The Mayflower

Don's model of The Mayflower

Don's model of The Mayflower

Don's model of The Mayflower

Don's model of The Mayflower

Don finally finished his model ship, The Mayflower. I'm so proud of it - he did an incredible job. I'm posting pictures but you really have to see it in person to appreciate the detail and how difficult it was. He's getting ready to start his next model, The Rattler. It's a little more difficult, although slightly smaller. He's learned a lot doing these and wants to eventually build scratch models - we'll see if he ever gets that advanced.

Our Relief Society Discovery Group went to "Dance For a Reason" at the Hult Center last Friday night. We had great "box" seats and it was a lot of fun. It's an annual event comprised of dances by all or most of the dance studios (students, choreographers, etc.) in Eugene and Springfield with the money going to a different cause each year. The dancing was quite diverse and I enjoyed most of it, although there were a couple of performances I didn't care too much for.

Joshua and Lily have hired the band for their wedding reception and we're going with them this Saturday to hear the band perform at a concert in town. They play Celtic music, which I love so I'm really looking forward to hearing them.

Our favorite missionary, Elder Leet, went home last week and we miss him, but we've had the other 2 missionaries over a couple of times since then and they're coming over for dinner tomorrow night with an investigator.

Last Sunday I gave my Relief Society lesson (Presidency Message) on the Constitution, how it was inspired of God and how our founding fathers were raised up by God for the purpose of forming our Constitution. I used Pres. Ezra Taft Benson's talk from 1987 and several scriptures from the Doctrine & Covenants and a few quotes from other prophets and general authorities. I really feel like it is important for us to understand the significance and inspired nature of our Constitution and that it's our responsibility to defend and protect it and keep our nation free until the Savior comes again. I see our liberties being taken from us little by little and I think we don't always have our eyes open to it. We're drifting (rather quickly) into a more and more socialistic form of government and that goes against the eternal principle of Agency.

I just finished reading two really good books - "The Goose Girl" and "Marley & Me" - I highly recommend them. I'm back into my jewelry making again and I'm having fun trying some new techniques and designs. I have to rein myself in, though, it's easy to get carried away buying beads, charms, findings, etc.

I've also got a great recipe to post. It's for Banana Bars and they're delicious!

Bars

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used a bit more than that)
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg. (3 ozs.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
a little milk to thin, if needed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 13X9X2" pan. In large bowl, mix sugar, bananas, oil and eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Spread in pan.

2. Bake bars 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Gradually beat in powdered sugar (and add milk if necessary) until smooth and spreadable.

4. Spread cooled bars with frosting. Store covered in refrigerator.

Sorry, this posting is so disjointed but I'm not updating it enough and I'm kind of trying to "catch up" on my life - boring as it may be.