Kaylie Thirteen??

One more giant cupcake done. This is the sixth so I am half way to my goal. Every single one of the kids has been looking forward to their cupcake. I hope no one is dissappointed. Kaylie wanted a green one and her response was,"Awesome, grandma!"




How is it possible that our first little granddaughter could be a teenager. Look out Aaron and Gel!! I remember the day Kaylie was born. Aaron called and said they were going to the hospital in San Diego where they were living. I packed a bag and was on the road within the hour. I was there to watch Kaylie take her first sweet breath of life, to see her daddy weep as he held her for the first time, to see the joy on her mommy's face. I truly felt a part of the circle of life for the first time. What a blessing to be a mother and a grandma. Happy Birthday to our sweet Kaylie. You are so beautiful, smart, talented, funny, sweet, the list goes on. I love how you love your family. I have watched you over the years with Malaya and Lino and what a good sister you are to them. We are so happy to have you home from your "stardom tour". Always know that Grandma and Grandpa are right here for you. We love you Kaybugs!

Sydney's Twelve

Happy Birthday To Sydney! Sweet, smart, lovable, kind, crafty, talented, the list goes on! She is a girl after my own heart. We have fun crafting and talking and hanging out whenever we get the chance.






I hope she liked her giant cupcake. I think she was expecting it to actually look like a cupcake. The others did. But Sabra said do something with horses that she collects. I thought about a barn and then Sabe said she rides the mountain with the big A out in Roll. Why not make that? So I gave it my best shot! I don't think she knew quite what it was supposed to be until I explained it. But that's ok. I had a great time creating it anyway and it may not have been the purple cupcake she dreamed of, but it was from my heart and it tasted pretty good, too!!! I took the left over cake, (you have to trim the top off the bottom portion of the cupcake and the bottom off the top) and I used it to make the rocky path up the sides to the top. Then I mixed chocolate pudding mix into white frosting to get a grainy, sandy looking goop to frost the entire thing. To this I added strategicly placed candy rocks, green grass, and purple and orange flowers. I topped it off with 12 Breyer Horses, one for each year. YeeHah!!! I hope all your wishes come true Syd!!!

Craft Day at Grama's House

With spring break coming to close, I wanted to have some time with my favorite girls. I thought it would be fun to craft. So I called the older girls together and this is what we did.

The Challenge



Each of us had to take 3 blank envelopes from the bank (Granpa had a stack of them he had been saving) and make something to give away, keep, and trade. They all finished the assignment except for me. I only got 2 done. Anyway, they had access to stamps,ink, stickers, etc. and I told them to use their imagination. We had a great time. At least I think we all did; the noise level indicated as much. Good ole Gramps brought pizza and rootbeer at noon. They all went out on the patio and I kept crafting so I wouldn't be tempted by the pizza. My stomach and pizza do not get along well. After I finally finished my second one for the trade, we all picked a number and then put that number in the cup. Each drew out a slip and the person who put that number in gave their creation to whoever took that number out of the cup. I thought it was great fun! It was exciting to see each little girl use her imagination and ability to come up with something from nothing but a blank envelope. Most of all, I will always treasure the time we had together. I do love my girls.

Blog Hopping

I have been spending some time these past days visiting blogs of strangers who are fantastically talented and generous in sharing their gifts. I am truly amazed each time I venture into blogland, at the variety and scope of talent out there. And I do spend a little time wondering why I just didn't get very much of it. But no bother, I am thankful for eyes that I can see others visions brought to life. I love gathering ideas and wish I could also gather time to put them into my own little creative niche. I garnered an idea from a couple of different blogs,(sorry I didn't write them down and now cannot find them again to give credit). I thought it was so sweet that I had to try my hand at altering a baby shoe into a pin cushion. Mine are quite different but I was pleased with the way they turned out. I got crazy on ebay and bought 4 different pairs plus one lonely little boot. I have finished 3 and am in the middle of number 4, hoping to get it finished shortly. Just waiting for an uninterrupted hour. Here are a couple of them. Sorry the pictures are not fabulous but they really are cute in real life. And most important of all, I had fun making them. I kept thinking of a quote by artisit Thomas Kincade that I used in a speech for a class I took once upon a time. "What a joy it is to be able to create something. Creativity is one of the great priviliges of being human. The benefits of creative endeavor don't necessarily depend on the quality of the endeavor. It is the very act of creating that renews you." I was renewed that day for a short while. I find that when life is just overwhelming for me, if I can take a minute and just craft for a bit, I am better, mentally and emotionally. So thank you to all of the wonderful artists out there in bloggerville who inspire and motivate me. I will probably never achieve artist level but I do enjoy a good craft.

No Fools Here!

I remember a friend bringing me hand dipped chocolates one April 1st. Of course I didn't realize that was the date or I might have been a little leery. They looked lovely and I was so touched that she would bring me such a delightful gift. I took a big yummy bite and got a huge mouthful of chocolate covered cotton! We had a great laugh! I thought about making some for my grand kids but while giving mom a breathing treatment,she suggested they might choke. I guess!!! She told me her mother used to make pancakes and put a rag in one. I thought that was a clever idea. She said her oldest sister,Violet, would usually get it. And she would yell, "Burned again!" Seems she was usually the target of the practical jokes around the ranch and always a good sport. I don't think I did anything worse than putting salt in the sugar bowl when I was a kid. And I'm not even sure if I did it or my brothers were the culprits. Speaking of brothers, I should post a picture of the whole gang. It was the first time all of the siblings were together since my dad died 13 years ago. My mother was thrilled and it was a pleasant evening for everyone. My two older brothers have since returned to the North, leaving me here with my younger ones. Mike is 8 years younger and is a blessing to me. He tries to help all he can. I don't see much of Tim, 4 years younger. Mom is very weak these days and sleeps off and on, both day and night. I am so glad she got her wish for all of her children to be in the same room one more time. Well, here's to April Fools everywhere and to Spring, new life, and patience in trials!!!