Remembering... 40 years ago

Sunday was Miss Fiona's 4th birthday and Grammie has earned the privilege of being the birthday cake baker! I love this new role! But, actually, it is just returning to a very old role; a 40-year old tradition.

My sweet Mama gave me her cake decorating books and tips (because SHE wanted to learn to decorate cakes) so I could make sweet cakes for my children. I've reflected at how very kind this was of her.

This was my first grand attempt for Tony's 5th birthday. He wanted a cowboy and Indians theme for his party. Back then, when money was so tight, the 5th birthday was the first one where we had a *friends* party for our children.

I went and bought a new decorating tip just to make all of these fun balls on his cake.

(This is the same tip that I pulled out Saturday to create Miss Fiona's master-piece featured in a separate post!)

As I scanned and edited these old photos, yellowed with time, I started having memories pour forth from these simple images.

I think this photo is the one that really got me. The casual observer only sees Tony and Bekah with his party cake and cupcakes for his friends party.

I see-

• my old Formica table with gold flowered chairs that we bought or acquired when we moved to our trailer in 1974.
• on the window sill is the start of the first shamrock plant I ever had. Mike had been at a week-long training seminar in Shalishan, Oregon in January and brought back the funny little bulbs for me. It is potted in a Lucerne sour cream container.
• also on the window sill is a start of my Mom's Christmas cactus, tucked in behind my stylish curtains.
• out the window I can see our 1970 Chevy Vega, parked at the curb. It was my favorite green.
• Tony's #17 jersey is one I made him. Mike's favorite number was 17.

And this one of my darling family.

• Amanda is 11 months old, Bekah is 3.5. I love how interested Tony's sisters are in his special gifts and how he is sharing the experience with them.
• our not-too-long green shag carpet.
• my little rocking chair from when I was a tiny girl.

I'm so grateful for these happy memories.


**
And as long as we are on the memory train I had to share these photos of my darling Tony and his 2nd birthday cake.

I like doing things ahead of time... doing things last minute stresses me out too much. Fortunately I learned this lesson early on in my life and usually avoid a lot of stress...

but not this time.

We'd only lived in Priest River Idaho for 3 months when Tony's 2nd birthday came rolling around.

(Isn't he darling? I love his sleepy morning face!)

Grammy, my Mom, got him this red wagon for his special day.

He's put his favorite toys and his special quilt, made by Auntie Ann, in his new ride.

I'd made a fabulous cake for him. It had homemade marshmallow frosting that came up in beautiful peeks with swirls of dark chocolate on the top and sides. I put it, for safe and secret keeping, on top of the refrigerator.

Imagine my disappointment when I went to get the cake and found that the heat of the fridge had melted all of the marshmallow frosting down around the bottom of the cake. Luckily I had it in a cake-cover-plastic-deal and was able to smear the, now milk chocolate, frosting back up over the cake.

Funny story, but here's the thing... Tony was thrilled that his 21-year old Mommie had made him a special cake for his special day.

I'm so grateful for all the memories that came pouring out along with Fiona's special birthday cake!

Happy Birthday Miss Fiona!

Somehow I've ended up with the wonderful job of Chief-birthday-cake-baker for some of my grandchildren. I love this job! The Mamas and, now with input from the birthday child herself, find a cake they want Grammie to duplicate.

For some wonderful, unknown reason I have been blessed with being a pretty good copy artist. I am so grateful for the many talents the Lord has blessed me with.

Camille and Fiona found the wonderful PURPLE party cake. The original had multicolored sprinkles that we couldn't find locally, but Camille and the Bitties went out Friday night and found a good substitute at Zonkos (aka Zurchers)! Sixlets.

Behold Miss Fiona's special PURPLE birthday cake.

This Bitty-girl was so thrilled when she found her wonderful cake, hiding under Grammie's make-shift cake carrier! (This is my great-aunt Esther's cake pedestal and it doesn't fit in my regular cake carrier so I yoinked a big plastic bucket I keep my Victorio strainer in. It is just right for a Miss Fiona to fit in, too!!)

We gathered in their backyard on this delightful late summer afternoon! Precious Sophie (and Jessica) brought Fiona this ballet costume. It was the PERFECT party dress for this wonderful girl.

