Cinnamon Rolls and Ronda...

Today I am making cinnamon rolls and thinking of a good friend that taught me so much about bread dough when I subbed for a person missing on her team of school lunch cooks...years ago! I am amazed at what brings up memories in this weird mind of mine. I actually am missing her so much and thinking about how good of a friend she was to me while she was alive. I guess she still is a good friend, or I wouldn't have these moments... She left a hole in many lives when she passed on to be with Jesus! I am thankful that they moved into our town and I had the privilege to tend their youngest daughter and get to know them so well. Her family is as awesome as she is, thank you Ronda and family! I dedicate my day of baking to you and what you taught me about letting dough rest, it has stayed with me all these years!

I'm hooked on making quilts...

I know that if there is anyone out there that reads these anymore, you are all probably saying " Oh, not another quilt blog"...

But, I am going to do it anyway! I finished a bedspread for Kari and I have a top pieced and ready to quilt for our back bedroom, and one being quilted at the church on the first Tuesdays of the month, plus.. I have some in the planning, cutting out stage. I just have to say... I wish I could get them done faster, so I could go on to the next one.

My family is probably tired of them too, but I just like the creativity I can use in changing the patterns and making them my own. There is something about the smell and feel of the fabric and the anticipation of how it will look when it is done. It is a wonderful hobby, although I am finding out; not an inexpensive one.

I wanted to do something to make Kari's new room in her apartment her own, so she picked out the fabric and I made the quilt. When I laid it out, it was somewhat blah... too many of the same tones in the quilt. I had some friends that know a lot about quilting, so I took it to them and showed it to them. We discussed some things I could do with it, and I decided to do the Minky flowers on the four corners. I think it made it just right! It isn't at her apartment yet, because I just finished it today, but I hope it makes it more like home to her when she gets it.

The other quilt on here is the one that is not quilted yet. It took a long time to finish it because I did so many other ones in between. I think I got a little tired of it, for some reason..:0) It just was laying around TOO long! So, I finished it up, but I won't have it quilted until after the first of the year. I have others that I need to get finished first!

I know I must be obsessed with this hobby. I really was looking to find something that I could leave to my kids and grandchildren, that would remind them of me when I'm gone... (If they want to be reminded, that is!) I want them to be able to wrap up in their quilts and know that I made it with love for them. I want them to realize that a piece of me is in every quilt I have made. I want them to feel a part of me with them every time they look at them. That goes for anyone that I have made a quilt for. A sense that they are loved and cared for... I hope they will feel that from me, now and after I am no longer here!

Ahhhhh... There is nothing better than a new grandchild in the family! Little Bentlee D Christensen was born on September 21st. 22 inches long and 8 lbs. 8 oz. I guess not too little! She is so beautiful and it is instant love all over again! I always like to watch the proud parents of these little ones. You can tell which children are loved and are going to have a good life, by the reaction of their parents. So far, all of mine have been loved and anxiously waited for. It was so fun seeing her in the hospital and how Doug and Em responded to her. She is a wonderful new addition to our family. We love her and hope we can be good grandparents to her! That makes 13 for us... 5 boys and 8 girls. We are so very LUCKY!

Betty's Poppies

I finally finished the painting that I was commissioned to do. I hope you can all tell that it is poppies. I did it for a friend of mine, that wants it for her sisters' birthday. I think it turned out pretty good. Although, flowers are not my favorite thing to paint, I did have fun with this one. It's on a pretty big canvas, so it was fun to work on a larger scale. (30 X 40)

Homecoming...

Well, she has been home a week tomorrow, the time is flying almost as fast as it did while she was gone! We had a wonderful reunion at the airport and at dinner afterward. We took shoes from her room and had each grandchild tie a pair around their necks, so that they all "wore" her shoes! She had a necklace of shoes when she was done! (Curt's idea) She had told them all that they could wear her clothes, but not touch her shoes!!! She looked so great coming down that escalator!
On Saturday we had a dinner at the ranch for her. We had family and friends there to visit and eat and just have fun. It was wonderful!
We went to Logan on Monday and got her tuition paid to go to school. She actually got a job when she went to the airport, so that was good. A little spending money for her new truck! (gas is an expense!!!) She is adjusted and ready for life!
It is sooo good to have her here. I missed having her sing in church by me, I realized a lot of things I have missed, just by having her home again!
A sad note... the day we went to pick her up, someone robbed us at the ranch. They took a four wheeler, some generators, the welder, a torch some tools and probably things we don't know about yet. I have to say, the Malad City Sherriffs office is working hard to get it stopped and get our things back. They are doing good and have some leads. I just hate it that people seem to think they are entitled to take whatever they want. I hope they get caught and they learn to knock it off!

granddaughters and fun go hand in hand...

Can you see why I feel like such a lucky grandma? And this is just a few of my wonderful grandkids! We have a blast!

Changes are coming

In 15 days, Kari will be home from her mission. This year and a half has gone by so fast! I bet we are going to overwhelm her when she steps off the plane! She has grown and changed, and it is going to be so different for her to have to deal with life again. My hopes for her are that she will be able to adjust to living with our family again, that she will be able to keep the spirit of her mission with her. I hope that when the time comes for her to make decisions, she will have the help she needs to work the answers out and go on with her life. She has so much going for her now. She is a mature young lady with her life ahead of her. I hope that she enjoys going back to school, hopefully she will be able to decide just what she wants out of it, and then works hard for it. I hope she can find a good job, which I know right now is really hard to do. Her Spanish should help her find something that she can do. I hope she can keep the sparkle in her eyes and the love in her heart. I hope we can be what she needs right now. I hope she gets to spend time on her horse, at the ranch, to rejuvenate and get used to the world again. I hope she has the opportunity to attend the temple often. I know of no better place than there to come to peace with whatever is bothering the mind. My hopes are that she will be happy. In whatever she does. We love her and are so glad to have her coming home!