Lots of Work--Lots of fun!

March has been a busy month.  I went to Boise March 6 to stay with Ky while Clay was in Florida on a military assignment.  It was a lot of work, as I helped Ky with the kids and some of her organizational goals!  But, most of all, it was a lot of fun.  I love being with my grandkids--all of them, and I was fortunate to be able to spend lots of time with Kres and Beckham, and some time with Trey, too. 

I wrote a story for Kres about us, my animal friends, and hats.  Ollie Elf was a main character, too.  Here is one of the pictures from the book.

Here we are after Ollie switched our hats!

I went to preschool with Kres and Ella (his cousin), and read the story to the class.  They all loved it!

Kres loves to build things.  So, I took my blocks and spent a lot of time playing blocks with him. Beckham joined in the fun, too.

Like I said, he loves to build things, and here he is with another creation.

Trey came over, and helped build with blocks, too.  After they built the towers, they played "block bowling"--can you guess what that was?

Trey also helped Ron put together some shelving for Ky's garage.  They both worked hard to get the job done!  Thanks, Trey!

Beckham's Aunt Amber decided he would be an adorable little girl--so she gave him a St. Patty green ribbon for his hair!  Beckham is very tolorent of everything, so he just went along with it!  (and he is adorable--boy or girl!)

Everytime I put my walking shoes on, Kres, wanted to "tie" them.  It was fascinating watching him weave those laces until not an inch was loose.  I think he has the idea, but it took Trey and I about 10 minutes to "untie" my shoes! 

Let me tell you, those "ties" were a work of art!

All good things must come to an end, and Kres hates it when anyone leaves.  He loves his cousins!
Well, it was nice to be have something really worthwhile to do, so I enjoyed my time in Boise.  Thanks Ky, Kres and Beckham for a fun 3 weeks!  And, thanks, Trey for coming to visit and help us out.

THIS IS FOR THE BIRDS!

Every winter Ron enjoys feeding and watching the birds.  I have to admit, I love them, too.  This is one of the perks of country living!  Last weekend, Kres and Beckham came to visit and helped Grandpa feed the birds:

Kres spreads the seed in the driveway--a whole bag full while Grandpa and Beckham supervise. . .

That done, he spreads it out nice and even, and inspects it for quality : )

Next step--stand back and watch what the birds do:

They start by watching from the trees--

As soon as everyone is out of sight, the birds gather.  The red-winged blackbirds are the larger ones.   They are really pretty when they fly!  The smaller gray ones are wrens.  They eat, then fly into the trees, then back to eat some more.  It is fun to watch their ritual.

After the blackbirds eat awhile, the doves arrive.  They are a much larger bird., but fun to watch.  They are usually followed by the quail,   It was getting too dark to get a picture of the quail.

Anyway, I love to watch the birds and it's another fun thing for the kids when they come to grandma's house!

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL WE DO . . .

We enjoyed watching Beckham crawling and trying to walk. . .

...and his new pattycake skill...

Kresimir and I had fun decorating a Valentine tree! 

I'm happy to say--the birds and grandkids brought a lot of joy into our llives this weekend!

WHO AM I?

I have been entertaining myself lately by cataloging and rereading my genealogical resources.  This may sound boring to you, but I have often, and for a long time, been interested in the question, "Who am I".   I find it fascinating to get to know some of my ancestors and to find out if I can see some of myself in them!  I have been rereading about George Calvert, my 2nd great grandfather, who immigrated from Yorkshire, England to Port Hope, Canada in 1852.  He was my dad's grandfather.  Fortunately for me, he wrote a weekly column in the Lindsay Post (he lived in Lindsay), and here is some insight into his character: 
March 1880:  George Calvert celebrates his birthday.  I want to tell you a little news.  On Sunday the 29th of Feb 1880 was my birthday so I made up my mind to have a birthday dinner.  You will see that it is a rare thing to have a birthday on the 5th Sunday in February--so I fed up a turkey to 20 lb.  dressed and called my children together and we had a good time.  I will tell you the bill of fare:  turkey, roast beef, plum pudding, potatoes, and lettuce of my own growing also green onions and celery.  I also had the old cook that cooked my wedding dinner fifty-four yhears ago this month.  I think it will be some time before you are favored with news that can equal this.

In another post, he was talking about the farmer's market in a town a short distance away:    It is not a fit place for women to be after coming eight or ten miles.  They want to be in a warmer place.  Improve the market house and have a stove to warm the place for these fine women.

