The Holidays And Happy New Year!

I posted in October so I guess it is time to do a little writing and reporting so we have some history and all of you folks know what is happening in our lives and what we are doing. I usually have a fun time with Sharon in October, as we celebrate her Birthday and go to the Temple shop and enjoy some time together, but this October we had a wonderful event, as Miss Maddie made her appearance in our lives and brought a lot of blessing for all of us. She is so precious and sweet, with the spirit that all new babies bring, coming from Heavenly Fathers Arms to all of ours. They bring such a wonderful spirit to our homes and we love them so much. So Sharon was with Amy and Mike in California and helping them out, so we went later the next month. met up with Judy, and later had a wonderful lunch with Jess, Crystal, and little Cora Jean, it was so neat to see them and hug and talk with Cora. She is a sweet baby also and reminds me so much of Crystal as she has the same big eyes and fat little cheeks to kiss. She is eight and half months old now. Her eyes are brown like Jess and Judy but big and round like Crystal's. Time passes so swiftly for me now and it seems like yesterday, when Amy and Crystal were little and now they are grown married women. November brought a lot of cold weather to the valley but was dry with sunny cold days. We went to the coast and had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Sharon and Steve, though quiet as all of the kids are pretty far away now. Sharon and I made a wonderful dinner and I made the most delicious chocolate cheesecake, it was yummy. I forgot to mention that I had been sewing all summer on a quilt for my king sized bed. Granny Grace had given me a lot of printed blocks that I kept around for a long time, and one afternoon I decided to do it and so I got them out and started it. A big project and a beautiful one, it turned out really well and though lots of work, fits the bed really well and looks wonderful. It is in pinks, green, and purples, and Cathy helped me with it or I don't think I would have ever finished it, it is so large, It hangs at least 2 feet all the way around it. I love it. Cathy's sister had given her a pillow case for her birthday and so she and I decided to sew some for her kids and grand children and I sew some for a few of mine, mostly the great ones. Although I made a few for grands. I made a dozen and Cathy sewed 16 so we sewed a few. It was fun, and I got started in early November on them and then I decided to make Christmas quilts for the Arnold clan, and Crystal, as they were all married, It was a lot to do but I would've made it but I got sick with a really nasty cold, it started late Thanksgiving night and I got to the doctor the following Tuesday and I had a lot of infection in my lungs plus asthma:-( and had a lot of meds an inhaler, plus something for my cough. I have never coughed so hard in my life. So this lasted for 10 days and I didn't sew a stitch, it was depressing. I was so upset, but I got better and started in again, but decided to sew some of the quilts this summer, I got the three oldest done. I sewed until early in the morning a few days. I also made candy with Nicole and her friend Shane. We made a LOT of stuff, and the next week-end we made some cookies. It was a lot of cooking. I made some truffles that were to die for, and I will post the recipe on the blog later so you will all have it, per your mom's request. I think I made about 15 lbs of candy and several batches of cookies. Still it wasn't as much as I have made in the past. I took a lot of it to Sharon's for Christmas, they all loved it. I gave a lot away, and I took the rest a huge tray loaded to a wedding reception on New year's eve. It had been frozen, and there was a lot left and I gave it all away, as I didn't want anymore of it around. I am glad it is gone. I have gained 3 pounds, and I need to lose it again. We had a wonderful Christmas with Steve, Sharon, and the grandchildren and all of the great ones. We left before Megan, Greg, and Scarlet got there, and so they stopped for a visit with us on the way home. It is always wonderful to have Scarlet, she is so alive and happy, not to mention cute! She usually comes in smiling, but she had been asleep so she took awhile to wake up, but she was really happy when she left, smiling and kissing and waving good-bye, she is so beautiful. So much fun and we do appreciate the effort that Megan and Greg make to come so we can spend time with them. It is a good place to stop so Scarlet can run around and relax a bit from all of the car riding. She loved the kitty, Trapper, I guess she loves dogs too. She really talks a lot now. So Very sweet. I forgot to mention that in early December on the 9th Grandpa and I had our 59th anniversary and went to dinner and saw the play The Sound Of Music on the stage, it was wonderful and we had such a great time. I have a hard time believing we have been married that long. Well I think 2012 is here and we all have goals and plans to fulfill, they talked about that in Sacrament on Sunday, I really enjoyed the talks and the RS lesson which all went together and talked of those things. I love you all and I wish you all a wonderful and Happy and Healthy New Year. God Bless Love you all

