Lee and Beth's road trip to the states.

The trip down was lots of fun and great to get to spend two weeks together again traveling around and seeing new things,  And a good time for Lee and I to experience "real life" together and grow closer through stressful moments of traveling such a long ways. We left Tuesday around 11:00am and arrived in Haines Ak the next morning to caught the ferry to Prince Rupert CA.

 Some of the highlights were; traveling through the coastal parts, like Haines Alaska and British Columbia.  We enjoyed being close to the ocean and seeing different terrain, I loved seeing the big trees with forest green moss growing all over them.   We also found some cute friendly forest squirrels who didn't mind posing for close ups. :) We got to Haines early the next day but we didn't need to get to the ferry check-in station until 1:30 PM  So we explored Haines a bit we went to this really cute natural and organics store that had a small deli and espresso bar,  they also roasted their own coffee beans.   - Lee and I ordered espresso drinks and thoroughly enjoyed some of the best espresso we've had.  Afterwards we headed back into town were we tried to go to two different museums one was a culture and history type museum the other was a museum of hammers.  Neither were open or opened until we'd already be floating away so at the gas station a guy told us about a lake up the road a ways past were the ferry docks that the spawning salmon are caught (But more like picked at by the local scavenging birds)  we headed up there and watched eagles and seagulls wait for dying salmon,  And made our way to a near camp ground that ended up being surrounded by a beautiful coastal forest that we went walking through for a wile.  Also wile we were in Haines we went to a small camp site called Portage Cove that was at the top of a hill that went down to the "beach" and had lunch there, you're see pictures of this on Facebook.    

Once we were on the ferry it was really fun... but I got rather sea sick and ended up spending a lot of the first day trying not to vomit all over our berth. :( it was also so cold and cloudy I didn't really enjoy walking around on the decks of the ship anyways.  But Lee felt fine and was able to enjoy exploring the ship and watching the ocean go by and spotted a few light houses, the second day a lady who worked the gift shop on the ferry gave me some "white flower" a Asian medicine, which I think is just peppermint oil and that helped me feel much better but it was still cold and rainy but we were able to enjoy the trip anyways the third day was beautiful, clear sunny and warm so Lees and I spent several hours out just sitting on the deck and soaking up the sun and enjoying the islands and other pretty land passing us, we also spotted wales, dolphins and Lee saw a sea otter.  

 Once we got to Prince Rupert it was more driving through BC and that was exciting, we did end up driving through some of the moutainy places at night time which was a little eery we had huge mountains on one side, lots of tunnels to go through a big train on the other side for a wile and the fear of hitting a deer.   

We traveled a wile and got to Washington were we  stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Vice, we got there late at night, the next day we slept in,  grandma got off at lunch time and had the rest of the day off so we were able to spend time with both of them, later that afternoon Uncle Nick and Aunt Colleen came over and brought Mexican for dinner,  we ate and visited and had a good time with them, Also Aunt Colleen helped teach me how to knit. 

The next day we headed out and went to Mount St. Helen's, Also another really pretty road through big beautiful trees and ground once we got there we were amazed to see the still so obvious effects of such a powerful volcano 32 years later.    We packed up to leave after about a hour and drove back to a rest spot that had a good view of Spirit Lake which is one of the surrendering lakes that was dramatically affected by the eruption,   just when we were finishing our lunch we started hearing this weird high pitched howling from below us,   Lee spotted movement on one of the hills below us in the valley before the base of the lake and once we looked through our binoculars we spotted elk, all together we counted 13 elk, we watched them graze on the trees and "fight" (which seemed more playful) with each other for a wile then headed back down. 

The next majorly exciting thing was getting to yellow stone national park, another geological site that both of us have wanted to visit for a long time, It wasn't quite what I had expected I suppose I was thinking that their would be more evidence from the previous volcano there, even after thousands of years.   So I was sad to not see many lava formations or particularly "string lava" formations which are often around rolling landscapes.   We did see several geysers, a fumarole  (a crack or cave that release gases like sulfur, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide also steam from the high pressures, gases and heat) which was exciting we also visited the "painters mug pots"  :)  and we were able to watch old faithful "erupt"also. :) it was fascinating but also scenic. 

