Explanation of Wunderland

My brother just emailed me these photos of the minaiture train set in Hamburg, Germany. I LOVE all things miniature. You can see it online if you go to www.miniatur-wunderland.com or also on facebook at MiniaturWunderlandHamburg.

It is so amazing that people would spend 500,000 hours and 8 million Euro to build it. We want to jump a plane and go see it!!! It won't be finished until 2012 and has been under construction for several years. You have the watch the five-minute video if you haven't already seen it!

I have trouble with my computer off and on or should I say....it has trouble with ME! Couldn't get it to let me describe each picture on that last post.

HAVE A WUNDERFUL DAY everyone! Sprechen sie Deutsch?

Miniatur Wunderland in Germany

Bunko

Spent last Thursday helping Sonia prepare for her yearly hosting of her Bunko group. That's my old Christmas tablecloth (25 + years old.) My crystal castle beverage server is always a hit. I picked up the red and green bread bowls at the bakery and took the kids for five hours until Sherman got out of school. We found the most darling Snowman cookie jar at the Gingerbread house in Pinetop. Sonia loved it so much that she got one for a Bunko prize and I bought her one for her birthday. LOVE those pre-Christmas sales! Too bad the sleigh is blocking the view of the cookie jar on the counter top behind it.

Presley Ruth Poulsen

Here she IS!!! The long-awaited little girl. The three boys are elated! Here is Kale on Sunday Dec. 2nd.
Grandma Gigi gets a few minutes in before the boys take over. They LOVE their baby sister. Presley was a whopping 8 lbs. She beat out her brothers' birth weight. We attended Kale's Christmas concert tonight at his school. Just got my hair cut and my hair is now a darker blond. Presley reminds me of little Eli. This picture just doesn't do her justice. She is a beautiful little girl. Looking forward to taking her on our family trip to Florida before we leave on another mission. Harry Potter....here we come!

Half Marathon

We headed out to Hohokam Park for the start of the 13 mile run at 7am. The kids were cranky so we took them to breakfast while their mommy ran the half marathon called Shun the Sun.
Here is Larkie having entered the stadium and approaching the finish line.....GO LARA!
Yup! That's our Strawberry Blonde with a very beet red face. PROUD OF YOU, Larkie! Her first marathon run. The other runs that day were for 3 and 7 miles. I was amazed that she chose the hardest one for her first time. Ryder loved playing on all the free jumpy castles they had around the field. Kendra just wanted her nap. We followed her when we could in the car. It was pretty exciting to watch her pass the check points.

Shower and Reception

We had another backyard wedding and reception. This time our friends used our yard and had to do all the work. Well.....we did a lot of flower-planting and yard work to get ready. I obviously don't have my new camera figured out yet. Still thinking I can just pick it up and shoot...like the old camera.....WRONG!
Still setting up the food and guests are arriving.
Can you see my chocolate babies on top of the cupcakes? Joyce made chicken salad sandwiches. I made cookies and tarts and cupcakes. Larkie decorated the cupcakes and they looked just like Anne Geddes babies all naked and decked out with flowers in their hair....SO CUTE!
Joyce and Sonia still working on their strategy in the kitchen. I learned how to "flood" a cookie this week....I made baby "onesies." LOOK OUT CHRISTMAS cookies....here I come!

Sandy Rios

Sandy Rios is a Christian guest columnist for ONE NEWS NOW and other Christian-based websites. She recently attacked Mitt Romney and Mormonism.

It was the usual ignorant stuff that appears in most anti-Mormon websites. YAWN! If only these people would do their homework and not rely on other ignorant, biased, so-called Christians who won't read the Book of Mormon for fear that it might be a waste of their precious time. They obviously don't think reading uninformed opinions on the internet a waste of time.....

Her attacks....

