Oh, What I've Forgotten!

I think we go through a number of "stages of life," depending upon our age and what's going on in our circles of family and friends. Some years ago, when our sons were growing up, I used to bake and decorate cakes for their birthdays. While I still bake cakes (or their choice of desserts) for their birthdays, any "decorating" skill has lain dormant for a while. I've decorated at least one or two birthday cakes for Ky and Reed (Britt loves cheesecake) but, again, it's been a while.

A young friend from church is having her first baby soon. Carrie (the one in the middle) is not from this area and I wanted to make sure someone held a baby shower for her. Carrie has been serving in Primary (in fact, she was one of Kyra's favorite teachers!) and I learned the former Primary president was planning to host a shower. I contacted Leah and offered to make the cakes, and she was happy to have the help. (I attended a birthday party last week for a friend who turned 98(!), and took along with me two friends, including my friend Bonnie who recently turned 90. When I told Bonnie I was making the cake and cupcakes for the shower, she said, "You can just go to Price Cutter's Bakery and buy one like I did; they do a good job and it's so easy." I told Bonnie that if I started to stress over it, I would do just that but I was rather looking forward to doing it myself.)
I had to laugh (grimace?) at myself during this process. It has been so long since I'd decorated a cake that I had to retrain myself! I didn't use a "bear" cake pan but, rather, made him from two round cakes and seven brownie cupcakes (they hold their shape well), 4 for the paws, 2 for the ears, and one for the nose (which would have photographed better had I tilted the cake board up a little to show the three-dimensionality). Because we invited all the women in our Ward, and had little idea just how many would show up (we had about 30), I made Red Velvet and yellow cupcakes, as well, so we'd be sure to have enough. Finally, I made "little brown bear" chocolate suckers and had forgotten just how much fun they are!
I laughed at myself because when I was finished (which took me twice as long as I had anticipated and I finished just in time to get to the shower 30 minutes early and set up), every horizontal surface in both my kitchen and dining room were covered with "stuff." And much of that was covered with powdered sugar. My hubby suggested we could eat dinner at the downstairs (game) table, by the warm fire. What a sweetheart; there were a number of other things he could have said about the mess I'd made that he refrained from expressing. I think he could tell I was having fun despite the mess. And if there was ever anyone who loved a creative project, it's Steve.
Carrie and the others loved the cake and the suckers (including the grandchildren) so it was well worth any effort on my part.


Miss Ky was allowed to use some of the leftover icing to frost some extra cupcakes. I was not as puzzled when she asked if I had any "sprinkles," as when she asked for a pair of tweezers. But I was instructed, "DO NOT PEEK!" and I obliged. She said she would like to learn to decorate cakes so I'm thinking after the first of the year, I'll call Hobby Lobby or Michael's and check into a class the two of us can take together. Doesn't that sound like fun?
I was touched when Ky finished her first masterpiece and presented it to me. It read, "I love you Nana." I love you, too, Princess!

Early and Loving It

Steve played golf in Branson a couple of days ago on a beautiful November day. He said a couple of his partners were making fun of the "crazies" who were already decorating for Christmas. He said, "And my wife would be one of those." In my defense, I'm "at it" earlier than usual this year because I am heading to WY soon and won't be back until late on December 15th. If I'm ready for the holidays before I leave, I shall enjoy my trip; if I'm not, I'll be mentally stressing over it the whole time I'm gone. Besides, which is crazier, putting the lights on the trees and hanging the wreaths in 60 degree weather, or waiting until it's freezing cold and having to scrape ice to do it?!! 'Nuf sed.








I love this nativity. It was sculpted by Florence P. Hansen (http://www.hansenclassics.com/artist.html) and given to me several years ago by my mother-in-law. Florence Hansen is an LDS sculptress and design artist and, for that reason, mom thought I would be interesting in having this nativity. She was right! (Some of you may be familiar with Florence Hansen's life-size sculptures, such as the ones in the gardens at Nauvoo.) Mom had taken a sculpting class from Florence and had purchased these pieces from her. The thing I love most about this particular nativity is that Mary is holding Baby Jesus and Joseph has his arm around her. Don't you think that if one gave birth to a child that special that the babe would be in her arms?!! I do. That's where I would want Him.

