This is the craziest thing ever. Sunday morning, right before I had to get up, I was having the weirdest dream. The part I will tell you is this: We were staying at somebody's house--started out to be Grandma's, but then you know how in dreams it turns into something else? Well it turned into someone else's house, but I'm not even sure whose. Anyway, I had to set the alarm clock. I did, and in the morning, it went off. I got up, went into the bathroom, which looked strangely like my own bathroom, and checked the clock in there. It was only 6:20.
Well we now have 11:00 church, so there's no reason in the world that I would need to be up at 6:20--no, not one--reason--that is. So I went back in to change the clock, and it was a Fred Flintstone clock. He was made out of plastic (I used to have a clown bank made out of the same plastic) and was about 18 inches high. The buttons to change the time were on the tops of his toes, and I was fiddling with them trying to change them when my own alarm rang! I was so mad--because I was certain it was only 6:20 a.m.--that I hit my snooze. I laid there for a few minutes thinking about Fred's toes. I have not been able to get him out of my mind! It was exactly like Fred Flintstone, club, clothes, bare feet, everything.
If you ever see a Fred Flintstone clock, please, please buy him for me! I need that clock!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
This has been a crazy couple of months, especially December. I know everyone is busy in December, and I'm not completely sure why I've felt so busy, but I have. Maybe it's because I've had to take Taylor to work every day and then pick him up, so he sort of messed up my schedule. Maybe it's because Jake has been off-track since Thanksgiving. It always skews things when there is someone else in the mix. That's good, blame someone else. I know--lame.
Generally by the week before Christmas I've made several batches of caramels, licorice, suckers and fudge. I usually even throw in one or two batches of peanut brittle. Well at Thanksgiving, Arlene wanted some candy, so she made fudge and I made the rest--even tried my hand at divinity. Arlene didn't think anyone would want the divinity or the peanut brittle, but they were the first to disappear. I haven't made a lot of divinity, but I think it turned out okay. You whip it until "it loses it's gloss." Holy cow, what great instructions those are. So specific. I whipped, looked, checked the gloss, whipped some more and finally thought, okay, just another minute. I should have stopped then. The first couple of pieces were beautiful and then the rest were a tad bit "imperfect." But they still tasted good. After Thanksgiving, I kept thinking, okay this week I'll make candy. My first batch was the Sunday before Christmas. So very lame.
Hmm, that "lame" word seems to be my theme. What's up with that? But that Sunday I did made a batch of caramels and licorice for Corky to take to work. They turned out okay. It always drives me crazy that at least one or two batches of something simply doesn't work. Same this year. My friend Emily came over on Tuesday and we made candy. She stirred, I added, I stirred, we checked temperatures, tasted, stirred, guessed it was done, and a couple of times, it was! I made more candy after she left and made more the next day. I had to throw out one whole batch of caramels--never set up--and one batch of licorice--it was too sticky. I guess that means it didn't really set up, either. Tasted good, was just way too sticky to wrap. I still have raw spanish peanuts for another batch of brittle. I think I'll try that this weekend--it is New Year's you know. Quite often I'll make another batch of something for New Year's. It seems that even when I make a ton of candy, we only get a taste here and there because it all goes to neighbors. I think tomorrow is supposed to be a good weather day, so I could try the divinity again. Did you know it doesn't work well when it's a snowy day? And, don't set suckers outside to cool if there's too much moisture in the air--they remain sticky. That's my hint for the day.
Tomorrow is a special day. I am really excited because Taylor is going to the temple. This part has come really fast for me. I loved helping him fill out the paperwork, get his shots, look for some clothes and the little things for the mission--like a little clock, shoe polish kit, stuff like that. But today we went to the Distribution Center to purchase new undies. It just kind of hit me that this is really, really real. I know in my heart and in my head that my son is going on a mission, and part of that is going to temple. This just seems so "grown up." He turned 19 last week, and he's really doing this.
I talked to a friend the other day who has a missionary, also in Brazil, who commented how cool it is to have a son worthy to go on a mission. I feel the same. I have expressed that feeling to Taylor; I hope he understands how wonderful that is. There are so many young men who are unable to go because of worthiness issues, I am truly grateful that my son is in the "ready to go" category.
