Heber and DaMAN

So the other day we were walking down the street when we saw these kids playing. One of them as he saw Heber yelled, "Hey you got the same shirt as me!" So we got a picture of them together. The little boy's name was Daman (pronounced da-MAN). He made sure we knew it was with a "d" not a "th" as if that is a common mistake.

Hokie Pride and Military Appreciation

Blacksburg, VA is home to the Virginia Tech Hokies. When there is a home football game here the whole town is centered around the action. Businesses close. Students party. Alumni return. And old timers tune in their radios. When I try to describe it to people, the best comparison I can come up with is to imagine a University of Arizona Wildcat football stadium right in the middle of Globe, AZ. Anyway, last Saturday the Hokies played Bowling Green University. They aren't too great so it wasn't hard to get some free tickets.

It was also Military Appreciation Day and both the football players and the fans dressed appropriately.

Bowling Green (carrying the ball) and Virginia Tech (making the tackle)

Heber (top) and Talmage (bottom)

We had some nice seats, in my opinion. I was hesitant about them at first because it was in the north end zone student section. But they turned out to be at the very back of the student section giving us a nice view of the whole stadium and a view of the campus behind us.

Our seats were right up there where those people are standing 

Overall it was really exciting. Heber complained about it being loud and we were only able to hold out halfay through the second quarter. After a slow start, Virginia Tech won 37-0.

BG field goal attempt. The fans are signaling "Block it." If you look close you can see the ball next to the left upright.

The front of our shirts weren't too hokie-ish

Opening kickoff. It was so windy that someone had to hold the ball for the kicker.

Utilizing the Cartoon Effect option on my camera phone

What is a hokie? I've not yet heard an adequate answer. Maybe this?

 The plan was originally to bring Hannah since Heber got to go to a basketball game with me. She wanted to the night before. But once here and Rachel got working on her new bike, she lost all interest.

Turning Heber's $10 spider-man bike into a girls' balance bike. 

Scrubbing off the old

On with the new

Olive doing her part

More on her new bike and a more thorough update of our new car-less lifestyle to come.

Sometimes I Like to Donate My Body to Science

The Peter Pan pose so that the cameras (e.g. right of my head) could catch everything

Immersed in Books

Sunday Home Evening

More Fingers

During the last game of my junior year of football I hurt my ankles pretty bad. I have had problems with them ever since. They just don't seem to fully heal and I will often re-injure them, mostly while playing basketball. But lately I have become more proactive about them and have started to take steps toward making them strong again.

One video in particular was very helpful. Of the many things that were said, one that I took away was to strengthen my feet by walking barefoot more. Additionally, barefoot shoes (as they are often called) can help to strengthen feet. So to make a long story short I got myself a pair of Vibram FiveFinger TrekSports. Saturday I took them on a hike up to the summit of Dragon's Tooth and walked around Blacksburg. I'll let the pictures tell the rest.

First Day of Pre-Preschool

Tuesday was the first day of the kids' pre-preschool. Rachel and 3 other women from the Blacksburg Ward are each teaching one week a month, 2 days a week, 2 hours a day (a modified joy school kind of thing). They are very excited. They get to ride the bus there, have backpacks, and, mostly, just talk about going to school. Rachel has put a lot of work into it making visual aids and organizing the format of teaching.

Scripture Art for the Soul

Doctrine & Covenants 121: 34-46

Some Flowers for You

The 3 Preciouses

 

 

Peanut Butter Popcorn

Pretend instead of eggs and smoothies we are eating Peanut Butter Popcorn

When I go back to my parent's house to visit, it feels like home. However, in many ways it is not at all like the home I grew up in. It's transitioned from a home of raising kids to one of raising grandkids. For example, there is a pantry and fridge full of snacks and other quick food. Growing up there was none of that. So now that I am again living in a home of raising kids I struggle to find the snack food that I crave sometimes (that is a compliment to Rachel, by the way. So the other day I had to stretch my creative thinking skills and and use what I had to make a satisfying snack. Since then it has become a family favorite and one that we make for others or when we have friends over. It's called Peanut Butter Popcorn and the recipe is included here (The only difference is I used brown sugar instead of plain sugar):

Peanut Butter Popcorn
makes about 8 cups

1/4 cup popcorn kernels
Vegetable oil
Fine salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (should be free of added sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Have a clean paper shopping bag or oversized mixing bowl ready.

Heat a 4-quart heavy pan over medium heat and film the bottom with vegetable oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the popcorn, shake to distribute, then put a lid on the pan, leaving a small crack for steam to escape. When the first kernel pops, put the lid on all the way. As the popcorn starts popping, shake vigorously to make sure the kernels are distributed evenly. When the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, take the pan off the heat.

Pour the popcorn into the paper bag or bowl to cool, and attempt to leave any unpopped kernels behind in the pan. (Coated with peanut butter caramel, the unpopped kernels are a serious tooth hazard). Lightly salt the popcorn to taste.

Mix the honey and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir vigorously until all the peanut butter is melted, then mix in the vanilla.

Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until it's all coated. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:
• This recipe will also cover one standard bag of microwave popcorn, so you can substitute that for the stovetop popcorn if you wish.
• This keeps well overnight. If you want the gooeyness of freshly made popcorn, though, warm a bowl of leftover popcorn in 15-second bursts in the microwave until slightly warm and soft.
• As noted in the comments, some people prefer adding something spicy, like Sriracha, in lieu of the vanilla