Another reason for decorating early was that our book club decided to move our November meeting up a week (due to Thanksgiving) and have a potluck dinner and share Christmas stories to "ring in the holiday season." The stories truly were delightful and really helped to set the tone for celebrating the birth of our Savior. Among my favorites was the following story:

CHRISTMAS ORANGE
Jake was nine years old with tousled brown hair with blue eyes as bright as a heavenly angel. For as long as Jake could remember he had lived within the walls of a poor orphanage. He was just one of ten children supported by what meager contributions the orphan home could obtain in a continuous struggle seeking donations from townsfolk.
There was very little to eat, but at Christmas time there always seemed to be a little more than usual to eat, the orphanage seemed a little warmer, and it was time for a little holiday enjoyment. But more than this, there was the Christmas orange!
Christmas was the only time of year that such a rare treat was provided and it was treasured by each child like no other food admiring it, feeling it, prizing it and slowly enjoying each juicy section. Truly, it was the light of each orphan's Christmas and their best gift of the season. How joyful would be the moment when Jake received his orange!
Unknown to him, Jake had somehow managed to track a small amount of mud on his shoes through the front door of the orphanage, muddying the new carpet. He hadn't even noticed. Now it was too late and there was nothing he could do to avoid punishment. The punishment was swift and unrelenting. Jake would not be allowed his Christmas orange! It was the only gift he would receive from the harsh world he lived in, yet after a year of waiting for his Christmas orange, is was to be denied him.
Tearfully, Jake pleaded that he be forgiven and promised never to track mud into the orphanage again, but to no avail. He felt hopeless and totally rejected. Jake cried into his pillow all that night and spent Christmas Day feeling empty and alone. He felt that the other children didn't want to be with a boy who had been punished with such a cruel punishment. Perhaps they feared he would ruin their only day of happiness. Maybe, he reasoned, the gulf between him and his friends existed because they feared he would ask for a little of their oranges. Jake spent the day upstairs, alone, in the unheated dormitory. Huddled under his only blanket, he read about a family marooned on an island. Jake wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life on an isolated island, if he could only have a real family that cared about him.
Bedtime came, and worst of all, Jake couldn't sleep. How could he say his prayers? How could there be a God in Heaven that would allow a little soul such as his, to suffer so much all by himself? Silently, he sobbed for the future of mankind that God might end the suffering in the world, both for himself and all others like him.
As he climbed back into bed from the cold, hard floor, a soft hand touched Jake's shoulder, startling him momentarily and an object was silently placed in his hands. The giver disappeared into the darkness, leaving Jake with what, he did not immediately know!
Looking closely at it in the dim light, he saw that it looked like an orange! Not a regular orange, smooth and shiny, but a special orange, very special. Inside a patched together peal were the segments of nine other oranges, making one whole orange for Jake! The nine other children in the orphanage had each donated one segment of their own precious oranges to make a whole orange as a gift for Jake.
Sharing what we truly value is the true spirit of Christmas. Our Heavenly Father gave us His beloved Son. May we, like the children in the orphanage, find ways to share His love with others less blessed.
Rewritten from an anonymous source by Laura Martin-Buhler

One of the things I shared was the tale of the Christmas Spider Ornament. Oh how I wish I could remember who gave me this ornament several years ago, but I'm having a "senior moment" on that subject. Regardless, despite my usual distaste for arachnids, I really do like this golden spider and its accompanying story.




A long time ago , a mother prepared for Christmas Eve. She cleaned and scrubbed her home, chasing the spiders from the living room with her broom. The spiders fled to the attic and listened to the excitement below as the Christmas tree was put up and decorated. When all was quiet again, the little spiders crept back downstairs to see the beautiful tree. They were filled with happiness as they crawled along every branch, admiring the glittering beauty of each ornament. But alas, by the time they had finished climbing through the tree, it was completely draped with their dusty, gray cobwebs.

