My sunshine

I have been going through my craft room lately which is like the cave of memories--years and years of photos in boxes that I need to get into books.  I have been working on getting Mr J's baby book done, and it has a page in it about "Our Story" the love story of his parents.  I was looking for pictures of Ben and I to put in that section for Mr J.  That brought up a lot of fun memories.  

Most recently it brought up this.  I got this print here for Ben for Valentine's Day, and there is a story behind it, and I even scanned some grainy pictures to go with that story for you.  Ben and I met at BYU when I was a freshman and he was just back from a 2 year mission to Moscow, Russia for our church.  Ben had asked me to a dance in a very creative way.  He had bought some sheets for my bed and written on them asking me to the dance and had my roommate put them on my bed for me.  I still have the sheets.  They are Bambi, and it is our designated popcorn sheet for the family room floor when we watch movies.  Anyway, so I had to think up a clever way to answer him, that yes, I would love to go to the Heritage Invitational dance with him! 

So, I talked to Dr. Mack Wilberg, (who is now the director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, he is the one sitting at the piano) who was Ben's Men's Chorus teacher, and asked him to let me come in and sing a little song for Ben in his men's chorus class of over 200 guys.  Man was I gutsy :)  Looking back I really can't believe I did that, it must have been love. . .so my 3 friends and I walk into this auditorium of over 200 college guys and ask for Ben to come to the front.  Now Ben does not like attention, never has, hates being in the limelight.  He wouldn't even look at me when this was happening and very reluctantly came to the front of the auditorium and then we sang him this song . . .

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy 

When skies are gray

You'll never know Ben

How much I'd love to

go to Heritage Invitation with you!

And then we knelt down and I gave him the rose and my girlfriend thankfully got a picture of it.

We got a standing ovation :)  

So, I thought the "You are my sunshine" print was a good one for Valentine's Day because it started a great thing. . .

This was us at the dance

And this was us about nine months later :)

A very happy ending and a wonderful beginning

And he still is my sunshine and makes me very happy.  I love you Ben!

Daddy Muffins

So on Saturday the kids and I made what we call "Daddy Muffins."  These have a history going back to when Ben and I first met.  We met at BYU right after he got back from serving a 2 year mission for our church in Russia.  We lived in adjacent apartment buildings and were in the same church congregation and weekly 'family home evening group.'  We had just started to kind of hang out and were getting to know each other, when one Friday evening he told me about these muffins his mom made.  I said they sounded way yummy and to please make me some.  Well, early the next morning there is a knock on our apartment door, and remember this apartment is inhabited by 6 females, so of course no one was awake early on a Saturday morning.  But one of my roommates hears the door and drags herself out of bed.  And there is Ben with a plate full of warm 'daddy muffins' for sleeping me.  When I finally woke I was very impressed.  I was hooked and knew I had to marry this early rising, muffin making man (well, maybe not at that exact moment did I know this, but the thought did come pretty quickly).  So, these muffins have become "daddy muffins" in our house because they are the muffins Daddy made to woo Mommy :) and Ben generally makes them.  I think they are officially called French Breakfast Puffs, but if you say that at my house no one has a clue what you are talking about, but if you say "daddy muffins" you have everyone's attention and taste buds salivating.  So enjoy!  See who you can woo when you make them.

"Daddy Muffins"

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup shortening

Cream the above together then add

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tes. salt

1/4 tes. nutmeg

1 tes. baking powder

1/2 cup milk

Mix well and scoop into greased muffin tins filling about 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Topping:  3 Tbl butter, melted

in a separate bowl combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tes cinnamon.  Mix well.

Take hot muffins and dip the top in melted butter, then dip in cinnamon/sugar mix.  (see picture above, the kids love doing this part)

Makes about 10-12 muffins.