Girls Camp 2016

Pie #28-29

I am the Young Women's president in my ward and each year we take a few days and camp in the mountains. It is dirty and spiritual and the event of the summer. We had a great time as we always do. However, this year had a bonus for me. We made Fire Pies and were treated to a delicious, home-made Key Lime Pie from John Benson. It was epic! Who knew that two pieces of buttered bread with cherry pie filling roasted over a fire would be so delicious? Apply a layer of buttermilk frosting on top and it is pure heaven!

John's Key Lime pie is legendary in our neighborhood and this time at camp was no exception. He does a great job and we were so grateful he not only brought us pie but he cooked us up some amazing brisket, corn, and potatoes. Best night of camp, for sure!

Homemade pies from the heart!

Pie #26-27

At the end of May, I tried to quit my job. I say tried because they talked me into staying on as a temporary employee to help out and I did that until December. In December, I was hired back as a part-time employee and I am grateful. Our self-employed benefits were not working out and I am so grateful to my employer for providing quality healthcare at affordable prices. 

In May, for my going away party, one of my favorite co-workers, Gale, brought pie. Not just any pie. She made my most very favorite pie...Shoo-Fly Pie!! It was delicious. She has never made Shoo-Fly pie before but was willing to make the effort because she knows how much I love it. I work with the best people! She also made Coconut Creme pie. So good! Home-made pies come from the heart. It is a talent I don't have which is why I embark on trips to find the best pies. Through my journeys, the pies made by friends in their kitchens taste the best. It must be that extra ingredient you can only get in your own kitchen...LOVE!

Wichita, Kansas

Pie #23-25

After saying goodbye to Zane in Denver, Mariah and I headed to Wichita. It was so fun to see Jacqui, Brandon, and baby Bryson. I am grateful I was able to help out and spend time with such a sweet family. 

We did a search of best pies in Wichita and Spears restaurant came up. I have to say...not impressed. We tried the Chocolate Pudding Nut, Blackberry with vanilla ice cream, and Lemon Meringue. I would never go back to this place again. I would go to Village Inn or Marie Callendars' before this place. Skip it if you are ever out there...

I served an LDS mission from 1993-1994 and one of my favorite areas was Wichita. I got to know the Balzer family while serving there. When I left, they had 3 kids, all little. When Mariah and I went to visit 22 years later, they have twelve kids. The baby who's diapers I changed as a missionary was now a return missionary himself. It was so fun to see them. They are an awesome family!

The pie was terrible but seeing this new baby made the trip worth it. Granny DeShelle and Auntie Mariah spoiled him all week. He misses us terribly now!

Bonefish Grill in Ft. Collins, CO

Pie #22

In September, Mariah, Zane, and I drove to Colorado and then on to Wichita. Zane had work in Denver and Mariah and I wanted to see our new baby Bryson born to Jacqui and Brandon. Along the way, we stopped at the new LDS Ft. Collins Temple. It was open to the public and we were able to obtain tickets to the open house. It was beautiful! I love to see the temple and feel the reverence and peace within those walls. One day, Zane and I will be sealed together forever as husband and wife in one of those sacred buildings. For the time being, it was enough to walk through the hallways holding his hand and sharing this sacred moment. 

After our tour, we went to lunch at the Bonefish Grill. Not a bad lunch and since we all love coconut, we couldn't pass up dessert. Jen's Jamaican Coconut Pie was one of the best versions of coconut pie I have ever had. It took a lot of self-control to not order another piece. I highly recommend it to anyone if you are near a Bonefish Grill. 

Nations Burgers in San Ramon

Pie #19-21

Nations Burgers is a pretty popular place in the Bay Area and apparently have pretty good burgers. We didn't stop to try the burgers; we just wanted pie. They have a refrigerated case full of pies at the front of the store. On Yelp! and other internet sites, the pies were lauded as being pretty dang good. It was difficult to pick which ones I wanted because they ALL looked good. We settled on three of them. Coconut Creme, Fresh Strawberry, and the Pumpkin tart. They were all pretty tasty but let me focus on the Fresh Strawberry. It was delicious! I love California strawberries. Some of my favorite memories of California include stopping by many road-side fruit stands and picking up a flat of freshly picked strawberries (along with the cherries...so good!). I wasn't disappointed in this pie. The strawberries were sweet and the cream complimented it well. I would go back to get this seasonal pie. The coconut creme and pumpkin were average. Not bad but certainly not something I would travel out of my way again to get. 

Boldly Me and pie!

Pie #17-18

I graduated from middle school in June of 1986. Summer of 2016 was the 30 year anniversary of that graduation. I LOVED middle school. I made some of the best friends that have had huge impacts in my life. It was also a growing time for myself as I learned who I was as a person. There were lots of things I didn't like and I have tried to change that in the last 30 years. I reached out to one of my very good friends that I haven't seen since we graduated because we ended up going to different high schools and drifted apart. She is doing an amazing thing with young girls and teens who are struggling with self-esteem. She created a non-profit organization that travels to schools and other locations teaching self-confidence. Her organization is called Boldly Me. She was having an event in California and invited members of our class of 1986 to come and help celebrate. It was such a great event. She is doing amazing things. 

While out there, we took the opportunity to find the best pies in the area. We were directed to a small farmer's market in San Ramon called Windmill Farms. They carry locally made pies from The Pie Company made with locally grown fruit. OH MY GOODNESS! They were delicious! We picked up the Nectarine and Peach Cobbler pies. The Peach Cobbler was overly sweet for me because of the crumble topping but the Nectarine was so, so good. Warm it up with a little vanilla ice cream and it is heaven.