Happy Surprise!

Today was a happy surprise! Our long-time friends, Bruce and Judy Bailey, are in town this week for Thanksgiving with their kids and grandkids. So today they came to our ward Sacrament Meeting. It was wonderful....just like old times! We sorely miss seeing them every week and associating with them frequently. We haven't seen them since we were at their house for General Conference last April. I would say that they haven't changed, but Bruce has. He's now clean-shaven since he's now (along with Judy) a temple worker in the Bountiful Utah Temple. We're proud of both of them and their many accomplishments. It was so good to see you, Judy and Bruce! And we'll make plans to come for conference again in April.

Black Friday

Mark and I were up and out early this morning. First stop was Wal-Mart for some grandkid gifts that were on sale. Then we headed to Target and Joann's. Mark went to Target and I went to Joann's. He got some more grandkid gifts on sale and I purchased flannel for various projects. We started at about 4:45 am and were home by 7 am. Then we took a well-deserved morning nap. After we woke up, we went back to Joann's for more flannel....I didn't get enough that was good for boys earlier, so we stood in long lines this time. There's a lot to be said about missing the rush by getting up early. Then we met Dad, Aunt Dovetta, Brian, Kamille and their kids at Chick-Fil-A for lunch. AFter that, we went to Westgate to a new business called RideMakerZ. It's a car-themed Build a Bear sort of store, but more for boys. We had received a free one in the mail a while back and the free offer expires this Sunday, so we were a little under the gun. We let Dallin build the car. It was a green Mustang and he (and his dad!) had a great time selecting the various parts and assembling the car. I'm glad it was free (or at least most of it was), since we figured it would have been VERY pricey otherwise...something we probably wouldn't choose to do. But Dallin had fun with it.

Our next stop of the day was to pick Ellie up for her birthday sleepover. She was giddy with excitement. She had her backpack all ready and her sleeping bed by the front door. We let her choose a place for dinner, and she chose Sardella's for a plain cheese pizza. She wanted to shop for her gift tonight and she wanted to go to Wal-Mart. She choose a new baby doll, two Fisher-Price baby play sets--one is a naptime baby and the other is a bathtime baby. Her last choice was a miniature Cabbage Patch baby with a tricycle. When we were at the store, rather than askingn if she could buy those items, she wanted to "borrow" them. I think she doesn't understand the difference. Maybe it's because she borrows things from our house and keeps them at her house for a while....until she thinks they're hers!!
She had a great time tonight getting them all out of the packaging and playing with them. She's got her sleeping bag on the living room floor and she's watching The Polar Express for about the 100th time!! She (and her dad) love that movie! Tomorrow, her plans are to go to Build-A-Bear (for her Saturday activity) and then we'll take her home. I almost forgot....she requested Pop Tarts for breakfast and when she learned she got that and her own personal chocolate milk, she put both hands to her mouth, gasped and then giggled! I wish more people could be as innocent and unassuming as little Ellie.

Thanksgiving Festivities

Today is Thanksgiving, and we started the day at Dan's house in Casa Grande. We were warmly greeted by Matthew, Emma, Chris and Dan. They had prepared a yummy meal. Dan is quite the chef and likes to embellish his favorite recipes. He made a turkey, which, prior to roasting, he covered with bacon strips. This served to both baste the turkey and keep it nice and juicy, but it also added a subtle smoky flavor to the meat. He also made the traditional green bean casserole, but he added cooked bacon near the end of the baking time. Yum! And he prepared Stove Top stuffing, but had sauteed sausage, onions and celery and added that and corn to the prepared stuffing and then he baked it. It was delicious, too! He also made a Bowler family favorite....green jello! He's the only one that's made it in the past 5 years. And he's got it down!! And he make some creamy mashed potatoes and gravy. It was a great meal. Mark and I supplied dessert...pies....which we slaved over all day....NOT! They were courtesy of Village Inn and Marie Callenders.



