School Christmas Parties

Carianne's blog prompted me to blog. I have fond memories of school Christmas parties, too. I was Annemarie's room mother when she was in 2nd grade. It was the first and last time I did that. One Christmas party cured me of ever wanting to be room mom again.
That year it was decided that all of the classes on each grade level would do the exact same things for their parties. So the second grade party was planned by a committee of incompetent mothers-all trying to look like the perfect, supermom. No one heard anything I said. The Christmas "craft" was to ice a waffle cone with green icing and put candies on it. They asked moms to bring store bought icing colored green. The icing was runny and guaranteed to permanently dye everything it touched green. Being runny, of course, it didn't stick to anything but clothes and hands.
Annemarie's teacher had just quit teaching because she was very sick with Aids and the new teacher came that day. The main sounds heard during the party were fighting and crying.
For the gift exchange all of the kids were supposed to bring books. One book was an adult story made to look like a childrens book. In subsequent years, the school ruled that only school supplies could be brought for the gift exchange.
Meanwhile, in Julianna's kindergarten class the brilliant mothers had decided the children would paint ornaments for the tree. Julianna painted her bear ornament blue. The problem was someone brought oil paints for the kindergartners to use. Of course, it didn't dry for days and got all over the kids and their clothes and then the mother's hands and clothes and it was guaranteed not to be washable. Because it was not dry the ornament was ruined by the time we go it home.
In subsequent years I attended the parties for the last few minutes and participated as little as possible.
I made up for not being room mother by volunteering in the school in other ways. I would tutor, assist in the classroom, and do things like make copies and do bulletin boards. I found this was a lot better because I would see my kids at school on a regular basis and I got to know their teachers a lot better.
The pictures are of my kids making gingerbread houses-I don't think I have any of the school parties.

Elder Hinckley and Me

On Sunday we went to church with Tina at the Snow College Institute. Elder and Sister Trythall were there, serving a CES mission. Beckie and Debbie were friends when we lived in Germany. Debbie told me she had a picture of her and Paula and me with President Hinckley. It is amazing that I have no memory of this incident, but isn't it a wonderful picture. Thanks Debbie.

A New Recipe

I tried a new recipe today and I loved it. I will post it here, and post it on the Family Recipes later. I noticed Beckie just posted to the Family Recipes 2 hours ago and I don't want to knock her recipe off-it sounds too good-especially since I have some 3 day old turkey in my fridge. I will try it tomorrow.
I had some boneless pork chops to cook for dinner and wanted to try something new, so I just googled "easy baked pork chops".

Stuffing and Pork Chops

8 pork chops
1 box stuffing
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tbsp butter or margarine

Spray baking pan with nonstick spray. Put pork chops in pan and season with salt and pepper. Pour stuffing over top of pork chops. Dot stuffing with butter. Mix soup with 1/2 can water and pour over stuffing. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for one hour.

If you love stuffing like I do, you will love this easy recipe.

Joseph

Actually, Annemarie will post pictures of Annabelle. We tended Joseph while Katherine was in the hospital. I love tending my nieces boys. Joseph was so cute during the night. He would wake up and just wander around the house until he was ready to go back to sleep and then he would just lay down where he was and sleep. He did that three times during the night, but he never cried. Can you imagine a baby who never cries in the night.
Actually when Dutch stayed with me he really didn't cry either. He would wake up in the night and make that funny noise that I think was supposed to be crying and then he would lay by me and go back to sleep. That was fun, too. It is fun being a great aunt and it will be fun being a grandma.
By the way Annabelle is beautiful and looks a lot like Carlye.

A Baby Shower

We are planning to have a baby shower for Katherine on Thursday. I am not sure if she even knows about it yet. Hopefully she can attend. If she is the hospital we will postpone it. We are having it this Thursday so that Doreen can attend. Everyone in the family is invited, so I will be expecting you.

Happy Julianuary!

Happy Birthday, Julianna! I am proud of you and I love you. (How did I ever live with that kitchen?)

Pickles

I am in the process of making pickles. I have a wonderful recipe that is just as good as Claussen and a LOT less expensive. These are refrigerator pickles, so they stay crisp and taste wonderful. I will post the recipe on the recipe blog, but I will also post it here.

Bring 3 cups water, 1 cup white vinegar, and 2 tbsp kosher or pickling salt to a boil.

