Scott and his family

My older brother Scott and his wife, Melissa were expecting their 5th child.  Early on in the pregnancy they found out it had Trisomy 18, which is a genetic disorder.  Babies with this disorder rarely make it to birth, and if they do, only live to be a few months old.  Their child didn't make it to birth.  Yesterday they held a private graveside service for little Jimmer.  I was not able to travel to TX for the event, but know that my thoughts are with them during this trying time in their lives.

Recipe - Swiss Steak

I had my family over for dinner yesterday and served Swiss Steak.  This is one of my favorite recipes now and when I was growing up - and it is so easy!

This recipe is cooked in a Crock pot.  If you don't have one - invest in one.  I cook in mine at least once a week.  This is the one I have.

Swiss Steak
Round steak (you will need as much as people you are serving.  Each person will eat about a 4-5 inch round piece.)
Stewed tomatoes

While preparing meat - go ahead and turn your Crock pot onto high and let is sort of heat up a little before putting meat in.

1.  Cut steak into 4-5 inch round pieces.  Sometimes you can find round steak already in pieces this size, or you will find it one big piece.  If the pieces are already cut into this size, you may want to cut the pieces in half so they are not as thick.  You only want them about 1/4 inch thick.
2.  Tenderize steak using a meat tenderizer - poke all over steak pieces, both sides.  This is the kind I use.
3.  Dredge in flour with salt and pepper
4.  Place in a skillet with a little oil.  Brown until light brown on both sides (you may be tempted to skip this step, but don't.  It is really a necessary step).
5.  Place browned meat into crock pot (I spray the inside of my Crock pot with a little olive oil to help with cleanup before putting in any food.)
6.  Pour cans of stewed tomatoes over meat.  For 10 people, I had about 12 pieces of meat, and I used 3 cans of tomatoes. (If you don't have stewed tomatoes, use canned diced tomatoes and sprinkle in a little oregano, basil and garlic powder)
7.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours.  You can also cook on low for 7-8 hours.
**I almost NEVER cook on low.  I always cook my food on high, but I am home all day so I can keep an eye on it.  If you are gone during the day, I recommend cooking on low so you don't over cook and dry out your meats.
Serve with mashed potatoes (the tomatoes make the gravy).

2012 Freestyle International

We went to the 2012 Visa Freestyle International competition which was held at Deer Valley this year.  This is the competition circuit for the Olympic athletes that compete in these events.  We took Hailey and her friend Cambree the first night (aerials) and just Hailey the night of the moguls.   Here are the pictures from the night of the moguls.  

On the ski lift going up with Deer Valley condos behind us

In front of the mogul hill

We had so much fun.  The Aerials were more fun to watch, but the moguls are just cool.

Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock

For those who wanted to know:

Scissors cut paper
Paper covers rock
Rock crushes lizard
Lizard poisons Spock
Spock smashes scissors
Scissors decapitate lizard
Lizard eats paper
Paper disproves Spock
Spock vaporizes rock
and as it always has.....Rock crushes scissors!

For those who want to view it again, click here.

Indoor Hopscotch

What a fun idea!  I'm thinking of using felt squares or some kind of material I may already have.  I know Hai and Hun would like this! I got the idea from Family Fun.

Valentine's Box

Tonight Hunter wanted to get his Valentine's Day box all ready to take to school.  I asked him what he wanted to do and he explained vaguely what he wanted.  I said okay.  He found a box, asked where the purple paper was, and away we went.  I had NO influence on this at all.  I simply did what he told me to and put stuff where he needed.  I did help with the logistics of a few things - like how to make it look like it had legs, without having to actually hold it up with the flimsy foil legs.  But he apparently he had it all thought out in his head.  The valentine's go in the top of the robot's head.

Swim Team Pictures

For the Lehi High School Swim Team.

To order your pictures of the swim team this year, please email Carl Hacking BEFORE Wednesday, Feb 8th with your order.  We will be printing them on Thursday, Feb 9th

Sizes available:
5"x7" = $5.00
8"x10" = $8.00

Send email to: cvhacking@yahoo.com

We need the following information:
1.  Swimmer's name
2.  Which picture you want (choose from TEAM, SENIORS, or CAPTAINS)
3.  Which size you want of that picture.

In the email subject line, please put: SWIM TEAM PICTURE ORDER
*We will let you know how to pay after you email us.

If you plan to order, please do so before the deadline.  Thanks!

