Race for the CURE!

The Beckstrand Girls

Lisa, Monica, Julia, Katy, and Carlene

I just have to say what a GREAT time we had doing the Race for the Cure this weekend with the girls! This is the second year I've done it, & it's just amazing to me. They estimated that there were 17,000 participants. I can't even explain looking over this sea of people as far as you can see, and realizing that all of them have been touched in some way by breast cancer. We didn't end up sticking together, so when we crossed the finish line, the rest of the family was on the sky walk cheering for us! We all went to breakfast/lunch after. I always love it when we get together, it's just FUN! My mom and the girls in my family made a weekend of it, leaving Friday and then shopping Saturday. It was nice to get away from the kids for a bit and have girl time, I love that Derrick makes that work for me every now and again. A big THANKS to my Aunt Suzi for getting us all together to do something fun for a great cause! I can't wait to do it again next year.

DOT'S DARLINGS

(Back) Lisa, Tosha, Leslie, Kristen, Suzi, Nita, Monica,

(Front) Melisa, Stacey, Katy, Julia, & Carlene

Flashback Friday!

Lisa, Monica, Kelsey, Skyler, and Kyle

Up until now I've purposely avoided posting any pictures of my teenage years, but this week I'm going to give in and just go for it. Were all of you as awkward as I was at this stage in your life? I was appalled as I looked through my pictures. This was one of the better ones, but still....you've got to love my Sally Jesse Raphael glasses? I'm thinking this was just before I turned 16.

This picture was taken at my Grandparents and reminds me of all the Sunday afternoons we spent there visiting. Going to Grandma and Grandpa's was just what we did on Sunday afternoons. When I was younger we went to dinner, but then my Grandpa was called as the Stake Patriarch and gave blessings most every Sunday, so we would wait and go visit after. I loved it when any of the cousins were there, but the little ones in particular. Skyler and Kelsey have always been my girls. It makes me feel old to see how grown up they are getting......Skyler is just a little more than a year younger than I was when I got married, YIKES! And, Kelsey is going to be the cutest ceerleader this year.

Big Excitement in our Small Town!

My sister Lisa, my mom, and I went for our daily 10:30 drink run this morning. As I was dropping Lisa off, one of our friends stopped and told us not to let the kids out to play. She had just heard on the scanner that there was a cougar loose by the church in town! The church is right behind Lisa's house through the block, so of course we had to head over and check it out. The kindergarten and pre-school kids were all getting off the bus, so we were trying to round them up and get them in cars. Anyway, as we were driving over we heard 2 shots and there were 2 or 3 cop cars there. Pretty soon the parking lot was filling up, so of course we had to go and check it out too. It's not very often our small town has anything this exciting (and scary at the same time) happen. Come to find out a cute girl form our ward (that I used to babysit) is getting married tomorrow and was at the church getting some things ready for the reception. She had the doors propped open and was walking out to the car to get something and out jumped a mountain lion?!?! She ran back in them church and called for help. What a wedding memory that will be! I guess when the cops got there it had ran to the side of the building and was hiding in some bushes. Luckily they were good shots and everything worked out ok and no one was hurt. I feel bad that it had to be put down, but it scares me to think it's been running around town and my kids have been out playing. You can see from the pictures that it was very skinny and obviously something is wrong with it. I would have never thought this would happen in our small little town, but I guess there's a first for everything.

Writing Practice?

Somehow, somewhere, Kaleb acquired a lovely dark blue marker. Yesterday, his cousin Bryson came to play (they play here or at his house everyday). Anyhow, when he left he had beautiful blue fingernails, and come to find out, marker on his body too. I meant to take the marker away, but well, I honestly forgot about it. Bryson, Kaleb and I just walked down to the neighbors to deliver lemon bread, and I noticed that Bryson had a spot of blue on his scalp. I asked him and he said Kaleb colored on him again. We lifted up his shirt and...sure enough, Kaleb did color on him again. He also thought Bryson's chest was a great place to practice writing the numbers they have been working on in Kindergarten, he got all of them 1-10. I asked Bryson why he let Kaleb do that, he said he couldn't stop him? I don't know who's worse.... Bryson and Kaleb or their sisters, the Terrible Two, who got into neosporin this morning and smeared it all over in Carlie's hair. Just in case you were wondering .....it doesn't wash out very well, ok, not at all. Her hair looks wet, but it's not, just a bit greasy! I'm thinking Lis isn't going to let her kids come over very often anymore, what do you think? I really did throw the marker away this time!!!

What a cute boy, who would write all over him like that?

Who would of thought of practicing number writing there? I guess the 3 and 6 were a bit hard to write on those bony ribs!It's a bit blurry, but that is his scalp! I guess that's one way to change your hair color?

