Book Club

I've always loved to get lost in a good book.  I guess I had a good teacher....my mom.  A vivid childhood memory I have is watching my mom disappear for what seemed like days on end when her monthly Reader's Digest condensed book came in the mail.  She would shut herself up in her room and "get lost" in her new book.  I really admire how an author can put words down on a page and make such pictures in your mind.   I remember reading Stephen King's "Misery" with Robert when we were both working in the potatoes one year.  We were both driving truck and had the book handy to pick up whenever there was a wait.  It was late at night once, and I was engrossed in one of the scary parts, and about jumped out of my skin when he came up and knocked on the truck door!  I told someone I thought the book was a lot scarier than the movie.  They said, "How could that be?"  

It just is....

I'd never been in a book club before.  I listened with envy as my daughter and others told about meeting once a month in their book clubs to talk about the book they had all read.  So I was excited to be invited to join a book club starting up in our town. 

 

Our first book was "The Help."  I had already read it, but was happy to talk about it again when the group  came to my house for the first meeting.  I served chocolate pie for refreshments!

The next book .... another story based on a dark stain on our social history....people being locked up in institutions for being mentally challenged, or just plain deaf or blind.

This book is a classic, that was recommended by lots of people.  Set in the early nineteen hundreds Brooklyn, New York, it covers a difficult life of a poor immigrant family with the daughter being the main focus.  Just finished it and loved it!

This is our next read.  It also looks to be very compelling and interesting.  It runs in my mind that my husband's grandma Reed lived in this area close to time of the Dust Bowl.  I will be thinking of her while I read this.  Another book to make me stop and realize how good we have it and remember to never take anything for granted.

Being in a book club is good exercise for the brain, and it just makes me feel a little smarter somehow... 

Before and After

Number 1. 
Last summer when we were working feverishly on the outside of our house, it rained....  Roy decided he would take that rainy week and work inside to finish our master bathroom shower.  I was elated!

Before....

After.... 

After....inside.

It is so nice...very roomy inside.  It has two shower heads and even a bench.  Roy is such a "jack of all trades."  The tile looks so fantastic!  He did a really good job.   I'm so glad I am married to such a talented handyman.

Number 2.
Over the past couple of years, I have been trying to become a good bread maker.  Heros of great bread makers in my life have included Nadine Ricks, Cynthia Hillman, and Kristen Simmons.  I have always wanted to be one so when Roy bought me a Bosch for Christmas, there was no more excuses.  The pressure was on for a perfect loaf of homemade whole wheat bread. 

Before....

After.... and oh so yummy (if I do say so myself!)

I guess if you think about it, life itself is just one big "before and after" post.  So glad we don't have to be stuck in all the "befores" of life.  And really glad we have the chance to improve ourselves as we go along and create our own list of "afters".

Two Babies...Two Blessings

The days were strikingly similar...lots of chaotic family time, fun play time, and good company and all kinds of yummy food.  We are so lucky to have great inlaws and outlaws to rub shoulders with.

First Meadow was blessed, in Driggs.  She was a good girl and behaved fittingly.  We love hanging out and visiting with the Hawkes's whenever there's a special occasion like this one. 

Then two weeks later it was Samson's turn.  He was 2 months before they got the job done, and he was the perfect little star of the day!  The Barricks, too, are easy to be around and fun to visit with. 

 

These babies are so cute and fun!  Their dad's did such a good job blessing them.  And their mom's are such great little moms.  

 And grandma is happy!

Older Than Dirt

I wanted to back up and tell about Roy's 60th birthday last month.  (Am I really married to such an old person?)  I forgot my good camera so I had Val get some pictures with his phone...and they are not the best.


  We met the kids and some friends at Garcia's in Idaho Falls.  Lataun had this cake made and brought balloons.    

John and Teresa Allen came and brought Roy all kinds of "over the hill" stuff.  I remember him going over the hill 20 years ago, but I guess the "hills" just keep getting bigger and bigger!

The grand kids all put their footprints on a T-shirt for grandpa.

The back says, "My grand kids walk all over me."

 

Many stories and memories were told on Roy.  It was fun to take a walk down memory lane with friends and family.  One of the highlights of the evening was when someone talked him into taking his teeth out, posing for a picture, and really looking the part!

You've come a long way, baby!  Here's hoping for lots more years to come!

Christmas Miracles

December was not just the month for Christmas this year.  We were thrilled to add two new babies to the Eddins family.  It's always so fun anticipating their arrival. 

Samson Roy Eddins

December 13, 2011
proud parents:  Val and Megan

 

Meadow Bonnie Eddins

December 30, 2011

proud parents:  Faren and Avery

 

 

This brings the number of grandchildren to 19. Not shown here at our family Christmas party are Seth's two older daughters....and, of course, Meadow.  We are so blessed!

Thanks for Thanksgiving

 I don't think Robert had any idea when he said, "Okay, Thanksgiving is at our house this year" that we might take him up on it!  Roy and I, Val and Meg's family, and Faren and Ave's family all converged on Bozeman for the holiday.  We hadn't been up there for quite some time, and I was ready for some time with them.  Not to mention, Robert can cook a great meal!

 The kids loved having a big slumber party!  They ranged in age from 2 years to 9 years.  They all played so nice and got along well. 

Roy smoked a turkey, and Robert tried the turkey fryer in the garage.  Both were scrumptious!  Thursday morning, while Robert and I were cooking.....

 ....the rest of the adults took the kids to the local Ramada Inn for swimming.  They loved it, and all came back with big appetites.  After dinner, we took a walk and let the kids play at the neighborhood park.  It was a decent warm-ish day.  That night I went with Jane and Robert to Walmart for the Black Friday preview.  It was my first time doing anything like that, and I was amazed at the crowds.  Jane found some good deals, though.  So it was worth it. 

The NEXT day going home...not so warm-ish!  Kinda scary in places, with a pretty serious ground blizzard going on for about 90 miles.  We stopped in St A to see Seth and his family for awhile, then did a little shopping.

  Saturday, Roy and I took a carload of our ward youth to SLC.  We had lunch at the Lion House, then had some time to stroll around temple square before going to the production of "Savior of the World" at the conference center theater.  It was a fun, spiritual day!

Good weekend, all the way around! 

Robert turns 40

Forty years ago today, I became a mommy. Even though I was only 19 years old and Robert arrived 10 days late, I was as happy as I could be. Someone once asked me why we chose to have kids so early in our marriage. I replied, “What else was there to do?” That’s just what you did.

There was never any question what the name of our first son was to be. Roy’s brother, who was lost 3 years before was Robert, but was called Bobby. Even though Roy and all his family called our son Robert, I called him Bobby Dee. He was known by pretty much everyone we associated with as Bobby. When he was in Junior High, he decided he was going to be Robert. It was a hard change for me. And sometimes his aunts on my side still call him Bobby Dee.

We have always had a pretty close bond. Robert and I can talk about just about anything. We don’t always agree, but I admire his passion. He has a good gift of gab, and has a way of making lasting, loyal friends wherever he has lived. He loves to cook and is darn good at it. We share a love for good books and good music. There was a time when he was just as knowledgeable about the “oldies” as me….and I lived them! I’ve never questioned his love for me and I know he would go to the ends of the earth to help me if I needed it.

He has a darling little family now. (He chose not to start as young as me.)

Sending all my love to you, Robert, as you go “over the hill!”