A Day Like Today

Elko County Economic Diversification Authority_v.21

2012-01-31T22:49:00.000-08:00

Great video highlighting the many reasons I enjoy living the good life in Elko County! I have to say, perhaps they color touched the photography- being high dessert, it's not usually this green....

Fun video clip/story song

2011-06-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this fun little clip :-)

Elko and the Mining Industry

2011-01-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

My friend Joan Oliver posted this on her Facebook page so I am reposting it from her. I thought it was fun to see a video from the national news regarding our local economy's bread and butter!

CNN Money and Barrick and Cortez Mine

BOO! Tiful Autumn Day

2010-10-27T23:19:00.000-07:00

Cami's Photos

2010-10-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

Home stretch- Cami will be home the Tues. before Thanksgiving!

Island Search and Rescue

2010-10-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

Amy's poem for Sister Johnson

Island Search and Rescue
By Amy Ann Johnson

Dear Sister Zhan,
How is Taiwan?
Do you like the vegetables and noodles?
Have you seen or eaten any poodles?

It sounds really green
and like the people aren't too mean.
They sound rather nice
and appear to love rice.

On your bike you peddle,
handing out God's rod of metal.
You feed His Taiwanese sheep
as your covenants you keep.

Down on you He smiles
As you endure all of your trials.
He blesses you everyday
and the Spirit whispers what to say.

You ride through the rain
as you and your companion are praying
to find somebody
whose heart you can help to un-muddy.

You meet a girl on a scooter
that saw a church add on the computer.
With a song in your heart,
You begin to teach like it's an art.

You tell her of Heavenly Father's plan
and the Atonement of the Only Perfect Man.
You give her a copy of the Book
that gives truth to those that look.

You bare witness of God's love
and the Spirit descends as gently as a dove.
As your companion testifies,
tears fill the girl's eyes.

You have helped her feel the Fire,
and so to God's presence she aspires.
Within her soul burns
the desire to know and learn.

The lesson wasn't very long,
but the Holy Ghost was strong.
She wants to know more
of the Savior that stands at her heart's door.

You will meet her again in less than week
to more words of life speak.
You will teach her how to pray
and about a prophet in this day.

Because of the Light she's seen,
she will seek to become clean.
Because of the Son that our Father sent,
she will be able to repent.

Into baptism's waters she'll enter
and be washed pure strait to her center.
The Comforter will be given her as the gift
that will help to teach and her to soul lift.

She will take up a new life
that's free of old sins' cutting knife.
The Savior she will follow,
escaping the pits that wish to her swallow.

As you watch her transform,
your heart will warm.
Your soul will sing and swell
at the thought of drinking with her from the Celestial Well.

You know that you've helped to bring her peace,
and so your joy and love increase.
You feel so blessed to play a part
in the Master's healing art.

You know He's chosen you
to help His gathering to do.
He has children for you to find;
His soul has for them pined.

He loves you and those you teach,
and His arms for all of them reach.
He has given them to your charge
and has helped your abilities to enlarge.

The work is often hard,
but you haven't thrown down your pass-card.
As you have given it your best,
He's helped you to find rest.

He has put you in a place
to help His Taiwanese children find Grace.
You're engaged in His Great Work
to help them escape the evil hands that lurk.

You don't waste any time
because, for missionaries, it's a crime.
You know your mission;
You have souls for which to not just passively be fishin'.

You want to bring them to Christ's church,
so you go out and search.
Jesus freed them from death's catacomb,
but Heavenly Father wants them to come all the way Home.

Gratitude fills your soul
as you think of how Christ paid your toll.
You want the same for your Asian friends;
You want their joy to never end.

And so you go out,
throwing aside your fears and doubts.
You don't give up
because this work fills your cup.
The Savior will make up for what you lack,
so together you push forward to win more of your spirit-siblings back.

2010-10-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

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Love this video! Hope you enjoy it too.

October brings changes and Miles of smiles

2010-10-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

Miles isn't sure what to think of his toys

Tom models his old army shorts- they still fit!

Miles going for a jog

"I can't believe I ate the whole thing...."

Miles sports his cute hat

Miles and Momma ready for a great day!

June 18, 2010- Baby Onofrio Shower!

2010-06-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

2010-05-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

My finished watch project- about $13.50 total!

2010-05-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

Picking the beads

Designing and creation of beaded project

The Story- Brandi Carlile

2010-04-25T21:13:00.000-07:00

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Love this song! Great sound.