After lunch, Matthew, Emma, Dan and I worked on their gingerbread house. I had it constructed, but they did the decorating. As you can tell, they're quite talented and creative. We stuck around and visited a bit, and they gave me my birthday present and we gave Chris hers. Her birthday is on Monday. Happy Birthday, Chris!
Then we headed back to the valley and across town to the Trimbles' for dessert (again!) We provided pie, thanks to Village Inn, and Erin had some pumpkin dessert left from their earlier meal. It was delicious!! We visited a bit, Grandpa played "steamroller" with the girls and they ran, screamed and had a great time before time for bed. Then Mark and I came home. Now it's time for bed, since we plan to be up and out early for some sales tomorrow.
And a bit of extended family news...Kyle and Michelle Ashton had their twin girls today! Michelle's water broke this morning, so they headed back to Rexburg from her parents' home in Blackfood, ID, and they did a C-Section this morning. Both girls were here before lunch. I bet they didn't want to miss out on a good Thanksgiving meal! Everyone is doing fine, and the babies are both so cute. One weighed about 4.5 lbs. and the other one about 5 lbs. They haven't decided which name goes to which baby yet...probably tomorrow. Congratulations, Grandma Ellen, Aunt Audi, Uncle Ian, and Mom and Dad (Michelle and Kyle). What a memorable Thanksgiving!!

For This, I Am Grateful

Girls' Day

Today was our much anticipated girls' day out! We met at Kierland Commons for some pre-holiday shopping and lunch. Erin, Eliza and I did a little shopping before Deb, Emali and Kami arrived. We made sure to not hit the "hot spots" before the Crouses came! Eliza loved the Christmas tree and the Santa station. We had fun browsing through Z Gallerie, Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie and JJill. Our lunch was at Cheesecake Factory, as usual. We had a delicious lunch of stuffed chicken quesadillas, tamale cakes, sliders and we split two pieces of cheesecake....their 30th anniversary special, which was two layers of chocolate cake and two layers of cheesecake, topped with a fudgy topping and whipped cream. The other one was strawberry cheesecake. Eliza chose them both. Good choices, Eliza! Kami was a perfect little shopper. She ate at the right times, took a nap at the right time and was pleasant the entire time. Sorry, Em, for the picture....it's the only one I took of you! (She was feeding Kami....but she's well covered with her cute coverlet!)
After lunch we did a lot of browsing, but not a lot of buying, which was fine. I bought some of my favorite bowls at Anthropologie and Deb and I each got a couple of pretty white plates. The real reason we bought there was their adorable wrapping. They featured a sturdy chipboard box, but the trim was the real pleaser. It was a long piece of white fabric, about 1" wide. It was long enough to go around the box a time or two. One end (about half) of the fabric strip had various sizes and colors of buttons stitched on it, while the other end had button holes every inch or so. The idea is to wrap the fabric around the box and button it on. The display had every other button hole used so there were little loops between each button. It was the cutest thing I've seen in a long time. When I get a package wrapped, I'll post a picture.
It was a fun day and we're all looking forward to next year's day already. We're just hoping for a larger group next year!

Bread Day

Today was bread-making day at Erin's. We get together about every week or 10 days to bake bread. It goes pretty quick, thanks to Erin having two ovens! Ellie is usually our right-hand helper, but she was feeling a little under the weather and was with Grandpa getting lunch during the mixing process. As a result, Hattie was our new little helper. And quite a helper she was! I think she finally realized what she's been missing out on....because she's usually asleep while we bake. But today I had a Dr. appt. and Erin had a VT appt., so we got a late start. Anyway, Hattie LOVED wearing her apron. In fact, when we tried to take it off later, she protested loudly! She still has a bit to learn to catch up to Hattie, but she's the best taste-tester around. She's a little snitcher!!