I like this story:  I sold some wood to a fellow in Port Hope for $1.25 a cord.  On the way with the first load, my sleigh pitched over 3 times and I had to reload.   I had contracted for 6 cord, so I fixed the sleigh.   When I got there, he said to return in 2 weeks and he would pay me.  So I called the next Saturday, and he told me to return on Tuesday.  I did so.  Still no cash--I was to return on Saturday--then Thursday, again..  Well, I had a wife and 4 kids, and my wife told me to not come home until I had the money.  So On Thursday, I took off my overcoat and said I was staying with him until Saturday.  However, he tried very hard to get me to go away, but I felt comfortable.   He made me terrible promises, so also did his wife, but I told him I would stop until I got the money, so he said he would try to borrow the amount.  He came back with $3.00.  I would not have it.  I would stop until I got it all and so I got it all in a short time.  I was glad to get out of the house, but that man never spoke to me after.  I knew he was rich.  We worked hard for what he had to pay.  If you think it is worthwhile, you can print these few lines.  I have nothing to do at present but to write a little. 


This man raised 9 of his own children and 2 grandchildren, whose parents were killed in a house fire.
I think too often we think of ancestors as dead people.  Maybe we should look at them as real people, and we can get to know them and apprediate them more.  I see a lot of myself in George.  I love to write and am somewhat opinionated.  I admire him for defending and respecting the women in his stories.  He was known as a devout Baptist (help build and pay for the church in Lindsay, and his son, John, acted as minister for a short time because they could find no one else to do it).  He was instrumental in having alchohalic beverages banned in the city of Lindsay. (my dad was also anti alchohol and never drank even a drop.  People used to give him Calvert whiskey at Christmas time, and it line a shelf in our basement, unopened!)   He was a master gardner and won many prizes for his produce.  He lived to be 85.  It's been kind of fun to get to know George!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. . .

I LOVE CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.  WE ALWAYS GO OUT FULL FORCE IN OUR DECORATING.  ALAS, WE HAD NO ONE TO HELP US THIS YEAR, SO RON AND I STARTED ON MONDAY, AND FINISHED FRIDAY MORNING.  HERE'S A LITTLE TOUR OF OUR HOUSE AT CHRISTMAS TIME.

WE'LL START IN THE LIVING ROOM. . .

THIS IS PART OF OUR CHRISTMAS VILLAGE, IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 3-TABLE DISPLAY

THIS IS THE RIGHT HAND

SIDE OF THE VILLAGE. ..

THE RIGHT END OF THE TABLE--HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.  THE HOUSE TELLS "THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AS EACH ROOM LIGHTS UP. THE TREE NEXT TO IT HAS A VILLAGE, SKATERS, SNOWMEN, ETC WINDING UP TO THE TOP.

THE NATIVITIES OCCUPY THE LEFT END OF THE TABLE.  ABOVE THE DISPLAY, THE WINDOWS ARE DECORATED WITH ICICYCLE WHITE LIGHTS.

NOTHING SAYS CHRISTMAS LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE--THIS ONE IS DONE IN BLUE AND SILVER AND IS IN THE CORNER OF THE LR

THE NUTCRACKERS AND SNOWMEN MAKE THE TRANSITION INTO THE DINING ROOM. .

THIS IS  ONE OF MY FAVORITES ON DISPLAY IN THE DINING ROOM--OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WE GO. . . .

THIS IS IN THE KITCHEN--SANTAS ON TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE STOVE.

THIS IS THE DISPLAY IN THE FAMILY ROOM--AND THE LITTLE KIDS ARE WELCOME TO PLAY ANYTHING IN THE FR

OF COURSE, MOTHER NATURE DID SOME DECORATING OF  HER OWN.  THE DOVES ARE HIDING UNDER THE TREE TO FIND SAFETY FROM THE WIND AND SNOW

I HAVE LEFT A FEW THINGS OUT--LIKE THE CANDLE DISPLAY AND THE POINSETTA ON THE DINING ROOM TABLE AND THE DECORATIONS ON THE TOP OF THE PIANO, BUT THIS IS GETTING PRETTY LONG AND YOU ARE PROBABLY BORED.  SO, I WILL JUST SAY--MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SEASON AS MUCH AS I DO!

A little Lift

Well, after being down for so long, and Ron being down, too, it was getting a little gloomy around here.  But, last weekend Randy and Trampis came to stay after a football game, and Ky, Kres and Beckham dropped in for a surprise visit!!  I was so happy to have everyone here for a short time.  Trampis and Randy did quite a bit of work around the place in the way of winterizing; and of course, Kres had to help.

