Aisling left yesterday and we are home alone (luckily not as in the movie)

We wish all of our friends and family a very

Happy New Year!!

Farewell to an Incredible Woman

Today was my Great Aunt's funeral. She is a Great Aunt in more ways than just genealogy. She is my Grandmother's Sister. She died last week at the age of 103.
Here she is in 2007 at my dad's funeral. She is in the middle in the light colored suit.
From the left: Aunt Georgia, Mom, Uncle Frank, Aunt Helen Dickson, Uncle John, Aunt Helen Walker, Uncle Ron, Aunt Alice, Uncle Milt, and Aunt Rhea.

Aunt Helen was an incredible woman. Her husband died about 64 years ago. Aunt Helen taught school to support and raise her boys. She taught me in the 6th grade. She also taught all the rest of my siblings.
Aunt Helen was an incredible crocheter (is that a word?). When we got married she gave us a set of embroidered tea towels. Here is an afghan she crocheted and won a purple ribbon on at the county fair. She gave it to me and I treasure it. This picture doesn't do it justice, but it is a beautiful afghan.

I am so grateful to know that Aunt Helen and her sweetheart Uncle Ariel are together again and having an incredible reunion.

My Awesomely Talented Sweetie!!

Laurence has always been very talented when working with wood. The last couple of years he has been making walking sticks from Diamond Willow. He does a BEAUTIFUL job!! This walking stick he made for Brother Macdonald. Brother Macdonald has been so good to Laurence, has given him diamond willow and advice. Laurence took two diamond willows and a friend took them to his shop and grafted them together. He did such an incredible job that you don't even know it's grafted unless you know where to look.
He sewed really soft deer hide for a grip.
Laurence sanded the willow until it was absolutely soft to the touch. I love the feel when they're like that. Then he put on multiple coats of sealant and oil; sanding between each coat.
Brother Macdonald is Native American so Laurence made this stick with an Angel Moroni on top, then flags/symbols from the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe of Manasseh, the tribe of Israel, the U.S. flag and the Fort Peck Tribe.

I sent the camera when Laurence took this over to Doug, but..... Laurence forgot to use it :) Doug says he is going to make a stand for the walking stick so he can display it. I hope to get to see it then.

A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

We are so grateful for the opportunity Christmas

gives us to remember our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!

Awesome Chuck Roast!

Since we got our current stake president, we have had many stake dinners that featured wonderful beef and pork roast as the main dish. Our stake president has his own ranch and he is an incredible cook.

I have taken his recipe and modified it to fit my own tastes. Don't tell him, but I think mine is as yummy as his!! ;) By the way, a stake is a unit within our church, and it includes 5-8 wards or branches. This keeps the church very organized.

Start with a chuck roast. In my case, not nearly as large as President Griffin's. Mine was about 3-4 pounds. I think he does about 8 pound roasts, and cooks them all day.

Season it very well with Redmond RealSalt All Natural Sea Salt and Redmond RealSalt Natural Season Salt. Rub in the seasoning. I have to tell you I LOVE all the RealSalt products!! Until I started using RealSalt, I didn't ever use salt I thought it tasted funny. Now I use salt all the time, much to my family's delight!!

Anyway, I digress. After you have seasoned the roast place it in a cast iron dutch oven. Add about 1 can of beef broth, and put the lid on it. With the oven at 275 degrees, cook for about 5-6 hours if it is a smaller roast. Cook longer if larger. Cook it until the meat falls apart and off the bone.

Now if I have to tell you what to do next you are in deep trouble.... Ours was so yummy that I totally forgot to take a picture of it. That's not necessarily a bad thing;)

Happy Christmas!!

CHRISTMAS DECOR

I always enjoyed working with stained glass in 3-D. Here are some of my angels. I only get them out at Christmas. Most of them are green..... reason.... cuz green didn't sell well :)

My Many Addictions

Since Aisling has no use for my "collections" and they will probably end up on eBay after I die, I thought I would share them with the world. Most of these are sets that you had to buy one piece at a time from Hallmark.

This is only one piece. However is does light up and play music...

They really add up when you buy one a year. As you can tell I don't do it every year.

The fireplace lights up and flickers to make the bear family cozy.

This has a votive candle that I usually replace with a battery operated one.

My cute little Charlie Brown tree.

CHRISTMAS.....

Saturday was our day at the temple in Billings.

I really like the nativity they have displayed there. It is so simple and elegant with a the focus on what is truly important. Jesus Christ. There is beautiful Christmas music playing. You can tell it is lit at night; but of course I didn't see it.
It was an overcast day, but that and the snow on the branches made for a pretty picture.

What Every Girl Needs!!

BARBIE!!

Yes, one more to add to all her friends!!

Here is the 2010 model of Celebration Barbie.

I wasn't going to get one this year, but I was in Billings today and she literally BEGGED me to bring her home to play with the others.

What else is a girl to do?! You can't refuse those pleading eyes!!

Carmen asked if I had a favorite, I think my favorites are my very first ones. But, I also like the porcelain ones, and I love Aisling's set she got from Cari, and I like the newer ones, and I like the stocking hangers oh and I love the ones commemorating the new millenium.... the ones with real fabric are really cool....

Barbie's View of Christmas;)

"Keep the beauty of Christmas in your heart every day of the year" Closing Quote to "Barbie, A Christmas Carol"
Can I just tell you that I love Barbie?! I didn't have a Barbie as a child. I did however get a Skipper when I was about 8. Dad made a wooden wardrobe and my mom made a wardrobe for her. LOVE it!!

However after we got married, I started collecting Barbie Hallmark ornaments. Silly? Absolutely!!

A few years ago I was able to find two that were stocking hangers. SO CUTE!!

I haven't been able to find any others, I don't know that they made more.

There is a set of 4 that are from other backgrounds. Chinese, Native American, Mexican and Russian. These were all given to Aisling once a year when she was little by a dear friend, Cari Jenrich. We so love her.