A GRANDMOTHER REMEMBERS: My Son's Mission Call

My oldest son received his mission call on Friday, February 18, 2011. He will be serving in the Washington Tacoma Mission. He reports to the MTC (Missionary Training Center) on April 20. I am making up announce- ments (using his senior picture, too bad it isn't a white shirt!) to send to friends and family. It will have his address and the date of a farewell dinner.  I am so proud to be this wonderful young man's mother! He truly blesses my life and pray he will be able to bless many others while he is on his mission.

A GRANDMOTHER REMEMBERS: Valentine's Day 2011

A GRANDMOTHER REMEMBERS: My Family

I went to a scrapbooking workshop this weekend and this is one of the pages I made. I took these photos last November. I had everyone dressed up so I made them pose for photos.  I should do this more often. They usually dress for church every Sunday: maybe I'll start taking snapshots once a month or so just 'because'.

A GRANDMOTHER REMEMBERS: Pumpkin Carving 2010

Carissa had never used the tiny saws to cut pumpkins, so Nathan is helping out with her pumpkin. Naomi came to enjoy our annual family event!  

As you can tell, I didn't carve mine, but made a mummy . Believe it or not, that is a whole roll of gauze! The eyes are from a pumpkin carving kit from a couple years ago.

Natalie was busy hanging out with cousins, so she carved her bat the next day. The stinker would not let me take her photograph.


Nicolas also took the easy way out and only carved a scythe.  Carissa and Nathan carved the creepy stalker looking through the blinds. 

Naomi had a small pumpkin, but that's OK because I have a copy machine that can shrink images! She chose the intricate scarecrow.  I love the way it looks -- as thought the field behind it is on fire!

I took photos with and without the light inside. I think they are better looking when they are lit up in the dark..

A GRANDMOTHER REMEMBERS: Pumpkin Party 2010

                                                        I have not figured out yet how to get my two photos side by side yet like the double layout pages they are. But anyway, here are a couple of the paged I did of Nathan's and Nicolas' birthday party.  Look at all the smoke coming off the candles -- good think we were outside!!  We set up bales of straw for our 'theatre' seats and set the projector to show on the side of the garage.  We showed Disney's Haunted Mansion and then Ghost Rider.  

We grilled hamburgers and had snacks, including Aunt Cleo's brownies!  
 Yummy!


We didn't have many carvers this year, but have to admit that EVERY STORE was totally OUT of PUMPKINS!!  There were NONE at WalMart, Ramey's or Country Mart!  The kids finally found the last two at the new Market where the Warm Fork Cafe' used to be.  

I tried to mention that next year I want to go back to just carving and snacks, but Nicolas informed me that he likes the grilling out and movies.  I do miss all the carvings from the past.  It might help if I sent out invitations like I used to do -- we just went by word of mouth this year.. I think people need that tangible invitation to help them remember.

GRANNY'S KITCHEN: Cooking outside

OK.. so it's not my kitchen!  All the kids went off to Trunk-or -Treat which left me alone with my hubby for a couple hours. Wow!  We took advantage and sat outside near the fire and cooked a couple steaks.  It was so dark and the coals were so beautiful glowing in the dark! My pictures don't do it justice. I put the flash on so you could see the cool fire pit/grill my son, Nicolas, made. The bottom is a big fire ring made from an old tractor tire rim. He made and added the grill section which swings out and is adjustable up and down.  We had to lower it a couple times as the fire died down and we were not adding more wood.  We finished up cooking as the kids started arriving back home at which time  we let them take over the fire pit area and we headed in to eat our steak in the light.  I've decided we need to do more 'date nights'!

A Grandmother Remembers: Baby Kay birth announcement

The birth announcement I made on my computer. I use Photo Impact for all my scrapbooking pages.