Christmas Baking

Every Christmas Eve my Grandma Young would send us home with a fabulous platter.  I know I've spoken of it every year, especially last year when I recreated them with gum drops and gummy oranges.  Well, we did it again this year and they were perfect, except I forgot to bring the peanut clusters, so I had to send my dad home to get them (pictured without them, but added later.)  And because of the snow storm that dumped on our state Christmas Eve, my cousin couldn't make it from Eastern Idaho with the Peanut Brittle.  Look at that amazing array of deliciousness.  I was quite disappointed that no one brought and mom didn't want to make grandma's cherry filled cookies.  They are my favorite, especially when they are partially frozen.

It was super fun this year to have Tristen, her girls, Becky, Stella and my childhood friend Melissa join us in the kitchen.  This is one of my most favorite days of the year.  I love the memories and the fun we have.

 Becky brought all of the kids, because Troy ended up working.  They had such fun playing with their cousins. 

 I confess, I bribed them with candy for this cute photo!

 Funny thing happened, Aidree couldn't find her doll.  After several people searched for it Bridget said, "Aidree I'll show you where I hid your doll if you come downstairs with me."  Ha Ha, little sisters can tease too!

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Friday night since almost all of us were together (Tristen opted out because she had a bad case of mastitis, poor girl) we made our way to one of our favorite pumpkin patches.  We have had this tradition for many years and I love it.  Of course it's only fun because the kids enjoy it.  They climb up on hay bales over and over again and slide down this crazy slide.  They play in the corn and we find corn in cars and clothes when we get home.  We go on a hay ride and then we have donuts or sugar cookies this time.  Of course they are always filthy and need a good scrub in the tub when we get home.  It is always a fun night and since we went early in October the weather was perfect.

4th of July Fabulous Friday

I can't believe we are well into July.  It seems like when 4th of July is over the Summer days begin to fly by and all of a sudden everyone is back into school mode.  However being the single lady that I am and being well into my summer reading program (of which I can't seem to get enough time in my days to read all of the books that are piling up on my library chair) and the fact that I live in Phoenix where we have Summer temperatures well into October, I feel like my Summer is coasting along rather well.

It was a little disturbing as I visited my local Costco this morning to see backpacks and school required clothing on display, especially when it was 105 at 1030am, at least they still have a plethora of bathing suits and shorts out.  Speaking of bathing suits, I did it again...I purchased another, un-needed bathing suit last Friday evening.  It is so cute and was begging for me to take it home, especially because it was on the clearance rack at Marshalls.  I've come to the conclusion that one can never have too many flip flops, sunglasses and bathing suits.

Speaking of bathing suits, Monday I worked 9-5 and then headed over to our clinic directors home for her annual 4th of July party, where I spent most of it with a drink in my hand and in the pool.  Her pool is awesome as it has this large area where you can "lay out" and be in the water.  Hope that makes sense.  I've never seen anything like it, but if I ever design a pool, I'll for sure use that design.  I only stayed a few hours, because I like to watch the fireworks on TV from Boston and NYC.  I know boring, but it's my tradition, since I think I've worked nearly every 4th of July of my life.

 My dear friend Aubrey is in town this week!  Yesterday after work I went over to her parents where her sisters and sister in law joined us.  We cooked kabobs on the grill, chatted around the pool while kind of watching for any potential drownings and then of course because it is summer (and I had a groupon that was expiring today), we took the kids for snow cones.  It's one of my favorite things about Summer for sure.  It's even more fun when your bestie from college and her adorable nieces and nephews are here to do it with you.

And then we facetimed HM, because remember Aubrey is the only one of my friends or family to meet him.  She thinks he is fabulous and so do I.  He knows how to make me smile really big and blush.  I'm not really a blusher, but this guys seems to bring it out in me.  I love technology.  What did we ever do without facetime, especially in a long distance relationship?  I facetimed him all the way home and then until we both had to get some shut eye. 

I've worked every day this week and it has been crazy busy.  I've had patients in atrial flutter, having heart attacks, blood clots, lacerations, broken bones, and hand foot and mouth to name a few.  I'm on the count down again, 5 more shifts before I go home for another round of the dreaded chemo, which I'm really hoping and begging the Lord that it is shrinking those blasted tumors.  But I'm really excited that I only have 8 more days until I get to see HM.  He's definitely one of a kind.

New Years Eve And A New Year

I had chemo 2 days before New Years Eve.  Day 2 after chemo is always my worst day.  Let's just say for the most part I layed like a limp noodle on the couch and watched all the bowl games all day long.  It was fantastic that I could watch football all day even though my mom hated it.  Tanners girlfriend Kayla drove from Utah to spend the holiday with us.  She is cute and super fun.  Towards evening the kids, Grandma Betty and Grandma Jeanne came over for appetizers and prime rib.  I did eat a little tiny bit.  My taster if always off when I have chemo.

