Happy Bakers

It's been several months since I've gotten to have the Bitties at my house for Grammie day, I usually go to their house. There is something wonderful about welcoming them into MY domain. As I was walking this morning I thought, "What should we do today?" Mama was bringing the trolley (double stroller), but it looked like rain. I decided that baking bread was always a good idea and we haven't done that for over a year.

They arrived just before lunch so I had frozen bing cherries waiting for them on the counter (which needed to be warmed up, too cold!) Fiona was delighted with the purple cherry juice left in the bottom of her bowl (and Grammie was delighted with Liam's remaining cherries!) But as soon a sausage appeared on the counter it was all about the sausage for Liam!

 

Now I have to tell you about the sweet little apron that Fiona has on in this pix! A couple of weeks ago I got a surprise package from my sister, Sue.

As soon as I saw my old ducky apron I started to cry! I wore this so many times when I was my Mama's A#1 expert helper! So many sweet memories flooded back. I was so pleased that Sue still had it these 60+ years later! (I likely gave it to Cindy when she was a little girl, that is where all of my favorite things went!)

We had a little play time outside... until it started to rain (Yay for rain!), but no trolley walk today!

When I suggested bread making Fiona was still too wrapped up in playing so my first assistant was this very able-bodied boy. Both of these children are so smart and capable! He unwrapped the butter all by himself (Hiam do it! Yes, Hiam, he can't say Ls yet!)

When Fiona joined us a few minutes later she wanted her usual pink apron, "it's so beautiful!" And these obliging Bitties share back and forth so nicely!

They took turns putting in all of the ingredients (Yes, they used that word!) to make the dough! Every once in a while one or both of them would put their hands on their hips and say, "Hmmm!" Makes me laugh!! They did it all, even the egg cracking!

Grammie is always very liberal with tastes along the journey... isn't that what it's all about? Fiona did all of this spreading by herself! Such a confident big girl!

I gave them both a little knife to cut off tastes. Liam was so pleased to spread his own little sample.

 All told we made three loaves: one for eating now, one to go home with the Bitties and one for Grammie and Grampy to enjoy at their leisure! There was only about 3" left of that first loaf by the time we'd all, including Mommy, had our fill.

I revel in these marvelous times that I get to spend with my darling grandchildren! In the last two weeks I've had this treat with big (Ashton) and small (Fiona, Liam and Emmy). There is such a sweetness in being with these marvelous people.

I am such a blessed Grammie!

Lions, [No] Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Yesterday, for the first time in decades, Grammie went to the Zoo! Sweet Stephanie suggested that we take the little people to the zoo. What a fabulous idea! (My boys did an awesome job of choosing me daughters!)

The last time I visited Hogle Zoo was when I was a teenager! MY littles and I used to go frequently to the LA Zoo when they were children.

Our first stop was the giraffe exhibit! The middle-size giraffe was licking (yes, LICKING) the building. If you are able to zoom in you can see her dark blue tongue.

Just the size differences made me wonder if this was a little family. Plus, I've never seen such a light-colored giraffe as the licker!

I asked Steph to take a photo of me and she commented... how did you do this with your own three little ones. Well, I didn't go very many places when they were this young!

Our next stop was this huge stylized elephant statue. At first Liam wanted nothing to do with this behemoth. He is very leery of animals and stomping elephants in particular! Aren't these the most beautiful girls?

By the time we visited the statue later he was brave enough to get out and see it up close. I think it helped that when he saw the real elephants they weren't stomping at all, but napping! One was even lying down!

Our next stop was the lions! Yeah for lions! It was fun to see that there were several adult females, an adult male (or two?) and two juveniles, one of each sex. The little male was just starting to grow his ruff! So cute.

Camille's school just did a production of Lion King Jr (and they were the sound managers) so we discussed which lion was which character! This very agreeable fellow was lying right on the other side of this glass. The big muddy paw smear on his side of the glass was not lost on this Grammie!

 Miss Emmy also got a close view of this big boy!

Fiona enjoyed the animal statues almost as much as the actual animals.

THIS PHOTO!  There's a little deja vu here! (Seal watching.)

It is so evocative of one taken of MY littles almost 28 years ago... Spencer, Camille and Stuart at Disneyland August 1989.

The otter exhibit was next, but not an otter to be found. They did, however, find a dandy log to climb on and play peek-a-boo through knot holes. These sweet cousins, who are 19 weeks apart, often look like cousin-twins!

