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Today is a great day. I am feeling better and better each day that passes living in California. I hope that I can rub off on my girls (especially the one below) and we can, as a family, appreciate what a beautiful place this is and how lucky we really are to get this chance to experience this adventure. Trust me, this frown will soon be a smile. If you could see inside that cute head of hers, you would see a brain stretching and expanding.

Today, I walked around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with my new bff Kathie from my previous picture :) I took Kate in the stroller and we went on the 3.5 mile walking path which goes all the way around the golf course and stadium. It was the perfect walk and the exact distance I used to walk from my house, around the Bountiful temple, and back again. (minus the hills) I have always loved walking with friends and just getting to smell outdoor smells, breathe slightly polluted air, talk about STUFF, and move my body! Sweet.

We had a ward barbecue last night...a Labor Day Barbecue. Way fun. I'm about to call my son, because sometimes, darn it, I just gotta say hi and hear his voice. I'm reading A Brave New World with Maddie and The Well and the Mine which I have to finish in 2 days, because I have to lead the book group discussion on Thursday?! Help.

Finally, I am finding out why in the heck our water bill was $700 today. We think there is some huge leak in the ground and our house is about to collapse into a septic sink hole. (ok not really, but we do think there is a leak and I will get to the bottom of this.)

And of course, I get to make something of Si's. hmm.. Kate's asleep and I'm listening to Kings of Convenience before I take my shower. I love days like this. I'm going to grab the girls after school and go somewhere new.

JULIE & JULIA!

-at home in the kitchen with Erin and Si.

From our gourmet tables to yours-

Day 5: Perfect Peach Crumble

I had to make something using peaches. I had a whole bunch and I needed to take a treat to Elder and Sister Reynolds. Funny story. Brett flew into L.A. from a business trip on the night of his b-day. He wanted to meet me at the temple for the 7:30 session. I was supposed to meet him with his tie. Well, he should have known better than to ask me to remember an extra little detail like that. I can remember the millions of normal things I have to, but put one more additional, one-time thing on top of it, bam. Forgotten. Almost immediately. How long has he known me? He should have known better.

So there we were, at the L.A. temple on the night of his b-day without a stinking tie. Brett said he wouldn't go in without one. I said that the Lord knew it was ME who forgot it and would WANT us to go inside.

Nope. Not going in. It isn't right.

Come on! Don't be ridiculous. It's my fault not yours.

No way. I won't do it. I'm going home.

I can't believe this! I drove for an hour! You have a white shirt and slacks...

His birthday was almost going to end in marital disharmony when we saw Elder and Sister Reynolds coming out of the temple. We thought, what the heck?, and asked Elder Reynolds if he could take off his tie and let Brett use it for the night. They were way nice and said sure. I still can't decide if that was a completely reasonable thing to ask or way inappropriate. I decided I must make a peach something out of my peaches and take it to them with the tie. (ok that was so "a long story made short")

Bottom Line: ahhhhhhh. Warm peach crumble. The crunchy, crisp brown sugar and nuts mixes so well with the smooth warm peaches. Add a little bit of vanilla bean ice cream for the coldness overlapping the warmness and you have one GREAT treat. I made this instead of peach pie, honestly, because I could have some of it this way instead of giving one pie away. So selfish, I know :) Remember, Si's website is abountifulkitchen.com if you want a recipe.

I am now back from the place we went after school. I will post about it tomorrow. Let's just say that Brady Blake would have LOVED it. I was pretty giddy.