Summer Chicken Pot Pie

Oh summer...you are finally here!

Dean trooped out to the garden today to see what he could find for dinner. Surprise, surprise, surprise...look what he brought me. One of our family's favorite Sunday dinners is Chicken Pot Pie. We usually have this meal during the cold winter months. However...the very best Chicken Pot Pie is made with fresh summer vegetables.

Here are the ingredients all mixed together and ready for the crust!

Freshly baked Chicken Pot Pie...can you smell it yet? You should taste it...trust me, it's delicious!

And here is where it all happens.

Dean's garden this year is the best I've ever seen him grow. Every day we walk out and encourage the tomatoes to grow faster...hurry...hurry...turn red. I need to make our famous Ultimate Tomato Cheese Sandwiches. We can hardly wait.

New this year...my herb garden.

I have many different herbs growing here... including Parsley, Tarragon, Cilantro, Rosemary, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Chives, Mint, and my favorite... Basil.

***

Are you hungry yet? Come on over...there's a little bit left over.

The Grand Marshalls

Dean's parents...Unni and Gramps were bestowed the dubious honor of being the Grand Marshall of Farr West City's Independence Day Parade. Owen has lived in Farr West his entire life except for the time that he spent on an LDS mission. Chet asked what it meant to be a Grand Marshall. I replied that it basically meant that his grandparents were the prom queen and king of the parade. Farr West has grown over the years since Dean grew up there, but it still has that small town America feel.

Aren't they the cutest couple...enjoying every second of their grand marshall-dom! I snapped this picture right before the horse pulling their carriage started freaking out. ? Lucky for Unni & Gramps someone jumped up from the sidelines and started leading the horse forward.

When you come from a small town, it turns out you know just about everyone in the parade. Here is cousin Kelly parading as Tinkerbell.

There is something about these shirts that I adore...they really say Happy Independence Day

OK so personally...horses and I aren't friends...but I do like to admire them from afar.

More people we knew...Cody and Uncle John were in charge of horse poop patrol. It's not really very glamorous but I guess someone has got to do it...just not me!

I'll bet you've never seen this in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. And yes...they were throwing out candy from the trunk!

The Farr West parade had the usual classic cars...this one had a rumble seat complete with darling little ones.

Also, people throw out the strangest things in small town American parades...like this bag of salted peanuts. Chet is wearing his new shirt from China that Dean brought home. It has absolutely nothing to do with America, or Independence Day...I think the writing means "dragon".

One of Farr West's residents owns a car dealership, which explains the Camaro entry in the parade. There must have been about 1o of these super cool cars in the lineup. Also more people we knew...it turns out that cousin Logan was driving this black one.

OK so I don't think we knew these people, I just got a kick out of Dad riding with his daughter on her Barbie ATV...so fashionable!

This is Dean's sister Annette...she was in charge of parade details. She is on very official parade business...so move!...please?

More people we know...this is Chet's friend who lives next door to Unni and Gramps. He always hangs out with him when Chet stays with Unni and Grandpa. I have no idea what his official parade entry was for...maybe he is drumming up lawn mowing business. He is holding a water balloon and told Chet he couldn't throw it at him because he was saving it for someone else.

OK fine...if you say so!

This float was the Wahlquist Junior High Student Body Officers...it brought back many memories of when I was an SBO at Wahlquist..."Oh Wahlquist we love thee...best school in the land". I'll spare you the rest. Can you believe I remember my school song from Junior High?

Perhaps my favorite entry...it speaks for itself!

Every parade needs a beauty queen...this is Miss Teen Continental...whatever that means...she was beautiful just the same!

And the best for last...Help Hayden Heal!

Hayden is 5 years old and in desperate need of a liver transplant. Hayden's friends and family were out parading to get help in paying for a life-saving surgery this sweet young boy needs. This one got to Dean and I. Dean quickly stuffed some cash in the collection can...and then a little while later he added some more.

And here is that cute Hayden passing out candy from his float.

Sweet child...I wish you the very best!

***

Overall, it was a great Independence Day. I feel very lucky to have been born in this great country. I have travelled around this wide world enough to realize how truly blessed we are! It was fun to be part of small town America again. Oh and I forgot to mention the fabulous young Miss Kylie was in the parade (missed her picture, darn it), and Dean's sister was the DJ for the entire carnival. We were able to see people that day we hadn't seen in many years, including Coco (better known as Collette) and her darling family...who chastised me for not posting to my blog since Meat Day. So Coco...this entry is for you!

