Fun(ny) Tuesday

This is rather random but on a busy Thanksgiving week seems appropriate.

And then, it's not unusual for me to be random!

You know I am a big fan of "thrifting".

Even a few weeks ago in Oregon I was thrifting. There was a grand opening

of a Good*will in Jody's town.

It opened at 7 a.m. and when we arrived, early the line was out of sight.

Guess I'm not the only thrifter.

When I found this, below I had to get it. It has some fancy French name that I've heard but don't remember. Mom always used one when she/we made applesauce. I imagine it could be used for "ricing" potatoes too.

This was no easy thing to fit into my luggage for the flight home.

Tonight was a quickie dinner and it's always fun to cook in this thrifting find. It's great for cooking pasta with the strainer insert. But we didn't eat pasta . . .

I steamed tamales, cheese and mild chilies. I doubt I'll ever make tamales from scratch and am just fine buying the fresh or frozen ones. Yum.

I found this funny while cleaning in the garage today. A fun school project Linny made in 1998...during her braces days. I sent her a picture, she got a kick out of it but said to pitch it. I did. I wanted to save it; silly me.

I spotted this funny at Tar*get. The end display was loaded with boxed amaryllis bulbs

but their timing is off...way off.

There were about 4 boxes where the bulbs sprouted, in a major way, and were blooming.

Can the store manager but a big discount sign up, now.

Too much work to get to so off the computer.

Hoping we all get our homes, hearts and food ready for a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Happy day, msk

Here's a little view of some of the things I've been up to the past couple of days.

Pictures of all the outside flowers will come later but I did

get this little rosemary plant and then found this cute pot at Wally's.

Rosemary grows so well outdoors but I wanted to try an indoor pot of herbs. I also seeded a couple of pots with basil seeds and hope when sprouted to bring one inside also.

Without exception I always set the holiday table with the best dishes I have. I do not have china and crystal but it still ends up looking really pretty with a little effort. Most years "the girls" beg for paper plates in order to avoid the big clean up and I refuse.

Well, look what I bought. PAPER. Nice looking paper. And I will probably use it but I could always change my mind. I stuck it in the old enameled, speckled roaster that I always put the turkey in.

Dear Kathy put on a really fun girls luncheon. We were all friends in an old ward and so many of us have moved or been assigned other wards (due to boundary changes) to attend.

Here we are from left to right:

Margaret B., Wendy T., Robin B., Sue G., Heather S., Lori V., Kathy S. and Myrna Z.

Do notice the cute fall banner Kathy sewed for the occasion.

Here's Heather's photo with her missing and me in it. Such fun friends. Kathy prepared a delicious luncheon salad brimming with feta cheese, mandarin oranges, fresh sliced strawberries and slivered almonds. Killer chicken sandwiches on bread "to die for" and pumpkin chocolate chip cake with chocolate ice cream on which she sprinkled my/our new favorite Saigon cinnamon. I would never have thought of sprinkling that on ice cream and it was soooo good. Do try it. I'm that sure you will like it.

We each made a treat to exchange and I got up extra early to make cinnamon rolls. In the drawing Heather got my rolls and I was so lucky to get Robin's brownies. Now, that was some brownie recipe and she will be sharing it with me soon...and of course I'll let you know when it's on KITK.

When I got home from the luncheon I cleaned the oven since some of that buttery cinnamon filling spilled over and how can something so yummy stink so badly....burning. Cleaned many of the windows so I'm on my way to being ready for

Thanksgiving, the family and friends gathering and a lot of FUN.

Happy day, msk

Post Gathering Pics

My but the house is quiet. I'm missing the bustle of the family and am happy to have these photos and memories. Wow, do I love this family.

A&A , please show this to O, he was so proud of his big jump.
Love having the gang around for endless games of You Blew It.

Great art work and paper airplanes abounded.

H's patience paid off.

We call this the Weaver Park.

Great dad's watching over their broods.

A Harry Pot.ter afternoon for B.

Last night I replaced the C7 patio bulbs with multi colored for Christmas. It adds such a fun touch to the patio.

Cooking With My Girls

We celebrated our Thanksgiving on Friday so D & L could arrive and join us from SLC.

Oh how I love cooking with my girls and eating with the family!!! I adore getting another apron picture.

Bountiful food and delicious too.

Time afterwards for a Funny Madre blogover by Trevlyn.

Kirby found a quiet spot. Love that open door weather.

P to relax and be adorable.

T and the boys to jump on the trampoline-notice the citrus on the trees.

And Andy to enjoy his last day with the stash.

I'm giving thanks you darlings came home for Thanksgiving!!!

Pilgrim Gratitude

Why did they come? They tell us plainly in the governing document they signed, the Mayflower Compact:

"For the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Christian faith, and the honour of our King and Country."

They wanted to worship the Lord in the way their consciences and their understanding of Holy Scripture led them, which included building a community in which they could daily live out their faith in Jesus Christ. They called their dangerous effort "an errand into the wilderness." Sadly, many of them died in that first terrible year. Hunger and disease took their toll. But the Pilgrims are honored because they did not give up. When their little ship, the Mayflower, returned to England, not one of their little band abandoned the call. They called on God to sustain them. And they accepted the timely help of the Wampanoag Indians, especially the English-speaking Squanto. Without this help, they might all have died.