1. Mormons think they are going to become Gods and rule other worlds and be equal to Jesus Christ.

Okay just that one alone will take pages and pages to explain (with scripture, of course.) But really? Who is interested in reading explanations when they won't even go to the source? If they won't read the Book of Mormon.....why would they bother with the books of Abraham and Moses? Anything that wasn't included in the Bible by that pagan council held way back when and run by deceitful, conniving men bent on political gain....they don't want to read. TOOOoooooo bad. They preferred to let the people deify Mary. Now go figure? Why does SHE get to be considered GOD-LIKE while the rest of us are relegated to .....what? I don't know. Read the New Testament....just ONE verse alone states: "God gave men the power to become the sons of God."

OOHHHHH wooops! Somebody forgot to read that part.....or just skipped it....like they skip all the verses about the temple. Just read an article by Billy Graham at the Dr. office this morning. He quoted an old testament prophet exhorting the people to put their houses in order and serve God first. It was totally related to the rebuilding of the temple....but.....YAWN.....too much trouble for the Reverend to explain that part away....so he SKIPPED it.

These people ( so-called Christians) make me SO TIRED!

Going Home

Baby is on the mend after Grandpa Poulsen gave her a blessing. She had the E Coli. It did not spread throughout her body. She will go home on Wednesday. I am so blessed and grateful for the Priesthood.

I can't get anyone by phone. One brother is in Boston on business. Go Cloud2Mail!!! Morgan doesn't answer at home or at his nursery. I am feeling so lighthearted with such good news at the hospital that I decided it was time for a long-overdue prank. Left a message on the Nursery answering machine in Illinois. I put in my order for the Christmas Tree that I want this year and asked them to let me know when they can deliver it. The tree that I described doesn't exist..... of course. I will check back tomorrow if my brother doesn't call me up laughing his head off today. I'm sure he will recognize my voice...

Anastasia

A sad day for us. The baby wasn't doing well and we took her to the Dr. on Monday. They blew us off and said she is fine. Her diaper smelled funny and strange color. Today she burned up with fever and I drove over and brought her to our urgent care after trying the ones near Will's house. They were all locked up and CLOSED? It was like being in the twilight zone. Took her to urgent care. Temperature was 102.8 they gave her pain reliever and she vomited it all up. They said get her to emergency QUICK! They called ahead for us. They did a catheter and spinal tap and blood work. She has infection in her body and they will keep her for several days. POOR BABY!

They have her on an I.V. so she should be on the mend unless her spinal fluid shows meningitis. If that is the case we will be visiting the hospital for weeks. She laid in my arms exhausted after it all. I stayed with her and Will came from work. The others (including Grandpa Poulsen and Costea Grandparents) couldn't stand to watch any of it. I held her little head and gave her the syringe in her mouth for pain relief. I am good during the crisis and very composed....but now.....I am ready to go to bed and have a good cry. After more than five hours of phone calling and texting....my phone is completely dead. Note to self.....start carrying an extra charger in the purse!

FACEBOOK

I am busy rushing around with Simona and her parents. The baby is a little doll and has all of Will's coloring and is beginning to look more like Simona as time passes.

A dear friend lost her daughter last week to a tragic car accident. Amanda was driving home to Flagstaff and fell asleep at the wheel. They couldn't find her for four days. She was in her car at the bottom of a canyon. Funeral yesterday. SO SAD! She was to have been married this week-end and was one of Sonia's bridesmaids.

I miss some things not being on Facebook anymore. As the picture above attests....I'm not missing much.

Grandchild number 14

She's HERE. We can't believe it. After the C-section we have a perfect baby. I had never experienced seeing a new born immediately after a section. Nice not to have the "cone" head. Congratulations to Will and Simona. She is gorgeous. Her Romanian grandparents are here too and what fun we are having.

Will has posted all his pics on Facebook which I no longer participate in. You can barely see the baby because my new phone hadn't been adjusted yet.

Keira's and Dan's little girl is due in November and we are excited for her baby shower coming up. After three boys this one will be so FUN to shop for.