***

I hope you all had a fun Independence Day wherever you were!

Park City Ski Town Shootout

The boy has been busy with lacrosse this Spring and was invited to play with the team at a tournament in Park City. The team worked hard in preparing for the upcoming games, knowing they were going against some tough competition. The very first opponent was the San Diego 8th Grade Select. Basically the very best 8th graders from San Diego were playing our mostly 7th graders from little Logan. It was a tough tournament to say the least, but the team learned a lot. There were teams from all over the country...Texas, Colorado, California, Illinois, etc. Our boys learned a lot and had a great time.

Here is The Boy and his team posing after the final game. These boys are such great kids...we really loved cheering them on. You would have thought the last game was the NCAA lacrosse finals as excited as the parents were.

The Boy looking tough...and tired after a total of 5 games in 2 days.

Of course Izzy came along...she spent the night at Bob and Cassandra's since our hotel discriminates against Goldendoodles...haha!

Happy Meat Day

We have many traditions in the Garlick family. We always go skiing on Christmas Eve, we have fabulous Superbowl parties and we never eat anything larger than our heads.

But perhaps our favorite tradition is Meat Day!

Meat Day also just happens to be on Mother's Day. It involves a decadent gourmet buffet from Snowbasin. We prepare days in advance by limiting our food intake...anticipating the feast. When the day arrives, it's time to put on your meatin' pants.

The thing about meat day, is there are no rules. You can eat several plates full of savory dishes including slow roasted prime rib, crabclaw with chipotle sauce, and grilled eggplant and polenta stack. Then on to deserts like Lemon Hats, Passion Fruit bavarios, and cherry cream leche.

And then you see it...

the Fennel Seed encrusted leg of lamb with minted red wine reduction sauce. So then you're off for more meat...thus Meat Day!

The question is Dione...what to eat next?

It takes us roughly two hours to completely stuff ourselves ridiculously full and then it happens...we call it meat sweats! We giggle ourselves silly until it hurts!

My oldest child is finishing up her Meat Day extravaganza with a seafood platter. Yup...she slurped down oysters after that huge meal. Now that takes skill!

This is about desert number 10 for The Boy...Mousse Cake.

After we pull ourselves up from our cushy chairs, loosen our belts, and waddle outside...it's time for the traditional Meat Day pics on the plaza.

Bob and Cass had to stop and get Diet Cokes so they wouldn't go into a Meat Day coma on the way home.

My kids...I love them all. See those faces, those are the satisfied faces of kids with the meat sweats!

And this handsome guy makes it all possible. Thanks for an another amazing Meat Day, honey! I can't wait for next year.

Time to go...what's this? A Go Jiggy sticker at Snowbasin...how did that get there?

Dione and Her Red Boots Graduate

USU Graduate Dione Garlick...congrats!

It seems our little girl has come full circle.

When Dione was in kindergarten at Wilson Elementary she owned a pair of red cowboy boots. She wore them just about every day. We even made them a part of her valentines cards which said, "Happy Valentines Day from Dione and her red boots."
She is still remembered by those red boots.
It only seemed appropriate as she graduated from college that she once again sport a pair of red cowboy boots.


We took a stroll around campus on graduation day to take a few pics to remember the day.

And these boots...they'll carry her into the next chapter of her life at Boston University where she will soon be attending law school.

Dione has spent many countless hours organizing activities and events as a coordinator of the A-Team at Utah State. One of her jobs was organizing True Aggie Night on the "A".

She said she was allowed to stand on the A, because she had repainted it so many times.

We are so very proud of Dione and her accomplishments. She graduated with honors with a double major in Law & Constitutional Studies and Statistics. And just to make it fun, she also received a minor in Latin during her spare time.

"Seester" support is very important when you graduate from college. Cassandra set a great example with her degree in Biology a couple years ago.

Cousin Katie also graduated from USU on Saturday. Dione and Katie were born just months apart and have had great fun together in their days at USU. Katie Scarlett will be moving to SLC and we are going to miss her. I always say that Miss Katie has the ability to make sunshine out of anything. Love you Katie!

It's such a fantastic feeling when you are able to watch your children achieve great things. I admire Dione for her ability to focus and her tenacity to succeed amidst the tragedy that has enveloped this family.

Uncle Blair came up for his daughter Katie's graduation.

Blair is my older brother...and no we don't look anything alike.

And graduation wouldn't be complete without the pooch!

***

Dione...we look forward to the next pair of boots that you'll be wearing at your law school graduation. May all your hard work continue to make all your dreams come true.

We love you!