After we finished the bread, Erin took Ellie to the Dr. and we stayed with Hattie and then Mark picked Eliza and Libby up from school. By the time they got home, Erin was back and we headed home to meet Brian. We get a priceless opportunity one afternoon a week to have Brian all to ourselves. He has his Master's classes on Tuesday nights, and he stops by here on his way. We usually have something for him for dinner and he takes a few minutes to kick back, relax, and have dinner before he's off to class. We enjoy his visits a lot.

Then tonight, Mark and I made a dent in our Christmas shopping. We're done with several people on our list, but still have a way to go before we're done.

Tomorrow is a long-awaited day for the girls of the extended Bowler family. It's our yearly "girls' day out". We started the tradition the last year Mom was alive at Thanksgiving time....six years ago. It's hard to believe it's been than long. Anyway, we go to Kierland Commons for some girl shopping, then to Cheesecake Factory for lunch. There's a lot of giggling, laughing and sharing of food! It's a wonderful time to reconnect with sisters, aunts, and cousins. I'll post pictures later this week. Ellen, Audi, Kamille, Chris, Michelle, Patti and girls....we'll miss you this year. Hope you can make it next year!!

The Christmas Sweater

For my birthday this year, my friend, Kimberly Underdown, gave me a gift certificate to Amazon. (Thanks, Kim!) I immediately spent it....I knew exactly what I wanted. I got the newest Richard Paul Evans book, Grace. And I also ordered the new book by Glenn Beck, The Christmas Sweater. I listen to Glenn Beck's radio show most everyday. I love listening to him. He makes so much sense, especially in the political arena. I'd vote for him for president! Anyway, he gives the BEST monologues! He's able to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ in these monologues without being "preachy". He simply tells people how it is and how to have the kind of life they want, all through living the principles of the gospel. Anyway, I wanted to read his book. So I ordered it on CD. Mark and I finished it today. What a WONDERFUL book! If you're looking for an exceptional Christmas book, pick up a copy. We decided that this would become a traditional story for us and that we'd listen to it every year.

Primary Program

Today was a fun day. We went to Casa Grande to watch Matthew and Emma participate in their ward's Primary Sacrament Meeting Program. They both did a great job on their individual parts and singing with the large group. They both seemed as though they knew all of the words to the songs well. I'm so proud of both of them. Emma was funny, though. After she said her part, she stepped away from the podium and held both of her hands up and shrugged her shoulders and said something. I'm not sure what she said, but it was a funny gesture! I think it was a little nervous energy.

We're looking forward to having Thanksgiving dinner with Dan, Chris, Matthew and Emma. Dan and Chris will be cooking....except we're bring the pies! They always do a great job trying out new twists on common dishes. And it's always very tasty and good. I look forward to what they come up with this year. Then we'll head north to Erin's and Brian's and have dessert with the Trimbles.

On Friday morning, Mark and I always manage to be at Joann's Fabric bright and early and take advantage of their flannel fabric sale. In the past, it's always been 99 cents/yard. But it's a bummer this year....it's $1.49/yd. Boo! Then on Friday night, we're having Ellie over for her birthday sleepover. She will get to choose where to have dinner that night and if she wants to bring along one of her sisters, she can. Then she'll spend the night and on Saturday morning, she'll get to choose some sort of fun activity and then we'll take her shopping for her birthday gift. She gets to choose what she wants. I have an idea that we'll have some sort of pizza or hamburger meal on Friday, go to Build a Bear for her activity and she'll probably choose some sort of baby doll. But you never know, she could totally surprise us all!

Happy Birthday, Ellie!

Today is a special day. It's Ellie Ann Trimble's third birthday! Happy Birthday, Ellie! I remember that when she came home from the hospital after she was born, she came home on Thanksgiving Day. That was a memorable holiday, for sure! Ellie is a lot of fun. She loves to help anyone who might need her help. She's especially good at baking bread. She's my right hand helper every time. And she knows the procedure well. I tease Erin that Ellie will be making the family's bread before she starts kindergarten! Ellie is a happy, loving little girl. And she is such a joy to be around. We love you, Ellie!!

