Category: Family Time

Update on our grown children

Child is a word that applies to any age when a person is linked to a parent. Even though they are independent and strong, I am glad that I am still allowed to think of Paige, Daniel, and Timothy as my children.

I haven’t written about our older kids in a long time because they are living their own lives, very independent from us. But in my journal of tender mercies, any day that I get to talk to one of them, it makes the list of blessings for the day.

Paige and I have a phone appointment each Wednesday morning. It is something I look forward to each week.

Paige and Mike bought a house in Alabama this spring.

They both work from home. Michael is an accountant, and Paige works as an illustrator, and she has done a lot of digital art for the online Investopedia magazine. She mostly illustrates financial concepts, but she has also done some medical illustrations and more. This summer, her work was featured in a printed version of Investopedia magazine. She also did an illustration for the January 2023 Friend magazine.

Paige and Michael serve in the Primary organization at church. We will visit them later this fall, and it will be our first trip to Alabama.

Daniel lives nearby, and he begins his senior year at BYU this week, studying electrical engineering. He did an internship at L3 Harris (Richard’s company) this summer, so Richard talked to him quite a bit during the past several months.

After graduation next spring, Daniel will pursue a masters degree, and L3 Harris has offered him a job. Daniel and McKenna are quick to serve wherever they are needed. Daniel plays the organ in sacrament meeting and piano for choir, plus he serves in the elders quorum as service coordinator. McKenna served as assistant girls camp director this summer. Both of them help their local grandparents with all their hearts.

Timothy, our missionary, is on a new island, Saipan, a Northern Mariana island. This is country #4 where he has served during his mission, so I bought a new flag to display in the yard. He is excited to be on Saipan, and he and his companion are very busy teaching people. He is happy, as you can see.

He alternates with other missionaries to fly to a small island called Tinian on weekends to support a tiny group of members for church services. Here is a picture of their sacrament meeting last Sunday on Tinian. Oh, my! ❤️

We have a video call with Elder Ross each Sunday in the late afternoon, which is Monday morning for him. I have a hug scheduled with him on November 1 when he arrives home.

Duckie Race

We have a duckie race in the river each year at the Sanchez reunion. Each person chooses a duck and someone dumps them into the river upstream and we watch them race towards our bridge. We do three heats and pull out the winners for a fourth and final race.

The children and adults line up on the bridge and in the river to watch and cheer for their ducks. It is a coveted job among the tweens and teens to stand in the water beneath the bridge to catch the ducks in nets as they cross the finish line.

Championship trophies are awarded, so these are highly sought-after titles. The jester duck won, which was my Uncle Doug’s duck, thanks to my nephew David, who chose it for him. Doug gave the championship cup to David after an emotional acceptance speech. 😂 Mark’s monkey duck won a heat and was in the final race, along with Richard’s duck. My baby duck didn’t do very well at all. Maybe next year.

Dream Home

July 2 Sunday dinner

Each year on July 2, I remember this was the day that I walked into our house for the first time and I knew that this was where we should live. It was a unique experience for me, where I suddenly understood the meaning of an old dream. This was my kitchen in the Salt Lake Valley that my dream prepared me to recognize.

I have filled books with our experiences, photos of youth activities and neighborhood parties, and handwritten cards from this era of our lives. It is the neighborhood connections with specific people, including our children’s spouses, Michael and McKenna, that make me I believe that the Lord brought us here.

Structuring home life with children

Over a year ago, someone asked me to write my advice for someone who was a new homeschooler. I haven’t talked about homeschool on this blog in many years, but I had an interesting moment this morning where I not only remembered this email, but felt a strong urge to post it here.

I think most of these points apply to anyone trying to structure home life with children, especially during the summer, so take what you need, and forget the rest.

1. Pray first thing as a family every day. Establish routines for start time, subjects, breaks, and lunch. Consider scripture time a daily subject.

2. Do things regularly with other families. It is good that kids play with children of all ages.

3. Choose a curriculum strong in language arts and math. Have a plan for the year, each month, week, and every day.

4. Steel yourself to criticism from those who don’t understand what you are accomplishing.

5. Go on dates with your husband without the kids.

6. Fill your house with books of all kinds and read, read, read together and independently.

7. Find a friend with whom you can share your experiences so school and children aren’t the only things you talk about with your husband.

8. Plan unstructured time for kids to explore their own interests. Their interests can propel their desire to read, write, and learn how to be proactive learners.

9. Celebrate achievements with certificates or stickers or whatever makes your kids happy. Don’t feel like you have to mirror a public school classroom with big charts, etc. You can do simple, meaningful things to track progress.

10. Go outside together or do crafts when things get too intense in the house.

11. Explore nature, go to museums, run and play, visit the elderly, take art classes, make collections together. Some of the best advice I received was to play with playdough with my children. Your children will need to help around the house, too. You can’t do everything yourself.

12. Look at every subject as a means to increase reading and writing skills.

13. Take pictures and cherish the time together. Don’t broadcast everything on social media. Honor your children’s privacy in learning and development.

14. Listen for and expect the Lord to lead you in small things and big things. Heavenly Father is even more interested in helping your children progress than you are, so be willing to accept answers that aren’t part of your original plan.

15. You can contact me if you want to talk. I was a homeschool mom for 14 years.

Art by Paige, around 2010

Sweet pork salads and burritos

Today I’m sharing our favorite recipes for sweet pork, cilantro lime rice, and cilantro lime ranch salad dressing. Think Cafe Rio. Yum.

Add some fresh tortillas, black beans, pico de gallo, cheese, lettuce, corn chips, and guacamole, and you are ready for a party. Our family loves this meal, and I estimate it serves 12 people.

I like to prepare the meat and dressing ahead of time, then it is an easy Sunday dinner or party menu.

Crock Pot Sweet Pork

  • 3 lb pork (boneless roast, country style ribs, etc.)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
  • 3 T butter

Sauté onion and garlic in butter. Put roast in crock pot and cover with the sautéed onion and garlic. Cook 3 hours on high (or low equivalent). DRAIN. You can add the juice later to taste. Refrigerate the liquid and skim the fat if you want to add this liquid later.

If possible, shred the pork. If it is still tough, you can shred it before serving. Mix the following ingredients and pour over the pork in the crock pot:

  • 2 T. soy sauce
  • 3/4 c. lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/2 t. pepper

Cook an additional 2 hours on high (or low equivalent) in the crock pot. Shred the pork and and serve with tortillas, rice, beans, etc. for salads or burritos.

Cilantro Lime Rice

  • 2 c. rice
  • 2 c. chicken broth
  • 2 c. water
  • 2 T butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
  • 1 handful of cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 1, 4-oz. can diced green chiles

Pour everything into a rice cooker and follow product instructions. Or, to cook in a pot, heat liquids to a boil, add the rice and other ingredients, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20-30 min., or until tender.

Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, add salt to taste, and serve.

Cilantro Lime Ranch Salad Dressing (Cafe Rio Style)

  • 3 T. salsa verde (green salsa with tomatillos)
  • 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
  • 1 small pkg (3 T.) ranch dressing mix
  • 1 c. mayonnaise
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • 1/3-1/2 c. milk
  • 1/2 bunch of cilantro, including stems
  • Juice of 1 lime

Mix together in a blender until smooth. 💃