Showers with men…and kids, too!

I’ve mentioned before that my family is unconventional. 

Part of the reason is that our families are growing and getting together is not an easy task.  Every year it seems to get harder and harder to accommodate all the different schedules.

Did I also mention that a four hour drive is required to get from my sister’s house on the North to the sister’s home at the South end (me)?

Because of this fact, and since we still enjoy sharing holidays and special events, we combine many activities into one big event.  Since everyone brings their whole family, and no one wants to be left out, we just let everyone be included in the fun.

After our first combined event, I innocently remarked that, “I like having showers with men!” and the phrase stuck.

And that is how “showers with men” became a reality in our family..

We have learned that if everyone brings a salad and a dessert we have enough food to feed everyone who shows up, and a lot of variety., plus no one has to do all the work.  We also have enough left over for later.  Sometimes we have someone fix a meat dish, too.

Playing shower games is replaced by lawn games, visiting, or chasing kids.  The men have learned to patiently “ooh and aah” as gifts are opened, and the honorees share the spotlight.  (Yes, it would be more fun to be the only one honored, but it isn’t very realistic any more.)

We recently had a fun-filled “shower-shower-birthday-birthday-Memorial-Day party”.

These three are getting married soon. 

My niece Amy is on the left, and Brittany and Robbie (our son and his fiancé) are on the right.

Here is a rare shot of some of the kids actually staying in one place.

It was an untraditional, but fun day!

Happy Birthday Diane and Chris!

Thanks Linda and Dave for sharing your beautiful yard.

(Sorry I didn’t get pictures of everyone who was there.  We missed those of you who couldn’t make it, too!)

JoAnn

P.S.  Does your family have any uncommon traditions that your have created?

A beautiful season…

School is on the final countdown and I can’t wait for some extra free time.

That is probably my most wished for, but unachieved, dream.

While my life has been busy, it has also been fulfilling and fun.

We had a “speed-date” vacation to Portland to visit our daughter Heidi and her husband Ovidiu. 

(It involved two days of travel and only two days of visiting!)

Our other three daughters also went, but they were a little smarter and flew.  Little Aubrey also came with us to celebrate.

Portland was having a beautiful spring.

I fell totally in love with all the rhododendrons and other flowering tree/bushes!  We don’t have the right climate for them in Utah and I guess I’ve never been anywhere during their blooming season, but I was blown away by their beauty. 

I may need to reconsider living in a cold winter/dry summer location.

It was great having a sister reunion.

And fun seeing our two expectant mommas together.

 

Little Aubrey was such a great traveler.

We got to meet some very nice people as we attended a baby shower for Heidi.

 

I finally got my quilt finished!

You can read about my disastrous quilting project here.

 

We spent some time in downtown Portland, browsing the street markets ...

waiting in line for Voodoo Doughnuts…(one and a half hours!)

and wandering through the rose gardens (we were a little too early for the Rose Festival).

It was a quick trip, but we had fun!

We hated saying good-bye so quickly, but the trip home was also beautiful.

Don’t you just love this time of year?

There is so much beauty in nature-and it is quite different everywhere you go!

Have a great week!

JoAnn

Lessons learned…..from moms

I am one of the lucky ones.

This beautiful lady is my mother, Mildred.

And this classy lady is my mother-in-law, Naomi.

And everyone should have an Aunt Mardene in their life.

Today, as we honor our mothers, I thought I’d share a few bits of wisdom I learned from these amazing women.

Here goes:

1.  Love and sacrifice are innate qualities to them. 

No matter what.

Everyone else comes first.  It didn’t matter if they were tired, sick, busy, or wanting some personal time, if we needed them- they were always there.  In fact, if anyone needed them they were of service.  You didn’t even have to ask.  They seemed to always know.

2.  The best way to a person’s  heart is through their stomach. 

I have wonderful memories of delicious meals prepared by their hands.  Some are recipes that none of us can even replicate.  A visit always included a tasty meal or treat.  So many heavenly aromas came from their kitchens.

3.  A little humor goes a long way (and takes the stress of life).

My mother and her good friend, Carol, once made dresses out of the old stage curtains from our church.  (Think Carol
Burnett and her skit from Gone With The Wind.)  My mother-in-law loved to eat dessert first.  They always helped us see the humor in life’s little disasters, to laugh at the spills and mishaps.  They would always remind us that one day we would laugh at the situation and in the meantime, we would survive.

4.  Kindness is the only option. 

Whenever someone would offend us, we were always reminded to think about what it was like being in that person’s shoes.  They always practiced patience.  We were encouraged to never exclude people, or leave anyone out of the fun.  They always looked for the good in people.  Many times we heard the words, “If you can’t say anything kind, don’t say anything at all!”

5.  Aim for perfection.

We were guided by their examples and encouraged to try a little harder.  Quitting was never an option.  They were (Mardene is still alive, so I should add “are”) women of honor and courage, those we all look up to as earthly angels. 

We love and honor them and many other women today!

Happy Mothers’ Day!

JoAnn

P.S.  I am blessed to be the mother/mother-in-law of some pretty amazing children, too!