I love all of this getting ready business. I know I'll have many blubbering moments, and have already had some, but this is truly what he needs to be doing, and I'm so happy that it's happening!
So, did you all have a wonderful Christmas? We did. When I was a little girl, Arlene and I shared what Mom calls "the middle bedroom." For those of you who know, it was Grandpa's bedroom. Actually, we all shuffled around quite a bit and at one time or another, I was able to call each bedroom in the house my own. But when we were, as Luan called us, "the two little girls," we lived in that bedroom. Luan was in the lower room, Ron and Lynn downstairs, and Mom and Dad in the other room, the one where Mom is now. On Christmas morning, Ron and Lynn would creep up the stairs at about 4 a.m., quietly get Luan, and then come and wake up Arlene and me. We would all crawl down the long hallway to get Mom and Dad. We'd surround their bed and wake them up. I don't remember being sent back to bed, but we got up in the dark of the night to see what Santa left. Grandma always made us pajamas and invariably there was a pin left in at least one pair. We'd open presents, ooh and ahh and then put on our new jammies and go back to bed. I think Mom stayed up to get the turkey ready. I remember that thing having to cook for the whole day.
One year I do remember Lynn and Ron set the clocks back and it was really only about 2 or 3 in the morning. I kind of remember an unhappy Dad and being sent back to bed that night. Poor Mom and Dad--they had probably just gotten into bed! I know this year it was 2:30 when I finally was ready for my bed. Way too late. There have been prepared years when I didn't have to do any wrapping on Christmas Eve after the kids when to bed, but probably more years when I was not so prepared. Once again, I blame it on having two boys at home! I do have to say it was kind of difficult to do much shopping with Jake by my side every minute. I do enjoy him, though and wouldn't trade him for anything.
The strangest request from my house to Santa was, of course, from Jake. He wanted a turtleneck. What's up with that? We all looked at each other and wondered what planet he came from. But good old Santa found a turtleneck, green, just for Jake. Matches his eyes.
You know, it's kind of strange because when you have big kids and little kids, you forget sometimes what things are important to the little guys. Jake is 9 and is still quite a believer. In his letter to Santa, his final line was, "I love you, Santa." When we went to visit Santa, he was practically shaking he was so excited. I have to remind myself how magical this is to him still. Even Dante wrote a letter to Santa. It was kind of funny because I heard him talking to Jake from the next room. Dante asked, "Jake, can you read cursive?" "Yes." "Can you read all of the letters in cursive?" "Oh yeah, I can read them all. We're up to "f" at school." Made me chuckle. Dante wrote a letter to Santa in his very best cursive. He's 12, but just like Ralphie from "The Christmas Story" he wasn't about to take any chances. And we never come out and say much about Santa. When the kids have asked, we just tell them, when you stop believing in Santa, he stops bringing you presents. We will get you some, but he won't. They've never said much else about the subject.
I am so excited because I got a Blendtec blender. Of this I need to take pictures and show what this baby can do! We were in the market for a wheat grinder, since I have been buying wheat and have no way to grind it, and Corky did some research and decided it would be more fun to have a heavy-duty blender that also grinds. Saves space and does more than grind wheat. I've made some killer smoothies and banana liquados (I don't really know how to spell that--it's what Corky calls them, but I can drink them!). I'm excited to try it out and see what veggies I can hide in a smoothie for Jake. He loves fruit and smoothies, but not veggies. I'm going to stick a carrot in the next one to see if he notices.
Moni got her wisdom teeth out yesterday. Poverina. She's actually doing very well--she barfed up the Lortab so she's afraid to take any more. She's just had ice packs and today we gave her some ibuprofen and Excedrin. She was crying and moaning yesterday and just like the goofy kid you've all seen coming home from the dentist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs The nurse asked her why she was crying, but she didn't know. In the car on the way home, Moni was trying to talk to my through sign language. I didn't have that class. I was worried for Corky when I left for work, but when I got home, she was awake and not fussing or anything, even with no pain killers. What a trooper. Totally unexpected from her parents, who are very happy with her good sportsmanlike attitude! Way to go Mo! (Corky was stuck with cleaning up the barf, though. Thanks doll.)