But this is the animal that Fiona most wanted to see! The paw-ler bear! This dandy girl put on quite a show just for *her* Fiona! She'd push off backwards and float for about 15 feet then...

flip over and swim back in the other direction on her stomach.

Back and forth, back and forth. I took a video of it and the kids eagerly followed her progress.

She finally got out, shook off and then relieved herself. "That paw-ler bear is going potty!" Fiona announced. (Which is also why we knew this bear was a girl.) We thought it very proper of her NOT to make peeps in the swimming pool!

Auntie Nie-Nie treated us to garlic knots at the zoo Beastro and a carousel ride, sans Liam and Grammie. Those animals are just too scary!

We had a lovely afternoon. And, not surprisingly all three babies were asleep within 5 minutes of getting into the cars to drive home.

The Blessing of the Temple

Today was my turn for sharing time. Usually I get started on it several days early but it totally slipped my mind until I was headed home last night at 10:30 after babysitting my littles. PANIC!! I knew this month's theme was the Temple and was so blessed and relieved when my topic was-

"Families are blessed through

sacred temple ordinances."

As I read through the sparse outline into my mind came exactly what I needed to share. My life would be so sad... so bereft of hope without the saving atonement of our Saviour, Jesus Christ and that through Him I have been sealed eternally to my wonderful celestial children! How could I possible go on without the hope of a glorious Resurrection? And an eternal association with my loved ones?

So I stayed up late and got up early so I could take my family with me to sharing time today. I found this wonderful snapshot was just perfect for showing my beautiful children at a very happy time. Christmas 1980 (7 months before Tony and Amanda died).

I also took along this photo that I put together back in December 2008. My Mama and Daddy... who love me and assist me from the other side of the veil!

When I talk of those wonderful temple blessings how could I not share their likeness?

Of course I get emotional when I share my deep faith and love for my family and the comfort I receive through the Holy Ghost. The spirit was so strong bearing testimony of the truths I was sharing...

Families Can Be Together Forever!

I made sure to identify to the children that what they were feeling was the Holy Ghost bearing witness to them than the things I was sharing are true!

After the closing song (Gethsemane led by several of my wonderful primary children... I was a mess) and closing prayer by Elder Oaks great-grandson, one very perceptive, precious girl (Zoie Smith) came and gave me the biggest, longest hug and thanked me for my lesson and testimony! What a sweetheart! She knew I needed that hug!

I am so blessed to be able to work with these wonderful children.

A Very Blessed Christmas

My Christmas was wonderfully happy and chocked full of family... which is what made it so happy. In a week's time I got to see most of my children and their families: it just doesn't get any better than that.

Bekah, Curtis, Caden and Brock came to Utah for Curt's grandma's funeral and we got to visit with them on the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas. It was heaven! First thing I had to get a pix with my *little* boys! I guess I'm just their little Grammie!

We had such a lovely time.

Bekah said it best in her weekly letter to Tadhg-

We were able to visit with Camille and Stuart and all their little ones at Grammie's house for dinner on Monday and Tuesday! That was the best part, being able to visit and get my baby fix. I was able to hold and rock baby Emmy for a long time and got some baby squeezes in on chunky Liam! Stu put Emmy and Fiona through the paces of his kiddy circus act.

Boxing day, or as it is known at my house- Dia del Boxeo, was a wonderful success. Spencer, Deborah, Riley and Annabelle arrived early that morning for a week-long stay.

My family is always so good helping me remember that I want to get a family photo before people start leaving. I almost like this one better than the first!

Annabelle came prepared to play in the snow. Her daddy chose just the right Christmas gift accessories for this beautiful little girl.

Riley and Chief spent a lot of time romping in the snow too.

The sibs got together frequently for fun activities. This day Deb, Spencer and Stuart had a trek up Hobble Creek canyon.

The next day the three couples went to the Payson Temple together while I had Grammie duties! When I saw these three precious faces sitting at my counter it took me instantly back to when their parents were lined up just so.

The next day they all went to the Zoo without Grammie... too cold for Grammie!

Teeny-belle, as her Daddy calls her, got to know her Grammie again. It usually takes a few days for her to warm up to her long-distance Grammie.

Fortunately, Riley knows his Grammie loves him and has no worries about crawling into bed with me in the middle of the night after a bad dream. Sweet Harley did his doggy-therapy-duties several nights for Riley snuggled up with him in bed for the whole night. Harley's good that way... he always know who needs his love. (Although Harley would never let me catch him in a photo op!)

