Banana Split Breakfast

I've sort of fallen off the plant-based meal wagon. I would love to eat this way consistently, but I'm not quite organized or energized enough to plan and prepare enough so that at busy mealtimes I can throw something together quickly. We still eat pretty well around here, though, and I'm going to capture a few family or personal favorites over the summer on this blog so we have them on record. 

The first is a personal, new favorite from the food blog, Minimalist Baker. This banana split breakfast is SOOO good.

My food photography is not that great, but I'll just admit that openly and move on. Here is the recipe:

BANANA SPLIT
1 Banana
Peanut or almond butter
Vanilla yogurt (I used Coyo coconut yogurt)
Rawnola (recipe below)
Berries of choice 
Hemp seeds (add some necessary protein)
Unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)

Peel bananas and use a knife to carefully cut a slit down the center of each to create an opening without completely slicing through. Top with nut butter of choice, then coconut yogurt, rawnola, berries, hemp seeds, and coconut flakes.

RAWNOLA

1 1/2 cups walnuts or almonds

15-17 pitted medjool dates 

1 heaping tablespoon hemp seeds

1 heaping tablespoon flaxseed meal

1 teaspoon chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

1/2 cup rolled oats (optional)

1/2 teaspoon maca powder (optional)

Pinch sea salt

Optional Flavorings:

1/4 cup (24 g) unsweetened cacao powder (or cocoa powder) + 2 Tbsp (11 g) cacao nibs

3 Tbsp (20 g) roughly chopped dried fruit (e.g. bananas, cherries, or blueberries)

1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp vanilla powder

To a food processor (which will work better than a blender), add nuts and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Then add dates and pulse about 5 times to loosely combine. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. The mixture should resemble a chunky granola. At this point, you could add extra “flavor” in the form or cacao powder and cacao nibs, dried fruit of choice, or vanilla extract or powder. My preferred is cacao powder and nibs! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks or in the fridge for several weeks. Transfer to the freezer for longer-term storage.

Bear Lake

Over the weekend we spent a night and day in Bear Lake with our good friends, the Shumways and Looslis. These friends go back to our days in Washington D.C. where Saren and I were roommates for a couple years, and then I served in a YW presidency in a Spanish branch with her sister Saydi for several years. Her husband Jeff and my Geoff were in the YM presidency of the same branch. The YW felt sorry for us that we were "older" and not married, so they prayed that we would get married. In the end, the YW presidency members married the YM presidency members! Not at the same time, of course, but over the years. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of us adults.

Our kids overlap a bit in ages, and the group of girls really hit it off and had a great time together.

The weather was perfect, and the cold water didn't inhibit the kids a bit.

It is amazing how long a body of water can keep kids engaged! They spent hours rowing, floating, laughing, playing games and working as a team to get the Shumway's dog on the floating dock.

It was a great getaway with great friends. Summer is trying so hard to come this year, but we're still waiting for consistent warm days!

Metal Mouth

Yesterday Ceci got braces. There was a lot of nervous anticipation after watching two sisters and a best friend cousin, plus hosts of friends, have braces. She took some before shots in the car.

Then some pictures were taken to show us the work to be done. Obvious straightening, slight overbite, and a shifting of the lower bite, as teeth don't line up. Ceci was hoping for a 6-month treatment, but it will be 21-24 months. Ceci is determined to have it be as short as possible. Bring on the bands!

Putting all of that metal on goes pretty fast, but it sure is a lot of stuff going on in one mouth!

I didn't get an after picture, because let's be honest, who wants to go around showing those things off that first day? There weren't very many smiles on the way home, but from a mom's perspective, she pulls off an adorable metal mouth!

Graduation Banquet

Graduation is getting closer! This past week was a graduation banquet where Tennie received four cords - Hope Squad (suicide prevention team), Theater, English and a perfect 4.0 GPA!

It was in the atrium of the school, and it was so fun to see her circle around, talking to all of her friends. (Can you spy Tennie below?)

Below are some of her good friends, the school principle (in the middle), and Tennie's good friend, Pippa, the English teacher, whom she is hugging. Tennie has a knack at making friends with all kinds of people, teachers included. She will be missed, I'm sure.

