Lessons in Socialism

We are home now. Home-home. This morning I put on pants, not because I had to, but because I chose to. It felt great.

California is awesome. Green fields in February would lift anybody's spirit. It can be as much of a Zion as Utah or Idaho. Even though last night I got "the finger" at a stop light for glancing over at the car next to me (I was just seeing if I could turn right on a red light). That could happen anywhere.
I'm only saying this because we had Northern California Stake Conference today. A main theme was "Zion is where the Stakes are." A.k.a. "don't move out of California because it's so messed up." Which is a concern. I've had so many people ask me about moving to Idaho, like "what's it like? where should we live? And how can we escape without the Terminator finding us?"

I don't know what to tell them. I am not the person to ask for advice. Hence Marie has to learn the hard way how to sleep in her crib again.

Poor girl. She's spent the last 2 months in bed with Mom and Dad, so this new independence is not being well received. Brett put her down, and luckily it only took 20 minutes for her to cry her tiny self to sleep. I'm so proud of myself for not picking her up. Brett told me later to go peek in on her. He said "It's like she feel asleep trying to escape the crib... to find another mom that won't be so mean." He's joking. I'm having a hard time with this "cry it out" method. As I suppose most people do.

I will just have to think of her in happier days, like being held by Grandma Parry.

Which seg-ways me into my next item of business. The name "Perry" is a possible choice for my brother's new baby BOY due in July. Congrats to him and Maresa who have a sweet little girl already. The only other Perry I am aware of is Perry Como, who my mom loves.

Here are Beth and Marie watching something that is "jaw-dropping" amazing. Poor cuties were both sick with a bad cold at the same time! It was fun to put them together and watch them interact.

In other news, Brett just put Marie to sleep for her second nap. I don't know how he does it, but sometimes he just lays her down and she falls asleep. However, last time I announced Marie did something equally amazing, that is took a pacifier, she never did it again. So I'm not saying that Marie goes to sleep when Brett puts her down, I'm just typing it.

P.S. Just watched the movie "Fire Proof." Super bad acting, but it was a great movie. I recommend to all couples. If anything, you will bond over how ridiculous the acting is.

Oh my gosh, Marie just woke up. This blog is such a curse!

Route 66

We drove from Alabama to Mississippi to Tennessee to Arkansas to Oklahoma to Texas to New Mexico and finally to Utah. Marie loved every second of it. When we needed to stop for a break Marie was begging to get back on the road. She wanted to race us in this cop car. She rolled up her sleeves and hit the road. Hardly a fair race and there is an asterisk next to her victory because she had a siren.

From Arkansas to New Mexico we celebrated Valentines Day. The Valentine Fairy brought us these special gifts. We topped off the romantic country cruise in style with a personal pan pizza from the Pizza Hut/Taco Bell shop.

A simple 10-hour Sunday drive later landed us at my Dad's house in Draper. There we were greeted with a roast dinner. That's the way we like it.

Rachel writing now. Marie disagreed with her Dad writing. We are in Draper now and just in time to visit friends and family we are all sick.

We got to meet John's better half Sunday. It's really fun to see people you love find love. (Is that too gushy? Um yes.) It's funny to see who the Millburns marry, at least if you look at who they were in high school. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but this is roughly how I see it:

Bubs: married sweet shy bio-chemist

Stephanie: married a class president

Brett: married a gothic band geek

Mike: married a sassy valley girl

John: to marry a cheerleader.

Matt, you have your choice of marrying a jockette, a foreign exchange student, a cowgirl, or a drugged-out loser. Choose wisely. We'll try not to put a label on her.

Off to the Philadelphian! Yum Yum!

Our Last Week

Alabama, we've had our ups and downs, our good times and bad, but it's time to say goodbye. I will miss your warm winters and weekends at the Smiths.

One last Sunday stroll around Maxwell. Did you know there is a Federal Prison here on base? The inmates do all the yard work around here. They have only committed "white collar crimes" like identity theft and such so they are "harmless." Just don't lose your wallet.

We found this hall today. Brett has done such a great job here at ASBC they named a building after him!

Marie missed her daddy this weekend! Her and I drove to the Smiths on Thursday for one last hurrah. I'm making slip covers for my brother-in-laws latest project, and Marie gets to see her cousins. She loves it so much. She especially loves her Aunt Stephanie and her cousin Stockton.

Thank you all for your recipe contributions. I WILL try each and every one of them, of course I will spread them out as to avoid any taxes.

I think I will also take Bubs up on starting another blog on homemaking ideas. That is, things that help "make home" a more efficient place. I have a few good ideas to try out and hopefully it will be helpful to some of you faithful readers.

Until then, go out and get yourself a Smart Ones. They are alright, and I think they are on sale everywhere, so buy a box or two-hundred... like my sister-law! Love you Steph!

Kool BEANS!

We are still here in Alabama. Two more weeks, then we will come to Utah and bother everyone.


Marie is 6 months! What a big girl I have!



We've been spending weekends at the Smiths. So fun. Marie loves it, it keeps her from looking like this all weekend.

The new way to feed Marie is great. I call it "horsey trough" (piggy trough is just too traumatizing for girls). The food goes on the lip of the tupperwear and she chows down. She loves it.

Speaking of food, I've added a new gaget on this site. Its to list my new yummy findings while trying to be healthier. This week it's a Fiber One chocolate bar. Much tastier than a plain granola bar, healthier too. Brett wanted to add his treat of the week, a Milky Way. I think everyone has heard of Milky Ways before, so he will just have to assume that.

Also I am looking for good lentil recipes if you have them. Another resolution I forgot was to stick to our budget, and lentils are a good way to prepare to use food storage. Which with the recent peanut scare, has got me on my toes again- just think how easy it would be for all the food we eat to become tainted- it's just too easy!! So we are going to start eating foods that we will have to eat when the apcalypse comes!

So far all we have is Ange's Black Bean Dip. We eat it every week. So good. What was that? You want the recipe? Well I should ask Ange before I post it... but that would take a an email... oh fine! I'll just post it! Because you got that nice look to ya. Hope you don't mind Ange! You're the best healthy cook ever!

1 can black beans (though we have been buying dried and reconstituting them- you get 4x more for the same price!)
1/2 diced red onion
1 can raspberry salsa (we use Newman's Mango because it's all we can find- but still so good)
Reduced fat cream cheese (use less, or none at all if you choose)
Pepper Jack Cheese

Spread cream cheese into a baking pan, layer black beans, onion, salsa, and shredded cheese. Cook in oven until it is heated evenly. Or just dump it all in a bowl and microwave it like Brett and me :) .

Also I am inventing some kidney bean soups. Kidney beans are so nasty. But they sure are good for you.
So try a Rachel Kidney Bean Soup Version #1
Kidney Beans
diced celery & carrot
diced tomatoes, drained
1 tb+ of reduced fat cream cheese (this is what makes it edible)
salt and pepper
chicken broth (which is a recipe in itself- just saute a little chicken skin and add water to it, then take out the skin. However if you are not up for the cullinary challenge juse use canned broth).

I don't measure stuff, so just put in whatever looks good.


So thats it! Let me know if you have any good bean recipes or healthy fun foods I can try. I've only lost 4 pounds and I have like 7 million to go, so I need all the tips I can get.

Until then, I leave you with this:

Best show ever. I can't believe it didn't get nominated for every award in the world. However, i don't recommend it to anyone older than 14 or younger than 16.