...I'm on my way to membership in the 21st century

I finally got my KitchenAid stand mixer out of its box. It was a gift for our wedding, which was 10 months ago. I'm revealing how much I don't bake! 

Well, I have baked a little in the last 10 months, but I'm just not used to this modern kitchen technology. I believe it stems from summers without electricity in Quebec. We helped my mom bake a lot of pies and what not during the summers and there were no blenders, microwaves, and definitely no KitchenAid stand mixers. 

To whip cream we simply used a fork or an old school egg beater like this one: which ironically is made by KitchenAid. As I recall, our egg beater didn't have a plush red handle as shown here. The plastic part of the handle had fallen off and the thin metal would dig into your palm as your hand would cramp and forearm start to shake after 10 minutes of frantic grinding to no avail--still no stiff whip cream. I would switch hands until the right was equally cramped and shaking before the whip cream was finally ready. 

I got so used to baking without electricity during the summer that when we came back to Utah I would forget about modern kitchen technology. I would pull out a fork and start stirring cream like crazy, trying to get it to stiffen. My friends would stare at me in bewilderment wondering, what the heck are you doing?! 

Boy I like my new mixer! First items mixed in my mixer were ingredients for banana bread. It's a super yummy recipe from my Aunt Lisa. I add chocolate chips and I don't put in pecans for Dave and in case my sister Michelle stops by.

Cream:

2 eggs

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

Add:

3 mashed bananas

1/2 cup water

Add:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup flour

Pour in 6 small, greased pans, bake 30 minutes at 350 or 2 medium pans for 45 minutes

...the last two days at Snowbird have been amazing

Dave and I skied into a Powder Shots photographer at Snowbird on Friday. It's pretty fun to get some pics skiing some of the best powder of the year. What a great way to spend the weekend!

Deep!

...can we, can we live in Narragansett Bay?

Do you have an ultimate dream home? This is mine. A 103 year old timber home with enormous windows that look out on 360 degrees of ocean. The Clingstone House was designed by J.S. Lovering Wharton and artist William Trost Richards. It has solar panels, a wind turbine, rainwater recycling, seawater filtration systems, and composting toilets. It also has 23 rooms, which is not necessary for my dream home.

I want a table like this in my home. One really long solid piece of wood with room for a large number of guests. I might get the table, but I don't think the views will be replicable...yet.

What a wonderful nook. A perfect place to write memoirs on past adventures.

Living on water makes me happy. I can tell whether the wind is coming from the north or the south, see how big the raindrops are that hit the surface of the water, and be reminded that the elements exist--something that's easy to forget when living in the city. Lucky, lucky Henry Wood and his family who live on this island in Narragansett Bay.

...let's be adventurers

I found this picture/wall hanging/plea on etsy. I love it. I want to be an adventurer like Karen Blixen or Ginger Lamb. And then I want to write a book like Out of Africa.

...this beardcap was designed with you in mind

I found this super cool lifestyle shop called Mjolk. They focus on Scandinavian design, but they're located in Toronto. I want to visit it next trip to Ontario. I was browsing through their catalog when my breath was taken away by these beardcaps. I really wanted to surprise Dave with one, but thought twice about spending $94.....on a beardcap. 

Mjolk says that, "The beardcap refers to a traditional cap called 'lambshed-hood' which was used in Iceland by farmers who in heavy snowstorms had to walk long distances between their sheds and to the neighboring farms. The cap covered both head and neck and had only a small opening for the face."

Dave really needs the long black one worn by the man on the right. It would cover his beard, don't you think? Then he wouldn't look like this anymore:

...I never knew Kim Jong Il loved cinema

I came across this really interesting documentary on Aljazeera called North Korea's cinema of dreams. Some filmmakers were given permission to see what it's like to be an acting student in Pyongyang's acting university. Check it out here.

...I love this house

I know this house doesn't look like much from the outside...but this is a classic mid-century modern home in Salt Lake. And I love it! I love how it is low-profile and I love how it has lots of windows.

I really like the remodeling with white stained concrete counter tops, dark cupboards, and stainless steel fixtures. It has a very clean look. I can't decide whether I like the tile work yet...I might just stick to plain tile or white stained concrete instead. I really like homes that are simply wood and white. If we were looking in Salt Lake, and had $599,900 to spend (it seems overpriced, I doubt they'll get that much for this house), I would live here.

...good thing I got married before BHLDN existed

Anthropologie just started their own wedding line called BHLDN. I say it's a good thing I got married before it existed because I would have spent every penny of our wedding money on their clothing and accessories! I think it is all absolutely beautiful.

...these girls are so beautiful

Here are two orphan girls who live in Southern Sudan and attend school in Akobo where Southern Sudan Humanitarian is helping to build schools. I just had to show you how gorgeous they are!

...Happy Valentine's Day

Dave made me dinner for V-day. For dessert, we had mochi ice cream balls! Yum yum.

He also developed some photos for me and gave me a cute card. What did I do for him? Ummm...nothing really. Man I stink at this holiday stuff! Thanks for being so sweet darlin!

...what a beautiful place to be a child

Look at the views from this beautifully designed daycare in the Austrian Alps. Not to mention the incredible woodwork inside. I want to work here! Even if it is a daycare.

...cub scouts is fun

Today in our den meeting we made bird houses. They look good eh? It was fun. Next week we'll paint them. I want to make one too and paint it white. I'm all about white right now.

This is Michael (Jack) and Blake. They're super cool.

...Southern Sudan succeeded in seceding

So many changes are taking place in Africa at the moment. I'm really happy the Southern Sudanese people were able to vote to secede. They will need a lot of help in the future to create a better place to live.

...way to go to Asmaa Mahfouz!

This video helped spark the revolution and the gathering of protesters on January 25 in Tahrir Square. What an amazing 26-year-old woman! Would I have been brave enough to join in the uprising?

...thanks for motivating

Dave and I went touring in Grizzly Gulch on the Patsy Marley ridge line on Friday. It felt so good to get outside and hike. The ridge was kind of narrow with some exposure and I was taking it really slow. There were a lot of people out enjoying the day.

...Happy Birthday to Mom

Mom turned 55 yesterday (February 3). She can now go to the movies for $6 and get a discount at the rec center. She's a very young 55, isn't she? She doesn't even dye that dark brown hair!

We celebrated at April and Scott's house. April made an amazing dinner and Michelle made these ingenious individual cakes.

Marilyn Jenkins made this cake that describes Mom so well!

We missed Jenny & Co. and Dad at the party. Instead of getting Mom flowers from Dad (like he asked us to) we bought her a Snuggie! She just seemed like the perfect candidate. Mom calls it a Snugglie.

Wow! She makes that Snuggie look good!

It was fun to hang out with everyone.

Beau got bucked off the buckin' bronco.

And Ruby lost a tooth!

It was a very eventful party. Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

Mom and me :)

...Ruby and Brooke were crushing it!

I got to ski with Ruby, Brooke, and Mom at Alta on Wednesday. The girls did so well! They were doing the pizza and turning all the way down the mountain. Brooke only fell when I went to give her a little push and she went flying out of her skis. Sorry Brooke!

Brooke's first time on a lift. 

Ruby

Brooke

It was really cold, but the girls didn't complain at all. I was impressed.