The Call

My son Kit just received a mission call to serve in Sacramento California for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He will be teaching the Spanish speaking people there. We are very pleased with his decision to serve a 2 year mission. He has been a wonderful boy to raise, but now he is a man and is doing the right thing. I am so grateful for the honor I have had as being his Mom. It will be hard to have him gone for 2 years. I don’t think I like the idea of an empty nest. EM is still here but we almost never see her any more. We want our children to grow up and go out into the world and be successful but we sure do miss them when they do. I have found with raising 7 children that once they lHave left home once they are never really home after that. They may come home to visit, or even to live for a while. But they have changed and are more like a roommate and less like a child.

So Kit we are very pleased with you and are glad you have made this choice.

“Remember Who You Are” and

“Return with Honor”.

Madi

I have a new little Grandbaby.

Her name is Madilyn Avery Hatch.

She was born October 20th 2007

9 lbs, 1 oz

19 inches long

(2 days later she was 21 inches long)

EM and I drove 17 hours to stay with Rachel after Madi came.
It was very wonderful to be able to spend a whole week holding Madi
and helping Rachel get used to being a new mom. Madi is her 1st baby

New babies come into the world so inocent, wounderful and wrinckley!

Since Madi was such a big baby she was a very good baby. I have found that big babies are less fussy, they eat well, and sleep well. Their little tummy's are bigger and can hold more so they are satisfied longer.

All I can say is that she was wonderful.

Welcom to the world Madi!

Madi's Mom wanted to have her 3 weeks early and called to tell me that she was hurting so bad and had been walking all day to try to get the baby to come and was at the hospital cuz this had to be labor. I wished her well and told her to call me if they decided to keep her there.
After I got off the phone I remembered that Kit was scheduled to get his wisdom teeth out that Friday. So I called Rachel back and told her that she was just going to have to go home and wait because I could only take care of 1 sick kid at a time and Kit was scheduled 1st.
Well they kept her at the hospital for a few hours and then told her to go home and get some rest. They gave her a sleeping pill. I thought that was nice of Madi to wait so that I could come and help out after she was born.

Kit after the Wisdom teeth came out.

He has a great Rice Bag made by his Aunt Lucy of My Byrd House. It is a long bag made of cotten fabric filled with rice. It is in a fun slip case (like a pillow case) that can be removed easly and washed. You put the rice bag in the microwave for 2 minutes and that it makes a great heat pack. Kit lived it and it really helped to reduce the swelling.

A Walk Down a Country Lane

Last week I went and spent the weekend at my parents home. They live down a quiet country road in southern Missouri. I always love going there even if it isn't the home I was raised in. It is quiet and peaceful. Several of my 11 siblings live close and it is always wonderful to visit with everyone. The best thing is that most all of my problems are left home at my real life and this is my retreat.

My Dad goes out and walks in the early morning almost every day. I love to walk and talk with him. He is getting older (85) and slowing down a bit. But the company is still wonderful.


This little view through the fence reminds me of the old nursery rhyme, "One Misty Moisty Morning"

A look off across an old corn field. Everything is misty in the in morning in Missouri. Notice all the volunteer corn that is coming up.

The remains of the corn field. It is always interesting to see what is planted in this field. I’ve seen green beans, summer squash and now corn.

Poke Berries. I was once taught that if the berries are purple they are OK to eat. Well I’ve been told these are poisons. Watch little ones don’t eat them even though they look tempting.

I don’t know if this old oil truck works or not but I sure like the looks of it.

On the way back home the sun was starting to come through the trees.


Rope swings in an old oak tree, one of my children’s favorite memories of the farm in swinging in the tire swing. I don’t know how many time my dad has had to replace the ropes. I think my brother or one of my brothers-in-law replaced it the last time. Dad is far too old to be climbing trees.

Back down the drive to the house.

In the autumn in Missouri you must always look out for spiders. I almost walked right into this one. We were eye to eye when I noticed it. NOT FUN.

Good Mail Day

As I was coming home from the store, where I had gone to get a quilt batt, I stopped at the mail box. There in my mail box was a lumpy package. I looked at it and wondered if my daughter in Africa had sent me something with out telling me. Then I noticed that the Stamps were from Australia. I was very excited and new exactly what it was.


My 4 seasons quilt.


Here is the front. I love the colors. Such great autumny colors.


Here is a close-up of the front.


Here is the Back. What fun autumn fabric.


And here is the label. Thanks Jane Hanna from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Take the Quiz here!

My sister sent this Jane Austin Quiz, Which Heroine are you?

Mississippi Mud

Ok this is another Brownie recipe. The Problem is that I didn’t think of blogging it until we were serving it up.

Step 1: Well you take my favorite ingredient which is Betty Crocker Brownie mix. The basic one is best. Mix it up according to the instructions on the box.

Step 2: Add as many walnut pieces as you can, at least a cup or 2 full! Eat several of the walnuts they are so very good for you!

Step 3: Pour everything into a Pam sprayed pan. (I doubled my batch by using 2 mixes and lots and lots of nuts, so I baked it in a jelly roll pan. If you only use 1 mix the you can use a 9x13 cake pan.)

Step 4: Now bake it according to the package instructions.

Step 5: When the brownies are done cooking take them out of the oven and put 1 layer of miniature marshmallows on top. This is not as easy as it sounds. They like to roll off the brownies and go down under the burners on the stove. You can’t leave them there, they will burn next time you cook something. I found that if I could get them to kind of stick on the hot!!! edge of the brownies (Remember that the pan is very HOT) they will work as a fence to trap those rolly polly marshmallows

Step 6: Put the Brownies back into the oven for about 5 minutes. This allows the marshmallows to melt and get a little crunchy on the edges just like roasted marshmallows.

Step 7: Take the brownies out of the oven again and put a layer of chocolate chips on them. Yes they are also rolly polly and want to go down under the burners and onto the floor. Why didn’t I just put the brownies onto the counter? That would be too easy.

Step 7: Brownies go back into the oven again just long enough to melt those chocolate chips. Take them out of the oven and smooth the Chocolate out carefully with a spatula.

Let them cool, cut them up and enjoy!!

This is the effect the brownies will have on your family.
Every one will sink into a sugar comma for an hour or so.

Having wonderful Chocolaty dreams and wake to tell you

how wonderful you are and ask you to make them more often.

**By the way this is my Brother Sam and his young son Toshi.

Pesto Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ok Lucy this is for you. Eat your heart out.

This was my lunch to day. It was inspired by you.

Pesto Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:
2 slices of homemade whole wheat/oat-bran bread
Several slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
2 Tbs. of pesto
Butter

Directions:
1- I toasted one side of the bead in a hot cast iron skillet. (This step is not necessary but I thought it would keep the sandwich from getting to soggy in the center.)
2- I spread the toasted side of each slice of the bread with 1 Tbls. of pesto.
3- Place the slices of fresh mozzarella on the pesto.
4- Place the other piece of bread face down on the cheese.
5- Lightly butter both sides of the sandwich.
6- Place in a Panini Press and cook till done.

Eat and Enjoy!!!

It was as yummy it looks.


Oh now don't forget the most important step.
Don't forget the antacid.