When the Christ child came, He smiled as He looked upon the happy little spiders, however, He knew the mother would be heartbroken when she saw the shrouded tree. So He reached out and touched the webs and, blessing them, turned them into silver and gold. Now the Christmas tree sparkled and shimmered and was even more beautiful than before. Thus the custom to have tinsel of silver and gold and a spider ornament amongst the other decorations on the Christmas tree was born.

I have yet to decorate the main/big tree but, aside from that, the decorating is pretty much finished. And, while I admit that we usually have Thanksgiving dinner with the fall decorations instead of the Christmas ones, it feels good to be one of the "crazies" who is ahead of the game this year.

"Girlie Get-Away"

I started a blog the evening I returned from Mexico (Nov. 7), got interrupted before finishing it, and here it is two weeks later and I haven't had a chance to finish it. I'll bet some of you reading this have had similar experiences. I want to go ahead and write about it, anyway, since it was such a great time, and then record a couple more entries that have occurred since then and try to get caught up a little on what's been going on in my corner of the world.
On Nov. 5, I drove to Mexico (MO) to spend a couple of days with my dear friend Linda (she used to live here and now lives about 4 hours away), her mom Maxine, and her daughter Sabra and her family.
I had such fun at Linda's. She said we needed to do all the "girl things," and that included hair and a manicure. I'm not sure what was in it for her but I sure enjoyed it. She had seen this hairdo on a blog and wanted to tell me about it so I could try it on my granddaughter. When Linda saw how long my hair was, she just "had" to try it on me. We did it just before bed and didn't try to make it exceptionally neat; she primarily wanted me to see how it was done. The hairdo on the blog Linda had seen had been done on a little girl, for a wedding. It is made of 25 pony tails, beginning with one main one and then split and reconnected to form a web. Finally, the pony tails are folded "inside out" to form a webbed bun. Linda said they had used little ribbons (or you could use pearls, etc.) at each connection to make it really fancy. I slept on it because we wanted to show her mom, and it held up surprisingly well.
Maxine had a wonderful dinner ready for us when I arrived. She always outdoes herself and makes me feel so welcome. Linda and I went to St. Louis on Friday and joined friends from my Ward for their Youth Temple Trip. We hadn't been together since our trip to Hawaii a year ago last January, so it was fun getting caught up.
A couple of years ago, Kyra and I tied two fleece blankets, one for her and one for Reed. For some unknown reason, I had picked up a yard and a half of the two fleece pieces for Reed's blanket, but only a yard each for Kyra's, making hers quite a bit smaller than his. That worked okay for a while but she has really outgrown hers. I decided I would buy more fleece and take it with me and maybe Linda and I would work on it while we visited. We did just that and were able to finish it. Even though the reverse (pink) side of the blanket has a "breast cancer" theme, it was by far the prettiest pink fleece available, and besides, I really liked the "Live Simply, Laugh Often, Love Deeply" theme, and thought Kyra would like it, too. I was right. I used two yards this time, for an adult-sized blanket, and she loves wrapping up in it. Making it with my (and Ky's) dear friend Linda will also be a special memory.

We spent Friday evening visiting Sabra and her family, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Hyrum, the newest member of the family. Sabra is such a wonderful mother (!), and I'm so impressed with her efforts to home school the children. They are obviously thriving.

This trip was a wonderful trip down memory lane (to a time when Linda and I used to talk daily, if not get together!). She's planning a trip to Springfield to spend a couple of days with me in December and I can hardly wait to share our new home with her.