After Yellow Stone we kept going, headed to Salt Lake City Utah to visit my Sister, Ashley.  once we were about 4-5 mi ( I think ) outside of Ashton Idaho the belt on our truck broke and we were stranded it was late at night so we weren't sure if part stores were open and the nearest town was 6 miles by back roads away, so after stressing out and praying we decided to ride our bikes into the next town:  Rexburg, as the last town didn't have what we needed, we set out following Lee's Garmin GPS and after about 45 minutes we got to the auto store to find that the "store" was someones garage that closes early,  so we asked to borrow their neighbors phone who were just pulling into their drive way, to call my sister and let her know that we weren't going to  make it to her tonight,  I wasn't able to get a hold of her and it ended up that this man and his daughter and her friend took Lee and I to town to a hotel for the night so in the morning we could get parts and ride our bikes back to Clyde.  Well once we got to the hotel he left us and we said our byes and thank yous he headed back and on his way home we saw a O'Reilly auto parts still open went in to find out how late they were open (it was about 8:00pm) and found they were open til 10:00.   So we came back just as we were going over the rules of the hotel with the receptionist and gave us the good news and took us -back- to O'Reilly were we got our parts and then took us back to Clyde.  But of course the belt was just a bit to big but we were able to limp back into town anyways and purchase the right size belt change it and then be on our way to the walmart parking lot and sleep there for the night and then start out the next day and head to Salt Lake, on the way still in Idaho we stopped at a rest stop that was stationed around a 1,400 year old lava formation! We were so thrilled, especially when I found several sites of string lava. :) We walked around for a little over a hour and had lunch there, around 4:45 we got to Salt Lake, so we got to spend that evening and early night spending time with my sister and her husband Randy which was great and then the next morning had breakfast together got set and helped them move some heavy furniture around as they are moving to a bigger apartment in their complex and then were on the road again.  The next day we drove through Wyoming and to Illinois, stopped for the night and woke up this morning to drive the rest of the few miles to Olav and Kera's. 

we arrived at Olav and Kera's House around 11:00am Lee and I were so tired from the last few days on the road which kept seeming to get longer and more tiring as we went that we unloaded the truck just enough to yank our bed out of the back of Clyde and plop it in our bed room, took showers relaxed and ended up taking a three hour nap.    After our nap and being *all* rested up we were able to finish getting moved into our temporarily room.   by this time Olav had gotten back from work, so we all went into town; Lee and I needed to get some groceries and stuff, we went to a few of the "neat" stores and then headed back, Afterwards I was able to organize our room and mess with laundry wile the guys finished unloading all of the truck and making room in the attic of the garage for the rest of our things that we don't need now and will wait until we get our own house to unpack.   

This evening we've been planning the next day, tomorrow we plan to go into Jane's Vile WI  and start looking for jobs and housing again.   And right now I plan zzzzzzzzzzzzzz 


~ Beth. :)

A New Life!

Well Hellooo! 

Typical me I haven't posted in almost a year.    

Well, I'm sitting at barns and noble with my......Husband!!!!! :) 

And don't have much else to do so I thought I'd update this.... Well first of all of course! I got married! :) This summer, June 30th at 1:00 pm I became Mrs. Lee Person. :)  Yays! 

So caught up, (this is gonna be unorganized) 

The Job:

Last winter I did end up working at Petunia's Bistro all winter, within two weeks of working there I became the cafe manager which was a really good learning experience and looks good on my resume, it went pretty well but we were very short staffed, I worked by myself three days a week and two days a week I worked with my friend Theresa,  but I was repeated told no about hiring more people, so we dealt with it.

 skip forwards to January I was off in McCarthy with the Person's when the owners wife got upset I wasn't there to fix the problems of not having enough workers.  So she decided that she would like to be the cafe manager. = got stressful, then she didn't want to be the manager anymore = got stressful, made me be = got stressful, then got another person to be = got x2 stressful.  = I quite in May because I was getting married in two months and didn't want to deal with the stress in our first few months of marriage. 

 The Move-Out:

In December, I moved out to a small dry cabin that my sister's in-laws owned, that was easy to afford and offered the warmth needed for the winter time with a small propane space heater.

Which did occasionally run out in the middle of the night, then my memory foam mattress would actually freeze and get super hard and then I'd wake up and be like were are my toes? Do I still have them? Who's taken my toes? I can't feel my toes! ....oh...the propane is empty...MEH!  *Head lamp, coat,  rolling heavy propane tank bottle thingy around, jumping off stairs to put my weight on wrench to twist the nozzle off so I could screw the new tank in and warm back up. hehe, I liked the experience of providing for myself for a little while.  (Although it was more convenient when the propane ran out when Lee was visiting, he's a little stronger then me :P )   but it was really good for me to live by myself for a wile.   Lee would take me to work every morning and bring me home from work in the winter time, and then once it got warmer and he started work again at the Truss Company, he would pick me up and then drop me off at his work and I would ride my bike to work every morning.    Once I quite working there I had around a month and a half jobless and I rode my bike to town almost every day and made choice for myself what I was going to do that day and were I was going to go and how I was going to get there, it was super exciting. :) I had so much fun and got in great shape. :) it was great.  My favorite things were (and still are) to ride my bike to barns and noble and relax around the fire place or to ride my bike to this small river front park and lay on the grass and read or listen to my music. :)  

