California Visitors - 4

Back to our visit with Jeff and Caroline and family....
We spent a great morning at the zoo in Wichita. It was coolish when we left home in the morning but by the time we headed for home three hours later, the sweatshirts had come off and it was hot and sticky!


The tiger exhibit is excellent. I love how Brett captured this leap!


Rich and I took one look at this view and were immediately transported to a river and jungle we saw on our Thailand trip in 2004, except there was about three times as much forest in Thailand. Perhaps it was the muddy river and muggy air! Nevertheless, beautiful!


Don't remember the name of this animal, but aren't its legs something! What interesting markings. Only Creator God could accomplish something like that!


Day lilies are everywhere and we love them!


We spent a lot of time at the gorillas enclosure and were completely entertained by their antics!


Nothing like a snow cone to cool you off!


Back home for dinner and to celebrate Moira's 10th birthday. The one candle is kinda cheesy, but I forgot to add them to my grocery list. So one candle for one decade. We devored the family favorite strawberry cake. It looked a little like the Leaning Tower of Piza, but delicious just the same!


The next day we left for four days in Branson.

Book Signings and Reading List

I recently went to a book signing at our local Christian bookstore featuring three Kansan women who are making quite a splash in the Christian literary world. I love these book signings. What a great way to meet a favorite author and chat a bit about books.


Kim Vogel Sawyer. Deborah Raney. Deborah Vogts.


So this is what is stacked up on my nightstand....


I had already read "Almost Forever", as Rich picked it up for me a few weeks ago. He knows I love reading Deb Raney. This book is part of her Hanover Falls series and is centered in/around a homeless shelter. (Deb did her research at our local shelter when her church became involved in the shelter ministry). It's about relationships with some mystery and intrigue thrown in. It just might make you feel a bit uncomfortable - in a good way - as you think about those who are homeless. I ALWAYS look forward to her next book!



I read Deborah Vogts' first book, "Snow Melts in Spring" about a year ago. (I did a quick review of it on this blog.) I've been waiting for this book ever since. It is part of her series, "Seasons of the Tallgrass" in which Deborah shares her love for the Flint Hills and her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in not just our country, but in the world. We have driven through part of the Flint Hills as we have gone back/forth to Kansas City. It truly is beautiful, no matter the time of year. I have just begun reading "Seeds of Summer". The female character is a former rodeo queen who, because of her father's untimely death, now finds herself with the full responsibility of her two young siblings and the ranch. That's all I know so far, but I know I'll love it as much as I did the first book. (I don't like reading the back of the book because I want a total "discovery" process as I read, so I can't tell you more.


Kim told me this book was a little different take on mail-order brides. It's about a woman who trains women to adapt to the western Kansas lifestyle in the late 1880s, so they can be suitable brides. I really enjoy historical fiction with a little romance thrown in and I'm sure this will be an enjoyable book.

I've picked up some great summertime reading!

Maeve

Our little granddaughter Maeve turned three this past week. She was born on 07/07/07. What a birthdate!

We joined them for pizza and cake and ice cream. When we walked in the house, Maeve was jumping up and down, so excited, YELLING "we have presents"!

She had lots of help blowing out the candles from her big sisters Moira, Audrey, and Isabel!


For their gifts to Maeve, Moira, Audrey, and Isabel each gave her a small stuffed animal from their own collections. How very sweet!

They were so excited for her to open their "packages". Mo and Isabel "wrapped" their gifts in zip bags and Audrey "wrapped" hers in paper towels and about half a roll of tape, which SHE thought was hilarious. Poor Maeve could hardly unwrap it!

After cake and ice cream the girls went downstairs to play while Brett, Esther, Rich and I enjoyed some "table talk". Seems like we don't get much chance for that these days as they are SOOO busy! Anyway after some time had passed, Maeve came upstairs looking like this!!

Beautifully decorated legs with red marker! Oh my! If my Mom would have seen her, she would have said, "why that little Scoot!"