Hymn Sang At My Father's Funeral

2010-02-21T22:24:00.000-08:00

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This wonderful hymn gives comfort for the struggling of any and all sorts- enjoy the inspiring words and stirring presentation.

2010-01-19T20:02:00.000-08:00

Tom went on a motorcycle trip this past summer up to Canada and Glacier National Park, where he picked up this refrigerator magnet, now "tweaked". When Amy came home, she got a white adhesive label and changed the skeleton to a happy face and the "L L" to "C K". No wonder we love this gal- she keeps us good!

Summer Time And The Livin' Is Easy...

2009-07-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

I have had these Nike boots since before Tina was born, so at least 27 years, and they have finally broke down. They have served me incredibly well.

The "chains" up to Angels Landing in Zion's Nat'l Park

A peek over the edge on the route to Angels Landing while hanging on to the chains

View into Bryce's Canyon

Hiking in Bryce's Canyon

Are We Having Fun Yet?

It was the Albert Pearson line turn to host the event
The Levi Pearson Family Reunion- my brother Dicks' grandkids- Emma, Davis, Thane and daugther-in-law Natalie

My Sister's daughter Kristin Dirkmaat

My sister Marian's kids Casey and Kimberly (from OR)

Amy's graduation photo- one of many Shelly took for her

An informal photo of our last chick getting ready to fly the coop

A Tea Party and Wintry Day Dinner

2009-04-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Today (April 15th) brings a return to winter- this is the view from my kitchen window.

As fate would have it, I got an email from a friend wanting me to participate in a receipe exchange-so I decided to post about tonights dinner.

Today is also "Tax Day". This year, there has been a movement afoot for a national Tea Party in
commemoration and duplication of the day the colonist went on a british ship and threw the ship's load of tea in Boston harbor as protest of the British taxation. With the huge government bailout, a reinactment is to take place tonight across the county. Anyway, my thinking goes like this: Tonights super is a humble, in expensive dinner, in reflexion of the "poor" feeling of the populists but also filling and nutritous and well suited to the weather. And as fate would have it, the mormon missionaries called about 3:30 and their dinner appointment canceled and asked if we could feed them- piece of cake with this meal.

Ham and bean soup-
made from the bone from Easter dinner. I boiled the bone and soaked the beans last night so today it would be easy to put together. Onions, carrots, red and green peppers were sauted in a fry pan with olive oil (I like the soup better if the veggies aren't just boiled, and as the broth had been refrigerated overnight, the fat rose to the top of the stock and was easy to spoon out). I decided to shake in a dash of liquid smoke, squirt of katsup, and diced up a little more leftover ham. I usually made ham soup with split peas, but since I had some white beans in easy reach, made them do. Very nutritous and full of calcuim, low in fat and warm for a wintery day.

I threw in a batch of whole wheat bread to the bread maker, the made some bread pudding with some getting-stale-but-still-good bread.

Bread Pudding:

4 cups bread torn or cubed in fairly large chunks

2 c. milk

1/4 c. butter

3 eggs

1/2-2/3 c. sugar- white/brown or mixture

2 tea. cinnamon

1/4 tea. nutmeg

1 tea. vanilla

1/2 c. raisins

Grease casserole dish and loosely toss in cubed bread. Sprinkle with

raisins if desired.

Microwave milk and butter until butter is melted and let cool.

Whisk eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Slowly

mix in cooled milk/butter mixture and

Pour egg/milk mixure over raisins and bread.

Bake 350 for 40-50 mins.

Can serve for dessert or is great for breakfast, too!

I like to make a lemon sauce if I have a lemon.

All that's left when I get home is to open a bag of salad and set the table.

And soon, the snow will be gone, the sun will shine and we will recall again the blessings of living in a free land~ ENJOY!

Easter Joy

2009-04-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

Shelly and Benj came home for the holiday weekend- lucky us!

Saturday was chilly and rainy. That evening there was general moaning that I wanted to decorate eggs, but once we got going, we not only died the dozen I hard boiled, but a dozen and a half of raw eggs! We enjoyed chatting and spending this time together. Later we played http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne_(board_game.

On a more spiritual note, the link below is part of the testimony which was given by Bruce R. McConkie just prior to his death and the song lyrics he wrote expressing such. I remember this talk and being touched by it, and have a special place in my heart for the song.

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUI_wBEx-I0

Hope YOUR Easter was special!

