Huffaker Happenings

Christmas Fun 2011

2012-01-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

Huffakers had an extended family Christmas party for all the Jack and Shirley Huffaker children, grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren on December 19, 2011. 57 people attending - wow! How we are growing. We had most everyone there except Kirk and his family who spent their first Christmas in Queesbury, New York in their new home. We missed them terribly! Hopefully I can get a picture or two from one of my kids to post here of the event. We held it at New Horizon School. It was very handy with the tables, kitchen, stage, sound system, and projector. Yummy Mexican food was on the menu.

Thursday some of the grandkids came to make "gingerbread houses" with grandma. Well, they were really graham cracker houses, but it's the decorating that makes for fun. Here's what they created.

Christmas Eve was spent experimenting different foods in the deep fryer. Afterwards, we all felt we would float away with fat and oil in our digestive system. Brock and Jesica's buffalo hot wings were one of the best foods we ate that night. Steve and Brock set up a large propane heater and fire pit that made it cozier outside. We sang Christmas songs around the fire pit, told funny stories, and really enjoyed being with each other.

Christmas Day we all met at 4:00 pm for "Fort Building". Josie came with her hair all festive as if she was in the "Grinch" movie. How amazing was that?

Large cardboard boxes and duct tape were available to create our fort. The little kids really enjoyed going in an out the fort. Here are the kids being happy in the fort ....

......and then this showed up!

Yes, we had much screaming and crying.

After eating ham sandwiches and salad, we watched the music videos made by each individual family and again (like last year) we were entertained, we laughed, and were amazed at the crazy ideas everyone had. Shalene put together a great slide show of the entire year's events and it was wonderful to see how much fun we had in 2011.

Opening gifts and playing Kinnect finished out our busy Christmas Day.

New York State

2011-10-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

On October 12 Steve and I started our trip back east. First stop was Buffalo, New York. We rented a car and drove 30 minutes to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. This was the view from our hotel room on the 16th floor. Amazing!

The next day we bought tickets to go on the Maid of the Mist which takes you right out to the falls.

We're in our blue rain gear ready for the adventure.

At 12:30 we checked out of our hotel and started the two hour drive to Palmyra, New York. What a beautiful drive it was through the country. It is amazing how much farm land is in New York. The trees were changing color which was such a thrill!

We started at Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center, then to the Palmyra Temple.

Next we toured Joseph Smith's first log cabin he grew up in, then saw the bigger house they moved into later. We ran into a couple from Brazil. The wife had been baptized a year after Steve left his mission and she knew Steve's mission president. It was fun to listen to them visit in Portuguese.

We had a nice walk in the Sacred Grove and enjoyed the peace, quiet, and beauty there.

The most interesting tour was that of the building where the first 5000 copies of the Book of Mormon was published. The building was all original and many original documents were displayed. What a great undertaking that was for the time period.

We stayed that night in the Palmyra Inn-a very nice place to stay if you go there. Large rooms, but no restaurants in the city. We had to drive to the next town to eat at a diner.

The next morning we left bright and early to start the four hour trip to Queensbury, NY, where Kirk and Bonnie's family live. I was to be in the dentist chair for a root canal at 1:00 PM, so we couldn't dilly dally. It was so fun to see little Luke Huffaker for the first time! What a cutie!

We enjoyed burgers at Five Guys with all the gang that night.

The next night we at at Phila Fusion Asian Restaurant.

Sunday was Luke's blessing day and Kirk gave him a beautiful blessing. We were so glad we could be there for that.

Fun times! We miss them being so far away. Any more root canals needed and off we go to see them again!!!

Really, I'm a Quilter?

2011-10-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

I do not consider myself a quilter. No, I'm a dance teacher. That's what I am. Yes, I've always enjoyed sewing, cooking, fun physical activities, but a quilter? No, not me. But the thing is, I keep making quilts! Here's a link to look at some earlier quilts. Some are memory quilts made from my mom's stash of fabric.

Here's some of the latest quilts.

As you can see, this one is for Molly Barainca. This quilt is named "Bzzy-Bee".

Here she is with her matching "petal" dress that I made her. What a cutie!

Adelaide Huffaker (Brock and Jesica's first baby) got her quilt from Grandma Candice and here she is with Grandpa wearing her "Harley" onsie.

This quilt turned out so awesome! This is from my mom's stash of fabric. The pattern is called "Louisiana Pinwheel". My sisters and I started it two years ago, and I finally got it sewn together, bordered, quilted, and bound. We named it - "Where there's a "Wheel", there's a "Wray". Shelli came up with that clever name!

And here is the newest grandchild, Luke Marvin Huffaker, born to Kirk and Bonnie. He is number 16 of our grandchildren. This is his little quilt called, "Hot Diggity-Dog".