Jaycee vs. Casey

Watched some of the Casey Anthony drama. Hope it is over for awhile and we all get some needed "rest" from it. Can't seem to look for the daily news without being side-swiped by it all.

Thought for the day....Pain is inevitable....Suffering is optional. I like that!!

Just finished reading "A Stolen Life". Jaycee Dugard is one amazing woman... the complete antithesis to Casey Anthony.

Jaycee: Tortured by self-serving, egotistical, perverted, monster.

Casey: Emotionally tortured her loving parents..led police and searchers on wild goose chase.

Jaycee: Loving and devoted mother of two children forced upon her by rape.

Casey: Mother of daughter mostly raised by the grandparents. Partied after child's death.

Jaycee: Imprisoned in a back-yard and not allowed out for 18 years...not guilty of anything.

Casey: Imprisoned for 3 years for murdering her child....GUILTY, but not proven.

Jaycee: Positive, happy and moving forward, living with family and daughters.

Casey: ON THE RUN....not willing to communicate with her family.

Jaycee: Always faithful, helpful and caring....even to her captors.

Casey: Lying, lazy, party-going, boozing ...refusing to tell parents where the child is for 31 days.

Jaycee: Police failed her.

Casey: Police foiled by her.

My own feelings......Everyone on the planet should NOT buy anything Casey writes...that includes articles written about her or picture stories in magazines. Boycott People and any other rag sheet she appears in. Jose....same for him. Don't support his law firm. Go elsewhere. Let them wallow in obscurity from here on out. They should be ignored.

Our laws need to be changed. Defendants up for murder should HAVE to take a polygraph and should HAVE to take the stand and answer questions. Lawyers should be forced to be more ethical by the judges themselves. Judges need to step in and counteract the stupidity of the average American sitting in the jury box. Judges should be forced to preside over jury deliberations and do more explaining to them of the law and the ramifications of evidence that is presented.

Lawyers who publicly celebrate with champagne and flip the "bird" to cameras should be heavily penalized. The courtroom has become more of a sports stadium with the prosecution and defense teams behaving more like athletes in competition. THERE IS NO TRUTH in the U.S. Justice system. Only the best lawyer with the most persuasive "arguments" wins!

IF THE GLOVE DOESN'T FIT.....THEN DON'T COMMIT.

FANTASY FORENSICS.

YES WE CAN.....CHANGE.

Happy Birthday to me....

Had another wonderful birthday. We have kept the tradition of going to a restaurant with just the "adults" and no grandchildren so we can all enjoy the "quiet." Another grand daughter is on the way and we are all SO excited. Two little girls in the next few months!!!!!

I drove the deck furniture up to the cabin yesterday and unloaded it all before the rain started. I just love to sit and watch the birds and feel the breeze and have a few hours out of the HEAT of the valley.

I received so many lovely gifts from neighbors, friends and my family. Wow! The first year EVER that I have been remembered by my visiting teachers (38 years in the church now)....I was so shocked! One of them brought me a bottle of hand soap. The visiting teacher I had before the mission didn't come for 9 months. I had taken her to lunch when she moved into our ward and thought I would make a friend. She announced that she was disappointed to move into a ward with so many skinny blond women. She informed me that she didn't EVER do her visiting teaching. She held to her word. She was made RS counselor and got up and preached to us all at the VT conference that year. I laughed all the way home...to be fair to her, I gave two of her daughters piano lessons one before and one after the mission..she cheated me both times and wouldn't pay the full amount. The second daughter just stopped coming...no phone call...no check...nothing....I get a kick out of being ignored in the hall at church. LOVE it! I could write an entire novel on THAT particular topic (members who don't pay for services.)

No...THIS year has been special. I am truly SPOILED!!!!!! Next week I go to California to celebrate my youngest brother's 50th. My other brother will fly out too and we will have a BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA! Shopping and eating in Cali is always a treat.

MISS USA...only Liberals need apply?

