top chef.

Friday night we partied at my house. Mia Maid style.

The ward held an auction a couple weeks ago. The money was to go partially to girls camp. So the Mia Maid's needed to auction something. I threw out a candle lit dinner for two.

It sold.

And Friday we delivered.

A ten course tasting menu. (I say ten, because we made ten things. But it was actually served in 8 courses.) Originally planned for outside. In a park. But the wind forced it inside. Which was a good thing. Simplifying everything.

I was unsure if we could pull it off. And we were using mostly recipes that I had never tasted before. But it went smoothly. No food poisoning. Lots of smiles. No 14-15 year olds complaining. Only laughter, fun, and a lot of hard work.

It was a success.

The following is a taste of the night.

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Amuse Bouche: Soupe de Mûre
Ripe blackberries stewed with lemon, cinnamon, cloves, and cream.

Herbe Fromage Mariné
Ripened goat's milk cheese, red onion, and fresh herbs. Served with rustic bread.

Salade au Concombre et À-l'Oignon-Rouge
Cucumber and Red-onion Pickled Salad

Asperge avec la Sauce de Moutarde Crémeuse
Steamed Asparagus in a Creamy Mustard Sauce

Orange et Crevettes Grises grillées de Thym
Orange and Thyme Grilled Shrimp

L'épi de Maïs avec le Tilleul et le Beurre Fondu
Corn on the Cob with Lime and Melted Butter

Citron et Purée de Pommes de Terre de Cabriole

Lemon and Caper Mashed Potatoes

Steak Mariné Doux

Balsamic Marinated Steak

Sandwich Crème Classique

French Vanilla Ice Cream within two thin layers of chocolate

Mousse de Mûre

Blackberry Puree in Vanilla Cream

Here's the awesome couple -and my dear friends the Harpers. I will miss them greatly in the move.

An action shot of some of the young women pre-meal. I should have taken a post-meal photo. There was no counter space, or clean dishes.

It was a lot of work. But one of our best activities. I would say that we did amazing with the food service, and absolutely awful on keeping up with the water.

Oh.

And it ended up candle less.

I couldn't find where they were packed.

inviting you too!

No time for tears. Not today. Only anger. A happy moment last night (thank you Office) turned to angst, and anger. THANK YOU Appraiser. I would like an opportunity to appraise you.

That's right. You heard me. I went there.

And today is filled. with inspecting the pottery barn.

And tonight? Only a 10 course tasting menu that the Mia Maids are throwing for a lucky couple who bid at the ward auction. Pictures to come.

so that you, too, can join in on appraising me. and my life.

popping.

I'm through. through with feeling like I'm doing things right. IT comes in phases. But last week, as I asked a 14 year old to not open a bag of popcorn until outside (because we just vacuumed and cleaned up a mess 'o' corn), I assumed that her response, YES, meant that she understood.

Ten minutes later, when said bag went tumbling to the carpet, popcorn was everywhere. Reflexes kicked in and I began simultaneously cleaning and lecturing.

My Mouth: What are you doing? Do you remember promising not to open this?

Thoughts: This sounds an awful lot like my lectures to Millie.

Mouth: I've had it! I'm not your school teacher.

Thoughts: She doesn't hear me. I'm talking. But no one can hear.

Mouth: This isn't school. I'm not here to discipline.

Thoughts: Blah, blah, blah.

And poor girl had to ride home in my car. And didn't say a word to me. And I'm mean. And I'm old. And everything that I say is pretty lame.

Including this.

crafting....

Last week I made this for New Beginnings. I'm kind of proud of it. Because in the wee hours of the morn, I feared that it wouldn't turn out.

Idea stolen from here. Takes some time, but eaaaaasssssy. You could do this for a family reunion, or someone's birthday, or anniversary, or just for kicks and giggles.

listening to Sister Julie Beck.

I don't know what I think. The Relief Society General President came to speak to our ward Enrichment last night. Just our ward. Her daughter (who is a kind neighbor) is our enrichment leader. The original topic was to be teaching children to enjoy the scriptures. And I felt ridiculous when I realized that I had forgotten my scriptures. But she decided to switch the topic - and spoke to us about the definition of Relief Society. What is it? And why do we have it?

