Six Word Fridays: leaves

Yellow leaves fall softly down -- whirling,

twirling round and round, making a

carpet on the ground. Raking leaves...

into a pile, makes a bed

for jumping in. Yellow leaves on

the ground, crunching softly under foot.

leaves

Six Word Fridays: Sure

Sitting on the rocks next to 

the pond, Ben studies his options

and comes up with a plan.

I will cross on the rocks!

to get to the middle place.

Slow but sure, he gets on 

his way. No hurry! Down on 

all fours, even ready to crawl.

Like a turtle in a shell

he carefully goes. Reaching the middle

is one great feat! Ben dances

a jig to his awesomeness and delight... 

for a job well accomplished. Oh!

to be a four year old! 

Doing big things and taking the 

time...to plan, carry out, and 

accomplish the task. Slow, fast,

or in between. It doesn't matter

just as long as it's done!

Sure

Back to School.... Again!

When I read this week's writing prompts, I knew exactly what one I wanted to write about.

 What grade is your child going to be in? And Share a memory of yourself at that same age.

Since I am a grandmother now, I have a large reservoir of school years and memories to pull from. That includes 5 children of my own, and a lot of grandchildren... most of who are in school now. 

The first one that came to my mind was my oldest daughter Kelsey. She is 38 years old. She is going back to school... again! She has been an R.N. for her entire adult life. She has been an excellent and devoted nurse. A few years ago, she decided she needed to step it up. She loved what she was doing, but wanted to do more and contribute more.

After 16 years of doing the job she loved, she made the decision to go back to school. She completed her B.S. in nursing and got a minor in food and nutrition. Shortly after that she applied for the DNP, Doctor of Nursing Practice and FNP, Family Nurse Practitioner at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She got accepted and will start a new chapter in her life in just two weeks. Yes, it will take three more years! Yes, it will be hard!, and Yes, it will require a lot of sacrifice from her, her husband and children. They will pull together and make it work. And she will do it! Because that is who she is!

The possibilities will be endless for her once she graduates with her DNP, FNP. Whether she works in the community, in a clinic, a hospital, or opens her own practice, she will be the best around. She has always required the best of herself, and she will deliver only the best to those she serves. Her mother will gladly be her first patient!

And... what was I doing at her age?

I, myself, had just finished up my back to school... again! I had just graduated from USU with a B.S. degree in Family & Consumer Science and a minor in Food & Nutrition Science. I found a job with the Division of Family and Child Services as a Homemaker Consultant. It was a satisfying job, but I also wanted more! My youthful ambitions of being an Extension Agent prompted me onward and upward. It wasn't long before I found myself working my dream job as an Extension Educator (now I was the woman in charge of putting on 4-H fashion shows!), and with that came the requirement of obtaining a Masters Degree. So... once again, I found myself going back to school!

 Kelsey, my oldest who my post is about, had just graduated from High School and was starting her undergraduate work in Nursing. We have tagged each other in school for most of our lives. Life-long learning is something we do... whether it's in the classroom or in the world, it's what we love! 

Kelsey and Me

Fashion Show 101

I'm no longer an Extension Agent, but I still get to be a part of the BEST kind of Fashion Shows.

Family Fashion Shows!

Every year, before the start of school, my sisters and I put on a "fashion show". We pranced around the front room in front of a very important audience, mainly mom, showing off our new dresses, long knee high stockings and patent leather shoes. My children modeled their new clothes for us every year before going back to school. It was the most anticipated day of the new school year!  And, now, my grandchildren love to fashion their new school clothes for grandma before the 1st day of school. I just love this tradition!

Our youngest Elementary Grade Schooler, who will be in first grade this year, was the last one to model her new attire. The theater room stage was the perfect setting. The spotlight was on her, and her only! Just before the fashion show began, Ali said to her mommy, "grandma likes me to pose!". Wow! did she ever! My camera was snapping every second. I just love my little Ali Bear.

Enjoy the Fashion Show as Ali Bear struts her stuff. And then some!

 

Writing prompt # 2: What grade is your child going to be in? Share a memory of yourself at that age.

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Mama Kat's Pretty Much Famous Workshop

Some things never change

It took some digging to find a picture of myself ten years ago. Digital pictures did not start until 2006. Anyway, for me. I found a picture that is striking similar to a recent picture. Wouldn't you know!

Ten years ago I was a fairly new grandma.  I've added several more since then. And I love them all! Grandmothering is a very good place to be in. There's so many wonderful things to do... like:

play at the park.

picnic at the park.

take lots of pictures.

give lots of hugs and kisses, and I love you's!

watch ball games.

attend Grandparent's Day at school.

have movie day.

push them in swings.

watch their talents grow by attending meets and recitals.

watch them learn to swim.

buy them things (I guess that means spoil them once in awhile!)

go on Day Adventures.

make cookies.

get messy with paint.

take them to preschool.

watch them learn to walk, ride a bike, lose their first tooth.

