This & That

The Lumberjacks

 There's something to be said for traditions that last from year to year and generation to generation. We took some time last weekend to venture into the hills to cut a Christmas tree. We've done this for many years now and it's become a really fun tradition for us right after Thanksgiving. Some of the adventures have been pretty memorable....like this one, or this one, or maybe even this one.

 This year the tradition the tradition extended into the next generation withIsaac and James coming with us, and Isaac was all about the snow.

I can't count the number of times he flopped himself down to make a snow angel.

The boys had a great time scouting out a tree. Look at those cute faces!

I really loved this picture of Isaac that Marc took. It really shows the big and little perspective of Isaac and the trees.

We had lots of manly help hauling the tree down the hill....

.....and packing it into the back of Evan's truck....which we had to borrow because ours broke halfway up the canyon on the first try. There's almost always an adventure when we're hunting for a tree, and lots of times it's pretty memorable. 

The Fish Pond

Stocking the ponds with trout has turned out to be an amazing adventure for the grandkids.

While most of the planters were fairly small, my husband did put in a few fairly good-sized fish.....some of which have been caught and eaten.

We're hoping the littler fish grow to be this size eventually.

....because these have been not only fun for the kids to catch, but also pretty good eating as well.

Now Caroline.....she just loves all animals in general and thinks they all deserve a nice, big hug.

Thanksgiving Weekend

It's been a great, if slightly crazy weekend.

I'll start off with my sister's letter board quote for the week. It's a good one.

 

My daughter teaches an exercise class called "Insanity" at a rec center near where she lives. She decided that as a prelude to the Thanksgiving dinner, all of us would participate in one form or another. There was hilarity involved.

Right before we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner, my son-in-law spied this rainbow. I took it as a sign that I hadn't forgotten anything for the dinner, and that the turkey would be done.

We had 22 of us for the actual dinner, which necessitated a kid's table. That number ebbed and flowed for meals during the weekend, but there was usually some permutation of the crowd.

We all ate well.

And there was pie.

My daughter needed a picture for some things coming up, so we ventured outside to get that taken care of.

We also took one for the photo board.

We took an evening over at Eric's house and the cousins had a great time roaming around.

There was also some dead thing hanging.

And some posing in Levi's hat from my Marc. We also did the traditional tree cutting adventure, but that will get its own lumberjack-themed post.

Around Here This Week

So around here this week.....

There was time spent here, as there is every week. It's always good to get encouragement and gentle reminders to try a little harder to be a little better.

A rare shot of me decked out in some of my husband's camo for my morning walks. It's turned pretty cold and his stuff is better for the outdoors. Not to mention over-the-top stylish.

This was my view as the sun came up one morning this week. I've been waking up earlier than usual these days....usually between 5:00 and 5:30. Not sure why, but one of the benefits is getting to watch the sun come up.

There was a lot, and I do mean a lot of cleaning that went on before I had rotating company. 

My daughter and her husband were here for a couple of days. We had some fun in the kitchen.

Oh yes, there was a breakfast burrito session while they were here. And there was Thanksgiving, of course, which will get its own post.

Sent to me from the kids and grandkids this week, I got several pictures of Gwen and Caroline dolled up for a dance recital.

Now, rumor has it that Eric didn't get the girls home from the ponds quite on time, so he was the one putting on the make up while Elisa did their hair.

Looks like it was a pretty fun deal.

Ephraim decided he wanted to try out the clogging.

And I got this one Isaac and Levi who apparently traveled this way through the whole store.

Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving! It's my absolute favorite holiday, and I hope that your day is spent with loved ones. I hope that sometime during your busy day, you can take a moment, take a breath, and think on all the things in your life that are wonderful.  Today I'm grateful for so many things, including those of you who take the time to stop by and read my ramblings. 

I'm sharing a favorite song with you that makes me feel thankful. I've included the words under the video. Have a wonderful day!

 

For the beauty of the earth
For the beauty of the skies
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies
Over and around us lies
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise
For the beauty of the hour
Of the day and of the night
Hill and vale and tree and flower
Sun and moon and stars of light
Sun and moon and stars of light
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise
For the joy of human love
Brother, sister, parent, child
Friends on earth and friends above
For all gentle thoughts and mild
For all gentle thoughts and mild
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise
For each perfect gift of thine
To our race so freely given
Graces human and divine
Flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n
Flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn, our joyful hymn of praise
This our joyful hymn of praise

 

Video-o-Rama

First off, happy birthday to my daughter-in-law, Rachelle! Hope you have a great day!

I woke up about 5 this morning and was debating whether to get started cleaning Bryce's room, since he and my daughter & her hubby are coming this evening for the holiday. The internal debate was......clean Bryce's bathroom.......absolutely anything else.......picture me tilting my arms back and forth like a scale. Anything else won and so I spent some time trying to figure out my "I can't upload videos from my phone anymore since the newest update" problem. It only took 45 minutes, several online searches, and a video tutorial, but I WON. There may have been a literal "Rocky" moment.

So here are some of the videos I haven't been able to share recently.

Grandpa and Levi at the pumpkin patch.

