Happy Valley Kellys

Little Miss Quincy Morgan Arrives!

2010-07-05T20:17:00.004-06:00

Tiny Quincy Morgan surprised all by arriving a few weeks early - she is a beautiful newborn and a delight to be around!

I was lucky enough to go to Oregon to meet Little Miss Quincy last week and wanted to share her photos.

Baby Quincy!

Quincy and Grandma Hicks

Carol, Sadie, Grandma Hicks and Quincy!

And now, random photos from my visit to Forest Grove and one of my favorite places on earth - The Oregon Coast!

The Amazing Morgan Kids

Miss Sadie Lou - Surfer Girl

Drake and Chase eating a REAL sand-wich!

Donna and Sadie making Grandma Hicks' Famous White Enchiladas

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T13:41:00.000-06:00

You're the B-E-S-T!!!

An Open Letter to President Obama

2010-04-30T08:46:00.002-06:00

President Obama, if you're reading this blog, and I hope that you are, a guy in Florida has some brilliant suggestions for how to fix the economy. I am SERIOUS. These are BRILLIANT ideas. Really. (( Not the least of which is that I will receive $1 million!!!))

There recently was an article in the St. Petersburg Fl. Times. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on: "How Would You Fix the Economy?"
I think this guy nailed it!
_____

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America 's economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can call it the "Patriotic Retirement Plan":

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them each $1 million severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new American CAR. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their taxes...

Mr. President, while you're at it, make Congress retire on Social Security and Medicare. I'll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

A Little Madness in the Spring . . .

2010-04-06T17:15:00.014-06:00

. . . is healthy, even for the King.

Amen, Emily Dickinson! We at of the Kelly Klan are working to validate your words! Here are some favorite shots from St Pats and Easter!!

Happy Springtime Everyone!

Happy Springtime Everyone!

I am Woman,er uh- KATE; Hear Me Roar!!!

2010-03-14T11:39:00.004-06:00

I have been too lazy for months now, not keeping up the family blog. As my excuse, fabfrugalfood and everydaysouthwest - my two cooking blogs - take up all my blogging time.

I hereby rededicate myself to happyvalleykellys with this post I stole from Kate.

OK, I know it's cheating. But it was too good to pass up!

Kate Kelly: Feminist Law Student / Theme Party Planner Extraordinaire!

Here are Kate's reasons she loves being a woman:

1. We are our conversations.
A conversation can be THE activity.
Said conversation can last, and last and last...
and if I'm with other women, no one tires of it.

2. We wear skirts. Skirts are really the best clothing item imaginable...
like wearable cupcake paper sleeves that leave your legs so free!

3. We dress up. Dressing up is part of my daily routine
and glitter is a socially acceptable accessory.

4. We cry. Tears communicate so many things. Sadness, joy, empathy.
Sometimes tears are the only adequate reaction,
and I love being able to cry.

5. We are expected to be compassionate.
{if only it were expected of all humans!}

6. We are curious. We learn and grow and do so many things
and are so many roles in one lifetime.

7. We are courageous. So women pursue their path with quiet dignity
willing to be, in the words of Susan B., "anything or nothing in the
estimate of the world..."

8. We sing harmonies. There is really just nothing like the sound
made by two ladies and a guitar.

9. We are divine. In the glorious words of Sojourner Truth,
"Where did your Christ come from?
Where did your Christ come from?
From God and a woman!
Man had nothing to do with Him."

Quit Facebook for GOOD!!

2010-01-24T22:19:00.001-07:00

May I highly recommend quitting Facebook. It is EEEe-vil. A tool of the DEVIL!

j/k but, it's nice to be free!

Journalists in History

2009-12-11T14:51:00.004-07:00

Jim and I happened upon two exhibits at the "Newseum," a museum in D.C. that is all about history of news. Two exhibits were of great interest because WE WERE A PART OF HISTORY WHEN IT WAS BEING MADE!

I was a part of the "Arizona Project." Journalists from all over the country came to Phoenix to investigate mob activity in Arizona after a Phoenix reporter, Don Bolles, was blown up in his car while he was investigating the mob. (That's me pictured in front of his blown-up car.) We scored a victory for free press! Much corruption was brought to light and there were many indictments and convictions after our investigation.

And, the Newseum has pieces of the Berlin Wall. Jim went there in 1989 when the Wall was being torn down. He went there with a team of journalists to help start the free press in East Germany. Before that time, they only had one government-run newspaper and no outside media was allowed in the country. Jim was there for 6 weeks, and I was at home with FOUR little Kelly kids. I also had to do laundry for the first time in our marriage. Needless to say, everyone got new underwear regularly during those 6 weeks! (That's Jim standing in front of actual pieces of the Berlin Wall.)

Thanksgiving festivities!

2009-12-03T17:41:00.002-07:00

Favorite pic from the trip: Lily learning from all of us how to be a couch potato.More picts/details over at {my blog}. {where you will also find some sweet christmas tunes!}

Amy Kelly Welsh's First Quarter Centruy!!!

2009-11-07T09:09:00.003-07:00

Wow! News flash: EVERYONE GETS OLD! Even Amy!

Happy Birthday, sweetie! It has been a joy to have you in our family.

Amy has always been a sweetie. One day when she was a preschooler, she came and sat next to her mom and was trying to think of a compliment to give me. She often did that.

She thought for awhile and then said: "Mom, you have such pretty purple designs on your legs!"

We are blessed to have you in our family. For time and for all eternity!

Best Halloween ev-a!

2009-11-01T18:01:00.003-07:00

Cap'n Hook & Tink

Apple bobbing

The Funkes

Ninja duo

Dia de los Muertos couple

Halloween fun

Donut on a string game on steroids

NOTE: THE ABOVE PHOTO SELECTION WAS BY KATE. HERE IS DONNA'S COMMENTARY:
Whenever Kate comes to town, we have to brace ourselves for non-stop partying. This was no exception! We had 6 parties in four days. Birthday bash, all-you-can-eat sushi lunch, baby shower, Pumpkin Fest, Halloween party, Cranium Tournament. Seriously, we didn't get to bed until 2 am most nights. Quite a feat for oldsters like us!!!

I LOVE KATE'S BIRTHDAY SEASON! MAY YOU LIVE FOR 100 YEARS!

Good times were had by all!!

Hatty Birthday to KATE!

2009-10-29T08:32:00.003-06:00

Mom and Dad dubbed her "Little Miss Binkerton" as a Toddler. Matt just calls her "Big Fat Kate." Whatever you call her, she has always been a delight to have in our family. I mean, seriously, who else would have a hat-themed birthday party?

Fave Kate quotes:

"Mom, I'm not going to eat this even if you spank me."

"We need to have some rules. The first rule is I'm the only one who gets to make the rules."

"It's not very much fun to be naughty!"

Happy Birthday, Kate, and may you live to have 100 more!

What Would Erma Do?

2009-09-28T17:24:00.005-06:00

In Honor of Erma - a hero from my youth, and of Race for the Cure (for Breast Cancer) Month. Life wouldn't be bad if all lived life as Erma did. She took what life gave her and she made it enough.

This poem was written by Erma after she found out she was dying of cancer.

Amen, Erma. I look forward to meeting you someday and thanking you in person!

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck

I would have gone to bed when I was sick
instead of pretending the earth would go
into a holding pattern if I weren't
there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle
sculpted like a rose before it melted in
storage.

I would have talked less and listened
more.

I would have invited friends over to
dinner even if the carpet was stained,
or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the
'good' living room and worried much less
about the dirt when someone wanted to
light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to
my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the
responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car
windows be rolled up on a summer day
because my hair had just been teased and
sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my
grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less
while watching television and more while
watching life.

I would never have bought anything just
because it was practical, wouldn't show
soil, or was guaranteed to last a
lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of
pregnancy, I'd have cherished every
moment and realized that the wonderment
growing inside me was the only chance in
life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I
would never have said, 'Later. Now go
get washed up for dinner.' There would
have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm
sorry's.'

But mostly, given another shot at life,
I would seize every minute -look at it
and really see it - live it and never
give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL
STUFF!!!

Don't worry about who doesn't like you,
who has more, or who's doing what
Instead, let's cherish the relationships
we have with those who do love us.

Farewell Miss Lily - until next time!!!

2009-08-03T22:14:00.006-06:00

It has been a fabulous, FABULOUS visit with Anne and Lily here for the last two weeks.

She was a busy little toddler - she went and hung out with Brother Brigham at This Is The Place, she splashed at Orem's water park and did a LOT of cooking!!!

She is such a charmer - loves people, and especially babies and other small kids, whom she practically tackled every time she encountered such a creature.

We will miss her little jigs, her squats and her Hulk face.

What will we do here in Happy Valley without her? I guess just keep breathing until the next visit.

Workin' 9 to 5!

2009-07-29T21:00:00.003-06:00

That's right. Last night Jake & I went to 9 to 5 the musical. It was pretty great. The only thing that could have made it more glorious was having the REAL Dolly in the show. Alas, it was not her. But, it was an excellent substitute.

So far today, Jake has already seen two more musicals. He went to Chicago this afternoon and just finished going to Hair tonight.

That kid is in music dance theatre heaven.

Sadie's Awesome Baptism

2009-07-14T09:52:00.004-06:00

Jake is overjoyed that Sadie is Baptized!!!

The Whole Fam Damily

Grandma Hicks, Sadie and Carol

Thank you Sadie! --- for being baptized so that we could come and visit!!

We wouldn't have missed it for the world!!!!

"My Mom really loves your show!"

2009-07-08T09:34:00.002-06:00

That's right. We saw Bobby on the street & chased him down for five blocks to get a pic. Then I said, "My mom really likes your show." I accidentally didn't even pretend that I was a fan. ;)

Tribute to you Mom!

Faces of the Fourth

2009-07-06T08:36:00.007-06:00

Mikey - Prize winner of the Utah County Baby Contest!!

Donna and Amy - Camp Chair Cover Rain Bonnets

Matt to Sarah: "C'mon Sarah, you know you LOVE the Jonas Brothers."

Jim trades his Hawaiian Shirt for Patriotic Gear

Pete and Chrizelle - Her 1st Anniversary in the U S of A

"Hey - which way did the parade go?"

Jake is always up for a fabulous costume!

It was mayhem and revelry at the Kelly Compound, as usual, for a Fabulous Fourth! We had amazing seats for the fireworks - courtesy of Pete - right above the stadium. We could even hear and see the "Jo Bros" on the jumbotron!

And, the prize winning Cutest Baby in Utah County joined us (Pete's cousin's baby Mikey).

Fun Times were had by all!

Perry Would Be Proud!

2009-06-22T08:52:00.003-06:00

This Just In:

KATE MADE LAW REVIEW!!!

Kate called last night with the good news - she is one of the elite few (top 1 per cent?) of her law school class.

Maybe they factored in the fact that Kate is so dedicated to the law that she missed a FREE trip to Hawaii to stay home and compete to get in to law review. Or maybe they needed a token vegetarian Mormon girl. . .

Or, just maybe, her great love to argue won the day??? Those many rousing debates at the Kelly kitchen table have paid off!!!!

