Giveaway: Farm Fresh Murder - Winner

And the winner is...

DESIREE!!!!

Congratulations D-Ray!  I will bring over your signed copy of Farm Fresh Murder this afternoon=)


Thanks to everybody who played along, and an especially huge THANK YOU to Paige Shelton for donating a copy of your book!  I had a great time doing my first giveaway , and I am already on the prowl for ideas for the next one.  If you didn't win this one, maybe you will have better luck with the next giveaway.

Thanks again everybody!

La Caille

Yesterday morning, Mike and I had the blissful opportunity to have brunch at La Caille.  This was a first for us, and we were certainly not disappointed!

Our fabulous friends gave us a gift certificate for our "Ian"niversary and VERY generously included babysitting as well.  You guys are the best!!! 

We started out the morning by dropping off the little one, and then making the beautiful and peaceful drive through the mountains toward La Caille.  We don't have a reason to drive that way very often, and we had forgotten just how beautiful that part of the valley is.  I even told Mike that it may be my new "dream place to live"!

We arrived a little before10:00 and wound ourselves down the little cobblestone drive toward the main building.

We had a few minutes to wait while our table was prepared, so we walked around the beautiful gardens.  It is truly breathtaking in there!

Next, we were seated on the patio, where we were greeted by not one, but two waitresses, and were serenaded by live music.  The sound of the river, the fountains, the roosters, and the peacocks all added to what was a beautiful and romantic atmosphere. This little one walked around our table the entire meal=)

(The following description is stolen, in part, from Mikey's blog, because he had such a delicious way of describing everything!)

Brunch started out with juice and caramelized croissants.  Followed by a delicious amuse bouche - a swan puff pastry filled with banana custard swimming in a river of raspberry sauce.  Delicious!

For the main entree, Mike ordered Eggs Blackstone, a nice twist on an old favorite of Eggs Benedict topped with bacon and sun-dried tomatoes.   I ordered Petite Pain a la Francaise – a wonderful version of French toast Creme Brulee style.  Dessert for breakfast – Mmmm!

When our plates arrived we did a quick sharing swap so we could both enjoy each others meals to get double sampling of the menu. They were both truly delicious!

After some delightful conversation and a bountiful breakfast, there was still one more course.  This time it actually was dessert for breakfast.  It was a light refreshing serving of 3 different sorbets for each of us.   Everything was presented so beautifully, this one on a rectangle plate with mint leaves.  We sampled a super sour lemon-basil scoop, one scoop of watermelon-mint and one jalapeno-green Granny Smith apple.  When you put the first bite of the third scoop in your mouth, we thought it tasted like the way tomatoes smell in the garden, but then afterward it turned into a sweet tasting green apple - strangely delicious.  My favorite was the watermelon-mint.

After brunch, we headed back to the gardens for one last stroll.  It was an enchanting end to a beautiful morning.  Thank you again Matt and Shanae!  It was just what we needed to round out our "Ian"niversary celebration!!

(That last picture is for you Betty=)

Giveaway: Farm Fresh Murder

I am SO extremely excited to be having my first official blog giveaway!  And what better thing to be giving away than a book written by my newest friend, Paige Shelton?!?!?

We met only a couple of months ago at my cousins wedding shower, but we hit it off immediately and I already feel like I have known Paige for a long time.  She is such a wonderful person, and when I found out that she is a published author, I was eager to learn more.  I have always had a dream to be a writer, but I have never had any great ideas to write about, so I was excited to be making friends with an actual published author.  And, as it turns out, she writes murder mystery novels - MY FAVORITE!!!

As soon as I got home from meeting Paige, I got online to reserve a copy of her book from our library.  It is the first in a series of three and it is entitled "Farm Fresh Murder".

I must admit that I don't find nearly as much time to read these days as I would like, but I couldn't wait to start reading Paige's book so I made the time!

Her book is set at a Farmer's Market, and as you can guess, a murder takes place.  The main character, Becca, is a vendor at the Market and sort of takes it upon herself to figure out what happened.  I was intrigued, entertained, and so relieved that I couldn't figure out who had done it until the very end.  I love that suspense!!  It was VERY well written, and I could not wait to recommend it to all of you!  Plus, one of the main characters is a dark and handsome young man named Ian - no wonder I loved you right away Paige!  We were destined to become friends!!

Paige has VERY graciously offered to donate a copy of her book for my giveaway.  All you need to do is leave a comment with your name and email address and a winner will be randomly selected on Friday, July 2, 2010. 

THANK YOU PAIGE!!!

Good luck and even if you don't win, check out Paige's book at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , or your local library.  It really is great! 

Dear Me,

Oh, if only the "me" of today could have met and talked to the "me" of years gone by...