You get the picture!  Today, I'd rather not think about the ways I've changed. I'll pretend I haven't aged a bit!

                                                   May 2012

A grandchild fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty. author unknown

writing prompt #5: Find a photo of yourself taken 10 years ago and display it on your blog along with a current photo. How have changed since the day that photo was taken?

What's this stuff?

What do you do at the Zoo besides look at the animals? Eat Cotton Candy! The youngest daughter's family and I made a day of it. It was a beautiful Autumn day. The weather was perfect and the changing leaves made for a spectacular backdrop of picture taking. 

After taking a ride on the carousel  we sat down for a rest. Mom decided to get Missy Moo and Buster Boo some Cotton Candy. They had never seen or eaten it before.

 "What's this stuff?"

"It's Cotton Candy."

"What do you do with it?"

"Mommy will show you!"

Take some in your hand like this.

Put it in your mouth.

You first, brother!

One, Two, Three..... Go!

Hummm..... think we'll try it again.

Not so bad, after all!

Cotton Candy gone wrong...

Oh no! it's stuck to my fingers.

Yikes!

Mommy... clean, wash.

Precious!
















Who wouldn't SMILE watching the grand kids eat Cotton Candy for the first time!

Writing prompt #5:  Tell about or show something that made you smile this week.

Stolen Pumpkins

I took Missy Moo and Buster Boo to a Produce Stand to pick out some pumpkins. They were very excited about their choices and couldn't wait to sit them on the front porch. And so they did!They live in a very small rural community. It never crossed any of our minds that they would be stolen. But they were! The next morning when mom and kids went out to see the pumpkins, they were missing. Stolen! Mom was distraught, and wanted to cry. 

Missy Moo, 4 years old, had a very wise explanation on the stolen pumpkins. In an attempt to comfort her mother, she had this to say about those pumpkin thieves, in her matter of fact voice.

"They thought it was a pumpkin patch, but it was just our house. We will buy some more pumpkins and watch for them, and when they come back to take them, we will tell them it's not a pumpkin patch, it's just our house!"

A good lesson from the oh so young and wise! Take heart!

New pumpkins

prompt #1: Write a post in just 12 lines

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Super Easy Pumpkin Treats

Not all pumpkins are created equal. Here's a run down of what size and variety of pumpkin is best for what...

Small pumpkins 

Choose Sugar Pie pumpkins and other flavorful varieties for baking. They are small and sweet, with dark orange-colored flesh. They are perfect for pies, soups, muffins, and bread.

A medium-sized (4 pound) sugar pumpkin should yield around 1 1/2 cups of mashed pumpkin. The puree can be used in recipes calling for canned pumpkin.







Field pumpkins

Field pumpkins are larger and stringy inside. They make perfect jack-o-lanterns.


















Jack-be-littles

These miniature pumpkins are small and are perfect for decorating.












Pumpkins for decorating

ornamental pumpkins and gourds



jack-be-littles made into spiders


pumpkin head helmets (Pumpkin Walk)



carved jack-o-lantern





Fall is all about the pumpkin! Whether you bake them, carve them, or decorate with them, pumpkins bring color and pleasure to cool Autumn days. 

One of my favorite things to do with pumpkins is to make treats and other sweets with and for the kids and grandkids. Two of my favorite super easy pumpkin treats will surely get your family in the pumpkin mood!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:  

15 oz. canned pumpkin
box of cake mix (I like spice)
12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1.  Pour dry cake mix into large mixing bowl

 2. Add canned pumpkin

3. Mix well

 4. Add chocolate chips

5. Stir into batter with spoon

 6. Lick the beaters! (this recipe does not contain eggs)

7. Drop by teaspoon onto a cookie sheet

8. Cook for 18 - 20 minutes

    Place on cooling rack and let cool

9. Yummm!



















Thanks Missy Moo and Buster Boo for helping grandma make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies!

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided

1 Graham Cracker pie crust

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. pecan pieces, divided

1 cup cold milk

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. ea.) vanilla instant pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed, divided

Directions:

1. Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup nuts.

2. Beat milk, dry pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread into crust.

3. Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with remaining whipped topping, caramel topping and nuts just before serving.

This pie has become a tradition at our house every Thanksgiving. It's easy to make and so delicious!

(Food & Family magazine)

Prompt #4: Pumpkins! Anything with pumpkins!

Smile

Grandchildren give me plenty of reasons to smile...they are the source of my JOY!