Spring Break

2009-04-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

Watching Jake play lacrosse

Here we are visiting the Michigan Tribe over spring break. We also got to see Marty, Suzanne and Courtney, but somehow we didn't end up getting a picture together with them. Thanks to Debra for being the camera gal, or we wouldn't have had any photos to remember the trip by!

My brother Dick was a part of the team that designed some of the features of this art monument/water feature in Millennium Park.

http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/crown_fountain.html

Gospel means good news

2009-02-25T13:17:00.000-08:00

Hey! Everyone probably has already heard, but I got my mission call two weeks ago! I am called to serve in Taiwan, Taichung mission, Mandarin speaking and report May 27th 2009.

Yes!

2009-02-01T10:18:00.001-08:00

This weekend my "pardner's", Shelly, Cami and Benjamin, came home for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. They came Friday evening and the girls and I went to a show that night after pizza from the Blind Onion. Saturday we went to some poetry sessions- my favorite was "Why did the cowboy cross the road". Benj missed out since he needed to get some work done on his thesis, but went out with the girls for the Sat. night show which featured Ian Tyson and western themed music while I stayed home. When they got back, we listened to the CD they bought for me while Shelly made some yummy chocolate chip cookies. A very pleasant weekend!

Click on the link below to get a feel for what Cowboy Poetry is all about. There is a link which allows you to download a video as well.

http://www.westernfolklife.org/site1/index.php/25th-Gathering.html

Courtney Swims With the Dolphins

2009-01-27T11:09:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos aunt Suzanne sent from their trip to FL over Christmas when Courtney got to swim with the dolphins....Isn't that great they had the opportunity to do this?

LDS Film Festival

2009-01-26T13:37:00.000-08:00

Momma came to visit Shelly and I this weekend for our annual LDS Film Festival weekend. It was a great time! We watched four movies in two days, ate delicious Thai food and went shopping. A perfect girls weekend.

These are the films we saw, in the order that I liked them:

Expiration Date directed by Rick Stevenson. This was a comedy about a guy who's father and grandfather got killed by milk trucks on their 25th birthday. Believing it to be a curse, Whats-his-name prepares for his death and lots of funny things happen, including meeting a girl, setting a narcoleptic dog free from the Pound and stealing a milk truck. I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone.
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/10/16/080647.php

This was Demographic Winter, (directed by Rick Stout) a documentary about the ramifications of the declining population. Shelly and Mother loved it, I agreed with the information but took issue with the poor way it was presented. I guess I just have high acedemic standards. I picked up a copy for the fam if anyone wants to watch it. I'm curious to see the second part.

This was Diantha's Crossing directed by Tom Russell. It was by the BYU film school. The presentation, music, costumes and acting was all very, very good. The storyline was fine but just not the most thrilling. I guess I pioneered myself out as a child and just don't find it quite as fascinating as I used to. Also, what is with the paper chain the background of this promo photo? Is she counting down to her death or what? I'd probably watch something by Tom Russell again, I just hope his screen writers are more creative next time.

We watched a bunch of shorts too (short films under 10 minutes) and those are always my favorite.

But it's Monday again and nose to the grindstone! Time to study until my brain falls out. (It happened last week, I'm not even kidding.)

Love to all.

Family History Correction

2009-01-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

I just got an email from my brother David who informed me of an error in my family history story. I have his quote below:

Hi Donna,

I had a chance to look at your blog. It's nice to stay in touch and see what's going on! I don't think I ever knew you went to Israel. Did you do a group tour? I had to laugh about Cami speaking Swench! I was also going to let you know that the "M" on John Eilenberger's shirt is for Middletown (NY), not Malden.

So I am going to go back and change the previous post about that. I had better recall for "Malden" because I heard of it more. Once David mentioned it, I knew he was right- Malden is where my mother spent some of her growing up years, and Middletown is where her father's family resided.

Photos for Christmas 2008

2009-01-19T19:26:00.001-08:00

Tom models the footy-PJ's Tina got him in camo fleece

A demo of the "flow-through" ventilation with
the drop-bottom feature

Tina admires the fashion show her dad puts on

Cami and Amy & Amy shows off her snazzy water bottle Tina got her.

Shelly and Benjamin spent Christmas in Michigan with Benjamin's family. Perhaps Shelly will add a few photos so we can all recall just how handsome her husband is!

