Genealogy

I am so excited today. I know most people find genealogy work boring. I find it so interesting to try to uncover the past. I just had a huge breakthrue in my Grandma Hendrickson's genealogy. I know it was meant to happen and I am so excited. My great-great grandmothers daughter Constanza was a missing piece in our family for years and I have found one of her direct decedents and have found out so much.

It all started when Constanza married her step-father, it was the days of polygamy. It upset her mother so much that she did divorce him and later her mother did also. After this we knew nothing of Constanza.

About a month ago I posted on gen-forum about Constanza. Someone replied and said they had record of Constance marrying a Sorensen. That was it.

Yesterday I was checking other sights and found someone posted that they were researching Constance Sorensen. I quickly posted back to see if they had information on Constances parents. Her parents are the same as Constanza. I can't tell you how excited I am that I know we can get her 8 children and her husband sealed to her. We didn't even know she had children or that she remarried. Or changed her name. So that is why it was divine intervention that we found her and we're able to get things in motion. I know my Grandmother probably had something to with this on the other side.

So never give up if you find yourself stuck.

I know I havn't Posted this week

Sorry, but my life isn't that interesting this week. We have all been busy on the yard, well mostly Mike. He has been coming home every night working on the sprinkler system until about 8:00.So we have hardly seen him. He is such a hard worker. I think I am just lazy. I wish I had the momentum that he has. The kids have been fighting all week. I started a chore chart for the boys, to give them a little motivation to complete daily chores. However I think it backfired, whenever one gets a sticker they start arguing that the other has more stickers. So that has been my week sorry for ranting.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Since I started making this everyone asks for the recipe, so here it is. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine.

1 (12 oz) package uncooked rotini pasta
10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pepper
1/2 cup milk, or as needed
assorted chopped vegetables, such as thawed frozen peas, chopped cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, olives. whatever your family likes.

Boil pasta until done, drain and place in large bowl. Mix the mayonnaise, dressing, garlic powder, pepper and milk. Toss with pasta to coat. Add vegetables and bacon. If using tomato add just before serving. If it seems dry add more milk. Let sit in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Warm Weather YAAA!

I was so excited to finally be able to venture outside and enjoy the warm weather this weekend. The boys started soccer on Saturday. They actually did pretty good for their first game. Shelby had fun playing on the playground while they played soccer. All I can say is thank you to whoever planned both games next to a playground. Mike got started on the sprinkler system by cleaning out some of the trenches. After a half day of that he told me he just doesn't have the energy he use too. Saturday night we went to our friends the Poulson's for dinner, it is always nice to have good friends to spend time with. Sunday, after church Mike took the boys for a bike ride. I went later after Shelby's nap. I am so happy it finally feels like SPRING.

Coconut Cupcakes

If you love coconut you will love these.


Coconut Cupcakes

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Conference

I don't know about all of you, but I loved conference. I truly felt the spirit as I listened to all the marvelous talks. Even with children running wild, I still had such a wonderful experience. What a marvelous thing it is to sustain our prophet. He is a great man . I have always enjoyed his stories. I am so grateful to be a mother and to be a member of this wonderful church. How great the sacrifices of our ancestors to let us have our freedom to believe. I hope we never forget their sacrifices and pass those stories to our children. Enough rambling. I hope you all had a great weekend and can carry some of those sacred words with you for the next six months.

Rock Band

If you have never tried the video game Rock Band you need too. Nate and Dianna and family came over last night. Dianna brought a wonderful dinner. What a great sister-in-law. The boys or rock stars as they like to be called now, Mike on the Guitar and Nate on the Drums. Dianna the singer. We had a great night and had a lot of fun. Here is a video.