So, my sisters and I got together just last month in September when we took a trip to see Brock and Jesica at their new home in Lehi, UT. We also had a "Mini Wray Reunion" at Ronda's house and it was just great to see so many of the young mom and dads with their cute little ones. What great parents they are!

We started another quilt with mom's fabric of Light Blue. Here's what went down. Fun! Can't wait to get it finished.

A Summer Fling

2011-07-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

I have been having a love affair with a new food. This fruit is something I had never, ever eaten before this summer. It's FIGS - yes -- the "passion fruit of the Bible" (this is according to Steve). Now it does state in Genesis 3:7 in the story of Adam and Eve that when they discovered their nakedness they "sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." According to my research, the health benefits are many! This is what figs look like.

I thought that you peeled them, but no, you just eat them skin and all. They are so delicious! There are different kinds of figs, the light green ones pictured here

are called "white figs" and these are the ones I've been eating and cooking with this summer. My friend at school has a fig tree in her backyard and kept giving me figs. Steve talks about how his Grandma King would have him go gather figs in the summer and she would make jam and cookies with the figs. He was to only bring her the figs on the ground because if you picked them off the tree, they were not ripe. Figs will not ripen after picked. They must ripen on the tree. The truly ripe ones are moist and sweet. When they're not ripe, they are dry and tasteless.

I've make Oatmeal Fig Bars (fantastic, but didn't get a picture),

Fig Jam (mine didn't set up well and is like thick honey, but delicious),

and last Sunday I made Flying Fig Bars (also fantastic if you like an old-fashioned-tasting cookie).

They remind me of raisin-filled cookies that grandmothers would make and you never see anymore. Why? I'm sure because they are too much work. Mmmm - Figs are Fantastic!

Grandma Manwaring

2011-07-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is my grandma Manwaring.

She lived in Blackfoot, Idaho. She is my mom's mom. In this picture, she is the same age as I am. This is how I remember her. She was a very special woman and I loved her dearly. She passed away when I was 16 years old.

Now here is a picture of me now.

Hmmm, wonder what we have in common.

Some things I remember about my grandma:

She lived in "town" and would babysit us when my mom would go shopping.
She played the piano and the organ and would play for us to dance and march.
She didn't make wheat bread like my mom, but she would make white bread and would fix cinnamon toast for us. Mmmm.
The only cookie I remember her making was oatmeal - but- she would make cereal candy and send it home with us in cereal boxes. We make that same candy now and call it cornflake candy. Love it!
She never had an electric stove, but cooked on a wood-burning stove.
We could make tunnels and tents with her chairs and couches and blankets
Grandma would let us play in her wheat and sugar with cups and dishes. Mom would get mad at grandma and say, "Why do you let them make such a mess?"
She would sew us little books out of brown paper sacks. We could then cut pictures out of the catalogs and glue them into the books with RUBBER CEMENT. We never had that glue at our house. I thought it was cool!
She had a big heat vent in the floor of her living room that would blow up our dresses when we would stand over it.
She was always a full figured woman and she was very soft when she hugged you or held you on her lap. No bony bones like I have on my shoulders. :)
We could climb in her apple tree and pick green apples and eat them.
She lived by the railroad tracks. Noisy.
The lilac bushes. Oh how I miss the fragrance and beauty of that flower.
She had a green thumb and beautiful flowers in her front yard.
She wouldn't kill a daddy long leg spider. She would sweep it outside and tell us that it was a good spider.

There are so many more memories. She was the only grandparent that I had and she died when I was sixteen. If you knew grandma, share any more memories you can remember.

Time for Sweetheart Dinner!!!

2011-02-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 20 we hosted our annual "Sweetheart Dinner". Once a year I pull out the china and the goblets and we have a nice dinner together.

-Menu-

Chicken and Rice

Sweet glazed carrots

Tossed salad

Fruit Cocktail Cake

(without the fruit cocktail, peaches instead)

Topped with sweet butter sauce and whip cream

Ice cream sandwiches for the little ones

Here are the pictures:

Crazy Christmas Chaos 2010

2011-02-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was so fun this year because we had tons of family time. It was crazy and chaotic and fun. Kirk’s family arrived here to spend Christmas with all of us on Thursday, Dec. 23. Here’s a run-down on the events:

Saturday, Dec. 18

Christian Dance Company Performance at Mesa High. Calli and I danced together in “Consider the Lillies”.

Monday, Dec. 20

The Jack & Shirley Huffaker Christmas party at Darin’s. We had the traditional Mexican food feast and it was delicious. Darin wanted to have talent night. Our family did “I Am a Fine Musician”. We didn’t practice. I just sent them a You Tube video of Dick Van Dyke doing it and assigned parts. We tried it once together, then performed. It turned out silly and fun.

Thursday, Dec. 23 – Kirk's family arrived from New York. All the guys go to the Phoenix Suns game, plus the oldest grandsons. It was Kirk’s Christmas present to them all. All of us women folk stayed here at our house, had leftover Chile Rellenos from the Huffaker family Christmas party.