Things to work on in 2009

2009-01-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

OK- I am not really a "resolution" type person to write down goals, but here are some things I would like to make some progress on.

FAMILY HISTORY- in particular, for John Eilenberger, my grandfather's brother. Somehow I don't have any photos to speak of of my grandfather- perhaps Aunt Berta has them all- but Mom had the high school photos of the Middleton High School football and basketball teams (1910-11&12),sitting on the steps of the high school, with John in the group. I have inherited the three photographs which now hang in the guest bathroom. John and the rest of the team are very polite and look straight ahead while the restroom is in use- they are proper New Englanders. I must say, they are some fine looking young men. And yes, I DO know which one is John. Here is what I know (off the top of my head).

John is in the middle of the photo under the man.

My grandfather (Charles) was the oldest of 3. He and John were both in WWI. I believe they were both officers, as they had both attended Cornell University and I think had graduated. Charles was an engineer. John was training to fly airplanes and had been in Europe when he contracted Influenza and was sent back- for some reason I think it was to California? (would that make sense??)- and died in the states. I have two beautiful certificates of recognition from both the US and French government. They also had a sister- Nellie ? who had contracted TB as a young adult (before the war?) and as a young adult had been sent to Arizona to a sanitarium, but she ended up dying from it anyway. So my great-grandparents had 3 children who had lived to adulthood and 2 of them passed away from different illness. Were there other siblings who had perhaps died as infants or toddlers? It would seem like it could very well be likely, but these are the only ones I know of. I guess I should include the rest of the family in my quest, as there is certainly more to learn of them. Oh, by the way, their father, my great grandfather, was a locomotive engineer and drove a line between Middleton and some other city. My mother always spoke so happily about her family- it was evident that she felt well loved by both sides of her family. Anyway, as you can see I have several items that I cherish, which keep them close to my heart, but I would really like to connect them together.

Charles and John Eilenberger's parents
visit the California Redwoods- it must
have been an exciting trip from NY!

Other Items to Work On:

READING- There are a number of books I would like to read. With the DISH TV there are so many cool things to watch on tv- the History Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Discovery, Travel Channel, etc. it gets easy to just want to veg out with the tv. Amy and I read the first two chapter of The Chosen last night- I had bought it when Shelly and I were going to Israel. After starting it, I realized I had read it a few years ago, but since we have started it, will read it again. Here are the books currently sitting beside my bed:

Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austin
The Call of the Wild- Jack London
The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner- David Bach
Why Would Anyone Join the Mormon Church?- Brad Brase
Holy Land- Whose Land?- Dorothy Drummond
Motzar's Brain and the Fighter Pilot- Richard Restak
Ebay Business-2nd Edition- Greg Holden

I also want to read the last of the trilogy A Banner Is Unfurled written my Marcie Gallacher and Kerri Bobinson- these sisters were in my stake when we were growing up, and Kerri was even my roommate at BYU.

Books I have recently read:

Starbucked- Terrific! Cami brought it home from the library and I found it extremely interesting and highly recommend it! I don't remember the author's name, but he has a great style that is very accessible and turned a subject that could have been boring into a fascinating read.

Twilight- Tina's boyfriend, Mike was reading it while we were in Park City for Christmas. He finished it and passed it on to me. It's ok, but I am not sure how it became such a best seller. As Cami said, too much writing about "smoldering eyes", etc.

So, what good books have you read recently??

LOSE 10#'S

Isn't this a perennial? The Nurti-System is coming soon- just in time to help me break free from the Reece's Peanut Butter Cups addition which I have been gobbling up (left overs from the homemade ice cream Tina made last week). Of course this morning I read that people aren't supposed to eat anything with peanut butter/nuts right now while they get to the bottom of the Salmonella poisoning. I am happy to report, the package of Reece's I ingested were just fine- no problem with that bag! (all in the name of science, you know!).

BECOME AN E-BAY SELLER

Tom has stuff all around the house he has bought and decided he doesn't need/want. He suggested that I start putting the stuff on E-Bay. The hard part will be that I don't know what a lot of the cords/electronic/gear/stuff is for or does. Can I really sell this junk? It would be great if I can!

Cami's semester abroad

2009-01-15T22:17:00.000-08:00

In the land of the Tudors...

Bike riding in the Netherlands

I love how the water arches over her head in the background

That Mona Lisa smile

2009-01-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

I found this nice photo of Cami with Mona Lisa- do you see the resemblence?