 

Milestones…and a senior discount

Life has little check-points that we all use to mark the passage of time.

It seems like just yesterday that we became grandparents for the first time.   We were ready. 

Now it seems like the grandkids are growing up so quickly.

We just lost our first tooth.  Well, Maddie did.

Don’t you love her letter to the Tooth Fairy?   She wrote it herself.

Another big milestone is having our youngest granddaughter, Olivia, turn one.

How did this year fly by so swiftly?

We will soon welcome two new little boys and a lovely daughter-in-law. 

Can I say we are excited?

Life doesn’t always give us what we want-when we want it- but that doesn’t mean it can’t be wonderful and good.

Sometimes it just requires patience.

We all reach milestones in our lives- some In a different way, or at a different time.

A new milestone for me is qualifying for senior discounts.

(I’m not sure I’m ready for that!)

What milestones are you facing right now?

source

Have a great week!

JoAnn

Signs of Spring…finally

For some of us, spring couldn’t arrive quickly enough.

While I love the four seasons, I wish spring and fall were longer and winter and summer a bit shorter.

(Probably has to do with my two degree comfort zone my husband teases me about.)

I love the smells,

the colors,

the mild temperatures,

and the anticipation.

The work

-not so much.

This year we are trying  a new bean pole system, using string and pipe.  (It’s almost finished, but not quite.)

Our tomatoes got a late start-my neighbor has already picked some from her garden! 

There is so much to do to get all the beds cleaned up and ready for the season, but it is a nice feeling when things get finished (even though they don’t stay that way).

Too bad we’re not there yet!

How is your yard coming?

JoAnn

P.S.  Here is one more shot of spring flowers!

Check out some other spring links at The Little Red House!

A new look for an old piece of furniture

Some people can just preform miracles.

Our daughter-in-law Irene gave this old (but comfy) ottoman a fresh, new look.

Choosing a crisp, bright new fabric (and losing the tassels), and adding some pleats brought this ottoman into the twenty-first century.

They needed some color in their new family room and this really did the trick.

Don’t you think it looks cute?

You can read how she did it here.

JoAnn

 

Rainy days, patriotism, and a little chicken plucking…

Once again, tragedy has shaken our country and left us all feeling vulnerable and exposed.

The bombing at the Boston Marathon has reminded us  how fragile and fleeting life can be-how quickly things can change. 

We all mourn for those who were killed or injured!

My heart aches for those who could be so misguided as to seek to destroy life. 

While the cowardly actions of  a few have such an effect on so many people, we as a country tend to bond together and strengthen each other during these terrible times.

Yesterday it was raining, but this beautiful flag reminded me that we are still a united country.

With many tireless heroes who protect us.

As I already mentioned, yesterday it was wet and rainy here.

The ducks and geese welcomed the moisture.

I love it when they venture right out to the road.

We spent yesterday morning with other inner-city missionaries, serving breakfast at a Provident Living Fair, sponsored by our stake (church group).

There were lots of helpers.

And lots of participants.

They had display tables all around the edge of the gym, sharing information ranging from emergency preparedness to spinning yarn from wool.

I loved this idea for portable out-house supplies.

From an empty margarine container they created a bathroom kit.  Gloves, hand sanitizer, and of course, the t.p.  I think there were also some empty plastic bags tucked in, too.

There were food samples, too.

This delicious wheat bread was baked in juice cans.

Here is the recipe:

90 Minute Whole Wheat Bread

Mix and let stand 5 minutes:  1 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar

Mix 1/3 cup oil, 1/3 cup honey, 1 tablespoon salt, 3 cups warm water, 1 cup instant powdered milk (or 1/2 cup  non-instant powdered milk mixed with flour to avoid lumping)

Add yeast mixture to 2nd mixture.  Add 8 cups whole wheat flour and stir well.  (I use my hand mixer).  Grease three 46 ounce tall juice cans with 1 end removed.  Divide batter into cans.  (Cut down into batter with a knife to remove air bubbles.)

Place cans standing up in oven.  Turn oven to 350 degrees for 1 minute.  Turn off.  Let the bread rise for 15 minutes in the oven.  Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake 45-50 minutes or until done.  Remove bread from oven.  Let cool in cans about 5 minutes before shaking out of can to cool.

This recipe can be doubled.

Did I mention that it was delicious?

And now the promised chicken plucking…

Although it is not legal to kill your own chickens within the city limits (except at certain places), it might be helpful to know how – just in case you find yourself in a real emergency (and just in case there happen to be some stray chickens around).

I remember my own grandmother killing chickens when I was really young.  It was a dreadful experience for me so I’m probably not going to try this.

Did you know that the feathers will come right out if the chicken is dipped in scalding (not boiling) water first?

So there you have it.

We do live in an uncertain world, and it is nice to be independent enough to survive during a disaster.

While I’m not quite ready to become a meat-packaging mama, I will make the little bathroom kits and I’m sure I’ll make the bread.

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

JoAnn

P.S.  Costco’s $4.99 roasted chicken sounds better and better, doesn’t it?