21st ANNIVERSARY!

Can you believe it's been 21 years since Tony stepped on my dress and then took me to the altar?!? (One very vivid memory of our wedding day was how many times that man stepped on my dress.) August 19th, 1989 Tony and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mesa AZ Temple. We were married at 9:00am as I wanted to be a bride ALL day! After the wedding we took tons of pictures around the temple grounds. Long-sleeved, high-collared dress with full skirt + Arizona August Heat & Humidity = MELTING BRIDE. Well, that's what it felt like!!!! After the pictures, we headed to a church building for a luncheon. We had lots of advice given to us......my dad: "I already gave them advice, but they got married today anyways!" followed by laughter....my brother: "Their marriage must already be in trouble if they're asking a teenager for advice!" followed by more laughter (sidenote: Jean-Jacques was 17.....but I was only 19....we were both teenagers!) Isn't my family hilarious!?! Our pink reception that night was held in an orange carpeted stake center......lovely! No matter though - I loved it!!! So did my little cousins. Actually, our reception was talked about - at length - for quite some time. Papa declared that no one would be able to top it! We had FRESH flowers as centerpieces (not commonly seen at church house receptions back in the 80s) and a huge fresh flower centerpiece on the refreshments table. Our refreshments weren't just cake, nuts, mints and punch.....we also added chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate truffles. We had pink lemonade - de-pulped.....yes, DE-PULPED, so it could be put in a fountain for punch.....THAT LIT UP IN THE CENTER! I know.....I just blew your mind!!!!!!! We ordered a gazebo for our guest book and an extra one for the cake! (the cake....I'll spare you the story.....the only thing I HATED about my wedding.....my ugly, UGLY cake!!!!! No wonder I ended up taking cake decorating classes!) We had a big area sectioned off with a little white picket fence for dancing. We even had a DJ up on the stage. That DJ played "our song".....Debbie Gibson "Lost in Your Eyes" Tony chooses to never remember that that is our song. When he finally says what it is....he calls it "In Your Eye" In 2004, we attended a Van Halen concert - featuring Sammy Hagar (this fulfilled Tony's biggest regret in his life....all I can say is - wow) After the concert, I joked that we should have picked "When It's Love" for our song. Tony was TOO excited about this and has officially (in his mind) changed "our song" to this. It is quite romantic......you know, with a big scream at the beginning! (Emily....I know you don't approve. Don't worry, the Debbie Gibson song is what's on our wedding video) After our beautiful reception, we said good-bye and left the building. In the parking lot we were finally alone.....it was then that we realized........we had NO car. We had to walk back into the building (getting harrassed every step of the way) and reveal that we didn't have transportation. After trying to retrace many peoples steps....we figured out my car was at Mita's and Papa's house. Papa drove us there and then we were officially on our own! And we lived happily ever after.....like from "Pretty Woman" happily ever after.....you know, he rescues her and she rescues him right back. Isn't that marriage in a way? Two people joined together through all the ups and downs. Through all our strengths and weaknesses. Through the sadness and joy. Through the $$$ and no $$$. Through the babies and kids and TEENAGERS! Through the time for each other and no time for each other. That's how I view it.....and more importantly.....that how I've lived it and will continue to live it.......FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "P"

This summer we've encouraged the girls at church to work on their Personal Progress Program. We made a game of it - think summer reading programs - and gave them a game board at the beginning of the summer. There were 3 Prize days during the Program and it ends with a Party tomorrow. To further encourage the girls we had some small Prize every Sunday if they were working on their Personal Progress. Some of the Prizes on Sunday included: Pops (lollyPops), Popsicles, Popcorn, Poppers (for 4th of July) and finally Perfectly Portioned, Pleasing to the Picky Palate, Profoundly Pretty Personal Pies! (oh...did I tell you we used the letter "P" as our theme....Pathway to Personal Progress.....in Pink and Purple.....lots of Prizes.....etc.) I don't know about our Young Women....but the leaders have had a BLAST with this!!!! I've Presented my Prizes with Poems and this last Sunday....Photography! We have a great evening Planned for the girls tomorrow. I can't mention everything yet, but it will include dinner.....a Potato bar! Now on to the adorable Pies.....I mean Profoundly Pretty!

I've seen these bite-sized Pies on a few blogs and have wanted to make them. This was my Perfect excuse! Here are all 24 of the mini cherry Pies.....How Pretty!!!!
To make it a little easier, I used refrigerated Pie crust. I just rolled it out a little thiner than it came. For the tops, I discovered my linzer cookie cutter set was the Perfect size for the top of my mini muffin Pan. (and with six different cut outs for the center....I'm going to have fun with my new found use for this cutter) I filled the Pies a little more than 1/2 full and then baked it for 12-14 minutes at 375. I check on them around 10 minutes to see if the crust is getting too brown. You can cover with foil if it is, mine didn't require that.

Then on to the apple Pies! I didn't know if I had enough crust to make the tops, but I already had 24 hearts cut out. My mom thought three hearts would work Perfectly and it did! She put the apple Pies together....Thanks for the idea and help and the supplies to make these!!!!! Then I sprinkled some cinnamon sugar on the top and baked them the same as the cherry Pies.

Positively Perfect!!!!

Which do you Prefer?

Apple

or
Cherry?

Today's Post brought to you by the letter "P"