Happy Birthday To My Sistas!

Today is a special day. 3 of my 'sistas' have their birthdays today! When Duff and I first met and were going through that discovery period, it was so fun to find that our sisters all shared the same birthday!

Lisa.

What can I say about her? A precious friend besides being a sister. Loves unconditionally and deeply. A second mother to my children. Compassionate. Kind. Fun. Would do anything for me. Generous. Wise.

Ann.

Precious. Loving. Sweet yet tough as nails. Great seamstress. Good mother. Always compliments and thinks of others. Would do anything for me.

Jan.
Darling. Strong. Smart. Flexible. Good mama. Intuitive. Loves more deeply than she lets on sometimes. Tender heart. Good homemaker. Would do anything for me.

I love these women. They have shaped my life more than they know. I love them and am so grateful for them in my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTERS!

Some People Are Just Good.

Our ox was in the mire. Tonight after dinner Grandpa and I went to town to get Grandma some otc meds. She was not in a good way. Midway is a tiny town and hasn't had a grocery store. Until now. The Store (it's real name) has been under construction since the summer. Locals are thrilled because now we don't have to go all the way into Heber to shop or rely on the 7/11 at the gas station.

There were cars in the parking lot. The lights were on. Grandpa and I parked and went in and got our cart. We ooh and aahed over how quaint and cute this market is. We quickly found the first aid/medical aisle and got what we needed. All of a sudden a man came up to us and said, "Hi folks. I don't want to burst your bubble, but we're not open." I said, "Oh. I didn't realize it was closing time. I'm sorry." He said, "Well, we don't open until Tuesday!"

Uh-oh. The realization that we would have to go to Heber hit me right away, and I felt more tired than I was. Another man came over then and we chatted about how cute the store was and just little polite conversation. You know. Grandpa told them how sick Grandma was and that we were from out of town. They truly felt bad for us. Then I asked if we could just pay cash for what we needed????? They looked at each other and at the things in our cart. The 2nd man added up the sum in his head and told me it would be $10. What? Only $10 for the things in our basket? Yes. And he threw in 2 bottles of hand sanitizer. I gave him $10 and they sent us on our way.

Some people are just good.

Change of Plans

I did not go home today after all. Grandma is very sick, and Shaun is sick too. Grandpa and I are picking things up and taking care of them. Both are down with bad coughs, colds, but not H1N1. Duff had been sick all week while I was with Natalie and the new baby. It started at home with the Santa Ana winds that triggered his asthma and turned into that darn bronchitis that doesn't go away forever. After the AFA game last Saturday he ended up in the ER in Heber for a breathing treatment and a new round of steroids to try and kick it.

Duff, Christine, Mike, and Josh all left this morning. I will end up flying home sometime midweek. Mike and Josh came up on Friday to see the baby and to go to the BYU--Utah game. It was their turn for a game. That is what Christine wanted for her birthday: to go to that game with her brothers. Mission accomplished.

Grandma is still asleep. She only woke up for about an hour, ate something, and went back down. I think she needs to go to the doctor, but she is fighting that. If she isn't better in the morning, I will insist. They had lunch with Tim on Monday and on Tuesday he was really, really sick. They went back down to Provo to get him some food, medicine, and a thermometer, and do the grandparent thing by making some homemade chicken noodle soup and clean up his apartment. He still isn't better and now Grandma is down with the same thing.

Grandpa and I are holding down the fort!

Why? Why Do They Do This To Us?

I've been nervous all day for 'the' game. Even baby John was dressed up in his Cougar game day best.

I was singing the Cougar Fight Song to him. He paid attention!

(In the hallway in his bouncer on vibrate while mommy was doing laundry. He was quite happy while she was explaining the ins and outs of dirty clothes, mostly his now!)

This BYU--Utah football game rivalry just wears me out until the end. And can you tell me WHY does it always go down to the wire? the final seconds? Today it was overtime. It's got to wear out the Utah fans too.

It was a great game. 26-23 in overtime. Thank goodness it went our way! Now for the bowl game...

Just M.I.A. with this Cute Baby

Things are good. Baby John is darling and a pretty good newborn, except at midnight! Why do newborns change so quickly? He is already different than a few days ago. Natalie and Robert are catching on very fast and I've enjoyed watching them transition into a little family.

Going home tomorrow. Can hardly believe it's been a week. Pictures to follow later....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS CHRIS!

