Crock Pot Chicken

For dinner last night I really wanted to use my crock pot. I have had it for a while but I have only used it once or twice. So I got it out and decided to make something delicious. I ended up making BBQ chicken. It actually turned out pretty good. The only thing I would do different was the BBQ sauce. I just grabbed the kind that was sitting in my fridge and it was not really my favorite. The best part was that the chicken was so tender and just fell apart! I am definitely going to have to try this one again.

Food Time!

So I got a random urge today to make Alfredo Sauce. I have have never really liked the kind that you buy in a bottle at the grocery store. So for lunch today I decided to get in my cooking mode. To my surprise it actually did not turn out too bad. There are definitely some things I would change about the recipe that I used, but I can not wait to perfect it! My goal this summer is to be better about cooking. I need add to my cookbook.

I love to cook, I just feel like as a college student your life is all about trying to do things quickly so you have time to get everything you need to do done. So, since I am not taking classes this summer I am going to spend my free time cooking amazing food!

He is Risen!!

Today is Easter! I woke up this morning expecting it to be like any other Sunday (well other than the fact that today was my 1st Sunday in the Relief Society Presidency). Anyway, I honestly had forgot at first that it was Easter. I think in my mind I just had decided to treat it normally because this is the first Easter I have been away from my family. I did not want to think about it because I knew that it would make me sad. Then as I was getting ready for Relief Society I was looking at some talks and such online. I came across a Mormon Message about Easter. It was Elder Holland talking about Christ. He said "One of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so." At that moment I realized that even though I was spending Easter by myself I had what I needed, my Older brother!

I continued in my search for Easter talks and such and I came across President Monson's talk last year titled "He is Risen". In his talk he discusses the Savior and the purpose of his atonement. As I listened to his talk while sitting on my bed I just started to cry. I started thinking about my own personal experiences with the Atonement and how grateful I truly am for a Savior who was willing to be risen again so that I can someday do the same.

I went through the rest of the day thinking about how much I have been blessed by the Atonement, and crying a lot during it!

I think my favorite part of the day was when I got back from ward prayer. I decided that I should check my email before going to bed and I saw an email from my Grandpa Parkin. He had open heart surgery about a month ago and has been in rehab since. He sent out an email to all of his family informing us that he was being released from the rehab center. In his email he said something that I really liked. He said,

"Today begins a new chapter in my life. After a week in intensive care and almost another four weeks in a recovery hospital, I am being released from the hospital TODAY to finally return to my home, where I can begin "A NEW". I think it is very significant that I’m being released to return home on Easter Sunday.Easter celebrates the most important and significant day in the history of the world. It is a day of rebirth; dead things come back to life and it celebrates that greatest of all events that provides, through the atonement and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we will all live again. He also made it possible that all who embrace and live his gospel may live in perfection with the Savior for eternity. I think this Easter will be a special day of rebirth for me as I begin my recovery back to health and as we all celebrate and give praise for the mission of the Savior and the actions taken by him on our behalf on this date so many years ago."

I am very grateful that I have a father in heaven who has heard my family's prayers.

The Easter that started out as what I thought was going to be my least favorite, has turned out to be my favorite! Even though I was not surrounded by family, I was surrounded with the Holy Ghost and my love of Christ and his Atonement.

Just Another One of those Moments

Have you ever had one of those moments when you just think "What just happened?" Well a couple of days ago I had one of them. I was sitting in a study room in the library by myself. I dropped something on the ground and went to go pick it up. The thing I did not realize at the time was that there was a chair next to me. So when I bent down I smacked my head on the chair. The rest of the day my head really hurt and I could feel a bump on my forehead. Of course I felt extremely dumb but at the same time I could not stop laughing at myself. I called my mom to tell her what had happened and the first thing she said while laughing was "Well, I hope it didn't cause any brain damage".

I am here to tell you that I do not think there was any permanent brain damage, just a very sore forehead and a memory that I can laugh at the rest of my life.

Children are Amazing!

I started thinking about my favorite thing from General Conference last week and my mind kept thinking of one moment. It was during the congregational hymn on Saturday Morning. The choir was singing I Know That My Savior Loves Me. Normally I usually see the songs as a little break to hurry and get my self re-situated before the next talk starts. This time though Cameron turned to my mom at the beginning of the song and said "Hey mom, I know this song". He immediately turned back to look at the tv and started singing along with the choir. I just sat there amazed as he was singing the words "I know that my savior lives and loves me". He sang them like he knew that it was true and that there was no doubt in his 5 year old mind that his savior really does love him.

He was such an example to me. It reminded me of my knowledge of my saviors love for me. We are all children of God and we should not be afraid to sing it to the world! I know that sometimes I get so involved in my everyday life that I often forget to take more than just a few minutes to remember him. I am grateful that I have such an amazing little brother to remind me of what is really important in my life.