Friday, Dec. 24

8:30 AM – Paintballing at Queen Valley. Very fun. All came except Eric & Kim’s family and Brock & Jesica. More last minute shopping. Some came over that night for Christmas Eve, but most everyone had other plans or stayed at their homes.

Sat., Dec. 25

Christmas Day. Santa came and visited since we had little children again in the house. Carmel rolls, then pancakes, eggs, and bacon. That night was our Christmas Party at Brock’s house. Brock worked really hard preparing his backyard for our party and it looked great. Weather was perfect too! Italian food, crazy t-shirts for everyone, toys, but the hit of the night was our family videos. We laughed so hard, we cried. Uh-oh, new family tradition.

Sunday, Dec. 26

Kirk and Bonnie went to church at their old ward in Phoenix. Everyone came back over that night to eat leftover Italian Food that we had from Christmas.

Tuesday, Dec. 28

A-Team night at our house. We all tried to watch the A-Team, but the little kids wouldn’t have it, so most of us women just talked and entertained kids.

Wednesday, Dec. 29

Birthday party for Claire. They had the party at Eric’s house. Bonnie made a “Castle Cake”. We spent about three hours shopping for yellow accessories to wear to our big family picture session tomorrow. It rained the entire day. We found no yellow accessories – I did find a cute yellow watch.

Thursday, Dec. 30

Picture day at Mesa Arts Center. We wore jeans, black, with yellow accessories for the girls. It was freezing. We had only a couple of chances for a good pic and the two pictures were really cute. More pics of just the girls were super cute too. Pizza at Pizza Mart afterward, then Kirk’s family had to head for the airport. Sad day. It was CRAZY CHRISTMAS CHAOS and we loved it!

Thanksgiving 2010

2011-01-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

I know it's January of a new year, but I just want to remember that we did have a fun Thanksgiving Dinner with all our family, plus Darin and Lori Huffaker and Jaxon. It was held at our house.

Here's my table

and my cute little turkey favors.

And Max was trying to be like the scarecrow

And this is who came to eat.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-21T07:37:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you have a great idea that well.....just doesn't turn out like you were hoping!

Idea:

Let's have a family party with really scary Halloween Food!

Here it is....

And here we are....

Steve and all the girls

Donut eating contest:

Jack-o-lantern carving contest

(Michael....the only entrant - way to be the winner!)

Three legged race and cupcake walk were other games we played.

Looks and sounds like fun, eh? Well here are the comments from the night:

Shalene (when she saw her dad's hairy chest showing in his pirate costume): "Oh Gross!"

Eric: "This food looks disgusting. Let's order pizza!" (and they did)

Nixon: "Grandma, why is the spaghetti cold?" (No one ate it)

Brock: "Can next year we have more uh....salty food and not so much sweets?"

Oh, well, we'll try something new next year!

Molly Barainca has arrived!!

2010-09-05T23:11:00.001-07:00

September 4th, 2010 brought another sweet baby into our family - Molly Barainca. Shalene and Jim are the proud parents, and we are the proud grandparents of #14 of Huffaker grandkids. We are so happy to get another girl as they have been in the minority. Now we have 9 boys and 5 girls.....wow! Here she is!!

Now keep watching......wait for it......wait for it! Black hair! We are tickled and amazed!

Here's Molly and brother Max (with aunt Calli)

And grandma and Molly

My mom, Lorraine Wray,

passed away in 2005. She loved to sew and was a fabric saver.....she just couldn't throw away anything!! We found in her giant amount of fabric, a ziploc bag of pastel and white fabrics cut into six inch blocks, ready to be sewn together. But, she never quite got around to it. So with the help of my sister Pam, we made a quilt to give to our oldest sister Ronda. Here's the picture of it.

After we had put that quilt together, there were still enough pink and white quilt blocks left over to make a cute baby quilt for a girl. Pam said, "Here Candice, you take them, you'll probably have the next girl grandchild." So I did! And I put this quilt together for Molly, knowing that my mom is smiling down from heaven because she got to know Molly even before we did.

To MOLLY BARAINCA:

Great Grandma Wray cut these squares with great care

Before she retired to the Heavens above

Knowing a sweet little girl just like you

Would join in this family with love.

I'm sure that before you left Heavenly arms

She gave you a sweet little kiss

Saying, "Wrap yourself up in that blanket so small,

And remember me, dear little miss."

Welcome to our family, Molly!

Lake George in New York this Summer

2010-08-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Imagine the most beautiful lake you've ever seen and that's where we were this summer with the STEVE HUFFAKER family reunion. There's nothing more glorious than being in gorgeous surroundings with those you love the most.....your family! And we were all there!! Everyone has already posted pictures, but here's a few extra ones.

The view toward the lake.....amazing!

