Party On!

  We've had a blast with Grandmama the last five days! Going to the National Mall, walking around Lake Artemesia, watching "Babies," going to Baltimore (the Maryland Science Center rocks!), going to Great Falls (only video, sorry), and Halloweening!  So much more to say, but for now, pictures will have to suffice. . .

Marshall Family Vision, Mission, Values

 I spent last week in Nemacolin, PA as part of the Excellence in Government Fellows program.  It's a government leader training program that the Partnership organizes and oversees.  Last week's session focused on visions, missions, and values.  I really like this topic.  I loved studying it in the MPA program (and we actually started these statements a year ago around that time) and am glad that we formalized them this week for FHE.  So, for the sake of transparency and accountability, we share them here.  And a special, sincere thank you to Whitney Hardie for taking these wonderful pictures. 

Marshall Family Vision

We, the Marshall family, envision ourselves in the presence of Heavenly Father and the Savior with clean hands and pure hearts, able to enter His presence worthily along with our extended family and others we love.

Marshall Family Mission

We will reach our lofty vision by embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, loving Him and our neighbor, preaching the Restoration, linking generations through temple work, helping the poor, and making and honoring temple covenants. 

We will act as good stewards over our children, those who we are called to serve, our time, our resources, and the earth. 

We will seek to recognize the power of the Atonement and remember Him in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.         

Marshall Family Values

The Marshall Family Values will serve as the inner drive for the execution of the activities delineated in the mission statement.

Charity

Integrity

Gratitude
Creativity

Fun
Optimism

Enthusiasm

Order

Health

Further Light and Knowledge

Endurance

Above all we know that only through the grace of Christ can we achieve our vision. 

West Indian Vegetable Curry

Sorry for the lack of recipes!   I have a lot that I've been meaning to post, but we've been out of town!  (More on that later.)  For now, here's a recipe I did a while ago that Andrew wanted me to post.  Sorry, I didn't take this picture.

"But she may as well have.  This dish was almost as gorgeous as the one who made it. I ate this up.  I ate a lot of it up. I may or may not have had it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner--at least lunch and dinner  . . . twice.  Make a lot, 'cause you'll want a lot." 

This recipe also comes from Cooking Light. I wasn't sure what "calabaza" was, but it's pumpkin in Spanish, so that's what I used.  I'm of the liberal view that most squash in interchangeable.  If you want a hotter version, mince the habanero.  We served it over rice.

1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic), divided
1 1/3 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
1 habanero pepper
3 cups cubed peeled calabaza or hubbard squash (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 3 cups)
Yield:  7 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 105 (21% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 0.4g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.4g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 64mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.1g; SODIUM 465mg; PROTEIN 2.6g; FIBER 5.7g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add yellow onion and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add 1 cup broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add remaining 1 cup broth and carrot; sauté 5 minutes.
Pierce habanero with a fork; add to pan. Stir in squash, tomato, and zucchini; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Discard habanero; simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Wild Horse Encounter

Here he is:

 Here's his video (with Abe narrating and Ben's smile as an extended feature):
 
Here's the sign I saw as we were leaving the park:

 

Island Camping, Andrew's First Recipe, and a Pumpkin Patch

We just got back from camping at Assateague Island, and have voted it "Possibly the Very Best Camping Spot Ever."  And we happened to be there at the best time of year and with the best temperature.   Here are some reasons:

1. No bugs

2. Wild horses

3. We were never too hot

4. We never got cold

5. Nice neighbors

6. Clean

7. Soft, sandy camp ground

8. A skipping stone's throw from the ocean

9. Playground close by (not that we needed it with all that sand)

10. Cheap 

11. Not over crowded

12. On an island

13. Secluded

14. Nothing between you and Portugal

15. Wild dolphins

Now some pictures:

Yes you can fit a family of four in a two-man tent.  On an air mattress.

Bensta (short for Gangster Ben) and Yawn-boy.

Editor's Note: I, Andrew, now post my first recipe of the week. Since Ariel did not try the smiley potatoes, she unfortunately cannot comment on the quality of the cuisine.  And I would not be so presumptuous to give my own recipe the glowing review it deserves.  The recipe follows:  buy a big ol' bag of Smiley Potatoes; pour 'em into a pot or pan over a fire or something burning hot; keep the lid on for softer potatoes; if they start getting black, most of them are probably done.  Enjoy!

 Don't worry; we had oatmeal too.

Abe at the end of saying the word, "picture."

 

Beach bum.

Andrew has a goal to do a backflip at every beach we go to.  This one failed and we're all glad he's not paralyzed.

 

After a great camping trip and day at the beach, we stopped at a pumpkin patch on the return drive.  As a bonus, it had a free fun land!

Andrew can't wait for the future, when we all ride around on these.

 

We will definitely be going back.  At least yearly, if not more often.  If anyone has a free weekend, give us a little warning and we'll gladly accompany you.

Our wild horse adventure video is coming soon.  Stay tuned!