Slow News Day

It's a slow news day today. I got a lot accomplished, but not much to write home about. This morning I cut out four pair of pajama pants. Then I was off for my monthly haircut. Yea! On my way home, I stopped at a couple of fabric/quilt shops to get skirt fabric. They're going to be very bright and happy colors! I found a new store for good, designer fabrics....it's on 59th Ave. just south of Northern. I knew there was a sewing machine/vacuum repair shop, but I never knew they had a LOT of fabric. And the best part is that fabrics that are anywhere from $9.00/yard at other similar stores were only $6.95 at this one! I was pleased! Then I went to Joann's to get the jumbo rick rack and spent as much for the rick rack and ribbons as I did for the fabric. So sad. But they're going to be cute...and that's what matters!

This evening Mark and I did a little junkin' at DI and then we paid a visit to Dad and Aunt Dovetta. They're doing pretty well, considering. Dad finally visited his new urologist and he ordered something like 25 lab tests! Whew! He had most of them today, but still needs a CAT scan and another "scope" test of some kind. It didn't sound fun at all! I hope they find some answers so he can have some relief. He told me that for the trip that they have planned for the first couple of weeks of December to Alabama (?), they will be flying rather than driving. I think that's a great choice. He gets quite tired doing a lot of driving and this would be days of it, so I'm glad they've chosen this option.

So since this is a slow news day, I thought I'd include a couple of pictures from our recent trip to Pinetop, AZ. They got their first snowfall of the season while we were there. It was beautiful! So enjoy!

The Christmas Mood

Tonight was a fun night. It was our Christmas Enrichment meeting. Everything was decorated beautifully and it looked quite festive. Ashley Lucas did a fabulous job planning, organizing and making the evening happen. She cooked a delicious roast that was accompanied by mashed potatoes and gravy, carrot coins and a cherry cheesecake dessert. We also had Italian ices. Yum! After dinner, a young girl (14 years old), from Surprise came and sang for 45 minutes. She has such a mature, melodic voice. She's so good at 14, I'm wondering what she'll be like when she's 25!! It was truly a delight to listen to her. She sang Christmas songs and some Broadway songs, too. What a treat!

Today I was able to finish one of the skirts for our granddaughters. One down, five to go! I had Ellie and Hattie try on the one I made so I could see what sort of altering I had to do for the rest. I think the rest will all be close to the same size. Ellie and Hattie could both wear the same one. Can't wait to see all of the girls with their new skirts. And it will be fun to see all of the grandkids when they put on their PJ pants! So fun!!!

Enrichment

Today was a busy day. After I finally gone my morning chores done, I started on some Christmas sewing. I am making pajama pants for all of the grandkids (shhh! Don't tell!), but since tomorrow night is Enrichment Meeting and since I'm newly on the Enrichment committee, I agreed to help with a display table. We're displaying a variety of easy/quick/cheap gift ideas. I was making the pajama pants anyway, so I thought I'd get a couple of pair made for display. I finished Hattie's, Luke's and Ellie's. Tomorrow I'll try for that many more. I'm also working on some cute skirts for our granddaughters....last year we bought them velvet dresses for the holidays, so this year I thought I'd try something different. I'm planning on the skirt with a cute knit top for each of the girls. I'm not sure yet what we're doing for the boys. Then this afternoon, after Mark got home from work, we met Ashley Lucas and Kathie Smith at the church to begin the set-up for Enrichment meeting----setting up/decorating the tables, stage decor, serving tables, display table, etc. I'm glad at least that much is done so we won't have to be there quite so early tomorrow. We're having our Christmas dinner/program this month since our normal week is the third Tuesday and next month that would land closer to Christmas than is comfortable for those who are putting on the event. So tomorrow, we'll be dreaming of Christmas!