It was a treat to enter her world for an evening and celebrate her accomplishments. Now the countdown until the actual graduation!

Our Balcony Garden!

Adele and I planted a small garden on our balcony again this year!

The unseasonably cold nights and late spring snow storms have almost destroyed our labors on a few occasions! We mostly planted herbs and lettuces, but we tried peas again, and we trying out nasturtium, which is in constant bloom with edible flowers!

One good thing about a balcony garden in the city is there are no pests or insects eating our plants. Only we noticed something was nibbling our lettuces. What the? Turns out our cat likes lettuce! Do cats eat lettuce?

Adele and I tried to guess which yummy herbs where in our herbal tea in Israel so we could try to duplicate the tea. I think we nailed it! Lots of tea drinking around here!

Mostly, I love the simplicity of caring for these living plants and seeing them out our windows. Simple pleasures.

The Next Chapter

When Geoff left church employment, he had several potential professional opportunities. Deep down he really wanted to start his own business, but the travel idea had taken root and pursuing his own business was put on the back burner. While traveling we didn't really put much thought into what was next, until a few weeks before coming home. We planned to continue travel in the summer and maybe beyond, but we also wanted to be open to a possible change of plans. We began to seek guidance in prayer.

I won't go into the details here, but things began to fall into place for Geoff to start his business in the most unexpected ways. He partnered with Cicero Group, who is not only providing some upfront business start-up costs, but is masterful at data driven problem solving. Essentially, they are incubating Geoff's business, but will continue as partners.

The business is an impact investing company, only they plan to buy businesses that do good, make them super efficient and effective (this is where Cicero Group will play a helpful role) and then duplicate them through some of the most needy areas of the world, not buy them, grow them and sell them. It is a longer term vision. Businesses might include chicken farms in Africa that sell bundles of 10 chicks to rural families as an egg business, only the families are receiving nourishment as well. This meets the desperate needs of job creation as well as food production. Another idea is to buy pharmacies in smaller cities, then have "barefoot pharmacists" that take simple diagnostic tools and medicine to the rural areas where people don't have access to health care or smaller doses of medicine they can afford. Geoff's mind works on high-speed when it comes to ideas like this. There is literally no end to what he wants to do!

He and his small team are analyzing where to start and how to best use their initial funds. It is fun to see Geoff so engaged and excited. This week he is at an impact investing conference in Washington, D.C. A crash course in how the industry has changed since he changed it 10 years ago.

So the title of the next chapter is clear, but how it will play out is open and full of possibilities!

Mothers

I’ve been thinking about mothers today. Motherhood is bearing children and raising and nurturing them, but it also is an embodiment of sacrifice, patience, long-suffering, gentleness, service, kindness, friendship and love. It is nurturing the mind, heart and body. As I look around at the depravity in our society, I wonder if people I see were really loved. Did they ever have a “mother”?

We have many mothers in our lives. I was lucky to have a biological mother who showed me all the qualities of a wonderful mother. She has loved me purely my whole life, and I am so grateful for her.

When I was a young girl my brothers teased me incessantly. My mom tried to teach me to ignore them without any success. After years of enduring torment, my Aunt Kris came to visit. She taught me to go along with the teasing. If they called me a name, go along with it and say, “Yep, that’s right!” Somehow I listened, and miraculously, it worked! She “mothered” me out of that difficult childhood trial.

When I was about 14, and my mom worked full-time as a single mom supporting herself and her children, there was a young married woman in our ward in her late twenties that worked at a nearby bookstore. Her name was Karen Cook. I used to go to the bookstore after school and tell her about all the boys I liked, about school and my problems. She drove me past the houses of my crushes! She was solid in the gospel and gave me sound advise. During that period of time, she was a “mother” to me. When I was at an age where I wasn't as interested in my own mom, she guided me safely through the rough waters of Middle School.

As an older teen, I had two YW leaders who taught me to minister and lead. They had a powerful influence on me as a result of their sacrifice and leadership, and their commitment to show me how to serve in preparation to be a future leader. They were most definitely “mothers” to me.