To the sweetest, cutest, 15 year old on the planet!

John meeting Auntie Christine for the first time!

These two are in love.

Way to go Chris.
Celebrating the day of your birth signals to the family the start of the holidays!
What a great beginning.
You are soooooo loved by all of us!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Introducing John Owen!

Yes it is!

John Owen Newell
8 lbs 14 oz. (yep, a BIG boy)
20 1/2 inches
Born at 6:13 am

Look at that little grin!

Natalie holding her baby.

Such a sweetheart.

Gramma Cindy.

(We just came straight over from the game. A "Y" victory over Air Force. John and Cathy Hall came up from California to go with us. Their son-in-law graduated from AFA, and played football for them while he was there. They had fighters fly over twice and it was amazing. Gave you goose bumps.)

The new little family.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU GUYS DID GOOD !

He's On His Way

Grandma doing the 'Vanna White' by the labor and delivery door.

Excited smiles.

Technology. Baby heartbeat line in red, mother contraction line in blue.

Fetal monitor.

All systems GO.

The 'Horse' Knows The Way...

...to carry the 'sleigh'! And so we are in Midway.

Packed up and left by 7am. Met Grandma and Grandpa in St. George at lunch time where they had stayed over with Uncle Rodney and Marci.
Right as we got through the Virgin River Gorge, we got a call from Natalie that they were on their way to the hospital! The doctor said she was doing piddly labor and he wanted to give her some pitocin to give her body a 'nudge'.

Grandpa was beside himself and drove like crazy. At one point he even passed Dad up and was the lead car. He's not excited or anything.

We pulled into Provo and stopped at the hospital to wish them well.
It was just the beginning.

The cabin is comfy and cozy. So welcoming. Darla knew exactly where we were when we were driving the switch backs. She jumped out and anxiously waited while I opened the front door and then ran for her dish, and her bed looking for her toys. Funny puppy!

Tomorrow we will have a BABY!!!

Adrianne's Surgery

Adrianne had her tonsils out today.

Mike took her at 8 for labs, surgery started at 10am. He was able to bring her home around 3pm this afternoon.

She has had chronic tonsil stones and it was finally time to get those miserable things o-u-t!

Just what is a tonsil stone?

They are little calcifications that get lodged on and in the folds of the tonsils. They feel like you always have something in your throat. You have more than your fair share of sore throats.

So, today was the day.

She is home, resting, and Mike is taking good care of her.

Get Well Soon, Adriannie! We Love You--

Pumpkin and Pecan

Josh has a big Thanksgiving Party at his office tomorrow. He signed Meredith up to make pies. Pumpkin and Pecan. She asked if I would teach her. We had a fun afternoon!

She wanted to learn how to do homemade crust. She had errands this morning so I made the pie dough early, divided it in half, make it into discs, and covered them with plastic wrap to chill in the refrigerator. Pie Tip: cold dough in hot oven=flaky pie crust. Always chill your pie dough and always use cold shortening and ice water. She rolled it out and used the pie pan to 'measure'.

She also used the little cookie cutters and cut out these great autumn leaf shapes with the leftover dough.

I only showed her a couple of times how to flute the edge of the crust, and she took it from there. Look how nice it turned out. She's making a design with the oak and maple leaves.

Pies are done and out of the oven cooling.

Her observation: "Now I know where the expression 'easy as pie' came from." She found it's not as complicated as it seems.

Good job, Meredith.

The Bassinette

....is ready to go. Now if 'he' will just come already! Even Natalie's doctor thought she would have had him a week or two ago. Just goes to show you, what do we know anyway! She is 40 weeks today. She has an appointment tomorrow, and we will know more.

This is our family bassinette. My parents got it for us when our first was born, 31 years ago. We pack it away carefully each time. Get it out and clean it up, and dress it up with different ribbon, lace, tule for each baby.

Still looks pretty darn good for 31 years old, huh.

Nats doctor tried to schedule her for an induction last week. The 'big', 'main' hospital in the area where she will deliver, wouldn't let him. They have come under some scrutiny lately for too many inductions before term resulting in complications with the newborns. Coincidentally, there is even an article in the local newspaper today that I read about it online. They received a "D" last year and only moved up to a "C" grade on their 'report card' this year. So, they will only do inductions at 40 weeks 1 day, or if there is a serious, threatening problem with the mother or baby.