Singing...

Inhale...

Blow...

Cut...

Dig in...

And the special ombre layers inside. (this is the same recipe that Bekah made for me on my birthday- Whipped Cream Cake)

This, THIS is a very happy and blessed Grammie...

64 y 25d

A common practice on grave markers was to list the person's age in years and days. My Mama, the original Grammy, died at 64y 24d.

This day, THIS DAY, I have out lived my sweet Mama.

I've thought on this so many times this last year. In April 1976 my Mom whacked her leg on the lawn mower and got a huge hematoma on her shin. Dr Batson told her she needed to take a few weeks off work and let it heal.

I was all in a dither because Miss Amanda was due mid-May. How could I manage without my Mama there? Finally, just days before I was due, Mama got the ok from Dr Batson to travel and my mind was at ease.

Since Mom lived several hundred miles away she took off when we called her to tell her the baby was on her way. She arrived in plenty of time to *take care of HER baby while I took care of my baby* (plus Tony and Rebekah). She mentioned, when she arrived, that her *gut* was getting big. She'd recently lost weight and couldn't figure why that should be. I, being all wrapped up in myself, just thought she was imagining it... she'd been off work for 4 weeks and couldn't stay busy.

Grammy, Bekah, Amanda and Tony

June 11, 1976

Mom's Aunt Ester lived in Portland, Oregon (we lived in Sweet Home, Oregon) and so after a couple of weeks of taking care of us she wanted to see her only aunt. She was gone for a few days and when she returned I notice that the blouses I'd make for her were snugger across her abdomen than when she'd arrive 3 weeks earlier.

That was the beginning... the first inclination that anything was wrong. After exhaustive tests it was finally diagnosed, from a abdominal fluid test, that she had stage 4 ovarian cancer. Prognosis- 6 months to 5 years.

REALITY- she died less than a year after coming to welcome Miss Manda!

MY MAMA WAS LIKE ME! (or perhaps, I like her). SHE WAS FIT AND ACTIVE AND VIVACIOUS AND LOVED HER FAMILY WITH ALL HER HEART! AND SHE WAS GONE!! Yup, and I was only 24 years old... my Mama's Mother died when she was 14. (I just can't like this!!)

So, as I said, I've reflected on this so many times as I go on my walks, work in the yard, serve at the Temple, tend my darling grandbabies... I'm living my Mama's last year of life.

And in true Elsie-fashion, even though she was dying, she filled her last few months with as many wonderful things as she could. Her last trip was to Ann's house for Andy's baptism in March 1977. Even though she and a friend drove to Utah she had to fly home she was so ill.

So, here I am... Grammie- 64 years and 25 days and doing just the kinds of things my Mama taught me to do... being a Grammie extraordinaire!

Fiona's #3 birthday cake

for her

Fiona's Purple Party

And...

And Grammy was here in spirit as I used her spatula-tor to frost cup-cake-REE-ouses!

I love you Mama... thank you for always loving your little-Joanie!

Liam's 1st Cake Smash

This little happy-boy is 1-year old! I can hardly believe it that this year has passed so quickly. So grateful for this wonderful, happy little soul.

Back in September, when Fiona had her 2nd birthday, Camille & Kevin's oven was on the fritz so I offered to make her cake. So I asked, ever so nicely, even though their oven is fixed, if I could make Liam's cake too.

I used little 3" cake pans to make this tiny layer cake for the birthday boy. Camille and I had talked extensively about color options (has to be chocolate frosting to show up well in the photos) so when I found this Fun-Fetti chocolate frosting I knew it would be the pip!!

I wanted that big-#1 candle to show up so how do I keep the frosting off the center of the cake? Erm... I looked around the kitchen and found that the lid to my big BeauMonte seasoning jar would just do the trick. I put it in the middle, put on the sprinkles, then removed the lid. Voile!

Daddy lit the candle, with help from Miss Bitty, and we sang that cake right into the front room to the birthday boy!

He was anxious to get at his cake.

His first taste was very tentative and timid.

But it didn't take long for him to get right into it. "This tastes pretty good!"

He made good use of the disposable drop-cloth Mama had the foresight to provide by doing some interpretive finger painting...