When I was drowning under layers of hard for several years while living in Auburn, California, I met a friend, Cindy Joeger, who, while not religious, lived LOVE better than anyone I had ever met. She encircled me in her natural, nurturing warmth and nourished my mind, heart and body. She was a living ministering angel that bound me up in love and goodness. I needed her, and she nurtured me in every way.

There are countless times when family members, friends, neighbors, ward members and even strangers have shown me this love, by feeding me nourishing meals, rocking my babies to sleep when Geoff was out of town, teaching me skills, listening to my struggles, encouraging me to try new things, watching my children so I could have a break, guiding me through depression, helping me see my unique gifts, taking an interest in my children, taking an interest in me, sending me small, thoughtful gifts, demonstrating how to serve selflessly, carrying my burdens, being present when we talk, letting me know I'm doing an ok job at being a mother, helping me to see the beauty in nature, helping me simplify, showing me new ways to do things, opening my mind to different points of view, and on and on and on.

This love that has been shown to me throughout my life is multiplied a hundred times over by those who embody the characteristics of "mothers". It is a powerful force for good.

There are many who have not known this love. I see them on the streets, in stores, in schools, and just about everywhere I go. They seem lost and void of love and nurturing. They are seeking, but not finding. I've been thinking today that I want to expand my mothering, or ministering. I want to start asking in prayer each morning, "Who needs my love today?" And in turn, I hope the receiver feels Christ's love, for He IS love.

Thank you to all of those who have influenced me through their mothering qualities, who have inspired and taught me to be more like the Savior through their words and actions.

Happy Mother's Day.

All In One Nap

I was doing some work on the computer for several hours on the couch one day with Mila napping beside me. Every time I glanced over, the position had changed, all making me laugh.

This first one we call The Mohammad.

The Eyemask

Notice her nice belly stitches.

Cambodian Deliveries!

While at Song Saa in Cambodia, we ate out of some beautiful, handmade ceramic bowls, just the right size for large salads. We tracked down the artisans who provide these bowls and made a visit to their ceramic store and even took a class. We ordered some bowls (they are the perfect size!) and had them shipped. Well, this week they arrived! Special delivery from Cambodia!

A day or two later our suitcases that we had shipped arrived. We wondered if we would ever see these things again! It has been just shy of three months in route.

The girls had bought a few things they had forgotten about. They said it felt like Christmas! We are now officially unpacked.

Remembering Mesha

This week we celebrated Geoff's mom's birthday. She would be 68! She has been gone for four years now (she passed away five days after her birthday). It is quite remarkable how easy it is to appreciate someone's contribution to your life, your family, and influence in general, when that person is gone. Mesha was a powerful, creative, ministering, nurturing, and influential person on so many levels. She is greatly missed, but her life and choices and good works continue to bless her posterity. We continue to feel her guiding, encouraging and spiritual influence in our lives. Knowing she is on our side in Heaven is comforting and strengthening!

Given her love of all things beautiful, we had hoped to go to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point, something she would have loved to do, BUT it was raining buckets, so we met at Emily's home and ate and enjoyed each other's company.

When we gather with Geoff's four siblings that live in Utah, there are so many things happening at once! A book being read, a ball being thrown, a wrestle and tickle, food being prepared, several conversations going on, kids asking questions, aunts and uncles trying to get shy nieces to engage in eye contact, etc. All in one room! It is lively and full of love.

On grandparent's birthdays we try to do something that reminds us of that person. We have hamburgers, chips and soda on my dad's birthday, since that was a childhood, Saturday tradition in his family. On my mom's birthday we get gelato, because my mom LOVES gelato. This year we changed Mesha's birthday tradition from a tea party (something she loved to do with the girls when they were young) to Geoff and I giving a small gift to the girls, and we invited them to give a small gift to someone too. Mesha loved giving and receiving small gifts. Adele takes after her grandmother in this love language, so she was especially excited about this birthday tradition!

Yesterday we continued birthday celebrations by meeting up with Em, Mike and Bailey to do temple work for many of Mesha's ancestors. She was, and continues to be, a spiritual force. This is definitely the best gift we could give to her.

