Practice makes perfect!!

After many years of trying to be a "real cook", (which I'm not), I have completely avoided baking anything with yeast in it. I have heard many horror stories about baking doorstops instead of bread, or yeast rolls that looked and felt like hockey pucks. Now, I have baked whole wheat bread off and on all of our marriage. But the "experts" say that whole wheat flour is more forgiving than white flour, so I just decided that I couldn't do it. So, for the past 25 years, I have completely avoided it. But the last few months, for whatever reason, I have wanted to make cinnamon rolls. (Maybe it is because Mrs. Powell's closed in the mall, or the fact that I'm pushing 50 years old, and haven't ever made cinnamon rolls!) I tried a few weeks ago, and they weren't too bad. But tonight I think I nailed it!!!! Two pans of cinnamon rolls that looked pretty good! And the house smelled amazing! Oh, and they tasted quite fine!


This pan I put a powdered sugar glaze on them when they were still hot.

The second pan looked like this straight from the oven. But, then I added sweet, gooey, cream cheese frosting! Wow, they were amazing!


This simple pan of cinnamon rolls means a lot to me. It represents a lot of things in my life that I have been afraid to try because I thought I would fail. Maybe I am a real cook after all? And you know what else I have learned, it is the simple things in life that are the sweetest after all.

New additions to the family!

Megan has needed a new bike for 2 years. Having grown so tall, she really couldn't ride her old bike. Last summer she rode mine, since I was recovering from knee surgery. But, this summer it is a different story! So, Mike took her to buy a new bike. She absolutely fell in love with this bike, the minute she saw it, she had to have it.




The only other bike that came close, was a yellow "banana" bike. But this was the perfect bike for her. She is now very happily riding back and forth to Capital High School for basketball and volleyball, riding on the greenbelt, and to her friends' houses. If you can't tell, she is one happy girl!

Megan on her new bike!

The other addition to our family comes from my mom and dad. My mother brought a new family member home. He is 8 weeks old, full of energy, and his name is Chester.

When Chester plays, he plays hard! (and no, Drew did not step on him!)

And when he's pooped, he's pooped!


My mom with her new baby!

So far, my dad has not had too much to do with the dog, except follow him around the house with a can of carpet cleaner. See, Chester is not potty trained yet. But everyone thinks it is just a matter of time before he gets attached to the dog. Maybe we should take bets?

Burley, basketball, and blessings

You normally don't see Burley and basketball in the same sentence. And you really don't see Burley and blessings in the same sentence. But that tells you what kind of weekend we had! It started Friday, June 3rd. Megan got out of school for the summer at noon, and she had a basketball game in Burley starting at 3:00. She is playing on Capital's freshman/sophmore (frosh) team this summer. They had a tournament in Burley this weekend! So, Mike and I, and Greg and Megan piled in the car and drove to Burley.



Megan bringing the ball down court.

Meg's coach has her playing point guard, a position she has never played. It makes her just a bit nervous! But her defense is just as good as always.



















Her team won 2 games out of 5, which is pretty good since they were in a JV tournament. Drew drove to Burley on Friday and took Mike and Greg back to Logan with him. There they packed and loaded him up, as he is moving home for the summer. On Saturday when Megan was done, we met the boys in Brigham City and drove to Draper. My sister Rachel and her husband Marty, were blessing their baby, Logan James Bodell, in their ward on Sunday.

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Draper, and hit the hot tub that night!

Mike and Megan with cousins Alyse Erickson, Katie Miner, and Abby Erickson.

Sunday Logan was blessed!

Logan James Bodell

Colleen with Logan

Greg is scared of babies, but we got him to hold Logan for 30 seconds!

Rachel had a special lunch at her house after the blessing, it was so good! And even better, the boys cleaned the kitchen! Mike, Grandpa Bakes, and Greg

It was an event filled 2 days! From Burley and basketball to blessings! We now have Drew home for about 6 weeks. We haven't had everyone home for the summer for 3 years! I am looking forward to this summer.

Graduation

May 24, 2011

Today is Graduation Day for Greg!! At long last, he is a high school graduate! Greg has been looking forward to this since he turned 18 back in December. It has been an exciting and sometimes very frustrating year for Greg. But he persevered, and he made it. He is very ready to start the next chapter of his life.

Dunja (Greg's best friend), Greg, Olivia (Greg's girlfriend)

It was a great night. The graduation ceremony was at the Taco Bell Arena at Boise State.

Drew even came home for the graduation!

Grandma and Grandpa Bakes, Diane and Abby, Rachel and baby Logan were there. Chris, Pam, and their 3 girls were there. We had quite a crowd!

Greg with the proud parents!!!!

Greg with Drew and Megan, and some of his cousins. Dani, Sydney, Cassie, Abby, and Logan!

The Jensen Men!!! Look how handsome!! Chris, Greg, Mike, Drew

Greg and his girlfriend, Olivia Ware

After graduation, the parents sponsored an all night party (alright, only until 4 am.) The party was at the Rec Center at Boise State. There was a casino room, 6 different games in the gym. (mechanical bull, sumo wrestling, etc.) The pool and hot tub were open, and there was lots of food! Mike and I helped until about 12:30. We had to run the game "Bungi Basketball."

So, if you are wondering, yes I cried when my baby graduated from high school. It seems with each passing year, my nest is getting emptier. In a few months, Drew will head to Virginia for medical school, and Greg will head to Logan for college. We will only have Megan at home. It just seems like yesterday that they were little! Time really does fly!

As Mike and I were driving home from the party about 12:30 AM, he must have sensed my pensive mood. He looked at me and said, "I know you are sad about your baby graduating and leaving home. But, I'm betting that before the week is out, Greg will tell you that he's 18, he's an adult, and he doesn't need your permission! And you will be in his room packing his bag." And I had to smile, because I have also realized, that the senior year of high school begins the "unbonding process." It really is time for him to go! And it's a good thing!