Monkees on the deck

The lakehouse behind those crazy kids!

Kindel and Grandpa at Joseph Smith's birthplace.

Hanging out in Sharon, VT - beautiful!

Some of the grandkids in their "Attic Man" t-shirts. Steve gave them quite a scare with his "Attic Man" story that night!

We went to Fort Ticonderoga

And WHY oh WHY do I feel a need to do something like this......make matching outfits for my grand daughters when trying to get ready for a week's trip? It was fun, but time consuming, but I just really, really wanted to do it. And hey - are they the cutest girls or what?

Coming home from the lush green dense beauty of the north east, we were quite shocked to exit our airplane and realize, "Wow, we REALLY do live in the desert here!" But----it's home......

4th of July

2010-07-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

I've always love the 4th of July since I was just a young kid. Maybe because my birthday was just two days later, I'm not sure, but I love the holiday and the patriotism that surrounds it. Even when I was a little girl, I remember going to the 4th of July celebrations in Moreland, Idaho. I remember listening to stories of patriots who did wonderful things for our country, feeling my heart swelling, and tears coming to my eyes. Then we'd have pancake breakfast --fireworks at night --with lots of activities at the park in between. Great times!

I also loved the years that the STARS dance team performed on the 4th of July at MCC stadium and then two years we performed with the Osmonds at ASU on the 4th. I loved creating and teaching dances to be performed to patriotic music and watching the girls perform. I don't miss the early morning rehearsals in the heat, but I miss that patriotic performing. And here's a video of 1989 "finale" using the Body Flags. Wow, how time flies!

This year we cooked burgers and went swimming at Kyles' house. I tried my hand at decorating Stars & Stripes cupcakes. I used my sister, Marva Lu's banana cake recipe and uh....they were yummy!!! I used the Wilton Cream Cheese frosting and it was yummy too!

Marva Lu Kesler's Banana Cake

2 1/4 Cup flour

1 2/3 cup sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

2/3 Cup oil

2/3 C milk (soured with 1 tsp lemon juice)

3 eggs

1 1/4 Cup mashed bananas

Mix ingredients together, bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Cream cheese frosting to top it off!

Fox and Max - cuties!

With all the hub bub about Arizona and the SB 1070, people wanting to boycott Arizona, ya da ya da.....blah blah blah.....I finally found my 4th of July t-shirt for this year. Just so everyone knows, I'm super proud of Arizona right now - Jan Brewer is a rock star - and I hope we beat the Federal government in the law suit.

And my husband has been working so hard to make our yard look nice, and here's a great pic of our house on the 4th of July.

Happy birthday America!

Sewing Days

2010-06-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

I've been sewing the summer with:

My daughters and daughter-in-laws
Bobbi
Heidi
Our Quilt Group

Last Friday we had FIVE sewing machines and TWO sergers set up in the garage room. Crazy times! I also haul my stuff occasionally to Heidi's house to do projects while her kids take their naps. Or I take my machine to sew with the Quilt Group at Peggy's house.

Right now I don't have a picture of everything I've been working on, but I did get some pictures of my granddaughter, Dolly in her two new "pretties".

"I just woke up and I'm not very happy! But don't I look cute in my new outfit grandma made me!"

"Why did you even try to take out my pacifier?"

"Orange capri pants and a ruffle top. How much cuter can I be?"

Movie and More Movies!

2010-06-19T23:16:00.000-07:00

So I've been a movie-making maniac for the past two days! I went to the Apple Store for a Project Session for 2 1/2 hours and really got some stuff figured out. Hop on over to my VHS to DVD Project blog and see my latest video gem. My stage singing debut. Move to the end of my post.....you don't have to read my rambling on about the problems.....

Here's one for Shalene. She wanted to share it with her JV Cheer friends. Go Mesa High!

Summertime BakeOff 2010

2010-06-12T16:45:00.001-07:00

It's a great day here in sunny Arizona. The temperature has dropped from the high 111 degrees to a delightful 90 degrees today! This was also the day of the BakeOff! What a fun event it turned out to be. We enjoyed cooking demonstrations, all the contestants received an embroidered apron, pictures, a baking quiz, a tasting table of amazing cooked deliciousness, and the announcement of the winners! I entered the Summertime BakeOff 2010 with two entries: Raspberry Jam Chocolate Chip Cookies and Oatmeal Cake.

All the contestants were so excited as the winners were announced. First the cookie category - "Good for You Chocolate Chip Cookies". Even though I didn't plan on winning anything, it was weird---I must admit, I was actually a bit disappointed that I didn't win in the cookie category. Next, the winner in the cake category - "Oatmeal Cake". What? Are you kidding me? I am really the winner of the $100 cash prize? Holy Smoke! I was speechless! I didn't even know what to say....but I wished I would have said. "I started making this cake to use up the left over oatmeal my kids didn't eat for breakfast!" That's how Oatmeal Cake started. I'm thrilled the judges liked it and - yes - the money is very, very cool. Bread category winner - "Naughty Crescent Rolls" entered by Megan Clifford. Brownies & bars category winner - "Banana Bars". All delicious!