I am taking these comments from One News Now that arrive in my inbox on a regular basis. I agree with everything this commentator has to say....

Only two years ago, Miss California, Carrie Prejean, the runner-up in the national contest, claimed she lost the competition because she affirmed traditional marriage when asked by a judge about same-sex "marriage."

This year the question was asked of the women..."do you believe in evolution?" Only two of the 51 contestants answered in the affirmative, with one of those two winning the competition.

Discovery Institute President, Bruce Chapman, states....that the women get "walloped" with a political litmus test at the end is disappointing. He also states,"it is unfortunate that the women who don't adapt to the judges' prejudices end up wasting their time, talent and beauty."

The right answer is the politically correct answer on the left....so why don't they advertise that only progressive liberal women need compete?

I also am shocked this week by the news that the State Department (Hillary Clinton) pulled strings to get Lady Gaga to perform for a Gay Pride Activist Concert in another country. Bill and Hillary were notorious for supporting NOW (National Organization for Women) at the United Nations Conferences on the family back during their presidency. NOW has a goal...to undermine the traditional family and to promote ABORTION.

If you have not seen the "INSIDE JOB"....run do not walk to your nearest Redbox rental or Netflicks and WATCH VERY CAREFULLY.....warning....it will upset you.

Faeries

This is my DREAM playset.....for the grandkids...of course! The only draw-back is that the house doesn't have a door that opens, etc...it is just for looks. The faeries have to play...outside. This is WAY too much money for me to spend.I know you want to know the price....all three sets are shown....well over 300 dollars....like I said.....too much.
One of my most favorite online companies sells children's books and toys . I have drooled over their cover art for years. Now...this week....news that the artist is selling the 11x14 prints for 40 dollars each...OH SO TEMPTING! This is just the first of three that I love....I HAVE to do things in threes....
Oh so lovely....PINK! Can I picture this in my toy room or a new grand daughter's nursery....OH YES I CAN! You will notice that there are books in each picture....and I DO love BOOKS!
Love pastels. Once read an article in the Wall Street Journal about astrological signs affecting choice of color...OH YES..... I AM DEFINITELY A.....MOON CHILD! I need to get a job.... LOL!

Happy News!

Hooray! Just got word a little before midnight. Simona's parents were granted their visa to come to the US. Heavenly Father heard our prayers. Now these grandparents can feel more comfortable to leave and serve the Lord!

WHOOT! This was the confirmation I was seeking. We'll figure out the rest later...I am so proud of my children. I know that they are able to carry on without relying on their Mom and Dad. They are self-sufficient and independent and hard workers. They are all serving in their respective callings and getting promotions and doing SO WELL! The Lord continues to bless our family. This is the BEST news for Simona!!!

This good news makes up for a lot of the heartache of the past year or so. Her parents have been denied by the American Embassy in the past and she has been devastated. We are so anxious to have them come and get acquainted. We have enjoyed our web-cam experiences and emails.

Happy Birthday Kendra McCall!

Lara saw this cupcake game online (pin the candle on the cupcake) and didn't want to spend the money....SO Grandma Gigi copied and made her own version the night before....I love pom poms....so I had to have some as part of the decoration. I cheated on the candles and didn't sew them but just hot glued felt to 2" dowels that Grandpa cut for me.
I found some awesome little LED lights at a cute boutique.....love the little lights... and pinwheels from the dollar store in Heber.
Okay....I think my camera is officially DYING....every single picture is blurry now. New camera coming on MONDAY.
Keira gave me a giant cupcake pan for my birthday last year. Lara used it for the first time and made that awesome rose on the top from a gumdrop. Such talent! I made cake pops in the shape of little cupcakes. Lara chose a cupcake theme for Kendra. Happy first birthday Kendra!

