Happy Birthday...To Him!

Today is Shad's 38th Birthday!

His stash of gifts. More cards than actual gifts, 

but that makes him happy because we all know what comes in cards!

Laura gave Shad a new spatula. He was always complaining about our old melted one. This one guarantees to be heat resistant up to 600 degrees. Let's hope so - Shad's a pretty hot guy!

It's Coming!

I'm so excited!!! Time Out For Women is coming back to Albuquerque! My mom and I went to this event the last time it was here and we loved it! It's an uplifting, funny, NO-GUILT event (and it fits perfectly with my motto for this year - Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured)!

The theme for this year's Time Out For Women is:

By some odd twist of fate, I actually am on the advance team for TOFW and so I'm trying to get the word out to as many ladies as possible.

Here's some of the basic info you need to know:

When:  Friday & Saturday April 18 - 19, 2008

Where:  The Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center

How Much:

Pre-Registration (now through March 19th)

• Friday and Saturday - $57 a ticket
• Saturday only - $44

Group Rate (for 5 tickets or more - a savings of $7 per ticket - this is the way to go, so invite your friends to join you)

• Friday and Saturday - $50 a ticket
• Saturday only - $37

After March 19th, the prices go up and there's no Group Rate (So register BEFORE 3/19!)

• Friday and Saturday - $65 a ticket
• Saturday only - $50 a ticket

There are 3 ways to purchase tickets:

• online at www.deseretbook.com/tickets/
• call 1-866-832-8211
• in person at the Deseret Book store at Wyoming and Paseo del Norte

A $4 service charge is added to each order (not each ticket) purchased online or over the phone. You can avoid the service charge by purchasing your ticket(s) at the Deseret Book store.

If you want to learn more about this event,

click on this link:

Chocolate Appreciation Night

Personally, I think the government should set aside one day a month as Chocolate Appreciation Day. Since that is not going to happen, I'll just have to enjoy our Relief Society Chocolate Appreciation Night this evening.

Here's what I made:

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Toffee Trifle

3 cups milk
2 package (4 serving size) instant chocolate pudding
1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip, defrosted
1 (12 oz.) package pound cake loaf, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
4 (1.4 oz) bars chocolate-covered English toffee (like Heath), chopped

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently fold in 2 cups of the Cool Whip. Arrange 1/2 of the cake cubes in 3 1/2 qt. serving bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup chocolate syrup. Layer with 1/2 of the chopped candy bars and 1/2 of the pudding mix. Repeat layers ending with pudding mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish with remaining Cool Whip. Sprinkle with additional chopped candy bars, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Laura's Art Work

Laura drew this picture of Peter.

It's raining in the picture and Peter has his hood on. The small yellow circle in the middle of his body is, of course, his "bee boo" - or belly button for those of you who have not been indoctrinated yet. 

Yes - Laura is still obsessed with her belly button and with everybody else's too. As I type this, Laura is holding a printer cable to her belly button.

Awesome Deal

Leah's blog has instructions for how to get 100 free photos printed from snapfish. Check it out.

I can't figure out how to put the address as a link in this post, so just click on The Actons on the list of Blogs I'm Checking Out.

Grateful Sunday

Last Sunday one of our sacrament speakers was sick. The Bishop opened up the remainder of the meeting to anyone who had a "talk" they wanted to give. I normally wouldn't be grateful for someone being sick or for an opportunity to speak in church, but I am grateful because I had a spiritual experience. I normally have a difficult time recognizing the Spirit in my life. Not that Sunday. It came and hit me right in the chest. It was very noticeable. I knew Heavenly Father wanted me to get up and speak. I ended up talking about Visiting Teaching, something of which I have a very strong testimony. What I said isn't what was important to me. Feeling the Spirit, recognizing the Lord's hand in my life, remembering that Heavenly Father is aware of me and where I am and what I'm doing - those are important to me and so I'm thankful that Bro. Christy was sick last Sunday!