Such a three year old! :)

It's A ...

G.I.R.L.!!!!!

Jeremy and Renee's little baby bump now has a name, Madelyn Rose Dewey! Little Miss Maddy is to arrive November 29.

Can't believe it - Maddy will be Granddaughter #9!!! So the Dewey scorecard is 9-1!

"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." - Proverbs 17:6

Well, we aren't exactly "aged", but we do have hefty crowns and hopefully we'll live life so as to be the pride of our children!

We are B.L.E.S.S.E.D.!

California Visitors - 3

Our family likes to play games. Maeve and Jordyn (our youngest and oldest granddaughters) played Candyland. We've had this game since the boys were young so it's really gotten a work out!


The six adults, Lauren, and Cole played contract gin several nights. We set up two tables and the two top winners from each table played each other the next night. The two bottom losers from each table were a foursome. The "Losers" table, Jeff and Caroline, Brett and Esther. Sorry kiddos!


That made the "Winners" table, Papa, Grandma, Lauren, and Cole. I think Cole is saying something like, "Papa you're going down!" Guess who was the overall winner (though you can't tell it from this hand)?!?!?! Yep, you guessed, Grandma! I love this game!


On Monday, Brett, Jeff, and Cole were going to drive to Kansas City. Brett wanted to show them the Negro League Baseball Museum. They also planned to go to the National World War I Museum and have some great BBQ. The night before, someone has the bright idea to find out when the museums opened for the day. Good thing, because sadly BOTH were CLOSED on Monday. Brett was so disappointed as he'd wanted to do this for months! Since we were driving to Branson on Wednesday, Brett didn't want to drive to KC on Tuesday, so what would we do???

Hey Everyone! How about bowling?? It just so happened that The Alley in Wichita was having a "Monday Special", 99 cents for each game/person and 99 cents for shoes. So it was off to Wichita for bowling and Freddy's custard. Don't you love all those brightly colored (mostly 6-10 pound) balls? This was such a fun place. We had two lanes in a section of about 8 lanes. At the end, over where the pins stand, there were large screen monitors playing World Cup soccer, cartoons, or music videos. So in addition to the bowling fun, everyone was totally entertained


A couple of weeks before the kids came, I made cut-out sugar cookies (hearts, flowers, ducks, butterflies, tea pots) and put them in the freezer. We pulled out the bag and Jordyn and Lauren started to decorate them and were soon joined by Katelyn, Allison, and Moira. We planned to take them on our trip to Branson. They'd be good dessert at our picnic lunch en route. I will say that I swept the floor multiple times, vacuumed it, and finally mopped it BEFORE I got all the sprinkles picked up! Such fun we had!


Allison and Kate wanted to make cookies so we got out the chocolate chips and started working away.



Cole made peanut butter cookies. We fixed up two zip bags of cookies, one for each villa we were staying in at Branson. So we had plenty of cookies, but oddly, they didn't last long!


I love baking and to do it with my grandchildren is a real joy - and memory-maker!

California Visitors - 2

Our first full day started off with the CA kids making their stepping stones. With the ones we make this summer, I'll have over 40! That's a huge load to put away from winter's snow and ice and take back out in the spring. I decided that we probably have enough, except for the youngest grandkids, and ones yet to come, so this was the last for Cole, Jordyn, and Lauren to make. Their hands and feet are so big that they nearly fill up the mold!

Allison and Kate.


Now a word of explanation. I don't USUALLY look this "tough", but I knew it was going to be a hot and dirty job in our hot and humid garage, so why shower BEFORE??
Lauren.


Jordyn - and our messy garage.


Cole.


What is better to do on a hot, humid day??? Why, a water balloon fight! The guys were at lunch and driving through farmland so the girls got out the balloons, buckets, and hoses. They had a blast!