In quart jars put:
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp yellow mustard seed
4-6 black peppercorns
4-6 whole allspice
pinch of dill seed
sprig of fresh dill weed
small pinch of turmeric
1/4 tsp sugar or 1 sliced carrot
1/4 sliced onion
sliced cucumbers

Pour brine mixture over cucumbers. Leave at room temperature 1-2 days. Store in refrigerator.

Brine mixture makes enough brine for about 2 quarts of pickles. Buying all of the spices is expensive initially, but will make dozens of jars of pickles. Any clean jar with a lid can be used, not just canning jars. Regular cucumbers from the store work just fine. I usually buy fresh dill but dried dill can be used. I keep all of the spices together in a box and then it just takes a few minutes to make them.

I posted a recipe for Yogurt Smoothie on the recipe blog, but I don't think it showed up as a new post. The recipe is there and those of you with school kids should try it. It is so easy to make and tastes better than regular yogurt.

Also, call my phone at 210 827 5087 so I can put you in my phone directory. I don't have numbers for my sister or my nieces anymore.

1 210 827 5087

I had to get a new cell phone. Our contract still has another year on it, so I bought a prepaid phone and put my sim card in it. I actually like the new phone a lot better than the old one. The problem is I don't have anyone's phone numbers anymore. So call me. Then I can save your number in my phone book. My number is 210 827 5087. The only problem is I will be at Education Week all week and so I will probably not answer my phone. Maybe I will blog again next week and remind you to call me.

We had so much fun on Thursday. Pam and Dutch came to visit and then Katharine, Mitchell and Joseph came over for dinner. Nothing in my life experience has prepared me for 2 two year old boys. They were pretty wild, but it was wonderful. I love my nieces and their kids.

Sister Puckett

I loved my trainer on my mission. She is a legend in my family because of the funny things she used to say like "Doesn't that just frost ya?" or "Waste not want not-that's what I always say."
She and her husband, Don, have been staying with us this weekend. Tomorrow they enter the MTC and will be serving a mission in Mongolia. Can you imagine living in Mongolia?
It has been a glorious visit. Of course, her name isn't Sister Puckett anymore. It is Kathy Carter.
I am so impressed that they are willing to leave their children and grandchildren to serve the Lord. I know that must be hard and I know they and their family will be blessed for their sacrifice.
Have a wonderful mission Don and Kathy. I love you.

Smurfs

On Saturday we went to see Beezus and Ramona. It was wonderful. Everyone should go see it. Just be warned that there is a bad word in it.
The previews made me think about my nieces and I decided to blog about it. There is actually a movie about Smurfs!!! I have to wonder why, because they weren't popular for very long and there can't be that many people nostalgic enough about them to want to go see a movie about them. I wonder if Pam even has much memory of when they were popular. My girls don't.
Sometime in the very early 1980's I flew with Popi and Grandma in Popi's little plane to visit the Bailey's in North Carolina. I got really sick and I threw up in front of Carianne-something that happened quite often when she was little. She admired me, so she thought throwing up was really cool.
One of my memories from that trip is the little Bailey girls begging Popi to buy them some Smurfberry cereal. Popi kept telling them no because he said they wouldn't like the way it tasted. They kept begging and finally he gave in and bought them some. I think it was supposed to be blueberry flavored, but I think it just tasted like dark blue food coloring. It was awful. I think the girls ate it anyway, because it was supposed to be smurfalicious or something. Marketing worked again.
I do remember that Beckie had decorated the girls room with a Smurf theme-complete with Smurf sheets and curtains. Charming.

Fabulous New Kitchen

The new kitchen is finally done and I have time to blog about it. It was finished Tues afternoon. It took them 7 days, rather than 5, but it is beautiful. I don't have a camera, so I can't post a picture, but trust me.
I guess there is one way to tell you how great it is. I don't have to have anything on the counters except the toaster, breadmaker and paper towel holder. I could actually store them, but it is easier to have them on the counter.
The men who worked on the kitchen were great. It amused me that they would listen to Sean Hannity on the radio and talk about things like missions and being Bishop.
So now everyone has to come visit me and see my perfect new kitchen.

A New Kitchen

Today we are moving everything out of our kitchen because on Monday we will start getting a new one. Everything is being replaced. (Except, we will reuse the refrigerator and dishwasher.) New flooring, cabinets, lights, sink, wiring, etc. The old kitchen is hard to work in and hard to clean. The new kitchen will have granite counters, high end laminate flooring, and much more space. The new stove will have a convection oven. We are using 3 Day Kitchen and Baths again, so the new kitchen should be finished by Friday. (Since it is such a big remodel it will take 4-5 days rather than 3) We are all SO excited.