Peggy, Megan, and I sporting our BakeOff aprons.

Here's Megan and I with our winnings!!

VHS to DVD Project 2010 is underway!

2010-06-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last summer I got a new computer, bought a digitizing program for a Mac, purchased a Terabyte hard drive and started transferring my old VHS tapes to the computer. I wanted to edit excess footage out and get our family movies in a medium we could watch and enjoy.

I ran into some problems, then school started and not one more thing happened. I've now started again during my summer break and I'm relearning about IMovie and all the other crazy things that happen, don't work, and give you problems while doing a project.

I started a new blog where I will be journaling the things I learn, the problems I hopefully solve, and post some short clips of fun things I find. Just hop on over from this blog. It's called VHS to DVD Project 2010.

Here's my latest short clip starring Kirk, Shalene, Kyle, and Eric in 1988. Grandkids should watch this!

2010-06-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

I sat in the Mesa High School auditorium, looking everywhere for a familiar face. I see no one I know, just a sea of white haired white people. You know, the kind of people you see on TV that attend the town halls and tea parties. Yes, they are my kind of people. I wish there was a bigger cultural showing, but there's not! I'm there to attend the John McCain Townhall meeting. I am torn about who to vote for: John McCain or J.D. Heyworth. They are both conservative Republicans and I've been kind of mad at McCain, but he's been changing his tune back to my song lately, so I wanted to hear what he had to say.

The backdrop of a huge American flag on the stage made me very happy, but 5, 10, then 15 minutes after 11:00 went by and no John. Then finally, a large crowd come in late and they announced John McCain and surprise.....Mitt Romney!

Many questions, many agreements of position and attitudes, but really no answers. The best part of the whole 45 minutes was an older gentlemen speaking with a very thick Russian accent, "I didn't think this Mesa High auditorium could hold the people that I thought would show to see Mitt Romney and John McCain. But I look around and the place is not full! What is the matter with people? Why aren't they concerned and worried?" He continued his story. "I came to America to leave Communism and Socialism. Don't people realize that our country is turning that direction? I have lived under that rule and NEVER want to experience it again!" (Audience applause was huge).

I still haven't made a decision for the Senate race, even though I did get to shake hands with John McCain. But for President-- Mitt Romney for sure!!

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

Every day I thank my Heavenly Father for my wonderful family. I am in amazement of how unique, talented, inspirational, humorous, responsible, and thoughtful that my children are. Where did they come from? They were truly gifts from God! One day my son Eric (who at the time had a child of his own) asked me, "Mom did you love me as much as I love Alven?" Of course I said YES, and then I realized that you cannot understand that powerful love of parent for children until you experience it by having your own--experiencing the joys, the sorrows, the hard times and great times. Thank you children making me a happy and proud mom!

A surprise from Kirk's kids in New York.

Eric brought me a corsage before church (Kim made it!)

Dinner at Brock's house made by Shalene, Calli, and Jesica.

Plus some great gifts....

A fun gift and sugar cookies (my VERY favorite) from Kyle & Kim

What a great day!!!

Whew! School is Out!

2010-05-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

So....the last two months have been a blur of school activities. The end of April was our camp at Tonto Rim for 4th-5th-6th graders. I dread going each year, but once I arrive, I realize that I love being in the pines! Here's our group and a picture of me the morning it snowed on us!

After that, it was a marathon run to get ready for "Bye Bye Birdie".

This was the musical my school put on this year. This is the story of Conrad Birdie, a teen rock star idol, who gets drafted in the army in the 1950's. It's a very fun and funny musical.....BUT.....why is it that you have to go through so much grief before you can enjoy the end production?

My good friend, Peggy, was the drama director and so it was fun to see her everyday, but we were close to ending a few lives of certain naughty students. All in all, the show turned out terrific! Here's some picture highlights.

Best I Can Be Challenge

2010-05-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

Three months ago, my friend Bobbi (hope she's okay with me stealing this pic off her blog)

talked me into joining a challenge group called "Best I Can Be". (She's always talking me into stuff--let's not ever forget canning salsa last summer--that one didn't work out too well). Anyway, we joined. It cost us each $10 and we had ten challenges to do each day. You got one "free" day a week. The honor system was in place and you could earn up to 10 points each day. The person with the highest points at the end of the three months would earn most of the money. $590 was in the pot! Wow! Well....it turns out that 8 ladies all got perfect scores, including my friend, Bobbi. So they are splitting the pot 8 ways. Congrats to her!!

Well, today is the last day of the challenge. I did quite well, but not perfect except for maybe two weeks. But I had high points of 68 or 69 consistently. I just want to send out a big thanks to Julie, who organized the challenge, and to Bobbi for talking me into it.