Generally by the week before Christmas I've made several batches of caramels, licorice, suckers and fudge. I usually even throw in one or two batches of peanut brittle. Well at Thanksgiving, Arlene wanted some candy, so she made fudge and I made the rest--even tried my hand at divinity. Arlene didn't think anyone would want the divinity or the peanut brittle, but they were the first to disappear. I haven't made a lot of divinity, but I think it turned out okay. You whip it until "it loses it's gloss." Holy cow, what great instructions those are. So specific. I whipped, looked, checked the gloss, whipped some more and finally thought, okay, just another minute. I should have stopped then. The first couple of pieces were beautiful and then the rest were a tad bit "imperfect." But they still tasted good. After Thanksgiving, I kept thinking, okay this week I'll make candy. My first batch was the Sunday before Christmas. So very lame.
Hmm, that "lame" word seems to be my theme. What's up with that? But that Sunday I did made a batch of caramels and licorice for Corky to take to work. They turned out okay. It always drives me crazy that at least one or two batches of something simply doesn't work. Same this year. My friend Emily came over on Tuesday and we made candy. She stirred, I added, I stirred, we checked temperatures, tasted, stirred, guessed it was done, and a couple of times, it was! I made more candy after she left and made more the next day. I had to throw out one whole batch of caramels--never set up--and one batch of licorice--it was too sticky. I guess that means it didn't really set up, either. Tasted good, was just way too sticky to wrap. I still have raw spanish peanuts for another batch of brittle. I think I'll try that this weekend--it is New Year's you know. Quite often I'll make another batch of something for New Year's. It seems that even when I make a ton of candy, we only get a taste here and there because it all goes to neighbors. I think tomorrow is supposed to be a good weather day, so I could try the divinity again. Did you know it doesn't work well when it's a snowy day? And, don't set suckers outside to cool if there's too much moisture in the air--they remain sticky. That's my hint for the day.
Tomorrow is a special day. I am really excited because Taylor is going to the temple. This part has come really fast for me. I loved helping him fill out the paperwork, get his shots, look for some clothes and the little things for the mission--like a little clock, shoe polish kit, stuff like that. But today we went to the Distribution Center to purchase new undies. It just kind of hit me that this is really, really real. I know in my heart and in my head that my son is going on a mission, and part of that is going to temple. This just seems so "grown up." He turned 19 last week, and he's really doing this.
I talked to a friend the other day who has a missionary, also in Brazil, who commented how cool it is to have a son worthy to go on a mission. I feel the same. I have expressed that feeling to Taylor; I hope he understands how wonderful that is. There are so many young men who are unable to go because of worthiness issues, I am truly grateful that my son is in the "ready to go" category.
I love all of this getting ready business. I know I'll have many blubbering moments, and have already had some, but this is truly what he needs to be doing, and I'm so happy that it's happening!
So, did you all have a wonderful Christmas? We did. When I was a little girl, Arlene and I shared what Mom calls "the middle bedroom." For those of you who know, it was Grandpa's bedroom. Actually, we all shuffled around quite a bit and at one time or another, I was able to call each bedroom in the house my own. But when we were, as Luan called us, "the two little girls," we lived in that bedroom. Luan was in the lower room, Ron and Lynn downstairs, and Mom and Dad in the other room, the one where Mom is now. On Christmas morning, Ron and Lynn would creep up the stairs at about 4 a.m., quietly get Luan, and then come and wake up Arlene and me. We would all crawl down the long hallway to get Mom and Dad. We'd surround their bed and wake them up. I don't remember being sent back to bed, but we got up in the dark of the night to see what Santa left. Grandma always made us pajamas and invariably there was a pin left in at least one pair. We'd open presents, ooh and ahh and then put on our new jammies and go back to bed. I think Mom stayed up to get the turkey ready. I remember that thing having to cook for the whole day.
