Grandparents Day with Riley

Riley invited me to Grandparent's Day at her school. A month ago she sent me an invitation letting me know that her class would be sharing some stories and honoring the Grandparents in her classroom. I love to go to these programs and watch my little grandkids participate in their classroom, meet their teacher and just be part of their school activities on occasion.

Julie informed me that I might have a chance to say a little something about some of the things that I love to do in my life or talk about some memories from my childhood. I had several weeks until the program and immediately thought it would be fun to make Riley a quilt to remember this special day! Lucky for me that Mom was in town. She agreed to help me make a quilt for Riley.

Riley's teacher's name is Mrs. Germaine. She had gone to so much effort and had a special program planned for all the grandparents in attendance. All the children sang songs about Grandparents, we had some yummy refreshments that the parents had made and then each student had a chance to read something about their Grandparent from a book they had put together individually from questions they had asked us earlier. It was darling! This is what Riley said about Us:

"My grandparents live in Mesa, Arizona. They also live in a little red house. What I love about it is the pool, but in the winter I play in the playroom. It is special!"

That made me smile. The children sang some more songs and then we were treated to a video show that Mrs. Germaine had put together. Each child had a chance to say something about their grandparents and then she had gathered pictures of all the grandparents and put it all to music. It was a tear jerker....I had to wipe a few away! It was very sweet.

At the end of the program all the grandparents had a chance to stand and talk about some things that were important in their childhood, or things that they enjoyed doing. It was interesting to hear what each of them had to say. One grandparent brought a game of "Jacks" and showed the children how it was played....remember that? Those were the simple, fun games!

I was able to give Riley her quilt and tell a little bit about why I love piecing quilts. I treasure handmade quilts and hope that Riley will love the quilt that we made for her. It was so fun to make in anticipation of this fun time I was able to spend with her. Riley is my oldest Grandchild....that makes her quite special! I love you Riley.....thanks for letting me share Grandparent's Day with you!




Riley took me a on tour of her classroom and showed me some of her artwork she has done. Mrs. Germaine worked hard with her classroom to make this a special time for Grandparents!

This is a poster made by Riley with facts she gathered about my life

This is Riley's turkey....it's quilty, she says!

We love you Riley!

Kev-Dawg (1)---Josh "Mad Dog" Taylor (0)

Kevin started his wrestling season last night for Mountain View High School.
Okay, I am trying to like wrestling.....I grew up with 5 girls you know! It is such a guy thing. I let Max deal with all the sweaty stuff! On the positive side....Kevin has worked ever so hard to get into shape to wrestle in his weight class, 103. Up at 5:15 a.m. three mornings a week to run for an hour and then strength and conditioning for 2 hours at the end of each day. He has to work out everyday, except Sunday. His body is definitely showing the results of a hard workout....He is pretty buffed!

Before a match they have to weigh-in. Kevin has to weigh a certain amount to qualify to wrestle his opponent for a match. This is stressful. This time Kevin was a couple of pounds over-weight which meant extra exercise and calorie cut-back. I know he was miserable. He tried hard for two days to lose 2-3 pounds so he could make the weigh-in. Ohhhh I was so glad when he called and said he made it!

Okay....you had better be a pretty good wrestler if your name is listed on the program as Josh "Mad Dog" Taylor...really. He just didn't know he was up against Kev-Dawg! I was nervous as the match started. Kevin has had some pretty good training from and Olympic Wrestler and has become quite good at "take-downs." Points for him. In the second period Kevin pinned his opponent. Yes, I was screaming! I could like this sport......as long as he wins! Way to go Kev. Good Job.

High School Musical Review....Boyer Style!

The long-awaited debut of High School Musical 3 is here! What a perfect time for Nana to step in for a trip to the movies with her granddaughters....oh wait! The guys want to go?????? So we made it a family affair. Riley, Emma, Maddie and Kate were all excited to see Troy & Gabriella on the big screen. Okay...it is a really cute movie. So here is the "Review" from the little fans....and some big ones!