I would have told her...
~ Be Patient.
~ Cherish your parents, because they were chosen specifically for you and they love you more than you will ever know.
~ Spend more time with your grandparents.  Ask more about them, and hug them more.
~ Enjoy being a kid and living under the same roof with your siblings.  One day you will miss the days when they were just down the hall.
~ Be patient.
~ High school really isn't important in the whole scheme of your life, and the heartbreak you feel now is something you won't even remember in the not-so-distant future.
~ Go to college when you are young... you will be grateful for it later.
~ Be Patient.
~ Yes, he IS "the one" and it will be SO, SO worth it when he finally makes you his wife!!
~ And yes, he will make you his wife=)
~ Don't waste your money on birth control.
~ You ARE meant to be a mother, but it won't come the way you think, or on your time frame. When it does come though, it will be  better than you ever imagined! 
~ Be patient.
~ Apartment living won't last forever.  One day you will have a beautiful home.
~ Travel as much as you can.
~ You have A LOT to learn - you don't know everything!
~ Work hard, because the day will come when you will pay off the debt, and you can afford to stay home with your baby, but you need to earn it first.  You need to appreciate what a blessing that is.
~ Be patient.  Your life will be bliss one day...one day soon.  You need these trials to be able to appreciate the beauty that will be your life.  Be patient and you will know pure joy.

My life certainly has not been what I expected, or at times, even what I probably deserve.  But it is BLISS and I know pure joy every day!

Heroes Among Us

What is that old saying..."Good Things Happen to Good People"?  Well, if that is true, then my husband Mike is GOOD people!

We were notified yesterday that Mike has been chosen by Real Salt Lake to be featured at an upcoming game as a "Hero Among Us".  The Salt Lake MLS soccer team has a program where they honor local "heroes" in our community.  Mike will be asked out onto the field where he will be presented with a personalized Real Salt Lake jersey, his picture will go up on the jumbo-tron, and his story will be told to several thousand screaming soccer fans. 

For a lifelong soccer player and fan, this just may be his dream come true.  Even though he won't be playing, he will be standing with MLS players on an MLS soccer pitch.  Pretty cool, isn't it?

Happy Father's Day

I am one lucky woman to not only have the most amazing husband ever, but to be the wife of such a tremendous father.  Our son is certainly blessed to have him for his Daddy, and this weekend, it was our chance to celebrate just what a great father he is and how blessed we are to have him in our lives.

 

We kicked off this years Father's Day celebrations with the "big award". Yesterday was the day that my Mikey received his award for Foster Father of the Year.

The ceremony was at the Chalk Art Festival at the Gateway.  We had to be there at 11:30 a.m. but as you know, we were coming from the mountains where Mike had just barely finished his last leg of Ragnar.  Needless to say, we were a few minutes late=)

But we got showered, got safely down Parley's Canyon, maneuvered creatively through the Saturday downtown Farmer's Market traffic, found a place to park and found the stage in plenty of time for Mike to get where he needed to be to receive his honors. 

ksl.com - 5 foster dads receive awards

One of our local news anchors announced what was going on, and the awards were then given to the 5 fathers chosen from the 5 different regions in Utah.  

Each father was introduced and a little bit was read about why they had been chosen to receive this honor.  I think I cried through every one!  When it was my husband's turn, I cried the hardest, and cheered the loudest.  The man presenting him with his award read about how he was nominated by not only his family and loved ones, but by the birth Mother of his adopted son.  He then read part of "E's" nomination.  It was beautiful and heartfelt, and truly touching.  She mentioned that she "didn't know there were men out there who could love a child so completely."  She said that she "could not have hand-picked a better man to be her son's father".  Mike cried.  I cried.  Then I took a quick moment to issue a prayer of thanks for this incredible man, the little man who has made him a Daddy, and the sweet girl who brought that little man to us!

It was a great and touching afternoon, and we were so thankful to be a part of it.  I always love being around foster families.  Their stories inspire me to do better.  Their children make me want to help more children like them.  Their selflessness astounds me.  Foster care has woven a special place in my heart and being among other amazing foster families never fails to strengthen those ties.  I am so thankful that my sweet hubby felt the desire to become a foster parent and take me along with him for the journey.  It has certainly changed us in ways we never imagined, and I am forever grateful to be a small part of these miracles that are taking place every day. 

Speaking of miracles, we saw one of our favorite miracles yesterday - Hayden!

Hayden was our first placement, and was reunified with his birth Mom about 6 weeks before our son Ian was born. We have stayed in touch with him and his Mom and I was delighted when they accepted my invitation to come to the festival yesterday.

When Hayden left us, I was so afraid that he wouldn't remember us.  I knew that he wasn't with us for very long, plus he was very young, but I prayed that he would always remember us.  I knew I would always remember him, but I was afraid that his memories of us would fade.

Yesterday, Hayden's Mom pushed him into the room in a stroller.  When I saw them, I ran over and crouched down to look right into his sweet little face.  I said, "Hi Buddy!!!"  The smile that lit up his eyes and his face, and the little arms that reached out to me showed me that my prayers were answered.  He remembered us=)  As I held him tight, I thought back to another time when I held him close as he cried for his Mama.  I was so sad then that I couldn't give him what he wanted so badly.  Now I know that I gave him just what he needed, at a time he needed it most.  Mike and I were able to touch his heart, and he holds us there still.  I can't describe how honored I feel for that, and how grateful I am to be a foster Mom.   