The Proposal: 

On my birthday, February 17th.    Lee came to work mid day and dropped off red carnations (one of my favorites) for me, later the same day he came back with one flower for my hair,  So he came and picked me up after work and we went to Lavelles for dinner, we got BBQ piggy ribs and deep fried howleebutt. :)  After dinner we went up the highway for what seemed a really long time actually and then parked and layed on the truck roof to watch the norther lights which were supposed to be high activity that night, only it was rather cloudy so we just cuddled and peered at fluffy dim stars, well we were getting cold so lee went to the truck to get some "hot chocolate" he had been secretly storing behind the truck seat, and then handed them to me to set on the truck well I did and then I turned around to see what he was up too when I found him looking excited staring up at me from one knee, holding a ring box with a quite beautiful engagement ring,  he proposed,  I said "mm....heh...yes...heh....yes..."  he put the ring on my finger, we kissed and huggled and such we continued star gazing :) for a long time and and giggled and planned together. :)   I started planning about a month later, because I didn't think it would take that long.  Ha! 

Mom and Dad Person and I went to anchorage about a month before ( I think? ) the wedding to get my wedding dress and get a new snowmachine for Dave.

The best part: 

The Wedding: 

The wedding was in June, it was the perfect day it was bright and sunny but also like dark blue skies with big fluffy clouds here and there it was cool enough that we weren't sweaty, well I wasn't anyways. :) The wedding was beautiful it was typical us, it was out-doorsy,  one of our favorite pastors married us, who also did our marriage counseling so that was special. :) and we took pictures with a giraffe.   How could it get better? Oh yes, our friends and family were all there to watch and love on us,  a bunch of our guy friends cranked us homemade ice-cream that mom and dad Person mixed up for us.   That was delicious. :) - The wedding went smoothly and everything worked out, it was beautiful! Because Lee's whole family and our wedding party made everything perfect for us so we didn't have to worry about much at all.   His Grandma was here and aunts who made beautiful decorations and flowers for me and my bridal party, My sister was here, she was my matron of honor she spent the days before the wedding helping me get me,  and everything else I needed to do ready.  I don't even know who all did what but it turned out perfectly. :)  It was the best wedding we could have ever had.   After the wedding we took the train to anchorage which was a all day trip one way, it was exciting and beautiful.    Neither of us had ever been on a train, and always wanted too so it was special,  We didn't even get motion sickness.  :) 

The highlight of the honey-moon was getting to go to a Kaladi brothers cafe' and have amazing espresso drinks!  Oooo wait,  thats not what I meant!  

The honey moon was amazing. :) it was relaxing but fun we went to the zoo and water park :) Lee took me to the Museum of Anchorage that had like five levels. :) and tons of old art, the third level was a exhibit sponsored by the Smithsonian Museum on native culture and artifacts.

 We both really enjoyed that. :) We took our bikes on the train and rode around down town anchorage too. :)   

The New Job:

The day after we got back from our honey moon I had two job interviews, Mo-jo-To-Go espresso hut, and Brueggers Bagels.  I got both jobs but only kept one.   I worked at Mo-JO for two days but they wanted me to be the manager and I didn't want too,  so I left and just stayed at Brueggers Bagel shop, which is actually really fun and nice.  I've been working there for almost three months now.  I really like it, And I don't have to manage anyone! :)

    

Current time:

Now we've been married going on three months, and its been a blast so far.   its great to get to go out late and do stuff and not have to drop each other off every night and not have boundaries about where you can go and how long you should stay there,  Its nice to get to start out going to social events together, like church. :) I love making dinner every night and then getting to enjoy it together.    Its wonderful to finish every day by falling asleep together and start every day by waking up together. 

We are currently planning to be moving to Wisconsin in about three weeks were we hope to stay for at least about five years.  

   Tootles.    = )

:)

<3 br="br">

Mixed berry streusel on shortbread.

For a wile I worked on finding the best recipe for a streusel type bar.   I tried a lot of different ones.  This streusel has been developed out of several different recipes.   the bottom is a shortbread recipe that I changed ratio's just slightly but is pretty much the same as the original recipe.   The topping is a small amount of the bottom with extra sugar.  And for variations I have added to that: nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and other mulling type spices.   The filling is totally my own creation, I don't like a all jelly texture center, but I also don't want something that is just chunky fruit\berries mixed with sugar.