Trunk or Treat and Crazy Hair Day

A couple of days ago, Kyra announced that it was "Crazy Hair Day" at her school. She suggested we use a plastic drinking cup to create this funky hairdo. On the way to school, I started to giggle and she asked why. I said, "What if you accidentally got mixed up on the date for Crazy Hair Day and you showed up at school with the only funky hairdo?" She said that very thought had occurred to her and she had been formulating a "backup plan" in her mind. We were both relieved when we arrived at school just as the car in front of us deposited a blue-haired boy. Whew! I picked her up from school and she went to the university campus with me to return some films and books before I dropped her off for her piano lesson. She did receive a few strange looks while on campus but, on the other hand, some students are known to have funkier than this hair on a "normal" day :)
Last evening was the annual chili supper and Trunk or Treat at the Church. Our d-in-law Sara and I took Ky, Reed, and also their next-door neighbor's son Parker, who Sara was tending for the evening while he parents went to a Halloween party of their own. Parker is one of Ky's classmates and friends, and he knew several of the kids at the function so that worked out well. Sara bought a costume for Reed about 2 months ago which she said "fit perfectly" at the time (no room to spare, though). Unfortunately, he had a growth spirt and it would not fit him this week. So, she had to find another Ninja costume in a bigger size. Regardless, he was cute in it.
Ky initially informed me that she would like to be Mother Nature. She's quite creative and loves to design outfits so she drew the costume she wanted out on paper. I was impressed. The "earthy" part was represented by a brown sheath dress, covered with a flowing green sheer fabric. She had designed a crown representing the sun, a wreath of flowers and blue ribbons representing the sky. Off I went to the fabric store where almost immediately I found the "flowing green" layer. She instantly approved it upon sight. It didn't seem like the rest of the outfit would be a challenge. Not so! We visited several stores and picked through their clearance racks (how much does one want to spend on an outfit to be worn twice at best?) for the "brown" part of the costume. Alas, we could not find a thing that matched the picture in Ky's head. But at the last store we had time to visit before I needed to drop her off for Activity Day Girls, she happened upon the crazy dress in the photo. She held it up and, as she said, "Look at this wild dress, Nana," she displayed "peace" signs with both hands. I said, "You've got it! You can be a hippie!" So, we proceeded with that idea and she was happy. I have to say that we both laughed when two of her friends (who had no idea what Ky's original idea for a costume had been) commented, "Your dress kindof looks like a Mother Nature dress." Well, I guess we succeeded after all! This final picture is of Reed and his cousin (on his Mommy's side) Avery. I loved the picture of the children and also liked the bubble-blowing pumpkin. It's easy to see why kids (of ALL ages) love this holiday!

Autumn in the Ozarks

Although this photo does not do justice to my friend Jean, the tree in her front yard is so spectacular right now that I simply had to have a picture of it, and she obliged me. If you click to enlarge the photo, you can actually "feel" the sun shining through the leaves. I LOVE AUTUMN! When I first experienced my first autumn in Missouri, I was so blown away by the splendor of trees with their vibrant leaves that I made a rather ridiculous (in highsight) statement, "Honey, we never had autumns like this in the west." Biologist that he is, he gently reminded me that the type of fall color on the trees has a lot to do with the type of trees themselves. Well, yes, that would make a difference now, wouldn't it?!! :)



I've been kicking myself because we've had a lot of rain and wind the past few days which has done a lot to strip the trees of their beautiful leaves. And I had not yet taken the time to drive around and take pictures of some of my favorite displays of color. On my way home from physical therapy this morning, I drove through a local cemetary (where some of Reed's ancestors are buried) and took a few pictures. I regret that I did not get there sooner, but perhaps you will at least get an idea of just how amazing they were.

The photo of the row of burning bushes was taken in front of Ky's school and, while pretty, they can't hold a candle to the hedge of HUGE ones we saw in in the parking lot of the St. Louis Temple last week. Alas, I didn't have my camera with me.

Finally, the picture of Ky, the Tree Hugger, was taken in our front yard. Of course we've been in our new home fewer than four years so our trees and bushes are not yet mature; nevertheless, our burning bush and Sugar Maple delight us with their colorful displays.
A girlfriend and I drove to Harrison, AR last week and saw a lot of beautiful trees along the way, there, and back, as well. We joined another friend and had lunch at the Cliff House Restaurant ("homemade bread and real mashed potatoes") which provided a panoramic view of the "grand canyon of Arkansas." I had no idea this masterpiece existed near Jasper, AR, and what a beautiful discovery it was. Vast, and considerably more rugged than most of the landscape in this part of the country. I want to take Steve and return soon.
A beautiful autumn day, when the sun is bursting through the leaves of trees resplendent in myriad golds, reds, and greens, is one of those times when my breath is literally taken away and I think to myself, "Heavenly Father really outdid Himself this time." And I'm so thankful to be here to enjoy it! I hope wherever each of you happens to be when you read this is just as lovely. ENJOY!

