My turn

My friend Julie had a post where she asked for questions from her "audience," of which I am always happy to be a part, so I asked her a couple things, and she reciprocated. Well, here goes...but first let me also say that she had been asked by a cousin if they could have an "Ask Julie" Day because they had lost touch a little bit and were happily reuniting in blogland. It's not like Julie was just thinking that everyone was dying to know more about her, although she is a VERY fun, and funny, friend. Everyone should be dying to know more about her!

So, anyway, she asked about my favorite Church History site in New York. That's a tough one. I always have a tough time picking favorites, and they might change at any time. Maybe it would be easier for me to say my favorite part about each place, I love them all so much, but I guess I'll spare you all the details. Excluding the temple, since it isn't a "church history" site, but it is where I was endowed and married, so I'm a pretty big fan, I think I'd have to say the Sacred Grove, of course. Did you know President Hinckley changed the design of the temple to have a window that you can look out of and see the Sacred Grove since it is such a sacred place? No other temples (as far as I know) have a window where you can see out, so that is more than cool to me.

I don't know how many times I've been to the Sacred Grove, but we went a lot as youth, and I can't think about it without thinking of my big brother Justin. He was a big fan of it, and even had a certain place in it that he especially liked, where there was a huge rock. I might be making that up, but that's how I remember it, so in turn, I have always loved to hang out at that spot. Justin was just always a good example to me about spiritual things, because he never thought it was "uncool" to believe, and I think that's a common thing for teenagers. He loved to be the first one up in a testimony meeting, and I always think of that when I'm sitting in an awkward, quiet meeting. Thanks, Jus!

My family went there before we lived in Buffalo, too, and I remember that trip to visit my aunt and uncle who lived nearby at the time. Even a ride in Stan's helicopter was overshadowed by the special feelings I had when I visited the church history sites.

My ward youth from Ohio went on a trip up to see the pageant and the sites the summer before we moved up there, and I loved every minute of that trip, too. I thought I was so OLD and mature at twelve! Ha.

Then while we lived in Buffalo, we went many times for youth activities, an EFY, and as family as well. We didn't always even visit everything of course, but I guess I'm just trying to emphasize that I've been there in the pouring rain, the falling snow, the crisp coolness of Fall, and the Summer heat and it is always special. I really wanted to do pictures there before our wedding, which may seem a little disrespectful frankly, but it was so special to me. Here are some pictures...






The sites were updated, renovated, and greatly changed just before we were married (2001), so a lot is different now (even better!) than I remember it as a teenager, but I still love them a lot! I love the interesting history of the Book of Mormon printing process that you can learn at the Grandin Building, I love feeling like I can really picture Joseph Smith and his family hanging out, doing the day-to-day things in the frame home, or imagining him having the First Vision in the loft of the cabin in a bed likely cramped with siblings. I love driving up and seeing the majestic Hill Cumorah, with the monument on the top, and the Christus in the visitor's center window. And I love the Whitmer farm, too--imagine being there when the church was organized! Well, I could go on and on, but I better leave it at that.

Julie also asked for my recipe for Chocolate Crinkles, which is definitely worth sharing. My family can't have Christmas without these fudgy, delish cookies, in fact I made some last Friday for the ward party, and almost decided not to share the goodness. Yum!


Chocolate Crinkles

1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. powdered sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oil, melted chocolate, and sugar. Blend in one egg at a time. Add vanilla. Mix dry ingredients excepted powdered sugar and add to wet ingredients. Mix well. Chill several hours or overnight. Drop 1" balls of dough into powdered sugar (or whatever size you like) and roll till coated. Bake on greased baking sheet for about 10-12 minutes. Don't overbake!

To be fair, I feel like I should also share how I'd answer the questions I asked her. I asked her to share something that worries her. I heard a speaker once have us all in the audience turn to a neighbor and exchange one thing that worries us in an effort to help us bond and get to know each other. It was a young, single adult conference, so we were all uh, anxious to make good impressions, etc. and that question struck me as a way to really get to know something deep about a person. I guess that's why I asked it, although it seems like kind of a mean question, so I felt like I should share too.

I worry about plenty of things, but one that is kind of silly that I've shared before is escalators. Jared thinks this is too funny, but I can't help it! They are freaky.

I worry that someone will kidnap my kids, so I basically never let them out of my sight. At that museum we went to a while ago, there was a kid sized ant farm thing with a bunch of tunnels for them, and I got totally freaked out waiting for them to come out. What if someone was in there touching them or something?

I worry that people won't think I'm sensible. Even saying that, I feel silly, and I'm thinking I also wish people thought I was exotic and the opposite of sensible, but I guess I should make up my mind. Who cares, but I really want people to think I make good decisions--big or little, and I really feel dumb too when I waste food or money or something. Last night I forgot to put the chicken away after dinner that I was planning to pick the meat from to make chicken noodle soup. We had been asked to take letters we wrote to our ward's missionaries and servicemen to our Bishop's house, so I didn't clean up all of dinner, but I thought I had put the food away. OOOPS! I hate doing that kind of thing.

I worry my kids will think back and only remember my freak out moments. I wouldn't blame them, so I guess I should try to have fewer of them!

I worry about lots of things, like getting into a dark car, but I don't think I want to think about too many more, or I'll get all worked up and won't be able to sleep tonight!

I also asked Julie to share a favorite Christmas tradition, and she said they always get a new ornament each year. I love this idea, and have done it some years, but not every year. I'll have to be more deliberate about it.

I think my favorite tradition that we did when I was little was our family's "progressive dinner." We lived near some of my mom's sisters while we lived in Idaho, so we could do this. We'd have soup and salad at one house, then move on to another for the main course, and another for dessert and games and the gift exchange. Even when we moved away, my mom continued the tradition with friends in Ohio, and it was so fun! It still goes on with my mom's family, which is now sooo huge, and we were able to be out there a few years ago. Love it!! I might have to revive it sometime!

My last question for Julie was to share a favorite meal--one that she always had the ingredients for. That was my thinly veiled request for her Chicken Broccoli recipe that I'd been asking for, and it worked! :o)

Again, it's hard for me to pick a favorite, but here is a recipe that I love, another of my mom's. I don't always have fresh mushrooms on hand, but they are optional. And I don't always have the Monterrey Jack cheese, but I try to keep some in the freezer just for this recipe:

Chicken Tetrazzini
12 oz. thin spaghetti, broken into smaller pieces, cooked and drained
1/2 lb. fresh, sliced mushrooms, sauteed (if desired)
1/4 c. melted butter
3 to 4 c. cooked, shredded chicken (or turkey)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 c. sour cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all ingredients except cheeses in large bowl and pour into 9 x 13 pan. Spread cheese over top and bake for 40 minutes.


Well, I have got to get back to some laundry and other things. If you have any worries, fav traditions or recipes, or fav church history sites, please share!