Riley said....I loved the part where Troy and his friend danced and sang "Boys On The Move" The girls looked so pretty when they were dressed up for Prom, I liked that part too.

Maddie said....I liked those parts too!

Emma said....Sharpay had cute clothes and she was funny! Her hair was pretty. I loved having popcorn at the movie.

Kate said....I loved all the singing. I was glad Riley and Maddie were there.

Ryan Boyer said...The basketball game....Hmmmm how creative!

Grandpa said....My favorite part was "The End"

Kevin...He was a reluctant movie goer....but I know he loved the Tree House Scene! (Note: When Amy and I could not remember Troy's girlfriend's name...Kevin piped up from across the room...."Her Name Was Gabriella!" Oh, I can't believe I said that!) Whatever Kev, you were glued to the big screen!

Nana said....Sharpay stole the show!

We are waiting on Julie's review!

Looks like we all gave it a "Thumbs Up!" Such a fun Family Movie!

I wish I would have taken a picture of all those little girls lined up in their seats at the movie theatre with treats on their laps, ready to watch the movie! Priceless!

November Quilt Day

This month it was Elaine's turn to have our quilt group at her house. As usual, it was FABULOUS! We had a fun time....even though we were missing some of our friends that were not able to come. Heidi, Michelle, and Andie...we missed you! Lucky for us Kim came at the last minute. We can't laugh without her there!

Now....a little about Elaine. She moved here from Utah and I am sure it took her a while to get use to the Arizona weather.....I kinda think she still misses Utah a lot! We're glad she is here, though, because she has added a new dimension to our quilt group. She is an experienced quilter and always does the most darling things.....really, we all want to copy her! She always has such good advice to give and is always sooooo helpful..... and Becky.....I know you love her!

Here's a little peek into our day!

Like I said.....Elaine is a fabulous quilter. Her quilts are definitely treasures. This one was soooo cute! I wish I had taken a close-up picture of her border and binding. The border is scalloped and she inserted ric-rack in the binding.

These aprons she made for her daughters were absolutely the cutest! Her fabric combinations were so fun. I just thought they were pretty dang fashionable for the kitchen girls! Hmmmm gotta try them for myself!

The back of this apron.....the cutest!

My goal lately is to use up some of my scraps. My sewing room is just way too cluttered with fabric....and of course....I need to buy some more! Soooo I am trying to come up with some quilts that use up some of these scraps! Actually, I love this quilt....made up of 30's reproduction fabrics. Almost done!

Marene always has something to show for herself. This quilt was so complicated! It is all appliqued. She is one of our quilters that quilts our quilts when we are finished piecing them. She is so talented! This Christmas quilt is a masterpiece!
Carol is working on a Star Quilt. Several of us made this quilt. It is so fun to make and turns out so cute. By the end....you need a rest from making stars!

Marae made these fall kitchen towels for her Visiting Teachers. Michelle (her daughter) had made some last month and she just had to try them. Actually....it is such a cute gift idea and so quick to make for a Holiday.

Just a word about this quilt....Kim is making it as a favor for her sister-in-law. The fabrics in this quilt came from blouses that were worn by her sister-in-law's Grandmother. The squares have been hand-pieced. Kim is sewing them together and then the quilt will be given as a gift to the daughter. (Does that make sense?) Anyway....it is cute and old-fashioned!

Marae gave us a lesson on our upcoming quilt group project. We are all making an American Jane Pattern from Jelly Rolls. She has begun to sew hers together and she gave us some hints on pressing the seams in certain directions to make your block turn out well......thanks Marae!

Whoever hosts our quilt group also fixes us lunch. Luckily, this is only once a year. Pressure, pressure....what's for lunch? Elaine made a delicious chili. I am posting the recipe. She obtained this recipe from a restaurant in Galesberg, Illinois called "The Jumping Bean." (Elaine...feel free to correct me!) It is called "Mom's Famous Santa Fe Chili" Yummmmm! It was truly delicious. We had cornbread with honey butter and a salad. Dessert, well....a picture is worth a thousand words!