They had lunch with us, and gave Mike a card and a shirt that read "World's Greatest Dad".  His Mom said Hayden picked it out, and Mike told him that he was proudly going to wear it all day today.  It was SO great to see our "little Baby H". He never seems to change, other than he gets bigger and bigger every time we see him.  Love you Buddy! 

**Interesting side story here... just as we were sitting down to lunch, one of the first friends we made when we became foster parents came into the room to congratulate Mike on his honor.  She had read in the Foster Roster that he had been selected, and wanted to make sure she came to say hi.  We first met her when she and her husband taught one of the classes during our initial training courses, and then we met again when they became the temporary shelter home for our little Hayden.  She and her family had him in their home for a short time while a more permanent foster family (us) was located.  She loved him instantly and we kept her informed of what was happening with him throughout his time with us. She is one of the biggest reasons that I was able to get through those horribly sad and painful weeks after baby H left our home and I will always be grateful for her friendship and support.  Anyway, at lunch yesterday, we hugged and she offered Mike her congratulations and asked about our little Ian.  After a few seconds, I stepped aside and re-introduced her to the special little man she had cared for almost two years ago.  It was an awesome moment!  She was so happy to see him!  She took pictures and talked to Hayden's Mom about how he is doing.  I was so glad that she tracked us down at lunch and was able to see Baby H.  She is such a sweet lady, and we are happy to call her a friend.  See...foster care is amazing!!!

We had every intention of checking out some of the amazing chalk murals after lunch, but we were all pretty much wiped out after a busy couple of days, so we headed home to rest.

Now, here we are today - Father's Day.  Mike said this is the "BEST" Father's Day ever!  After sleeping pretty much around the clock, he woke up a little before Ian and I, so he went downstairs to quietly watch TV until we got up.  A little while later, he heard the door to the basement open and his favorite tiny voice loudly call out, "Daddy"?  All the way down the stairs he yelled for his Daddy.  When I set him down at the bottom of the stairs, he raced as fast as his little legs could carry him, while carrying a tiny wrapped package, over to his Daddy's waiting arms.  It was honestly so sweet!  Ian gave him a book called "My Daddy Loves Me" and they snuggled and read together for a while.  I LOVE these two!!!

 

Then I cooked Mike some breakfast - Crepe pancakes with fresh whipped cream and raspberries, chocolate milk and Ken's Kash bacon. Mmmm!!!

Ian thought it was great!!  Then we opened more gifts, played in the pool in the backyard,  and rested some more. 

Later we went to a park to play and to celebrate with the first Daddy I ever loved - My Papa.  I am so blessed to have such a supportive and caring Dad who loves me endlessly.  Happy Father's Day Dad - I love you!!!

Once again, I am so grateful, and far beyond blessed to have a husband who is the best Father our son could have ever asked for. 

Happy Father's Day Babe!!!  We Love You!!!

Busy, Busy, Busy

We have been looking forward to this weekend for a long time, and it is finally here...and boy, are we going to be busy!!

First up...

As most of you know, Mike is running in the Ragnar Wasatch Back race this weekend.  It is a 188 mile relay race from Logan to Park City.  He is on a 12 person team, which they have named "Run-2-100" in honor of Mike and his website.  The first van, containing the first six runners, will leave Logan at 6:30 a.m. Friday morning.  Mike is the first runner in van two.  They will be leaving Salt Lake City around 9:00 a.m. Friday morning to join up with van one, somewhere along the trail.  Mike has three runs in the race and will be running a total of 12 miles, or so.  His middle run will be sometime around 1:00 in the morning - yeah, NOT my idea of fun, but I am sure he will be smiling!=)

After a night filled with, what I am sure will be little sleep, lots of laughs, and some interesting stories for later on down the road, we are hoping that his final run will end around 9:30 Saturday morning.  Unfortunately, he will be unable to cross the finish line with his team, but he has a good excuse=)  He is really excited anyway, and I think it will be a VERY interesting experience, to say the least!  (Somebody better take some pictures for me!!=)

Ian and I are going to drop Mike off at his friend's house Friday morning, and then we are going up to stay overnight at the cabin.  This way, we will be closer to his finishing point and can pick him up as soon as he is done, plus we will get some fun in while he runs!  My sister's husband is also running on Team Run-2-100, so she is coming up to spend the night too. The cabin is always fun, so this is the part where we will relax, enjoy the hot tub, ride the four wheelers, eat yummy food, and have cousins to help me chase the little man.

The next morning, my plan is to pick up Mike as soon as he finishes his last leg, find someplace for him to shower along the way, and have him to the Gateway for a photo shoot at 11:30 a.m.  He gets his award at noon.

And if all this weren't enough, Sunday is Father's Day!

Like I said, one crazy busy weekend, but one that will be full of adventure, fun, and amazing honors.  Can't wait!!