Grandma Visits

Yay! We stole Grandma away from WA and the rest of the family for two whole weeks. [insert evil laugh here]  No sooner than she arrived, we put her right to work.  It took us 3 days and 8 samples to find the right match but my 69-year-old mom and I, with minimal help from my sick husband, painted the master bedroom and bath from Hershey bar brown to green and beige.  It took two coats of their best covering paint to have the green cover that dark brown. That took an additional 2 days. Mom and I would also like to add how much prep work really stinks!

That project sucked away the entire first week of her visit.  Luckily we had another week to fill with fun together.

We still had paint on our fingernails as we attended church.  After the sacrament was passed, the children put on their annual program to share what they've learned throughout the year through speaking parts and singing.  Opa and Oma attended as well.  Both Rhys and Sophie nailed their speaking parts--Rhys: "I can gain a testimony of Jesus by being reverent during sacrament.", Sophie: "Someday, when I am a mom, I will strengthen my family by living right, doing my calling, and reading the scriptures."

Additionally, Sophie had a one-line solo singing about family history work--"And we as the children can seek out our loved ones, preserving their name and their memory."  She did great in front of all those people and visitors. Both kids did well and it was fun to watch Rhys swaying back and forth to every song and Sophie giving the "I'm watching you" sign back to Neal in front of everyone.

The next week was crammed with lots of shopping!  Christmas shopping and just my mom being generous.  I have several new items in my wardrobe including tall boots!  Yay!  Been wanting those for years.  Neal has a brand new Hallmark Star Wars ornament to adorn his Star Wars tree this year.  It was fun to find some great finds and without the holiday crowds or the children.

We also got to see Rhys perform in the kindergarten's Thanksgiving play.  Rhys came out dressed as a turkey and proudly spoke his part, "Gobble, gobble, gobble" on cue.  They sang several songs and he did good.  It was great to see him beaming back at his dad, grandma, and I.

We went for walks, ate out, wrapped gifts, took family photos, baked, and ran errands.  We just had a load of fun together talking. Here is one that I love that won't make it to the Christmas card this year.

Grandma even taught the kids how to make popcorn balls, a treat we enjoyed around the holidays as kids.  Yep, all done in the microwave--one of my mom's most favorite appliances.  While here she cooked up potatoes, veggies, and marshmallow goo using the microwave.  They all did great in the microwave.  However, I still reserve that chicken should NOT be microwaved, as Mom also did during my growing up years.  It becomes gray, rubbery, and tastes unappetizing. And here is a side story about that:

As newlyweds, Neal: "Keri, why don't you like chicken?" Keri: "I just don't."  Neal: "Well how did your mom cook it?"  Keri: "In the microwave."  Neal: "Well, no wonder!  Here, let me cook chicken for you.  I promise you will like it and I won't cook it in a microwave."  Keri: "Yum.  I like chicken."  End of story.

My mom also used to take the giblets out of the turkey at Thanksgiving and let me handle and explore them like a biologist, which I thought was so cool and yet today, I really don't care to handle raw meats.  What happened?!  I don't know.  A story for another time.

But marshmallow goo for popcorn balls totally microwavable and acceptable.  Certainly grandkid approved. However, as my wise sister-in-law taught me, marshmallow goodness is always better with M&Ms added in.  I will do it that way next time.  You cannot blame my mom for omitting.  She's been a diabetic for 55 of her 69 years.  Just happy she's still around and has her feet and vision.

But sadly, we had to let her go at some point so we sent her off on an airplane just before Thanksgiving.  Thanks Grandma for all the fun.  We love you and I really, really love you.