The Peacocks have Come Home to Roost

A number of years ago, my Mother-in-law decided to hire a professional decorator to help her update the front three rooms in their home (the living room and two bedrooms). My in-law's home was well-built but, being constructed around 1940, the rooms were small. Mom fell in love with a pair of hand-crafted, metal peacocks, which seemed too large for their small living room, but the decorator convinced Mom they would look great over the sofa. With this professional's okay, Mom went ahead. The craftsmanship on the peacocks is amazing and we always enjoyed them in their home. You might like to click to enlarge the photo so you can see just how intricate the workmanship is.
When Steve's folks passed away in 2005, and their things were divided among their four children's families, these peacocks were among the things that made their way east to MO. While most other things were incorporated immediately into the new home we built in 2006, the peacocks remained wrapped in newspaper on the top shelf of a storage unit in the garage. Some time ago, I decided they would be perfect for the wall in our stairwell but considering that Steve is banned from using ladders (after having had an accident some years ago in which he broke his back, his tailbone, and several other things!), in the garage they remained. I finally decided the best way to get them hung was to move them inside where they were in the way (well, pretty much) and enlist the help of our son Jon, whose various jobs have equipped him with great "ladder skills." WALLAH! We think they are the perfect "adornment" for the wall in our stairwell, and love to have them "greet" us when we enter through the front door. The peacocks have now "come home to roost" at our home and we are enjoying them very much. .

I'm including two or three more photos that represent how I've spent some of my time the past couple of days. Early in the summer, I posted some pictures on my blog of some unique clay pots that my Mother-in-law made. I was excited about the possibility of their becoming home to some newly acquired succulents. The succulents thrived in these pots and we've spent the summer enjoying them on our front steps. So much so that, now that it's turning colder, I don't have the heart to watch them die. So I moved the picture frames from the windowsill in my office, and have moved the succulents to that windowsill for the winter. I wanted to include one more picture of some of them here to show how they grew over the summer. I think Mom would be pleased that they found such great homes in her unique pots!

Finally, I wanted to make some small gifts that "said fall" for the gals I visit teach, as well as for the friends who helped me with the birthday luncheon last week. Needless to say, the number of expensive gifts is endless, for those who have the money and/or the desire to buy those, but since most of us don't (have the money, that is), I think it's fun to shop around and find those little gifts that and fun and appreciated but which don't leave the receiver feeling obligated to reciprocate. The bargains I found this go-round included cute little ceramic bread pans (though I opted to fill them with homemade gingersnaps this time) for $.99 at Michael's; little jack o'lantern t-towels that were 2/$5 at Target; and, finally, I had so much fun making pumpkins last year (when my sisters showed me how when we were in WY together), that I decided to make some more to share. They are made with a little bit of fabric, some fall leaves, a little jute, and a roll of toilet paper. Yup! Now, how's that for creative? :)

Something to Crow About!

