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!

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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!

Spring Is A New Beginning

Spring Is A New Beginning

---

joan walsh anglund

Spring is a new beginning...

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It is a season of young life...

of nesting birds

and crocuses.

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Yellow is its color...

the warm yellow of the sun...

of the bright buttercup

and the daffodil.

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Then all the world is leafy-tipped and new.

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Then the earth is rich with seedlings.

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Then come delicious days

of hunting wild strawberries...

of picking violets and forget-me-nots...

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of sailing boats and dipping eggs

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and finding hidden bunnies.

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This is the season of the tadpole

and the duckling...

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of robins' eggs

cupped in a soft bed of straw...

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of calves

trying out their wobbly legs...

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and of the fawn's first brown-eyed look at spring.

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Then new life presses out from every growing thing...

fulfilling our trust,

renewing our faith

that this has always been,

that this will be again...

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Spring brings an end to winter

and a fresh beginning.

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It is a gentle farewell

to yesterday

and the birth of new hope.

***

This wonderful little book autographed by the author, was a gift from a very sweet friend appropriately named Spring. I adore the message, as it rings true to my heart. I welcome the new beginning that spring brings, as I have come to a new resolution this spring...

I am not what happened to me, I am who I choose to become.

The Boy Is a Teenager

Well, it finally happened...the boy became a teenager. And what does every teenage boy need for his 13th birthday? Why a new gun of course.

In fact he needs a .22 cal Marlin semi-automatic rifle with a scope.

And then he needs a totally legit gangsta hat (thanks Dione) to pose with that new bad boy gun. Happy 13th Birthday to the boy. Welcome to the newest stage of your life. We love ya and can't wait to see what great things are in your future.

Boston Girls Trip

Cassandra, Dione and I just finished our first adventure of what will be an annual Garlick Girls trip. We ventured to Boston to check out a couple of law schools to help Dione make the big decision of which to attend. It was quite a trip...

Cass kept seeing "red boxes" and wondering what they were. Finally we got a close-up of her with the fire alarm boxes located on every street in Boston. Sorry...no DVD's in this red box. I missed my nice Nikon camera, but we did alright with the little point and shoot camera instead.

We fell in love with the incredible architecture of the old houses of Boston.

This corner home had such a sweet color.. like bubblegum.

And this one has almost a Russian design.

Sisters act alike don't you think? The trees were just blooming while we were there. So beautiful!

And the azaleas...oh how I love the azaleas. They remind me of the Springs when we lived in Maryland. I wish these flowers were hardy enough to grow in Utah.

This is Boston College, one of the law schools Dione has been accepted to. She was eager to have a look around the campus and sit in on an actual constitutional law class.

In downtown Boston we found a very old cemetery. This happens to be the grave of Mother Goose. She raised 20 children...10 of her own and 10 from her husband's first marriage. No wonder she had so many stories to tell. As it turns out, the old woman in the shoe must be her autobiography.

The girls couldn't resist posing for a pic with Mr. Cigar man.

Here are the 3 of us enjoying an afternoon treat at Mike's Pastries. Mmmmm!!

While Dione attended her next campus tour at Boston University, Cass and I set out for Salem Massachusetts, the place of the Salem Witch Trials. Did you know that 20 people were executed during a period of only about 3 months? All because a few young girls made up a story and pretended to be possessed. It's amazing what fear will do to a paranoid society. The Salem Witch Museum was hilarious...not really a museum at all...more of a tourist trap.

Here is the cemetery located in downtown Salem. Isn't it great? We find ourselves drawn to cemeteries wherever we go.

This is called The Burying Point in Salem. We also found a fun quilt store in Salem.

And more houses...Cassandra and I almost bought one while we were there.

And finally a shopping day. Check out this camel made of nylons in the Copley Center. Why nylons you ask...maybe women of the world are just tired of nylons and there is a surplus now.

After a long day of shopping we were in desperate need of a treat. So we found a place called Johnny Cupcakes and walked in. We were extremely disappointed when all we saw were t-shirts for sale where there should be cupcakes. We were sad...and then angry...and then very hungry. We didn't find it humorous at all. I call that deceptive advertising. And yes...still hungry!

Newbury Street has a plethora of different shops. If you go there, don't go to Johnny Cupcakes...remember that.

Boston in bloom...beautiful!

And then there was the time when we stalked the Kennedy's and the Kerry's who live on this street in the very prestigious Beacon Hill area. Now that was fun!

Acorn Street is one of the most photographed streets in the nation. The street is very narrow and lined with cobblestones. We did see one car drive down this steep, narrow, rocky road.

See if you can see what's wrong with this picture...

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I couldn't have survived my driving experience in Boston without our GPS, which we fondly nicknamed The Wench because of her proper English accent when she gives you instructions. However... on occasion The Wench failed us, as in this photo. She said turn left onto a one way street going the wrong way. Aaagh! And Cass captured this pic to prove it. After a couple of days the girls proclaimed that I had really improved my aggressive driving skills and I was an official Bostonian driver. II have to step it down a notch now that we are back home.

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We had a fabulous time. And this news just out today... she picked Boston University! Congratulations Dione and best of luck! We love you!