What's Up?

I have been so busy telling my grandmother's story on Time Travel Tuesdays that I haven't really posted about what I've been up to lately. If you follow me on Instagram @marianneloose, you have likely see some of these photos, but my Mom doesn't do Instagram. Frankly at 93.5 years of age I am impressed that she gets on her Email and Facebook accounts all by herself! You GO Mom! So, Mom...here is what your little girl has been doing, and a bit of the rest f the gang too!

Sometimes brides have interesting color choices for their receptions. One of our lady Cougar swimmers asked me to make an apron for her that matched her color scheme. These colors are beautiful. I pictured gerbera daisies & paper lanterns.
I wondered, however, if I'd find fabric to match. 

 I shouldn't have worried!

It turned out so cute!

I also made two of these sweetheart aprons for servers at a 50's themed 50th anniversary party.

Not wanting to pay $12 for the pattern, I made up my own! 

I guess I've been doing this long enough, huh?

We have had a really cold spring. It's good for the snow pack up in the mountains. The longer the snow stays up there, the more water we have this summer. Down in the valley, however, we were freezing and ready for warmer days!

I had already cleaned out the fireplace for the season but I had to relent. Our resident pyromaniac has moved to Provo where she enjoys her gas fireplace in her new condo. We were glad to have her here one cold, stormy night when I needed a fire-starter!

Cold temps call for comfort food. I saw this recipe on Facebook one day and had to try it. It was so good we had it twice in one week! It's so easy! Just scrub your potatoes clean and slice them thinly with a very sharp knife. Careful though! Don't cut them all of the way through! Put them in a dish that has been sprayed with a no-stick spray. Drizzle them with olive oil and add your favorite seasoning. I used Mrs. Dash one night and lemon pepper the next time. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.
SO GOOD!!

This was April 2nd. A few days after the fire and the potatoes. A massive hail storm that froze us out again.

Roxie and I have had it with winter!

She finds this sunny spot every morning. I wish I fit in it!
Phooey on the cold!!

So, being housebound, I turned to two subjects I love...Family History & Scrapbooking!

I am nearly finished with these beauties!

I love mornings when the Skype ringer goes off on the computer! It means I get to spend some time with my sweet girl Diana and her little man!

One morning last week they called to show me how Lucas had painted his Easter Egg holders...

My latest sewing project was these darling Matryoshka dolls.

 They are made from a pattern by Retromama on ETSY.com

I love everything she creates! Aren't they cute?

Rachel and her friends, Brianne, and Melissa went to ComicCon today. Rach and Melissa went as Totoros and Brianne was The Black Widow from Marvel Comics.

Rachel and Melissa made their cute little outfits the other night.

So many people aske them if they could have their photos taken with them.

ComicCon is basically a Nerdfest and they loved every minute of it!

Patrick Stewart (Capt. Piccard from Star Trek the Next Generation) was there!

She got to see Adam Baldwin who plays John Casey on "Chuck".

She also saw Nathan Fillion, TV'S "Castle"...DREAMY!!

Then, if you are a "Dr. Who" fan, she saw Karen Gillan who portrays Amy Pond! 

She is home now, and very happy!

The 2013-14 BYU swim season is over. It's good because we get to see the coach a lot more!

The guys gave him this memento of the year in which they were all allowed 

to grow a mustache for Mo-vember.

 Yay! A hairy mustache in a frame! 

It's going back to his office desk in the Richards Building!

Lastly, may I leave you with this adorable photo of my grandson, because I cannot get enough of him!

He planted marigolds with his daddy the other day in sunny California and his Mama shared this with me.

She says this is his "CHEEEEEZE" face.

Oh. My. HEART!!!

Gramma Heaven!

The Little House seems awfully quiet these days. For ten glorious, loud, busy, crazy days it played host to our grandson, Lucas! He arrived with his Mom, our daughter Diana, on big airplane that let his Thor action figure zoom up in the clouds...WhoOSH! His Daddy arrived three days later and together they graced our home during their spring break. Bless their little San Diego hearts...they froze! We had enjoyed several sunny warm days up in the high 60's up until they got here. The temperatures dropped dramatically and rain came in to remind them of their former Utah home.