Icarus is not a tee shirt or a swan song

2009-01-07T21:01:00.000-08:00

Well, I've done it again. Every semester I sign up for about a million classes, all (most) of which I find fantastically interesting and usually fit right into my major and refuse to give up. This semester I have, well, 21 credits that I am positive I cannot live without. This semesters line-up is
English, Comparative Lit, Swedish and probably French, two religion and two history classes.

Well, I decided to just audit the History of Early Medieval Europe, so that drops me to (sort of) 18, and I think the next one to go will be English, which will be gone permanently. Then I'll have History, Swedish, French conversation, 2 religion (both critical), and Comp Lit. Fifteen credits plus three of audit? That's do-able, right?

In other news, today on the south stairs up to campus there were a series of snowmen in various positions, including one Hitler-type figure that beheaded another. I now regret not taking pictures because then I would have something interesting to write on The Family Blog. C'est la vie.

Oh, I know what else. I hate French. It has completely screwed up my Swedish. I still understand it perfectly but now everything comes out one third Swedish, one third French and one third silence because I'm trying to straighten things out in my head before more Swench comes out.

Egypt- Oct. 2008 A trip to rememeber...

2009-01-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

Donna at the great Sphinx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sphinx_of_Giza

Shelly at the pyramids

http://www.touregypt.net/karnak.htm Note the painted colors- still visable a vibrant in many places, untouch after approx. 4,000 years!

Excavation of the pyramid complex done the old-fashioned back breaking way.

Shelly at the Anwar Sadat Memorial in Cairo

Ho-Hum! Just another fantastic colection of

ancient statues and temples!!!

Shelly makes new friends in the Alabaster Mosque.

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/muhammadalimosque.htm

Camel riding....WOW!! :-)

Trip to Isreal - Shelly and Donna Oct 2008

2009-01-05T10:35:00.001-08:00

Isreali military area. We drove within site of Syria and Jordan and saw ruins (tanks, bunkers, etc) from previous military engagements. We are so glad we were able to go when we did and the situation was stable. It is an incredible area where history continues to reach from the past to still impact us today in many ways.

Hezekiah's Tunnel

http://www.geocities.com/jim_lancaster.geo/hez1.html

BYU Jerusalem Center on hill up from old city

Wailing Wall- we were able to be there a couple of time, including for the begining of their Sabbath on Friday night

Inside water cystern for Masada

Looking down from Masada

Aerial tram @ Masada

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/Masada1.html

Shelly with Masada in background

Sorry about the angle on this- I don't know how to correct it. The organ at the BYU Jerusalem Center is the finest in the middle east. Paige from our group was allowed to play it and while she did so I filmed the beautiful archtecture of the building. The students hold church here and there are weekly cultural engagements for the community held here.

2009-01-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

So I already don't like the way my posts look- even the photos, since the comments are not next to the correct photos. Oh well- I will improve my skills on this. In the meantime, the photos give you a glimpse into what we've been up to in 2008! Look for future postings and photos for 2009. I'll try not to bore you to death!

Beautiful amy- Homecoming

2009-01-04T22:26:00.000-08:00

2009-01-04T22:25:00.000-08:00

2009-01-04T22:23:00.000-08:00

2009-01-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

2009-01-04T22:21:00.000-08:00

One of Tom's Baby's

2009-01-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

Amy (left) with Chruch girls camp pals (I was our ward Camp director- fun!!)

2009-01-04T22:15:00.000-08:00

Bruce Barrett's performance with Blue Knights in SLC

2009-01-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

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Amy's Pioneer trek in Wyoming

2009-01-04T21:59:00.000-08:00

2009-01-04T21:55:00.000-08:00

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Spring 2008- Amy (back left in blue) in Washington DC

2009-01-04T21:47:00.000-08:00

Getting Started....

2009-01-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! 2009- Already Rolling Along

I had hoped to have a family blog set up before the Christmas cards went out, but didn't get to it. Why is it that the simplest things can cause a stumble? Like not getting started because I couldn't think of a name for the blog??? Oh yes...I stewed over that. Days. I googled both an English-Latin as well as a English-Swedish dictionary for something clever, but nothing really captured what I was aiming for. Possible pitfalls: No one would be able to either pronounce the name or remember it, so "A Day Like Today" it is.....very basic and direct.

My hope is that my family will join me in putting occasional posts and photos so that next year we can just send a card with the blog and forgo the boring letter.