This wonderful Christmas season started with taquitos for the Flynns and then again on Boxing day and ended with our traditional waffles with strawberries and whipped cream at midnight on New Year's Eve (even though we started early as soon as the waffles started coming off the irons at 11:45!)

It is the best Christmas I've had in decades! And I am very, very grateful for that rich and wonderful blessing!

These Women... My Besties

About thirty years ago these two women moved to Palmdale CA and into my heart.

JOANIE, HOLLY, PAULINE

APRIL 4, 2014

Stuart & Stephanie's wedding

Pauline moved to Palmdale in March 1985. She found out I was pregnant with twins and decided right then that she wanted to be my friend. I'd never had anyone *choose* me for a friend before, let alone someone who was prepared to help me through a very difficult situation... three babies in 21 months.

Holly moved in before that in 1984. She had a tiny boy, Tom, just 3 months older than Spencer. She lived just around the corner and we were walking buddies.

We had our yearly Christmas Eve party at Auntie P's house, worked together at church and were there for each other through all of the highs and lows that come to everyone. We were the constant for each other in that changing sea of life. We've seen the good, the bad, the ugly... and everything else in between!

Pauline, Holly and Sonja all have birthdays at the end of the year and started having a yearly November girls-get-away. A couple of years later they invited me to come along. If our friendship needed more cement, this was where it was formed.

SONJA, PAULINE, HOLLY, JOANIE

NOVEMBER 1995

Fast forward to this last week. My besties, sans Sonja, came for our girls old-lady get together (we don't have to get AWAY anymore!). We had the most delightful time. These wonderful sisters-by-choice loved on my babies, who now have their own babies.

JOANIE, HOLLY, PAULINE

JULY 24, 2015

Provo Temple to Temple 5K WALK/run

Holly said it best just before she had to leave for home.

"We have history!" 

We GET IT! 

We love each other! 

Now and for the next 30 years!

OMSH! I am so blessed to have this once-in-a-lifetime sisterhood with these marvelous friends and SISTERS-BY-CHOICE!!

Through the Garden Gate

Don't you just love it when a finished project exceeds all of your expectations? Boy, I sure do! As I was looking for fence ideas I ran across a gate on Pinterest. The minute I saw it I KNEW that was MY gate!!

It was one of those pins that make me a little nutty. It is to someone's blog in general rather than to a specific post. But, no worries, I knew we could pull it off even though this was all I had to go on.

You see... I have a secret weapon! My Kevin can build anything! And it's a bonus that his triplet brother, Ryan, normally joins the project! These boys men work together very well.

I wanted an arched top, but no arched bottom (too much temptation for a little dog). I traced the hearts and Kevin used his grandpa's old jig saw to cut them out with precision.

I'd like to say that this project went really fast. The actual building did but I didn't have everything as rounded up as I thought beforehand so there were some last minute errands to get those lose ends.

And what did Nikki and I do while the guys were gate building? I had a project of my own and Nikki is always glad to help out.

Thursday night was a Relief Society activity where one of my neighbors taught us how to make pizza on the bbq! OMSH was it ever yummy! And since this Sunday is Grammie dinner I knew I needed to do a repeat! I hussled up and found some unglazed terra cotta tiles at a local tile store to use on the grill as pizza stones. Compare them at $3.50 per 12"x12" tile to Williams-Sonoma's $29.99 for 4- 4"x4" tiles!

But now I needed the individual sized pizza peels. I asked Kevin if he had the tools to cut them out. Silly me, of course he did. (grandpa's jig saw!) So after a demonstration on technique I took over the cutting. And sanding!

Gordon insisted that I use a dust mask ("I don't want my baby to get sick") and I'm glad he did. For good measure I added my ear plugs.

Nikki did over half the sanding of the 18 pizza peels.

We made the dough earlier and by the end of our work day we were anxious to try out our newest creations! This easily rivals any restaurant pizza I've ever had!

And look at my beautifulness! I am so very, very pleased with my completed garden fence and gate.

Grammie's Boys

I realize that I have another blog post with this same exact title... but that is what these wonderful boys are! There is no other description.

These are the boys that taught me that I am no longer the Mommie-Enforcer... I am the Grammie-Spoiler-Lover. That is such a liberating concept.

I have more photos, at home in Springville, of this wonderful threesome but sitting here tonight in YLP this is the earliest photo I have access to (I think I will come back and add the others when I get home. If for no on else but me!)

This was the second cruise Grammie-duties trip. Look how small they are! Odd how fast children change in 6 years.

MARCH 27, 2009

Fast-forward 4 years and now 2 of the 3 are taller than their little Grammie. That was when I knew that I needed to start needing these pictures WITH my boys instead of just OF my boys.