What an absolutely fun day we had at Elaine's home. I have made such incredible friends and appreciate their company so much. We always have something to learn from each other. We appreciate each other's talents and hopefully share ours. I love to sit and visit, laugh, eat and marvel over the creativity and knowledge that my friends have. I love it! They are truly a light in my life!!!

Enjoy this recipe! Thanks Elaine!

Mom's Famous Santa Fe Chili

3 lbs Hamburger

1/2 pound bacon (chopped)
1 teasp. garlic (fresh, chopped)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chili powder (yes, cup)
3/4 T. Cumin
3 fresh Jalapenos (cored and seeded)

1 cup Kidney Beans
1/2 cup Black Beans
1/2 cup Pinto Beans
*Soak these overnight, then cook until tender

1 1/4 quart Beef Broth
1 yellow onion
3 green peppers

Cook and drain bacon. Cook onion, green pepper, garlic and beef until done. Drain all grease. Add bacon and other ingredients. Simmer 1 hour.

Serve with cheese, cour cream and chopped jalapenos

The Little Man Of The House

Bliss....! I just walked outside to cool, clear weather with a flat full of flowers to plant. This is what I live for....and yes, I am very picky. My neighbors are ever watchful, wondering when my flower beds and pots will be planted! I've had a couple of nudges, comments yelled across the street, and neighborly queries as to "When The Heck Are You Going To Be Finished!" Just like anything I do.....I take my time and enjoy the process. Secretly, I am wondering if I have a flaw in my personality....which is that I take too long to accomplish particular tasks and projects! I just love to stand back and LOOK!

To my rescue comes my little helper this year...the "Z" Man. He is right by my side, trying to "Dig" as I am trying to "Plant." Sometimes those two things do not go hand in hand! However, he seems to be the only one "Helping." Thus, he is crowned "The Little Man Of The House." Along with his title comes destruction with a shovel in his hand.....always curious when dirt is present and Oh....so willing to help! Who can turn him down? Kisses Zack!

Just in case you don't know....This is why we live in Arizona! I now have green grass and the promise of some flowers that will bloom......in the winter!

And The Winner Is!!!

We all knew it would come to this! President Obama? I'm wondering what his Presidency has in store for our Country? I have to admit I am a little worried about the next four years. I am not sure what direction he will go? What does he know about running a Country? For some reason he just scares me. I hope he feels some responsibility to do what is best and right for our Country. There are certainly a lot of people that believe in him....why????





I, on the other hand, voted for John McCain. I thought he had a tremendous amount of experience and I honestly just trusted him more. He has served our Country for decades and made a huge sacrifice personally for the freedom of our country....he is committed! For me, that is a great start! On top of that I just felt like he knew the ropes and had some type of personal conviction to change things for the better. Yep....I am totally let down!!!

I know people wanted change......well, it is coming! We really do live in a great country. I hope Obama can keep it that way!

One bright note....Proposition 102 Passed!!!

A Few Things To Say......

I have a jumbled mess of things going through my mind....and sadly, not enough time to address them all! For the last three months I have been obsessed, concerned, confused, and interested in the on-going saga of Food Storage and Preparation. I have browsed the internet, asked knowledgeable friends, taken classes and just mulled it over in my mind. I am always frozen with the idea of What To Do???? It's all so confusing to me....probably because I just have not taken it seriously. Oh yes, I do have some food (wheat and such) stored...but now what? Should I just let it sit there???

I have some things to say! All kidding aside, I decided to get serious. I started by going to a class at a Bosch Store that teaches various skills in canning, making bread, and cooking with a pressure cooker. That really gave me some much needed motivation. That night I bought a great pressure cooker/canner that can be used for pretty much ANYTHING! I love it! The only problem that enters in here is Time! Who has time to sit home and pressure can all day?

