Double Treat~

I'm simply delighted to cook banana bread in 

some VERY darling dishes...

.....My Polish pottery ceramic cookware.

The left ones are long and maybe 2 inches high, 

just perfect for tiny, small slices.

The other 4 with their darling patterns are about

2 inches high as well but shorter lengths.

Can't wait to eat some! :-)

Pistachio Pals~

Jim and Tyler LOVE pistachio's!

In fact here they are eating their 

3rd Costco sized 

bag of pistachio's!!! 

If Wishes Could Come True~

Tyler and Chandra shared the Turkey wishbone.

Unfortunately Tyler's wish might not come true,
(having a son)

since they yanked it so hard no one got the bigger

side of the wishbone...

More Family Game Time~

Well, we had plenty of game time all week, 

including Settler's Tyler won twice so....

...we started playing Sequence instead.

Bryce and Jessie's team won this one all the time.

FINALLY! A SQUARE Dishrag!~

I had some time to knit up at the condo and

I was excited I finally produced a SQUARE dishrag!

Chandra gets to take this one home with her. :-)

Pineapple?~

One of our group activities was eating the delicious

pineapple Jim cut up.

It was gone in 3 minutes flat!

YEA, SWEDES~

We happily enjoyed some of Jim's Swedish Pancakes

while up at the condo.

 Tyler and Chandra and "Sven" eating up.

 Jessie and Bryce eating their fair share as well.

Here's our great cook!

Great job honey!

Mountain Fun Has Begun~

Thanksgiving night in Silverthorne at our condo.

After a day of skiing and hot tubbing afterwards 

we spent our evening eating yummy Thanksgiving

leftovers and playing a game of "Settlers."

Tyler won...

Pre Thanksgiving Day festivities~

We decided we wanted to have our Thanksgiving meal

the day BEFORE Thanksgiving.  We didn't want the 

hassle of taking a whole meal up to our condo to cook.

 Before getting started on our joint cooking venture

we had to begin our day warming up with some

family game time.

 Nothing like playing Sequence while eating breakfast.

 Dad and Cody did really well, 

winning all their rounds.

 Chandra and Tyler got the candied apple cooking going.

 Everyone had to be part of cooking the home made caramel.

 I got started on the brownies while Tyler and Jessie

started dipping the apples.

 Chandra was working on her sweet potato recipe.

 I then got the apple pie going.

 Chandra tried to share the apple peelings with 

the backyard bunny visiting.

 Tyler got the apple peeler down real well.

 Bryce and Jessie were in charge of the mashed potatoes.

 Everyone's cooking up a storm.

 HAPPY THANKSGIVING FAMILY!!!

These are our very delicious LOOKING candied

apples we couldn't EAT!!!

The homemade caramel turned too hard, it would have

broken our teeth to try.

But they sure look pretty!

Diving buddies and "THE SIGNING!"~

We all went one night to watch Cody do some 

pretty amazing tricks at diving practice.

 Bryce joined the practice.  He's on the board here.

He didn't do so bad after being off the board for a 

couple of years now.

 Cody's on the board to show off some good dives.

 Cody signed his Letter of Intent for BYU after practice.

The whole club dive team was there to be a part.

 Coach Kev was the proudest of them all!

 Cody's diving buddy Matt.

And his other diving buddies Savannah and Grace.

Baby BUMP!~

Chandra and I went clothes shopping to

jump start Chandra's maternity wardrobe.

She had to leave church early last Sunday because her

skirt was so tight she thought she was squishing "Sven."

 Chandra modeled all of her new clothes for the guys.

Here she is in one of her new, cute dresses

that show off her cute baby bump a little more. :-)

Early Christmas for Cody~

Cody was surprised with an early Christmas gift.

 His own set of golf clubs!

Dad wanted to make sure Cody was set up to 

have some fun, serious golf time as a family

when we are in Arizona for Christmas!

Kaiser visit~

The Kaiser's and Grandma joined us for a Sunday dinner.

Afterwards Kendra, Grandma, and I did family

history work while the rest of the family played one

of our favorite games, Sequence.

Twinkie Craze~

After learning our local Hostess Factory, that makes TWINKIES, 

was going bankrupt we had to buy a couple boxes. 

Good thing I went to the store as soon as the news was out,

going back later the shelves were almost empty with

many of the hostess goodies being bought out.

Here's Cody and Jim enjoying their twinkie treats.

I had one and knew right away why I hadn't had

one in quite a few years. :-)

We were sure to send a box of twinkies in 

Kent's Christmas package. 

No worries about twinkies going bad if the package is delayed...

