Kissin' Cousins

Mia and Jack

These two little people are so funny to watch. Jack is totally taken with Mia. If you ask him who his friend is, he always says "Mimi." If you say "who else?" he says, "Mimi." If you say, " Is Jay your friend?" he says, "Mimi."

Mia plays with him when she has to. But mostly she tolerates him.

"I just want a hug....is that so wrong?"

Can you see, even a little bit, why I love being a grandma?

Been There, Done That

Thanks Millie...for reminding me of all the things I have yet to do!

Bold the items you have done:

1. Started your own blog (With Faren's help)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (but I did take trumpet lessons in grade school)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (if you count table rock...almost)
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (came pretty close once)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
20. Slept on a train (what a memory, huh, Ave?)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (but I want to)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (at a neighbor's New Year's Eve party)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Cooked over a open fire
47. Had your portrait painted (sketched actually at Disneyland)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class (thanks to John Smuin)
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (No, but have eaten more than my share.)
62. Gone whale watching (no, but really want to)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (not only no, but hell no!)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (Austwich...disturbing)
67. Bounced a check (not on purpose)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a Bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (just drove past it)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (I once popped in to a widow's house just after she'd fallen and couldn't get up...so, maybe)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Teddy Kennedy)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy
101. Fed chickens (I think Lucy added this one.)
102. Attended a sheep show (Millie's addition)
103. Drove spud truck (Myrn's addition)

Fun Way to Spend a Weekend

I didn't think I was going to make it to the state girl's basketball tournament this year to watch Cassidy play. Roy had another commitment and I really didn't want to drive by myself, so I tried bumming a ride any way I could. Nothing seemed to be working so I just reconciled the fact that I would miss it this time. Di sent me play-by-play texts of the close, double-overtime win the first night....a real nail-biter! So I was so glad when Haily called and asked if I wanted to ride down with her on Friday. Friday's game against #1 team in the state, Soda Springs, was another screecher, with a 3-point win. Then it was WJ playing in...and wining the championship game on Saturday! Very exciting!

Cassidy is only a freshman, and did so good. Mom and dad are proud!

Cass is on the bottom right, next to Ashley Bare, Becky's daughter. Gary, assistant coach, top right.

I love any reason to get together with my super family!

My Valentine

One of my favorite things about Roy is that he is such a good grandpa. I really believe those little people were sent down here to help make him happy. And hopefully he makes them happy, too. Here he is having fun with that title!

Waiting to blow out birthday candles.

Taking little girls for a boat ride.

Sharing a popsicle

Gone fishin'

At the campout

Hannah Montana wig for Christmas

And, tickling the babies!

It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it!

The Upside of Winter

Its not that I dislike Winter. I really don't. There's something very normal and right about the four seasons and I appreciate each one of them. Here are some good things about Winter:

Roy goes ice-fishing a lot and leaves me home to work on my fun projects uninterrupted.

The beauty of it all...the frosted trees, the snowdrifts in the yard covering the ugly brown grass. Oh, and no yard work!

Being inside by the warm cozy fire when its blizzarding outside.

Seeing grandkids all bundled up to go outside. This is Jack...he can barely move!

Playing with them outside in the snow. Haddi and Indee on a hill by our house a while back.

Sometimes it's not such a good time. This was one of those times for Boston.

Winter is good!

The Cookie Grandma

When I opened up my Christmas gift from my sister, Brenda, I heard myself sighing, "Ahhh...." It was an exact replica of the cute cookie jar lid that our mom had on her cookie jar, sitting on her counter for years and years. Brenda had painted it for mom, and I assume she painted these for her sisters, too. She's a VERY talented tole painter and crafter. Mom was never much for the homemade cookies....it was usually the store-bought vanilla sandwich kind, and sometimes the creme-filled wafers (choc, strawberry, and vanilla) or, if we were really lucky, Oreos or the Soft Batch Chocolate Chip kind. She always wanted to have cookies to offer anyone who would visit. My nephew, Verle, says that his kids always called her the "Cookie Grandma." In fact, when ordering a spray of flowers for her funeral from the grandchildren, he seriously thought of putting "The Cookie Grandma" on the ribbon.

I really like having homemade cookies in the cookie jar, and I know Roy loves it, too. And Val is always looking to see if there are any in there when he pops his head in. The problem is, when they're in there, I eat them! So I try not to make them very often. We just don't need that temptation. On the other hand, I love to make them, eat the dough, and have them there to offer the grandkids and other visitors. There's got to be a balance in there somewhere, because, if the truth were known, it would probably be a compliment to someday be known as "The Cookie Grandma."

Eddins Favorite Raisin Cookies from Grandma Eddins

Boil 1 1/2 c. raisins with 1 1/2 c. water until all water is absorbed. Set aside to cool. Cream: 1 c. shortening, 1 1/2 c. sugar, and 3 eggs. Add 1 t. soda, 1 t. baking powder, 1/2 t. salt, and 3 1/2 c. flour. Add raisins. Mix well. Roll dough into small balls, roll in sugar, place on greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes.

We're Too Old For This

Roy and I got released from Primary today, and got sustained as Cubmasters. Yikes! It's not a new thing for us, however. I have done my time as a den mother on several occasions when the boys were in it. And Roy has served as cubmaster more than once. This time Roy will conduct the monthly pack meetings and I'll do the legwork behind the scenes. I guess it's a good place to be. We'll just need a little refresher course in silly applauses.

Roy and Robert...and the first pinewood derby. He brought home first place with his '57 Chevy.

Roy and Seth with another trophy.

Roy and Val this time, showing off the fancy pick-up. Roy did do a good job with the boys and their pinewood derby cars. They weren't always winners, but they were always "winners."

And mom always got the kiss at the awards presentation.

Wish us luck.....we'll need it!