The way I do this is in a sauce pan cook my ingredients for a wile; whatever fruit\berry I use, sugar (and depending on fruit or berry, lemon juice or vanilla extract) and water.  Or sometimes I replace the water with a juice - with a citrus juice I leave the sugar amount the same.  With a apple or pear juice etc I decrease sugar levels about 1/4-1/2 cups.   After boiling the chopped/whole fruit\berries in the  liquid and sugar I pour it into a food processor where I blend it until its not quite puree'd but close runny but still some chunks here and there.   And then I return it back to the sauce pan and continue cooking until the mixture reaches a boiling point.  Then I add 1 tsp thickener (corn starch or potato flour, etc) and cook until reaches the right thickness.  Also remember when it cools it will be thicker then when hot.  

What Beth has been up to. . . .

This summer I worked part time as a server at Hot Licks Home Made Ice Cream Co, For about a month and then I worked full time as a supervisor (But was more like the manager) for about two and a half months.   This summer I went to McCarthy, with my boyfriend: Lee Person, and his family.  Dave, Renee', Ben and Wyatt.  And some of our friends for the Fourth of July Weekend.  (Go to Facebook for pictures)  My summer for the most part has been spent working and spending time with Lee.  

 Lee and I often go on drives, walks, hikes and places to take pictures, some of the places we've gone have been creamers field, two different gold dredges, rose hip camp ground to go fishing, took several trips up the Steese, drove to 112 mile Eagle summit a few weeks ago, etc   But more commonly just come over to one or the others house and have dinner together, read together, work on homework together or sometimes we will watch a movie. <3 

As far as my activities with childrens ministry,  I'm still a Jr. kids church assistant teacher but I quite working in the nursery at the beginning of this summer when I got  a preschool Sunday school class that I teach weekly; I enjoy that very much.  Since I quite working in nursery I am able to spend more time working in Jr kids church, which allows me to build stronger relationships with the children in my Sunday school class.  :-) 

  Since Hot Licks has closed for the summer, I got a job at Subway.  I applied there as a "last resort" type of thing, but didn't up having a interview and agreed to start working there after finding no better jobs for a wile, and getting worried about passing it up in case nothing else came along.   This job was very unprofessional and a liberal work environment, that lacked work ethic.  And I found one of my male co-workers that I was going to have to be around a lot incredibly offensive and objectifying.    Not to mention the job was frustrating for a food snob like myself. ;) :-P  Thankfully I only worked there for three days; and was offered another job at Petunia's Garden Bistro.  Which is a small cafe' inside of Holm Town Nursery:   A large, gardening store,  and plant nursery.  There, I work as a chef and Barista: (espresso goddess. . . . just kidding :) .. someone who makes espresso beverages ;) )  preparing daily specials (Sandwhiches, soups and rolls) and making yummy snacks to accompany them; cookies, breads, pastas and salads, cakes, desert bars etc.  And drinks, espresso ^  chais and  fancy soda drinks like Italian creme' sodas.   This job suits me much better, I enjoy my co-workers and am developing friendships with them quickly.  And I thoroughly enjoy my work, and am able to put myself into it and am learning from it and getting more experience in culinary arts. and its a more customer-interactive job which is nice.   I'm really thankful for this opportunity.  :) 

On the days that Lee and I wont be spending together, I plan to finish up a few academic things;  I'd like to increase my understanding of science.   I'm in the process of getting a driving learners permit so that I'll be able to have my license by spring and will be able to drive myself to work and whatever other outings I do.   

Lee has transferred to University of Fairbanks this year.  He's currently working on his associates  degree in business.  So he wont be leaving this year for Texas,  which means we will get to spend the whole winter together which I'm very thankful for.   -  Last Thursday we celebrated our anniversary of four years (of being in a relationship)   He picked me up from work and took me out to a lovely Italian restaurant, afterwords he started his clever and really fun treasure hunt by giving me my first clue written on a piece of paper that clue took me to several other clues all written on paper and hidden in various places throughout town, the hunts secret ending destination led me to a hidden present for me. :) After that we went for a drive to another "secret location" :) and enjoyed some hot drinks cuddled in lots of blankets together to watch the night sky.  Where we saw the first little snow flakes of the year.    Don't worry they didn't stay. :(   

That's about it....

~   Beth.  

The Smoothie Post

  

So over the last several months I've been drinking and experimenting a lot with different kinds of smoothies.   Its a convenient and fast breakfast choice, especially for some one like me who doesn't fancy the majority of American breakfasts.    Its also very nice because its healthy, low in calories and actually helps you lose weight, and of course its brain food.    Although when veggies and fruits are blended in this fashion the longer you wait to drink it the less nutritional value it retains as time passes.   Here is a list of my recent favorite smoothies.    Saving the best one for last of course.

