Missing Mom...

Three years ago today, my mom returned home to her Heavenly Father.  I am still so grateful for the knowledge of where she is and who she is with.  I do think about her and miss her every single day...And I know in a lot of ways she is still with US.  I see and feel her in so many things and places...I love and miss her.  I love looking at pictures of her, especially in her younger days, just being my mom...weren't we stylin'?

 And I love remember things she has taught me.  One day when I was 12, she came home and said that when my work was done, she had a surprise for me.  I could not imagine at all what it would be!  Turns out, it was some embroidery kits and she taught me to embroider.  I still have the Holly Hobby pictures I made way back then.  They look like a 12 year old did them, but they adorn my laundry room and I love to look at them and remember my mother teaching me a new, fun thing...

 It was a wonderful surprise that day, and though I don't do much embroidery anymore, I still know how and I still enjoy looking at the things I have made...thanks Mom...love you!

Cream Puff/Cake recipe...by demand...

You will be amazed how easy these are...but still be impressed if I ever bring you any!

Boil 1 cup of water and 1 cube of margarine (or butter)

Stir in 1 cup of flour quickly, then remove from heat.

Beat in 4 eggs 1 at a time (I do 2 at a time because I'm a rebel that way)

For Cream puffs, drop in dollops on a greased cookie sheet.  For the cake, spread in a greased 9x13.

Cream puffs bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then 350 for 30 minutes. 

Cake bakes at 400 for 30 minutes.

When puffs are cool, cut off the tops and clean out any stuff that didn't cook all the way.  Fill with chocolate pudding and top with cool whip.  You can make any flavor puffs you want.  I have made lemon meringue and they are pretty good too.

For the Cake, when it is cool, mix 1 large box of Vanilla or Chocolate instant pudding as directed on box.  Beat in an 8 oz softened cream cheese.  Spread this layer over the puffy crust.  Then top with cool whip and drizzle chocolate sauce (Hershey's syrup for me) across the top.  There are those of you out there who make chocolate sauce and that is probably better...but I'm a Hershey girl).

I got the "cake" recipe instructions from the lilluna blog (her button is down on the left side of this blog).  She has the sauce recipe and a delightful picture of a piece of the cake.  I love her blog and have tried several things from it.  Crafts and other ideas as well as recipes.  Next up, I'm gonna try her S'mores cookie recipe.  Can't wait!!



First Day of School, 2011 and a couple of other random things...

Today is the first day of school here in Clovis.  Joel is a JUNIOR!  I still can't believe it!  I remember it was yesterday I was putting him on that bus for kindergarten...time sure does fly!  We measured him last night and he is just shy of 5'11" and when I say just shy of, I mean such a tiny little smidgeon you can't even measure it!  He has grown a quarter of an inch since April!  It must have been hiking Mt. Whitney that did it.  They did say they all left here boys and came home MEN.  That was a wonderful experience that he was privileged to have this summer.  A memory that will follow him the rest of his life.  Hiking to the highest peak in the continental states...Many thanks to the scout leaders (Budge, Swinney, Saunders and Bogle) for taking them on this adventure and keeping them alive to return home safely.  We are sure proud of this junior and wish him the best school year ever!  Seminary starts in the morning and I do believe he is excited for that to start up again too.  He has wonderful teachers again this year...the Ouinjans.  We expect to hear great things!

 And now for the random...My mom taught me to make Cream Puffs and I have made them for YEARS.  They are always a hit and people enjoy them.  Well, I found a recipe that is the exact same recipe, but you spread it in a cake pan and make a cake!  I was excited to try it!  I was a little nervous as it puffed all up in the oven, and thought it might sink a bit when I brought it out.  It did a  LITTLE, but this is what it looked like...

 All uneven and definitely PUFF.  But you know what?  You spread your pudding/cream cheese mixture over and put Cool Whip and chocolate sauce on top, and it is a great cake!  Easier and less time consuming than the individual cream puffs...I will still make those too, but when I'm in a hurry, this recipe will take the cake!!  And last but not least...Saturday night was our stake youth dance, "Tropical Splash."  They had a photo booth so Terry and I just HAD to get a shot!

I have loved every minute of working with her these last five years in the stake young women program...she is WONDERFUL! I learn so much from her and we are definitely kindred spirits!  Thank you "Mama O" for letting me be a part of your life...I guess you know I have adopted you and cousin Scotty for life...you will never be rid of me!

Productive Weekend...

