December and Sugar Plum Dancers

Here I am at the end of this day. What a grand day it has been. I managed to complete some projects I have been working on and mended a couple of tops that my granddog had tried to eat right off the bodies of my grandgirls. What a wonderful dog is the Cooper. He is just one little puppy that is the size of a small horse. I did get in a short rest this afternoon with both PaBu and Poquito tucked in next to and on top of me. Spoiled puppy-dogs.

The best news of the day was a program presented by the dance studio that my grandgirls attend. It was Madison dance class that presented the dance and it was just a beautiful demonstration of all they have been studying . Of course they all did great and I think our Madi was exceptionally beautiful. I will try to post a picture. I think I only managed to get a couple as my battery in my camera decided to go dead and I did not take my replacement one with me. I know I should have double checked and charged the battery before it was time to leave for the recital. I am sure Heidi will post pictures . I will have to check out her blog to see what she has. I think that about winds up my today.

I did also receive some very sad and heartbreaking news about my cousin. One of my cousins is very sick with a terrible form of lung cancer.
It is sad as he is younger than me. I will keep him in my prayer and thoughts and those who care for him.
I am going to go work on my camera and see if I can post some pictures,

December -A wonderful month of memories

After a wonderful celebration and a day set aside for Thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father for all the wonders of the past year we now head into the month of December. December, what mixed emotions comes with this month. It is the last month of the year (this year 2009), the month of happy thoughts and memories, the month of dark and sad memories, and the month of remembering the great comfort and hope for the days ahead as we remember the old, old, story of the birth of a wonderous child. Christmas, remembrances of the gifts of love, faith, comfort, assurance, atonement , sacrifice and the promise of eternal life. I love the story of our Savior and I know that it is a true story and the most amazing story in the whole world. We enjoy all the wonderful traditions and family customs, but it is still not Christmas for me until I can get my beautiful nativity set up. Then as I look at the baby in the manger I finally feel the Spirit of Christmas. Last night I finally was able to set it up. My wonderful Sweetheart spent some time and hard work to recover it from the cold garage for me. Yesterday was his first real day of recovery from the terrible cough and sickness that he has been going through since our return from Texas. I am so happy that he is recovering and getting back to his normal self.

Yesterday, I decided to bake a fruit cake and then of course I could not find the recipe for the really good fruit cake. So I took several different recipes and tried to pick out the best combination of all to come up with a cake that could be eaten. SUCCESS! I ended up with a very good fruit cake. I just hope I can remember what combination I used. I did try to write it all down. I have always loved my wonderful Mother-in-Laws fruit cake and I could not locate the recipe. I soaked the candied fruit overnight in apple juice and what a difference it made. The fruit plumped up and was not so dry and I toasted the walnuts just a bit for a bit of extra crunch.
I have not been able to post the most recent pictures for some reason I cannot get them to come up on the computer. I must be forgetting a very important something to do it.
I am off to another adventure of trying to get something finished before the grand day arrives. I am looking forward to having the family come for a Christmas Eve Brunch. This Saturday we are doing the Gramma's Christmas Cookie Day with the Grand-ones. It is always so much fun for me. I just hope the grands enjoy it as much as I do. Merry Christmas

November Adventures

We had a busy first of November as we had planned to make a visit to the family in Houston to celebrate the first birthday of our little Sarah Anne and to spend some time getting to know little Alex better and enjoy the family time. We left on the 17th of November and drove to Texas. the weather and travel was perfect and we arrived in a goodly time. It was so great to be able to visit with them and just enjoy. Eric and Erika made us feel so welcome and so much at home. Erika prepared so many wonderful meals for us and kept us so comfortable . We enjoyed visiting with Erika's mom and dad . We are so glad they could come and join in a wonderful Thanksgiving day. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family. Pictures will be posted later.

The 41 year Anniversary Roses

Check out all the following post for Oct. adventures

Wow! this has been one busy time. The last couple weeks of Oct and first days of November have been very full. I have posted a lot of pictures so I must keep on reading all the post. We had a wonderful time at dinner at the Red Robin with Bess. She insisted on paying for the entire dinner as she said she just wanted to have a dinner with the family. Then of course, all the fall weather and falling leaves to keep us entertained. The back fence visitors, Halloween party, adventure with Bayli and all the grand-ones.
Just keep on reading the post to see all the pictures. I am not sure how
many I did. I think I posted all most every picture I took during this time period.
One of the best days was October 25, 20o9 . We celebrated 41 years of sharing our lives in love with each other. I did receive a beautiful bouquet of roses. Shirl has given me red roses every year but one and that was on number 15, We were living in Germany and he could not find the roses so he gave me a fun little elephant with a rose.

I can't believe my awesome life. So much fun!

Cute gerbils and pretty fish . Bayli loved them all.

What? Green Fish!

"My Little Pony" teat from Kids meal at McDonalds. Loved the fries ketchup and the bottle of chocolate milk. Not in the mood for the chicken nuggets.l

We had a fun dinner at Red Robin with Bess Fuchs. Bess was a wonderful hostess. We love you Bess.