•  Unfortunately I don't have pictures for every smoothie.   •

Delicious Tropical Smoothie

1 small pear - peeled and sliced.  

1 large banana - peeled and cut in to chunks.

1 8 oz (1 cup) can of chunked pineapple w/ packing juice. 
 

1/2 cup frozen blueberries 


1 packet nu-stevia  



Add pear, banana, blueberries and pineapple with packing juice -  blend until smooth, stop machine and add the nu-stevia blend for 30 seconds.    Best cold (blueberries keep it cold for a wile)



Options:  
Add 1 or 2 large ice cubes to serve. 
Add a a bit of whipped cream. 
Add fresh blueberries to the top.
Add 1 sprig of mint.  

Protein smoothie version:  Do everything as above except add 1/2 cup strawberry or blueberry yogurt. (Or other fruity yogurts)
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 Moca blendie 

1 Banana - peeled and chunked

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, chilled (Or if your blessed and own your own espresso machine 2 shots of espresso, chilled.)

1 cup crushed ice.

2 packets nu-stevia powder.  

2 tbs chocolate syrup.

In the blender add:  Banana, coffee, stevia,  chocolate and vanilla.   Blend thoroughly, add ice and pulse to lightly combine. 
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*Blueberry Burst*

1 banana.

1/3 cup frozen blueberries.

1 packet nu-stevia powder.

1/2 cup orange juice.

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon - or nutmeg.

1 tsp fresh lemon juice.

Add all to blender,  pulse til blended.
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Cheese cake heaven smoothie

1 small piece of your favorite cheese cake w/ crust. ( Although I'd be Leary of  chocolate cheese cake for this desert.)

4 oz of vanilla ice-cream.

1/3 cup milk.  

Slice the cheese cake up in to fourths, add to blender with ice cream: Pulse, add milk blend until desired consistency.
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Strawberry banana zester . . .   

(My Favorite)

5 large fresh strawberries - stems removed (Frozen can be used to, but fresh is better in this smoothie) 

1 banana - peeled and chunked.

1 12 oz can of chunked pineapple in 100% pineapple juice, Use five pieces of pineapple, and all of the pineapple juice.

3/4 of the zest of one small lime.

2 packets nu-stevia powder.


Combine all in blender,  blend until very smooth.


• Cooks note:  Placing can of pineapple in freezer for five minutes before making the smoothie, chills the smoothie quite nicely. 
 
  
• Cooks note:  all of these smoothies can be made with 2 tsp + of sugar instead of stevia. 

Peach Ice-cream!

So lately,  in my anxiousness for summer I've been reading about the proper ways to make ice-cream.  I have several different flavors I plan to work on: Peach, Coffee, Vanilla, Chocolate, Vanilla blueberry, Strawberry and Cheesecake.    I'd like to have at least four of these perfected by summer.   Now this is a new endeavor for me  -  So I've so far only worked on one flavor,  Peach.   Which if I may say so, turned out pretty amazing for my first try.     The only "side notes" and "adjustments" I will do to my recipe is 1/3 cup less sugar, and upon churning I will only churn half of the batch at a time.     Allowing the finished product to come out smoother and firmer then without being flakey and frosty-like, but also not like a milk shake.    Doing smaller batches at a time has really helped that.   I've also found that other sweeteners such as stevia are also quite possible options in ice-cream making.   Of course,   taking the different amounts of stevia vs sugar into consideration is important.   As one cup of sugar in ratio of sweetness that it will have on the dish would be equivalent to around 1 1/2 tb of stevia powder.  - Wednesday I plan to buy some more heavy cream and such and try a coffee ice-cream.     Until then: here is a picture of my peach ice-cream.   I'd be happy to share my recipe if anyone would like it.  :-)

are we to blind to find the way.

 Is it true what they say,
Are we too blind to find the way?
Fear of the unknown cloud our hearts today.
Come into my world,
See through my eyes.
Try to understand,
Don't want to lose what we have

We've been dreaming
But who can deny,
It's the best way of living
Between the truth and the lies

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
Let's show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands,
This is not the end.

Fear is withering the soul
At the point of no return.
We must be the change
We wish to see.
I'll come into your world,
See through your eyes.
I'll try to understand,
Before we lose what we've had.

We just can't stop believing
'Cause we have to try.
We can rise above
Their truth and their lies.

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
Let's show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands,

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
Let's show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands,
This is not the end.

Hear the silence
Preaching my blame.
Will our strength remain
If their power reigns?

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
Let's show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands,

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
Let's show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands,
This is not the end.