Haiti Arise Benefit Concert

Saturday, March 1st at 7pm, at the 7th Street Theater, there is a benefit concert for Haiti Arise. They are having some artists from around this area play a few songs each. My sister Melina and my dad will be playing a couple with their jazz band. It is going to be really neat and it is for a great cause. Please come and enjoy some great music and fellowship. You can purchase tickets at the door or you can buy them in advance at some local shops. So tell everyone you know and I will see you at the concert!

Sorry

My pictures are all messed up... they are backwards in order and I can't figure out why they wont go where I want them. So start at the bottom to see the pictures in the right order.

Catering with O'briens

The standing dare is to drink this concoction of every drink at the table poured into this pitcher... no one has done it yet ")
We dry each piece silverware by hand and each mug and each plate... let's see tonights small job consisted of about 330 pieces of silverware, only about 4 dozen mugs,( they had a coffee station) 250 plates.
A nice clean kitchen
Some tired employees and an exhausted employer

Lots of dirty plates
Our precious minutes to eat
hmmm... enjoy your meal Laurel!
Shawn stopped by and insisted that I put his picture up on my blog Mrs. O'Brien

Clearing plates
Plate srapings
Serving Dessert
I say "Good Show"
Can he do it?

Setting up the room
Filling water glasses
They call him the potato king
The O'briens should invest in smaller gloves ")
SALADS

I have worked for the O'Briens for let's see... 3 years and two weeks.... and I have not one picture of any of the jobs I have worked. So sad... So I decided that I must capture the great fun we have working together. Sorry... I have not quite figured out how to upload pictures in the right order and wear I want them...so bare with the unorderly fashion that they are on my blog.

Last night my sister, Laurel, Kate Sand and I worked for the local catering company "O'Briens Catering." I always have a great time working for them, they are such a godly couple and I can't be around them enough. In a way, they are kinda like my second parents. I love them dearly. Anyways, back to the joys of this job... first we set all the tables... napkins, silverware, glasses, salt & peppers. Then we venture back to the kitchen and prepare salads, cut the bread loaves, make up butter dishes, make gallons of coffee and do more food prep.

Then we serve dinner...tonight happened to be plate service... usually it is a buffet line. we serve salads and bread

then clear dishes, then we serve dinner and clear more dishes, then we serve dessert and clear more dishes. Then we come back to the kitchen and grab a quick bite to eat. After scarfing down some food, we begin attaking the piles of dishes and silverware and glasses and coffee mugs. After lots of soap and elbow grease the dishes are done, but the room still has to be cleared.

Later, after scraping ranch dressing of our aprons and hands ( people can sure be messy!) Pouring out coffee grounds and loading up the van... we are on our way to the O'Brien's house to unload. By this time we are usually dragging but we rely on funny comments and the memories of past jobs to keep us going. Finally it's empty and it is all put away. Another successful job!

Ballet Magnificat!

If you only see one ballet in your entire life, I know just the one to see. Ballet Magnificat! is the world's premier christian ballet company based in Jackson, Mississippi. They perform stories from the Bible like"Ruth" and "The Prodigal Son" they also have done the story of Corrie Ten Boom. I saw them live in Auburn, Washington three Easters ago. It was so powerful and beautiful. It brings a whole new meaning to ballet. I was planing on going to their summer dance intensive this summer but it looks like it is not going to happen. But has been one of my dreams to dance with them ever since I can remember. I highly recommend that if you ever get a chance to see them "Don't pass it up!" It will change your life. If you would like a taste, check out these promo videos below. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7MjnAHgPw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj86wv5Bj2o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynHX4AqJavA&feature=related

Or visit their website at http://www.balletmagnificat.com/ and read all about them.

Spring Gardening

The Peach Tree Above: The Green House
Below: a strawberry plant

Oh...I love this time of year! When you can be outside in the sweet spring air without getting drenched. My sister, Laurel, and I have started working to grow our garden this year. At the begining of the year we purchased a green house and placed an order with Territorial Seeds down in Oregon for our plants. We are going to try our hands at growing: lettuce, carrots, beets, tomatoes, kale, cucumbers, artichokes, green beans, rosemary, french tarragon, thyme, oregano, basil, figs, apples, raspberries (my favorite), blueberries, strawberries and a peach tree. I know... you are thinking we must be crazy but we are very excited to grow some very yummy produce for our family. I will keep my blog posted with pictures and info over the summer on how the gardens growing.

Carrot Cake!

I am not usually fond of carrot cake but the piece I enjoyed a few minutes ago was exceptionaly delightful! A tender cake graced with the presence of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; bursting with carrots, raisins and almonds and exploding my taste buds with a rich cream cheese frosting. Wow! Truly a marvelous (and incredibly easy) treat!

My 17th Birthday!

Last week, on the 17th to be precise, was my 17th birthday. I had a marvelous day of good food, family fun and beautiful weather! My brother Stephen, his wife Paige and my niece Pear came down for the weekend and to help celebrate. ( It also was my niece Pear's 1st birthday on the 13th, so we celebrated her birthday on the 16th.) My father and brothers took me out target shooting and I surprized myself when I actually hit the target more often than not! God has blessed me with so many things to be thankful for in my 17 years of life.

Okay... so I am new to the whole blogging world but I hope to become better at it with a little practice. So jump in and hang on for an exciting ride through my life!