I want to remember more than just the taste of our family stuffing and the yummy pies. More than the love that will abound with family around with the accompanying hugs and kisses. I want to vocally be thankful to those early pilgrims who sacrificed much including life for religious liberty. Thank's to you brave men and women. May we strive to be as brave.

Over the River and Through. . .

. . .SLC and Provo and Beaver and Panguitch and Kanab and Page and Cameron Trading Post and Flag (we old timers drop the staff) and Prescott and Camp Verde...you know that song, right?! These darlings are on their way this very moment. I am so excited and praying for their safe arrival. The two darling youngest girls will travel tomorrow...that same, long route, could I be any happier...well yes, there are still several darlings not here or anywhere near here and oh they are sorely missed!!!

And for the family enjoyment and giggle, an old photo from a past Thanksgiving in Tucson with Uncle Walt and Aunt Barb. What a lovely memory.

L to R: Jesse, Andy, SLK, Uncle Walt, Dad/Papa Ben. What great men!

There Kathy-that's all the time I can give to blogging :)

A Lot of Changes...

...and that's a good thing. After our concrete plans to travel to beautiful UT and delightful family gathering for Thanksgiving, all that family is now traveling down here. I am doing an overhaul of the two spare rooms that have been stuffed with food storage, crocheting and sewing projects, Christmas gifts, "the girls" treasures that are still around and all the do-dads from around the house that made room for the holiday decorations. I'm talking major overhaul. I thought I was just about finished when I remembered this morning that I needed to switch out the nice clean sheets for nice clean flannel sheets. That will keep them all so comfy and toasty. I wonder if they are checking the weather and noticing that our above normal temps are dipping to below normal for the Thanksgiving weekend and showers too! I like the cool weather but not when my northern darlings are coming down. Oh well. I'll stock up on firewood or at least phony firewood-I already have the marshmallows.

I'm really sacrificing here too. To make room for a turkey in my little freezer (actually for Christmas) I ate a W.W. frozen entire for breakfast. Chicken enchiladas. For the cause.

Off to the store and then home this afternoon for the really big chore, bathing Kirby. He has to be extra sweet and fluffy for the family and the holidays. This might be the last post for a while. We'll see. Did I mention the abundance of tears of gratitude I'm finding on my cheeks. Giving thanks. Bye and 3.

Sunshiny Heart

I've tried to approach November, the entire month, as a celebration of giving thanks. Sometimes our lives are easier than at other times, that's the reality of life. I hope you will join me in daily, repeatedly finding much for which to be thankful. Dig if needs be. I hope you will count my love for you as one of your blessings. Mom

Today. . .

. . I got up early and opened the windows and just about froze myself out!!! It was fabulous. So instead of getting a jump on the beautiful day I jumped back into bed and snuggled the covers up around my neck-it felt so good. Now I hope you will cut me a little slack here and remember all my early mornings with 6 kids, cooked breakfasts, early morning seminary trips and then the working stage. I think at this stage of my life I can jump back in bed for a brief time. It was really fun and lazy. I didn't stay in bed too very long. I got a couple loads of laundry washed and on the line, watered plants and took care of a little back yard work (doesn't that sound much better than saying I picked up dog poop!!!) and then Kirby and I enjoyed the daily walk. It was clear, blue skies and breezy. I'm so loving it and grateful. When I got home I decided that corn bread would go really good with the sausage vegetable soup I made so whipped up a batch. I'm a big fan of corn bread and though I've tried several recipes and liked them all, I always come back to the one on the Alber's Cornmeal box I have had for decades. Yes, I mean decades. I'm also a big fan of making this comfort food from scratch-most all foods from scratch actually. Most everything one can make from scratch instead of a mix is fresher, usually free of preservatives and saves you money. That all makes it worthwhile to me. With that finished I can have a little peace that dinner will not be rushed. I've been needing peace lately.

I also finished up the Giving Thanks decorations and most everything you've seen before except for these two new darlings. KMS made me the pilgrims and Trevlyn stitched me another wonderful holiday stitchery. I just love them and am grateful indeed.

This might seem silly to you but I am always exceptionally grateful when a friend will call me in need and I can be helpful. Becca, a.k.a. Daily Grapefruit, which I read with enthusiasm, called and was just home from the store and purchasing ingredients to make marshmallows and the clerk forgot to put the gelatin in her bag and did I have any she could borrow. You understand she was toting her little ones and baby Jane was asleep. It was such the right thing to call me. Do I have gelatin!!! Will you all please call and borrow gelatin. I have a lifetime supply. I can hardly wait to read Daily Grapefruit and hopefully see homemade marshmallows in cups of hot cocoa or do you call it hot chocolate. The first time I made homemade marshmallows was at Dorinne's house when we were teens. What a fun memory. Thanks Dorinne (not to be confused with daughter Dori).