God Be With You

In memory of my mom
Lois Braunschweiger
March 20, 1922 to December 30, 2009
You loved to host a party
You never turned anyone away
Everyone was always welcome
You showed me what it was to be a Christian

I love you
I miss you
God be with you

Christmas

Well Christmas has come and gone. Our daughter and her family arrived a day early for a surprise. We were very glad for that. We celebrated on Christmas eve with all of our family except my son and his wife. They were greatly missed. We had a wonderful dinner and opened presents and played Dads version of lets make a deal.

It was the first time since 1977 that Del and I didn't have any kids here on Christmas morning. We slept in until 10, had a wonderful traditional breakfast. Blueberry muffins with sauce, eggs, hash brown and bacon. We went to the movies to see Sherlock Holmes. (Wonderful movie). Came home and laid around the rest of the day.

We didn't have all of of kids climb into bed with us on Christmas morning. Things are changing. It is hard. Many changes in the last few years have been really hard. I really don't foresee things getting easier either. I guess my learning curve has just changed also. I had better start figuring things out.
But it is what it is.
Merry Christmas

Angels Among Us

I spent the night last night finishing up our wards angel tree. Thank you so much Jessie and Mykala for all the work you did. It wouldn't have happened without your help. Everything was so nicely organized it made my part so easy to do. Thank you Tiana and Rian for helping me be silly and acomplishing what i needed to do. And more that that I want to thank everyone who contributed as well as those who were willing to let us serve you. I haven't been feeling to Christmasy this year. I don't know if it is because i got everything done early for a change and there isn't that last minute push. Or if it is because of my mom's situation. Or recent current events. But last night I finally think i found my christmas spirit. I knew it was in there somewhere.

So as i write this my one daughter and her family are embarking on their journey from Albuquerque. My oldest is coming up probably tonight to spend the night. My youngest will be in and out. But we will miss my son and his wife. I am glad they are all happy. I couldn't ask for much more.

As to all my friends
thanks and Merry Christmas

To Del I love you. Thanks for 32 wonderful years and counting.

Trying Harder

I was just working on my lesson for Church Sunday and thinking about the events of the day. Some people may wonder why members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints do some of the things they do. Why do we agree to do the things the church asks of us. Sometimes it could be hard to understand the reason for the rules and guidelines we follow.

But i for one am grateful for that guidance.
I have been given a bad time by people because i try to follow the rules as close to exact as i can. They use the excuse that it might just be a little thing and it doesn't matter. Little things matter.
I am the first to say that there are times i falls short, but i try to use those as learning experiences. Even though i may not understand why certain rules have been given, i am grateful that i am willing to try my best. There are so many unforeseen things that can happen in life. So many problems that might occur that i may never think of, that i am so Grateful to a Father in Heaven that saw fit to ask me to live my life in such a way that i might have joy. It is not blind faith the things that i do, it is trust in a Loving Father in Heaven who know all things and is trying to protect me basically from myself.
So with that in mind i recommit myself to the things that i know to be right and true. Knowing full well that stuff happens. But as long as i try my best i will be Blessed.

Beauty in the winter

All my life my mom always had house plants. Actually at times it looked like we lived in a rain forest. But they are life in a home. When i got married we were grateful for the basics. But we really didn't have much more than that for many years. I found that i could decorate our home and bring in life by adding house plants. I could buy a 2" potted plant for pennies and nurture it. I even have a plant that i got when my son was about 2. He is now 29. I also have a plant give to me on my birthday by my visiting teachers about 20 years ago. But by far my favorite is a plant that i took a start from my mom. She took a start from her grandfather. So my plant is a start from my great grandfather. It is a christmas cactus. I have had it for over 10 years. If any of you know anything about christmas cactus, they will bloom beautifully at christmas time if you baby them for the 12 months prior. This plant has only bloomed twice. The last time was probably 7 years ago. But after much babying and fussing WE HAVE BLOSSOMS THIS YEAR! I hope to post pictures another 1st for me. I have one bloom now and can see 8 more buds. When it is in full bloom i will try more pictures. I think it is Gods blessing on a cold winter day.