Congrats, Kate - I'm sure those Wall Street law firms will be beating down your door to hire you!

'Aloha' times were had by all!!!

2009-06-05T14:24:00.012-06:00

Surf's Up!!!

It was another fun adventure for the Kelly family record books. We had a fabulous time on Oahu - all the favorite Kelly activities - PCC - Hanama Bay snorkelling - Aloha Stadium Polynesian Swap Meet - Waikiki - Shrimp Shack lunches - body surfing at Sunset Beach - Pearl Harbor - BYU-H and the Temple - - -

We added a few new adventures: Amy and Chris went scuba-ing, Jake got to sky dive, and the fabulous stay at Ko'Olina resort. Free! Woooo Hoooo!!!!

Waimea Falls

Hiding from T-Rexes on the "Jurassic Park" set

Tahitians Gone Wild

Happy Birthday Cousin Nick!

"Here Fishy Fishy!!!" Koi Feeding at Dole Plantation

Kamehameha Matt - IZ has met his match!

Beach Blanket Bingo Queen and the Fit-Over King

JOIN US NEXT TIME, WON'T YOU?!?!?!

Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed

2009-05-09T14:08:00.005-06:00

I have so many fond memories of Mother's Day Breakfasts, I decided to share my wisdom for all future generations on how to make breakfast once a year on Mom's Special Day! (A collaboration mostly by Anne - also posted on fabfrugalfood!)

Okay, kids, here’s how to make Mom the traditional breakfast-in-bed!

First let’s make some eggs. Take the carton out of the fridge. Mop up the ones that fell onto the floor with a dishtowel (make sure you leave the eggy dishtowel on the counter). Crack one egg into a frying pan, then turn the burner on, up as high as possible. Wait for it to stick like glue to the bottom of the pan. Scrape it out into the sink and start over, adding half a stick of butter this time. Success! Transfer the egg to a plate, being careful to preserve the jiggly whites surrounding the raw yolk (the burnt bottom should help). Don’t forget to season! About a tablespoon of salt should be enough. And, you know how much mom likes pepper - so unscrew the cap from the pepper shaker and pour on some pepper.

Next, let’s add some oatmeal. It’s like cereal, only hot, right? So take the canister out of the cupboard and pour some in a bowl, filling it up almost all the way, and then add some milk, just like cereal. Microwave it for 2 minutes. It’s still not soft, so try another 2 minutes. And another. Go ahead and do it for 10 minutes, then. Remove the bowl from the microwave and wipe out the microwave with that same dishtowel you used for the eggs, and try to get most of the boiled-over oats off the side of the bowl. There’s still about half the oats left in the bowl, so add some more milk to fill it the rest of the way. Top with enough pancake syrup to form a glaze over the top.

Toast is easy. Just keep pressing the lever back down when the bread pops up! Repeat until the smoke alarm goes off. If it looks too black, just pour lots of jam on top.

And, remember how mom likes us to eat healthy things? Add a few carrots - she’ll love that!

Finally, pile all your items on the tray, wrapping up a spoon and a fork and a steak knife in a paper napkin. Take the dandelions you picked yesterday out of your pocket and fill a jar with some water, and place the dandelions inside.

Be careful walking up the stairs with the tray! Always stop to pick up each item as you go - ’cause Mom hates to waste things! And make sure to tell Mom she doesn’t have to clean up the kitchen for a whole hour. It’s her special day!

Mom will be so happy that she will cry and give you lots of hugs and kisses, we promise!

–posted by Mom Donna and Daughter Anne

By Special Request: Silly Lily Turns 1 !

2009-04-23T18:03:00.007-06:00

OK, all you impatient Silly Lily Club Members - here are my photos from The Big Day.

It was a very fun event - Lily was a trooper, as always, smiling and humoring us endlessly.

Anne probably has better shots, so please check her blog, too.

A Hoppy Easter it was

2009-04-21T21:33:00.006-06:00

It was a Hoppy Easter, or "Wii-ster" as Bobby, Brandon and Lynn would call it, for us all!

The Hassan family celebrated Easter for the first time --- with us! I had fond flashbacks all day long of their very first American celebration: the Fourth of July at our house. I'm hoping that they don't think all Americans are INSANE, based on Jim Kelly a.k.a. "The D I GUY," bringing 1,000 presents out and then the resulting inevitable chaos and frenzy that that many crazy gifts brings. Also, Jake skipping around the yard dressed up in a giant white bunny costume added to the sur-reality of it all.

Kate and Neil joined us, too, which made the whole weekend very festive.

LOng Live the Kelly family and its love and insanity!!!

The Month of Lily

2009-04-01T17:16:00.002-06:00

The administrators of this blog hereby declare April to be renamed "The Month of Lily." It is fitting, of course, because it will henceforth and forever be known as the month of Lily's birth.

This is Lily in her custom hot tub at the Kelly compound in early January 2009 (a.k.a. The Kitchen Sink).

I will be representing the Happy Valley Kelly klan at THE event of the year: Lily's first birthday celebration in Erie, PA the weekend of April 15th.

Aren't you jealous????

Luck O' the Kellys

2009-03-20T14:19:00.006-06:00

With a name like Kelly, well, you must agree that we are pretty much legally required to go NUTS in honor of St Pat.

Just sharing the revelry!

a MUST SEE video

2009-03-11T20:02:00.003-06:00

A friend of mine emailed me this video clip and it is so great I wanted to share it with all beloved happyvalleykellys fans.

It is a clip of a panel discussion recently at Harvard - the topic was basically living your religion. A 20-year-old Mormon student was invited to speak for the church members. I watched the entire clip (21 minutes) and was mesmerized! It is too rare to find intelligence and spirituality merged, but Rachel Esplin does it beautifully! I was moved to tears several times by her simple, powerful presentation. A must see for all Mormons and those interested in how a simple humble Latter-day Saint lives her religion!!!

Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

The First Annual Kellys' Panini THROWDOWN

2009-03-06T11:52:00.004-07:00

Move over, Bobby Flay.

The Kellys, in fine Food Network form, held a Panini Throwdown last Sunday. Everyone brought their own panini grills and cooked up their favorite panini masterpiece. The, the surprize moment: we had arranged for our good friends Sylvia and Bob Taylor to come and judge the creations!

Meat Lover's Favorite: Matt Kelly's Marinated T-bone
Truest Panini Creation: Jake Kelly's Grilled Veggie Panini Sandwich
Best Presentation: Chrizelle's Apricot Chicken Skewers
Master Bob's Favorite: Amy's Parmesan Chicken Planks

A good (and delicious!) time was had by all!

YOUTUBE Mormon Messages

2009-03-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

The impossible has happened: I just watched YouTube for the first time! (Note to self: Never say you are "never" going to do something - like say you will "never" watch YouTube!)

There is a file called "Mormon Messages" and it has some great videos on it.

I just watched several talks by Elder Uchtdorf - a true spiritual giant among us. My favorite is "Lift Where You Stand." Check it out at ww.youtube.com/watch?v=NoEO3pK4wN4.

News Flash: Science Discovers Happiness Formula

2009-02-25T16:58:00.003-07:00

I went to a class recently where they talked about the human brain a lot, and what recent science has determined makes people "happy." It was amazing to me to hear these things, because it is what the prophets have been teaching since the beginning of time. Suddenly, the scientists have 'discovered' these truths. Kind of like Joseph Smith receiving a revelation cautioning against the ingestion of alcohol and tobacco - these things that science has now discovered to be harmful, and, in the case of tobacco, is not only bad - it kills you.

Anyway, for your edification, straight from my conference materials (with a few corresponding Mormon quotes and Hymns) here are the things that science has now found make people "happy:"

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. People who regularly concentrate on what they have to feel grateful for are - surprise! - happier than those who dwell on what's wrong with their lives. Even if you have to start with "I am grateful I have arms," this will make you happier. Mormon hymn: "Count Your Many Blessings."

DO GOOD IN THE WORLD. In study after study, any form of generosity raised people's happiness levels. As Spencer W. Kimball once most eloquently stated: "The more service you perform, the more substance there is to your soul." The Kelly kids are all good examples of this to me - they all give so much service to others that I pale in comparison - and they are all very happy people! Mormon Hymn: "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?"

EXPRESS THANKS: Expressing gratitude and complimenting others significantly increases happiness levels. In one study, participants were asked to write just one Thank-You note to another person. The result: their happiness levels shot up significantly and stayed elevated for one whole month! Mormon Hymn: "Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words to Each Other."

PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS: One measure of happiness is the ability to be absorbed in a worthwhile task. Happiness levels are significantly higher, for example, for working people if they believe that they are doing something worthwhile each day. I got this quote from an Ensign article years ago:

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. -- George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

Mormon Hymn: "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel."

2009-02-02T12:35:00.002-07:00

Every family has traditions, and one of ours is watching Groundhogs Day every Feb 2nd - for the hundreth time tonite. Hey - that fits with the movie, no?

Anyway, I LOVE this movie - one of my favs of all time. Bill Murray is absolutely brilliant.

Here are some of my favorite "Phil Connor-isms"

Somebody asked me today, "Phil, if you could be anywhere in the world, where would you like to be?" And I said to him, "Prob'ly right here - Elko, Nevada, our nation's high at 79 today." Out in California, they're gonna have some warm weather tomorrow, gang wars, and some very overpriced real estate. Up in the Pacific Northwest, as you can see, they're gonna have some very, very tall trees.

People like blood sausage, too. People are morons.

Could you help me with my pelvic tilt?

Chance of departure today, one hundred percent.

So'd you turn pro with that belly button thing, Ned?

Ned, I would love to stand here and talk with you... but I'm not going to.

Yeah, they're hicks, Rita.

This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.

This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.

Come on, all the long distance lines are down? What about satellite? Is it snowing in space? Don't you keep open a line for emergencies or for celebrities? I'm both. I'm a celebrity in an emergency.

I make the weather.

Well, it's Groundhog Day... again...

What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today.

You're a producer, come up with something.

This is Nancy, she works in a dress shop... and she makes sounds like a chipmunk when she gets really excited.

I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank Piña Coladas. At sunset we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over and over and over...

[playing chicken with an oncoming train] I'm betting he's going to swerve first.

Catch you tomorrow, huh pops?

I told you, call me Bronco.

This is a man we are talking about, right?

Does he have to use the word "poopy"?

It always makes me think of Rome, the way the sun hits the buildings in the afternoon.

I like to say a prayer and drink to world peace.

This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What a hype. Well, it used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out, and they used to eat it. You're hypocrites, all of you! You have a problem with what I'm saying, Larry? [Larry shakes his head "no."] Untie your tongue, and you come out here and talk, huh? Am I upsetting you, Princess? [Rita shakes her head "no."]

I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life.

There is no way this winter is ever going to end, as long as this groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don't see any other way out. He's got to be stopped. And I have to stop him.

[to the groundhog] Don't drive angry.

Well, we mustn't keep our public waiting.

I'm a god, I'm not the god... I don't think.

You like boats, but not the ocean.

You gotta want it.

[to Rita throwing cards in a hat] Be the hat. Come on! Go!

Gosh you're an upbeat lady.

I promise I won't touch you ... much.