Isaac's part in his ward's primary program. Loved that he said his part, but my favorite was the little walking fingers afterwards. :)

When Bryce had his last concert, Marc's family was able to stream it, and Rachelle caught this last bit of "the hoopla," which is the label their director gives to the exuberant actions that sometimes accompany their singing. It's why Men's Chorus is fun. There was also a little commentary from Isaac and Levi.

And lastly, our stake (group of wards/congregations) put on a Thanksgiving/Veteran's Day/Patriotic concert a week ago and the group of 6 ladies I sing with occasionally was asked to prepare a number. I recorded our last run-through of a song called "My Land" before we performed. I so enjoy the times I can sing with these women. We have so much fun together. In this arrangement I'm singing 2nd soprano, which means I'm the middle voice. If you have 4 minutes to spare it's a gorgeous song, although since it's a phone recording it's not like listening to Dolby surround sound.  And no, there is no video.

Now I guess I'd better go clean the bathroom.....

Circle Coffee Cake

This is another recipe that I can't believe I haven't posted here yet. It's a very long-time family favorite that bakes up quickly and freezes wonderfully. It's especially a favorite of Collin, and when I go to his house to take care of new babies, or when he comes to visit here he will almost always request it.

It bakes in 3 round cake layer pans (hence our family's nickname of Circle Coffee Cake), which makes it great for eating one now and having a couple to freeze and eat later. However, if you're having a bigger, ravenous group around, it can be baked in a 12x8 pan for 35-40 minutes.

This recipe is from the Colorado Cache Cookbook, but if you look it up in the index you'll have to look for Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. If you look under Circle Coffee Cake, the index will mock you.

Cream Cheese (Circle) Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350°
Grease and flour 3 round cake pans (I usually add a pie of parchment paper, cut to size to the bottom of the sprayed pan. It just makes removal of the cake so much easier.

Stir together in a bowl:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Cream together:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs

Add:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Add flour mixture and mix well. Spoon into prepared pans. 

For topping, mix together

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar

Sprinkle on top of dough mixture. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then removes cakes from pans and let cool on wire rack. Freeze if desired.

Around Here This Week

So around here this week....

My husband and I spent a little time here.

These boys were here with their dad for a jerky making session with Grandpa. Duck jerky....mmmmmm-mmm. If that doesn't sound delicious, I don't know what does.

The Primary church program happened last week, and I got the sweetest set of thank you notes for playing the piano from one of the classes.

Gus destroyed his supposedly indestructible chew toy. This necessitated a trip to the farm store to procure another "indestructible" chew toy. We'll see how long this one lasts.

Thanksgiving prep has started. I will have everyone here except Collin's family for the actual day. Collin's family will be showing up a couple days later. I kind of need a flow chart for the comings and goings.

This is also happening. I'm subbing for one of the church organists a week from Sunday and I'm scared spitless. Contrary to popular belief, playing one keyboard instrument even if you do it well, does not mean you can play all keyboard instruments. I've been spending some time practicing and it's going....marginal. Some of my kids and their families will be in attendance at the service, so I'll have a cheering section of sorts. Collin even said he'd send David up to help me out, and that way I could blame any mistakes on the toddler. I may take him up on it.

These came because....39 years.

Sent to me from the kids and grandkids this week....I got this shot of Quincy in his snow suit.

I got this picture of Gwen and Ephraim. We like to start musicians young in our family.

Collin sent a couple from a wander they took in the Back East.

I think this was before the snow started.

He took the boys to an airplane museum. David was pretty amazed by the "big planes!"

One of the space shuttles is also in residence.

I got this pictures of Isaac and Levi in their Sunday best (cute little bow ties)...

....and this one of Levi dressed in considerably less. :)

And lastly, here's Thanksgiving thought from my sister's letter board.
 

39.

39 years ago on a very cold November morning, I married this man.

Best decision I've ever made, and if I can still stay that after the year of hunting he's had, it must be true love.

The Last Haul

My husband and I made a quick run into the cabin last week to haul in winter supplies. It's only a matter of time before we can't drive in on the road, and we figured things like toilet paper and the like would be pretty important to have.

As it was, the road was lightly snow-packed in the shady spots.

The first order of business was to get both stoves going. It was more than chilly, it was downright cold. 

We woke up to a very frosty morning.

I braved the walk out to the closest willow patch to get these picture of the frost, but I didn't last very long before hot-footing it back into the warmth of the fires.

Once the sun was good and up over the mountain, we did walk up to the river to check it out.

Ice is forming on the edges and in the shallow spots. Gus didn't quite know what to think of that. He was expecting to just jump into the water, but when he was met something solid and slippery, and then he broke through, he ran back up the bank in short order.

Ollie, seasoned professional that he is, stayed safely on the sidelines.

After doing some required gazing at the hills across the river, checking for critters, we wandered downriver from the cabin to check the sights there.

Since my old favorite view has been washed away, this has become my new favorite view. 

No fresh tracks around. These are old elk tracks.

What surprised me, though, was that despite the fact that is was really cold, we saw these little sprouts everywhere we walked. Huh...

The seasons are changing, and winter is coming. I'll do my happy dance in private for all you brain bakers out there.