Now, there she goes again - "Cartwheeling Kate"! Why this girl just springs in the air, whether she's walking outside OR inside! I guess I'm so taken by it because when I was a kid, try as I might, I could NEVER do this!


The girls were originally going to fill the buckets with water balloons and then sabotage Cole when he returned home. But could they wait? NO!


Everyone agreed that a water balloon fight is WAAAY more fun in street clothes than swim suits! Can't you just hear them laughing and screaming???! Hey, Kate, that's pretty good-looking "runner's form"!


Even though rain was threatening, we walked down the street to the new water park in our neighborhood.


It was a wet 'n wild day!

California Visitors - 1

Jeff & Caroline and five kids came for a 10-day visit in June! What a wonderful time we had!! Brett took time off from work and so we were one BIG, happy family - 15 in all! Would have been 100% perfect if Jeremy and Renee could have joined us. Hopefully that will happen another time!

Caroline, ever the bargain-hunter, found really great fares on Allegiant from Los Angeles. Only thing was they had to be up at 3 AM in order to leave home by 4 AM for a 6:30 AM flight. It all went like clock-work. What a troop!


Rich and I drove both vehicles to Wichita airport for the pick-up and then Rich took all of us to Chili's for lunch. Brett & Esther had just finished Vacation Bible School for the day, so it was perfect timing! They had tables already for us and met us at the door. Chili's was smart by tucking us in a corner!




We had 15 for dinner every night and each night different ones volunteered to help me in the kitchen. The first night Katelyn was the first to say, "Grandma, can I help you?" Gotta love it! She made a favorite dish of the CA Deweys and Rich - Peas and Water Chestnuts. Not necessarily the healthiest dish, but nevertheless a favorite.

Recipe:
2 cans Le Sueur petite canned peas, drained (use this brand, not generic!)
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stick butter, divided
1 can cream of chicken OR cream of celery soup, do not dilute
1 sleeve of saltine OR Ritz crackers

Spray 1.5 qt baking dish with Pam. Layer one can of peas, water chestnuts, other can of peas. Saute onion in 1/2 stick of butter until soft. Add soup, and cook a couple of minutes until well blended. Pour over peas. Poke down with fork. In same saute skillet, melt rest of butter and crush crackers into and cook until slightly browned. I USUALLY add more butter. Cover top of soup mixture with crackers. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Enjoy!



The CA Deweys requested I make my Peppermint Fudge Ice Cream Pie, so that was for dessert the first night. It's a great make-ahead dessert for the freezer!

Recipe:
1 medium package of Oreo cookies
couple tablespoons of melted butter
1 half gallon of peppermint stick ice cream*
1 jar of hot fudge topping

*If your ice cream comes in these new 3 qt. size, NOT a half gallon, you'll need about 1.5 containers. I used nearly 3 3-qt. containers for two pies.

Tear off two long strips of foil and arrange in an "X" pattern. Tear off two strips of plastic wrap of same length and put on foil. Put 9" pie pan in middle. It will be ready to wrap for freezer when pie is put together. Crush oreos. Add melted butter. Pour most into pie pan and press onto bottom and sides. Put in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Cool completely! Slightly soften ice cream. Spoon in half of ice cream. Spread smooth as possible. Put in freezer about 15 minutes to firm up. Pour thick layer of hot fudge. Put back in freezer another 15-30 minutes. Spread rest of ice cream over fudge, sealing edges. Fudge may ooze out, just try to cover it all. Sprinkle rest of crumbs over top. Wrap it all with the prepared plastic wrap and foil. Seal well. Freeze. Let set 7-10 minutes before slicing.



I had Maeve looking for rocks in our garden that looked like potatoes. "Is it this one?"


We loved being together and the girls had great fun playing outside on what we call "Dewey Hill", the strip between our two homes. That's "Cartwheeling Kate!"


Isabel doing a fine balancing act on our well cover!


Allison and Maeve checking out the stepping stones under the deck. "Which one is mine?"