Sweet Girls

When I went to go to bed tonight, I was met with the sweetest thing. Libby, Eliza and Abigail had written love notes to us on napkins and attached them to the filing cabinet in our room where we'd see them when we first wake up or when we go to bed. What sweet girls! Thank you, Abby, Eliza and Libby!

Sunday Dinner

Today was a typical Sunday. Get up, be lazy, get ready for church, etc. I went to Relief Society today. It feels strange being there since I've been in Young Women for almost the past four years. But it was good. Our lesson was on the Second Coming and it was a good discussion. Susan Ridgeway is a great teacher and does well at keeping the discussion moving. I felt bad, though, because time seems to fly and she had much more prepared than she was able to share.

Then we hurried home and had to hustle to get everything ready for Sunday dinner. We haven't had Sunday dinner here for a while, so it was good to be back in the groove. We had a favorite--biscuits and sausage gravy, fresh veggies and dip and for dessert I made a peach dump cake with some of the peaches Erin and I froze a few weeks back. It was good, but a tad bit runnier than I would have liked it. But I thought the flavor was good. It was warm and we had ice cream to embellish it. We also had piroette cookies that the kids enjoyed. Some of them got creative and put their ice cream in a cup and asked for root beer over the top for a root beer float.

The grandkids had fun playing together, which they usually do. Tonight they found a rabbit in the back yard. That was a special event for them.

They all went home by about 7:30 pm, and Mark and I were ready to crash! But we watched The Amazing Race first. Now we can crash!!

We really enjoy our Sunday dinners together. This year has been difficult because of the distances some of the families are from us (an each other) and we all have later Sunday schedules. Hopefully, next year we'll all have the early Sunday schedule and our Sunday dinners can go back to how they used to be....with more of us able to attend. At least, that's what I'm praying for. We love our family and LOVE to have them around us, even if it's tiring. They're so important in our lives and we feel so blessed to be close to them.

Classes

Today's Santa Book class went great! Better than normal. The ladies we had in the class were quick, cooperative and eager to learn and work. I always worry about teaching classes because they aren't always that good.

My next class to teach will be an ATC spinner using the 7gypsies ATC Holder and all of its accessories. It will also be at Scrap Happy Sisters on January 24th. More details to follow. For this one I documented our trip this past summer to San Diego with Brian, Kamille and their kids.

Mark worked hard today on the yard. He planted our flower beds---violas in one and geraniums in the other. The grass is really coming up now, so it looks great. Thanks, Mark!

Santa Book classes

Today I was up and out early. My friend, Jan, and I taught a class to some of her scrapbooking group in Sun City Grande. There were 12 in the class and it was held in one of the lady's home. We were working on the Santa Book. It's an altered book that has questions that you can answer to help Santa know that he's found the right house. It talks a lot about your own Christmas traditions and experiences. Everyone that's seen the book loves it and wants one. We're teaching it again on Saturday to 10 ladies at Scrap Happy Sisters. I think there is one spot left if you're interested. I'll include a few pics so you can get an idea of what it's like. Keep it mind....it's an altered/junked up book! I think you can get the idea. It's a fun book to peruse!

A Newbie!

I've gone and done it! I started a blog....thanks to the prompting from Erin. In fact, she helped me get it going. Thanks, Erin....I think!

I look forward to making this my "journal" of sorts and documenting my journey through this stage of my life.

I told Erin I wouldn't embarrass her, but here I go! After we finished baking bread today (very yummy, I might add), we took Ellie and Hattie and headed to Bath and Body for Erin to get some gifts for Christmas. When we arrived, Erin noticed that she still had her slippers on her feet! We had a good laugh, and I, of course, had to take a picture for posterity's sake!

And since it seems to be "pick on Erin" day, here's one more picture. Mark bought me a pair of "Ove Gloves" to use when we bake bread to facilitate getting the loaves out of the oven and onto the cooling racks easier. Erin modeled for me!! So stylish, and it looks like Hattie think so, too!