                              Trampis isn't real comfortable holding babies, but Beckham didn't realize it!

                  Randy and Kres experimented with how high you can build a block tower before it falls over!

                                         Beckham, in the meantime, was exploring new foods!

Then the work began.  Trampis and Kres helped Randy put some summer things in the barn loft for winter storage.

                             Putting the 4-wheelers away for the winter was a fun job for Kres and Randy. 

                               Kres found an elk shed that was a little too hard for a little boy to handle!

                                                          ..So Randy helped him out!

                                                    Riding the saddles was an OK job, too.

                                          Bekham had plenty of time to explore in the familly room!

                                                      Beckham is so cute and sweet!

Putting the last touches on the clean up--Kres explores one more time.  All in all, it was a great weekend.   Thanks for dropping in, Ky and helping me in the house, and Thanks to Trampis and Randy for helping so much outside!    we love you all!

Fun Healthy Eating

Recentlyl, Ron and I decided to embark on a healthy eating life--quite different for us.  So, I count carbs and calories and try to go for a healthy balance  (I feel like a hospital cook, because I weigh and measure everything :))In the following recipes I will be showing you, when I refer to milk, sour cream cheese, cottage cheese, etc, it is always low fat.   Here are a few things we have tried and enjoyed.

I began by stealing Krissy's Light Meals cookbook from Taste of Home, and using my Fix it and Forget it Lightly crock pot cookbook.  Both are excellent sorces for healthy recipes.

for Chhili Mac Casserole, measure one cup of elbow macaronni or small shells, cook it and set it aside.

Brown 2 lb lean ground beef, onion and garlic.  Add 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can kidney beans, drained; 1 small tomato sauce, 1 small can green chilis, 1 teas salt, 1 teas chili powder, 1/2 teas pepper.  Now add the cooked macaroni.  Transfer to a large pan or casserole dish, bake for 30 min, top with 2 cups low fat cheese and bake 5 min longer.  One 1 cup serving has 343 calories and it is delicious.   I served it with green salad with low fat dressing mixed in and a sugar-free orange jello with mandarin oranges and cool whil mixed in.

Take the left overs from the dish above, add chicken broth--1 or 2 cans, depending on how many leftovers, and it makes a great soup!!  I served it with a slice of fresh homemade whole wheat bread and 1/2 an apple.

This was very good if you like Chinese food.  I sautaed 1 cup celery, 1 cup sliced onion, 1 lb package of bean sprouts, 1 small can mushrooms, 2 handfulls of frozen mixed vegies untilk limp but still crisp in canola oil.  I then added 1 can chicken broth, mixed with 2 TBS corn starch while cold and 1 TBS soy sauce and 1TB honey.  I then added some left over roast pork--but y ou can use any leftover meat you want to, or canned meat or shrimp.   I served on 3/4 cup canned Chinese hard noodles.  I served it with sugar-free jello made with 1 small can no-sugar added fruit.  It was yummy!

Brown 1 lb hamburger, add 1 TBS flower and 1 cup milk, 1 cup of frozen vegies (I used mixed)  Serve as a gravy over 3/4 cup instant mashed potatoes.  Serve with no-sugar-added applesauce and coleslaw with tomatoes and a light mayonais dessing.

This is the leftovers from above, served on 3/4 cup spiral noodles, coleslaw and applesauce with cinnamon, 1 TBS chopped walnuts and 1/8 cup raisens

Start with 1 cup fat free sour cream, add 2 teas lemon pepper and 1 teas dill.  smear a little of the sour cream in the bottom of the crockpot, add 2 boneless-skinless chicken breasts and put the rest of the sour cream on top the chicken.  cook on high for 2 1/2 hours, serve with 1 cup winter squash and sf jello.  Even Ron liked this one, and he doesn't like sour cream!

This is 3 oz salmon fillet cooked in 1 teas canola or olive oil, 1 cup winter squash, 1 cup spinich and 1 purchased dessert cake topped with 1/2 cup splenda sweetened rasberries and a dolup of cool whip!

We have enjoyed other yummy things, like ginger beef served on rice noodles, vegetable beef soup, and a 4 oz steak served with a ww english muffin and green salad with 1 TBS thousand Island Dressing.,

Hope you have enjoyed these menus and had a glimpse into our new healthy-eating plan.   It's actually kind of fun!!