Did you know?

If your debit card is compromised (by someone hacking into a merchant's database) and you have to get a new card, if you order one over the phone it takes 5-7 days. If you go in the branch of your bank (or at least MY bank), they will print a new card for you in a matter of minutes.

Now that's 2011.

A day in N.H.

Elder Arbon

Watch out, Panama City! Elder Arbon's on his way!

Born of goodly parents

Summer days

It's not "technically" summer but when it's in the 80's, it's summer.

Who had the perm?

It was Nan.

Current read

I'm finding this book very interesting.

Found in my files

Brace yourself!

I just finished making these cookies (my friend Kimberly shared the recipe and two cookies with me last week) and they are amazing. They are very similar to cookies at Lakota Bakery in Arlington. I found the recipe on line (I think it was published in the Boston Globe). Click here and get baking!

Only one perm

Only one of us had a perm. Can you guess who?!? And please, no one send this to Awkward Family Photos.

Matteo's baptism

Matteo was baptized by his dad last night. The cub scouts sang "I am a Child of God" which was really cool. I taped it but need to figure out how to get it on my blog.

It was the Rapture alright...

..the Rapture for my computer monitor. The screen went blank last night as I was trying to post Adrienne's birthday post. I'm back up-and-running with a loaner from my HT.

Sweet...

Adrienne turned SWEET SIXTEEN today! When she was about two I started calling her "Sweet P for Patton". And I remember the day she was born thinking how sweet it was that she was born on her dad's birthday.

Happy Birthday to Adrienne and Robes!

Don't believe anything I say

Chuck and Emma enjoyed visiting the Joseph Smith Birthplace on Wednesday. I showed them Camp Joseph, we took pictures by the monument, and watched the new Joseph Smith movie. I knew if they liked that, they'd love Nauvoo. Their train was going through Chicago so I started talking it up. I was there 23 1/2 years ago and I loved it: the period clothing, blacksmith shop, fudge, etc., along the Mississippi River. We come from pioneer stock on my mom's side so our relatives were right there. It is a few hours (I was thinking two) from Chicago ("or less" I said) so they could rent a car, see everything, spend the night there, and get back on the train in Chicago headed for Montana. I even got the atlas out of my trunk and showed Chuck the Illinois map and dragged my finger from Chicago to Nauvoo, showing that they weren't that far from each other.

Emma and Chuck called me today. They had arrived in Chicago, rented a car, and when they mentioned going to Nauvoo the car rental guy told them two things: there were lots of Amish people there (wrong: they're Mormons) and it was almost 5 hours away (right: it is that far). OOOPS!

They couldn't see my embarrassed face through the phone and I quickly started talking up Chicago and how it was such a great city. I quickly looked up the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers schedules on-line (both teams are in town) and said how fun it would be to go to a baseball game.

So sorry about Nauvoo.

23 years in Boston

I arrived in Boston 23 years ago today. Click here to read about "My Big Adventure". Moving here was definitely one of the best decisions I ever made.

Father daughter adventure

This morning at 7:00am I dropped Chuck and Emma at the subway station (headed to South Station to get all aboardAmtrak) as they continue their travels. Their adventure will be 3 1/2 weeks long and started with a flight from Oregon to Florida, a cruise to Jamaica and Grand Cayman and then they spent some time with Adrienne and Jamel in Boca Raton (Kim was in Hawaii visiting Ian). From there they took the train to New York City and spent a day, hopped back on a train and got to Boston at midnight. We've spent 6 days together and now they are headed to New York City for a day or so and then get back on Amtrak headed west by way of Pittsburgh and Chicago. After seeing Sharon, Vermont yesterday they may spend a day in Nauvoo. Next they'll get off Amtrak at a "whistle stop" in Essex, Montana (Glacier National Park). There is just a platform (no building) and the train stops once a day. From there they go through Spokane to Portland, Oregon and their adventure ends. Chuck works at NIKE and when you've been there 10 years you get a 6 week sabbatical (that makes me jealous of more than his travels around the world and great discount). On the train ride to Boston the man sitting in front of them told Chuck that he had an amazing relationship with his daughter. It's true; they do have a great relationship. Chuck was laughing because he realized the guy had been listening to everything they were saying. Both Chuck and Emma are keeping journals, have made lots of memories and are traveling with some cool NIKE gear.