I lost 11 pounds over the three months. Those were pounds I have been trying to get off for nine years! I'm so excited about it. A combination of many things of the challenge helped: drinking 48 ounces of water a day, eating two servings of vegetables and fruit each day, not eating after 8:00 pm, no sugar or fast food (but one free day keeps me from going crazy!), and exercising 45 minutes each day. The combination helped me WIN at something I've tried to do for years!!

(These are just pics of me doing school stuff at New Horizon-can you even tell I'm a little skinnier?)

I've also written in my journal for three months. (I'm still not a fan of journal writing). And I've read a ton of inspiration things. All my Ensigns, church articles, scriptures, self-help articles and some great books. It's just amazing what you can read in just 15 minutes a day.

And I've discovered the Fly Lady.

This was a side trip while discovering inspirational things to read. She is going to help me get some major de-cluttering done.

Anyway....the challenge is over. What am I going to do now? Anyone want to do it for the next three months?

Goodbye Old Friend!

2010-04-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Well, the day has finally come! My Bosch Breadmaker has died.

It has been in the family now for 31 years. It's older than my three youngest children. I must say that I could do a great commercial for this appliance. I had it serviced only once -- for the motor. The bowl was replaced at a "pretty penny" quite a few years back after I made chocolate chip cookies and was just too lazy to switch from the beaters to the hooks. (Gee whiz....I'd done it before and the bowl didn't crack completely in half like it did that day!) So....it has been well worth the money spent on it back in 1978.

I also treasure the memory of the Christmas Day I received it as a gift from my husband.

(And here we are... back in 1978)

Money was pretty tight for us back then and I wasn't expecting it as a gift. (Oh sure, he knew that SOMEDAY I wanted one when we could afford it). And he was even able to hide it from me! I was completely shocked and tearfully surprised that day for such a thoughtful gift from Steve when I know it took many electrical "side jobs" to pay for it.

When I think of the hundreds (a thousand, maybe) loaves of bread that were made in this Bosch plus the cookies, muffins, batters, etc. well....I just don't know what to say, except GOOD-BYE OLD FRIEND.

What to do now.....hmmm, buy a new one?

Springtime Visit From my Sister

2010-04-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

My sister Ronda and her husband Bob came from Salt Lake City to visit for a week. Fun times!

Our first adventure was to the Desert Botanical Gardens

Hey look, this one's named after my place of birth.....Blackfoot Idaho

And here we are next to the statue of ST. EARTH WALKING!

Sunday dinner with all my kids and grandkids (minus Kirk's family), so they could visit with their Aunt and Uncle. This first table was decorated in honor of the recent trip to Mickey Mouse and Disneyland.

One other thing I did the night before they came was recover my old, stained, and worn chairs. Yeah! Old has become new again! (Why is it I always wait for vistors to come to our house to finally get projects done....hmmm....the procrastinator in me)

Other fun activities we did:

Easter Pageant
Shooting range
Reata Pass Restaurant (don't ever go there - not worth it)
Dinner at home with great conversation!

The last afternoon, Ronda and I spent four hours shopping....it was painful!! All we were looking for was a spring/summer shirt - you know, not long or 3/4 length sleeves, but at our age, the sleeves can't be too short either (that yucky arm syndrome) and FINALLY after no luck at the mall, we finally found matching shirts at VF Factory Outlet. Who knew?

So sad to see them leave!!

Kids Next Door in Disneyland

2010-03-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

Each year in the spring, my school performing group, "The Kids Next Door", travels to California to perform at Disneyland and KnottsBerry Farm. This year Shalene, Calli, and Max drove there to meet me and keep me company for the weekend. Such fun we had!

Here's the Kids Next Door getting ready to go to the performance.

And here we are with Mickey!

Max has his first Mickey ears, first carousel ride.

Mickey Mouse pancakes.

Our trip to the Crystal Cathedral.

Thanks girls for making my trip waaaaay more fun this year!

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

2010-03-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

My friend Bobbi and I have been going walking at 5:30 AM at Taylor Junior High track (go Taylor Trojans!)

for about....let's see......20 years? Oh, we missed a year here and there and days and weeks occasionally, but it's a tradition that will die when we do. I can just see us in our "walkers" or "wheelchairs"

still going around the track.

It's therapy for us both. We get our endorphins in action, talk about our families, our jobs, our frustrations, our joys, and we try to cheer up the other one when they need it. Bobbi has done that for me many times.

Just last week, she told me about the "Fly Lady" who helps you get your home organized. She's from Alabama and so as Bobbi told me about her website and her videos, she did it with a southern accent that made me laugh and really cheered me up on a day I was discouraged and stressed.

