Happy Valentine's Day

For as long as I can remember we have celebrated Valentine's Day at a Spaghetti Factory.Usually we go to the Spaghetti Factory in Trolley Square. There have been a few years that our tradition has varied. Last year we just couldn't work out everyone schedules and we went to Iggies in Layton. It just wasn't the same. A few years ago there was a shooting at Trolley Square just a few days before we had planned to go there. The shooting had killed several people and shot up Trolley Square and destroyed several store. We just could bring ourselves to go to Trolley Square so we went to the Spaghetti Factory out in Taylorsville. It was still the same good food, but it just wasn't our usual tradition.

This year we went to Spaghetti Factory in Trolley Square on Friday the 13th. Kevin had to work at the Newspaper on Saturday and a few of the kids had date plans, so Friday it was.

The favorite of most of us is Spaghetti with Mizithra Cheese and Brown Butter. But some get Spinach Tortellini with Alfredo Sauce or Chicken Marsala or Meatloaf Italian Style or Lasagna or something else. But there is always some Mizithra Cheese and Brown Butter. It is just so good!This is my favorite-the Managers Favorite, Sauteed Mushrooms in Marinara Sauce with Mizithra Cheese and Brown Butter. So GOOD!!!!!!!

They serve either a dinner salad or soup (no one has ever gotten the soup so i don't know how it is) and sour dough bread and Spumoni Ice Cream for dessert, all included in one low price. I sound like a commercial. The prices have gone up since we started going there but what hasn't gone up in the last 20+ years.
In past years Kevin and I have give different Valentine's gifts. But this year only the grand kids got Valentine gifts.

Emma got a little purple and pink singing purse, and Blaine got a little brown, blue and yellow singing tool bag.

I made a little Valentine treat for everyone. Cupcakes in ice cream cones. Summer found this cute idea on-line, so I copied Summer, coping the idea. I think that they turned out cute. Summer's looked really good too! Tyson, Blaine and Jenny

Justin, Emily and Emma

Kody and Brooke Spencer and Danny

(Sorry about the red eye, all of the pictures got saved to the computer without being edited and I am not sure how to edit them now)

Everyone was able to work out their schedules so that they could be there. Thank you kids, I know that it is hard to get work off, but I really appreciate it! I means so much to me to have you all together! Thank you! Of course Summer, Bryan, Andrew, Logan and Hannah were not there. Hopefully in two years they will be able to gone us for this tradition.

Of course Kevin and I were there. I bought Kevin Madagascar 2 for a Valentine's gift. It is one movie that he likes. We saw it twice in December. The first time was with Spencer and Danny and then we went and saw it while Summer, Andrew, Logan and Hannah were here. It was on Andrews list of things to do while he was in Utah.

This is kind of a goofy picture-oh well we are kind of getting goofy in our old age.

Hannah Likes Cake

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY, HANNAH!


Hannah's First Birthday Cake from Summer Anderson on Vimeo.


Hannah Likes Cake from Summer Anderson on Vimeo.

Super Bowl Sunday

It is that time of year again-Super Bowl Sunday! The only time that I am ok with having football on, especially on Sunday. I grew-up with football, I know the basics of the game. My grandpa Butler used to put all of the TVs in the house in one room and had them tuned to different football games. My dad is almost as bad. So you would have thought that I would have a burning love of the game....but I don't. Football on TV drives me crazy! Four to five hours-if it goes into overtime, to watch one game! What a waste of time. I know that there are many people-Tyson for one, who live for football. I try to be understanding, but I really don't like to have football on TV, especially on Sundays. But because I can have a party and have all of my family (expect Summer, Bryan, Andrew, Logan, and Hannah, maybe you will be here in two years? Yes?) over for fun, food and visiting, I encourage the watching of the Super Bowl and even try to get involved.....a little (I was even cheering for the guys in red from Arizona, the .......Cardinals, right?).

I like to watch the commercials during the Super Bowl. This year they had a few special ones that required some special equipment. I looked all over Ohio wanting to get the special equipment before they were gone, I couldn't find the special equipment. Luckly, Justin and Emily found the special equipment on the Saturday before the big game. What was the special equipment that I hunted for?

3D Glasses!

Justin grabbed 4 sheets of these little beauties. We got them all cut apart. Most of our party people(Me, Dad, Justin, Emily, Emma, Jenny, Tyson, Blaine, Danny, Spencer, Kody, Brooke, Grandma and Papa Thompson) put the glasses on to enjoy the two commercials.

There were a few things that did jump out of the screen, but not as many as I would have liked. So I was a bit disappointed. Oh well... There is always the Food!

Of course since it was a party we had to have Food. The main course was homemade pizza. I used Jenny's great dough recipe and made 4 pizza. Jenny said that I was a bit to accommodating with all of the different varieties-she said that she would have made people pick stuff off. But I thought that they tasted great and they were fun to make (I made them Sunday morning before church, covered them and put them in the refrigerator. I also made some bread sticks, a green salad, and Jell-O.

There were a few requests for treats, Danny wanted Doritos, Jenny wanted chips and salsa, Spencer asked for Chex mix and Gatorade (so that it would feel like we were right there on the field drinking our Gatorade), and Emily likes hummus. There was chips and dip, veg's, cheese ball and crackers (cheese ball!!??!! get-out-of-here...Haha Summer. Remember?) and little corn puff things that are like Cheetos without the cheese. For dessert I thawed out one of the layers of Danny's and Spencer's wedding cake. It tasted pretty good for being in the freezer for 6 weeks.

So in my option football is done until next February! Right? Probable not. Oh well a girl can dream.

What did you do?

Blaine's new, favorite sentence is "What did you do?" Any time he spills something or scatters his toys he looks at me and says "What did you do?" I love it! I tried getting it on video, but of course he wouldn't say it. At the very beginning you can hear him saying "Do." The video turned out cute though. Blaine thinks this video is hilarious. He laughs whenever he watches it.

Yeast

Here is a little bit of information on yeast:

active dry yeast = dry yeast Equivalents: One package = 2 1/4 teaspoons = 1/4 ounce Notes: This is the yeast called for by most bread recipes. It's largely displaced the fresh yeast our grandparents used since it has a longer shelf life and is more tolerant of mishandling. To activate it, sprinkle it on water that's 105° - 115° F and wait for it to begin foaming (about five minutes). Look for it in the dairy case--it's usually sold in strips of three packages or in 4-ounce jars. Always check the expiration date to make sure it's fresh. Dry yeast can be stored at room temperature until the expiration date--or within 4 months of opening--but it lasts even longer in the refrigerator or freezer. Always bring yeast to room temperature before you use it. It's important to keep stored yeast away from air and moisture, so use the smallest container you can find and seal it well. Substitutes: fresh yeast (Substitute one cake for each package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast.) OR instant yeast (Substitute measure for measure, but don't dissolve it in liquid first. Your bread will only need to rise once.) OR bread machine yeast (Substitute measure for measure, but don't dissolve it in liquid first. Your bread will only need to rise once.)

The Cook's Thesaurus; http://www.foodsubs.com/LeavenYeast.html

Now we will all know the equivalents when using our food storage yeast.