Winter, slumbering in the open air, wears on his smiling face a dream of spring.

When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter.

If you're gonna eat steak, get some sharper teeth, alright?

No matter what happens tomorrow or for the rest of my life, I'm happy now.

Today is tomorrow. It happened!

It's so beautiful!... Let's live here. [he kisses Rita] We'll rent, to start.

Thats not bad for a quadruped.

La fille que j'aimerai/Sera comme un bon vin/Qui se bonifiera/Un peu chaque matin (The girl I will love/will be like a fine wine/which gets a little better/ each morning)

[after crashing car after police chase, asks the officer] Is it too early for flap jacks

Breaking News: Kate Aces First Law School Finals!

2009-01-27T18:22:00.002-07:00

JUst moments ago I talked to a very excited and deliriously happy Kate Kelly - Kate just got her grades from her first finals at University of San Diego Law School - she got a B-plus in Torts (no, not the gooey chocolate kind) and a "pass" in a Pass-Fail class and, greatest of all: an "A" in Criminal Law!!! WOOOOO HOOOOO!!!

I am thinking PROSECUTOR, not Defense side, Kate.

Perry looks afraid. Very afraid.

Let's all celebrate in San Diego sooooooon!!!

fabfrugalfood.com

2009-01-22T20:23:00.002-07:00

For years now, I have been inflicting my crazy food experiments on family/friends/neighbors - whomever I can trap in my kitchen. Whenever I am writing a cookbook or entering some crazy cooking contest, everyone who knows me has to eat some very strange food. Seriously - just last week I made "Five Minute Grapefruit Gelato" because I was entering a grapefruit cooking contest. (No, I am NOT making that up, and BTW, it was actually surprizingly good!)

So, now let the world be warned: my crazy cooking experiments have gone PUBLIC! Anne and I have started a food blog: www.fabfrugalfood.com !!! With the economy the way it is, we thought this is an idea whose time has come.

The blog is brand new, still very rough and has lots of bugs to work out. Cyber genius extraordinaire Neil Ransom is our go-to tech guy, and he is amazing!

Please visit the blog and leave us comments. We are just telling friends and family for now, and plan to go bigger with the blog later, joining blog networks, etc., but for now just friends and family. Please leave your comments - we really want input!

And, who knows - the person who leaves us the most good ideas for how we can make the blog better just might get a Donna Kelly cookbook in the mail!!!!

Happy Christmas!

2008-12-25T12:23:00.003-07:00

Good times were had by all. Kate and Neil snuck into the house as a surprise for Christmas. Telling everyone that they couldn't get work off until the 28th, they fooled everyone.

There were DI presents a'plenty purchased by "the DI guy" as Jim is known around the BYU present wrapping department.

Merrrrrry Christmas!

Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-15T14:31:00.007-07:00

The Kelly Madness Continued: Highlights of 2008
By Amy Kelly Welsh

In the spirit of all things technological, we have decided to have a Christmas Letter, blog-style! 2008 has been a year of joy and change for the Kellys. Here are some highlights:

We all are excited to welcome Lily Danielle DeMatteis to our family! Lily was born April 14th – a few weeks early – a lovely little surprise package for Anne! Lily has already endeared herself to the Kellys by dressing up as Red Hot Lily Pepper for her first Halloween. She will fit right in with our crazy family! Lily, we feel it is only fair to warn you: we are the family who dressed up in full pirate gear to attend the opening night of the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie!

The big vacation of the year was a trip to Akumal, Mexico, just a few miles south of the Cancun tourist craziness. We rented a house right on the beach for about half the cost of a tiny motel room in Cancun. The house was worth the trip alone – Casa Iguana had a house, a guest house, a swimming pool, an outdoor eating area, and its own mascot Iguana living in the outdoor stairway. Cancun highlights: Chris and Matt wrestling with a shark; snorkeling and swimming with giant sea turtles; touring Chichen Itza ruins with a tour guide that re-invented Mayan history (seems they weren’t a violent race at all, they are just misunderstood “Believe what you want, but it’s true,” was his fav quip); lots of beach lounging; a Matt Kelly fish fry for breakfast; cliff diving in cenotes, which are large covered craters; and an Indiana Jones –like trip into the Cenotes/underground cave system of fresh water called Hidden Worlds.

Mom Kelly: What a year of accomplishments! Mom had another cookbook published this year - a photo cook book on “French Toast,” and coming up, “101 Things to do with a Toaster Oven,” she just finished this week! Still practicing law as a child abuse prosecutor, one might wonder how she has time to create cookbooks as well as scrapbook not only her life, but the life of her children! Most proud achievement: Becoming a Grandma! And of course -creating scrapbook pages in her mind before an event even occurs…Seriously, mom can hardly wait until an event is over before she gets out the scrapbook supplies!
Dad Kelly: It has been a great year for the head of Wasatch Life Magazine. The Summer edition of Wasatch Life was a hit, and Winter is just now being released to eager readers. Dad has taken gardening to a new level, ripping up the grass on the south side of the Kelly lot, and is currently constructing a vegetable haven soon to be producing this spring. With all the snow around us, winter is Dad’s favorite season, and he can’t wait to hit those slopes! Most proud achievement: Being referred to as “The D.I. Guy” at BYU’s present wrapping department (due to his love of buying presents in mass for special occasions and having them each wrapped).

Kate Kelly: A year of changes for Kate! With a week’s notice, Kate and Neil made the life changing decision to move to San Diego, CA for Kate to begin Law School at USD this past September. Needless to say, Kate has been a studying machine these past few months. Neil is working as an intern at the CA Coastal Commission and also with Apple. Neil is currently working up some applications for post grad education in Anthropology. Most proud achievement(s): Having her family visit nearly monthly since the move, creating a make-shift highrise loft for their bed in their SD apartment, and painting their living room wall a bright lime green.

Amy Kelly Welsh: Amy is a working machine. Still working full time at Project Reality (methadone clinic for opiate dependents) and has recently been moved up to Supervisor of the support staff. Amy is currently looking into masters programs in Social Work. Chris has been interviewing at various med schools, and so far has gotten an offer at Penn State for the MdPhd program in Biomedical Engineering. Decision, yet to come. Estimated departure from Provo: July-ish, 09. Proudest achievement this past year: getting a fish tank full of fishies and having 5 survive past the first two months!
Matt Kelly: Matt has been working hard as a manager at Chrysalis, supervising staff who assist mentally handicapped adults. Matt loves his employment and enjoys bringing a higher level of care to the mentally disabled. Matt is working on his undergraduate degree in Psychology and currently attending UVU. Matt also is the first Kelly kid to purchase a house! In October Matt signed on to a three bedroom house on 9th east with a nice big lawn, soon to be useful for his many large canines (his top choice being an English Mastif, and yes, that’s the breed that is the size of a Shetland pony!). Proudest achievement this past year: Buying a house and planning a future mobile home kingdom, and also attaining full beard status.
Jake Kelly: Jake has been constantly busy this past year what with all of his endless theatrical performances, school, and traveling abroad to England! Jake participated in BYU’s study abroad program to England, Wales, Scotland and France focusing on King Arthur folklore and seeing ruins and castles abroad. Jake’s most recent play participation was in a spooky Halloween production of “Sweeney Todd.” Jake is attending BYU and working towards a double major in Psychology and also Theater Studies. Proudest achievement this past year: Getting an awesome haircut!!! We were all dancin’ in the streets and hippin’ hooray!

As we look back on the year, we find that there is no greater joy than being together, and we are excited for new adventures to come in 2009!

Holiday Eating Tips

2008-12-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

To the genius who wrote this (Hey - is Erma Bombeck still alive???): AMEN AND HALLELUJAH!!

Enjoy!

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Lorakeet Landing & other Thanksgiving hijinks!

2008-11-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

They came, they saw the conquered.

We went to the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park. It was...wild.

It was so fun to have everyone pack into our little (teeny, tiny) apartment. What a wonderful Thanksgiving extravaganza!

Mini-Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

We all crammed into out (minuscule) apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. With a borrowed card table from the neighbors, we laid out a feast fit for a King. Nearly all of which was purchased finished from Whole Foods, including the turkey. That is the way to go!

We topped of the feast with a bike ride to the beach & watched the sunset.

Good times were had by all!

Iraqi Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T08:45:00.001-07:00

For all of you who attended our festive pre-Thankgiving feast on Sunday, I wanted to share the email Kate got from Eman, one of the daughters in the Hassan family. The Hassans are from Iraq, and came to our home Sunday night for a Thanksgiving dinner (yes, we are celebrating twice this year - we leave for sunny southern Califonia today!)

They are a very sweet family, and this was their first Thanksgiving dinner - they just came to the U.S. this spring as refugees. They also spent the Fourth of July with us - such a treat!

hi kate and neil
we went to your home in Nov/23/08 your family celebrate thanks giving it was really fun we have a lot of fun it was our first thanks giving it's really good and your mam she made delicious food we really like it and we met your young brother and your cousing but we really miss youo and neil we can't wait to see you soon LOVE YOU eman

Happy Atheists' Day!

2008-11-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

A lawyer friend of mine just emailed me a story from a civil case in Florida. He swears that this is for real. After reading insane opinions written by judges, especially some from the South, I think it is possible. You be the judge!

An atheist sued the govenment for a Sec. 1983 violation of the civil rights act. His complaint was that Christians and Jews have recognized holidays, but that atheists have none. A violation of his civil rights as an alien, he claimed, since atheists have no recognized holy days.

The court, in ruling on a Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim, dismissed the case.

The lawyer for the atheist objected to the dismissal, asserting that Christians and Jews have recognized legal holidays but atheists have none.

"Your client is woefully ignorant," the judge responded. "The calendar says April 1st is April Fool's Day. Psalm 14:1 states "The fool in his heart says "there is no God." Therefore, it is the opinion of this court that if your client says there is no God, April 1st is his holiday. Court is adjourned."

Archer Morgan - Child Star

2008-11-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

I talked to Carol today and she told me all the Morgan kiddos are doing well, and talked of all the child star notariety that Archer has been getting.

He even gets called and asked to audition for things now. ARCHER - YOU ROCK!

His upcoming appearances include singing a solo with the Portland Boys Choir and is Anna's son in The King and I during the next few months.

See www.theaterinthegrove.com

Unlocking the Fullness of Life

2008-11-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post some of my new fav gratitude quotes -

Please enter the Happy Valley Kellys' Gratitude quote contest - post your fav quote as a comment here and you will win a prize: Donna's upcoming cookbook - '101 Things to do with a Turkey Carcass."

:)

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace to today and creates a vision for tomorrow. " -- Melody Beattie

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts do not drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.
Life is like an old time rail journey - delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, intersperced only occasionally with beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the journey." -- Gordon Bittner Hinckley

Utah Valley Magazine

2008-11-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

For a great version of Grandma Hicks' holiday rolls, check out the November-December issue of Utah Valley Magazine - Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls with Lemon Herb Compound Butter. The "Meet the Chef" blurb and photo are fun, too!!!

www.uvmag.com/novdec08/36_37.htm

Halleluia!

2008-11-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

We found out today that Chris got into Penn State Med school! Click here (my blog) to read more! We're excited!