We've been scared by birds, dogs, creepy guys that walk on the track or sit on the bleachers, cars that drive by slowly, the Taylor maintenance man (who we think is lazy and sleeps in his vehicle instead of working), and shadows. We've screamed then laughed until we almost pee our pants.

Last Wednesday was a funny/not so funny walking day because I took one of those "falls" that just shouldn't happen when you get our age. I'd tell you about it, but Bobbi already did on her blog and it's priceless. Here's the link. I laughed again so hard when I read it that my ribs started hurting again.

I scraped my knee and have really sore ribs that hurt when I move and breathe. It got even worse on Saturday morning. I had such a sharp pain in my chest I thought I was having a heart attack or something. I drove myself to the hospital. After EKG and x-rays I was sent home with a diagnosis of costochondritis. Doctor said that pain usually gets worse 3-5 days after a fall and that it will take 4 weeks or so to get back to normal. Why? Because the inflammation has trouble subsiding because every time I breathe it gets irritated again. Aaah....life is wonderful!

Babysitting Brock

2010-03-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

This is my 26 year old son. In January he broke both of his arms in a motorbike accident at the sand dunes. Well as you can imagine, when both of your arms are broken you can hardly do

anything for yourself, so we all jumped into action and had to help Brock with life.

Since I don't work on Wednesdays, I would drive him to his physical therapy appointments, sometimes to the doctor, then he would be forced to go to Jamba Juice with me (because Wednesday was $1 oatmeal day--and Pecan/Cranberry is my favorite)

and then I would drive him to school.

One Wednesday I tended this cutie too.

It's Max and he's six months old. Afterwards I thought, "Wow, this is interesting. 26 year old and six month old....both:

need help eating

need help getting dressed

need help when "nature calls"

and neither one can drive a car

Life is crazy!! But, I'm kind of sad.....our Wednesdays together have ended.

The good news ..... the doctor said Brock can drive again!

Sweetheart Dinner 2010

2010-02-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

Sunday February 21 was our yearly Sweetheart Dinner. It's a tradition we've had in our family for at least 10 years.....ever since I stole the idea from my friend Peggy. What do we do? Well it is the only time all year that we eat "Fancy". All you "Fancy Nancy" book fans know what I mean.

We actually don't dress that fancy, but the tables are fancy and I get out my china and goblets and fine tableware. All my children and grandchildren that live close are invited. I especially loved to have it when Steve's mom was still alive because she was the queen of "Fancy". She loved to have everything formal and beautiful.

This year's menu:

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Tossed green salad

Mixed vegetables

Hot Rolls

Valentine Bubbly Drink

Raspberry Cheesecake

I purchased Sister Schubert's frozen yeast rolls at Sam's Club.

Thought I'd give it a try because I didn't have time to make any. They are FANTASTIC!! Everyone loved them and they go from frozen to hot on the table in 10-15 minutes. You gotta try them!

Here's the tables all decorated in red/gold/white. Yes, even gold silverware. Love it! A little dinner favor is at the top of each plate filled with chocolates and Valentine treats.

I'm terrible at remembering to take pictures and the only other picture I remembered to take was that of my three smallest grandchildren that didn't even get to sit at the tables. They are cute, aren't they?

I love my family and I was glad to have them come to the Sweetheart Dinner. I'm sorry Kirk and his family are so far away. We missed them.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Get ready for some CUUUUUTE pictures!

2010-02-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

Calli and Shalene helped me take pictures of my grandkids to put together a calendar for 2010. I wanted one grandchild picture on each month. I also wanted crazy posed pictures. And it was work! It took the three of us to do it! We got so many funny and cute pictures that it was really hard to decide which ones to choose. So here's some of our favorites...

Calli also put together this collage of pictures:

Sugar Cookie Sna-foo

2010-02-13T17:43:00.000-08:00

I love sugar cookies!

Of all treats I might choose to have on a "free day" if I'm dieting, it would be sugar cookies. So I saw these cute smiley-face cookies on this magazine.

"Oh how fun would it be to make those", I thought. But I'll make hearts with happy faces. So....I purchased the magazine, and purchased all the "special" ingredients that I did not have or have ever used....

Unsalted butter
Meringue powder
Black food coloring

The cookie dough recipe has no baking powder or salt, but still a good taste. Icing recipe is only powdered sugar, meringue powder and water. How nasty does that sound? Time consuming.....had to whip for 6 minutes.......really?!? Where's the good stuff: butter and vanilla?

How in the heck do they make that icing so smooth on the cookie? I'd like to see someone do that! One more thing.....ever tried to make black icing? It's grey and darker grey and never quite black. I used 1/2 a bottle of the food coloring and then gave up. Well, here's my version of the cookie:

As you can see, I'm not good at smooth icing OR a steady hand to make happy faces. And what is my review of this recipe? Cookies too crisp, icing too bland, I wasted a whole box of powdered sugar (the recipe made 2/3 more than was needed), and too much work. Here's how I felt after the ordeal:

Why didn't I just stick to my regular SUGAR COOKIE recipe I've used for 35 years with that delicious butter and vanilla in it?!?

