Friday, March 21, 2008

Let's get down to the root of things...

I was wondering why in the world we eat Ham on Easter Sunday. I'm all for a bucket of Kentucky Fried - but can't stand the crowds at the drive through. I found a most interesting site of Easter customs. Most of which will NOT be found in the Ensign. I post this because my son-in-law George Doxstader (first name changed to protect him) would be extactic about this tradition. I promise tried to find the music to 'Whip it - Whip it good'.

"But surely the oddest custom used to take place in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, where there was a tradition of spanking or whipping of woman on Easter Monday. In the morning, males throw water at females and spank them with a special handmade whip, consisting of eight, 12 or even 24 withies (willow rods), which is usually from half a metre to two metres long and decorated with coloured ribbons at the end. The spanking is symbolic and normally not painful or intended to cause suffering. A legend says females should be spanked in order to keep their health and beauty during the next year."

No wonder Ashley is so beautiful and other than passing out in the grocery store, basically healthy! Gotta go - maybe Marie at the Calendar residence will have my pies finished.... By the way - I found some funeral potatoes, located some corn, found the recipe for Utah Jell-O, planning on putting out Aunt 'Rhoda's frozen buns to thaw, so I guess.... I'll freakin' have to go get a ham....


Sunday, March 16, 2008

The tagging of it all

So - I slipped past the purse tagging from Bethany quietly. For those that know me I have the largest purse on earth and it is always full of anything but money. The bigger the purse over the years, the more stuff I found to put in it. Perhaps a visual... In the movie 'Because I Said So' Diane Keeton has a purse in which she has to find her ringing phone. After several scurryings through it, she just dumps it out - THERE - that's the visual. So - I'll just let your imagination work on the things that MIGHT be in my purse. (Besides, only certain people really know where my phone is kept...)

Then - she tagged me again. Since I am surrounded by only one book right now - none the likes of which has as big of words as Bethany's have, I will have to surrender to the literature on hand. (Now if you said magazines....that would be a different story!) She explains the rules as the following: First, grab the book closest to you. Next, open to page 123 and go to the 5th sentence. Then, post the text of the nest 3 sentences on your blog. Finally, name the book and the author. So here goes...

"The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature." President Ezra Taft Benson

The book is Plain and Precious by Beppie Harrison - it's a daily thought book and I found it many years ago. I keep it by my computer because it is full of the things that your Mother might say to you on a really crappy day. Hopefully - the goodness in it will wear off on me someday and my human nature will take a turn for the better.

Now - there is that magazine - "It drags you out of bed on Saturday morning to train when every last one of your friends is still sleeping. It pounds away at you, demanding the most of out of every single workout, and beats you up inside when you fail to deliver your best. It's what separates you from the pack." (Bicycling magazine April 2008 advertisement for N.O.-XPLODE energy igniter and apparently the answer to the 'little voice inside of you'.)

I'm sure the Lord is right - I don't want to be 'of the world'. I'm too tired! None the less.... now, you've been tagged, and I need to go for a bike ride before I Xplode!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

FYI - things that must go - the list begins....

FREAKING SPASTIC COUGHING,
NOSE RUNNING,
EYE WATERING, NO SLEEPING,
HEADACHING, BONE CHILLING,
COLDS
must go......
(except for the Nyquil - I quite enjoy that
with a little bit of ice in a glass now....)

...oh and alarm clocks must go too...

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Just when you think there couldn't possibly be another cute baby out there....

I have to introduce you to the next GAP baby model. My friend Elaine shared with me her daughters blog and I giggled and oooood and aaawwwwed all over it. Just as good and close to me as my own family - check out this cute family

twomoreseconds.blogspot.com

enjoy - ooooing and aaawing and trying to pinch the screen!

But then again - Mandy and Ryan still might come in pretty close to the cutest also with their adopting idea on their blog spot! Check them out at our 'family and friends' at the right of our blog.

For the hands down winner of cute and cuddly - Grandma's pride will send you to Bethany and Matt's 'Royal blogspot' also listed at the right.

Warm fuzzies for a Sunday night. Enjoy!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Twitches

....Just read Bethany's comment on her blog about her eye twitch. Glad that it's gone but I believe that I've caught it! I have a big twitch in the crook of my arm! I was kind of concerned, but then I realized that your eye was pre-pregnancy, and mine is post -pregnancy. After seeking medical advice they have come up with the diagnosis - 'Grandma-itus'. There is only one cure - holding your grandchild! So Andrew, what ya up to? Wanna visit Grandma?

Sunday, March 2, 2008

PAR-TAE


The California Hillarys never miss a chance to party - so since their mom was gettin' up there in years - they had a party! Karin is an amazing party thrower - she gets it right everytime and always with great class. Molly's family came, her friends, and even a few strays came! I thought I would show off Del's family - a great bunch if I do say so myself. Missing is Karin's husband Keith - he was out of town, Patrick - another brother, and myself, I wasn't sure I could handle all of the fun. L-R Back Row: Ed (Son), Brenda (Daughter), Michael w/hat (Brenda's son), Karin (daughter), Del! (son), Steve (son), Stan (son), Middle row: Molly! Front Row: Bradley (Steve's son), Melinda (Stan's daughter), Brooklyn (Steve's daughter). Karin is an amazing cook - she prepared food for an army and then some. Del loved visiting with his 'favorite' cousins and new family faces. All we needed to do was throw in the 10 missing Utah Hillarys and this would finish off this party picture perfectly. Del came home with great memories and great pictures. Thanks for all of your hard work Karin - your are the love in the family glue that keeps everyone together!

Happy Birthday Gma Molly!


Well, the view from here looks beautiful - even at 80 shabangers! Del's mom - my mom-in-law - and the grandmother to my kids and recently great-grandmom to Andrew, turned 80. I see many years of loving her children in her heart and in her eyes. She is the mother of 7 amazing children who still love to give her a rash of the good stuff as much as possible. Molly was born in Nicaragua and then moved to California. She can rattle off Spanish like no one's business - and the swear words just seem to blend right in! As much as her children tease her - they love her even more. The Utah Hillarys wish to send you our love and wishes for - uh - um - how about 80 more? You are a keeper in our eyes!