Before I get to the weekend...I must back track a couple of pictures and finish off Ashley's birthday...she chose Red Robin for her birthday dinner on Tuesday night.  Joel had mutual so couldn't join us, but the other boys did...We had good food and good company!  

 Happy Birthday Ashley!  Now we have officially celebrated!  (And she got the waiter to bring her the brithday sundae and NOT have anyone sing to her!)

 Clark and Clif getting a good meal under their belts!  I personally just had dessert...it was minty, and chocolate chippy, and had cool whip on top...YUM!  Now on to the productive weekend...

On Saturday the 13th I spent the day at Ann's and we bottled fruit!  Peaches, Pears, and Cinnamon Pears.  We bottled 7 batches!  (There are 7 bottles in a batch).  Our kind husbands (who did help with some of the peeling and cutting) processed the batches for us (in hot water on the stove) while we took a break and went and saw the movie, "The Help."  Donna and Rachel joined us.  It was wonderful to relax and enjoy a REALLY GOOD MOVIE!!  Some of us had read the book and absolutely loved it.  I always worry that the movie will not do the book justice, but this time it did!  It was done very well and I loved it.  By the time we got back all the fruits had been processed (between the Winiecke house and the McKinney house) so we were DONE.  And of course we did our laundry and usual Satruday chores..then we finished off the night by buying Taco Bell for dinner and eating at the Winieckes and then playing cards.  It was a very productive and fun day!  I love looking at the pretty jars of fruit...

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Today is our beautiful Ashley's birthday!  We were so overcome with joy when she was born and started our FAMILY 28 years ago.  Our lives were changed forever and for the better the day she was born.   Ashley is smart, beautiful, musically talented, funny, and fun to be with.  We love you Ashley!  Have a beautiful and wonderful day!  

Happy Birthday Jacob!

This little man is one year old today!  It seems like just yesterday we were in Georgia and he had just been born!  He is a fun addition to the family and we love him so much!  Jacob is our second grandchild and it was so fun to have him and his brother here in July for a visit...We love and miss them...have a wonderful birthday Jacob!  Hugs and kisses from Grandma...

July wrap up...

I cannot believe it is August 1st!  Where does the time go?  So I guess I need to wrap up July...here's a few more things that happened this month...Saturday I went with my bosom friend Donna to see the community theater play "Hello Dolly."  It was fabulous!  We had such a fun time and the production was so good!  (It always is!)  One of the highlights of my summer every year...and it's especially fun because there is always someone we know in it.  They did a great job! 

Last week I had the trio over to play...they are so much fun!  They wouldn't smile for the camera, but they were happy, I promise!  They are having graham crackers in this picture.  We had a great time playing with my toy box and I think their mom was able to get a few things done without them crawling around under her feet.  We loved having them...they are welcome anytime Nicole!

 I got the pictures I ordered of David reminding us to "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."  Isn't he just the cutest little monkey!  I LOVE these darling pictures...have to find the perfect place to hang it...

 Clif received his AS degree!  He doesn't think it's a big deal, but we do...and I will be buying a frame for this important piece of paper!  Great job Clif!  He also got a job at Target as a cashier.  He has two part-time jobs now and next up will be a 4 year college...he was accepted at BYU Idaho, but I hear he is looking into Fresno State as well...so we will see.  I am rooting for BYU Idaho so he can be out on his own having an adventure, but MOSTLY so he can have the BYU experience that so many of us wish we could have!  Fresno State just isn't quite the same...

 Another fun day...I had an impromptu lunch with these two lovely ladies!  Hillary gave her talk in church on Sunday (she did a fabulous job!) and was going to speak in the singles ward after...there was just enough time in between to come over and visit with me and have a bite of lunch.  (Dave is in Texas so I wasn't cooking!)  It was fun!  I LOVED hearing her bear her testimony in Espanol...so we had her bless our lunch in spanish as well!  Fun fun!  Thanks for stopping by!!

Clark got a new set of wheels!  And boy are they BIG.  He has to jump up into that thing.  One thing is for sure, I will never be going for a ride in it because I can't climb that high!!  He is excited to have a truck and now he just needs to sell his old Saturn (the one that used to be Ashley's!).  



 And last but definitely not least...this little guy joined our family on July 29th!  Two days before his parents 12th anniversary!  Jackson Baxter Farnsworth...looks just like his older brothers and his dad...they are definitely from the same mold!  Congrats to my little brother Eric and his wife Randa on this sweet addition to the family!  Wish I could hold him and love on him!