TEAM:

SENIORS:

CAPTAINS:

Hot Cocoa

I love hot cocoa.  I buy it in 25lb bags.  My kids love hot cocoa.  We go thru it almost faster than NesQuick chocolate milk mix.  We even have hot cups and lids on our counter that the kids can have their hot cocoa in.  My two high-schoolers love taking a nice hot cup of it with them on their way to the bus stop in the mornings to help keep them warm.
On Christmas Eve my mom brought me some Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa mix that she had gotten as a gift.  My first thought was - of course, thanks mom!  But then I thought - pumpkin spice?  Hmmm!?!?!
Well, this morning - not really in the mood for a big breakfast, I just had toast with hot cocoa.  MMMMmm.  One of my favorite things.  I was brave and had the pumpkin spice hot cocoa.  WOW!!  Loved it!!

So for all you hot cocoa lovers out there - this is what I had.  You may want to try it yourself.  It is very good - it is still chocolaty, with a hint of pumpkin spice to it.  It was very good.

I am not sure where you can buy it locally....wait just found where.  Here are the locations from their website. But you can still buy it on their website here.

And the stockings were hung....

We finally got the stockings up!

Temple in El Salvador

My Aunt and Uncle are serving a mission in El Salvador as my Uncle serves as the very first Temple President over the San Salvador temple.  Here is a fun, touching, inspirational video on the youth there and how having a temple close to them has inspired and helped them.
My Aunt keeps a blog of their adventures in El Salvador - and it is fun to see the culture, experiences and people of this country.  I hope they don't mind me sharing their blog with the world.  You can see some fun pictures of their adventures here.

Our new Nativity Scene

This year I really wanted a new Nativity Scene.  I have one that is like the one my parents had growing up - ceramic figures, with a wooden stable.  It is cute, but not really my style, and a lot of the pieces are now broken, so it is on its last leg. I didn't really know what kind of Nativity I wanted - but I felt when I saw it - I'd know it was the one.  Well, I saw it (and if you know my house at all, you are well aware of the metal theme...dinner table, huge clock, etc...) and immediately knew I had to have it.  Here is the Nativity Scene I got (except mine has a few more pieces in it than what is shown in the picture).  Isn't it just gorgeous?!  I absolutely love it!  I got it from Bishop Built - they do all sorts of metal items - one of my fave companies!

The Plan of Salvation, a.k.a The Plan of HAPPINESS

Today I was able to attend the viewing of a friend of mine, from Oklahoma, who passed away last week.  When we lived there, I was able to serve in the Relief Society Presidency with her, side by side for many months.  Her name is Diana Hawks, and she was a friend to many.  Non-judgmental, caring, uplifting, just a wonderful lady.  In fact, I think she was one of the first people to introduce herself to me when we first moved to Claremore, OK.
Diana and her husband, Ralph, just recently moved to Utah - just 3 weeks ago. He retired from his lifelong occupation and now works for the Church. I was able to talk with Ralph today.  He said the most comforting things.  The first thing he said was that he *knew* Diana's urgency to move to Utah was so he could be close to his family during this hard time.  All of his daughters live here, so that was a great blessing to him.  He would have been all alone in Oklahoma.  The second thing he said that made a huge impression on me was - when asked how he was doing by one of his daughters, he simply answered "I'm at great peace".
What a blessing it is to KNOW that he will see Diana again.  That she is in a far better place than here - doing what she loves best - serving in the Church.
I, too, am so grateful for the knowledge of heaven and that there is a loving Heavenly Father watching over our every move.  He has a perfect plan for us.  I see the little miracles happening in the Hawks family, and know that they are tender mercies from Him.

General Relief Society Meeting

The General Relief Society Meeting (not Women's Conference....this is what's held at BYU each Spring) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held on Saturday, Sept 24, 2011.  It was a fabulous meeting.  I attended the meeting in the Conference Center with my friends Jill and Pam. If you missed it live - be sure to watch it now.  You can view highlights from the meeting, watch the whole meeting, or read the talks here.  If you only have time for one little highlight right now - watch the clip from Pres Uchtdorf entitled YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.  What a great uplifting meeting to get us through the next few months as women in the Church.  And I had a great night out with the girls.

Salt Lake Connect Pass

So - I just found out about the Salt Lake Connect Pass.  If you are planning a trip to SLC or you are a resident of Utah, and want to explore Salt Lake, the CONNECT PASS may be the way to go. It is a pass you buy - then you get in to several attractions free with the pass.  What a great deal!  Be sure you read about the pass and understand how you use it before purchasing, but what a deal!

Yellowstone Park

Over the Labor Day weekend, we packed up the family and took a road trip to Yellowstone Park. Our kids had never been there. I went (so my parents claim) when I was little, but I didn't remember it. Carl went when he was around 8 years old, but didn't remember too much of it either.

We took off on Friday and drove straight to my Aunt Judy's house in Rigby, ID. They were gracious enough to open up their home to us for a night. It was great seeing them again.

