.
After the Allies defeated Nazi Germany in a total war, Berlin was a heap of burned rubble. When Germans heard the sound of American planes, they cowered. Americans and Germans were afraid of each other and there was a lot of hate. It is important to understand that in the recent war every American had lost a son, father, best friend, husband or brother to the Nazi's and America's anger ran deep. The Germans were crushed in every possible way.
Then, the Berlin Blockade: (from Wikipedia.12 May 1949 "was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany;  the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies; railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin; under Allied control. Their aim was to force the western powers to allow the Soviet zone to start supplying Berlin with food, fuel, and aid, thereby giving the Soviets practical control over the entire city.") This was literally a fight for the German Soul, would they turn to Communism and Slavery or would they begin to understand Republican government and choose liberty?

Enter, Hal Halvorsen who meets some starving German children near a fence while the children are watching the planes. He realizes that these children are so poor, that the pack of gum in his pocket could make their day. Breaking rules that could have had him court martialed, he promises to drop them some sweets. Realizing that dropping candy from a plane could literally make it dangerous, he devises little parachutes from his collection of handkerchiefs. Operation Little Vittles is born.
It is kindness that wins the hearts of the German people who suffer greatly through the days of the air lift and it is kindness that changes the city from the crime capitol of the world to something else entirely.
As you read the letters to the Candy Bomber from Germany's children and even some of their parents, you will weep and you will remember what a great nation America used to be and I believe, can be again.

 Fun NPR Story: HERE...

My car is in Mobile, all my handkerchiefs are in Berlin, and my heart is in Utah 
~Hal Halvorsen

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The Greater Journey by David McCullough

I simply LOVED this book. It covers the time beginning just after the Civil War, the great minds and artists of the day and their sojourns in the city of light. It was thrilling to me to learn about the people behind the famous canvases like George P.A. Healy who painted this iconic picture of Lincoln in the state dining room. I was fascinated by the incredible efforts and the artistic process of Augustus St. Gaudens who composed the sculpture of Sherman and Victory.
In case you are interested, THESE are some of the other folks in the book which reads like a page turner.

Pizza Dough from Betty Crocker

1/2  cup warm water

2 1/4  tsp instant yeast

4 cups bread flour

1 ½  tsp salt

1 1/4 cup water, room temp

2 tsp olive oil

Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle the yeast over the top. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the bread flour and salt, mixing briefly to blend. Measure the room temperature water into the measuring cup with the yeast-water mixture. With the mixer on low speed, pour in the yeast-water mixture as well as the olive oil. Mix until a cohesive dough is formed. Switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 1½-2 hours.

Press down the dough to deflate it. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Form dough into a smooth, round ball. (If freezing the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze at this point.) Cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough relax for at least 10 minutes but no longer than 30 minutes.

To bake, preheat the oven and pizza stone to 500° F for at least 30 minutes. Transfer the dough to your shaping surface, lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Shape the dough with lightly floured hands. Brush the outer edge lightly with olive oil. Top as desired. Bake until the crust is golden brown, and cheese is bubbling, 8-12 minutes.

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Timeless Bride...

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