Morocco

I love Morocco!



Granted, I haven't been there but I love everything thing I have read, seen in books or on the internet, the food I have eaten and the music I have heard. And OH! the smell of the spices. That, in itself is worth wanting to go there.

Morocco! Just saying the name invites intrigue.

Marrakesh! Another word of intrigue. Just the word lights me up.

Nestled at the foot of the snow capped Atlas mountains. Marrakesh beckons me.

The first place I want to hit when I get there is the souks. Djemaa el Fna. The square bustles with acrobats, story-tellers, water sellers, dancers and musicians. By night food stalls open in the square turning it into a huge busy open-air restaurant.



Sometimes I can smell what I think they will smell like. Spicy and musty, but not musty like mold musty more like intrigue musty. I can also smell animals nearby, food cooking and perfumes. At those times I close my eyes and can hear the venders hocking their wares, haggling with passerby's. I can see others sitting, drinking their tea (I hope that I am invited to sit and have mint tea with someone) and people watching like I would be doing. I would be in heaven weaving in and out of the alleys looking at the food and other items that are new to me but the place I am really looking for is the spices.



I am a spice hound. I love to spice things up when I cook especially with things that are not readily used or not found anywhere near where I live. When we moved 3 and a half years ago I was cleaning out my spice cupboard. I had 78 bottles of spices and herbs. There are not many I have come across that I haven't loved.

I think next I would hunt for a tagine. Or maybe 3 or 4. A tagine is a terra cotta cooking vessel. They have a pot/dish like bottom with a domed or peaked lid that one cooks in. I do not have one at this time but I so want one. Many of the dishes I cook I know would be so much better if only I had a tagine. This is the one I want first.....

Then, this one....


The first one is for cooking. The second one is for serving! How wonderful the food would taste if it arrived on the table served in this amazing vessel. Just looking at this vessel makes my mouth water.

And of course using the cookbook - The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert (once I purchase it) will be a gem in my collection. I do have the previous version but I cannot wait to get this one. Here is a link to her website

http://www.paula-wolfert.com/ There are recipes, articles and much more.



Ya know, Morocco is the first place on my Bucket List to visit. I have been many places and yet I haven't been here. I hope in the near future my number one choice on my list is lovely Morocco.

Nicole and Ryan

Nicole is engaged!

We are thrilled. Her beau's name is Ryan. He is a great match for her. We have known his family for 20 years and have loved them from the beginning. We met them when we were living in TX while John was going to Chiropractic school. They really embraced us and we felt so much love from them.

There is no wedding date yet. It will be no sooner then the end of 2012. It certainly will not be a quick engagement like in a lot of weddings. First of all he lives in another state. It will be a while before he will be able to move to UT and then after that the ate will be set. Nicole and Ryan will live in UT. I am sure it will be somewhere near us.

They are both looking forward to the day they will be sealed in the Temple. More details to come as they happen.

10 can soup

One of our most favorite soups to make is Chicken Tortilla Soup. We have made it for 15 or so years and each time I do it is comfort to the soul.

Years ago when I started making it the kids would call it 10 can soup because it takes 10 cans to make it.

2 large cans of chicken
2 cans of chicken broth
1 lg can of petite diced tomatoes
2 cans of Ranch Beans
1 7oz can of diced chilies
1 can of corn, drained
In a large pot add all the ingredients and warm through.
Can serve with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream and olives.

When we serve this, first we crush the tortillas in a serving bowl then ladle the soup on top. Adding a dollop of sour cream, some cheese and a few olives to finish it off.

This is a great soup to warm up with in the winter but it is not so heavy that it cannot be made int eh summer also.

I hope your family loves this as much as we do.

Standard Works

OK...here goes.

I, Angi, will read the Standard Works each day to meet my goal of reading the entire Standard Works by December 31, 2012.

John and I are driving back from UT to KS when I decided to take up this challenge.

http://dailyclosertochrist.com/the-daily-journey/

This blog is Emily Freeman's. She, in my opinion, is a spiritual GIANT! I love her. I have read her books, heard her speak numerous times and been enamored by her words. I hope you will pop over to her blog and check it out. Join me in the reading of the Standard Works this year. I know it will lead me on a spiritual journey, none like I have been on before.

So...back to the drive. As we are driving through Colorado I am scanning my Facebook on my phone when a fellow Facebooker is taking on the challenge and challenging others. My heart was warmed at the thought. I immediately got my iPad out and opened my scriptures. I have begun...

Happy New Year, 2012!!!

Here it is...the beginning of a new year.

This past year has been an everything year. An everything year is one that everything happens. 'Happens' means so much going on, good, bad and indifferent.

I hardly got around to blogging last year which is too bad for you and me both. I don't have the record I want and I forget much of the details that it is hard to go back and fill in the blanks.

This year my resolve is to be a better blogger as well as get more organized (meaning, dejunking stuff) plan a wedding, work on my degree, try to finish my book and still be a wife, mother, caregiver, housekeeper, chef, assistant, student, neighbor, good citizen, taxi driver, gardener, disciple of God and all around good person. Now besides all of the above

I also have taken up the challenge to read the Standard Works by Dec 31, 2012. I have never read them ALL. Yes, I have studied them but to actually read them cover to cover has been a little bit (oh who and I kidding) a lot overwhelming.

This year, too, will be a busy year. But, since I am Wonder Woman I will be able to accomplish it all.

Christmas 2011

Christmas is one of my most favorite holidays. Who am I kidding...it is my favorite holiday. Not because of the presents but because of all that Christmas means.