The Latest and Greatest

This is our LATEST favorite card game. Eli and Kale and Peyton really enjoyed playing with Grandma Gigi at the cabin for Memorial Day week-end. The girls played the Murder Mystery Mansion game and then used up the rest of the modeling chocolate I had made.
Sometimes I find something that just makes me laugh out loud! This is "King Candy" cake pops. I will have to make these soon. Today I am making cake pop cupcakes for Kendra's first birthday. I found the little cupcake mold online at Bakerella. Will post pictures of the party and the cupcake game we are making. The little cupcake mold is what is used for King Candy's hat LOL!

This Economy

Is this precious or what? My favorite doll shop is going out of business. I bought this bed 60% off. I also bought another line of doll furniture and got a darling little rocking cradle. Kendra gets this one and Anastasia gets the cradle. I can hardly wait for Christmas this year. It is tempting to give this to Kendra for her first birthday since I got it SO CHEAP! I love Lee Middleton doll paraphernalia. My favorite framing and art store is also going out of business. I am very sad today.......I feel so bad for all the shop owners.

Babysat Keira and Dan's boys for two days while they finished up their seven day cruise to Canada. We had lunch at Chuck E. Cheese. The boys loved playing all the games and winning the tickets to buy that cheap crap they have behind the counter. The dollar store has MUCH better junk....LOL! I think I should just go and buy some of those "tickets" and run my own carnival. Eli was ready to cry because he didn't earn enough points to have three Smarties....RIDICULOUS! I have a whole bag of that cheap candy at home in the pantry.....whatever Chuckie! I spent fifty dollars and you can't even give my little grandson THREE lousy Smarties.....has anyone heard the song called, "Chuck E. Cheese Hell?" I am not making this up...I was there today. Check it out on youtube.

Stake Conference

Elder Grow visited our Stake this past week-end and very emphatically announced that seniors should be serving missions. Hubby and I have already discussed this possibility. I find it interesting that after he spoke....people I don't even know ......sitting all around me start pointing their fingers at me and TELLING me...."time to go on another mission"....INCREDIBLE.

Hmmmm....isn't that little bit like asking someone WHEN they are going to have another baby? Isn't that kind of a private matter? I found it most astonishing that I got those remarks immediately after returning from my first mission....again....people in my stake that I barely know hitting me up at the grocery store, etc.... Oh well....more church "culture" at work.....LOL!

We recently had dinner with a couple Mark knew from work. They served in Scotland.....PR mission. The wife is now a Stk. RS Pres. somewhere in Mesa. She told me...."I HATE that question!" It's like asking a woman still in the stirrups after childbirth being asked when she is going to do THIS again....BA HA HA HA!

After all is said and done....we are so grateful for all the Lord has done for us and all His tender mercies to us and the bounteous life we lead....SURE....we WILL go again. Starting to prepare NOW. Gotta go....buh bye!

Busy Week

We had a busy week. We started off with the heart-attack scare and spent most of the night in the ER. That taken care of.....off to the cabin to deliver the newest "toy" and then Simona's baby shower. The girls made the darling diaper cake and I made my first cake pops. I made "baby" pops with pacifiers in their mouths along with some sugar cookie blocks and chocolate babies on top. It was a fun day with a trip to Paradise Bakery for all the girls and then unwrapping gifts. Uncle Perry and Aunt Gina sent a beautiful "Star Bright" play station and teething toy. Uncle Perry always "trumps" us all LOL! I made my first "tied" quilt and it is so easy that I am now committed to making some more! I have done hand quilting but never this kind of quilt. So quick and fast and easy.......A good time was had by all and it is so fun to see Will just BEAMING!

Canning Class

I was asked to "fill-in" for two guest speakers who couldn't come to our RS meeting. I have canned chicken, beef, tomatoes from the garden and apple pie filling. I decided that I would try something unusual after Mark came home from the Temple to tell me that a Sister there has canned butter. I found a recipe and tried it as well as cake. I always half the recipe when I experiment, so I use these small 8 oz. bottles. I tried Apple Walnut Cake and Walmart generic butter, the recipe states that cheaper butter has to be shaken more often.....mine was EASY and was done in less than a half hour. The University of Arizona Extension Center does not recommend these methods and using eggs and butter in any form. However, when I find that other women have tried it and posted on their blogs.....I forge ahead FEARLESSLY!