APRIL 21, 2013

Not even a year later and look how they have all shot up! This photo has been the wallpaper on my phone for the last 15 months...

FEBRUARY 2, 2014

Until this one took over. OMSH!! Man-sized people who are their Grammie's boys! I am so pleased with the young men they are. Good, good people!

MAY 1, 2015

My next Grammie and boys photo will only be with two boys! Tadhg will serve the Lord for 2 years. He leaves on June 24th to serve in the Scotland/Ireland Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so grateful that he has made this righteous choice. I pray that he will be guided and protected as he shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love that he is returning the land of his forefathers to share his love of the Savior. I'm sure he will find cousins (whether they know it or not). I am so grateful that this love of Jesus goes back many generations... because that is what is all about.

Leprechaun Feet

Dieting finally caught up with me this last weekend. I'm normally a HORRIBLE dieter! I'm miserable and cranky. But, miraculously, I haven't experienced that until Saturday... I was cranky and irritable all weekend long! I mentioned this to Camille and she suggested that I probably needed to add some healthy fat to my diet-

Bring on the avocados!!

What the heck does this have to do with leprechaun feet, you ask? Did I eat so much green food that my feet turned green? No to both.

Rewind to Christmas (yes, I know... I'm moving in the wrong direction!) Stuart and Stephanie gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure at Stephanie's favorite place. I still hadn't redeemed it because my toenails needed time to breath after YEARS of non-stop polish.

In a non-fat way (remember the avocados and don't forget my new obsession with peanut butter and honey toast) to make an attitude adjustment I decided I needed to go to the Temple... so I did. (Sheesh, are you kidding me? Tell me about the stinkin' leprechaun feet already!!) I took my Christmas gift certificate with me so that AFTER the Temple I could finally go get my pedicure (see, I'm getting there at last!)

Before I got in my car at the Temple I looked at the address and saw that it was straight forward enough that I could just drive straight there- no Google maps needed. I found the shop with no problem and was immediately treated to the spa chair pedicure!

ANOTHER ASIDE-

Sunday, when everyone was here for 3rd Sunday Grammie dinner (this month was Leprechaun's feast!) I was holding a somewhat fussy Liam (not a usual condition for Mr Chill!) I laid him across my lap and was patting his back and remarked to Kevin, "Why do babies like this? Do you want someone pounding on your back?" We agreed, "NO!"

AU CONTRAIRE!!

I loved being pummeled by that massage chair! I even schooched WAY down in the chair so it would get right below my neck... Yup, and soaked my skirt!! Sweet little nail lady wrung it out for me!

And even though St Patrick's day is today I still got glittery, green toes. I LOVE GREEN!

I was the only patron in the shop most of the time and totally enjoyed being pampered. Finally I needed to take my still-somewhat-damp skirt and be on my way. I gave her the gift certificate and a tip folded together. She opened it up and looked at me kind of funny...

"This gift certificate is for the nail salon across street."

Maybe I still have some residual brain damage from dieting!

BUT win/win... I get another pedicure NEXT month!!

Certified [C]hunk!

We usually host 3rd Sunday Grammie-dinner each month. All of our local children are invited; some months we have more attendees than others. This month (and yes, I know that February 22 wasn't the 3rd Sunday) we had most of them here! Yay. After everyone had gone home Gordon said, "We had 23 people here tonight!" So we weren't surprised that there were NO LEFTOVERS!!

I so enjoy this facet of living near many of our children and grandchildren... and I always feel a longing for those that aren't here! I count this as one of my great blessings.

And even though there were 13 grandchildren here I only managed to get one decent photo- this little man!

His shirt, which you can't read, says CERTIFIED HUNK... but Grammie thinks it should have a C in front of hunk!

This is the first time that I've really gotten to hold him for very long. And let me tell you... this Grammie drank in every drop of baby-sweetness!

OUR Thanksgiving...

I've said it before (and I will continue to say it!)-

I would rather have

ALL OF MY CHILDREN

on any day than

half of my children, or stressed-out children on THE DAY!

And it is in that spirit that we always have OUR Thanksgiving on the Sunday before the actual Thursday Thanksgiving.

I am SO BLESSED!!

Our family just keeps growing and growing (look at all of those tall people!! And then there's Grammie! Joan, you really are that short!!)

We were joined by one of our adult grandchildren this year (boy can that make you feel old!)

The only thing that would make this a better day is for us to have our out-of-town children join us.