Re-Cycled Christmas

2010-01-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas Theme this year was

"Something bottled, Something Baked, Something Old that You Re-Make"

Here are a few things that I made this Christmas.

These PJ bottoms for my grandkids were made out of fabric I had in my "stash" of materials OR out of old t-shirts. I made 13 pair and it was crazy but fun! I wish I had a pic of each of them. The ones made from t-shirts had to be just the right screen print to go down the side of a leg and they were so easy to sew! Serger only.....easy.....and no side seams. My son Eric screen printed the t-shirt tops for our whole family.

Here we all are in our "Re-Cycled Christmas" t-shirts...

This was a drawstring back pack I made from a t-shirt and sent to my granddaughter Kindel who lives in Lake George, New York.

I made hot pads from leftover fabric, some Christmas fabric, and old levis. My sister, Shelli gave me the idea from her blog.

This is also her "Believe" stitching pattern that I stitched onto a dishtowel wrapped around a loaf of bread to give to my friend. Shelli has so many cute ideas! You can check out her blog here.

And then here's the quilt I made for Brock out of old Huffaker t-shirts and two of his t-shirts from his mission in Hungary.

I hope everyone had as Merry of a Christmas as we did. Families are the best!!

Remember Gumdrop Christmas Cake?

2010-01-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

During December I started thinking about my mom. Every year during the holidays she would have a baking spree, making her favorite items to share with neighbors (the few we had, since we lived waaaaaaay out on the desert) and friends. Every year she made gumdrop cake. Really it was a bread, sort of her version of a fruit cake. My job was to cut the large gumdrops into bite size pieces.

You know, as a child I never really liked that bread. I started thinking, "Why did she make that bread every single Christmastime?" So I decided to find the recipe and make it for "old times sake" and just see what I think about it now.

So here's the recipe out of the Moreland 3rd Ward Cookbook

The gum drops.....

Mixing it up....see the marchino cherries, dates, raisins, nuts....way more stuff than I had remembered....

Ready for the oven....

And what did I think? Well, I liked it. I actually DON"T think it will be a regular recipe to be made each December on my baking day, but it was a fun remembrance of my mom and Christmas traditions of my childhood. Besides that, it fit with our "Recycled Christmas" theme. Something OLD, that you RE-Make. Sure love ya, mom. You were a great mom!

Quilting mania!

2009-12-28T08:07:00.001-08:00

I never really thought of myself as a "quilter", but I guess

that's what I've come to be. I started out just making tied baby quilts for my new grand-babies, but since my neighbor of 22+ years (who is THE quilting madam) has been mentoring me, I have increased my quilting skill level. Here's some pics of quilts I've made in the last few years. I always put names on the quilts for my grand-babies.

My mom was

"saver of all fabrics", no matter the size of the scrap. When she passed away, my sister Pam just

could not give away her fabrics. So....as years have passed, we've started making memory quilts from her fabrics. I have been the designer and fabric cutter. My sisters have helped with the sewing. I just love these quilts!! Thank you Pam for wanting to hold on to those memories.

Huffaker Thanksgiving 09

2009-12-28T06:37:00.000-08:00

This year's big Huffaker Thanksgiving extravaganza was held at our house. We asked everyone to dress up like a pilgrim or an Indian. Here's pics of some of the fun.

Posting on my blog?? Can it be? It's true!!

2009-12-28T06:33:00.000-08:00

So....I'm not a good blogger. The only posts on my site have been done by my kids. Last post - December 08. Sad, sad, sad. Well it's not quite the new year, but my new year goal is to post at least once a month. We'll see how it goes! I'm starting off with a couple of posts from our holiday season.

Fun Times in Connecticut

2008-12-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

I brought Jack a huge Incredible Hulk figure for Christmas. It turns out that Mark is the true fan of this toy and would not let it out of his sight for the whole day today. When you push the hulks belly, he growls, yells, or screams, "you're making me angry...you don't want to see me angry!!" In one of the pictures Mark is actually hugging the hulk.

I flew to see Kirk's family in Hartford, CT on December 27. Bonnie is having her baby any day! Here is some crazy stuff with Kindel, Jack, and Mark.

Picture Updates!!!

2008-09-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

Steve and I went to Colorado for the Barainca reception and we had so much fun!!! Congrats to Shalene an Jim, we love you!

Steamboat Springs...

This place was so beautiful, cute little bridge, feet in the water....Loved it!!

We are quite the dare devils!! Mountain biking at Dear Valley UT....

Who says you cant be adventurous at my age!!!???!

We went all over and visited a lot of cool places. We had so much fun!

I love being a grandma...

2007-11-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I have the cutest and sweetest grandkids in the world. Take a look!!