Send Me Recipes!!!

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

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

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!!

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!!!!

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

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

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!!!!