fun Potatoes--Homemade Potatoes Au Gratin

So in our tiny little church ward here in Swan Valley, we've had 5 funerals since the time we moved here...

???

Anyway, at a Mormon Funeral, the Relief Society helps put on a luncheon after the funeral to feed the family most coming from out of town.  So we send around a sign up sheet for salads, dessert and "Funeral Potatoes".(I have been signing up for the potatoes because I have so many!)  They are a deliciously rich concoction of potatoes whether sliced, diced or shredded, cream of mushroom or chicken soups (or both!), sour cream and cheese, then usually topped with pulverized corn flakes.  They are delicious, but when you live 30  minutes from the nearest grocery store and don't have sour cream on hand, there are other very delicious potato dishes that are allowed (lol) and depending on the time it takes you to open cans, maybe faster. ;)

I love potatoes au gratin--always have and even better if they are of the cheesy variety.

Here's a recipe found on the good ole internet that you might like if you want to venture out of the "funeral potato" rut or don't have any sour cream on hand.


Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

He Is The Gift

He is the Gift – Christmas Video – #ShareTheGift: http://youtu.be/uzjFEMmM0Xs

A short video reminding us what this blessed season is all about.

real beauty

Lately I've been obsessed with  spending a lot of time reading nieniedialouges.  I think it's because, well obviously, she is amazing and also because I needed to draw from her story and strength.  Stephanie Nielson has faced some of the worst kinds of pain and scars and still her beauty shines through because she radiates love and hope and strength.

I have a beautiful 12 year old girl.  My sweet Savannah.  That's what I said immediately after she was born and the nurse laid her on  my chest.  It was love at first sight.  A love so big I didn't know I could feel that much.

Winter Storm Watch

I spent last Saturday in Alpine, Wyoming. I grew up in Star Valley just down the road from Alpine so it was so fun to be there.

cake mix cookies

Okay, so I've lost the content to this post TWICE, so let me just say that both posts were very clever and  very funny and very telling. 

hahaha...

So anyyyywaaaayyy, sometimes I have mom guilt.

My sweet, smart, talented and beautiful Savannah has her first away basketball game today and I can't go.

To compensate for that guilt, I'm making her and her teammates cookies.

Easy. Cheap. Delicious.

winter wonderland

Here are a few of the views that we get to enjoy here in the winter. It may be fall (or summer) for some, but here, it's full on winter.

Pristine, country, winter, beauty.

I can almost here the sleigh bells...

First snow--Homemade bread

It snowed.

So I made bread.

Internet is off and on again so that leaves laundry and cleaning and baking.

At least baking is fun...

I'm going to break out the crock pot and put some soup on to go with that delicious bread.

I guess there are a few good things about the snow...

Oh, and Happy Birthday Marine Corps!  Ooh Rah!!! 

Love, Abby

My littlest has been writing a lot of love notes lately. More than ever now that she knows how to spell more and more words...

This one particularly melted my heart.

I don't think you can find a love more deep and genuine than that of my little Abby for her big step brother and sister.

I think that their love for her is equally as deep.

How lucky we are to have a blended family that works so well. I credit the twins. It'd be hard to find a more loving, helpful, kind and needs-anticipating pair of teenagers.

Yes, it's a word........

I know that there are other wonderful teenagers out there and teenagers probably get a bad wrap too often, but yours don't live with me, so yeah... lol

Her favorite part was "I know how!".

Yep, I think she's been given some divine inspiration on this one...

I love this child. I love ALL my children. Birthed by me or "because God wanted [them on my] side".

convalescing

So I'm laying here in bed convelescing convelessing trying to get my back better (again) and realize I haven't told you about my ultimate yard sale score.

 

 

We went yard sale-ing--that's a thing where you hit several yard sales in one morning--and found a few really great things, but the score of the day was this quilt.

 

You want to know how much I gave for this?

 

Nothing.

 

Nada.

 

Zilch.

 

0.

 

 

Why?

*cricket cricket*


 Because there was cat urine on it. On just one corner.

"I was just gonna throw it away."
"But if you think you can get it clean you can have it."

 

 

 

 

 

I'll take it. :)

*trying not to act too excited*
 

 

I have a washer...

 

And Oxi Clean...

 

And a free new quilt.
 

Here kitty kitty...

 

Spuds

There is a very generous man in our community and he gives potatoes to the people in our community. Free.

I hope blessings are showered down upon him.

We have a LOT of spuds to process. i.e. bottling, bottling and more bottling.

Kids have KP duty...