Powell Life

So, we have both received callings and I gave a talk already last week!! We love our ward family, they go out of their way to befriend us. We have a ward BBQ this Friday, and we are having smoked turkey! We have made some friends and I have found a few that like the UFC so I think we will survive. Meghan is still cooking a lot, and making me fat!! It's like being at my aunt Kathy's house; there is fresh bread products everywhere! Anyways life is good, we are surviving.

Betty Crocker!

Being a stay at home wife has given our little family (meaning JUST John and I) only a few benefits. Those benefits include me learning how to cook! My favorite thing to do is to look up (or call my ever so patient sister Marian) some recipe's and give the cooking skills a test run.

Today's accomplishment is a loaf of Wheat Bread (currently baking in our little bread maker).

Loaf of Banana Bread (which was given a very good review from my ever so picky husband John)

and lastly... soon to be grilled Lemon Marinated Pepper Chicken and Rice.

Needless to say... I'm proud! HA!!!

Powells take it to the mountains!

John and I decided that we were not going to sit and spend our entire Saturday inside. Instead we ventured outdoors and up to Mt. Lemmon. John and His dad have decided to train to hike to Base Camp at Mount Everest so this was a beginners trail!
Above 8,000 feet our endurance was a little more challenged then it would have been hiking in Las Vegas. We both were huffing and puffing a bit. The weather was beautiful and the scenery was picture perfect!

We had to keep things a little silly...

It was like something out of Jerassic Park! We kept thinking maybe some raptors would be coming out of the ferns.

Oh and yes John is really wearing a Head Band. Apparently his hair is long and it will get all sweaty in his face. He keeps things very stylish! :)

Overall our hike deserves a double thumbs up! There was a small waterfall that we passed hiking down. It was beautiful. We were able to make it back to our car right before the afternoon monsoon started.

Recovering from the weekend!

Hope everyone had a great FOURTH of JULY! John and I made our way up to Phoenix for the weekend. We had a two night stay voucher for Marriott that we decided to take advantage of. We took the oppritunity to go to the Mesa Temple which I have not been to since we moved from phoenix ten years ago. It was amazing. We were very excited to go.
We also decided to go check out IKEA. Once it again the store never seems to fail me. Simply the best thing ever. We bought some awsome office furniture and day dreamed about our kitchen, bathrooms, and other rooms in an imagenary house we some day might build.
After our shopping adventures we headed out to Gilbert to see my sweet oldest sister and her family. We enjoyed some ymmy food, cute kiddies, and some video games for john and a sweet game of GO FISH for me and my nephews!
Once we wore out our welcome at Bek's we decided to head down to Town Lake in Tempe. Now they had just started building this lake right before I left so I have yet to experience this man made lake! BOOOO!!! Yes it does have a "pretty" factor about it however it has made the humidity (which was nonexsistant before it was made) skyrocket. When your dealing with on avg 105-120 heat, the last thing you want to deal with is HUMIDITY! So gross!
So we parked, walked a gazillion miles, paid to get into the "celebration" and promptly left ten minutes later. Too crowded, too hot, and too thirsty. We left and found some comfort food and drink at Gordon Birsche. YUM YUM!
Luckily our hotel was wonderful. I am a firm believer in Marriotts. It was the best bed Ive ever slept in. The bed ranked with our hotel at the Palms and Im sure if we paid for it it would have cost half the price. :)
Well anyways-
We came back to Tucson and set up our furniture as well as picked up our lovely kitchen table! Yay everything is complete. As soon as I get things organized and clean I will take some pictures!
Love you all! Hope you had a great weekend!

Happy Fourth of July!

Yes I am aware that I am making a 4th of July post two days early. However I have been watching the history channel all day and they are kicking the celebration into early gear. Which means I am allowed to do so as well!

I just love this time of summer. Its hot, rainy (here in Tucson Monsoon season has offically began), and full of patriotism! BBQ's, Yummy food, and family... nothing gets better then these.