In preparation for their arrival Auntie Britt bought a toddler bed so her sweet nephew would sleep in comfort. The old Pack-n-Play was way too small anymore. Uncle Richard deserves a medal of honor for trying to put that thing together! It was very tricky but he persevered with great patience.

Lucas was very impressed with the results.

"What is this strange sort of crib that I can get into and out of all by myself?"

 Tackle!!

Pretty soon Aunt Britt came over and we all visited while Diana unpacked.

Soon after, the young Jedi master snuck (sneaked?) up the stairs. Only one of the adults noticed.

 "This is not the toddler you want to keep an eye on. Move along..."

What he found next fascinated him for the rest of the visit.

The dog's bowls!

"Whatcha got there doggy? Can I try some?

Does he look innocent enough?

And thus went the rest of the week with this very active, very curious 18 month old! He goes from one thing to another to another to another to another! His parents joke that he's like a shark. 

If he stops moving he will die. I fear they are right!

The first few nights were rough. He had a bad cough. So bad, in fact, that the 2nd night his Momma and I took him to the ER. Her insurance likes out-of-state ER's better than Urgent Care places. The doctor worried about RSV, but gratefully that test came back negative. His lungs were clear too. Just a horrible virus that plagued him for the next week.

He was not happy after that x-ray and nose sucky-thing! It was midnight and he wanted to be in bed!

It didn't seem to bother him much during the day. I was tired trying to keep up with him! Diana welcomed the extra hands and hearts that loved and took care of her son so she could have some moments of freedom and we all had the BEST time!

 Roxie soon grew used to all of the attention and loved following Lucas around because he tended to drop Goldfish crackers and Cheerios!

 One morning Diana was resting after a rough night of coughing. Gramma found it difficult to put on makeup while trying to keep this boy out of the toilet, shower, bathtub, hall closet,... so I resorted to the old stand-by, "Jake and the Neverland Pirates". Awesome!!! (sheet washing day!)

 Louie was everywhere! The window seat was a favorite spot. Roxie stayed close! I am a bit annoyed that Lucas taught her how to get up there!

 Pa had fun showing Lucas all of the old toys we had saved for this very time in our lives. The wooden blocks were a hit, as was Uncle Richard's old car mountain.

He loved to play with our old play dishes and kitchen.

Some people get rid of all of their toys when the kids outgrow them. I never could. I am too sentimental.

I'm glad we kept them!

Aunt Britt came out almost every night to join us. She loves this boy so much!

Isn't she looking quite "Google-y" these days?!

 There was the fun night that Nick and Diana bought "Frozen".

 There were "Man Cave" moments too. Like the guys watching "Miracle" together.

 Pa cried again for the 40,000th time!

 More to share next time!

Time Travel Tuesday~California Dreamin'

It snowed again last night. Not a lot. Certainly not as much as we need. We have been asked by our Stake leaders to pray for more because our water situation up in the reservoirs is pretty grim. Can I pray that we get maybe ten feet of new snow up in the mountains and have spring down here in the valley? No? It doesn't work that way?

So I dream of sunnier days and definitely warmer times! I mean, what good is a fireplace in this cold if I can't even light a fire because of the bad air quality?

I went searching for beach pictures today. We have plenty of more recent trips, but if we are going to time travel...let's go back to 1991!

Dee and I loaded up our four little girls in August of '91 and drove from Salt Lake City to visit my sister Gena and her family in SoCal. Steve and Gena lived in Torrance and took us to their favorite nearby beach...Redondo.

We had a lot of coastal fog on our days at the beach but it was still warm and wonderful.

Here are Brittany and Sarah checking out the ocean for the very first time. That was fun!

 They are discovering here that their Uncle Steve is a wild man!

Yeah, that's Steve's head out there in the wave!

If you look closely behind Diana and Cousin Chris you can see my Sweetie in his 90's

 Shorty McShort Shorts! Socks and shoes at the beach?? Must be from Northern Cal!

I love this view of the coast and secretly dream of living there. What a life (if it was cheaper!)

Diana & Chris were all to willing to please me! See the early version of the Pack-n-Play back them? That was for my 8 month old baby Rachel. She was crawling and I tried to keep her from eating sand!

Here we see Diana trying to smile for me but there is so much going on in the background. Cousin Michael is obviously being coerced by Brittany into the water!
There's Steve and his boogie board heading back in,
 and in the middle is "Legs Loose" as Grandpa called Sarah.