This past Monday, we had the opportunity to celebrate our dear friend Bonnie's being 90 YEARS YOUNG! Bonnie is a role-model for all who know her, and who also aspire to being as lively and as active as she is, should we be blessed to reach that age. Bonnie has many dear friends and it would have been nice to include them all but, that said, I feel strongly that when a meal is served (especially one including soup!), each guest needs a place to sit at a table while eating. And preferably, close enough to the main table that she can see the guest of honor. In our home, that meant 17 (without expanding onto the deck, sunroom, or downstairs). It was a nice group, particularly in light of the fact that several generous friends offered to help with the food: Eileen brought some nutritious Wheat-Apple Muffins; Janet made a colorful salad of Mixed Spring Greens with Craisins, Blueberries, Mandarin Oranges and Pecans with a Poppy Seed Dressing; and Rosa brought a yummy Lemon Cake to go along with the Tunnel of Fudge Cake that I made (options are good, yes?!). I also made Chicken Tortilla Soup, and several requested the recipe, so I will include that in this post.
I think fresh flowers make any occasion "special," but for this occasion, I branched out a little. Okay, A LOT! I used artificial sunflowers and added fresh asparagus and kale. Yup, you read that right. I did something similar a few years ago for a fall event for which I used the same theme, and had so much fun I thought I'd reproduce it. As waaay out as that sounds, it gets worse (or better, depending upon your perspective). I later roasted the asparagas and served it with Wild Alaskan Salmon with a Dilly Remoulade; a fresh Spinach, shaved Parmesano-Reggiano, and Toasted Pinenuts Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette, and loved having the kale to use in Olive Garden-style Zuppa Toscano. Yum-O!

I've been making my own version of Chicken Tortilla Soup for a number of years now, since I first tasted it on a trip to Dallas, TX. I used to saute the fresh veggies (onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes, jalapenos, etc.) myself, but sometimes it took time I didn't have, and it finally occurred to me that those same veggies were already in salsa, so I tweaked my own recipe and now just use the salsa (lots of it!). I needed soup for 20 for the luncheon, and wanted plenty left for my family to enjoy for a meal or two, so following are the amounts I used for a crowd that size. NANCY'S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP (FOR A CROWD)
4 quarts chicken broth
12 cans Cream of Chicken Soup (Do not dilute.)
2 large jars salsa (or to taste)(can use mild, medium, or hot, depending on your personal taste; I recommend using mild to medium for a group, however, as some do not like it hot)
2 cans corn (can use frozen, and in the summer, I've been known to use fresh)
2 cans black beans
2 rotisserie chickens, deboned and shredded (about 12 cups meat)
Pour broth into a very large kettle (I use a canner because it's thick and the soup won't scorch). Add condensed Cream of Chicken soup and stir to blend. Bring to a boil. Add salsa (If you're not sure how much, add some, and add some again at the end to taste.) Stir in the corn and black beans and then add shredded chicken. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer on low until ready to serve. Or cool, refrigerate, and reheat. Freezes well.
If you want to make a few cupsful for a small family, start with 3 cans of broth and 2 cans of condensed soup. NOTE: You can click the photo to see how I served this but I like to added shredded cheddar, a dollop of both sour cream and guacamole (you can pass them separately, if you like), some thin strips of multi-colored tortilla chips, and a sprig of Cilantro or flat-leaf parsley. ENJOY!

If you love chocolate and nuts, as I do, you can click to enlarge the following photo and drool (as I do) over this Tunnel of Fudge Cake. Bonnie loves chocolate and nuts so I just HAD to make this special (and decadent; she can afford the calories) cake for her birthday. It will really date me when I admit that I first tasted this fabulous cake when a coworker brought it to work at the University of Utah in the late 60's/early 70's. I have loved it since but make it rarely (I last made it when I hosted a baby shower for my young friend Kathy, and her twins are getting ready to turn seven!), and it's been a day or two. If you have a special occasion just around the corner, and simply can't resist, here's the recipe:

TUNNEL OF FUDGE CAKE
INGREDIENTS:
________________________________________
Cake
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups margarine or butter, softened
6 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chopped walnuts*
Glaze (NOTE: I omitted the glaze and served it with a drizzle of homemade hot fudge sauce, a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping, fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 to 6 teaspoons milk
DIRECTIONS:
________________________________________
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch tube pan. In large bowl, combine sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; blend well. By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into greased and floured pan; spread evenly.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from sides of pan.** Cool upright in pan on wire rack 1 1/2 hours. Invert onto serving plate; cool at least 2 hours.
3. In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store tightly covered.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Increase flour to 2 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons. Bake as directed above.
Bonnie informed us that she doesn't plan to be around for #100, but if she is, I'd be honored to do this again. Maybe we just need to have a party for her each year from now on . . .