Congrats to AUDREY HICKS, President Elect!!!

2008-11-11T21:19:00.000-07:00

It has come to the attention of the the administrators of this blog that another important election was held in California recently. And, the result was one upon which we can ALL agree: Audrey Hicks was elected president of her class!

Congrats, Audrey!

When you are older and run for President of the US, I;ll be older, too, but I promise to campaign for you and go door to door in my nursing home!

Please try this bread!!!

2008-11-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

You know all those fancy breads that are called "artisan breads" and you pay 5 bucks or more for a loaf about the size of a frisbee in the grocery stores? Yes, their wonderful rustic texture is a delight to dip into oil and vinegar. They are so crusty and yummy. But waaaaaaaaaaay too expensive.

So, tonite we were at a friend's house for FHE. ( She and her hubby are the leaders of an LDS 12 step program in Provo - more on that in my next post) and she taught me how to make "Artisan Bread." For about 30 cents you can make a loaf that is, seriously, no hyperbole involved: THE EASIEST BREAD YOU WILL EVER MAKE! No kneading required at all. No finicky fussing over the texture at all. She says it turns out perfect every single time. I beleive her because it was delish!

AND So, so sooooooooo easy you could make it every single day. (Although, if I made it every day, I would weigh 200 pounds!) It only has four ingredients, five if you count the oil spray.

I came home and read the policitcal war of words that was raging on this blog over the last few posts, got a big knot in my stomach and then decided to delete them all and write a post that was something totally different, not hurtful and I hope positive and helpful.

So, here it is. Enjoy! Love to you all!!!!

Artisan Bread
(also known as Ceasefire Bread)

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt (or 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt)
1 and 2/3 cups very warm water

Mix in a bowl with a large spoon until dough comes together and only small lumps remain. Do not mix in a mixer. Do not knead. Do not overmix.

Generously spray a sheet of plastic wrap with olive oil spray. Loosely cover bowl with plastic, oil side down. Let sit on countertop (not in the fridge) for 12 to 18 hours.

Turn batter out on to a floured surface. Fold dough over itself in half 5 or 6 times. Do not knead.
Let rise another 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Generously spray a 2 1/2 quart covered casserole with olive oil (spray bottom and bottom side of lid, too). Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until well browned.

This bread is best served the first day, even better served warm right out of the oven!

Slime green bike.

2008-11-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to all of those well-wishers during my birthday season. As a belated gift I got this awesome bike. Slime green. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's no matching 2002 Olympic vest, but it rides real good.

Why do I live in Utah?

2008-10-20T21:13:00.000-06:00

Shout for joy, we got to escape the coming winter of Provo! Five of us crammed into a five person car (me, Chris, Mom, Dad and Matt) and hiked it to the big S-D. Good times were had, and seals were found!

Coronado Beach

Capturing Dad capturing Kate & Neil.

The boys exploring 'anemones of the state'.

We got to go to the famous San Diego Zoo on Saturday, and man was it awesome! I definitely want to go back. Here is Kate the giraffe.

On our little zoo tour.

La Jolla, Braving the water

Chris and Dad shortly before Dad followed a seal all the way around the bay..quite the adventure. Matt emerging from the bitterness

Celebrating Kate's coming b-day by going to her fave: seafood (ha, ha) and gifting them with twinner fleece vests, oh the greatness of Jim Kelly bday gifts.

One of my favorite picts from the trip. The bird hangout at La Jolla.

This last picture makes me want to stay in San Diego forever. Thanks Kate and Neil for a great time! Bitter cold Utah winter, here we come.

Red Hot Lily Pepper

2008-10-15T13:16:00.001-06:00

The highlight of my recent 3 day weekend in Boston was not the Freedom Trail, walking the site of our founding fathers, the beautiful 70 degree Indian Summer weather, the women blogger's conference - - - it was hanging out with Lily!!

Here she is in her chili pepper - or should I say - LILY PEPPER costume for Haloween. She agreed to put it on for me as a preview. The custest little pepper anywhere - wouldn't you agree???

Matt "Donald Trump" Kelly

2008-10-07T14:50:00.000-06:00

Yes, that's right folks. Matthew James Kelly is going toe-to-toe with the Trumpmeister, minus the haircut.
Are you sitting down? If so, read on, if you dare.
*** MATT BOUGHT A HOUSE!!! *** (SEE PHOTO ABOVE)
Ever since Matt was a little guy, he has loved to save his money. Any of you who have ever sent Matt a birthday check, please know that your money was preciously saved and guarded by Matt, and is now part of Matt's house. He has always loved to save. (BTW, he even has a 401(k) started!!!) Amazing that he is related to his mother!
Matt and his friend Ty both saved up enough to make the downpayment on a house, which they intend to rent out and manage together. They will be renting to a guaranteed renter: Matt's employer, the Chrysallis program. So, hopefully they will have a few less hassles than the average landlord, what with a reliable entity paying rent every month and all.
We are very proud of Matt overcoming the odds of buying a house even though he is a single male, and in the toughest economy in a very long time.
Matt's friend Ty and Ty's father have a landscaping business, so they should be getting the yard and vegetation in good shape come spring.
GOOD GOING MATT!!!

Award Winning Dessert Nachos

2008-09-30T13:26:00.000-06:00

This Just In:

My recipe for "Lemon Raspberry Dessert Nachos" won in one of the categroies of the 2008 Cooking Light magazine "Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest." Yay!!!

The recipe will be published in January 2009 Cooking Light Magazine!!
But, I'm so excited, I couldn't wait to share the joy with all you beloved HVK readers. . . so, here, hot off the press, is the recipe:

LEMON RASPBERRY FRUIT NACHOS
Syrup:
2 cups fresh raspberries
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Topping:
¼ cup purchased lemon curd (such as Dickenson’s)
3 tablespoons water
1 (8-ounce) block low-fat or fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 (6-ounce) bags Stacy’s Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 To prepare syrup, combine 2 cups raspberries, granulated sugar, and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Strain broth through a colander into a bowl; discard solids. Add lemon juice and salt to bowl; cover and chill.

2 To prepare topping, combine curd, 3 tablespoons water, and cream cheese in a bowl; stir until smooth. Arrange pita chips in a single layer on a serving platter; drizzle cream cheese mixture evenly over chips. Top with 2 cups fresh raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries; drizzle with syrup. Sift powdered sugar over top. Serve immediately. Yield: 9 servings

(Note: Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar pita chips can be purchased at most health food stores, such as The Good Earth.)

Things to eat before you die

2008-09-26T09:44:00.000-06:00

Ok, I admit it. I was really bored in court one day waiting for a case to get called, so I started making my "100 things to eat before you die list." Yes, pathetic, I know.
For those kindred spirits who daydream about food, here's my list so far. Let me know what I have missed*

Abelskivers
Massaman curry
Apricot Pineapple Jam
Fresh basil leaves
Big Hunk Candy Bars
Blueberry Cobbler
Boiled peanuts
Cap’n Crunch Cereal
Roasted salted cashews
Sour Cherry Pie
S’mores
Chile Rellenos
Coca Cola, and its (almost) clone Diet Coca Cola
Corn Flakes
Lefse with butter and sugar
Hummus with pita chips
Crème brule
Chorizo – hot Mexican style
Duck a la Orange
Hershey’s kisses
Rice crispy bars
Elotes – Roasted corn with mayo and queso fresco
Feta Cheese
Ripe cantalope
Gyros sandwiches
California Figs
Fried Bologna Sandwiches with mustard
McDonald’s French Fries
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Seafood Gumbo
Grilled cheese sandwiches
El Charro Carne Seca
El Charro anything
Toasted Hazelnuts
Heinz Ketchup
Fresh Huckleberries
Homemade Baked Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Slow Simmered Spaghetti sauce
Snickers bars
Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Sticky rice with peanut sauce dip
Roasted elephant garlic on bruschetta
Baklava
Moon Pies
Strawberry banana jello
Vine ripened tomatoes
Life cereal
Grape Nuts Cereal
Steak with A-1 sauce
Marionberry jam
Strawberry shortcake
Costco Chocolate muffins
Cheerios with milk and sugar
Baskin Robbins Rocky Road ice cream
Utah Peaches
Irish Oatmeal
Cheese Crisps
Pork chile verde
Homemade salsa
Jiff Extra Crunchy Peanut butter
Lion House Rolls
Hawaiian shaved ice
Pepperoni pizza
Hot tuna sandwiches
Four cheese ravioli
BBQ baby back ribs
Red Velvet cake
Seared scallops
Waffles with butter and maple syrup
Phad Thai Noodles
Hershey’s syrup chocolate milkshake
Strawberries dipped in sour cream and rolled in brown sugar
Triscut crackers
Crunchy Cheetos
Prickly pear jelly
Pecan Pie
Mo’s clam chowder
Proscuitto
Tillamook cheddar cheese
Homemade pasta

*Subject to frequent change without notice.

Call for recipes!!

2008-09-23T19:59:00.001-06:00

I am insane, I admit it. I am taking on several projects, and welcome your input.

I am working on collecting new recipes for two projects:

Toaster Oven Recipes for "101 Things to do with a Toaster Oven" and

Dollar stretching recipes for a food blog I am planning to start (as yet unnamed), and possibly another cookbook.

All you awesome cooks out there - send me your best cheapie recipes, and I will: a) Acknowledge you in the book(s) and b) Love you forever!

Send Me Recipes!!!

2008-09-22T21:02:00.000-06:00

I have agreed to take on two new cookbook projects:

-- 101 Things to do with a Toaster Oven

-- 100 entrees for under $5.00 ( NOT part of the 101 series)

I know. I KNOW. I am INSANE for taking on two more cookbook projects when I just finished the quesadilla book and have finally had a little bit of freedom from my self-imposed kitchen slavery.

But, as always, I love a good challenge, especially when it involves new culinary frontiers. Boldly going where no home chef has gone before . . .

So, here's where you all come in.

Send me your best budget entrees and/or toaster oven delights and I will a) acknowledge your culinary genius in the foreward of the books, and b) love you forever.

Oh, and BTW, please stop by "Donna's Test Kitchen" any given Sunday for free taste testing.

Miss Lily @ 5 months

2008-09-14T21:45:00.000-06:00

I will pay $1 million to anyone who can find a cuter baby anywhere. Not that I'm biased or anything, but Miss Lily - you are a beauty!

Digital Cameras up for Grabs

2008-09-06T11:28:00.000-06:00

To beloved family and friends and readers of our HVK blog:

Jake came home from England this summer and was cleaning out his suitcase and found TWO identical digital cameras stuffed into the front pocket of his suitcase. We have waited for a month or so for him to ask around of the others students to see if anyone is missing a camera, and we haven't found the owner(s). I am thinking someone at an airport mistook Jake's generic looking bag for theirs and stuffed cameras into his bag in a hurry accidentally, or something. Anyway, we now have two digital cameras that we don't need.

I am not a very savvy person when it comes to things like cameras (or anything made of metal or plastic, actually . . . kitchen equpiment excepted), so I don';t know if these are expensive cameras, but they appear to be very adequate and new. They are missing their memory cards, so you'd have to invest a few dollars into buying one of those, but otherwise, these should work like a charm.

