Hey Grampa!!!

It was good to be home after a week in Alpine at YW camp. Saturday Randy spent the morning delivering items we brought back from camp, washing a very dirty Suburban and working in the yard. Around noon we hear one of our favorite voices, Hey Grampa!!!!! Mark and his family had stopped by. Grant greeted us and headed to the backyard to help grampa. The watering system was on and I knew that it wouldn't be long before it switched from the garden to the lawn and suggested that Grant put on his swimsuit. He had a wonderful time playing in the sprinklers. Cami also crawled out and got in the water for a tiny bit. Grant always seems to enjoy helping in the garden.
Grampa and Cami

Grandma and Grant

It's always a treat when Grant and Cami come to visit. Grandparenthood is delightful!

PS: It was good to get home to fresh tomatoes, jalapenos, grapes, plums, chard, basil and onions. Randy tells me the potatoes are almost ready. I like having a garden.

Stake YW Camp 2010

I was called to serve as an assistant cook at our YW Camp this year. I had a great time serving with these wonderful women. We were usually up around 4:30am and didn't get back to our cabin until around 10pm. We cooked for 130 people. We arrived at camp on Saturday afternoon and didn't leave until the next friday. In addition to lots of food prep and tons of dishes, we shared songs, stories, book reviews and LOTS OF LAUGHS!!!!!!! In addition to being a cook Randy and I were assigned to be assistant 4th level hike advisors. Morgan was a YL over 4th level. Tuesday morning after helping prepare breakfast (up at 4:30 helping crack 12 dozen plus eggs for a breakfast casserole) I was temporarily released from the kitchen to go on the 4th level overnight hike. The horses met up with us about half way through our 4.4 mile hike (stroll). Randy got to help bring the horses out to us and assist YW as they took turns riding during the remainder of the hike.

Morgan loved riding and was thrilled when she was asked to ride with the leaders who rode the horses from our camp site back to the stables!!!

At our camp were various activities for the YW to do. In addition to riding horse. Randy assisted girls with shooting bb guns and archery. I was responsible for assisting girls who wanted to do the Zipline. Randy and Brother "H" did not have a ladder when they set the line up, so it was only 9 feet off the ground. This is me trying it out.

It got a little low near the end and I had to pick up my feet in order to not touch the ground.

We had a great time. Randy supervised the dutch oven cooking while the horses were being returned to the stables. For dinner we cooked three large dutch ovens of enchiladas and two dutch ovens of cobbler. Randy also grilled squash and onions that Bro & Sis "H" brought up from their garden. While the enchiladas and cobbler were cooking the girls made ice cream in baggies. I couldn't believe that the 30 girls and leaders ate all that food! It stormed during the night, but most of us stayed dry. Wednesday after we took down camp we headed to Luna lake for canoeing and paddle boats. Then back to camp and MORE COOKING AND DISHES for me!!!!! I had a great time but as OH SO GLAD to be back home on Friday night.

Our new pet

I opened the door this evening and met our newest pet. We already have lizards, birds and bats. This is the first time we have seen a toad, although Randy mentioned that there is a toad hole in the garden. Morgan wants to name him Theodore. Randy suggested Ribbit and I think I will call him Uncle Toad! I hope Uncle Toad enjoys the Bug Feast.

Abundant Blooms!

Plants sit in my bedroom window seat. The two peace lilies are happier than they have ever been. It is a bit hard to tell from the photo but the plant on the left has five blossoms and the one on the right six!

Thank You Kathy

Kathy's Cinnamon Raisin Bread

It's Delicious!!!!

4th times a charm? or Mt. Lemmon

4th times a charm? This is my fourth attempt to do this post! Let's see if I can get it right this time.

Mt. Lemmon

The summer of 2003 Randy was on Mt. Lemmon with the scout troop. I decided to head to Mt. Lemmon with the kids for a day hike, visit Summer Haven, buy some fudge and visit "Dad". That was the week the Aspen fire started. Randy and the scouts evacuated camp and headed home earlier. The kids and I never made it up the mountain :(

Yesterday Randy and I drove up Catalina Highway to the top of Mt. Lemmon. It was a beautiful drive.

We went to Sky Valley for a ride on the lift.

The weather was cool, slightly overcast and we even got a few sprinkles. We walked around for a little bit when we got to the top. Much of the view of the top showed the damage done by the 2003 fire. I was grateful to see many small pines growing.

Beautiful view on the trip down. Many of the trees had burn marks on the trunks.

We went to Summer Haven and had pizza at the Cookie Cabin.

This is the Ice Cream Cookie. We didn't get one. I believe that it would take as least four if not more people to eat it. It starts with a plate sized cookie of your choice top with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

Yes, after our dinner at the Cookie Cabin, we went to the Mt. Lemmon General Store and bought Chocolate Pecan, Butter Pecan, Vanilla Walnut and Heath Toffee fudge. Yum!

Mother's Wisdom

I just finished reading In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. In the book he discusses that in times past our food choices were dictated by culture which he identified as our "mothers". Currently our food choices are dictated by the theories of scientists and the food industry. I am grateful for a mother who taught me about food and nutrition. Some of the foods rules that Mr. Pollan recommended were things my mother taught me many years ago.

One of his Food Rules that I learned from my mother; When you try to economize at the grocery store, it will cost you at the doctors office.

He also suggested that if you want good food you should plant a garden. My mother is the one who introduced me to Swiss Chard. I love my garden. It is extremely satisfying to go to the garden and harvest my dinner!

Swiss Chard and Carrots

Grapes

Family Fun on the almost 4th

4th of July is one of our favorite family holidays. We start the day with an early morning Ward Pancake breakfast. This year after the breakfast we came home and had a backyard water activity with Grant. In the evening we went to Jack and Patty's for our traditional steak dinner.
Bethany and Cami bonding time.
Grill master Randy preparing the steaks and chicken.

For many years now we have spent July 4th evening with the Jack Maroney family. This year there were 26 for dinner. We had grilled steak and chicken, cheese potatoes, corn on the cob, ranch beans, watermelon, garlic bread, homemade peach and strawberry icecreams and wafflecone wedges. Traditionally after dinner we attend the Sierra Vista Fireworks display. This year July 4th is on a sunday and we have our dinner on Saturday. After dinner Jack had prepared "Minute to Win it" games. Patty had rented a jumping castle for the children and a few grandparents joined in. We had a great time!

Grandpa, Grandma and Grant

There is always a water fight after our Ward Pancake breakfast. Grant really wanted to have a water gun and join the fun. We promised Grant that he could come to Papa's house later and use his water gun. Great Fun and much safer.

Fruits of the Summer

We had a wonderful apricot harvest. Morgan made an apricot and I made our favorite Apricot Jam. mmmmmmmmmm!