Canning Apple Pie Filling

Finished Product

I bought a new steamer canner and it works fabulous. My first batch out of the canner. I can just feel some Apple Crumble coming on. The first batch always takes so long because you don't remember what you did. I know it will get faster as I do more batches. Thank goodness for my Pampered Chef Apple Slicer. It makes this a lot easier. My old canner went missing. I don't know what happened to it but it didn't make it to Rigby. But now I'm glad because this new one has a gauge so I can keep track of how hot it is. So it's good to lose things sometimes.
That's what I did today. Still not completely good but I'm getting there. My throat has quit hurting and now to get over the tiredness and I'll be all good to go.
Grateful Statement: Today I am grateful for the opportunity to can. It always make me feel useful and reminds me of my grandma. I helped her can when I was little so it is connected to lots of good memories. I am blessed to know how to do all this. Heavenly Father knows what to give me to be happy.

Kathy Left Today

I am sad. My best friend went back to St. George. I wanted to go with her but couldn't. Life just gets in the way of my fun all the time. I am very tired today. We didn't get much done while Kathy was here but we had a great time. We played Castleville sitting on the couch together and talked and talked and talked. We are really good at that.
I hope this sore throat goes away soon so I can get going on all those apples waiting for me. I didn't do anything today but try to stay awake. Tomorrow will be better.
Grateful Statement: I am grateful for the fun time I had with my friend. I so needed my friend to come and visit me. She always makes me a happy camper...

Teaching My Sunbeam Class

Kathy, Austin and I went to church today. Bailee went with her friend Marissa to her ward. They released me from the Children's Class Teacher finally. And Kathy helped me control those cute little sunbeams. I have three that just keep us all hopping. But we made class rules today and that really helped. It was fun to have Kathy in there with me. The Bishop is getting me a team teacher so I can keep better track of the kids in Sharing Time. I really love Bishop Hall. He is so sweet and his wife is just the friendliest person ever.
After church we made Black Bean Burritos. They were so good. I have to can some more black beans. We really go through them fast. Kathy and I love them. They are wonderful with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and cheese. Yum Yum....
That's been my day, and a very good one at that. Now Kathy and I are going to relax and enjoy the evening.
Grateful Statement: Today I am grateful for the little Sunbeam class I get to teach. It just gets better each week. I am blessed to be their teacher.

My Best Friend Kathy Came To Visit

Goats

My best friend Kathy came to visit me. She drove all the way from St. George to Rigby. I was so happy to see her. Look what she brought for us to make Apple Pie Filling using Amie's recipe. 

Apples

 I think we have our work cut out for us. I have a sore throat that my darling grandkids gave me so I'm not feeling so ambitious. We'll see what happens. And look what my best friend bought me for my birthday. Four buckets of wheat. Kathy knows what I like.

Wheat

We went grocery shopping at Winco to get the stuff for the pie filling and some groceries. It's so good to have my bestie to hang out with. I just love this lady so much. We always say we are really sisters, just born to different mom's.

Grateful Statement: Today I am grateful for Kathy. She is just the best. Heavenly Father blessed me with such a great friend.

Beautiful Sabbath

Bailee, Austin and I got up this morning and went to church. Our church starts at 11am. It was at 1pm but the ward that meets before us has too many members and didn't have enough room so they moved back to 1pm and we went to 11am. It's my very favorite time for church. I have time to finish up my lesson.
I love my little Sunbeams. I think I am going to have to ask for a team teacher. I can't take one child to the bathroom and leave the rest behind and they put all the teachers on the outside of the row so I can't control all the kids at once. I seem to have about three that just have a mind of their own. I'm going to call the Primary President tomorrow and talk to her.
Austin made waffles for us for dinner. He's quite the little chef.
Grateful Statement: Today I am grateful for the Gospel. What in the world would I do without it. It gives me comfort and hope. I know I can have peace and my prayers answered by just asking. What a loving Heavenly Father I have.

Going to the Mall

Bailee and Marissa

Today I took Bailee and Marissa to the mall. I went to Michael's, Joanne's and Bed, Bath and Beyond. I am finding things to decorate the top of my cabinets in my kitchen. I did find three things but I have a ton more. I met back up with the girls at the mall and then we went to Sonic for lunch. I dropped the kids off at Marissa's and went to get my hair cut in Rigby.  Then I went to the market and back home.
That's been my day. I made bow ties noodles and Alfredo sauce for dinner. Harley and I have been watching Chopped all evening. We like this show. We always decide who we think should win and cheer them on. Too funny....
Grateful Statement: I am grateful for my grandkids. They really do make my days happy. What a blessing they are in my life.

Pantry Finished

Tommy finished my pantry shelves. Look at the shelves with nothing on them. I bet it won't take me long to fill them up. What a handy hubby I have.

Ready for stuff

I took these pictures of the dogs. What a life they have. They are good company for each other and Tommy and I. I really love these silly dogs. Maggie comes over to my house during the day while the kids are in school.