One year I do remember Lynn and Ron set the clocks back and it was really only about 2 or 3 in the morning. I kind of remember an unhappy Dad and being sent back to bed that night. Poor Mom and Dad--they had probably just gotten into bed! I know this year it was 2:30 when I finally was ready for my bed. Way too late. There have been prepared years when I didn't have to do any wrapping on Christmas Eve after the kids when to bed, but probably more years when I was not so prepared. Once again, I blame it on having two boys at home! I do have to say it was kind of difficult to do much shopping with Jake by my side every minute. I do enjoy him, though and wouldn't trade him for anything.
The strangest request from my house to Santa was, of course, from Jake. He wanted a turtleneck. What's up with that? We all looked at each other and wondered what planet he came from. But good old Santa found a turtleneck, green, just for Jake. Matches his eyes.
You know, it's kind of strange because when you have big kids and little kids, you forget sometimes what things are important to the little guys. Jake is 9 and is still quite a believer. In his letter to Santa, his final line was, "I love you, Santa." When we went to visit Santa, he was practically shaking he was so excited. I have to remind myself how magical this is to him still. Even Dante wrote a letter to Santa. It was kind of funny because I heard him talking to Jake from the next room. Dante asked, "Jake, can you read cursive?" "Yes." "Can you read all of the letters in cursive?" "Oh yeah, I can read them all. We're up to "f" at school." Made me chuckle. Dante wrote a letter to Santa in his very best cursive. He's 12, but just like Ralphie from "The Christmas Story" he wasn't about to take any chances. And we never come out and say much about Santa. When the kids have asked, we just tell them, when you stop believing in Santa, he stops bringing you presents. We will get you some, but he won't. They've never said much else about the subject.
I am so excited because I got a Blendtec blender. Of this I need to take pictures and show what this baby can do! We were in the market for a wheat grinder, since I have been buying wheat and have no way to grind it, and Corky did some research and decided it would be more fun to have a heavy-duty blender that also grinds. Saves space and does more than grind wheat. I've made some killer smoothies and banana liquados (I don't really know how to spell that--it's what Corky calls them, but I can drink them!). I'm excited to try it out and see what veggies I can hide in a smoothie for Jake. He loves fruit and smoothies, but not veggies. I'm going to stick a carrot in the next one to see if he notices.
Moni got her wisdom teeth out yesterday. Poverina. She's actually doing very well--she barfed up the Lortab so she's afraid to take any more. She's just had ice packs and today we gave her some ibuprofen and Excedrin. She was crying and moaning yesterday and just like the goofy kid you've all seen coming home from the dentist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs The nurse asked her why she was crying, but she didn't know. In the car on the way home, Moni was trying to talk to my through sign language. I didn't have that class. I was worried for Corky when I left for work, but when I got home, she was awake and not fussing or anything, even with no pain killers. What a trooper. Totally unexpected from her parents, who are very happy with her good sportsmanlike attitude! Way to go Mo! (Corky was stuck with cleaning up the barf, though. Thanks doll.)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A missionary!
This has got to be the coolest, yet the strangest feeling ever. My son is going to be a missionary! I've known this day would come, but now it's here. Last Wednesday Taylor got his mission call. I know this isn't news, since you all know, but he is going to the Brazil Ribierao Preto mission on February 24, 2010.
We knew the call would come on Wednesday (the 21st). I checked the mailbox, no mail. Then I saw the mailman driving down the street, so I followed him. It wasn't our regular delivery man, and he had turned down a different street than I expected, so I asked if he would be going to our mailbox. He said yes, so I told him I'd go wait for him. He kind of chuckled and said if I had some ID he could give me our mail. So he handed me a couple of wimpy letters. My heart sank. I was probably whining when I said, is that all? I was expecting a big envelope. He looked in the "big envelope" pile, and there it was! He wanted to see if we had any other mail, but I didn't care at all about anything else.
I jumped in the car, looked at the letter, and started to cry. I knew that Taylor's life would be different now. He was going someplace to be a missionary, to teach the gospel, to find people who wanted to share in the glorious truths of what he could bring to them. It didn't even matter where he was going, but this was real.
The night before on my way home from work I kept thinking about all the places he could end up--Australia, Alabama. New Zealand, Nevada. Ireland, Illinois. Argentina, Arizona. The possibilities were truly endless (well, I guess there is a limit, but you get what I mean).
