Week #19: Be Awesome!

This Week...

...we had our seventh annual Grandkid Luncheon. The theme this year was Be More Awesome! featuring Kid President. This kid has created such an inspiring movement-kindness, happiness, silliness, positiveness, awesomeness.

I sure love Kid president. He makes me laugh and want to do good things for others. I feel goosebumps when I watch his videos and a determination to make the world better. I wanted to pass that feeling on to my nieces and nephews. I wanted them to realize how awesome they are and their potential to do great things every day. Here's some of my favorite Kid President Inspiration:

We were out the door, everything and everyone packed in the van, until we found this in the tire-a screw. (Later we found out it had barely penetrated the tire and was not a threat. But we sure didn't want to risk it at the time.)

We didn't want to risk a tire blowout, so we all repacked into the Taurus. And I mean packed.

Lots of friendly faces at church. (Vicki Sabin's handbag and back of chair)

The boys are showing Grandma some funny videos

Jason sneaks a nap after church

Grandma's snowball bush

Gathering everything to head down to Kirk and Sharee's for the Luncheon. Grandpa Zirker is telling stories

Jenna and Allie-making wishes

Ready for the Grandkid Luncheon

Trenton on the wind up, Uncle Kent up to bat

Aunt Reecy was hanging out with Lainey and Allie on the porch swing.

As part of my message, I asked Aunt Cherice to talk to the kids. She read a storybook called Flight School that was really cute. It's about a penguin that wants to learn how to fly.

Corn Dogs for lunch-That's what Kid President would do. Katie, Lainey, Trenton, Paul, Alex, Sydney, Claire

Look at these two hams, aren't they handsome?! Ethan and Trenton

Grandma with Jenna and Allie. Getting ready for lip smacking good food.

Uncle Kirk-"This is my good side."

Us girls getting in a selfie.

I asked them to write down their own responses to the question, "The world would be more awesome if...." These are their responses:

...we made a trip to Chico's for my dad's birthday! We were able to get a room and it was nice to be in our own area.

Love that Hochstetter!

...Lainey hosted me at her preschool muffins with moms. We sat with Aunt Julie and Allie.

...we went to the Temple. Time spent here always calm troubles and fears.

...Lainey was my helper at Winco...and Les Schwab...and in the pantry. I realize she won't be my little sidekick for much longer. She'll be going to Kindergarten next year.

...Sister Votaw and her daughter Hannah taught the Cub Scouts about Norway and Japan. Then they taught them how to make an origami crane.

...we sent some love to the teachers. What a blessing teachers are.

I helped on the committee to provide lunches for the teachers at Emma's school. They're the leopards. My Sister-in-Law, Julie Marie, led the project and her talent really came out. I was so impressed with the lunch she thought of right down to the forks and napkins on the box. Included: Chicken Salad Croissant sandwich, grapes and strawberries, pretzel chips and humus, cookies, and Andes mints.

Here's the pineapple chicken salad recipe:
(It comes from Six Sisters Stuff, but I liked the instructions from Together as Family better.)

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or use rotisserie chicken)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 1/2 cup red grapes, sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

1 cup slivered almonds

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

croissants

1. In small bowl, heat cream cheese for 15-20 seconds in microwave. Add in mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix.

2. In large bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes, almonds, green onions, and pineapple. Pour dressing mix over top and stir together.

3. Store in fridge for three hours. the Longer the better. Serve on croissants.

...I played some softball. First game of the season! We have a really great team this year. It's so fun to get out on the field with these ladies.

Here's my cheering squad-our Family Home Evening activity.

Coach Amber Riner, Corianne Froughton, Sharae McShane, Whitney Chapman, Sam Powers (behind Whitney), Richelle Davis, Kaitlin 

...our neighbor, Jessie, shared some delicious cupcakes with us. She was practicing for her daughter's birthday party. Yum!

...we found a friend at the park. Hello friend.

Week #18: Cabbage Salsa Fest

This Week...

...Lainey helped me water the new plants in the front yard. With her choice of dress for the day, she looked so cute with the flowers.

...we had a spontaneous cabbage salsa making and eating fest. Shelly Olson came to help us chop and combine everything to perfection. The Hull family came to help us eat the goodness that is Shelly Olson's cabbage salsa! Happy Family Home Evening!

Cabbage Salsa/Pico de Gallo

1 head cabbage, finely chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can pickled jalapenos (I go mild!), use half the can, juice included
8-10 Roma tomatoes, cored and diced
5-6 limes, juiced
1 jalapeno, diced, no seeds (unless you want it hot)
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
half bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped

Mix all together and eat!

...we had ribs for dinner. It was a great dinner with Tyson and Whitney Chapman, Jared and Heather Gilbert, and Elder Wilcox and Elder Singley. The last time we tried to grill, with a big group coming for dinner, Jason was tied up in court and what I thought was cooking meat was not. This was a chance for us to redeem ourselves.

...our flag was looking pretty amazing against the clouded sky. Fireworks in the clouds!

...we delivered some corn dogs to our friends because they're our friends. That's what Kid President would do!

The Hull Family-

Amie and her dad-none of the kids were home

The Mackay Family-

Mom and Kyson were the only ones home

The Riner Family-

Amber, Taya, and Pax met us at the door.

She thought we were announcing our next child. Um, no.

...my sweet Claire got a new dress. She's been wearing the same jean dress every week to church for a while now. She doesn't rotate it out because she doesn't like the pink and flowers on her other dresses (and they're not that bad, let me tell you). They're just too girly for her. Finally, we found one of which she could approve. And what's the first thing she does? Goes and froofs up a bit.  

...Emma worked on her Pre-Reovlutionary figure for school. She sewed the clothes for the 2 Liter pop bottle Betsy Ross she was making. It was amazing to watch Emma as she designed her doll. She would come up with an idea and try to tell me about it. I couldn't quite catch on an would just say, "Try it." So she would. The end result was exactly what she thought out, and it worked. We did have a fun trip to Hobby Lobby looking for things we could re-purpose for a head and a minor set back with the glue gun...and an unfortunate mess with the super glue. Other than that, things went smoothly. Lainey always likes to "sew" right along with Emma.

...Paul practiced his piano. It's still so fun to see this boy sit down at the piano and play music. Jingle Bells never sounded so good.

...Lainey was my helper in the kitchen.

...Claire got into a scrape at school. Literally. (Enter Captain Literally with nothing to do because I used the word correctly.) She was running on the black top and tripped over Paul's feet. And that's why we don't run on the black top. She was a trooper about the whole thing even though she was beat up pretty badly.

...we had Cub Scout Pack Meeting down by the River. The Scouts collected rocks and leaves for a collection, or garbage as some took to picking up.

...Lainey's preschool class went on a field trip to the pet store. It was an adventure!

...we had Mallory Hull over to play. Of course we had to take a trip to the park.

Cousin Rylan was also with us for the day.