Viscious Virus

I seem to have a viscious virus in my hotmail account. Twice this week I have gone into my account and ended up with a virus that completely took over my computer. The second time all I did was delete a few emails. Fortunately, I have a husband who can fix stuff like that, but he doesn't want me to use my hotmail account anymore.

Therefore, I have a new email address. It is dittmarmarianne@gmail.com. You might ask why I didn't choose dittmarmb or mariannedittmar. Those were already taken. Anyway please send me a short email so that I can have your adresses in my new account. I must admit that my old email was so full of junk mail that I am glad to start a fresh, clean one.

Sara took this fabulous picture of the Nauvoo temple.

Low Country Boil

Last week during the trip to Nauvoo we ate at Cracker Barrell. Tina and I ordered something called "low country boil." It was so delicious. I googled the recipe and made it for dinner tonight.
The recipe is simple. Boil water with crab boil seasoning and lots of salt in a large pot. Add potatoes and kiolbasa sausage. 10 minutes later add corn on the cob. Shortly before serving add shrimp. I also added carrots and celery. You can also add onion. Healthy and delicious. Mine tasted just as good as cracker barrell.

Nauvoo

Happy Mothers Day to all.
Sherri Dew spoke at Relief Society this morning. She said that she felt impressed to tell us that "your mother loves you." When she said that I felt my own mothers love so powerfully-as if she was right next to me. It was so special and wonderful.

I need to say that there is a way to travel with your kids without having them quarrell, whine, cry, complain, etc. Just wait for them all to become adults. Imagine a trip where everyone got along!!!

This picture is inside Patty Sessions log cabin. It is very small and not open to to public. I was content to just see the outside of it, but we were visiting the restored drug store next door. A missionary asked us if we were related to anyone who had lived in Nauvoo. When I said Patty Sessions, she said "Then you need to see the inside." She got the key and we were able to go in and take this picture. I loved it.
I really doubt that Patty Sessions actually lived in this cabin much because it is so small. I suspect it was just where she lived when she first arrived in Nauvoo. Norma thinks she actually lived in another settlement. I will research it more.

Annie got very sick on Thursday. I was sad she was so sick, but I felt like the Lord really blessed us because we were through with our sightseeing and she didn't get sick until we got to the hotel. Tender mercies. We called a doctor friend who called in a prescription that would help her make it home. It was a wonderful trip, but it is good to be home.

Reconnecting

On Thursday I noticed a sister whose name tag said Sora Puckett. (Sora is Romanian for sister.) My trainer was Sister Puckett so I asked this sister if she was related. My Sister Puckett is her aunt. I got the phone number and called. It was so wonderful to talk to her again. I love her so much.
I love Alma 17 where it talks about Alma and the sons of Mosiah meeting as they returned from their mission. It was such a joyful reunion. My favorite phrase says that what added to their joy is they were still brethren in the Lord. It is always wonderful to reconnect with loved ones, but there is greater joy when you all still love the Lord.

Speaking of reconnecting. I still have a nice guest bedroom and and a downstairs that can be turned over to a family with kids, so if possible include us in your summer plans.

Why Now. And happy birthday Heather.

Happy Birthday, Heather. I am so proud of you and I love you.

Why did I wait until I was 53 to get my ears pierced? I have never really worn much jewelry. I forget to put it on, I fiddle with it, and I just don't care that much.
But now I am middle aged and not as pretty as I once was. (I know all of you who love me will protest that I am still pretty, but you are prejudiced.) I have noticed that earrings make women my age look a little more feminine and a little prettier. I don't like clip-ons, so I decided to finally do it and get them pierced. I think I am going to like it.

I am finally a big girl.

Getting your ears pierced is a "big girl" kind of thing. Today I got my ears pierced. Really!

This should be a fun day.

I am excited for today.
This morning Annie and I are going to the temple.
I have a lot of time to sew today and it is really fun to sew again because today's fashions are easy to sew.
I just bought Jane Seymour version of the Scarlet Pimpernel and we are going to watch it tonight.

Judy Gaga

You will probably believe me when I say that I am not a Lady Gaga fan. I don't get her at all. But I must say that this is one of the most amazing dresses I have ever seen. I love it. Judy Jetson come to life.
And look at her hair. You know how little kids color blond hair yellow. Her hair really is yellow.
I still don't get her shoes.