So - I thought that I would include my notes for anyone interested. I came away with questions. And I should have spoken up at the meeting, since it was meant to be a discussion - one for comments, one for questions. But I was scared. I'm not articulate when it comes to some of my thoughts about faith; unless I prepare them ahead of time. And I had so much going on in my head. Circling. And I didn't want to say something that came out wrong - which we all know that in my current state it totally would have come out wrong. So I kept quiet. And I thought. I'll include some of my thoughts in parentheses and in this color. Everything in black are my notes from the meeting - they are not Sister Beck's exact words. Just what I could paraphrase.

Sister Beck's daughter missed 40-50 days of kindergarten because they would have so much fun playing in the morning that they would forget to go to the afternoon scheduled time.

General Presidency has been asking what is Relief Society? Have taken it apart - looked at the history, searching.

In India - One woman, who is in an abusive marriage, wanted more than anything to prepare her 14 year old for a mission. She was not born in the gospel, they have no examples of how to do this. How is she supposed to do this? For enrichment night, the women painted pots for a windowsill that this woman doesn't have.

Ghana - Relief Society means wearing a dress with the name of the church on it and a large picture of Joseph Smith. Women need dental, medical, money to eat. But they save up for a dress.

Websites - People in the states think that they need to go to websites with lists of ideas of activities and things to make for enrichment.

None of these are what Relief Society is about.

Power of R.S. won't be fully exercised until "both sisters and Priesthood catch vision of Relief Society." Spencer W. Kimball.

What are you doing with your time?
Gatekeeper - we the women are the gatekeepers of the home. What are you letting into your house?
Spiritual leader of the home. Ask yourself, "Am I going to be the spiritual leader? How am I going to do it?"

We know that wards are doing book groups for enrichment. How do we know? We go to the ward and see it advertised on the programs. Groups of sisters are getting together to read Twilight. Why would a group of sisters who made covenants in the temple want to get together to read something wrong?

Is the goal of Relief Society a book group? Isn't it to bond with other sisters?

Other sisters watch Oprah every day. An hour with Oprah. Oprah doesn't believe in family. Oprah's reading a book that says women are depressed because they've been taught that there is sin. Without this teaching, they won't be depressed says the book.

(I'm afraid that the comments about book groups and Oprah will be what people remember more than anything. And wasn't the point of book groups to bond with other sisters? Isn't this type of thing what was counseled in the past? I realize change is coming, but how can wards know to change if they don't know that this is not what is wanted? And I didn't know Oprah was anti family? Although I haven't seen or read the book that was being referred to. She didn't say. So I can't judge this.)

Alma 30 - no sin, no righteousness, no point to life.

Job of women is to bear the children.

Moses 5:10 - Eve's job was to teach children.

What other duties do women have?

1. Support husband

What's a patriarch?
Priesthood holder. Families are created when a sealing occurs - becomes an eternal, Priesthood organization. Sealed together. Authority comes to both man and woman. Blessed together.

In a meeting the other day and Elder Nelson said how he wanted something done. There was some discussion and by the end he had changed his mind. And he said "I am repenting from what I said." He didn't do anything wrong but he repented in the sense that he changed. Changed what he was planning.

(But he didn't sin. I don't get why he would say this if he did nothing wrong. It seems so harsh. I didn't understand why this stood out to Sister Beck. Does this also mean that reading, taking time for oneself is sin? probably not is my assumption - but I don't know.)

R.S. created to strengthen other women. Immovable. Be stronger in your faith. How are you going to do this? I don't know. We have to pray to know and how to help others. Make us strong in our families and to defend doctrine of the family.

We need to all strengthen each other. Our influence is as important as the Priesthood.

Idea of ideal Relief Society:

• Serve all
• Help everyone
• Pray to know who and how to help
• Only goal to teach kids to serve missions
• No exact way
• No practical plan

Organized to help women stand strong and immovable to help others. If do this as a ward, our influence will grow to the ward and stake. More people will come to church, more will become involved, etc.

Only ward in Utah that she's teaching this to. Will follow up with our Bishop. Like an experiment.

(Is it possible? I don't know. I'm a bit sceptical. Some can and will do this. But everyone? I have doubt. Like the law of consecration - nice in principle, but in our current imperfect state? Extremely difficult.)

I always come away from things like this feeling that I should have been a man. I have ambition, and I am awful at homemaking. I don't desire to play with my kids all the time and there is no way that I would forget Kindergarten. I count the minutes until nap time so that I can have a break. And I'm just too selfish.