This is by far my most favorite photo of the group.
 My beautiful baby girl Rachel in her beach dress and hat!
 She had her 23rd birthday last week. Holy cow! 

That means these photos were, like...23 years ago!

 Had to keep that girl fed!

I was eight months post pregnancy here and how I wish I had that body back! It's here somewhere. Maybe I can find it again!
 In the meantime I'll sigh and dream of beaches and sunny, warm days, and plan our trip in May to visit this little girl who is now our California Girl,
when her husband graduates from USC with his Master's degree. 

There is snow outside of my door, 

but a beach is in my future!

Let's Wrap Up December!

We were blessed to have Diana & Lucas stay on an extra week or so after Nick went back to San Diego. 

The week dawned with fresh snow on the mountains. (Actually, this is a sunset!)

 There was plenty of napping too. It would appear that Roxie fell asleep mid-text!

 Gram pulled out all of her old tricks such as Rachel and Richard's ton of Duplos...

 

...building blanket forts...

 ...bath time and jumping/lotion afterward...

...and pulling out the mini flashlight when the boy got fussy.

 

Roxie took care of the tickling department!

 One evening we all piled into the van and drove south to Provo for the annual BYU Athletic Dept. Christmas party. It is held in the Cougar Club room under Edwards Stadium. Diana wanted a shot of Lucas in front of Heisman Trophy winner, Ty Detmer's wall. Very cool! We sent this one to his Daddy who was Cougar Blue with envy!

The party is always fun with plenty of good food.
As usual, my girlies did not appreciate my photo taking...

 ...until I cried! (No, I just looked really sad!)

 There was plenty of passing the boy around...

 ... and coloring in the kid's area where Lucas charmed rather large athletes.

 Coach & I complied with the request for a photo the FIRST time!

Then Louie finished up the bread sticks!

 We had SO much fun during those days but all good things must come to an end, so they say.

I took this photo a few days later at the airport with a lump in my throat
and tears all of the way home.

Once at home I found evidence in one of my fake apples that Lucas had been there . 

A little love note!

A few days later we were excited to get this photo of our California gang!

Nick loves Santa! Lucas is not so sure!

I caught this wintry shot one morning of the Little House on the Corner.

 Too bad it was garbage day!

 

Dr. Sarah arrived mid-month and we settled into a cozy, fire-building, movie-watching norm.

Oh, and the "Mom! Stop taking pictures policy was still in force! 

Roxie took every opportunity to find warmth. Notice her fleece vest matches Rachel's shirt? 

How clever of her!

We went out to Thanksgiving Point and attended Holiday Lights with Britt. It was one of her last events at this job. She was moving on the BIGGER things!

One night we went to Salt Lake City and enjoyed the lights on Temple Square. 

SO beautiful and peaceful there!

Say "cheese"!

"One was enough Mom. Knock it off!"

 I always love the floating tea lights in front of the temple.
Can you call them TEA lights if they are on Temple Square?

 Such a beautiful backdrop for the Holy Family!

And there were Shepherds abiding in a field of snow, wondering what they were doing there.

Santa came and filled the stockings!

We love him forever because he left us Nutella and Chocolate-dipped Peeps!!

 Oh, and a game to dance away those calories!

There were lots of long winter's naps still to be had...

 ...yeah, I got the message.

 This is me taking a nap. well actually it is my feet under a quilt and pillow, taking a nap!

 This is my most awesome and biggest word score ever
 in "Words With Friends" before I fell asleep!
YES!!

I baked gingerbread men after Christmas because I just couldn't get around to it before!~ I love my Mom's old gingerbread man cutter! Takes me right back to my little girl days, standing on a chair, helping my Mom with her apron tied up around my chest.

 

 There were more naps and mucho book reading! This man can fall asleep anywhere!

 We got a fun new game called "Pictionary Man".

 You have to draw the word right on the little guy. It was funny, loud,

 and sometimes a bit irreverent...ahem!

 Diana sent us this darling photo of herself and Lucas in South Carolina at Nick's parents' home. 

Makes my heart want to burst with love! After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about?
Let's not mention that he is munching on the baby Jesus in his manger!

 Sending love to all of you who make me smile and hope you have a wonderful New Year!