I am going to consider these my little science projects for now and will keep an eye on them on my pantry shelf. My recipe states that the butter will keep for 5 months. I got a call this morning from a woman who said hers have been opened after 3 years and are perfectly FINE!

Now my next project....getting my solar oven to produce bread and rolls......

Candy Clay

AH HAAAA! My camera is NOT broken...hubby forgot to check the memory....it was FULL ....so we only have ONE picture from our Easter Party.

I am always stealing ideas from other people and always excited to try something "new." I have had two gingerbread books authored by a woman from back East. She had her phone number listed so I called her and she mailed me little "cutters" for windows. Well, she also had some other recipes in the front that I neglected for years....one of them was for modeling chocolate.

I recently bought some darling chocolate molds and found a British woman who shared the exact recipe calling it Candy Clay. The kids LOVE it and it is so easy to make.

RECIPE for CANDY CLAY:

1 package of Wilton Candy Melts (10 oz.)

1/3 cup light corn syrup

You really should have a double boiler to melt chocolate but can improvise with one saucepan sitting over another saucepan filled with boiling water. Just make sure that no steam or water gets into your chocolate or it will "seize" up and become hard and unusable.

Michaels carries the colored chocolate in packages made my WILTON. They are 10 oz. packages in many varieties. This week they were on sale from 2.99 a package to 2.49 a package. If you save your coupons you can get 40% off the 2.99. Start with a few simple colors like white, blue, yellow and pink.

Blue is great for little birds.

Yellow for ducks and flowers.

White

Pink

Okay....the British lady also gave a "tip" for creating flesh colors. You can't add liquid food color but can purchase powdered colors to add to chocolate. I can't find FLESH colored powder anywhere... her little tip is.........you won't believe this.....ADD PAPRIKA to make a flesh color. Just sprinkle a tiny bit at a time until you get the results you want.

To your melted chocolate....add 1/3 c. of white corn syrup. Stir around and watch the chocolate start to bind together. Only a few minutes and then you can place in a bowl on the counter to cool a bit to handle. As you knead the cooled mixture...don't wait too long....I tend to get in there and tough it out a bit.....the mixture will ooze liquid as you knead. Keep newpapers or paper towels to catch this liquid. You MUST NOT put it down your drain. It will clog up your drain. Throw excess with paper towels in the trash. Your compound should still be warm and pliable and FUN TO PLAY WITH. You should let it cool more for little ones. Keep on the counter. Do not put in fridge. Wrap in plastic wrap. Overnight it will harden.....all you have to do is pull off as much as you want and begin to knead and warm in your hands and you will have a wonderful product. Hint....you can make this stuff ahead of time.

Any book that teaches how to make figurines....like the books for FIMO clay, etc... will show you loads of ideas to mold animals, people, etc... move over Cake Boss!

I bought some BABY molds and the flesh color is AMAZING. I have little chocolate babies that look like something out of an Ann Geddes photograph. I am going to surprise Simona at her baby shower with these. Will have camera ready this time..... I have already added little wings to one of my babies and it looks like a butterfly baby. SO EXCITED about this I can hardly sleep!!!

Easter Saturday

Well...we celebrated Easter on Saturday so the kids could run around and be "rowdy" in the back yard. We dyed eggs....we hunted for eggs....we threw egg water balloons...we ate "deviled" eggs and we broke open a duck pinata. We made cornflake "nests" with the kids using Grandma's modeling chocolate to make little blue birds to sit on their nests filled with jelly beans. Everyone brought food...it was dubbed the BEST family party so far. I bought little pin wheels from the dollar store and they looked so cute in the breeze as they surrounded the back yard. Our favorite little hummingbird joined in the party....all those kids running around didn't seem to scare him away for a second. He likes to hover about six inches above our grass. We have to give him a name .....he is practically the family pet now!