So Little Summer

I think we had a really short growing season this past year. Everything was really late and my tomatoes never really did a lot. I had a few off my 3 plants but only a few. Some of my friends at church grew a lot, and some gardens just didn't produce. Now it is raining and supposed to rain all week, it started on Sunday. They said on the news today that we only had 3 weeks of real growing weather. I was very fortunate to get a lot of beans, lettuce, onions, garlic, cucumbers, and summer squash. My basil did well, but a lot of the herbs didn't. I had lots of cucumbers, and made a few jars of pickles. I canned applesauce about 39 pints and I made lots of jam and jelly. I can't eat the seeds anymore, so I took all of the blueberries and made syrup, the strawberries and made jelly, also all of the blackberries also. I think I made around 50 half pints of Jelly and jam. It took me 2 days. It is beautiful and tastes really good, I made it with twice as much fruit or juice as sugar so it is really fine. I froze about 20 bags of beans, and I canned 21 pints of pears. I didn't do peaches this year, as Costco had a great buy on some canned in juice and organic, so I bought those, they are yummy. Our apple tree didn't do anything this year so I needed to buy the apples, but we usually eat all of the applesauce I make, as we eat it on waffles, and pancakes instead of syrup and it tastes really good. I read a really good book and would recommend it to you if you are interested. It is called The Help, and they made a movie also, it was really good too. It is about the black maids told from their prospective in the sixties in the south, really true to life at that time. We got to visit our friends in Grants Pass in July and so we drove on down to Medford and saw Megan, Greg, and Scarlet. It was a really fun trip, and the baby is so sweet and cute. A real keeper, as doctor Meyn used to say. When Rebecca was 16 months old she came to our house to visit and Sharon and I took her to see Sharon's doctor when she was growing up. He was a children's doctor and Rebecca only had an MD in Wyoming so Sharon wanted to take her to the specialist. He checked her over very carefully and pronounced that she was cute, petite, really sweet and If he was us he'd keep her, so after that all of the Arnold kids grew up as keepers. So I think Scarlet is a keeper for sure. I know this is a pretty boring post but since it had been so long I thought I would let you know what is going on with us here. I miss the old days when all of you were growing up and I got to see you all of the time. But those days are gone and of course we all move on and have to grow up. I haven't really decided whether of not to have the surgery on my colon, I am still thinking and praying about it. I would appreciate it if all of you would pray for me to make the right choice and do whatever I need to do. I am working on my weight again, which is also a bore. I love all of you.

Catching up My Birthday and The Garden

Summer that fleeting thing here in Oregon finally has come in the final days of August. Not the usual summer for us, we usually have pretty hot weather by now, but the days have been pleasant and hasn't gotten up to 90 degrees YET?? I have seen it like this before way back in the late sixties we had a summer like this one and the camping was really sad and the water skiing was worse! We had snow that winter of 69 so high and for almost a week and the summer was cold. This summer has been cold also, so I guess mother earth is getting back at us. The garden had a hard time starting this year, I have picked lettuce, beans, cucumbers and squash. The yellow crook-necked ones haven't produced yet. It is behind also and there are lots of green beans, left on the vines and I pray that they will continue. The farmers have complained about the late harvest here. Ed put the small AC in and that has kept us pretty cool. I miss all of the girls and having a camper. We used to have such a really great time camping when the kids were growing up. On my birthday this year we decided to go to Portland and see Jake and his band play at Doug Fir club. It was really something, and we enjoyed it so much. It is hard to believe they are so good and Jake has a great voice and so much presence. Everything was so much fun that night. When it was over and we were going back to the car Judy and I, a young woman stopped me and said " I just have to know the story behind your attending this concert what is it? I replied thinking she had seen him many times. I said that young man with top hat on that is our grandson. Jake Arnold do you know him? She says I knew that had to be a reason for you to be there, with all of the young people so I wondered what the story behind your being there. I asked her if she knew any of the people in the band and had she seen them before? Actually she replied that we simply stopped by as we heard the music, my friends and I some of us are from Portland and some of us are from Bend, we are attending a bachelorette party for one of my cousins that is getting married this week-end and I am from the Bend area. We just loved Jake and the band, they were so good we really loved Jake. Hope we get to see them again. Earlier that week Sharon and I went to the Temple and did lunch at the Olive Garden she treated me as it was my birthday week, so sweet of her. I really enjoy my trips to the Temple with my daughter they are special and the highlight of my month. I have one more thing to talk about, I am going to have some surgery on my colon this next month or so and pray I get better by Christmas. I have an infection in my colon as I have said earlier and have been taking a lot of antibiotics for these past few weeks and it has taken a told toll on me and my strength. It has been a pain for awhile and the doctor says it will eventually abscess and we don't want that to happen so they will try to do it laparoscopy and cut the diseased part out and then re-connect the colon and I should be as good as new. I have been on a low fiber diet for so long, and I can't eat any kind of salad and lots of fruits I can't have, so it is hard. Nothing with seed in it and no nuts etc. I am not whining but I do miss all of the berries this past year, and tomatoes, some of my most favorite things:-( so hard. Well enough of my troubles, I love you all and I pray for your continued health and happiness. Oh yes one more thing Ed and I have been reading the Book Of Mormon this past ninety days, a challenge from our new Bishop, It has just reminded me of how true the Gospel is again, it is such a testimony building thing and so true. How wonderful this gospel of ours is and how blessed we are to have these wonderful scriptures. Hugs to you all and may all of your days be pleasant.