But not for long... this was way too yummy!

He got two fists-full of cake but would only eat off his right hand.

He even ended up with on his darling little toesies!

By the time Grammie took him away for his wash-off bath (with much protestations) this was all that was left of Grammie's masterpiece. And I couldn't be more pleased!

Lots of family came to witness this happy right of passage including Miss Emmy June (caught mid circus trick)

And Aunt Jessie, who loves all things baby! (I love this wonderful woman!)

I think Kevin summed it up best in this Facebook post-

My amazing son Liam turns one today and I'm feeling so incredibly honoured to be his dad! He makes me smile daily and I can't remember a world without him it because he makes life so much better!! Love you son!!

First Tomato for Daddy

Today is my Daddy's 118 birthday! Happy Birthday Daddy! I thought it was only fitting that I should eat this year's first tomato in his honor!

My Daddy was quite the story teller. We used to love to get him going on his stories.

He told us that he was a sickly little baby- kind of scrawny and puny. Back in the day folks in North Texas believed that raw tomatoes were bad for you (sad, I know!). His Mom had a bushel basket of tomatoes stilling on the porch and little Jake managed to get at them and EAT THEM! Rather than making him sick he started getting better almost right away. He always credited fresh tomatoes as the reason.

Jack "Jake" Homer and Francis Amy Caraway about 1897 taken by Fischer portrait landscape photographer

Birthday Beauty

Miss Bitty, aka Fiona, is 1-year old! Wow, it's been a fast year. She had the wonderful family birthday party in her lovely backyard (with perfect weather). She is such a dynamic little person! Her sweet personality just radiates.

She totally enjoyed her cake. Especially the frosting! Eventually she grabbed a handful of cupcake after she'd eaten most of the frosting and was so frustrated that she had cake crumbs all over her frosting-y fingers. Grammie to the rescue! I wiped off her hand and she was good to go for another round.

This little girl brings so much joy to all around her.

And if you needed more proof... just look at this!

Seriously... does it get any better than this? We are so blessed to be near to so many of our grandchildren!

October Birthdays

... and, boy, is it crowded!

You know how they say a picture's worth a thousand words? I knew we had a lot of October birthdays... but it wasn't until I turned the page on my calendar that Camille made us for Christmas that I realize JUST HOW MANY!!



Roxie, Camille and Jessica blowing out their birthday candle...



And Uncle Stuey, with help from Roxie and Sophie (Actually Sophie changed her mind when she got up close and personal with the candle. But no worries- Uncle Stuey was there to save the day.)

Joanie's Big Day

Let me just start by asking, "How can Little Joanie be sixty-years-old?" I've always been the baby of the family... even now I have people say, "You're only 60? Try it from here!" Ah well, 60 is the oldest I've ever been!



On my actual birthday Ann and Wayne came up to go to dinner with us. It was very nice to spend this day with one of my sisters who *prayed for me*!

Since 3rd Sunday Family dinner was this weekend Camille asked if I wanted her to make a Pig Pickin' Cake (cha! YES!) Stuart went digging for candles and the best selection available was a *6* and then a *0* made of mandarin oranges!



Everyone sang *Happy Birthday to Joanie/Mom/Grammie* complete with some harmony by Kevin (I love harmony!)

And as exciting as turning 60 might be for me... it couldn't hold a candle to Uncle Stuart and a swarm of ants on the patio!



This is the second time they've done this!



Which isn't a very smart move... what can I expect? They are ants!

Gordie-boy's Big Day

Somebody had a birthday. Guess Who? Gordie-boy!

THE OLDEST AND YOUNGEST MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY- GRAMPY AND CHLOE

I asked Gordon if I could mention how old he is and he said, "No, but you can say Medicare paid for my last doctor appointment!" Then I looked at this photo and thought- duh... no, mystery here.

Stuart cooked up a surprise party for his Papa. He arranged for everyone to show up at 7 pm. I quick scooted Harley outside (he's not good at keeping things on the down-low) and all of these people sneaked into the house, downstairs and were standing behind Grampy playing at his computer. When they started to sing "Happy Birthday" it startled him! "That was a good trick!"