So we all continue to wait to meet this little guy. Especially Natalie and Robert.
In the meantime, the bassinette is ready to go and waiting patiently for that phone call that says hurry up and come and hold this baby!

(I am getting Christmas shopping done and feeling really good about that. I am very close to being almost done. NEVER in my whole married life have I been this far ahead of the holiday.)

Christmas Tree

I did it.

Please tell me I won't regret it.

I bought an artificial Christmas tree today.

From Costco.

9 feet. Pre-lit.

I've been threatening to do this for several years now, and get talked out of it each time.

But this year, Duff and I discussed it, and I picked it up yesterday.

John Drasso helped me load it in the car.

My kids are going to mutiny.

BUT. I'm tired of falling needles. Having to check the water all the time. Watching it wilt and die, and hoping it will make it to Christmas Eve and still be able to turn on the lights. Oh. And did I mention putting on the lights? It's the thing I don't like to do the most. I'm so grateful Christine took on that job the last few years. (And did a really good job of it.)

I have plenty of pine candles and Scentsy for the smell.

I have to admit: I will miss going on that first Saturday morning of December and picking out our pre-paid for tree from the Tesoro parking lot. Fund raiser for the baseball team. It is exciting and you can feel it in the 'air'.

Please tell me I won't regret it, and my family will come around..... (In their thinking)

Birthdays!

Happy Birthday little JOSH and PATTI!

Have a 'scrum-diddly-umptious' day doing the things you love.

Sunday Bullet Points

• Pick up from the party.


• Church. It was the Primary Program. Super! A part of my heart will always be there. I loved seeing how the children are growing up. I remembered one boy who would not ever give a talk, prayer, scripture. Ever. And here he gave a beautiful part standing straight and tall and clear as a bell. Awesome.


• Visiting teaching interviews with the Laurels. Nicely done. Love this program of having them visit teach one sister with their mothers. It is bearing good fruits.


• Home teacher came over and gave a great lesson and had a good visit.


• Homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner with biscuits. Yum!


• Amanda J. went to church with us and spent the day/evening.


• Christine and Amanda did homework and made brownies. Her mom picked her up around 9:30pm.


• Finally finished my visiting teaching computer work. WooHoo!


• Talked to all of the kids today.


• Duff's asthma/bronchitis not really improving. He'll be going to the doctor again in the morning.


• Night, night!

Party 2

We hurried home from the sealing celebration for Eric and Mayra, because Christine was hosting a Mia Maid party for Addy's birrthday. Chris baked the cake herself too. The original plan was to all get ready and go to the stake dance together, but when the dance was cancelled, they decided to watch movies, play games, and then go toilet papering.

The Birthday Girl.
Those in the group who could come.

They took off to TP the YW president's house down the street, but it was so late and soooo dark, so I got a call and was recruited as the driver. Gosh, those are fun days. I remember TP-ing in 'my day'. What a 'blast'! And this is the 'good' kind of TP-ing, where it is a compliment. They would have kept going, but at 11:45pm, I told them it was time to call it quits.

Just Keep Going

Pretty lights in the party tent at the beach!

Today was an awesome day. Very busy, though. I was up early and out the door to go to the church to use the MLS program on the computer. I can only generate visiting teaching documents from that computer. It is a 'pain' to have to do it that way, BUT I understand why it is necessary. It just makes it more time consuming to have to go to the building, enter all the 'codes', keys, and information, do the printing, and then close and lock everything back up. Plus, I don't like to be down there alone. It can be a little scary all by your lonesome in there! Sometimes I talk Duff into going with me and he'll sit in the foyer and read a book.

We went to San Diego today. It was a long day. We had to leave at noonish and got home around 8pm, just in time for the Mia Maid party at our house. Duff's cousin was sealed to his wife in the temple there. Then there was a small reception in Laguna Beach at a really cool place right on the water for them. This has been a long time in coming. YEARS. The atonement has been in my thoughts. This situation has been a long one with probably more valleys than peaks. And today, we were all in the temple with them!

I felt deep gratitude for Christ and the atonement. Really, what would we do without it? I felt profound thanks for Father in Heaven who knew and structured the plan of salvation and happiness for us to succeed. I felt humbled at His patience with us here on earth. I felt happy when I thought of the Heavenly Grandstands full of our families and fellow saints cheering us on when we choose the right and when we stumble. I thought a lot about how the Lord can make good things come from tragedies.

A Great Celebration!