Stupid Sickness and My Garden

I have been sore down deep in my left side deep in the groin area for a few weeks off and on. It got so bad on Sunday that I didn't go to church, and bless Ed because he made me call the doctor about the pain on Monday. My doctor wasn't in of course, they are never around when you need them, but I spoke with Dr. Bechemi's nurse and she called me back within the hour and said she wanted me to go to urgent care that evening, because she didn't have time, so I said why couldn't I just wait for my doctor on Tuesday, but NO she said it was important for me to be seen that day. So we went to urgent care and I got to see an internist there, and it was good that I did. I was about 36 hours from having a full blown infection in my colon, from one of the little pockets catching a seed and it had grown into an infection:-( bah and darn!!! If that had happened I would have been in the hospital for a week to ten days because these infections, can turn septic and make the body have a real problem. I would have been one miserable girl, so I am thankful for the husband that insisted that I go, and wouldn't let me put it off anymore. Sometimes I think he listens to the spirit better than I do. It was important for me to get on the medication so the doctor told me to get down to the pharmacy quickly as it was 9:45 by then and they close at 10:00, so we run down to Walgreen's on Coburg road and get two antibiotics and I came home and took some. Amazing stuff as I haven't been able to sit down except very carefully for a few days and today I feel almost like my old self. The hardest thing was drinking a liquid diet for 24 hour period, and now to stay on a bland diet for the next month or so. Which means, I can't have anything like salad, fresh veggies and fruit,no wheat bread etc. That part is a pain, but at least I feel so much better. I don't think I will be eating very many berries in the future, as I sure don't want this to happen again. This makes me sad, as that is one of my favorite things, along with tomatoes, and if I do eat these things I need to remove the seeds from tomatoes and puree the berries. Oh well things could be worse, as Fairy my sister in law can't taste anything anymore, I think that would be much worse. I was in town today to weigh in and so I took advantage to go to the Coldwater Creek store and buy a jacket and then I got a pair of jeans FREE and these are the best jeans, they are knit and cut perfect so they fit like a glove and are so comfortable. I have a pair of black ones I got on sale and now I have an indigo blue pair, I am so happy and they were free. Everyone loves the black ones on me, so now I have blue ones. Anyway by the time I got home today, I was exhausted and so I had to lay down and have a short nap ahhhh so great. The sun was out in full today and the day was warm and beautiful. I went outside and dug in my boxes planted some squash, tomatoes, cukes, peppers, flowers, and a few herbs. Ed said it looks like a garden out there. I really love planting and digging in the dirt, and I especially love the convenience of having them right outside my door. I am able to watch them grow, and water them so easily as Ed put a little irrigation system in each of them. Tomorrow it is supposed to get up to 70 degrees yay I could just dance and it isn't going to rain until Sunday and I pray that this forecast is correct. I am so tired of the rain this year, it seems like it has rained most all the days since spring began, even the Red Guard said yesterday on the front page that is isn't our imagination it really has been a WET spring this year. I love you all God Bless Hugs and Kisses

