Membil Giveaway!

My cousin Harmony is very crafty. She has been making and selling all sorts of fun things. All the proceeds are going to her adoption fund (see more on the adoption to the right; help the Walkers adopt (the picture is missing but the link still works)).

She has a new blog to showcase some of her crafts. This week she is giving away one! It's a super cute owl. Check out her blog and enter to win "Mr. Smartypants".

Here's the link: http://membil.blogspot.com/

Potato Squash Casserole

Here's another "Dining with Dena" recipe that we tried last night. It was so good I had to share.

4 small potatoes (peeled and sliced)
1 small butternut squash (peeled and sliced)
1 Tbls. water
salt and pepper
1/2 lb. pork sausage
1 small onion
2 Tbls. flour
11/2  c. whipping cream
1 c.  cheddar cheese (shredded)

In a small saucepan, combine potatoes, squash and water. Cook until crisp-tender (this speeds up the baking process). Drain and place in casserole dish. Brown sausage, drain and then place in casserole dish. Top with onions. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/4 c. cream until smooth; stir in remaining cream. Pour over potato mixture. Cover and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
The small the potato and squash pieces the shorter the cooking time.

White Coat Ceremony

Lincoln had his white coat ceremony last night. Basically they make you go on stage one at a time, announce your name, and put on your lab coat. Then you all take an oath and it's over.

Here are some pictures. I was sitting in the back so they're not very good.

 Everyone taking the oath. You can't see Lincoln, he's in the very front.

Don't mind all my chins in this one...

Grandma Oka

Some of my favorite things about grandma:

* We share the same birthday. I have only spent 2 out of the 26 birthdays away from her.
* She always wore lipstick when she left the house. Always
* She frequented the Japanese word 'udasai' (nuisance) when talking about her grandchildren!
* Her garden. From weeding and picking and canning she did it all.
* She loved to gamble. If there was a slot machine she'd put in a quarter. She often rode the "fun bus" to Wendover.
* Most of all, the whole family would congregate at grandma's every Sunday. Grandchildren, Aunts, Uncles, all of us finding any piece of open floor space to take a nap. Lots of Nintendo playing, and of course LOTS of food (which almost always included rice and potatoes).

Grandma Oka will be missed. I'm so grateful for all of the memories. Til we meet again...

Chicago!

So we're in Chicago now. We've liked it so far. We have a fairly large ward with lots of young couples. I started working again at BB&B. It's going okay it's kinda boring. It's a pretty large store so I'm just a bridal consultant. And it's not really bridal season. Lincoln has started school. It seems to be going well. He studies a ton but I think he likes it so far.

Here are some pictures from when we first moved in. Luke, Lincoln's brother, came and helped us move in. So we took him downtown and wandered around a little. Kim was also here, but my battery died on my camera so no pictures from that.

I'm hoping that we'll have lots of people come visit us now that we live in a place that is actually fun to come visit. So if you are interested let me know!!!

 This is some crazy water exhibit. The faces would change and then spit water.