The next morning - Saturday - we drove to Yellowstone (about a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive from Rigby).

We stayed at this GREAT place called Mack's Inn, in Island Park, Idaho (about 30 minutes from West Yellowstone). They are open year around, and offer hotel rooms, cabins, etc... We rented a cabin - we thought it only appropriate to stay in a rustic cabin while visiting Yellowstone. We loved our cabin. We did mainly just sleep there, but it was so much fun and adventurous. It had a bedroom, a living room, a bathroom, and a little kitchen. It was just perfect for us.

Here are the pictures from Yellowstone. They can explain what we saw better than I could try to describe it. They are all pretty much self-explanatory, but if an explanation is needed, it's there.

We liked this geyser because of its name: Spasm Geyser

This geyser is on a little trail up from Old Faithful. It is called Solitary Geyser. This is a must see. It goes off every 4-6 minutes. Few people make the short hike to see it. Well worth it!

Old Faithful - to me, kind of cool, but not what I had anticipated. The steam from the hot water blocks your view of the water - so to me, not too impressed. I was more enthralled with the angry elk.

Carl showing some of his mad camera skills:

So, this is our angry elk. When you enter the park, there are signs everywhere that warn you about the wildlife. Warning you to keep a safe distance. Their recommended safe distance is 25 yards from animals like elk, bison, moose, etc... And 100 yards for bear, and wolf.

We passed the meadow and saw this elk on our first night in the park headed back to our cabin. The second night, he was there again - it must be his home. Well, this time, people were inching closer and closer to the thing! Right before Andrew took this picture, the elk stomped his hoof, and blew air out of his nose, and lowered his antlers toward the group of pine trees on the right? Why? Because there is some idiot with a camera right in the group of trees. As you can see, NOT 25 yards! That elk was not happy about some dude invading his space. We were hoping to catch an elk attack on camera - but luckily enough, the elk's warning was enough for the guy to high-tail it out of there. Duh!! But, it was one of the most memorable moments of the trip. We were just laughing at the stupidity of people.

More of Carl's mad photography skills.

There were 2 fatal bear attacks in the Park in August. This sign (although blurry) was one that closed off the area trails heads where both of them happened. Scary!!

We did a lot of this:

On our way home, we drove thru Teton National Park, and down thru Jackson Hole. Boy am I glad we did! We didn't see a bear the whole time we were in Yellowstone - and we were in posted bear country more than once! Within 10 minutes of entering Teton, we saw a bunch of cars pulled to the side of the road. Sure enough! It was a mama grizzly and her cub!

You can see the mama middle left of the picture. The cub is middle right, right above the top power line. Can you see them?

Andrew is going to China!!

Andrew (handsome young brute on the far left): 17 years old, a swimmer, a big brother, a great son, a senior in high school, I could go on and on and on about Drew.

This year he is taking a CHINESE class. He has been yearning to learn Chinese for quite some time now. He even "Google translated" his name and cut it out of vinyl to put on his bedroom wall last year. He is the proud owner of a Chinese Book of Mormon (although he cannot read it quite yet).

His Chinese teacher - who is an American who grew up in Hong Kong, is taking a group of people on a 2 week tour of China in June 2012. Andrew is on the list to go!! We are so excited beyond belief what a great opportunity this is for Drew. He has had a desire to go to China for a while now, and now he has an opportunity to go.

The trip is $3,000.00.

If you also remember - this is the time of year his swim team does their swim-a-thon to raise money for this years swim team and all the meets they go to and equipment they buy. Well, Andrew's swim money has been donated by an anonymous donor - so that is covered.

So, we are asking for generous donations to GET ANDREW TO CHINA! Carl and I are going to save every penny we can to put toward this trip for him. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Andrew and we want to make it happen! We are asking for money donations. Any amount will help! You can donate to Andrew's CHINA fund by:

1. You can mail a check to us (email us for our address - cvhacking@yahoo.com)

2. We can take credit cards. Just call us (we have SQUARE on Carl's iPod).

3. You can send a payment to Vickie's PayPal account: ywbooks@yahoo.com

We know this is a HUGE expense for our family - but we want to make it happen for Andrew. And I think we can with everyone's help.

In the case that - for some unforeseen reason - Drew doesn't go on this trip, all money already donated will be applied to his first semester of college (at BYU-I), and/or to his mission fund. So either way, the money donated will go to Andrew - 100% of it.

If you want to see/hear first hand how excited Drew is to go on this trip, give him a call. You'll be able to tell within seconds of asking him about it.

Thank you friends and family for your generous donations to get ANDREW TO CHINA!!!