Mother's Day and Texas

My daughter Sharon said I didn't blog anymore, and so I wrote a short one after I had visited with them and guess what? The blasted thing just disappeared on me, after I had saved it. I don't know what happened, it just left.... Oh well I will attempt to do another and hope I don't lose this one. We went to Texas to visit with my folks down there, and we had a great time. It was relaxing, but tiring also. I saw my sisters, Sherry the one recovering from the cancer trauma. She is doing well and is still on chemo, which means that every other week she is sick and miserable. It effects her stomach for about 5 to 7 days. She is amazing actually, never complains about it and says it is what it is. We got to see all of Sherry's sons and Jon's new woman, he is marrying on the 7th of June. They are being sealed, I don't know if they applied before the new rule, but they must have, as they don't have to wait for a year. We were able to visit with Marie and Gene and all of their children that live there in Austin. There is a lot of them, all are married and have children, except Becky and her husband. So there were lots of small ones and fun, fun,fun. They were so very cute. Steven her youngest son has a small daughter about 4 and she is so precious. Pressley is her name, and she is the quietest of the bunch. Dimples on both cheeks, and naturally curly hair. We didn't get to see Chris and his family, as they live in UT, and Cary and his family are in Dallas. We spent Easter with Marie's family and they are the same as the rest of us lots of food, glorious food. We had lots of Texas Bar-B-Que, and it was the same as ever, yummy! We had a couple of Tex-mex meals and they were still great. I just had a heart attack, I did something and thought I had lost this post. I found it thank you Lord. We got home and it was such a blessing to come home and it wasn't raining, yay I wanted to dance to see the sun up there in the sky. Stayed home and went to sewing and had lots of fun there, I am working on another project, as I finished the quilt that I made for Sharon, it turned out really well, hopefully she will take a picture of it with her new camera. I forgot to get a picture of it, so she can take one and post it on the blog so you can all see it. I started a new quilt that I am going to use for a bed cover for my bed, it is king size and so it is huge. I am using some blocks that I got from granny Grace that she had to make pillows with. There are about 30 printed blocks, so I have enough to do it, just a lot of work to do to finish it. It looks beautiful so far. We went to the coast to spend Mother's day with Sharon and Steve, we had a wonderful time, just hanging out. So relaxing and restful. We had a wonderful dinner at a place called April's, and the food was wonderful, a treat from Steve for moms day for Sharon, as it is her favorite. Sharon and I made our Mothers day dinner, and it was really great, loved it and of course ate too much. At least we didn't have any candy or stuff like that. We had a wonderful homemade angel food cake with berries, it was all yummy. Grandpa and I decided to come home the long way, up the coast. Stopped at the place with the lighthouse that we always used to go to before the beach houses, and walked on the beach there and did a lot of thinking of the memories we both have of being there and the good times we have had. On towards Florence and stopped at Mo's and had lunch, bought some salt water taffy, another old favorite for both of us. Browsed the shops around, had some ice cream and headed on toward our house. It was a wonderful trip. I loved every minute of it. Now I am thinking of what I want to plant in my boxes outside my door for this year. I bought some tomato plants, peppers, squash, and cukes. I also have seeds for lettuce and french green beans so if the rain holds off tomorrow I will be out there getting them in the ground. I love having those boxes to plant and the fresh veggies to eat all summer. I will try to post more often. I love all of you and may you all have the greatest blessings from our Heavenly Father.

Mother's Day and other things

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well it has happened the year has rolled around again, I am not ready for them to pass as quickly as they seem to now. The older you become or should I say more mature, then the years seem to pass faster and faster. Christmas comes more quickly and then, I take a deep breath and it seems Jan passes quickly and then it is Spring, summer and fall and before you know what is going on the holidays are upon us again. I am not complaining about it being a new year in fact I am really grateful for this new year, and I pray it is a great one for us all. I am not sorry to see the last of 2010, the best thing was the coming of Elle, Scarlet and Amy's getting well. There were a lot of things I could have done without for sure, and I pray we will all love 2011, and great things will come along. One of course will be the birth of Crystal's baby girl, and I pray Amy will become with child before her 3 months passes. We had a wonderful Christmas and I enjoyed our company, and the Christmas time we spent with Judy and children. We always enjoy having family come and we enjoy going to see you all. Ed aka grandpa or Poppi is doing well, in fact he does too much and tires himself out. He goes on Friday to see the PT and maybe she will say he can do the things he does. He wants to go back to the gym to work out and the doctor just said give me 6 weeks and he has used four and is feeling so well that he is BORED with TV, reading, the computer, and the piano. So he tries my patience a little. I hope Patty does let him go the the gym some, and I hope he can get into the pool, then maybe he will be a happier guy. I have some sad news, my beloved sister Sherry, is going to have a chemo drip for 3 months each 2 weeks. Yes the cancer is back, she has a small leasion on the edge of the old tumor scar. So it depends on how the tumor reacts to the treatment. Please keep her in your prayers for me and I pray that this will make her well, and not be too hard on her. She is really scared of the treatment, and probably wouldn't do it if she could just get away with it, but her sons really want her to try it. I guess you never know as Linda was talking to a suvivor of brain cancer for the past 15 years today at her doctor's it was one of their patients. So we can pray that Sherry will be able to take the treatment. I love you all and I am praying for everyone to really enjoy this brand new year we have. God Bless you all