HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDYN

Jordyn turned 7 on Dec 15, but since that was a school night we didn't celebrate until Saturday evening.
We had Pizza, vanilla cake with Pink icing and Strawberries (I didn't get a picture of it) and cookie dough ice cream for. dinner.

And, of course, there were presents.

I wrapped them so she had 1 for each year.

She was good with that, even though, a couple were just batteries.

We gave her a camera, pink of course.

Jordyn liked the video function. She and Hunter had a good time watching all of the silly things they recorded.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDYN!!

TOLLESON WARD CHRISTMAS PARTY

Saturday Morning at 8AM we had our Ward Christmas Party.

We ate Waffles, Scrambled Eggs, Breakfast Burritos & Muffins. It was a good breakfast.

After breakfast we had a program.

1st up were the Primary Children singing some fun Christmas Songs, Once There Was a Snowman, Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

They did a good job.

The children were followed by the young Men & Women, singing they're version of the 12 days of Christmas.

The Bishopric did a skit Hans & Franz. They were funny as usual.
The High Priests did a reading at the end, I didn't get a picture of them.
What Christmas Party would be complete without visit from Santa. (this isn't the Santa that was at the Ward Party, I didn't get a picture of him, so I borrowed a picture of Uncle Max.)

INTERVIEW ON A STORY BOOK WORLD

I was interviewed this weekend on A Story Book World about books and reading, by Deirdra. It was fun but kind of daunting to answer some of the questions.
Check out the interview HERE..

Deirdra & Mary

To learn more about Deirdra and her books

CLICK HERE.

SANDRA GREY BOOKSIGNING

Saturday afternoon I went to Deseret Book in Glendale to meet LDS Author Sandra Grey.
I admit I have never read any of her books, but I purchased Traitor, the 1st of  3 historical novels she has written.

"With war raging in Europe, the only way Marie can be with Felix is to join the Allied forces. However, as Marie parachutes into France to Join the Resistance, she not only lands into the arms of her fiancé, but also drops into the hands of the enemy.

Major Rolf Schulmann has been struggling between personal convictions and his duty to the German Fatherland. Now he must decide what to do with the captured fiancé of the man who gave him a new chance at life — a man he once loved as a brother. The Gestapo will do whatever it takes to dispose of Marie. If Rolf helps her escape he will have enemies on all sides. Is it a sacrifice he is willing to make? Can Marie possibly trust her life to a man torn between two masters?
Join acclaimed suspense writer Sandra Grey on a journey of unexpected twists and turns through the trenches of love, suspicion, and faith."
I am looking forward to reading it.
I had a good time meeting Sandra Grey and getting to know a little about her.
Sandra doesn't have a blog or a website yet, but you can find her books  at www.deseretbook.com, www.seagullbook.com & http://www.amazon.com/.

THANKSGIVING 2010

This year,since Dad has been in a care center for the past 2 months, we decided to fore go the traditional Thanksgiving Feast at Aunt Karen's house and have a quiet dinner at Dad's house.
We were able to get a pass to bring Dad home for a few hours, this afternoon.

We had all the traditional Thanksgiving foods

Turkey Breast & Corn Bread & Sausage Stuffing

Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Corn, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes & Cranberry Sauce

Gluten Free Rolls

and Gluten filled Crescent Rolls.

Desert went a bit against tradition, we had Pumpkin Cheese Cake

and Chocolate Mint Pie.

We were Thankful today to be able to bring Dad home for a short visit and hope to be able to bring him home permanently before Christmas.

HAPPY

THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING DAY PROCLAMATION by GEORGE WASHINGTON

by President George Washington



Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many single favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the Service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks, for His kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the single and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, of the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have to acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humble offering our prayers and supplications to the Great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all people, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone know to be best.

COCKEYED CAKE

I love chocolate, the majority of the family does. I also like recipes that are extremely easy. In this cake I found both.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix:
1 1/2 C flour
3 TBSP cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar(if you don't have any regular vinegar is fine)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c cold water
Dump all of the ingredients into a 8x8 or 9x9 ungreased pan.
Mix well with a fork.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool completely.

Frost.

I doubled the recipe to make an enlarged Cockeyed Cake.

I used to make this cake when I lived at home, but forgot all about it, until I bought this cook book by Annette Lyon.

Chocolate Lovers, this book is wonderful. I highly recommend it, and I look forward to trying more yummy chocolate treats.

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY TO ALL WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND PRESERVED OUR FREEDOMS.
CLICK HERE  to visit my post from last year, I think it says it all.

OCTOBER 2010 HALLOWEEN and BIRTHDAY PARTY

On Halloween Night we gathered at Aunt Karen's house for our annual Halloween/Birthday Party.
There were a lot of creative costumes:

Ryan

Erik

Kyle & Lori

Kaela

Kal'el

Carson

We also had 5 birthdays to celebrate.

Darrin is 17 this year.

Due to a lack of candles Kim got to be 22.

Randy also got to be 22.

Kirt & Alaina weren't able to make it down from ShowLow this year.

We had cake and ice cream although with all of the other good munchies nobody really wanted it.

And of course a large amount of visiting.