My Birthday

Just a quick post to say that I had a fun birthday.  Keith

took me skiing at Mt. Baker.  The weather wasn't too

great, but I picked up a new ski technique I'm pretty

excited about.  He also gave me red roses and a yummy

dinner.  So I think this is the start of a fantastic year!

Trouble in Silver City

I'm reading a book for bookclub called "These is my Words"

by Nancy E. Turner. The main character is a young pioneer type

gal who reminds me an awful lot of "Annie" in the play we

did this last Spring. Just look at Annie, the one with the gun

in her hand. You can see she's got gumption. Interestingly

enough, the character in the book also makes soap and sells

it in town, not unlike my character in the play, Clara.

Well, the point is, it's been a good read, a real page turner.

I can't say it's been an easy read though. It's full of heartbreak

and sorrows. But somehow, our heroine keeps going and

succeeding. She makes everyone and everything around

her better. And all the time she doubts her own abilities.

It's probably that humilty that makes her so likeable.

A good lesson for us all.

Thanks for the Pies Katie!

Katie really cranked the menu output up a notch over Christmas

with her amazing

Rio Lemon Chiffon Pie and...

her Most Divine Triple Chocolate Pie. They were fantastico!
She had Diane and I hopping as her trusty assistants. In
fact I think we pretty much qualified as sous chefs.
We were busily beating egg whites, grating chocolate,
folding in meringue, and drizzling chocolate. It was an
exciting time in the kitchen for sure. Almost as fun
as actually eating Katie's fabulous creations!

More Christmas Morning

Yummy breakfast! Overnight Baked French Toast and

Breakfast Casserole. A lovely fruit plate including fresh

pineapple was created by Katie.

"I cannot live without books."

Thomas Jefferson, he knew how to put it in writing.

Opening gifts from Grandma.

It took Eric about 3 days to read the whole book. He loved it.

Three great women.

Christmas Morning!

The anticipation shows on everyone's face as they line

up youngest to oldest. The gift exchange is about to

begin!

Devin got some sturdy missionary luggage.

Eric got the Fifa soccer game for wii he was hoping for.

Santa left some pretty awesome double gage Nerf shotguns.

And Devin made everyone a sweet tie dye shirt.

They were a huge hit!

We had to laugh, Katie and Josh's gifts all seemed to come in large

square boxes!

Eric is testing out his new rocker chair with speakers.

Diane is happy to be getting a new cell phone.

And Dennis serenaded us the rest of the morning with

his new ukelele.

Thanks for the beautiful black pearl necklace Sweetheart!

It was fun to see that this year, the family was more excited

to give and see the looks on the faces of the recipients, than

to see what gifts they had been given.

Oh happy Christmas.

Christmas Eve

After dinner and a quick reading of the story of Christmas,

the pandamonium began! Presents being opened at a breakneck

pace, leaving trails of ribbons, tape and torn paper all over the room.

Each Christmas eve, Grandma Schenk gives pajama pants to the

grandkids, and each year, we make them put the pj's on and

trot them out in front of the tree for the traditional

"cousins in matching pajamas" pictures.

The boys tend to get a little sillier every year.

Hunter assured Grandma that his pj's fit just

fine, this is how they are being worn these days.

Bringing the new family members into the tradition.


Girls and their Grandma.

The guys just chillin.