ALOHA!
WE ARE ON A HAWAIIAN CRUISE!
We will miss you...
True or False?

SUNDAY SIX

This week I feel GRATEFUL for many Gifts Heavenly Father has given me.

1. At the top of the list are my PARENTS

This week my dad fell and fractured his left hip. He is awaiting surgery in Loma Linda Hospital. Mom is by his side. Waiting. My gratitude is boundless to them and for them, for their love, their goodness and for their steadfastness.

2. My parents' love for each other is a great example to me, their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and ANYONE who knows them. While Dad was lying on a gurney in the emergency room, in pain, he asked for a blanket for Mom, he worried that she was cold.

3. This is the LOVE of my LIFE! Craig. He is MY Miracle Man. I am constantly amazed at his goodness, wisdom, humility and how much he loves me. He brings to my life just what I need to be more. He is everything to me. Thank you, Heavenly Father.

4. Children, Grandchildren, brothers and sisters...I love them so. This week I received many phone calls wishing me Happy Birthday from these beloved people.

5. Friends! I wish I dared put photos of all the friends who have contacted me this week to wish me a Happy birthday. Whoever thought of celebrating birthdays deserves a BIG Thank YOU! It is wonderful to be remembered.

6. The Plan of Salvation. Today I taught the Relief Society lesson on this most important subject. Joseph Smith described the The Plan as "a most precious morsel", a "supply of strength" and suggests that it should, "occupy our strict attention and be regarded as one of heaven's best gifts." My thoughts, words and deeds are truly shaped by my understanding of God's plan for me/us.


I hope wonderful Gifts come the way of each of this coming week and that we RECOGNIZE them. God Bless US!

56th Birthday

Today is my 56th Birthday!
I made a list of 56 Reasons to Rejoice!
But, the list isn't complete.
I keep thinking of more Reasons.
I feel so blessed.
That's because I am blessed.
We all are.
Some are blind to the Miracles they Receive.
I SEE MIRACLES.
So, I REJOICE EVERMORE!
Yet, I know I don't see them all.
My prayer is that I will SEE More Clearly HIS Hand in my Life.
And may you!

Micah is a Soccer Player

Micah attended his very first soccer practice today.

Before leaving the house he willingly posed for photos
with the press (Grandma).

Daddy took him to meet his new team.

When told to get in a circle the team of 3 year olds
didn't know what that meant.
There is a lot to learn about soccer when you are 3.

Micah's favorite part of the practice? TREATS!

Princess Rapunzel's Birthday Tea Party

All dressed up and waiting for the guests Princess Rapunzel (Makayla) and I posed in front of the castle for our photo. The Princess is wearing her very favorite dress. She has loved it for about 3 years. She has other dresses in her closet that are more Princess-like but they were not chosen for this event.




This darling Tea Pot cake was the centerpiece to the table.
It was created by Lori, Makyala, and Me





Makayla was such a good hostess. Her friends all had fun. She made sure the games they played were fun. She accepted her gifts with graciousness. She was adorable.
We Love Each Other!

I'm going to Play Grandma
So I will be
out of state for a few days.
Bye BYE!

I will be attending Makayla's
Princess Rapunzel's Tea Party Birthday!

Yes, I packed my princess dress and jewels

SUNDAY SIX or SEVEN

1. Makayla attended kindergarten for the first time on Wednesday. It was an emotional day for her. Walking away from her mom and little brother that day wasn't easy to do. She felt sad BUT she knew she was beautiful. She had slept all night with rollers in her hair. Daddy let her use his pillow so she would be especially comfortable. With her pink backpack and lots of darling curls she was ready for school. As, her mom says, "Only 12 years plus college left."

2. Micah (Makayla's brother) attended Pre-school for the first time on Wednesday. He hard a very hard time waking up for his big day. He had to walk all the way to Pre-school. Which meant walking through his backyard to the backyard of the neighbor's and then inside their house! With Play-Doh, coloring, stories and bubbles he was thoroughly convinced that Pre-school is fun.

3. Entering the BLOG world has been a big deal to me. I love journaling but that is personal. To BLOG is to be open to others. That is NOT easy for me. This feels BIG. And there are rules to learn...like be sure to check all your friends blogs daily because important things happen you might miss....like there may be an award waiting for you (Thank you, Lura!)! And now I see my life as..."Oh, I could BLOG this rather than, "oh, that was nice." But, it is wonderful to expand my world and embrace friendships more fully.

4. Craig and I went on one of our favorite dates of the year. We always look forward to this event. We mark our calendars months in advance and don't let anything interfere. We talk and plan and imagine what it will be like this year. To tell you what it is ...well, that puts me in position to be mocked or who knows what. So, I'll let it go at that. But, we did have FUN. See, I do struggle with total openness on my blog.

5. Shannon and I met to look at fabrics. She wants to redecorate her already darling master bedroom. Whatever the reason, we were together. That is all that matters. My children are my best friends. Well, I have lots of best friends but they are the BEST.

6. Number 6 already? I need more! I loved to get to hear Sarah Palin... did you? Wow. She is dynamite.

7. I am involved in a political issue that is dear to my heart. I have been walking my precinct and calling voters and doing other support from home things. It feels wonderful to be involved in upholding Truth and Righteousness. YES! On Prop.8!

Pears and Peaches

What would you do if you suddenly had many pears
and hundreds of peaches?


