Friday Flashback-Clothing Optional

I'm not sure if this is true in less temperate parts of the world, but in my corner of the world, in the desert Southwest of the United States, it seems that clothing for kids was always optional.

As soon as they are old enough to take it off......it goes off...

It doesn't matter what they are doing,

Making a dog pile.....
coloring Easter eggs.....
eating.....
or even waiting for family prayer.....
It doesn't matter the season, the time of day, or even in the case of when they are really little, whether the place is public or not.
The clothes were always off.
Fortunately as they have gotten older, they have gotten more modest.
Thank heavens.
Unlike some of the rest of the world.
Where clothing still may remain optional.
(I've chosen not to post a picture to illustrate my point-you're welcome)

Jess-I have an Idea for Your Baby's Room!

My daughter, Jessica, is having a little baby boy in September. You can go here and see her baby's room..She's wondering how to finish decorating the room.

So anyway Jess....I kinda have this idea for you.

Why don't you just buy plain white sheets for the baby's crib?

I think they will match with this:

Here's the back. These kids are crazy ASU fans.....

And here's another quilt for the other little guy coming in October...

Love the colors!

A grandma's work is never done!

Something's Going on in the Cucumber Patch!

Because.....

Sheesh-the things kids do when mother is not looking!

And I just turn my back for a minute....


And the grapes ripen! (these are actually very small-macro lenses rock!)
And these guys just snuck up on me

Turning yellow overnight!

And you never know what might be hiding in the melon patch...

P.S. I planted some pumpkins a couple of days ago-cross your fingers!

Random Food Thoughts

***Since I'm still too lazy to make much effort, all these photos are from the internet. But for your viewing pleasure.......

When life gives you brown bananas,

Make Banana Bread (yummy recipe follows)




Lime + watermelon = Delish!


This oatmeal is yummy.....

Buy at Costco immediately.

Promised recipe:

Sour Cream Banana Bread (the activity of Sat. afternoon)

1 1/2 c sugar

3/4 c. butter

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 c. sour cream (i've actually used plain nonfat yogurt-equally delish)

1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt)

2 large BROWN bananas

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

2 1/2 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Add smashed bananas. Mix dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream. Stir in nuts. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hr (mas o menos) Makes two bread pans.

Pardon Me While I Crash & Burn

I don't know if the moon is full.

Or it is a clash of the hormones.

Or the stress of life pushed me over the edge.

But I'm just plumb wore out.

And Steve just left for BYU.

So I'm just going to crash and burn for a day or two.

A New Era Has Begun

My seventh and final child has just received her learner's permit to drive.
I ask for your faith and prayers.
That I might be patient and kind.
And safe.
And that my gray hairs may not multiply too much.

Edit** I can't believe what an idiot I am! The info on the driver's license has been deleted. Thanks Lori....duh me.....(better pray for her safety too!!)

Gardening Updates-The Last and The First

Time is marching on in the garden these days. It's a time of beginnings and endings....


The last of the carrots. {sigh} Carrots take a loooong time to grow but I needed the space for the melons to stretch out. Time to rinse off the sign and put it away....Bye carrots, I'll see you next fall! These are going to be sacrified this week to my Alabama Soup recipe and chicken pot pie.

The first of the potatoes! One of the plants had shriveled up and died, so being the impatient sort, I dug around and fished these guys out. They are a tad small. {dontcha think?} I think I'm going to try a different method of growing potatoes next year......I'm thinkin'. I'll let you know when I decide.....

The first ripe grape cluster!!! I just polished it off and it was mighty good! The grapes are very small but they taste nice and fresh and sweet.

Some things are good in the garden, some not so good. I have seen a few green critters munching away on my plants so every morning it's search and destroy time.....

My cucumbers STILL aren't producing the right flowers.......i.e. we need male and female flowers to make baby cucumbers.....So I have been meddling about, mixing the male armenian cucumber pollen with the sweet burpless variety....it may be interesting to see what we come up with! Burpless armenian sweets?????

The strawberries really haven't taken off like I had hoped. I have a few berries here and there, but not the basketfulls I want.

Many of you asked in the earlier corn post if I had grown the corn I froze. No. I'm going to be mighty lucky to get a half dozen ears from my little patch.

So there you have it....the realities of my garden life, the successes and the failures. Thank heavens there's always a new season coming up to try again!