I would be happy to turn the camera(s) over to anyone in need. Maybe the Morgan or Hicks kids are in need of a camera to cut their photographic teeth on?

If you are interested, let me know!!!! I'll even pay the postage!

-- Domestic Diva Donna
(801) 722-4761 cell

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!!

2008-08-29T15:04:00.000-06:00

Matt will be treated to his favorite meal tonite: homemade spaghetti with homemade sauce! (It is his request every single birthday dinner)

I will never forget how Jim was walking around about 3 feet off the ground when he discovered on Aug 29, 1986 at the Newberg Memorial Hospital that we had a man-child!!!

Matt - thank you for 22 years of your fun personality and good heartedness.

We love you Big Guy!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAPE!!!!

2008-08-27T10:00:00.000-06:00

Man, o man, there are A LOT of birthdays in our family in August!

Today, John Palmer Hicks, III turns, I believe, 35? Can it be true?

I still think of you, Jape, as that cute skinny kid who loved backhoes. And my favorite JP line of all time is . . . After the skinny 5 year old had been helping Jim in the yard of our newlywed bungalow in Tucson, I went out to ask if they needed anything (thinking the answer would be "cold water" or "lemonade," etc.) JP's reply "Yeah, how about a PAYCHECK?" ;)

JP, it is my inicredible good fortune to have a younger brother to look up to and admire. Thank you for the example you have been to me of living a righteous life. You are a man of kindness, integrity and good humor. Hey . . . haven't I read that somewhere recently?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN, and may you live to bless us all many more years!

Integrity, kindness and good humor

2008-08-26T08:51:00.000-06:00

Ok, this really is a terrible picture of Jim, but I wanted to post a note that Amy wrote to her dad on the occasion of him having been born in '54 and turning 54 yesterday!!!

"You've played so many important roles - father, mentor and coach to name a few. But the sum of who you are is more than that. It's the way you go about your life - with integrity, kindness, and good humor. You truly do deserve the best birthday ever. Thank you for always being there for me and for being an amazing example." - Amy Kelly Welsh

As I read this, I questioned whether Amy, being a very biased person, could give an accurate assessment of him. Like Amy, I know Jim Kelly well, and I know that he is not perfect, but I also am a person who is very biased in his favor. So, can we give an accurate assessment of his character? The answer, I concluded, is a resounding YES!

The people we interact with on a daily basis are the people who know us the best. They see us as we truly are, warts and all. But because of the service and love we give to each other daily, we constantly look for and hope for the best in each other, and because of that closeness we are in a position, much like the Savior, to see us as we truly are and love us anyway. I personally take great comfort in knowing that we will be judged by a very biased person: the Savior. He is biased in our favor, He is our advocate, He loves us unconditionally. He always has, He always will.

I add a resounding AMEN to Amy's assessment. He has lived every day of the 32 years of our marriage with "integrity, kindness and good humor."

Jim - May you bless us with another 54 years!!!

Summer's End Photos

2008-08-24T16:20:00.000-06:00

Wakeboarder Chris about to crash Susie and Barry's Minnesaota lake house.

Jake and Donna tubing it.

El Viejo grandstanding.

Modern Mount Rushmore fabulous four.

Our Inner Vikings shine through.

Morgans and Kelly kids at Orem waterpark.

The Morgan fab four.

jake's 20th celebration!

Horray for me!

What a fabulous summer's end we have had - just wanted to share the joy!!!!

For Girls Only

2008-08-12T17:47:00.000-06:00

Ok, someone sent me this website, and I normally don't get sucked into these silly internet quizzes, but this one only takes a few minutes and it was fun!

Which Disney Princess are you?

the answer can be found at http://www.greatestjournal.com/

I won't reveal which Princess I would be, but let's just say I will learn to love swimming. Lots of swimming. In the ocean. 24/7. And I'll be using a dingelhopper to comb my hair.

Kate & Neil new contact info

2008-08-11T10:40:00.000-06:00

Just thought I'd post the new contact info for Kate and Neil - they are doing well and are becoming quite the Californians. They even went to DISNEYLAND, no less, with a family from Iraq!!! Can't wait for thier posts on their blog for that one!

Kate Kelly & Neil Ransom
5506 Riley Street
San Diego, CA 92110

For now they are keeping their Utah cell phone numbers:

(801) 836-2869 Kate
(801) 472-1339

ADIOS Los Dos Locos!!!

2008-08-05T11:44:00.000-06:00

"Where is the "good" in "goodbye?" is a line from "The Music Man" that comes to mind.

Some good things I can think of:
Numero Uno: Sea World. Sign us up for annual passes!
Numero Dos: Old Town Mexcian food. Lots of scrapbook photos of us wearing large sombreros.
Otros: beaches, lots of beaches; warm and sunny Januaries and Februaries; one day drive from Utah.

On the downside -Kate: who will prod us into living the law of consecration in our daily lives? And introduce us to people from all over the world? And keep us informed on current issues? And keep Dad out of custody of the IRS?

Neil: Who will I use for a sous chef? And who will feed us fine cheeses? And make us cool silk-screen tee shirts?

And, now that you're gone, who will go crazy shouting "CLUB CRANIUM!!!" with us?

It has been so fun having you two live near us and seeing you every other day or so. Man, I will miss that.

But please know that we love you and think of you every single day and are praying for your success and happiness always.

And, remember that the highways run both ways - come back and visit us, too.

We love you more than the world.

Where is the "good" in Goodbye???

2008-08-04T08:35:00.000-06:00

We had a farewell fiesta Saturday nite for Kate and Neil, who took off this morning for their latest stop in their quest to save the world: San Diego.
We are all most sad, of course, but we try to keep in mind that in January and February we will not be sad, we will be shouting for joy that we now have two more good reasons to escape to sunny southern California! Sea World here we come!
Kate, we will miss your fashion sense (see above photo) and . . . who will be around to prod us into living the law of consecration more fully?
Neil, I will miss my favorite sous chef/culinary advisor/test kitchen taster. Who will be here to feed us fine cheeses and homemade veggie burgers?
But, never fear. Sea World and La Jolla snorkelling (and you, too) becon us all westward for frequent visits!!
You are gone but not forgotten!

Zen and the Art of Airport Maintenance

2008-07-29T09:57:00.000-06:00

For those of you too young to have been reading hip "pop" pyschology in the early '70s, a trendy book was "Zen and the Art of Morotcycle Maintenance." It was a novel written by a man who took to his Harley with his son on a cross-country road trip. He was trying to get into the "zen" of it all, roughly defined as that state of being happy and peaceful and living fully in the moment. But the inevitabilities of life kept interfering: motorcycle breakdowns, bad weather, no motel rooms, etc., etc., etc. His conclusion: life is just imperfect on this planet and we all have to deal with that. Some of us deal with it unhappily and others seem to rise above it all and still find "zen," or inner happiness, despite those pesky inevitabilities.

So, anyway, I chose to be an observer of the approaches of these two classes of people recently in two experiences at airports.

On my way to Tucson last Wednesday night, Hurricane Dolly created mass chaos at airports all over the South and West. My flight was delayed to Denver, then the inevitable domino effect: I missed my flight to Tucson. I had to pay to stay at an expensive hotel in Denver because all cheap motel rooms were filled up in the whole city. I got a total of 3 hours of sleep.

Then, on the return trip, I flew to Phoenix but then got stranded there because there were "mechanical problems." (Thank God we didn't find out about those "mechanical problems" after takeoff!) So, once again, I was stranded overnight. I missed a television appearance I was supposed to make on Monday morning in Salt Lake. I was late getting to work, and again I was out more money.

OK, so I am really not writing this post to whine. Really.

What was interesting was to watch people's reactions both times while standing in line for hours trying to get rescheduled. Some folks paced and worried. Some folks were angry and pounded their fists on the counters. One guy, a young gentleman sporting skulls and snakes tattoos, threatened loudly "I'm going to "f--- you up!!!" Some went into an empty corner and slept on the floor.

Regardless of our various reactions, all of us got onto the very same rescheduled flights, all of us arrived at the same delayed times.

I remembered a little plaque that was on the wall of the home of my Grandma Greenhaw. It had a clown face on it and these words: "Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out of it alive anyway." My Grandma Greenhaw was a woman who reached "zen" every day. She found joy in things like sliced ripe tomatoes fresh out of her garden and putting pigtails in her grandaughters' hair. She was a person who was a joy just to be around. If she had been in Denver or in Phoenix stranded, she would have no doubt taken it in stride and found "zen" in playing with a stranded new mother's toddler or doing a crossword puzzle to kill time.

For me, I tried to achieve "zen" by repacking my suitcase in an airport restroom because my stash of ripe prickly pears picked at the Hicks hacienda had leaked all over the contents of my suitcase. . . . Yikes! . . .

BTW, you're all getting Prickly Pear - Strawberry jam for Chirstmas. I'm thinking of naming it "Zen jam."

Thaya's Tea Party

2008-07-27T12:50:00.000-06:00

For Thaya's b-day Alexys decided to do a traditional tea party! It was great fun, and super super hot. I just wanted to post this funny photo..mainly because Mom and I were the only two adults who dressed up. We sure do love a good reason to dress silly!

Jake's U K report

2008-07-15T16:42:00.000-06:00

Here is Jake's report from the UK - he's having good times -

Hey there! Sorry I haven't been very good about keeping you guys posted. I've been busy. :/Anyway, here's what I've been up to:First day, we went to Legoland. I know. Then we did typical tourist-y things in London. The eye, big Ben, all that.The next day, we went to A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe.Sunday, we went to evensong at Westminster Abbey.Monday, we went to the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and Spamalot, which was hilarious. On the way, we ran into the world premiere of Mamma Mia. We saw Meryl Streep, Collin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Hanks. (!)We then went to Glastonbury, which is where all the awsome new age freaks like to hang out.On our way, we saw Stonehenge, which I did a presentation on, Winchester Castle, Cadbury, which may or may not be Camelot, and Roman Baths in, well, Bath!At Glastonbury, we saw the Glastonbury Abbey, the Tor, Chalice Well, and Warwick Castle. We then went to Cornwall, where we saw Tintagel (the place where Arthur is said to have been conceived), stone circles, Mount Saint Michael's Mount (it POURED rain), Penzance and the Scilly Isles (and yes, we were as silly as possible there!). We also biked from coast to coast and saw the Alchemist at the Minack theater, which is carved into a cliff by the sea - wowzers!We arrived in Cardiff, Wales yesterday. So far, all we've done is go to Cardiff castle and meet up with the BYU wales group, where both of the group leaders spoke to all the students for a while.So yeah. It's been so much fun, and I think about you guys all the time.Much love!-JakeP.S.- Mom, can you email me the tofu mac recipe? I wanna make it for the kids here. XDLove ya!

Fun on the Fourth

2008-07-10T20:42:00.000-06:00

Hot air baloons launching from downtown Provo.

Two sisters from Iraq doing sparklers for the first time.

Some of our group awaiting the fireworks show.

S'MORES - All American treat.

What an amazing Fourth it was this year for the Kellys.

