Christmas Spirit

Tasty Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)

I enjoyed 3 days of baking with my neighbor Sara. We made 10 dozen cookies and over 100 Buckeyes. TASTY

This year we went to the Christmas tree farm and cut down our own tree. The children had so much fun. We were able to see Santa, roast marshmallows and enjoy hotdogs.

Trimming our tree. Sorry the pic is a bit blurry we had to use our camera phone.

N.Y. and the blessings

My Dad and his wife Linda
Grandma Morse and I

Enjoying our time together baking our applesauce cake

Happy 92nd birthday Grandma

The fun started Satuday as I flew up to New York to see my family.

I decided to make a fun stop in to see my Dad. His birthday was Saturday and since I am absolutely horrible with directions I took one of my old friends along for the journey through the booneys. My Dad had fun talking politics and I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know my Dads sweet wife Linda a little more. I really enjoyed my time with them.

Saturday evening I spent the evening playing Trivial Pursuit with some of my dear friends that I haven't seen since high school days. It was a blast! Let me tell you though I really need to start studying because the only question I helped my team with was how do you know when a potato is possibly poisonous. Thank the Lord I was raised on a farm. For those of you who do not know the answer to that one is when it is green.

Sunday I got up early and went over to pick up my Grandma Morse so we could spend the day together. We went to this lovely restaurant on Canandaigua lake which she had never been to before and it was a delightful time. We enjoyed a full lake view from our table and talked about her earlier years. She turned 92 so she had so many fun stories to tell.

Then after our lunch we went to her house so we could make applesauce cake. I remember all throughout my childhood sitting on her counter watching her make this cake. It was such a blessing for me to be able to make this with her. Then as our cake baked she took me into her room to show me all of her vintage jewelry. Which she surprisingly gave me a box of her beautiful necklaces. We talked even more and just really bonded.

Then Monday I was on my flight back home to my little ones to share the stories from their Great Grandma. The whole trip was a huge blessing to me in so many ways. To be able to take it all in with out distractions of my everyday life to enjoy my family who live so far away. I am so very thankful for my family. I can not wait to go back up to NY with the children and watch their relationship with their Poppa blossom. (That is what they chose to call my Dad this summer)

Life at the age of 93

The age of 93 has to be something big. I mean to think of all of the things you would go through in 93 years has to be something miraculous. My Grandma who is a huge part of who I am is turning 93 in just a couple of weeks.
She lives with my Aunt and Uncle and spends her days putting together puzzles and reading romance novels. Harlequin novels at that =). It is sad to me that after all of these years of helping all of her children that no one really takes much time to spend with her right now. It kills me I would do anything to sit with her for even an hour and just play cards. She used to love to play Rummy and I believe she taught all of her Grandchildren how to play a good hand. She was big on baking good pies and cookies. She was always open to teaching all that wanted to learn how to roll out your crust and pinch the corners. She would let me bake my own little pie with the left over crust.
I loved her meals she would always prepare a good home made meal. Meat, potatos, veggies, bread and butter and always a sweet treat when you were done. Then after dinner we would sit in the living room and watch the price is right, wheel of fortune and jeopardy. It was the same routine every night but boy I loved hanging out with her.
The other day I was talking to her adn she sounded different just the tone in her voice. You know some people say that the elderly know when their time is about up and I think she may be at that point. So, I booked a flight and will be flying out to surprise her for her 93 birthday. I am so excited!!! I plan to make the best of it too. I have my set of cards all ready and I plan to bake some civil war cookies and a yummy applesauce cake with her (I need to learn because these goodies are way awesome!)
Please all who read this remember your parents and Grandparents. Spend good quality time with them. One day they will not be here.