A Few Items of Ard Business

If you think Jason looks glowing, it's because he is. We recently found out he passed another assessment. (Way to go!!!) Pretty soon he will be an associate level actuary (if he passes his modules and a final assessment) and hopefully after two more exams, another set of modules, and a capstone project he will be a fellow of the society of actuaries. Won't that sound distinguished. And after that...retirement:) He he he.

This is not a stock photo. This is my kitchen.

There are TUNZ of reasons I'm glad I met Heather the Canuck my second summer at the college formerly known as Ricks. One reason were her mother's pickles. She even sent some to me when I was in the Missionary Training Center (she was too kind to me). I hid them in one of the bushes to try keeping them cold. They were HEAVENLY. Heather recently divulged her mother's recipe and graciously answered 20 phone calls a day for a couple weeks as I tried replicating them. (The pickles and carrots had to marinate for 3 weeks in vinegar and spices.) I'm still waiting to try them (Heather had to send me dill seed as I couldn't find any out here, so I put it in after canning them). I will let you know how they turn out, but I wanted to prove to Heather that I really completed the project and send out a big THANK YOU. (Heather still continues to be too kind to me.)

In other homemaking news, after attending a quilt group for almost a year, I finally made my first quilt block. The Log Cabin. I hope to really learn how to sew at least before I die. It's obviously a very slow process.

Pearly Whites. She now has two on top and two on bottom.

One of Lily's recent experiments: Trying to take her firetruck up the stairs. It didn't work.
Did I mention she fell down half our stairs? I still feel really guilty. She luckily sustained no head or other injuries, which I'm still offering thanks for. It startled her more than anything and made me feel like a negligent mother.