When you are with people who are seeing and experiencing something for the very first time, you see and experience things anew. It was amazing how I noticed even the littlest of things this year, and there were many more poignant moments for me as I thought more deeply about what all of it means.

Feeling the audience rise from their sidewalk seats as the flag went by - slowly, silently, simply -at the parade. Putting my hand over my heart with all the audience. Cheering as WWII vets waved that "parade wave" from their perches on the backs of Army jeeps. Eating watermelon, potato salad, s'mores and other good ole' American fare. Watching the fireworks and writing my name in the air with a sparkler for good luck. Sharing some thoughts on freedom with refugees who had only been in the country a few weeks, including the father of the family who was imprisoned and tortured for TWO YEARS for expressing a view that was slightly critical of some of his former country's actions.

I asked the Iraqi family what they liked best so far about the US of A. I thought they would say something like: enough food, a roof over their heads for the first time in two years, not living in constant fear. But, the mother of the family said "the love of the American people," and she shared that many people had been so kind, welcoming and loving to them. I have never been as proud of my country and my people as I was at that moment.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Freedom Festival

2008-07-01T08:40:00.000-06:00

We are lucky to live in Provo, which goes crazy for the Fourth of July every year. There is a month-long huge festival, including parades, hot air baloon launch, Stadium of Fire. AND a non-denominational religious service. (OK, we concede that the two featured speakers were Michael Ballum, famed Mormon opera star, and Glenn Beck, famous - or infamous according to your polictical persuasion- Mormon talk show host.) But, there was also a Jewish Rabbi who did the invocation.

Jim and I trekked down to the Marriott Center for the 90 minute service and it was better than expected. No crazy right-wing babbling, just a stirring emotional tribute to this great country we are blessed call home.

Beck told the story of his experience in Manhattan on September 11, 2001, wandering lost and bewildered in a city he had just moved to weeks before. He also pointed out that people are "dying in the desert" trying to have a small piece of what we take for granted every day."

I love that he also said we should not be a nation who gets on our knees and begs the Saudis for more oil. We are a nation that can create our own solution to any crisis, even oil shortages. Without begging. If we choose to do so.

He was truly inspiring, as was Ballum, who told the story of Marian Anderson, perhaps the greatest African American opera singer, and her courage in singing at the Lincoln Memorial after she had been banned from singing at an opera hall in D.C.

Here is some more of his speech.

Enjoy!!

'The Leader We Need Is You,' Beck Tells 17,000 at BYU

The answers to America's problems aren't found in Washington; they're found in the people of America.
That's what radio and TV personality Glenn Beck told a vocal crowd of nearly 17,000 gathered at BYU's Marriott Center Sunday evening for America's Freedom Festival's annual Patriotic Service.
"In a time when America is begging for a leader; in a time when America is shouting out, 'Where is the leader, when will he step forward?' I am here to tell you: You are the leader — the leader we seek. The leader we need is you; it always has been.
"We are the United States of America," he said. "We can solve any problem."
Beck said the signers of the Declaration of Independence, in "hot, humid, not-yet-riddled-with-gangs Philadelphia," put "we the people" at the very top of the document in big, bold letters for a reason — to remind the people of America who would shape the nation's destiny, even with all of its problems.
"Hope is the recognition of who we truly are," Beck said. "Not in who we've allowed ourselves to become — all we have to do is remember."
Beck repeatedly told the crowd it is vital for Americans to remember how important God is in America's past and future. He said the pilgrims humbly came to the American continent according to God's will. Like those pioneers, he said, America needs pioneers now.

Great Web Site

2008-06-27T16:02:00.000-06:00

I found this great website that I wanted to share with all my favorite bloggers:

http://www.freecycle.org

Like re-cycle, only Free. Clever, huh?

It is a site dedicated to keeping stuff out of landfills. You can post things that you want to give away or you can post a "wanted" post for things you are looking for. All for free, of course.

There is a lot of random junk but also some good stuff. We found hundreds plastic balls - like they have at the ball crawl at Chuck E. Cheese - that we snagged and are going to use at Girl's Camp.

You sign in for your area so you won't have to drive far to pick up your new treasures.

Enjoy!

Live Long and Prosper CHRIS!!

2008-06-24T16:10:00.001-06:00

Happy Quarter-Century to Chris today!

May 12, 2006 is one of the happiest days in our family history - Christopher Lee Welsh became a part of our family for eternity!

Your sweet, sunny disposition makes every room you are in brighter, and we are so privileged to be connected to you for all eternity.

Have a wonderful wonderful WONDERFUL day!

Ruined birthday cakes and other wonderful things about John Hicks!

2008-06-11T12:27:00.001-06:00

In honor of Father's Day, the Des News ran a feature story this morning about French Toast (not entirely sure of the connection, but - hey - it's free ink!)

They told the story of my 16th birthday cake - one that is a family legend. (It is at the end of the story below.)

So many of my good childhood memories involve those in which we were lucky enough to have John Hicks II become our dad.

Thanks for your patience. Thanks for your humility. Thanks for being a great example. And thanks, most of all, for your love.

Thanks to John, a wonderful dad to us all!!!

A toast to Dad: Celebrate Father's Day with a delicious breakfast
By Valerie PhillipsDeseret News
Published: June 11, 2008
Father's Day and French toast make a great combination. French toast is simple to make, and it's hearty enough to satisfy a dad-size appetite.
And it's not just for breakfast anymore, according to Donna Kelly, author of "French Toast: Sweet and Savory Dishes for Every Meal" (Gibbs Smith, $16.95). In fact, about a third of recipes in her book are savory dishes, such as Southwest Chipotle Cornbread and French Toast Pizzas.
"Who doesn't love French toast? It only calls for three ingredients — bread, eggs and milk — so it's very versatile," said Kelly, who spends her workdays as a Utah County prosecutor and much of her free time cooking.
She said this popular breakfast food comes from the original French recipe pain perdue, or "lost bread." It started as a way to use up stale bread, by dipping it in an egg-and-milk mixture and cooking it.
"The concept lends itself to an almost infinite variety of flavors and versions," she said.
French toast can be made into egg-rich brunch casseroles or stuffed with everything from fruit to nuts to sausage to whipped cream, or topped with all kinds of syrups, sauces and streusels. When cubed, it becomes a sturdy dipper for fondues.
One of her favorite recipes is called Southwest Chili and Cheese, a casserole that borrows from Kelly's upbringing in Tucson, Ariz., and her love of Southwestern cuisine.
"It's fabulous, it's totally my own brainchild, unlike a lot of recipes where you get the idea from someone else and then work on it to make it your own," said Kelly. "It's got a nice fluffy texture, and it's got cumin, which is my favorite spice."
Should you be treating Dad to French toast on Father's Day, Kelly has four general rules to keep in mind:
1. It's always better if you use stale bread. "The bread has to be dry to absorb the custard mixture, which is what makes the classic French toast texture," she said. "If you use fresh bread right out of the package, it will get too soggy and fall apart while cooking."
To make fresh bread more "stale," leave the slices out on a wire rack for several hours or overnight, so the air circulates on both sides. Or in a pinch, dry it in on the racks in your oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
2. Always cover the pan with a lid while it's cooking. "That way, the toast will cook all the way through the middle before it starts burning on the outside."
3. The best batter ratio is three eggs to 1 cup milk. "Not enough eggs, and the French toast doesn't have any texture," said Kelly. "Too many and it won't absorb into the bread."
4. Don't use large amounts of sugar in your egg batter. "It will cause it to burn," said Kelly. "If you want sweet in French toast, buy sweeter bread."
Kelly uses cooking as a stress reliever from her legal career. In the past few years she has written or co-authored several cookbooks in Gibbs Smith's popular "101 Things" series — "101 Things to Do With a Tortilla," "101 Things to Do With Chicken," "101 Thing to Do With Canned Soup" and "101 Things to Do With Tofu."
"I try out all my recipes on my family," she said. "Every Sunday night I have 15-30 people for dinner, they're friends of my own kids, mostly college students who don't have anywhere else to go."
No wonder there's a sign in her home that says, "Donna's Test Kitchen."
In honor of Father's Day, Kelly offers this story of her own father's cooking prowess:
"On my 16th birthday, my mom had just gotten home from the hospital from giving birth to my youngest sister. She was in no shape to make her traditional 'from scratch' birthday cake. So my dad, with his positive 'can-do' attitude, but no cooking skills of any kind, took the challenge."
He painstakingly put together the batter and carefully placed the cake in the oven. Unfortunately, Kelly's brothers came home from school and decided to broil hot dogs and turned on the broiler without looking inside the oven.
"When the billows of smoke filled the kitchen, we all realized the cake was, literally, toast," Kelly continued. "Undaunted, my dad started from scratch once again. But this time, he mistakenly put two tablespoons of baking powder in the batter. He realized the mistake and tried to compensate by adding more flour, but Cake Number 2 turned out like cornbread and was inedible."
Party time was drawing near, so he rushed to get a store-bought mix cake in the oven. "He frosted it still hot, but at least it was edible and somewhat resembling a birthday cake!" Kelly said. "Now, every time I see a cake mix cake, I think of my dad, who taught me that the most important ingredient in any home cooking is love."

Iron Chef

2008-06-08T17:17:00.000-06:00

Mom was the celeb cooking expert at our ward's Iron Chef enrichment activity. The secret ingredient was strawberries. All the dishes turned out great, but the particularly delicious crepes were the champions. THANKS MOM!

Happy Birthday Iris - MAY YOU BLOOM FOREVER!!!

2008-06-03T08:36:00.000-06:00

Iris Stout with one of her great granchildren.

Our family is blessed to call Iris Stout a friend. She is the only friend we have who is 100 years old.

In this case "old" is not an adequate adjective to describe Iris. Chronologically, it is an accurate word. But in very other way that a human being can exist, Iris is anything but "old."

She has lived a full, rich, happy life, including the 30-plus years she has been a widow. Her husband was Gene Autry's personal lawyer, and he and Iris were business partners with him.

No one in our neighborhood knew until recently how old she really is because of how she lives. She gardens, travels to visit loved ones all over the world, prepares meals for families who have had hardships, attends all church meetings, all neigborhood parties, showers, receptions, etc. She is positive, happy and one of those beings who makes every room she is in brighter just by being there. You can FEEL her bright, joyful spirit before you can even SEE that Iris is there.

Iris is one of the many reasons I look forward to going to church on Sunday. Without fail, she seeks me out, gives me a hug and greets me. She asks what I have been up to, how I am and invariably gives me a compliment of some kind. She is as sharp as a tack, kind, generous to a fault, witty and a little sassy.

I don't really think Iris lives in my neighborhood - I think she commutes from the Celestial Kingdom each morning to make our world a better place.

Iris is one of my heros.

Some favorite Iris sayings:

"Be kind to people, even if they don't deserve it."

"Get out of bed every morning thinking about how many people you can serve that day. Go to bed every night with the satisfaction that you have served them."

"I love pretty clothes. When you dress well, you act your best."

"If you have time to open a gift, you have time to say Thank You."

"The gospel is true. What else matters?"