Can you tell that we are absolutely in love with this little guy?

We played the candy bar game which is our tradition, I drank some sparkly and was unfortunately in bed by 10.

Happy for us, Tenielle, Tony and Tanner decided to stay one extra day, which we spent watching bowl games.

It's always kind of a let down when everyone leaves, but I will admit it's also nice to get back home and to some kind routine.

My friend Pamela came out to Idaho for 3 weeks while her husband had to work.  She is a super mom to her 4 kids.  She was suppose to go back to Baltimore the day before I came back to Phoenix, however her flight was canceled.  I was sitting in the airport on Wednesday and noticed her diaper bag, which I gave her and looked up to see her.  She and her kids were on my flight to Phoenix.  It was the quickest flight I've ever experienced because we chatted the entire way.  I sure love this friend of mine.  A few days before she left she brought me her first banana pie.  Oh, my it was out of this world delicious.

Another Unexpected FF

1.  This week has been completely and utterly fulfilling, even though the events of most of the week were unplanned.  Friday my mom had called me at work to let me know that my great-aunt June (my grandpa Swensens brothers wife-got that?) was not expected to last on this earth much longer.  And she didn't, as she passed away Saturday evening.  Because of this I got to see my family again this week...but lets start this week in order.
2.  Saturday was great as previously blogged about, but Sunday was even better as I was able to listen to more fantastic talks from General Conference.  During the first session on Sunday I compiled a new favorite Easter Song Playlist.  I always love a new playlist and sharing those playlists with friends and family.  These songs remind me of the love Jesus Christ has for me.  Between conference sessions I went to Aunt Leslie's where I picked a grapefruit from the tree.  I miss being able to do this every day.  There is an abundance of sweet grapefruit this year.  I still have at least 1 grapefruit daily and will miss when grapefruit season is over!  I'm pretty sure grapefruit season must be the longest fruit season of any, which I'm happy about.  We watched the last session of conference and then everyone came for dinner including my cousin's Janna, Deborah, Laura and Lisa who was visiting from Utah.  Dinner was delicious as usual!  It's always more delicious with family.

 3.  I worked Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Thursday I flew from Mesa to Provo at 6:20am, caught a taxi to the train station and rode the train to SLC where Tenielle, Aidree and Bridget picked me up.  I wish I had a picture of the girls running down the side of the train yelling, "Hi Auntie Terah."  It was so cute!  We then went to see Tanner at work, who happened to actually not have been at work because he took the day off to work on a school project.  We ended up having lunch with him and Tony, even though Tanner had no idea that I was actually coming to town.  Lunch was at Flat Bread, mostly because its' delicious and I knew the girls would have fun making their own pizza's.

 

The photobomber are aweseome!

 Bridget concentrates with her tongue out like her dad and grandpa.

4.  My favorite part of the day was visiting Temple Square.  Because I absolutely love tulips, I was in Tulip Heaven.  You really do miss the seasons when you live in Phoenix.  Nothing is more beautiful than Spring on Temple Square and the peace we felt there was almost touchable.  Aidree and Bridet say the cutest things.  I told Aidree that she needed to stop growing up and she said, "I need to hurry and grow up so I can be a mom."  Bridget got caught in the back seat smearing chapstick on her lips.  When I took it away from her she told me that she was getting ready for her wedding to her prince tomorrow.  How cute is that?

The girls wanted to visit the Christus and I took these precious pictures!  We also learned more about Christ as we read the depictions that went with these most beautiful pictures.

5. Tenielle and I drove to Pocatello where we met mom and dad, visited my mom's Aunt Arnetta and her cousin Kendra who was diagnosed this week with Colon Cancer and has a Hank (but only for 4 weeks) and then we drove to Idaho Falls.  My dear friend who I met in Jr. High and moved just after High School, let me know her mother was visiting Idaho Falls too, so she met us at the hotel and we talked for 2 hours.  It was such fun to catch up with her.

6.  Tyler and his family stayed at the same hotel so I got to have breakfast with my nephews.  They are darling.

7.  This morning was a beautiful Spring day in St. Anthony, Idaho to celebrate the life of a soft spoken, sweet woman.  It was so wonderful to see family.  Funerals bring families together.  I was so happy to be able to visit my Grandma Swensens grave.  I'm pretty sure I felt her sweet spirit there among us along with many of our dear family members who are buried there.  I'm quite positive she is sad that we don't visit more often.

This is the house mom grew up in.

8.  Of course the time was short and I had to catch a flight from Idaho Falls back to Mesa (so that I can pull a 12 hour shift tomorrow), but not before venturing into our favorite Candy Store in Rexburg to capture the deliciousness of Princess Michelle's.  These candies have a soft cream cheese center and toasted coconut on the outside and literally melt in your mouth.  We've got to find a recipe and make them ourselves someday.

Until next time...