We just keep going until we get it right! Thank goodness for the opportunity.

Typing, Typing

I have been on the computer most of the day today. Next week is a RS Board Meeting and I have the Visiting Teaching Department for the breakout portion. I'm trying to get it all done now because I don't know if I'll be here or not depending on when Natalie's baby is born. We have a lot of changes since our interviews a few weeks ago, so there is a letter with all the new assignments, supervisors, districts, etc. that I've put together for the individual supervisors to give to the teachers/routes in their districts. I sure hope that I got them all accurate, because there were 100 of them! My neck and arm is sore from all the repetition. I started them last night and will have a few more to finish tomorrow morning.

Basically, that's all I've done today except for a few household things to break up the computer work.

I'm glad it's all in my computer now. It will make assignment changes easier and hopefully more effective.

Piece-Meal

To say that not much is going on wouldn't be accurate, but it's all little piece-meal things adding up to busy days.

Today, I finally packed all the Halloween decorations into their boxes and got them put away in the garage. Thanksgiving decor is/has been out and we are loving it. When Mike was over a few weeks ago, he sat down in the family room and said, "Mom. I always love that you do the mantle and decorate." No one is too old for or has outgrown holiday decorating. No matter what stage of life you are in, I think it is 'nurturing' for the soul.

All the chocolate has been picked up except for one order. The intoxicating fumes have dissapated, but not before some serious cravings had to be satisfied. Yesterday, I helped a gal carry her order out and she had to open one of the boxes and pass out semi-sweet chips to all her kiddos in the car before they could leave! Even some husbands get into this. I've had several tell me that their hubbies are the ones who make sure they order and don't care how much they buy or what the cost is! 'Chocolate time' is always a fun time for me. Yes, it is also stressful, but I LOVE seeing how happy it makes people and families when they leave with their stash planning all the fun family bonding they will do with it.

Laundry. That living, breathing, thing.

Visiting teaching items. Always evolving.

Lots of phone calls today. The phone didn't stop ringing. Good news: I got to talk to all of my children today! And Mike came over for a while too!

Cooler weather. A nice pot of soup on the stove and hot biscuits with honey and jam. No sourdough bread today, and I heard about it from Christine. I've been duly informed that soup=sourdough bread. Noted!

And I did change out my blog music to Christmas tunes. Just couldn't help it!

Choc-O-lah-tay Time

C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E.

Those velvety, smooth wonderful concoction of heavenly, head-rushing, endorphin inducing morsels have arrived.

Our house is on a chocolate rush with the aroma.

It was delivered yesterday. My portion was 700lbs. this year. Down from 2000 due to our new 'method' of sales.

A years supply for the orderees.

Who says food storage can't be fun???

(Nancy and I have changed how we do it, and the process is so much simpler. Instead of offering it in 5 pound increments, it has to be bought in the 25 pound boxes it comes in. When we were working with 3000 lbs. of chocolate every year, weighing and bagging it into 5 lb. bags just got to be too much. If you don't want/need 25 lbs., then you need to find someone to split it with. Oh, why didn't we think of this a few years ago? Anyway--it's still great chocolate and a great bulk price and now it's easier too!)

http://duffydoings.blogspot.com/2007/10/chocolate.html

for the 'big' picture!

I need to clarify: I don't personally have 700 lbs. of chocolate for myself! Goodness! That was the total poundage of my neighbors and friends from church.

It Really Is This Simple!

If I've already posted this at some other time, please indulge me.

I get so excited when I make brownies these days. Someone told me to cut them with a plastic knife. What? Yes, a simple plastic knife. And you know what? It works perfectly. Nice straight simple lines with no rough edges and tearing. Even when they are still warm!

Who knew? and who ever figured it out:

THANK YOU!

Pass it on......

Still Waiting...

for this cute baby to come!

Natalie before the baby shower her ward gave her on Saturday morning.

She finally left her job last week, but still has a full grad school schedule. I don't know how she does it all. AND, she found time to put up her Thanksgiving decorations.

Girl, give me some of that energy!

Christmas List

We are trying something new this year. Instead of drawing names among the siblings, we are going to rotate for a few years and see how this works. This gives you a whole year to know who you have, plan, save, make/buy for, and this way everyone has an opportunity to give to everyone since some keep drawing the same person! We will run into a problem 4 and 5 years out with one of those years spouses giving to spouses, and the next year everyone giving to themselves, so we will have to figure out what to do at that point.