My camera is broken ...so no more pictures for awhile.....

The Pageant

Here's a picture of Simona (her first time to the pageant) and Keira's mom (acting in pageant.) You can't really see Anastasia Sofia...but she went TOO! She did a lot of kicking and made her mom VERY uncomfortable! I think the sound system went clear through to the womb.....

Yes....I did it again.....I sacrificed MY body to sit in the broiling sun for three hours so that my family members could have a great seat at the Easter Pageant. This year the pageant had HUGE banners that read.....

NO RESERVED SEATING

I thought that was really nice....so that all the people who come late can just march up to the front and have the best seat in the house.....except for one MINOR detail. There was a rope right behind me blocking off an entire section of seating. Everyone who passed me asked..."who are those seats for???" As if I would know.....I mean....I was not sitting in them myself, or anything like that....

I anxiously awaited the V.I.P.s ....they showed up about one hour before the start. Once they were settled I leaned over and asked them....."who ARE you people???" They got big grins on their faces and told me they were "VISITORS from Tempe." I said, " well, I didn't think you were beamed down from a space ship." Then the smart aleck (there is always ONE in every crowd) answered me, "how do you know we're NOT aliens?" I informed him that I do not go to those scary movies, so I really wouldn't know.

I always find it refreshing when there is someone out there as sarcastic as me.........I did happen to over-hear the name Sterling, OVER and OVER and OVER again....He is the person responsible for reserving all those seats.....I asked the hubby (who arrived MUCH, MUCH later)....would it be Sterling Tanner? Sterling Hilton? Sterling Trump? Sterling Gates? I need to get acquainted with this person....then I might not have to roast my little rump in the sun next year.

Movie time!

We took the grandkids to HOP. Had to walk out before it was over....too bad. The factory scenes were cute though. The rest was tedious and didn't capture their/our attention. Despicable Me was better.

Saw the Conspirator directed by Robert Redford. Great movie! Recommend it to everyone.

Just started reading the Cleansing of America by Skousen. It came highly recommended, can't wait to "dig in."

Spending the day with Simona tomorrow...she will take her driver's test. GOOD LUCK! I can't even imagine going to another country and having to take a test in a new language. She is one amazing person!

Charity Baskets

I crocheted 50 baskets for Relief Society. Using the illustration of the little boy with the baskets of fishes and loaves, I encouraged each Sister to take her own personal basket of kind words and deeds and allow the Savior the increase what she already has and "feed" those around her with acts of charity. I added Marjorie Pay Hinckley's quote: "There is no such thing as a small act of kindness." I put in some sugared almonds just for the fun of it. I had left-overs....so Sonia's chandelier got hung with a dozen and today Mark and I will sneak over and hang a dozen on Dan's tree for his boys. Mark had to cut the beautiful ficus tree way back because of the frost damage. It looks so barren. Hopefully the little baskets will cheer things up a bit. I added

small boxes of gum from the Chinese store and candy corn for his boys.
Here is Dalton pitching! Babysat Sonia's kids all week while they went to San Francisco for their anniversary along with two other couples. We had a busy week with ball games and pack meetings, etc.... Dalton and Sutton are both the consummate athletes. Peyton is right behind them. Ashton is a precious little girl who has many friends and I am so pleased with her progress on the violin. Ashton and Dalton were perfect little helpers to Grandma who had to figure out the computer, heating-cooling system and other random appliances....I didn't master the alarm clock but woke up each day at 5 am...so didn't really need it LOL!
Sutton (in the middle) played several positions and both he and Dalton hit home runs!
Forgot to buy milk one night and so the next morning had hot chocolate and peanut-butter toast. Here is Dalton leaving the crusts behind.....I didn't flunk out every day. We also had french toast and scrambled eggs on other days.