Yummy, Yummy!

I'm going to try something new, and post one of my favorite recipes. I love this recipe because it is SO easy, but still yummy. I can turn on the oven, mix it up, and have it ready to cook before my oven finishes heating up. I needed a quick birthday something for my neighbor, who just happens to also be my visiting teaching partner and one of my camp leaders. I didn't know it was her birthday, and since stores are few and far between here, I had to make something quick. I usually put this into my Pampered Chef stoneware mini loaf pan that make 4 small loafs, but I have done it in 2 regular loaf pans also. I love to do the smaller ones, because there is more to share! If I'm taking it to someone, I usually leave the glaze off and just sprinkle it with powdered sugar, just because the glaze is messy. Anyway, I hope you like it. You'll have to let me know what you think if you try it.

**Lemon Bread**
1 lemon cake mix
1 3 oz. instant lemon pudding mix
1/3 c. oil
2 eggs
1 c. water
Mix all ingredients and pour into well greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 34-40 min. Cool in pans and top with glaze.
**Glaze**
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 Tbs. lemon juice

Flashback Friday!

Kym (in stripes), Me (yellow), Lisa (blue puffy sleeves), Kristen (in back in red), Stacey (jumping high in pink), Shad (plaid shirt, in front) that leaves either Ky or Melisa climbing up...

I'd have to guess Melisa.

This picture always makes me laugh. I'm not sure if we were trying to time it so we were all jumping at the same time, or if it was just luck. I think this was taken at White Mountain, but it sure doesn't look like that out there now? I guess too many of us filled our sandboxes. Anyway, fun times with the cousins!

8 Things.....Tagged by Laina

This was much harder than I thought it would be!

8 Things I am Passionate About

• Derrick :)
• Brock, Kaleb & Carlie
• Our extended Families
• Stamping/scraping
• Reading
• The Gospel
• Trying to better myself
• Being on time...I HATE to be late

8 Past Books I Have Read

• The Survivors, Gregg Luke
• Finding Faith, Terri Ferran
• Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys, Janey Kay Jensen
• The Dangerous Hour, Marcia Muller
• The Eclipse series, Stephanie Meyer
• Suzannes Diary for Nicholas, James Patterson
• Quicksand, Iris Johansen
• The Book of Mormon

8 Things I Say Often

• Seriously????
• Stinkin' Cute
• NO, I mean it (insert child's name) I SAID NO!
• You have GOT to be kidding?
• Nice?!?!
• I'm tellin' you.... I'm not a sporty girl!
• You really didn't say that in class, did you? (to Derrick)
• I really haven't accomplished anything all day. (said daily to Lisa as we talk for the 12th time)

8 Things I Look For in a Friend

• Good Listener
• Sincere
• Can make me LAUGH
• Wants me as a friend
• Challenges me
• Helps me be a better person
• Looks past my many faults and weaknesses
• Has at least some of the same interests and goals as me

8 Random Things About Me

• I'm a truck girl (thanks to Derrick)
• I don't like to be in the water, especially if it's on my face
• I'm horrible at making decisions, especially where and what to eat
• I'm funny about the textures of food, white sandwich bread (squishy), avocados (mushy & slimy) you get the picture.
• I love most anything old
• Cemeteries fascinate me, and when we travel I always want to check them out.
• I've had all of my babies without an epidural (ok, I had one with Kaleb, but it dosed after he was born, so I don't think it counts!)
• I freak out if I don't have a book to read, I always have a stack of both library & bookmobile books, and when I'm down to my last one I panic.

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die

• Travel more
• Raise good, fun & productive kids
• Learn the Scriptures better
• Be a more positive person
• Be debt free
• Be a fun Grandma
• Grow old, but be healthy
• Go to the Temple with my Family

8 Things I Have Learned This Year

• Potty training isn't as bad as I thought it would be
• I can go under the water without freaking out (with the famous helmet)
• I have a great Hubby ( I've known this, but he keeps surprising me)
• I'm terrible at racquetball, but it's fun anyway
• Each of my kids are really individual, and what works for one, most likely won't for the others.
• Girls Camp is tons of work! Not that I didn't know this, but I'm seeing it firsthand
• Baby chicks are really cute, but they get ugly quick.
• Pictures don't scrapbook themselves, and I don't ever get time to do it myself!

8 (or more) People I Want To Do the 8 Things (but only if you really want)

• Lisa (now you've been tagged twice!)
• Ann
• Marilee
• Kristen
• Suzanne
• Katie
• Shalise
• Stephanie V.
• Amy
• Marla
• Sarah
• Anyone else who wants to do this