I attended a birthday party for Iris over the weekend, and they handed out some of Iris' favorite recipes. One of the pages was entitled "Live-to-be-100 Lunch." It is the lunch Iris has almost very single day. Here is the menu: Iris' veggie and melted cheese sandwich; 1 diet coke; 1 chocolate chip cookie.

In case you want to live to be 100, here is Iris' recipe for her favorite sandwich:

"Spread a little mayo and a little Dijon mustard on a slice of whole wheat bread. Slice some avocado and some ripe tomato on top. Top with a few slices of Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese - don't waste yourself on bad-tasting cheese, get the good stuff. Broil this in your toaster oven until cheese is bubbly."

Happy Birthday Iris - may you live another 100 years!

Mayan Madness - Donna's fave pics

2008-05-26T18:43:00.000-06:00

Matt and Chris shark wrestlin at Isla Mujeres. Seriously. It is a real "cat shark."

Matt cookin up a fish fry for breakfast.

Eco-tours of the Sian Kaan lagoons.

A jeep ride thru the jungle at "Hidden Worlds" cenote (underground caves with pools of water). Our own "Indian Jones" ride. No joke.

Matt feeding a flower to a wild iguana at Tulum ruins.

Los viejos en la playa. Que bonitos!!

Snorkelling at Yal Ku. Millions and millions of fish and sea turtles and crabs - Oh My!

Livin' la vida buena. Muy buena.

!Elotes son buenos!

The whole famdango at Tulum ruins. It was maya-gnificent!

The trip was filled with snorkelling, climbing on ruins, beach lounging, shopping for mexican tourist junk, eating out. My favorite times, though, were just hangin at "Casa Iguana". It was the most amazing rental place ever. It had a main house, a guest house, a pool, an outdoor eating area with its own fountain, talapa-covered hammocks, volleyball court and barbecue. We cooked most of our meals there and just enjoyed relaxing and being together. It was a dream come true.

I feel like I know what the celestial kingdom will be like: learning, being with loved ones, relaxing. This is the life!!

Chillin' with Howard and Martha

2008-05-15T16:42:00.000-06:00

I know, I know.

You are all dying to see photos and read accounts of our Cancun adventures. Don't you worry - I'll post soon about our amazing Yucatan adventures.

But first, I wanted to ask for help from someone more techno-savy than myself. Which is pretty much everyone. Chris? Neil? J.P.? Anne? anyone else? are you up for it?

I will be interviewed on the "Sirius" radio network next Tuesday, May 20th at 12:15 Eastern time (That's 10:15 a.m. Utah time and 9:15 a.m. for Californians and you crazy time-maverick Arizonans.)

Would someone be willing to find a way to record this interview for me?

This is my first national interview - and it will be with the "Everyday Food" division of Martha Stewart Living. I doubt if Martha herself will be chatting it up with me, most likely just one of her "people." But, hey, it's nationally broadcast radio, so I am definitely JAZZED (no reference to any NBA playoff team intended).

You can sign up for a 3-day free trial membership of Sirius radio and then tune in at that time.

Despite the fact that I am seriously cyberspacailly impaired, I did manage to find the website. Quite interesting. www.sirius.com .

It is a bizzarro world we live in where Martha Stewart and Howard Stern are the two biggest stars on the same network!

A Grandma is BORN!!!

2008-05-03T12:58:00.000-06:00

The new family: Anne, Aaron and Lily at their home in Holland, Massachusetts April 24, 2008 (Miss Lily is 10 days old).

Lily in her first quilt, made by Grandma Donna.

Donna and Anne smother Lily with hugs and kisses.

When a baby is born, so is a grandma, so the saying goes. And, becoming a grandma is all that I had heard it would be - thrilling!! And most importantly without all the exhausting pacing the floor at night, feeding, changing diapers, etc., etc., etc.

When you meet a grandbaby you fall in love instantly. It is a joyful feeling that defies the capabilities of language to capture. All at once calm and peaceful but exhillerating. Sort of a pay day for having been a parent.

Lily: be forewarned. You will be smothered with love all of your days!!!

More options

2008-04-26T17:47:00.000-06:00

I have been accepted by Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, and USF in San Francisco. We're still waiting to hear back from my top 4, but these are encouraging signs.

Anne's B-Day Bash!

2008-04-21T12:04:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday ANNE!!!

We wish you were here so we could help you blow out your candles! (See photo!!)

Love from all the Kellys!!

Weekend getaway to Tucson

2008-04-20T19:04:00.000-06:00

All the Kelly gals headed down to visit Grandma & Grandpa in Tucson last weekend. We got a great treat upon arrival, Sadie Morgan. It was great fun.
We also got to meet the newest addition to the family: Grandma's dog Charlie.
Sandy came down from Phoenix, to visit. She showed us her amazing under-the-sea themed sugar sculpture. Very impressive.Amy gave Sadie a pretty, pretty princess hairdo. It was gorgeous.And, of course, we hit the pool!

Welcome to the world LILY!!!

2008-04-15T12:46:00.000-06:00

Lily Danielle DeMatteis (Anne's baby daughter) was born yesterday at 11:03 p.m. EDT!!

Anne and baby are doing well and we hope to see them both SOON!!!

Pre-Cancun Fest

2008-04-10T11:34:00.000-06:00

In typical Jim Kelly style, we all came home last evening to find the room filled with an OCEAN of presents - wrapped and tagged and bowed!!! Jim had bought us all stuff for our upcoming Cancun extravaganza in May. So, as usual at the Kellys: instant PAR-TAY!!!!

Yucatan here we come!!!!!!

Studio 5 Appearance

2008-04-04T17:15:00.000-06:00

I don't know if this program can be viewed on the worldwideweb or not, but Donna, of "Donna's Test Kitchen" fame, will be appearing LIVE on a program here in Utah called "Studio 5," it is an NBC station "KSL." One of those chatty morning talk shows.

It will be broadcast live at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 14th.

She will be cooking some sort of French Toast delight - haven't decided on a recipe yet, but it will be out of the FT cookbook.

We will TIVO it, of course, and if you are unlucky enough to miss it, we may force you to view it whenever you're in Utah to visit.

Cheers!!!

Quesadilla-rama

2008-03-29T14:02:00.000-06:00

We at Donna's Test Kitchen are heavily into creation of quesadilla recipes until May 1st - the deadline for the first draft of the quesadilla manuscript.

DTK welcomes all quesadilla recipes - the more exotic, the better.

If you entry is accepted, the prize will be an entry on the "Acknowledgements" section of the book AND a gourmet meal cooked for your dining pleasure featuring - you guessed it! - QUESADILLAS!!!

Erin Go Braugh!

2008-03-21T19:16:00.000-06:00

"Erin Go Braugh" means "Ireland Forever!" (Amy made me clarify that)

St Patty's Day, THE holiday of the year, was celebrated in grand Kelly style with about 100+ friends/neighbors/folks looking for free food.

I only had one picture on my camera, and then I got too busy running around, so Kate & Neil took the rest of the pics with Neil's new fancy camera he bought in honor of his unemployment. So, here is Amy and Chris, pre-party.

I actually brined my own beef brisket this year, and it is acutally yummy, unlike that inedible strngy stuff you buy at the grocery store that is injected with pink dye.

St Pat's trivia: (OK, yes, I did learn this from Alton Brown, my hero) : Corned beef is NOT eaten in Ireland. It is a strictly Irish-American food item. Even more appropo, I'd say.

The top o' the mornin' to all!

Name That Cookbook Contest

2008-03-14T10:24:00.000-06:00

Greetings all clever and creative bloggers!

"Happy Valley Kellys" is proud to announce a contest to name Donna's upcoming cookbook! As a prize, Donna will personally come to your home (or the location of your choice) and cook a gourmet meal for you and 7 of your favorite friends and/or family members! (We PROMISE we are not making this up!)

Donna has been feverishly working on her next cookbook, which is a collection of fast, fresh and flavorful entrees that require 30 minutes or less of prep time. The original title was going to be "The Every Day Gourmet," but Donna's publisher would like to use a different title, and feels that "gourmet" is a word that is over-used these days.

The format of the book will be an easel-style book that folds into an easel and stands on your counter for easy reading while you are cooking. One recipe per page. If you would like to take a look at the index of recipes so far, please let me know and I will email them to you for your perusal.

So, what we need is a clever, catchy title that conveys the essence of the book. That is where you come in. Post your ideas - all REASONABLE suggestions will be considered. No. Jake, we can't use "It tastes good when you put it in your mouth." A panel of marketing experts from around the world -- ok, mostly from Utah County -- will select the winner.

Contest ends: April 15th. (Manuscript deadline for the book is May 1st.)

Jane Goodall

2008-03-10T13:58:00.000-06:00

This is Neil and I with Jane Goodall at the Abravenal Hall in Salt Lake. Neil heard her speak when he was a kid in Kenya and she has been one of his heroes. She is an amazing lady and at 72 she still travels 300 days out of the year lecturing about conservation. We had to wait 90 min in line to get to meet her, but it was well worth it.

Tonsil free is the way to be

2008-03-09T18:20:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone. Thanks for your thoughts & prayers. They must be working, because I am doing well. I can't really talk or ingest solid foods yet, but for an adult tonsillectomy, it's going fine. Luckily I've got Neil the wonder-nurse to take care of me, so I'll be back on my feet soon. Perhaps Neil is enjoying the silence. ;)

Neil Ransom is Brilliant!

2008-03-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

Kuddos to Neil for being brilliant and for doing good in the world!

Neil presented at an "International Field Studies Inquiry Conference" yesterday at BYU. He did his presentation on research he did in India in 2005.

His study was about the effect of private ownership on small farmers in rural India. (as opposed to just leasing). It was so fun to go and hear him speak. And great power point, too.

Way to go Neil!!!

PRAY FOR KATIE

2008-03-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Katie is having surgery this Friday, March 7th, and the doctors are telling her she will be completely down for at least two weeks.

Anything we can do to help cheer her up and relieve Neil on his nursing duties, let's all pitch in and help.

Also, please remember her in your prayers - let's all pray for a quick and full recovery.

We love you, Kate!!!

Anne Tegtmeier, Food Network Star

2008-02-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

OK, I have officially passed the "novice" level of blogger-dom. I actually copied this photo from the Food Network site and posted it here!!!!
You can read about the Ultimate Recipe Showdown on foodnetwork.com - Anne's recipe is posted there too.
Who will win the $25,000 Grand Prize!?!?
STAY TUNED SUNDAY NITE TO SEE!!!!

2008-02-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

Anne Tegtmeier, Superstar

This article ran in the Hartford (Conn) Advocate today 2-26-08
I couldn't get the photo to post - sorry You can view the whole article with picture at :
www.hartfordadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=6101

The Comfort Food Queen Windsor resident Anne Tegtmeier battles for victory

Ultimate Recipe Showdown
"Comfort Food" airs March 2 on
the Food Network
Home cooks have always been fiercely competitive about their kitchen creations. Before the Food Network served up Iron Chef America and Bravo dished Top Chef, yuppies competed with each other to serve the most authentic tuna sushi with wasabi-encrusted smugness and mothers yearned to hear neighborhood children say their chocolate-coated play-dates were the best on the block. Even Marge Simpson entered her recipe for dessert hotdogs in Springfield's Oven Fresh Bakeoff, narrowly edging out Ralph Wiggum's "grilled crayon sandwich."