Joseph Smith Birthplace

Chuck and Emma had never been to the Joseph Smith Birthplace so we stopped on the way home from Grafton. I showed them Camp Joseph, we had an abbreviated tour and then watched the new Joseph Smith movie (it's been there 3 weeks).

Walking in Vermont

Kimballs is a must

PATTON'S ARMY rides again

Cousins Club

Paris has arrived

When my sister-in-law's brother-in-law said he was driving from Columbus for the Ride I suggested he bring his wife and youngest daughter. I hadn't seen Heidi in over 10 years and had never met 5 year old Paris. There are 8 extra people in the condo and we're having a lot of fun.

The Pattons have arrived

Emma, Chuck, and Adrienne are here!

THE RIDE

This Sunday is the 17th annual Boston Brain Tumor Ride. PATTON'S ARMY will have 11 on our team this year (from OR, FL, OH, NY and MA). Team members are arriving by train, plane, car and bus.

Here are links to some Ride stories on my blog.

Ride Story #1
Ride Story #2
Ride Story #3
Ride Story #4
Ride Story #5

This year I'm especially riding for my little 3-year-old friend Keith who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. We need to UNITE TO FIGHT BRAIN TUMORS.

Click here if you are interested in making a donation to our team. Thank you.

Riders are arriving

Recipe Swap: Breakfast and Brunch

Montly Relief Society Recipe Swap: Delicious food and good company.

I took the quiche. Here's the recipe:

Quiche Lorraine

In a bowl whisk 3 eggs, 1 cup heavy cream, and a dash of salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese (swiss, monterrey jack, cheddar, etc.) in the bottom of a prepared 8-inch pie crust. Crumble eight strips of cooked bacon in pie crust. Pour cream mixture over it. Dot top of quiche with butter. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Note: This is a bit like a pizza. If you don't like bacon, use ham. It is also good with chopped onion and pepper. Always use cheese with whatever else you choose.

Looks easy...

Friends on Mother's Day

Musings on Mother's Day

I asked my mom what she wanted for Mother's Day one year. She said, "Make your bed every day". I was hoping she wanted something I could buy at the mall.

One of my brothers spray painted "MOM" on the wall by our garage (probably during half time of one of their driveway basketball games). I can't think of a nicer tribute.

Click here to read last year's Mother's Day guest post on my friend's blog.

Note: I wish we had more candid shots with all four of us together. This one is missing Robert (he probably took the picture).

Rain didn't keep us away

NPR: StoryCorps

I listened to this story on my way to work this morning; a wonderful tribute to a mother. My favorite line is: "Well, in case you didn't know, I kind of love you guys."

What a sweet Mom.

Cleaning out my fridge

Can you guess what all these items have in common? They were EXPIRED.

I'm just keepin' things real on this 5 year old blog of mine.

I fixed it myself

My trash can pedal broke a long time ago. I emailed customer service about purchasing a part and they didn't get back to me for months. The piece was only $4.99 plus postage--remember the $9.99? I mentioned to my amazing home teacher that I got the new pedal and maybe the next time he was over he could fix it for me. Tonight I found the pedal tucked away in a cabinet and decided to try fixing it myself. How hard could it be? [The directions were more pictures than words.] It took me about 5 minutes and it was easy and I've got a working trash can. Life is good.

Whoops

Years ago my brother John had some Swedish friends from his mission visit us in LA (a young mother and her six year old son). We were going somewhere in the car, talking away, and the little boy said, "What is whoops?"

Whoops is that I missed my own 5th blogiversary! I thought it was May 6th but it was May 2nd. There isn't a give-away this year just a BIG thank you to all my loyal readers, followers and fans.

Today's blossoms

Quote of the day

"They can find Osama bin Laden but they can't find Whitey Bulger."

Note: I think they should have asked Whitey Bulger to find Osama bin Laden.

After church