Exhibit A

evidence_mini-album

Part of our Thanksgiving feast…

Evidence of a blessed life cards ready to be filled out – thanks to Nisa for the fun-loving designs that only took slight adapting.

I just left a basket of cards nearby (journaling cards on one side and notes/frames on the other). Any family that wanted to fill one out could write/draw pictures and then clip it on the ring.

Made a file folder cover with my little guy and evidence all over his sweet mug.  And just like that… this little album is ready to be loved and enjoyed often. One fun way to count those blessings. 🙂

{credits:  Splendid Fiins:  Evidence-notes and framesEvidence-journaling cards, also: file folder, tag, clip ring, walnut ink, font: Artistamp Medium and my handwriting}

This little book is from last Thanksgiving.  I realized I never shared it here… it was sure fun to take a peek at again this year.  Handwriting and artistic skills have advanced a little, but it’s wonderful to see that many of our blessings counted are the exact same.

Giving Thanks

Thankful for so many blessings. Thankful for a Heavenly Father who is aware of each of us and our needs. Thankful for my family that keeps me smiling and giggling. Also, thankful for the yummy smells in my home.

That’s the short list.  I was making pies this morning and that last one had to make it’s way on.

There are so many wonderful things to be thankful for, always.  Another one at the moment is an amazing aunt that took the time to teach me how to make tortillas.

It started when her boyfriend came for a visit and taught her his mother’s recipe.  The tortillas all the neighborhood children still talk about now that they’re grown.  That’s the one.

It looks a little something like this:

“THE tortilla recipe:
it is 3 to 4 cups flour to one cube softened butter….mixed in well with your fingers…add about 2 tsp salt and a pinch of baking powder. Have 2 cups lukewarm water ready to add as needed. It takes most of it. Mix with your hands to a dough that feels about like pie crust dough..not too wet but not dry either. flour the area you will roll them out very lightly (the flour burns on the grill otherwise) and using a peice of the masa about the size of an egg roll it out (flipping it over and around after each roll) until big and thin. (they aren’t all perfectly round but still taste great) then on a hot grill (we used a skillet, a cast iron grill and a big electric grill and they all worked great) that is dry..not greased at all….put one at a time and turn with it bubbles nicely all over…it may puff up and that is fine..when done stack them up on a paper towel on counter to cool before bagging them up. Thats it!! I think I covered it all. The butter and the dowel for a rolling pin (the size of a garden tool handle) really makes all the differnce. And every single other recipe I have tried in the past called for too much baking powder. Eppy explained that more than a pinch makes it stiff and hard to roll. That pinch is enough.”

Love.

Now, tortillas and I go way back.  My roommates in college used to tease me because I bought and ate way more tortillas than bread.  I wish I knew how to make them back then.

Jenny’s daughter showed up at my door a few weeks ago with this:

Inside were these treasures:

Part of the original rake-handle-rolling-pin and masa made by Jenny.  We ate that plus another batch in the first evening.

My first tortilla:

Not the prettiest thing, but it was sooo very yummy.  I’ve made them 3 times in the last month and am working on perfecting the skill.  My family doesn’t seem to mind.

The first photo is from one of my latest late night attempts.  I’m getting there.

Here’s Jenny’s actual recipe card she also sent over:

Adorable.  Those smiley faces and happy-go-lucky writing… she’s a lady in love.  I love that she’s in love.  I’m in love too.  Thankful for her tortillas and her sharing heart.

Treasured

Gorgeous October day (the 29th) when we visited the Boise Idaho temple open house – the temple of my youth. 🙂  I remember saving pennies to help with the initial construction.  Now it’s all renovated and simply beautiful.  I’m so grateful we were able to take our family on the trek to see this wonder-filled building.

Thankful that we can be a forever family.

A little contemplative… Jacob said that he found the Angel Moroni on a gigantic pillar next to the temple quite interesting.  He also said the temple makes him feel happy and warm inside.

Joshua loved the big stained glass window of the Sacred Grove by the baptismal font.  He said with the sun shining through it looked very beautiful and made him feel peaceful.

Autumn loved the beauty of “the room where you be quiet” (celestial room).  She also loved the sealing room where you can see the mirrors “go back and forth, on & on”.  She has never seen mirrors placed like that before and loved it.

Andrew liked the baptism room too.  He said you “go into a big circle of water and underneath there are ox.  12 of them!” He said said he felt warm and happy – “just like Jacob”.

Miss Katey loved the Bride’s Room where the ladies get ready on their wedding day.  She also loved the crystal chandeliers.  While touring she said “it’s sparkling everyday.  Sparkles forever!”

Caleb loved the “baptism water with cows” (one way to describe it…).  He says the temple made him feel good. “Yeah – feel good.”

Meri – well, she loved all the lights inside the temple.  She also loved the big, beautiful windows and tried to reach every sparkly chandelier.

Jim Bob loved that they took an already beautiful temple and made it even more beautiful. “Perfection even. There is nothing lacking in construction or design.” He also loved the awe of our children – He said his very favorite part was watching their “big bug eyes and wide gaping mouths taking it all in and not believing the beauty of the temple.”

Me – The temple was absolutely gorgeous – dark wood and beauty all around. I also loved the beauty of the people there the day we toured the temple. Everyone was full of smiles and willing to help. From the men directing traffic to the people putting on protective footwear to the ladies passing out candies on temple napkins to the piano players in the adjacent church – everyone was so friendly and genuinely happy to be there. I especially enjoyed the faith building stories of our tour guides.

“The evening before the rededication (last night), President Monson told a group of 9,200 young people, gathered for the youth cultural celebration, that the temple “shines as a beacon of righteousness to all who will follow its light.”

“We treasure that light, and we thank our Heavenly Father for the blessings this temple and all temples bring into our lives,” he said.”

We rejoice in the blessings of the temple!

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