Ann and two adoring younger sisters

This was taken sometime in 1956. As you can see, Jean and Barbara were just adoring me, their wonderful older sister. Note: Jean's mouth is big and wide as usual. Barbara was nicer (but of course she was younger). I remember that nightgown! It was white flannel with different colored polka dots. We used to wear those hair things at night to keep the pin curls from falling out. We used to put our hair up in rag curlers or else pincurls made with bobby pins. It was not until later that we used hard plastic rollers.

Recipes from Grannie!

Well, I decided to preserve some of my recipes forever! I won't mention names, but there is one family member I have to call to get recipes I have lost. My friend, Berb, always kidded me about my recipes. I don't know why I have such a hard time filing them, but I guess I need to go to a 12-step program on saving recipes! So, occasionally I will post one that is really good.

I am going to Weight Watchers again, and have gotten some great recipes there. If they are not good, I won't post them. Even though the following soup recipe is a WW recipe, I have given the recipe to so many people who have given it to others. It is great and really smells good!

Here it is:

Weight Watchers Bean Soup

In a large crockpot, cook 1 onion chopped, and 1 pound of ground turkey. (We don't like that, so I use the leanest ground beef I can find.)

When it is browned, add the following: 1 large can of crushed tomatoes (tip: I found them for $1 at the Dollar Tree)

1 can of chili (I use the Nalley's Onion Chili)

4 cans of beans, any kind you want (I usually use black, kidney, pinto, white, red, etc.)

1 can of butter beans (for those of you with Winco, their store brand is about 60 cents a can, very cheap)

add 2 crushed garlic cloves

add 1 T brown sugar (I use 2 T of the splenda brown sugar blend)

Stir well and let it cook on low all day. This makes a large amt. of soup.

If you do WW, it is 2 points per cup.

CHICKEN SALAD

1 qt. cold cooked chicken ½ cup chopped green pepper ½ cup grated onion 2 cups grapes 2 cups chopped apples 2 cans pineapple chunks, drained 1 ½ cups cashews ¼ cup pimiento 1 cup coleslaw dressing 1 cup mayo (I use fat free or low fat) 2 cups water chestnuts 2 cups chopped celery salt/pepper to taste 2 cups uncooked macaroni (which you cook first!!) Mix all together. Yum.
This makes a lot of salad!! I have had the recipe for years. Not too long after we moved to Beaverton, our stake RS hosted a women's conference and luncheon. Barbara Smith, the general RS president attended. We served this salad, rolls, and some dessert. I remember I was newly pregnant with one of the kids (I think it was Becky) and had terrible morning sickness so was not feeling the greatest. I was on the committee to fix it, and that was fine, but I was not sure I could eat it, but I actually could eat it without problems!!

Tim on the Silversmith Property 40 Years Ago!

Here is a picture of Tim with his companion at the Silversmith residence. The woman weaving the rug is Fanny Silversmith's mother. The van is what the elders drove, when they were not in a pick-up or on a horse!

NAVAJO RESERVATION, September 2008

When Tim served his mission, he spent 16 months in Lupton. The missionaries were well taken care of by George and Fanny Silversmith. George was called "Buddy" when Tim was there. Their son, Leland, was a young boy of about 5 when Tim was there.

Fanny and George recognized the name "Elder Chandler' when we visited, but could not quite place him. (A lot of changes occur in 40 years!!). However, when Tim pulled out his journal, and showed them a picture taken on their property, they instantly remembered Elder Chandler! Tim was sitting in front of Fanny's mother, who was weaving a rug behind him. This picture is taken in the approximate same spot as the one taken 40 years ago.

It was really touching as Tim read from his journal about spending time with the Silversmith. He read how he ordained their son, Norman, to the office of a teacher. A few years ago, sadly, Norman was killed in a car accident.

The Silversmiths were very kind to us, as they had been 40 years ago. They brought out bread and butter and homemade jam. Then Fanny gave us the rest of the loaf of bread, a jar of berry jam that she had made, and different pieces of Indian jewelry. Leland gave Tim a copy of the Book of Mormon in Navajo. When he was on his mission, the langauge was not written, so this was a special gift.

OK. This is just beginning for me. I am taking photo editing classes online through Eclectic Academy. I just ordered the newest Photoshop Elements, and can't wait for it to come. In the meantime, here is an old picture of my grandmother and her twin sister, born in 1887. I have to add more pictures but wanted to see how to do this blog thing!