Here's hoping you and yours have as joyful a time as we did on our Thanksgiving!

Yosemite National Park- A Heritage Vacation- Day Three

Thursday we planned for a mule ride! I was very excited about this bit of reenactment! I've ridden a mule once before, at Mammoth Lakes in 1994 but apparently it was an atypical, cooperative mule! I love Grandad's description of mule riding...

"Every day we hiked to points of interest. The falls were nice and full in July and we explored them all as far as we could go. This [the trail to Glacier Point] is the trail over which the guides take their tourists by horse- or mule-back. We kept pace with them almost all the way up the trail; sometimes we would pass them and later they would pass us sitting down to rest. A mule is a very aggravating animal, especially on the trail. The guide would be up in front, mounted on a horse, and occasionally a mule would spy a nice green sprig off to one side of the trail, and the rider couldn’t stop him from getting it—which as very uncomfortable to the rider, who would have a hard time to keep from sliding backward out of the saddle. When this occurred in the middle of the line, it caused quite a jam and the guide would have to come back and get the mule to change his mind again. We saw one old fellow in this kind of a fix and he hollered bloody murder until the guide righted his mule again."

We were set for a 4-hour trail ride that started at 8 am. We needed to arrive early to watch their safety video and get our mandatory riding helmet. There were only 5 riders this day, plus the two guides. They had the mules all lined up on one side of the hitchin'-fence and told us to wait on the other side (the safe side) until we were matches up with our mule. Imagine my surprise and delight when they said, "Joanie, this is your mule, Elsie!" I won't lie... it brought tears to my eyes. What were the chances? Just a coincidence? I THINK NOT!!

Rebekah got paired with Melvin. We were assured by our guides that none of the mules were suicidal and to trust them. I loved watching Melvin's little mincing steps as he maneuvered his way on the trail, keeping my acrophobic daughter safe... even in the face of sure death!

But it was a close thing. About three-quarters of the way up the steep mountain trail the mule right in front of me stepped on the side of the trail as it maneuvered one of the many hairpin turns, knocking loose some rocks, which, naturally started a mini rock slide. Welp! Elsie decided to take exception with that! (And if you've ever been horse or mule back riding, you know what I'm talking about!) That 16-hand-tall mule turned on a dime that would make any good cuttin' horse jealous and started tearing off down the trail away from that evil mass of rock wedging her way between Melvin and Rebekah on the inside, uphill side of the trail pushing her puny friend and rider right up to the precipice of death!! Luckily I am an experienced horsewoman (oh, but mules are a different breed!) and was able to stop her in quick time.

Rebekah mentioned that her leg and knee hurt but it wasn't until later that we saw the extent of the damage... and this is before the bruising started to bloom.

But Bek cowgirled-up and we had a lovely view from the top.

We wanted our guide to capture our likeness, just like Bill and Elsie 102 years ago, but Elsie-the mule is a big girl...

and we needed a better vantage point so we could even see Rebekah and Melvin.

The stables are right at the base of Royal Arch, where Grandad and Grandma camped those many summers ago.

When we checked in at the Ranger’s Station, we were assigned to Camp 8 which is under the Royal Arch, which is within walking distance of Camp Curry, where they had an entertainment each evening, which was climaxed by the fire-fall from Glacier Point each night. Glacier Point is about 3,000 feet above the floor of the valley and each day they make a big pile of wood which is lighted in the evening and when it burns down, the embers are pushed over the precipice—thus the fire falls. Midway down the face of the cliff is a ledge upon which the embers fall and burn themselves out. A person at the top of the cliff cannot throw a stone or stick hard enough to fall on the valley floor, for the draft will suck it in so that it falls on the ledge every time.

ROYAL ARCH AS SEEN FROM GLACIER POINT

And it is where my mom, Elsie, was conceived.

ROYAL ARCH AS SEEN FROM VALLEY FLOOR

No trip to Yosemite would be complete without a photo of El Capitan!

And Grandma Elsie thought so too.

We saw several climbers scaling the face. We pulled out my 70-300mm zoom lens and could see them toiling bravely weighed down with way too much stuff! And, what, may I ask does one do when they have to go potty in the middle of a climb? It take two days and they sleep in a hammock set-up over night. Just one more reason I won't be doing any rock climbing!

And that's it... our wonderful heritage vacation. We had a lovely time. It was just the right amount of time.

And it only took us 2-3 days to get over the soreness of hiking and mule riding!

**
If you'd like to read more of Grandad's history you can find it here. The story about their Yosemite vacation begins on page 17.