Hatched and Gone The nest is empty, what’s next?

The same week we were able to come out to Cali and see sweet little Addie my parents traveled all the way from Utah to take a peek and their newest great granddaughter. Baby Addie is named after my dad’s mother, her great great grandma Addie. There were lots of oh’s and ah’s!

Kayla got in on the fun, too!

My parents have 24 grandchildren, with one on the way, and 4 great grandchildren! Whew! Lots of birthdays to remember! Gee…Mom and Dad, I have to get my kids busy…25 more just to catch up!

I stuck this picture in ’cause I thought the necklace on my son, Adam was just beautiful! Kayla was adding to his princess wardrobe!

Posted under My Hatchlings

There’s a tradition on my husband’s side of the family that “Grandma” gets to give the newest member of the family their first bath. I’m so glad this tradition has passed onto me…it’s one of my favorite things about being a grandma! My husband and I were able to get to California the week after little Addie was born and I felt so honored to be asked to give her her 1st official bath…

I don’t think sweet Addie felt the same…she was definately voicing her opinion! Her big sister, Kayla was the overseer and kept telling Addie she was too loud!

Finally Mom rescued her and wrapped her up tight and got her all toweled down and dressed…

Sooo content and freshly bathed…

We all survived and Addie is safe in her big sisters arms (with a little help from Grandma).

Posted under My Hatchlings

I just couldn’t resist putting up a few more pics of my trip to California. These flowers were showing off their passion for purple in our backyard along with…

These peach beauties in the side yard…

The flower stands at the supermarket…

and the ancient walnut trees surrounded by sunshine on the road to our home….

I love spring in California…it’s fun to think I’ll get it all over again in Idaho, too!

Posted under Traveling

My husband and I have been splitting our time between California and Idaho this past year in a grand empty-nest move to make some changes in our lives. Sometimes I wonder whatever possessed us to leave this beautiful “California Snow” (almond blossoms)……..

for the cold, stark “Snow of Idaho”… we must have temporarily lost our minds! While everything is green and flowering in sunny, warm Cali…it’s brown, white and freezing in Idaho. Our only consolation is the beautiful summers and falls here in Southeastern Idaho…close to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park, and Big Sky, Montana…literally “Heaven on Earth”!

Posted under Traveling

Monday morning brought wonderful news…Addie Marin came into the world!!!  7lbs.3oz of sweetness and love! Her mommie, Vanessa had her at home (so brave!) with help from her Doula (I hope I spelled that right) and my anxious son, Adam. Her labor only lasted about 3 hours and this darling little sweetheart had no problem nursing right off the bat. My hubbie (grandpa) and I are flying out Saturday to spend a few weeks cuddling and fussing over Addie and her older sister (by 2 years), Kayla. I can’t wait! My favorite place to kiss them is on the back of their necks and the smell of a newborns head…heaven!

So, so precious!

Posted under Celebrations, My Hatchlings

Every Valentines day I get out my trusty mixer and whip up some yummy sugar cookies for each member of my family and for anyone I know. I use a recipe of my mother-in-law’s that makes a ton of dough.

I enlisted my youngest daughter to help since she wanted to make a plateful for her valentine sweetie. we chilled the dough, rolled it on the cutting board, cut it with different sized cookie cutters, baked them

and then frosted with a smooth butter cream frosting topped with lots and lots of sprinkles! My favorite are the red hots…some how the combination of cookie, frosting and red hots are the best.

I found some darling paper plates at Target with owls on them ( they’re covered with cookies) and cute stickers to match for a quick card….lots of fun!

Posted under Celebrations, Valentines Day, Yummies

While my daughter Christie is visiting we’ve been  busy making all kinds of fun items for CHA. We were brainstorming and came up with the idea of making “shoes”….cute little paper shoes to match the theme of the 20’s & 30’s in the new Graphic 45 scrapbook paper line. I sat down at my new sewing machine and painstakingly sewed around tiny pairs of shoes…until we got alittle wiser and made the shoes bigger! Christie stuffed, embellished and hung them from the darling chalkboard she made to show case her work.

I love the way she laced these little green shoes…just want to make a pair in every color!

Posted under Uncategorized

My oldest daughter, Christie, came for a 10 day visit from Cali bearing gifts! This is a pretty Valentine frame she made from a class she took at PSB.  It’s sitting on my mantel. She carted a “huge” suitcase full of scrapbooking supplies to make projects for Graphic 45 to display at CHA (Craft and Hobby Association trade show) and also to pretty up our home with lots of Valentine “goodness”.

It’s been fun, as well as inspirational, to watch her creative ideas come alive! She’s also been helping me figure out all this blogging jargin…I was totally born in the wrong generation when it comes to computers…geez…info in and info forgotten! Practice makes perfect, right? We’ll see…..

Posted under Celebrations

Down, down, down it goes…

It’s amazing how much there is to take down and put away…I keep telling myself to “simplifiy”…but to no avail…I just keep collecting more and more Christmas…just too much fun!

While I’m cramming tinsel in boxes the local stud (my hubbie) is whippin’ up his New Year traditional breakfast burritos. This is truly serious business.After feeding the famished family he wraps up the rest to feast on every morning for a month.

The delicious anticipation is staved off by finishing a christmas puzzle.  

mmm, mmm… don’t they look good?!

Posted under Celebrations, Meanderings, Yummies

My husband and I flew out to California the weekend before Christmas to celebrate with our “CA Kids” and Grandchildren. Lots of presents to buy and wrap with excitement in the air. Just the looks on their faces as we brought in the gifts was priceless!

Bippity

Boppity

Boo!

My sweet little granddaughter Miss Kayla loved the Princess Clothes we gave her for Christmas.  When she was all dressed up, the first thing she said was, “Bippity Boppity Boo!” and with her wand, turned her Dad into a pumpkin!

My oldest granddaughter Izabelle reading to her little cousin Kayla:

I

It’s hard being so far away from such sweetness. I’ll just have to hide them in my suitcase next time…I’m pretty sure no one will notice!

Posted under Uncategorized