A fun wedding reception

Last night Frank and I went to a wedding reception for Rachel Wortley. Annie and Rachel were best friends in middle school. I loved Rachel, but I hadn't seen her for nine years. The reception was at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in SLC. There is a beautiful restaurant/reception center there.
The most fun thing was seeing Rachel again. The next most fun thing was the photo booth. They had a photo booth there. Everyone had to get their picture taken and then one strip was put in the guest book and the guest got to keep the other strip. Fun!
I think the first two pictures of Frank and I are pretty good.

A fun mother daughter date

Today Sara and I had such a fun time together. I had a dentist appointment at 9:00 and Sara had one at 10:30 at the same dentist, so we went together. I was getting a filling and a crown. I guess my filling was really hard because the dentist took forever on it. The crown took the normal amount of time, but I wasn't finished until after 12:30. Sara was just getting a permanent crown set, but she had to wait forever because of me. We weren't finished until almost 1:00. The dentist felt bad that we were both there so long so he gave Sara a free flouride treatment and he gave us both Crest gift packs.
While I was waiting the last few minutes for Sara to finish I was reading in Real Simple magazine. I love that magazine. Anyway, there was a question in there about whether or not something was honest. Someone said she likes to take a friend shopping with her at Costco. The friend is not a member, but usually buys something. Is that honest? I was surprised at the answer. Costco and Sams like people to bring nonmembers shopping with them. As long as they are there together to pay there is no problem. It is good advertising and PR.

Happy Birthday Sister!!!

Beckie, Bob, Marianne and Carianne






















I have always been thankful for such a great sister. Once I started having babies I was even more grateful for her. When my babies were crying and I was sick of them, she would hold them and they would just stop crying. It sometimes made feel a little insecure that my babies seemed to like her better than they liked me. Then as my girls got older she became the most awesome aunt. We all love you, Beckie!!!

Nathanael's Song

When I read Carianne's blog last week about her wonderful son, Nathanael a song kept running through my head. It is such a joy to know him and I was so proud of him and his wonderful example.
Today, in Relief Society at the MTC, Janice Kapp Perry spoke. She had us sing some of the songs she has written and one of them was the very song that reminded me of Nathanael. Then we sang the song again for a closing hymn. As we sang I just felt so strongly that I needed to let Nathanael know that he lives this song so well.
I am sure some of you have guessed what the song is by now. Here are the words.

I’m trying to be like Jesus;
I’m following in his ways.
I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

“Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught.”

I’m trying to love my neighbor;
I’m learning to serve my friends.
I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.
I try to remember the lessons he taught.
Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying:

“Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught.”

Words and music: Janice Kapp Perry, b. 1938
© 1980 by Janice Kapp Perry. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.

I also looked up the scriptures that went along with the song.

John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Nathanael came to this earth with the gift of a sensitive spirit, prepared to follow Jesus. Heavenly Father blessed him further by sending him to a home were this gift would be nurtured and encouraged to grow.

I love you, Nathanael and I love you, Carianne and Carl

Curling

Ok. I decided I should blog and I can't think of anything at all to blog about.
Annie says I should say that I have decided I would enjoy curling. I would love to try it. I think it actually looks like a fun game-not necessarily an olympic sport. It would be so fun to gently glide across the ice and try to hit the "bulls-eye." I am also pretty sure I will never actually get to try curling-where do you go to do it?
I don't even mind watching curling because the stone moves so slowly I can see where it is going and I can understand the strategy behind it. I never have any idea what is really going on in ice skating. Can you tell the difference between a triple lutz or a quadruple toe loop? The only thing I can tell is if they don't fall down. I can't even tell if it is a good landing. And where is the strategy in skiing. Just go as fast as you can. Apparently there is some strategy in waxing your skis but I can't see that.
And of course there is Olympic Hockey. I am pretty sure that the only sport more boring and less watchable than Hockey is the summer sport of water polo.
Also, there is some leeway with the uniforms in curling so you can actually make a fashion statement. What other sport lets you wear a modest skirt?
Maybe someday I too can be an Olympian-in the sport of curling.

Everyone tells me it is time for me to blog again. I talked to my sister, Beckie, tonight and she thinks I should blog, too. So here it is. I love talking to Beckie. She is the best sister.