The Check List

Hi I am back. Sorry I have been gone so long. It has been one of those weeks. Let's see how I am doing

Decorating for the holiday. . . Done . . . well at least i thought i was done now i want to decorate the basement tomorrow
so probably not done

Shopping . . . Done . . . well I thought i was done but i thought of a couple of more things and i picked them up tonight but there are still a couple more i want to get
so probably not done

Wrapping . . . Done . . . well may be not because i just bought that stuff tonight and the couple of things i will pick up tomorrow and oh yea i have a couple things to wrap for the grand kids
so probably not done

Visiting Teaching . . . Done . . . Well i have one more to visit because i have picked up a second route temporally
so probably not done


Grandma's family Christmas party planned . . . Done . . . invitations out, games planned, prizes wrapped, food planned,
so probably done

Cookie baking , , , Done . . . I think 1400 cookies are enough
so i think i can count that as done YEA

Christmas Cards . . . Done . . . I actually i cut back this year I only sent out 35 instead of 60
I hope you are proud of me that i know how to cut back.

I may not love Christmas as much as my sister but i am working on it.

Merry Christmas!! I hope you have as much fun as i do

Safe travels

if you are on facebook you may come to understand how big cookie baking day is for our family. Thanks deb for starting the tradition. this year portland came in with 3079 cookies, idaho falls 1426 and albuquerque 36, all in all it was a very good day. Now we only have one more thing to finish and that is to get my daughter and her family home safe tonight.

Today is MCBD. Albuquerque checked in with 36 cookies Idaho Falls checks in with 1426 and Portland is still baking. It is not the same when we are not together. We love getting together. Every year is different. But i have to admit i was glad i had to quit at 3 to get ready for our ward party. My kitchen is clean and all the cookies are boxed up and it is only 9 not 3 am. I guess i am just getting old. But i will miss the sillies we get around 1 am. If any one has a cookie craving tomorrow i have plenty to share.
HAPPY MEGA COOKIE BAKING DAY TO ONE AND ALL

Saving a Traditions

I have been doing a lot of thinking about MCBD (mega cookie baking day)
Just because I can't go to Portland this years doesn't mean MCBD can't happen. As my sister and my daughter are baking in Portland on Saturday. I will be baking in Idaho Falls and Beth will be baking in Albuquerque. Some years it is what it is. We will be together in Spirtit and talking on the phone all day. This way I can share this experience will my friends here as well. So if you happen to have a little time tomorrow and want to be a part of MCBD, remember no eating dough, no eating cookies, and no whining. My door is open.

Flaming Turkey Wings

A few years back Pizza hut came out with a commercial that gave you ideas on how to use up your left over turkey. The point being pizza would be a nice change. 

One of their suggestions was flaming turkey wings.

That is kind of a joke at our house. Luckily we didn't make it that far this year. I sent a lot of turkey home with my daughter. 

But I should have ordered Pizza tonight. 

I tried a new recipe

But seriously I should have ordered Pizza

Ahhh winter

Today we got a little skiff of snow where I work. It really was a little bit, not even enough to shut Portland down (which really doesn't take much). As I was scraping the window for the drive home memories of winters past came flooding into my mind. 

Like back in the early 80's. We had a pretty severe winter that year. I was going out to my car to go to work. As I stepped out the front door the moisture in my nose immediately froze. (did you like how gently I wrote that hee hee) I turned the car on and got the windows scraped. I got in the car, put it in gear and started to drive. It was making a thumping noise and was more bouncy than usual. My tires had frozen out of round. I went a little farther and drove over a small mound of frozen snow. Just enough to make my car tip just a little. Just enough to crack my dashboard  in half because it was frozen solid. 

Or how about the time I thought it would be a good idea for my husband to have a bonding experience alone with the kids. I sent them off to the forest about a half hour from our home to cut down a Christmas tree. They were gone a lot longer than I thought they would be. When he got home I found out he spent most of the day digging our little Datsun hatchback out of a snow drift they were stuck in. 

If that wasn't good enough I had them try it again the next year. We had a truck this time. They spotted the perfect tree. But instead of hiking up to it with 3 little kids he decided to drive up to it. Half way up the hill he lost traction and started sliding backwards down the hill toward a group of people standing there. (and of course my kids didn't have cars seats or seat belts) Luckily he was able to stop the car before hitting the people. 

When he got home we got back into the car and drove to Kmart to buy our first artificial tree. 

But then there are those days. You are in the house, fire in the fireplace and you look outside and it is snowing. Not that tiny beady snow. But the good snowman snow. Huge flakes heavy with water. Falling every so quietly. Insulating the ground so you can no longer hear any cars. The ground is evenly covered to perfection. The trees have long lost their leaves but are covered in the most magical frost. Maybe you can hear a far off whistle of a train. If you are truly lucky you can just stand there for just a minute and just be. 

I am grateful to be able to say at those times. 

Ahhh winter