Monthly Archives: June 2013

Mom’s Lasagna

Here is probably a pretty basic recipe but I like it cause it is pretty easy and Ben likes to eat it :). Thanks for passing it along mom!

T= Tablespoon; t= teaspoon; c=cup

9 lasagna noodles
sauce mix:
1 lbs cooked hamburger
1 onion – chopped
1 clove garlic (or substitute powdered garlic)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 T parsley
1/2-1 t basil
1/2 t salt
3/4 c water
Cheesy mix:
16 ounces cottage cheese
1/4 Parmesan cheese
1 T parsley
1.5 t oregano
2 cups mozzarella cheese
topping:
1/4 Parmesan cheese

This recipe is pretty flexible so don’t stress is you are low on something – I don’t usually have parmesan cheese and just skip it. Mix together the sauce ingredients and heat in a large pot & mix cheesy mix together in a bowl. Get a 9×13 casserole pan and start the layers: Start with sauce then: noodles (yes still uncooked), cheesy mix, sauce, repeat a couple times. End with noodles, sauce, & sprinkle Parmesan cheese (or just plain mozzarella) on top.

Cover with tin foil and cook for 375 for 1 hour.

PS Double the recipe and freeze one casserole for an easy meal in the future! (Unthaw and then cook like normal.)

 

Thoughts on Modesty

PS A few days after I wrote the below post, I found a few other posts on modesty and this four part post is AWESOME! It is on Feminist Mormon Housewives blog written by Starfoxy and describes my thoughts a lot better than I did and makes lots of other good points. Click here.

This is just my (Teyanna’s) thoughts on modesty, instigated by a youtube video (click here) and then a blog post that responded to it (see here) – these were shared on Facebook quite a bit but probably only in Mormon/LDS circles.

I agree with the blog post that we should not judge other’s clothing choices and that it is not women’s job to dress so that people won’t have any bad thoughts. Their thoughts are their own responsibility and adult men and women should be able to interact with other adults regardless of what they are wearing. That is part of being an adult. If you can’t handle talking to someone in a bikini you probably shouldn’t go to the beach.

Dictionary.com defines modest as:

modest
1.  having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one’s merits, importance, etc.; free from vanity, egotism, boastfulness, or great pretensions.
2.  free from ostentation or showy extravagance: a modest house.
3.  having or showing regard for the decencies of behavior, speech, dress, etc.; decent: a modest neckline on a dress.
4.  limited or moderate in amount, extent, etc.: a modest increase in salary.

Both of the links deal with the 3rd definition. However this definition is quite subjective. Being modest or decent at the pool is different than what is decent at work. What is decent today is different than 50 years ago. What is decent in the US is different than many other countries. What is modest to your religion is different from another.

I agree with the blog post that women should “wear what you want, like, and feel comfortable in, not for its effect on other people, but so that you can be happy and free as you go about doing many good things in the world.” However if for whatever reason a person feels like they should dress modestly, I think following the first two definitions would make more sense.

These definitions of the word are more timeless. When thinking “Am I dressed modestly” instead of asking things like “are my shoulders covered?” or “is my skirt at least x length?” we could instead ask “am I being humble & moderate?” “am I free from ostentation or showy extravagance?” “am I wearing this to get attention?” So by this definition of modesty wearing huge diamond jewelry would be immodest as well as wearing a super short tight skirt. However wearing shorts to go running would not necessarily be considered immodest.

Just my thoughts.

But it is someone’s choice if they want to be modest by any definition and we shouldn’t judge. However at the same time we should recognize that in certain settings (like work) some types of clothes are inappropriate.

 

 

 

Happenings of June 2013

Wow, June isn’t even over yet, but it has been a busy & fun month!

June 1st was Teyanna’s 24th birthday :D. Ben’s brother & sister-in-law (Matt & Christina) & their two girls were also visiting that weekend. So Saturday June 1st, we went to the Air & Space Museum in VA with Matt, his two girls, Ben’s mom, & two of his sisters. It was huge and had TONS of airplanes (& 7s ;). I haven’t been to the one in DC for a while, but I think I liked this one better because it was so open & wasn’t so crowded. Afterwards we had a BBQ at Ben’s parents house in VA, played games, & Teyanna made a Tres Leches cake. Teyanna got some fun games from the Munyans and her cousin, Afton, a huge puzzle from Ben that we are slowly working on, and lots of other little fun stuff! The following Monday, Ben “proposed” his dissertation and passed with flying colors! He is very relieved to have that step done with.

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On Friday, June 7th, we drove 9 hours to Oak Ridge, TN to see Ben’s sister, Karen, compete in a national rowing championship. On the way, we stopped at the VA Natural Bridge & a butterfly house which was very cool! Ben’s parents and youngest 6 siblings were there and it was very fun. We stayed at an great condo and had fun swimming, making pancakes, & watching Karen race (who’s team did great!), and then drove home Sunday afternoon.

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Early Thursday, June 13th, we flew to San Jose, CA. Ben’s brother & sister, Jared & Andrea, work at Google and they showed us around – it looks like an awesome place to work (see cool google bikes below). We then had pizza at Jared & Jill’s apartment – their kids are so cute!

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Friday morning we drove up to San Francisco, where Ben’s college friend served us an awesome breakfast and gave us lots of sightseeing tips for the afternoon. I had been to San Fran in high school, but it was Ben’s first time. We took a trolley, drove by the wharf, stopped at the Palace of Fine Arts (saw a swan family :), & saw the Golden Gate Bridge. We heard the Academy of Sciences was great, but it was a bit expensive for our short time there since we wanted to get out of San Fran by 2/3 to head to Lake Tahoe. Even with leaving early, our 3.5 hour drive took about 6 hours, but we made it to Tahoe in time to enjoy the hot tub and get some groceries!

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Saturday we hiked about 8 miles, toured Vikingsholm – a huge Nordic style home built in the 1920s, and kayaked. It was gorgeous to see the least. We didn’t see a whole lot of wildlife, but did see wild ducks & ducklings and 2 bald eagles. Sunday we rented bikes for about 5 hours, stopped for some huge ice-cream cones, and took a much needed nap :). Monday morning I flew home out of Reno; Ben stayed at Lake Tahoe until Thursday for the Western Finance Conference, then drove back to San Jose, saw Jared&Jill a bit that evening, and flew back Friday, June 21.

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Saturday, June 22 we had a fun BBQ & game night at our house with Teyanna’s friends from work from about 6-midgnight. We were asked to give a church talks 2 days earlier, which we didn’t start preparing until after the BBQ … but I think they turned out okay, and we had a great Sunday nap after church :).

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Teyanna has also been making lots of freezer jelly from the strawberries in our garden – this is about the 1st of 4-5 batches!

 

 

 

PS A little adventure from May – we found a stray cat & her two 5-week old kittens living behind our shed. We trapped the mom, spayed her, & let her go. We kept the kittens for a few days (there were quite friendly after a day) and found a home for them. There is a cute video of them here:

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