Sisters

It is raining here. So much mud. I hate mud... It seems to find it's way into my house. Either on our feet, the kids feet or the dogs feet. I hate mud.... That would be the chicken coop Tommy made. He still has to paint it and then it will be all ready for the chickens. Our chickens are still laying the biggest eggs ever. We just have to make sure we collect them every day so they don't freeze.

Rain makes mud...

That's been my day. Watching it rain and watching Tommy make my shelves.
Grateful Statement: I am grateful for Tommy. He is so good with everything. I'm glad I got a handy hubby and that he's willing to do things for me.

My Birthday Gift

New Countertop

Computer Desk almost ready

While I was in Utah Janna and her dad worked on my room. They put the countertops on my cabinets and mounted the ones in my laundry room. I also have two of the three cabinets I am doing above. Tommy is going to put book shelves between the cabinets for my scrapbooks. They also put knobs on all my cabinets and there was a ton. What a fabulous Birthday gift for me. And to think they did this all on the sly. I had no idea. When I came in the house my mouth dropped open. I have the best family.
It was an uneventful drive home. I did stop at the rest stop by Tremonton and walk all around the grassy area so I wouldn't get charley horses like when I went down. I learned my lesson on that one.
Grateful Statement: I am so grateful for a wonderful daughter and husband that would work so hard just for me. I truly am blessed.

Snowing in Utah

Snowing

My Hannah always Smiling

Hayden

Harrison

The kids were out of school for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and it decided to snow. They were thrilled. I was supposed to go visit with Heather in Mount Pleasant but I called and cancelled. I didn't know what the road would be like going there and I didn't want to take a chance on sliding off the road.
Hailey, Hannah, Hayden, Brooke and Ashley played in the snow and sledded behind the four wheeler. They were frozen popscicles when they came in.
Harrison made origamy from instructions on the computer. He is really good at folding paper to make things.
Hailey made her mom's famous rolls and I finished them for her because she was playing in the snow. I didn't roll them up like Amie does because we were making them into sliders so I just cut the dough into squares. But I don't think the squares were big enough so next time I will make them the size of a hamburger bun. They were delicious with the pulled pork that we thawed out. I'm so glad Amie cooks all these good things for us so all we do is warm them up.
The kids got the house all ready for the cleaning lady. She will be here Tuesday morning. They did a good job. I worked on the kitchen and they did everything else.
Harrison's blood sugar levels have steadily risen for the last two days so we called Amie and she had him change his site incase it was plugged up and not pumping the right amount of insulin. It helped somewhat. It was 230ish after he changed the site and I set my alarm for 1am and had him test again. It was 231 so it wasn't going up anymore. She's going to send the test record from his pump to the doctor so they can figure out what's not working. He is so good about his diabetes. So responsible with his testing and eating. He is a sweet kid.
Grateful Statement: Today I am grateful for Harrison. We are so blessed to have him in our family. He is an example to me on how to take adversity and overcome it. I just love him. He's the bravest kid I know...

Hailey Made the Cake

German Chocolate Cake

Sunday we went to Church. It was good to see all my old ward members. I don't feel quite as home as I used to so I guess that means I have shifted to my ward in Rigby which as it should be. It was good to see Harrison pass the Sacrament. I can't believe he's a Deacon. Where has the time gone. I went to Sunday School and Relief Society. Hailey made this cake for me and the kids sang Happy Birthday to me. They are the sweetest kids. We had tacos for dinner and just enjoyed the rest of the Sabbath.
Grateful Statement: I am grateful for these wonderful grandkids that are so good to their grandma. I am grateful that I get to take care of them while Dean and Amie are away. I am blessed!!

Scrap Night with Cheese Cake

Gerri likes her Cheese Cake. She had her tonsils out so she was feeling pretty bad. Heather finally had to take her home and come back to scrap with Judy and I.

 Judy worked on Scouting stuff.

Judy, Judy, Judy

Heather, Gerri and Judy came over to Dean and Amie's to scrapbook with me. They brought me a cheese cake for my birthday. How sweet is that. It's so good to have such good friends. I actually finished this page of Kathy at the Deer Farm in Arizona.

Deer Farm

I really had fun and even got a page done.

Grateful Statement: I have to say that I am so grateful for good friends that care about me. Heavenly Father is so good to me to put such wonderful people in my life.

Back to Utah

I woke up this morning to grandkids wishing me a Happy Birthday. 66 years on this earth. I have learned tons and had many ups and downs but as my brother always says, "It's all good."
I drove to Utah to take care of the kids so Dean and Amie could go to Hawaii. I got here in time to go to Hailey's basketball game. It was so much fun to see those beautiful granddaughters of mine. So very gorgeous. After the game we went to Burger King for dinner. The kids decided I needed a crown so Amie took a picture of us. Pretty funny if you ask me.... I really shouldn't let Amie take pictures of me, but what you see is what you get.

I have been crowned!

Dean and Amie will be leaving at 4am in the morning. Too early for me. I'm pretty tired from the 4 hour drive so it's bed time for me.
Grateful Statement: I am grateful for another birthday. I am blessed to have such good friends and family.