We then went to eat good Mexican food because it was Cinco de Mayo, and because Mexican food is always a good idea!

Happy Birthday, Mesha!

April Wrap-Up

Geoff does most of Adele's and Ceci's schooling, at least he has up until now. We've fallen into a nice rhythm and are moving forward steadily. Ceci and Adele completed and presented another 3-week project. Adele chose to explore Why a War in Yemen. It was very informative. I love Adele's natural desire to understand where refugees come from. Ceci did an overview of Van Gogh's life. Her presentation was so delightfully clever! She welcomed us to a talk show where Apple was demonstrating their new ability to call someone from the past. After a brief commercial break she came back with her travel helmet and held an interview with Van Gogh. She had recorded his responses on my phone, Dutch accent and all. We all learned a lot. Poor Van Gogh was a troubled soul!

Geoff has been busy exploring a business idea he's had for awhile. More on that as it unfolds.

I met with some friends from Seattle for lunch. It was so fun to catch up with all of these amazing women.

Left to right: Ashley Serafin, Wendy Hansen, Heidi Horlacher and Heather Parry

I think I forgot to mention that while in New Zealand I happened to be looking at Instagram and saw that Heidi and her family were one hour north of us! I reached out and they stopped by on the way to their next destination. It was so fun to spend the afternoon with them.

Geoff and Ceci went skiing a couple times, once with my sister-in-law Joann and her boys. The snow was dwindling, but hardcore skiers don't mind, I guess!

Since the girls were babies I've been saving some of their clothing to make a quilt for them when they head off to college. I started on Tennie's quilt last week. It is so fun to remember her at different stages of childhood through the patterns and textures I'm piecing together. It is a fun project.

After we left for our last months of travel, Tennie got our cat Mila back and cared for her while we were away. A few weeks ago she went into heat for the first time. That was interesting! So she was spayed last week and we're at the tail end of weeks of strange behavior and grumpiness from pain. It will be good to have our normal cat back!

Our cute friend Shelby Osmond helped organize a huge service project: creating a Birthday Box for every foster child in Utah. We got to help set things up for assembly on Saturday afternoon. In the end there were 600 boxes donated!!!

We have some good friends, Randy and Maureen Shumway, who have been buying, prepping and serving breakfast to hundreds of homeless one Saturday each month. They have been doing it for NINE years! They invited us to go a few Saturdays ago and we had a great time. Hopefully we'll be regulars! We're inspired by these friends doing so much good in the local community.

I experimented with a vegan, salted caramel cheesecake. It was pretty good! With some tweaks I think it will be delicious!

Adele, Ceci and I went to see my cousin's daughter, Callie, play Mary Poppins in a play in Provo. She is a shining light of a person. It was so fun to see her on stage, and it was so fun to see my cute cousin, Ashley! We were favorite friends as kids, always wearing matching outfits and writing letters to each other on special stationary.

My cousin Shane's daughter, Gwen, was also in the play. She was as cute as could be on stage!

Ceci got together with some school friends. They stuffed themselves with pillows and played soccer, which made the ball hard to see!

We've been on a few hikes. This past Saturday we went up Millcreek Canyon on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, although it was a bit windy! Nikki joined us too!

The top had beautiful views, but the wind in the valley was kicking up quite a bit of dust! Ceci and Tennie are leaning into the strong winds around a little ledge!

Tennie captured this adorable picture of Ceci. This kid is a piece of sunshine!

Our suitcases still haven't arrived from Cambodia. Will they ever arrive? We're not sure! But we were impatient for a recipe for Khmer Curry in that luggage, so I looked online for a recipe and we gave it a try yesterday. It called for shrimp paste, which was so nasty smelling we had to open all the windows, light candles and sometimes leave the kitchen just to move forward with cooking! The recipe was a flop, but Geoff worked his magic adding this and that until it was edible.

Last night we went to La Madeleine Cathedral for the International Children's Choir performance. I love this cathedral; the inside is painted so magnificently!

The children in the choir were absolutely adorable. We loved the costumes, singing, songs and setting. It was a perfect night.

On the last day of April, today, it snowed. A lot! It was 87 degrees last week, and 52 a few days later! Enough already!