As I looked at that envelope, I just knew Heavenly Father had been thinking about my son and had great things in mind for him. I was gearing up for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Two nights before I dreamed Taylor got the call to Florida, and I just shrugged and said, "Nah. That's not it. I just don't see him there." So I was trying really hard to be ready for Ft. Lauderdale and not sound disappointed when that was the place.
I drove downtown to pick up Corky so we could all be there together and find out where Taylor would be for the next two years. Brazil never entered my mind. But wow--this is so great. I know Taylor will be a wonderful missionary and be enthusiastic about serving the people of Brazil. Now if he can just figure out how Ribierao sounds like "Heberon." There are a couple of people in our ward who served in Brazil, and one right in Riberao Preto. He was pretty excited to share info with Taylor.
Today we received flight information and Visa information. I can't believe all the paperwork that's involved and the questions they want answered. I do have to say I'm pretty impressed by how organized the Church is--I guess they've got this down now. A good deal of the paperwork we received is already filled in with names and addresses and stuff like that. The instructions are very clear on what to do when. Of course, I'll still be able to mess it up. I'm good at that.
I am very proud of Taylor. He wants to go on his mission. He wants to be in Brazil. He is ready to go. He is the first of the group of boys in our ward to go, although there are four who should all be turning in their papers. I hope this will be a good example to the other boys. But I am proud of him and happy that he wants to be a missionary.
And yes, Uncle Lynn was the closest to guessing. He guessed another mission, but still in Brazil. So he's half right. I'm thinking of giving him half a cake for the prize. Hmmm.
We knew the call would come on Wednesday (the 21st). I checked the mailbox, no mail. Then I saw the mailman driving down the street, so I followed him. It wasn't our regular delivery man, and he had turned down a different street than I expected, so I asked if he would be going to our mailbox. He said yes, so I told him I'd go wait for him. He kind of chuckled and said if I had some ID he could give me our mail. So he handed me a couple of wimpy letters. My heart sank. I was probably whining when I said, is that all? I was expecting a big envelope. He looked in the "big envelope" pile, and there it was! He wanted to see if we had any other mail, but I didn't care at all about anything else.
I jumped in the car, looked at the letter, and started to cry. I knew that Taylor's life would be different now. He was going someplace to be a missionary, to teach the gospel, to find people who wanted to share in the glorious truths of what he could bring to them. It didn't even matter where he was going, but this was real.
The night before on my way home from work I kept thinking about all the places he could end up--Australia, Alabama. New Zealand, Nevada. Ireland, Illinois. Argentina, Arizona. The possibilities were truly endless (well, I guess there is a limit, but you get what I mean).
As I looked at that envelope, I just knew Heavenly Father had been thinking about my son and had great things in mind for him. I was gearing up for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Two nights before I dreamed Taylor got the call to Florida, and I just shrugged and said, "Nah. That's not it. I just don't see him there." So I was trying really hard to be ready for Ft. Lauderdale and not sound disappointed when that was the place.
I drove downtown to pick up Corky so we could all be there together and find out where Taylor would be for the next two years. Brazil never entered my mind. But wow--this is so great. I know Taylor will be a wonderful missionary and be enthusiastic about serving the people of Brazil. Now if he can just figure out how Ribierao sounds like "Heberon." There are a couple of people in our ward who served in Brazil, and one right in Riberao Preto. He was pretty excited to share info with Taylor.
Today we received flight information and Visa information. I can't believe all the paperwork that's involved and the questions they want answered. I do have to say I'm pretty impressed by how organized the Church is--I guess they've got this down now. A good deal of the paperwork we received is already filled in with names and addresses and stuff like that. The instructions are very clear on what to do when. Of course, I'll still be able to mess it up. I'm good at that.
I am very proud of Taylor. He wants to go on his mission. He wants to be in Brazil. He is ready to go. He is the first of the group of boys in our ward to go, although there are four who should all be turning in their papers. I hope this will be a good example to the other boys. But I am proud of him and happy that he wants to be a missionary.