Eat many? Check that one off
Slice them on cereal Yep.
Put them in our Isagenix shake? Ummm Delicious.
Peach cobbler? Check that one off THREE times!
Then what to do with the leftovers?
How about...............................And there is MORE in the Freezer!!!!!

Grandma's Magic Trick

Yes, this is my Magic Trick. Steele has been the magician in the family for years and years. I have given him some competition with this pie.
It tastes like APPLE PIE
It looks like APPLE PIE
It smells like APPLE PIE...but is it?
NO! There isn't an apple to found in it anywhere.

It's Zucchini Pie!

Even when the grandchildren found out the secret they still wanted second helpings.

I KNOW you want the recipe so here it is!

Z'Apple Pie
5 c. zucchini -peeled, sliced, remove seeds (every one...they are a give-away!)
Cover in water in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Make your own double pie crust or you can cheat and buy it.
Combine
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. allspice
1 1/4 t. cream of tartar (I don't know why-just do it)
1 T lemon juice (A MUST)
3 T. cornstarch
Add this to the zucchini and place on pie crust lined pie plate.
Top with 2 T. butter
Then enclose with second pie crust
Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes (this makes the crust flakier) then lower to 350 degrees and cook 20 minutes

Let me know how the magic trick works for your family.

Sunday Six

My dear friend Nancy has invited me to do the 'Sunday Six'. She chooses six things that have occurred during the week for which she is grateful. It is a way to look for Heavenly Father's hand in her life. So...

1. As previously noted in an earlier post I am so grateful to have had the Pendleton's and Littles visit us. We attended Sister Christensen's funeral. Knowing the eternal nature of relationships is a source of joy.
2. Our daughter, Rebecca's home was burglarized Monday. Although it is terrible, frightening and violating she and Ben are able to see God's hand in many aspects of the experience.
   
3. A black widow made it's home in my gardening shoe! Fortunately I spotted her before I stuck my foot in it. Craig squished her for me.
4. We harvested another watermelon. 33 pounds!
5. While visiting Mom and Dad I took notes regarding stories from their lives. I learned that my Paternal Great Grandfather died from the hiccups!
6. Kelli was our guest teacher in the 3rd hour of church today. With her charms and knowledge she taught us about the Word of Wisdom.
   

I am going a little crazy reading these books and not liking Bella. I am tired of her. I think I will pull out of the reading craze. What do you think?

Forever Friends

This picture shows Craig and I with 3 of our favorite couples in the world. Nancy and Jim Little ( photo- left). Nancy chose me to be her counselor in the Stake Young Women Presidency about 24 years ago. We have been great friends ever since. Sherrie and Reg Pendleton (to the other side of us) have been friends since we first moved to Norco 27 years ago. Reg and a few other men showed up at our new home to help move some heavy items in for us. Both of these couples deserted us by moving to St. George. Far right are Paul and Michelle Christensen. They still live here! We met them when we first moved here as well. They invited us to the ward luau just a week or so after we had moved in. Isn't that nice? We have loved them ever since.

We are bound to these friends in many ways.

• All of our children are friends with each other. Some are best friends.
• Vacations
• Church callings
• Phone calls
• Encouraging each other through life's bumps
• Rejoicing
• Dinners and lunches
• Valentine's Lunch--can't forget that!
• Children on missions
  
• Weddings!!!!!
• Funerals

It was a funeral that brought us together this time. Paul's darling mother passed away. She was 97+ years old and a widow for 37 of those years. At her funeral we were told that she never complained. Just that alone is a wonderful tribute.

Dear Elma Christensen, thank you for all of your loving ways. You were always a delight to be with. I picture you dancing in the arms of your husband. Smile.

Read a good book lately?

Have you read a good book lately? All of my daughters have been reading the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer (www.stepheniemeyer.com). Reluctantly, I joined them and now I can't put them down either.
Recently, while Lori was visiting from Utah Shannon came over for the evening. While the 4 children frolicked in the backyard we sat on the patio reading our books. Lori was in book one, I was in book two and Shannon in book four. In the midst of my gripping book I realized how preposterous it was that we were sitting in silence, each in our own world and not engaged in a lively conversation. When does this ever happen? I grabbed Craig to take our picture. He chuckled when he saw what we were doing as well.

"Baby Sitting"

These are the 4 'babies' Grandpa and I took care of from dawn to bedtime.

Rebecca's boys are in red shirts- Steele and Slater
Lori's are Makayla and Micah.

This was such a fun day.
We Played,
harvested the watermelon,
Steele did magic tricks,
and best of all went to the beach.

Farmer Kris

This watermelon is my
Crowning achievement as a
farmer.

The harvesting crew included: Steele, Slater, Makayla, Micah and the powerful muscles of
SuperGrandpa!

It weighed in just a few seeds shy of

40 pounds!

And it was Delicious.


Now that I am officially a FARMER I would like to speak in behalf of them all. This watermelon is proof that there is a God in heaven. All I did was plant a tiny little start, water and fertilize it and BOOM this appeared! It grew right next to zucchini --same soil, same fertilizer, water and such and yet it is green and pink and sweet and juicy! I basically did nothing. GOD is the Farmer!
REJOICE EVERMORE!

The Year Thus Far

Our Children, Parents and My Man

Craig is the love of my life. While a teenager I made a list of the attributes that seemed most important in a husband. Craig was everything on that list and more. As the years roll by more wonderful attributes emerge. I am so grateful that he chose me!