Spring Flowers

I just love daffodils. They grow wild along the roads in Scotland and Wales. I have glued together the bottom two pieces of inexpensive milk glass that I find in antique stores. I turned the candy dish upside down and glued it to the little plate. I always try to find pieces with holes to wind ribbons through. I then took the lid off my hobnail cookie jar and put flowers that were 60% off today at Michaels. This week has cooled off and been just wonderful with rain on Monday and expected again tomorrow (Saturday.) I have had the windows open all week. I LOVE FRESH AIR!!! I needed a new bouquet for Relief Society.

The Garden April 2011

After paying $2.88 per pound for squash and zucchini a few weeks ago...hubby quickly planted them in our garden.
We have tomatoes every year and they are a FAVORITE! They make THE best salsa and tomato bisque soup!
These grow boxes have served us for quite a few years now. Mark has figured out how to pick the lettuce without removing the root so the plant just keeps on producing....GO FIGURE!

Easter Baskets!

These are the ONLY glitter eggs I could find this year and they don't open up, but they sure do make my new fringe on my baskets look smart!
I've been crocheting these for years in pastel colors....I decided they needed a new "look" this year and found some fancy yarn. I used to hang them out front of my house in my little crepe myrtle tree with pink blossoms. Now I keep them mostly inside on my tree from Pottery Barn.
This yarn is called FIZZ!
This yarn is called GUINEVERE and looks almost like little eggs around the edge of the basket.
This one is called CARNIVALE from the Italian collection, in fact, all of my fancy yard is made in Italy. This one is not being made anymore...and, of course, I got the last skein the store had. Leave it to those Italians to make fancy purses, shoes and .....YARN.....I LOVE IT! This yarn has a little glitter in it and goes really well with glittery eggs. I never thought I would stoop to glitter at Easter....but.....a girl can change her mind, right?

I really like the little bits of ribbon that stick out....like twigs in a nest.

Mark's 65th birthday!

Mark's birthday bash.....I decided to do mostly Costco food (for the first time ever.) This girl is tired of working on Sundays. I made whole wheat rolls the day before and prepared the baked potatoes. Sonia brought the chicken and Simona did her fabulous Romanian potato salad. Keira made a fruit bowl and Lara knocked out the appetizer.
I did take pity on Will and made gluten-free cupcakes. The mixes are improving all the time and these tasted like the "real" thing. The grand kids didn't notice a difference. I made my own white chocolate frosting and the cute little nests are from Walmart. Most of the family hates cake and prefers pie....so he got birthday apple pie this year.

Grandpa with his grand babies. The kids had a blast in the back yard with the new volleyball net and other games. They made candy necklaces for their craft time. I decided to save the little duck Pinata for our Easter gathering.

These kids LOVE their grandpa. Too bad John, Sylvie-Faye , Chloe and Zander are having to miss out. We love them and miss them.

Mark got lots of well wishes... Uncle Morgan called and left a voice mail singing..."I don't want to set the world on fire." That was good for a laugh...I couldn't believe he knew all the words. I mentioned that he only went off-key at the end....he said he was struggling not to bust out laughing.

Happy birthday Mark! YOU ARE LOVED! This girl mowed the lawn for her hubby since he was exhausted this week from Scouts. He remarked that I mow better than he does......OH NO.....I'm not falling for that line.....but I DID leave nice neat little rows that looked pretty sharp! Grandpa got a nice back rub from Grandma too! More surprises tomorrow....this is turning into a birthday WEEK!

Celebrate Grandchildren in 2011!!

Here are some cute ideas to celebrate SPRING....We are having not ONE, but TWO new babies in 2011!

WHOOT!

So far....the one coming in August is a GIRL!!! YAY! The one coming in November????? We will have to wait on that announcement! That will make a total of 15 for this year, anyway. We'll see what the stork does in 2012.......