SO, without further ado, here is the 'list' for 2009:

• M-->R
• A-->Ch
• J-->S
• Me-->M
• N-->A
• R-->J
• S-->Me
• Ch-->N
• All can give to the new baby, and we will figure out drawing for 'cousins' when more babies arrive!
  

It's Been 20 Years!

Twenty years ago today, the Berlin Wall came down! I remember when it went up, I remember the events and separation of our family, on my mom's side, and I remember rejoicing when it came down! While it was up, it was a very ugly time in world history, and a very sad time in our family history.

See the area between both 'walls'? This area was called the Death Strip.

On Christmas Eve, when I was a little girl, we would put in a telephone call to East Germany to our relatives to wish them a happy holiday and send our love. I would sing German songs to them over the phone. It was very expensive to call and the tone was mixed with joy--at the connection--and sadness--for the separation and their captivity.

The Berlin Wall was a concrete barrier put up by the East Germans that completely encircled the city of West Berlin separating it from all of east Germany and also East Berlin. The wall had guard towers on it to keep people in and to keep people out. It started out slowly after WWII, and eventually evolved to a system of 'passes' in order to cross over into the borders. Isn't that the way with all things diabolical and Lucifer-ish? Suck 'em in slowly, until you've got 'em! By 1961 they finally erected a permanent wall with another wall several yards beyond it circling around the first one. The area in the middle became know as the 'death strip' because if you were caught trying to escape you were killed, or wounded and left to die however long it took, because those who might have been waiting on the west side didn't dare to cross over to rescue you for fear of being killed themselves. This area had beds of nails, anti-vehicle trenches, and many other deterrants. Can you even imagine?


Cousin Manfred has many stories of being blessed by God in helping with escapes with people in his car trunk where a sudden and fierce rain storm came up and they just waved him through the border crossing. This era was a dark and terrible time.

President Reagan demanded for Gorbachev to 'tear down this wall!' Finally, on November 9, 1989, it began!

Oh, the long awaited freedom, happiness, and families being reunited!

I got these pictures off the internet so you can get the feel of what this must have been like. We have several family members who kept the church going in East Germany during this time. You can read about them in a book titled, Behind The Iron Curtain. They are my grandfather's sister's sons, Joachim, Burkhardt, and Bodo. I met them a few years ago when they came to America and we had a reunion in Utah. They are my mother's first cousins.

In 1973, I went to Germany with my grandmother who was looking to be reunited with her family after 43 years of being apart. My grandfather had just passed away and she wanted a traveling companion. This is a whole other story that I need to post, but for now, we met up with my grandfather's sister, Hilla, who had worked for quite a while to get a 'pass' to come to Frankfurt to see us. We met up at Otto Domnig's butcher shop and home (which was above the butcher shop) and it was quite a reunion. So many hugs, kisses, and tears.

So. Happy Day today, for the Lord's hand in the destruction of this wretched wall. It truly was a miracle!

Celebrating!

Sunday, Sunday

• We have had the nicest day.
• Quiet.
• Reverent.
• Thought Provoking.
• GREAT meetings, talks, lessons. Prayer. How, why. And after we pray, WE MUST MOVE OUR FEET. Searching out our dead. Those who have influenced us towards the temple.
• Ward fast for Sally who has complications from her scleroderma. She is in CICU on a ventilator right now. Such a great woman. I miss her.
• Turkey roast for dinner.
• Duff home teaching.
• Chris made brownies.
• I finished edging on Nat's pillowcases.
• We all watched The Prince And Me movies. Cute.

BLACK EYED PEA SALSA

Kim (my neighbor) had a Scentsy party on Thursday. Fun things, and just making it's debut in California. It was open house style, and she served this as part of her refreshments. It is sooo delicious. I just know you'll LOVE it.

--1 can Black Eyed Peas, drained

--2 Avocados, small diced

--Fresh Cilantro to taste ( I used amost 1/2 a bunch, chopped small)

--1 can Shoe Peg Corn (In canned vegetable section of store)

--3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced small

--Green onions to taste (I did 3), cut small

--1 small can Chopped Olives (optional. Not in original recipe, but my family likes them so I put them in)

--1 Packet Dry Italian Salad Dressing made according to recipe on back using only 1/2 the oil

Mix all together. Serve with Tostitos Scoops (in order to get every bit of delectable goodness!)

ENJOY!!!