And yes, Uncle Lynn was the closest to guessing. He guessed another mission, but still in Brazil. So he's half right. I'm thinking of giving him half a cake for the prize. Hmmm.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Annual Cub Scout Cake Auction
Every year our ward has a cake auction that funds our group for the next year. People try to get really creative, so this year I found a book (I'm not taking the credit for the creativity) that had some great ideas. So, we tried them! Check these out. . .
Old Swampy
You can even see part of the book behind Swampy--see, I'm not so creative as all this. . . but it does give me some ideas of where to go from here.
T.V. dinner turned out great! I did the chicken legs and Taylor did the rest. At first he wasn't very interested, but before I knew what he was doing, he had this part finished. It was a lot of fun. This isn't the best angle to see the chicken legs, but they did look like legs.
The pigs weren't as fun as the rest, but they were cute. Next year I'll make pigs, sheep and chicks, along with a barn. Yes, I saw that in a picture.
I love the corn on the cob! It was so fun to make. I was just laughing the whole time. As soon as I had three jelly beans in a row, it started to look like real corn. And of course I bought new corn holders--I promise I didn't use the rusty ones from my drawer. I love the pepper, too.
Simona made a beautiful butterfly and Jake made a dirt/worm cake. Naturally he had to bid on his worm cake--so I ended up paying $17 for his cake (that I already paid for) that we could have re-created for probably $3. Oh well. I can't even begin to say how much I spent on the "fixings" for these cakes, but I have quite a few leftovers. It was my first try and next time I'll know what to look for, but this was a lot of fun. People at the auction loved them, too, so that was cool. We all had fun making them.
You can even see part of the book behind Swampy--see, I'm not so creative as all this. . . but it does give me some ideas of where to go from here.
T.V. dinner turned out great! I did the chicken legs and Taylor did the rest. At first he wasn't very interested, but before I knew what he was doing, he had this part finished. It was a lot of fun. This isn't the best angle to see the chicken legs, but they did look like legs.
The pigs weren't as fun as the rest, but they were cute. Next year I'll make pigs, sheep and chicks, along with a barn. Yes, I saw that in a picture.
I love the corn on the cob! It was so fun to make. I was just laughing the whole time. As soon as I had three jelly beans in a row, it started to look like real corn. And of course I bought new corn holders--I promise I didn't use the rusty ones from my drawer. I love the pepper, too. Simona made a beautiful butterfly and Jake made a dirt/worm cake. Naturally he had to bid on his worm cake--so I ended up paying $17 for his cake (that I already paid for) that we could have re-created for probably $3. Oh well. I can't even begin to say how much I spent on the "fixings" for these cakes, but I have quite a few leftovers. It was my first try and next time I'll know what to look for, but this was a lot of fun. People at the auction loved them, too, so that was cool. We all had fun making them.
I even made a batch of fudge, but it wasn't my best effort so I only took two small tins for the $5 table. I couldn't ask people to bid on imperfect fudge--or "wudge" as we call it at our house. Corky said he was going to call Grandma and tell her that I walked away from the stove while making candy. I know--that's the first rule--you never try to do too many things while making candy and you never leave the stove. How many cakes did I make? I didn't even mention the one that fell on the floor. Poor Jake. I have an old table where I was storing the cakes so they'd be out of the kitchen and out of the way. I warned the kids not to put any pressure on the leaf that was out, but he forgot. It was Corky's Favorite Lemon Bundt Cake. Oh well, we got pieces of it. And, I can make another one! And, not like we hadn't had our fill of cake. . .
I hope Emily took pictures of the butterfly and the worm cakes. Hey, I guess they kind of go together!
Wudge you ask? Well, Dante loves wudge. When he was little and I'd make fudge, he called it wudge. An "f" came out as a "w" for certain words. Wudge was one of them, and it stuck. He'd ask me all the time if I'd make him some wudge. He even got to help stir it. I pour the wudge out into tins--which by the way, keep the wudge nice and fresh if you remember to put the lid on--but a tin of wudge doesn't last long at my house. I like it when it's still hot, so I lick the spoon and rarely eat any more wudge, but everyone else likes it. Dante has even crossed out the word "fudge" on my recipe card and now it says: Grandma's Wudge.
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