The tree is getting thinner.

Again???

Furry friend. This guy danced all over the yard.

I guess I really liked this picture ???

Two cuties

Fun and more fun!

The Mummies Walk

This one is coming to life.

Still smiling after all those years.

Help! I can't breath.

One blind mummy.

The fun continues

Beautiful Pirate

Uncle Jeff and Bayli

Ryann and friends ready to gobble the goodies

Jeff and Bayli, Ryann and Pirate Papa enjoy the food.

Luigi and friends decorate the cupcakes.

Let the fun begin Party time

Scary Fortune Teller

Decorating the goodies. Sky and Olivia

The Chosen one.

That is one scary story.

Awe struck.

Halloween Party The Fuch's Party

Shirl was the Pirate King

Garrett so cute! The best Mario ever.

Skylar the sweetest Hermione in all of Hogwarts

Madi the Beautiful Pirate Princess

Mario and Luigi two of the best brothers ever.

Great October 2009

View from front step Pikes Peak with snow Oct 2009

Shirls little Squirlly Dude

All the leafs came down after the big ice storm.

We have done some traveling.

We started out living in our Hobbit hole on "I" Street in Salt Lake City, then we moved to a 1920's home on Harrison Ave. in the Salt Lake. After our 1st year and half we bought an old farm home in South Jordan at the end of Mabey Lane. Heidi arrived when we lived on Harrison Ave and then Eric joined our family about 2 years later at Mabey Lane. We had a "wee hobby farm" with all kinds of animals. We had cows, sheep, rabbits, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, pigs, pheasant, chickens, ducks, hamsters by the dozens, goats, and even a protected couple of snakes to keep the rats out of the barn. Kristi joined our family and then we were a family of five.

In 1981 we had the opportunity to move to Frankfurt Germany because of Shirl's job . We then made our home in a German village in the Taunus Mountains. It was called Wierheim . We traveled and did a lot of sight seeing all over Europe. We saw so many cathedrals and castles that finally the children ask that we not see anymore for a while. After two years in Wierheim we decided it would be better to move closer to Frankfurt and not spend another winter in the Taunus . We moved to Ober-Erlenbach just outside of Bad Homburg. We saw and did a lot while there and we meet so many wonderful people that we loved . The time finally came when we needed to return to the United States and we were very happy about that. We arrived back in Salt Lake City , Utah on July 3, 1987. Culture shock in reverse. Shirl had promised that our life together would be full of surprises and it has been. Some so wonderful and then some not as wonderful. (Next chapter: Life in Colorado Springs)

Oh, Yes it has been a snowy anniversary day

We started the day with a nice breakfast and then went to church. It was a special day as the Primary children taught us about the importance of family's and temples. It was a good day to remember what it means to us and to be married in the temple. After church we came home in the snow and then we prepared the anniversary dinner. We enjoyed broiled chicken, rice, steamed zucchini, and Shirl made his famous crisp green salad with tomato, scallion, cucumber, green and yellow sweet pepper with a mix of different lettuce and greens. Oh, yes we also had hard rolls and then for dessert we had tall cups of cold milk with oreo cookies. Just can't get much better than that for a good dinner.

Anniversary # 41

October 25, 1968 We began a wonderful adventure into the world of the marrieds. It seems like only a few days ago, and yet it seem as though I cannot remember not being with my sweetheart. Our life together has truly been a grand adventure. Life has given us so many great and wonderful experiences and it has also thrown us a few very hard and difficult challenges. One thing for sure is we have always been there to help one another through the tough times. We have been blessed with three amazing and wonderful children to complete our circle and they have each contributed so much to our life.
At this time they have contributed a total of ten marvelous grandones.
I am so blessed and grateful for these last 41 years.

The weather is changing again. Love it!

We had a grand weekend and now a new weather front is moving in. Ever wonder why we always talk about the weather ? I think it is because we always like change and of course the weather is always changing and we can't do much about it. It also gives us an excuse to buy new weather appropriate clothes each season.

although I thing it has been several years since I have really added many new items. I just keep recycling my old warm and comfortable sweaters. Our beautiful trees are almost bare and are really looking so cold to me. I just want to go out and cover them up with a nice warm blanket. All else is pretty much gone to sleep for the winter too. No more geraniums, or roses :+(

Turnip Au Graten

A very interesting dish. I don't think I have ever prepared a turnip in any form or fashion in the whole (almost) forty one years of marriage and I know I never prepared one prior to that time. Well, I have prepared this dish. Believe it or not, it turned out to be pretty good. I think if the time ever comes that I prepare it again I will use a mix of cheese. The recipe just called for Parmisan. If you are interested in turnips and want to try this just let me know and I will be happy to give you the recipe. The whole idea was to expand our vegetable diet. We did have Kale a few weeks ago and we liked it. Our next experiment will be leeks.
Whoa! we really do have exciting adventures.

Standing guard, keeping critters in view.

Yum! chocolate

"Mom, let me show you how to work this thing"

It is Saturday and the weather has warmed up and it is a beautiful day. Let's see what trouble I can think up for todays adventure.