This week I made it a priority! I found chicken breasts on sale at a local store (It is not worth canning chicken unless it is on sale) I bought a bunch and came home for a trial run. I had never thought of canning chicken before and I was a bit wary! I just closed my eyes and followed the directions! The pressure canner I bought made all the difference....it was soooo easy!
DONE! It was sitting all pretty on my shelf and I patted myself on the back.

In all honesty and truth.....it doesn't look real appetizing in the jar. My kids were scared that they might have to eat that stuff! So, the real question is how does it really taste? Trial run tonight.....I decided to make chicken quesadillas for the Fam. Can I just say that I had dinner ready in 15 minutes! Didn't have to think about cooking that chicken. For some reason I dislike doing that!
Amy wrinkled her nose when I mentioned that I was using my canned chicken tonight and Kevin was less than thrilled. But......we must eat what we have canned!

Okay, now for the taste test results.......I can honestly say it was DELICIOUS... No kidding, I opened the jar and took out a chunk. It was so moist and tender, it just pulled apart. I really was surprised, but more than that thrilled that it could turn out so well. I made Kevin and I a quesadilla and that's that! Success! I will definitely add to my supply. The great thing is that you can use it continually.....a great Food Storage Item!!!! Yes, I have a smile on my face.

An added bonus....Yesterday I was with Mom and she found an outrageous price on cartons of Strawberries! No kidding it was ridiculous....50 cents for a big carton of strawberries at the famous "Veggie Mart!" So.....why not bottle some strawberry jam? Mom, Lee and I had a crazy night last night bottling jam...... in lieu of watching Obama win the Presidency (Boo!) I have a little stash of yummy jam to sit right beside my chicken! Don't worry...I have more plans. My neighbor just brought over some pinto beans. I am working on a recipe! Hmmm so much more to do!

Honestly...this was my first attempt at Jam!
What does Mom have to say about that?

The point to this post is that it's time to get serious! Yes, yes, I know we have been told. I feel good that I am trying! Actually, I am having fun experimenting with new things.....some friends in my ward have been a huge help. I am glad I am surrounded by great people who are so helpful. I am posting the recipe for this canned chicken. Try it....you can't go wrong!

*Canned Chicken*

*Buy......Quart or Pint wide-mouthed jars. I used pints....it was enough chicken for our dinner tonight with a little left over! Really, a pint holds alot! A quart holds a ton! You would be surprised.

*Sterilize bottles and lids....keep lids hot in a pan during canning process.

*Wash your chicken well and cut off any extra fat.


*Lay out chicken breasts on cookie sheet lined with wax paper for easy access during canning.

*Begin by putting one whole chicken breast in jar...you don't need to cut it up. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, put more in until your chicken is one-inch from the top of jar. (Note: after one whole chicken breast is put in you may have to cut one in half to fit in the jar ) A quart holds more.

*Put in Salt. 1/2 teaspoon for pints. 1 teaspoon for quarts.


*You are ready to put on your lids. BE SURE to wipe off mouth of jar with clean, damp cloth before you put on lids. It needs to be very clean and clear of any chicken goo! Put your lid and ring on securely.

*Time for the Canner. Put approximately 1-inch of water in the bottom of your pressure canner. Put in the aluminum shelf to hold your jars above the bottom of the pan. Put in six pint jars of chicken. (I have not done quarts yet, I am not sure how many it holds...sorry) pint jars cannot touch each other. Bring water to a boil. Put your canner lid on and seal. Wait until it reaches 15 pounds of pressure (all canners are different...read your instructions) Begin timing your chicken at this point. 75 minutes @ 15 pounds of pressure for pint jars. 90 minutes @ 15 pounds of pressure for quart jars.

*When time is up take your canner off the heat and let it cool so the pressure comes down. When cool, take off lid and remove jars to your counter. Make sure they seal.