His family will have to do it for me...and it looks like they are ready and willing!  Makayela will have fun playing the little mother.  July has been a very busy and fun month...I wonder what August will hold?

Sweets from the sweetest!

My sweet, sweet, friend Donna and her daughter Meghann are taking a cake decorating class.  This week they learned how to make different kinds of flowers...and she had too many cupcakes to eat herself, so she shared them with me!  YUM!  Handmade and hand delivered!  They are beautiful!  She did a great job...and they were rasberry filled as you can see from the one I took a bite of...I am happy to say I ate all four of them all by myself!!!  Two one day, and two the next.  They were delish!  Thank you so much Donna for sharing with me!  I will be happy to taste test any of your other lesson material if you need me to!  Your cakes and cookies have all looked beautiful...keep having fun!  Someday I want to take that class with a friend...that would be so fun.  Next up with Donna...today we are going to see "Hello Dolly" at the Met.  Can't wait.  Donna is a kindred spirit and a very sweet friend!  I am truly blessed!



Our new little gas saver...

This little 2007 Toyota Corolla is saving me so much money on gas!!!  We got it the end of June...it is an LDS Mission car...very well taken care of and only 50,000 miles!  Clif is making the payments and BUYING HIS OWN GAS.  That's right, no more carpooling!  No more waiting in the lobby at work for my son to get me after his shift is done...no more "where is my car?" and no more wondering if my own car will be available to drive to work...life is GOOD.  And the best thing...I only use a quarter tank of gas PER WEEK now!  Just driving back and forth to work, that is all the gas I use.  LOVE IT!!  Seriously, this extra car is a blessing and I am thankful for it.  I am thankful Clif has a road-worthy car and that he can get himselt to and from all the many places he needs to be.  He has two part-time jobs, school, and church activities and he is always on the go.  I'm sure he will not enjoy paying for all the gas now, but having his own car is most likely worth it.  It certainly is to me!

July 13th ~ the party comes to an end...

All good things must come to an end they say.  Wednesday came.  I tried to stop it, but it came anyway.  I went to work for 3 hours while Amanda packed their suitcase.  When I got home we had some lunch and then loaded up to go to the airport.  David likes the big trees at the airport...he let me take a picture with him inside one.

 He likes spinning inside the tree...see how fast his arms are moving?

 Jacob was all smiles...still playing with his toes...I am gonna miss these little faces!!

 We got Jacob out of the stroller so I could get a picture with both boys...

Thankfully his momma strapped him back in..she almost didn't since we were so close to the security check-in...but she was inspired to buckle him back...after I hugged both boys goodbye, I was giving Amanda her hug and just as we let go and said good by, all of a sudden the stroller tipped over sideways!  David was standing by it and it was off balance due to her duffle bag she had hanging over the handle.  I guess David just bumped it or something...so he was crying and very upset, but Jacob was mostly scared...I watched his head (in slow motion just like the movies, I kid you not) and it didn't even touch the floor...Amanda grabbed the stroller before it was too catastrophic and of course, Jacob was STRAPPED IN, so all was well.  It took a few minutes to calm David down...it bumped his arm and he was rubbing it while he was crying loudly...but he was okay.  As we were calming him down, up walks my friend Karen Madsen!  She was there to pick up her granddaughter who was arriving for her visit with Grandma!  So she went through security right ahead of Amanda and the boys. 

 I watched them go through security (Amanda says our security is sooo much friendlier and more  helpful than Atlanta security that is just prodding cattle) and soon they were on their way...Jacob buckled in and David staying right beside Amanda...going...

 going....gone.

 Now Grandma's toy box and book bin sit quietly unattended...

 The bath tub toys and crayons look lonely...no more squeals and splashes from the bathtub...

 And the playdough Grandma made will dry out, so I will give it to some other sweet children to play with...the house is so quiet again...I miss seeing those little happy faces when I get up each morning...yep, it's going to take a lot of chocolate to get me back to normal...

 But in the meantime, I will be ready to make a new batch of playdough and have all the toys and books ready for the NEXT TIME...when I can look forward to a visit from those cute grandbabies!!!

Oh, and little David left his Mater Pez...("Hey Grandma!  Mater is a tow truck!") but don't worry, Grandma will send it in the next box of love she sends to Georgia...and it will have Pez refills!!!  Until next time...XOXO