Ultimate Recipe Showdown, which premiered Feb. 17 on the Food Network, solicited thousands of recipes from amateur cooks for categories such as burgers, pasta, cakes and cookies. Each episode showcases the best recipes by nine contestants who compete in a kitchen arena to win $25,000 and prove their dish reigns supreme in each class. The show is hosted by FN's "food dude" Guy Fieri and Marc Summers (from Unwrapped), and judged by a panel of food professionals led by Katherine Alford, director of FN's Test Kitchen.

"Comfort Food," airing March 2, features Windsor resident Anne Tegtmeier, a trained dancer and licensed massage therapist working in West Hartford. Tegtmeier submitted just one recipe, "Ultimate Vegetarian Chili," to the contest. "It was one of those classic cliché things where I'd almost forgotten that I submitted it. Out of thousands of recipes across the country, to be one of three in the chili category, those are crazy odds," Tegtmeier said.

In 1999, Tegtmeier reconnected with her birth mother, Donna Kelly, 27 years after her adoption. She credits cooking as being a key element to building their relationship. Kelly, a child-abuse prosecutor and cooking fanatic, also had experience in food competitions. "One of the first things early on that we exchanged was a recipe for her original cheesecake that she'd won a blue ribbon for in a fair," Tegtmeier said.

The two later went on to co-author 101 Things to Do with Tofu. Tofu is a favorite ingredient of Tegtmeier, who explained, "People hear how healthy it is, how good it is for you, how versatile it is, and then they buy this bland white block, take it home, and they don't know what to do with it." Kelly was cheering from the audience during the taping of Ultimate Recipe Showdown and, unknown to either woman at the time, Tegtmeier was a week pregnant while competing on stage; she is expecting her first child in early May.

"My vegetarian chili comes from trying lots of different recipes at home and in restaurants over the years and taking different elements that I liked the most out of each of them," Tegtmeier said. This includes a surprising ingredient: cashews, an item she collected from Trident Booksellers & Cafe in Boston. "The recipe is idiot proof. I think what makes it good is that I've come upon a really good combination of textures and flavors and a good combination of ingredients."

Regardless of the contest's outcome, Tegtmeier's recipe will be featured on the Food Network's Web site. "Who cares about the money? Who cares about winning? It's amazing to be on the Food Network, period," Tegtmeier said. "I will cherish my Food Network apron with my name on it forever."

ULTIMATE RECIPE SHOWDOWN

2008-02-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

Tune in on Sunday, March 2nd (yes, THIS Sunday) to watch Anne on the food network with Donna standing by supportively.

The show is "Ultimate Recipe Showdown", and Anne will be making the "Ultimate Veggie Chili" from our "101 Tofu" book. Out of 4,000 recipes submitted, hers made it to the top NINE. I am so proud of her!!!

Better yet, make the chili to much on while watching the show!!!

Here's the recipe:

ULTIMATE VEGGIE CHILI

1 each yellow onion and green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
14 ounces extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed and drained
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
2 cans (14 ounces each) black beans, drained
1 can (14 ounces) kidney beans, drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 cup diced roasted cashews
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot over medium high heat, sauté onion, bell
pepper and garlic in oil until softened. Stir in spices. Crumble in the
tofu and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in remaining ingredients. Reduce
heat to low and cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Serve hot garnished with sour cream, cheese, cilantro, etc., if desired.

DON'T YOU FEEL HEALTHIER ALREADY???

Zippety Doo Dah!!

2008-02-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, sorry about being the last to post. It's been an insane week.

This was the Kelly Family's 10th trip to the Magic kingdom - and it was magical, as always.

It was so fun to have JP and Kristina, now seasoned Disney park veterans, with us.

And, so fun to have, on the other end of the spectrum, Derrick who had never been to The Happiest Place on Earth.

Here's to Micky and Friends and to making many more great memories in the years to come!!!!

Next trip: Cancun May 2008!!!! Stay tuned, bloggers, for great pics from the Yucatan!!!

California Dreamin'

2008-02-20T21:54:00.000-07:00

We all crammed into a 15 passenger van and headed to sweet-sweet southern California to celebrate Lincoln & Washington's birth. We started out in San Diego with stop for me at USD law school & then on to La Jolla beach.Seeing as this large Bertha was our mode of transport, we got a lot of "quality time" in. Like having Matt crammed into the crack. Good times were had by all.

Happy VALENTINES Day!!

2008-02-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody!! Just wanted to wish a Happy V-Day to all those who I love! To quote one of my top five favorite musicals Les Miserables, "To Love another person is to see the face of God." And here is one of my favorite Mother Teresa pieces of Wisdom:

"Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."

Family MATTERS

2008-02-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

Jim and I went to the church broadcast on Saturday morning about the family -"Raising a Righteous Posterity" I think it was called. They talked about family and why it is the most important thing, and I want to "Amen" that thought, and give some of my own. (OK, I'm a lawyer, it is an occupational hazard to be opinionated!)

Vince Lombardi once said "Winning isn't the main thing - it's the ONLY thing." or something to that effect.

He got one word wrong. The quote should have said:
"FAMILY isn't the main thing, it's the ONLY thing."

I have been pondering this since Saturday morning. Really, love is the only thing that motivates us for good. I don't want to go to heaven to be comfortable, or rich, or sit on clouds and play harps. I want to go to be with my loved ones forever. That is what motivates me the most. I never want to do anything that would keep me from being with my family, and they are ALL celestial material, so I need to be a celestial person, too, to be with them.

Also, I am a better, more celestial person because I am acutely aware of the example I set for those whom I love. I want to be a good person for them to see what joy being a good person brings to you. Prssident Kimball once said "The more service you perform, the more substance there is to your soul." Wow. There are a lot of folks walking around today with ghost-like almost non-existent souls, because they are so focussed on themselves and their own needs, often to the detriment of others. They will pay a dear price for their selfishness. There are even religions which preach selfishness: just go meditate upon the mountaintops to get yourself to heaven. I disagree. You would be better off serving lunch at a soup kitchen than sitting alone on a mountain top focussing on yourself.

I give the example of one very celestial day Jim and I had a few years ago: It was a Saturday morning and all FOUR of our kids had baseball/softball/tball games that day. Jim and I split up and literally ran and drove frantically back and forth so we could at least get a few cheering words in for each kid. Matt hit a Grand Slam home run that day, which we both miraculously saw. All the kids did great - even Jake who was so excited at his first T-ball game that he hit the ball to the outfield and then ran to THIRD BASE! We all went out for pizza afterwards and laughed and talked and High-5'ed each other. A truly celestial day.

I would lay down my life for any one of my kids or husband if called upon to do so. If any one of them needed a heart transplant, I would gladly let the doctors cut mine out. But, thankfully, God does not call upon us to do that but rather calls upon us to give up our lives one day at a time by living for each other. Much more joyful! God must be a pretty smart guy.

Farewell Sweet "Grandpa"

2008-02-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

We are going to miss President Hinckley so much!

The Salt Lake Tribune called him the most significant LDS church president since Brigham Young. They may be right. He has been such a kind, loving and open leader - not afraid of comments and questions from the media and other religions. I will never forget his appearance on Larry King Live a few years ago - he was incredible. And also he has put such an emphasis on temples and making them so accessible to church members.

I'm sure others have written much about him already, but I just wanted to post my own mini-tribute to him, a personal one.

There are two things about President Hinckley's example that have made me a better person.

First, he is an unconditionally loving and positive man- always looking for the good in everyone. Sort of like a very kindly sweet "grandpa" for all of us. I have one of his quotes on my fridge:
"Things will work out! Keep trying! Keep believing! Be Happy! Don't get discouraged. Things will work out!" And, he not only said it, he lived it!

The second thing that has most influenced me is what a perfect family man and father he is. I will never forget his talk a few months after Marjorie died. He had met her before he left on his mission as a young man and called her "the girl of my dreams," because he missed her and dreamed about her while he was in England. Then after she died, he said "She has once again become the girl of my dreams."

I never saw them together when he wasn't holding her hand. I heard her talk once and she said that he had treated her like a queen every day of their 60-plus year marriage.

I love the thought of them together once again hand-in-hand!!

Sunny, funny San Francisco

2008-01-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Amy, Chris, Neil & I took a little jaunt out to the Bay Area this weekend. It was exceedingly fun. We stayed with a college roomate of Neil's right downtown in the Nob Hill area. We toured around and in 3 days managed to visit old friends & catch all of the major sites- SFMOMA, Fishermans's warf, Union Square, Golden Gate park/bridge, Chinatown.... it was great.

The only problem with San Francisco is that you have to come home!

Eat Your Heart Out JAPE!!!

2008-01-22T17:49:00.000-07:00

OK, seriously, I just had to do something in reponse to JP's sunny southern California Dreamin' post yesterday.

C'mon, really, who has the "true" winter weather?

This is a picture of Jim and I celebrating MLK Day - Utah style. We got snowshoes for Christmas, can you tell? This is a photo taken right outside our house. We had about 3 feet piled up as of 5:00 yesterday. Driving home each day is a death defying feat!!!!

It was a near perfect "Utah-ish" winter day: sleep in until 9:00 am (holiday- woooo hooo!!!!); read the Book of Mormon in flannel pjs while eating whole wheat cereal (I am NOT making that up!); cutting out my first baby quilt; making ratatiouille to experiment for my cookbook manuscript due in a few weeks; watching a little Food Network (Alton Brown is my hero!); snowshoeing with Jim on the trail next to our house - excellent 360 degree view of Utah County at the peak- crystal clear and breahtaking literally and physically; talking to many loved ones via the modern wonder called "cell phones"; Relief Society phone calling; dinner at home made by my eternal sweetheart; movie out on a date with my sweetie ("The Bucket List" - outstanding) home to hang out with some of my wonderful kiddos - AAaaahhhhhhhhhhh!! This is the Celestial Kingdom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, Jape - - - Jim tells me the slopes at Sundance ROCK. Are you jealous???

;)

Ain't life GRAND??!!

Love to you all!!!

The Tao of Pooh

2008-01-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Anne sent me some of her favorite Pooh-isms, and I wanted to share.

Someone should write one of those books about Pooh - - - you know: "All I Ever Needed to Know, I Learned from Pooh"

Hey! Maybe I'll call my publisher!!!

:)

Happy New Year Y'all!!!!

"When having a smackerel of something with a friend, don't eat so much that you get stuck in the doorway trying to get out."
"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever."
"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?""
"You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes."
"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."
"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."
"A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference."
"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."
""I wonder what Piglet is doing," thought Pooh."I wish I were there to be doing it, too."
"Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?"
"Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave."
"Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon."
"Just because an animal is large, it doesn't mean he doesn't want kindness; however big Tigger seems to be, remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo."
"If you want to make a song more hummy, add a few tiddely poms."
"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.""
"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day."

Skiing at Sundance

2008-01-02T21:59:00.001-07:00

Amy, Chris, Jim and Jake tear up the slopes at Sundance last Friday.