14th Sagebrush Invite-Cody's Last~

Saturday, November 10, 2012

14th Annual Sagebrush Invite

at

Metro State College

Denver, Colorado

 Matt and Cody, teammates.
 Resting in between dives.

Cody placed first on both  

1 meter and 3 meter boards.

Cody with Coach Kevin Sage.

One heck of a great coach!

Just Learning~

So, I decided to learn how to knit!

I LOVE IT!!!

No matter that I'm not good at it yet I still really, really 

like the process and feeling my fingers creating something.

For me it has been relaxing and rewarding.

My friend Jana has been a very, very patient teacher.

She is usually at my house once a week checking on me.

The first few weeks it was much more often.

Now I've finished my first project, that I started over on

several times.  It is definitely not perfect but it's a start

and I'm looking forward a getting better at this fun hobby.

Anyone need a crooked dishrag??? ;-)

It's My Birthday-NOT 50 YET!!!~

Saturday, November 3rd I turned 49!!

I'm excited because I'm not 50-YET!

My Mom and I share the same birthday and she turned the wonderful age of 70!!!  I had just a fabulous day spent with my most favorite person-my husband Jim!!  We started the day with a vigorous two hour workout, then played 9 holes of golf, afterwards we raked up some pretty falls leaves.  We followed all that with a  trip to one of our favorite burrito places then it was back home to watch some college football and be lazy on the couch, Jim ended up getting in a nap while I did some knitting that I am having fun learning.  We went for a Peanut Buster Parfait treat at DQ!  Our day concluded going to a VERY funny play at a music hall in Golden.  Our family and my sisters family took our Mom in celebration of her big birthday.

 We enjoyed a meal together.

 It was an exciting evening-and almost all of us were
"in" the play.  Shane's cute chipmunk cheeks got
pinched, Cody's hair got stroked and was then told
to comb it!  Coreen was almost picked up by a prince,
thank goodness her security guys were sitting on either
side of her.  Most impressive was Dad getting to take
Cinderella's coach to the ball!

He even go to dance

in the ball!  He made us proud! Hehe!!

Here we are after the show all smiles because it

was the funniest thing I had been to in a long time.

Happy Birthday!!!!

So, here are some of the sweet gifts and cardsI received for my 49th birthday:
I enjoyed, very much, the loving cards and beautiful flowers sent my way.  They had such kind and wonderful wishes and love shared in them.  Growing older with birthdays isn't so bad when I am reminded how many wonderful family members and friends love me.Lately my homemaker instincts are kicking in,could it be because I'm going to be a Grandma soon??? :-)I was very excited that Jim bought me a sewing machine and other sewing items to start up some sewing projects again.  As you can see I have already been busy sewing!  Jim also gave me a sweet Wee Forest Figurine that is a little knitting mouse.  My dear friend Kim took me to a lunch where we enjoyed a delicious salad.  She was always has such great taste and I love the darling sweater top and shirt she gave me.  Instead of wanting me to fell older she made me feel more distinguished with a chain for my reading glasses. Ha!  I absolutely LOVE my sweet, little praying wee forest mouse she gave me!  What a thoughtful addition to my collection.  I have developed a love of knitting and my friend Kris sent a knitting book to keep me learning!  I read my new book in 3 days that my thoughtful daughter Chandra sent to me.  And I have another sweet Wee Forest praying mouse to go with my knitting one!  Gift cards from my friend Robin to feel spoiled with will be enjoyed by our family.  What a surprise receiving an authentic Polish Pottery snowman plate, from the very city Jim and I have visited thelast couple years, from my Mom to remind me of cozy winterdays ahead and a lovely, SOFT scarf from my sister Kendra to keep me warm all winter long. :-)  The gifts are all wonderful, and I am enjoying each one, but more than that I feel so loved that my birthday was remembered by the people I love most!
Maybe growing older does have some benefits!

Spooky Fun~

Cody was up for carving pumpkins at home

one last time.  He figures he won't be home

next Halloween to keep up the tradition.

 Here is Cody, Jim's and Coreen's 

fun results of their pumpkin carving.

 Pretty good job!

Cody's 1st cousin, once removed, Adele was here

for the weekend and liked our pumpkins.

First Time Voting~

2012 Presidential Election has arrived.

Cody's first time to vote!

Hope he marks the right circles....

Homecoming Two~

Last night Cody was invited to Monarch's Homecoming

by his friend Maddie. It was very clever!

 "Dead" bodies on your driveway will definitely 

get your attention!

Maddie was just one of several supposed bodies

strewn all over the drivway...

 Once Cody "revived" her they came in for some hot chocolate.

It had been 84 degrees today and by 9:00 it was down in the 50's!

Looks like a fun date ahead, especially since Maddie

will not have to die to go. :-)