It actually starts right around Thanksgiving. We set up our Christmas tree and decorate our home. All done while listening to Christmas music. Not the Jolly ones about Santa but the meaningful ones about Christ and family. After we are done decorating, we turn off the lights, light a fire and light the tree. MAGIC! There is something mesmerizing about watching the lights on our Christmas tree. Each night that follows it is the same ritual. I will never get tired of it.

I like to have the Christmas shopping done BEFORE Thanksgiving so I can relax and enjoy the holidays and not be stressed out trying to get gifts, go to parties, make food, get my neighbor gifts ready and all the other things we do during December. But this year that didn't happen. I did have a lot taken care of, but not all.

I love to have a wrapping day where I wrap all the presents I have purchased so far. I get my list out that I keep all year as to what I have purchased and for whom. After reviewing it, I get out all the presents, wrapping paper, tapes, scissors, ribbon and accoutrements. Let the wrapping begin!

There are so many things to do during this wonderful month. The lights at Thanksgiving Point, the lights at Temple Square, driving around just looking at the magical wonderment's of strangers yards. But, amongst all the excitement one thing we do has been a tradition since 1997. We go to our friends home in Wichita and we read The Forgotten Carols, complete with the music of course. Now, I know many of you know what that amazing story is about and how it touches so many lives but for those of you who don't you need to investigate it.

It is the story of carols written about different aspects of Christ's birth and life from essentially outsiders perspectives. For example...the Inn Keeper. And how one man has been there to witness it all. An amazing story for the season.

I wish our home was bigger or at least the living areas were set up differently. When we have large gatherings of people for dinner I want to have them all sitting at tables that touch but yet have plenty of room to walk around. I also would like to not have to displace all my living room furniture in the mean time. We love to have family over to celebrate and what better way to do it them dine on deliciousness. When I say deliciousness I mean it. Turkey, Ham, Braised Pork, Prime Rib or Cornish Hens. Other accompaniments like garlic mashed potatoes, regular whipped potatoes with all the yumminess of cream, butter and chives, green beans with bacon and onions, cheeses, fondue, and desserts of all kinds. Can you say salivation?

Christmas morning is the pinnacle of the entire celebration. We don't get up early anymore as the kids now are adults. They like to sleep in as much as we do. We have rituals about opening gifts and if I ever try to deviate everyone always says NO!!!
We start the morning with the Christmas stocking. Each person goes in turn and opens theirs while everyone else watches. After, we make and eat breakfast. Quiche, home fries with a spin, juice and hot cocoa. After clean up we all head back to the glow of the Christmas tree and warmth of the fire.

The presents are passed out by name and when they are all distributed we open them one by one from youngest to oldest so each of us can see the their joy and the care that someone took to choose the gift. I love to see this process as it brings me great joy to see the joy and happiness of each person. What more can you ask for then to be with your family celebrating Christ's birth.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Lundgreen Reunion 2011

What a weekend!

Every other year, John's mom's side of the family head to Antimony, UT to renew family ties. Love is had for all. 1985, 3 weeks after Christian was born was our first one for this generation. John and I brainstormed the idea, got a couple of other cousins to help out and viola we had ourselves a great time. This was our 14th one.

It is a 3 day event. (It started out as a 4 day event years ago) Saturday family members start coming around noon just in time for lunch and hugs all around. As everyone gets settled, the visiting begins. First generation cousins, second generation cousins and third generation cousins. It won't be long before there are 4th generation cousins. Oh My!

Each time we meet, a different family is in charge of all the activities for the weekend. We have old fashion games like pennies in the hay, balloon stomp, water balloon tossing and sack races. This year we also had minute to win it, which was a lot of fun. There is cotton candy, snow cones and an old fashion ice cream bar.
In past years we have had skits, karaoke, sock hop, pictures taken in old western clothes and western dance lessons.




It wouldn't be a reunion at the ranch without trail rides, a rodeo, hay rides and trying to dress sheep in clothes. I love to go out the the corrals and watch the kids with the animals. One highlight is chasing calves with money taped to them. Who doesn't want to chase a cow with money on them? The kids get so excited if they can grab a buck or two.





Sundays are reserved for a family devotional. We used to all go to the Antimony ward but as we got bigger and bigger they asked us not to come and have our own thing. I guess when your visitors out number your members it is too much. No worries, our own is as good or better. This year, Robyn and Gary Beynon had returned form being Mission Presidents in Brazil and they spoke and gave report on the happenings while they were gone. WOW! that was great and powerful.

Sundays are also reserved for using the shocking machine, listening to songs from the old Edison Cylinder Phonograph, crafts, writing to missionaries and service men and of course more visiting. But the grand finale is Sunday night (at least I think so). This is the time when we talk about past generations of Johns family. Grandma and Grandpa Lundgreen and their stories as well as past generation stories. Then the best thing happens........

Burns and Mona sing!!!!

Burns is John's uncle, he's married to John's auntie. He plays guitar and crones for all to enjoy. It is a sing along also. Songs like There's a hole in the bottom of the sea, I met a bear and the best one is, (at least I think so) The long tall Texan. Of course other songs are sung but These are my favs.

We do so many fun things during the weekend but Sunday night when we all get together and listen to stories and sing the songs. Nothing is better then that to me. It just solidifies all that family means to me.

Another thing I love is seeing all the cousins. Even though I am the married into the family cousin I feel loved equally. Each person brings their own personality and love to the scene. Our children look forward to this gathering each time. They too renew their souls by this gathering. I love to see them hanging out with cousins they haven't seen in 2 years and also strengthening their bonds with cousins they see regularly. Another thing I love is how they forge friendships with everyone. Family is family but it is better when family is your best friends, too.

As the weekend winds down and good byes are said I get a little melancholy. I am already looking forward to 2013. Its a good thing all these people are just a phone call away.