Red and White and Red, White, and Blue

I AM going to send my blog to print today.  I told myself I'd do it twice a year, July 1 and January 1.  On that note, today is CANADA DAY!!!  Woohoo!  I'm so grateful I was born and raised there and for the freedoms I enjoyed.  It is still the home of most of my family and some of my dearest and most loyal friends.  It's also almost INDEPENDENCE DAY I am so grateful for the beautiful United States of America!!  I found my handsome husband here and it has been the best place I could have imagined to raise our family.   For me the two countries go hand in hand.  They both hold big chunks of my heart.  I feel so blessed to have had my life touched by so many warm, generous, kind, forgiving, and inspiring people on both sides of the border!!  ~Love you all~

Here are some final pictures from a photo shoot with Grandpa Henrie last fall I want to include in our printing :). 

oh, Tuesday treat

Since I spent such an exorbitant amount of time on my Canada post, I am going to give you our quick strawberry banana smoothie recipe. 

Great for family nights!

1 c. strawberry yogurt
1 banana
handful of strawberries if you have them, fine if not
1/4 c. brown sugar or 3 T. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
About 1 c. milk
2 c. crushed ice

Blend until smooth and enjoy!  These proportions are approximate.  I just dump whatever in half of the time :)

True North

This past weekend, Ryan and I took a turbo fast trip to Alberta and back to measure my parents' house for new cabinets.  While they are on their mission, my brother is renovating their home.  I think they will praise his name forever for the hours of planning and work he has put into it!  It's going to be so fun!  We arrived in Great Falls, Montana Friday evening at around 4:30.  We got to spend some time with my little sis and her new fiance - Thanks for picking us up you two!!  We had a face stuffing contest at Golden Corral.

Whit and Blake - Love the height difference!  Blake is awesome, and it was a lot of fun getting to know him better!  He will be a fabulous addition to the fam!

We had a hard time finding gas in some random small towns, but the young lovebirds did find a ladder and of course had to climb on up and kiss on the tower.

We stopped at Milk River for a potty stop, but unfortunately the rest area was closed.  We did take some photos in front of our favorite famous T-rex friend for our kids....

The next morning my fabulous farmer brother Dave took us for a drive around the farm/ranch.  I do have to say that it has never looked so lush in all the years I have ever been alive.  Alberta has had record rainfalls this spring, and the rolling prairie is gorgeous!  These next pictures are mostly for you, Mom and Dad, so you can see your fat and happy cattle and beautiful grasslands~

new ponds and streams where they've never existed before

sassy cattle and oil rigs dot the land

They have had to use high hoes to dig new ditches to try and drain the water out of the fields so crops will be able to be planted.

more watah!

Little nephew Brayden; I loved his shirt

My darling niece, Brooklyn, love her to pieces!!

I would have had a million more pictures, but my camera battery died....We gratefully arrived home by Monday morning at 2 a.m. after a crazy Las Vegas shuttle bus drive and droopy eyes from St. George to Cedar.  I wouldn't have changed a thing, though.  Thanks Ryan and Tonya and Dave and Tami for your sweet hospitality!!  Thanks Luke and Becky for taking us back to the airport, and thanks Dad Henrie for tending all the kids while we were gone!!  It was such a blessing to be with family and to get to visit my Grandma in the hospital too....

Love you all.  Family is everything~

Tardy Tuesday Turtle Cheesecake Treat

For Father's Day I wanted to make an extra scrumptious dessert.  Several years ago up in Alberta a friend of ours baked up a turtle cheesecake and pumpkin cheesecake.  They were the best we had ever tasted, and I have craved them ever since!  I finally got the recipes and made the turtle cheesecake for Ry on Sunday.  Aaahhh - no words good enough to describe it! Save this recipe; even if you only make it once in your lifetime it's worth it!!  Only took about 30 minutes prep time and 50 minutes bake time.

Turtle Cheesecake

Crust: 

1/2 c. butter

                     2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs

Melt butter in small saucepan.  Add wafer crumbs.  Stir well.  Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of 9 inch springform pan oiled and dusted with flour.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.  Cool.

Second Layer

40 Kraft caramels

1/4 c. skim evaporated milk

Unwrap and heat caramels and evaporated milk in medium saucepan, stirring often, until smooth.  Pour over crust.

Sprinkle with 1 cup toasted chopped pecans.

Third Layer

2 8-ounce light cream cheese softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 large eggs

1/2 c. chocolate chips

Beat cream cheese, sugar, adn vanilla in large bowl until smooth.  Beat in eggs on low, one at a time just until blended.

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl (stir every 15 seconds until melted) and then stir into cream cheese mixture. 

Pour over pecans. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.  Run paring knife around edge of pan to allow cake to settle evenly without cracking.  Cool.  Remove sides of pain.  Place cake on wax paper or plate. 

Fourth layer

Chocolate glaze:

1 pint whipping cream

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking squares or 4 oz. milk chocolate chips

Heat whipping cream in small saucepan on low.  Add chocolate, stirring constnatly, until melted and smooth.  Makes about 1 c.  Pour over cheesecake.

Oh la la!!

In My Sights

Tori being oh so cool

Tess not in the mood for the camera

Derek and friend Jack in the cute little kiddie pool.

Bishop Heap and Erin

Moi

The man who doesn't flinch and who the gun doesn't kick for.

Erin, our sharp shooter of the evening!  She rocked!

Saturday I enjoyed a lazy day!  Nancy invited me to their hotel to swim with the girls and Der-Ber.  It was so fun and relaxing to just sit and visit and swap recipe ideas.  When I got back Ryan asked me out on a date to go hone up my nonexistent shooting skills.  This is of course so my bullet will come within 100 yards when I try to shoot the big elk Ryan is bound and determined to find for me this fall.  Our Bishop and his daughter were there and Ry's great friend, Chris Nelson.  It was a fun time all around.  I forgot to put my headphones on for one of my shots with the .300 Weatherby.  The phone in my head is still ringing!

Three Heroes of Mine

My one and only Sweetheart - humble, thoughtful, generous, dependable, hardworking, fun, strong, romantic, more than I ever could have hoped for in a husband and father for my children!  Happy Father's Day Hon Bun!  I love you more than (in your words) a bulldog loves a porkchop :) ~

My Dad - Wayne Torrie - Ever faithful, dedicated, humble, generous, hardworking, patient, loves God, loves Mom, loves horses, loves the Henrie gang and all his other kiddos and grandkiddos!  :) 

Love you Dad so very much!!!

My Dad - Jed Henrie - Sweet, kind, sensitive, thoughtful, hardworking, dedicated, faithful, enduring, loves God, loves our Angel Mom, loves nature, and loves the Henrie Gang and all his other kiddos and grandkiddos too!!!  Love you Dad Henrie so very much!

Rejoice in Diversity

Tess, Nancy, and Tori

Tess, Linda (their team leader), and Tori

Siena

Final concert

Best friends

Tori's best friend is a member of the Presbyterian Church in Cedar City, and she and her Mom kindly invited Tori and Tess to join in their vacation bible camp this week. The girls had a blast and especially loved the songs and actions they learned. The theme this year was "High Seas Adventures" and Nancy's husband painted the whole ocean backdrop and built the ship, etc.  They put hours and hours of work into everything.  Last night Tori and Tess put on a concert for me, and this was their favorite song.  Thanks so much Nancy for all of your dedication and effort you put into it! You are a saint and such a sweetheart and dear friend!!!

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