Monday, December 22, 2008

More pictures!

The picture above is taken from Stephen's window looking out onto our shed.

The picture below is of the tree outside Stephen's window. I have never seen snow on the inner branches or the big center trunk, but it is there today!

From the front porch looking down the street. You can't see the brick planter any more.


I took this one from inside the den upstairs, looking out front. Stephen picked up Tim and took him to check on some jobs and do errands. They went to the temple because dad has been asked to do some cabinet work there. Many streets are closed, and travel is very difficult for people trying to go someplace for Christmas. I feel sorry for people stranded at the bus station, train station and airport.
I am glad I got my Christmas done very early this year! I can sit home, crochet, get warm by the wood stove, and watch the flakes fall!














To the left is the front porch from the front door. You can see how the snow drifted to a foot overnight. We had cleaned off the deck before going to bed. Below shows a view of our street. Look at the snow coming down and the trees!














Looking at the BBQ! Steak, anyone?
These are different views taken around the yard, so you can see what we have!

December 22 and it is still snowing!

Looking at the Olson's shed from our side deck.The deck chairs on the side deck


View of deck and chairs from back kitchen door.





Back deck swing , etc.
We woke up to 4 more inches overnight. It has been snowing all morning and only 10:30 and it is still coming down. The lights are flickering, so I hope we don't lose power, but we are toasty warm with our wood stove!! I have a few more shots to add, mainly for my kids. So far, we have broken a 40 year record of snowfall in Portland, but it may break more records. This is like Utah!!!!





Sunday, December 21, 2008

More snow this afternoon!

Well, after Tim had to re-set the internet on the box in the garage, I finally uploaded some pictures for you all to see! Now, at 3:30, I looked out the window and it is snowing again like CRAZY!!! So it appears that we will get our white Christmas this year! I have never seen it like this since we moved here in 1972. Even people who grew up in the Portland area have said that they have not seen it like this before either!!

I'll have to get more pictures tomorrow.

snow

Posted by PicasaSaturday evening, Dec. 19. The snow kept coming and would not stop! Tim went out and took this in the street looking at the front of the house.
Posted by PicasaThis is taken from the back kitchen door. The snow had come up so high I had a hard time opening the storm door!
Posted by PicasaSaturday, looking out the side deck to the fence.

Front of the house, Sunday morning, Dec. 20

Posted by PicasaTim took this from the front porch. It probably looks wimpy to you Utah people, but for us it is a lot! We got about 8 inches, and there is a layer of ice maybe 1/2 an inch thick on top of the snow layer, with more ice coming tonight. BRRR!

Stephen shoveling

Posted by PicasaStephen came by yesterday and shoveled for us. He did it, came in and changed shoes, and went back again. This is the second round in about 5 minutes!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Two-Thirds of Our Children
As you can see, this is a very old picture~~ The kids look great, but can't say the same about mom's hair and dad's glasses! This, of course, shows the first 2/3 of our children. I'll post more family pictures later.

Monday, December 15, 2008

December 2008 Snow!

Tim took this tonight so some of the snow had already blown off. We got at least 4 inches yesterday. Another storm is coming "for sure", so they say!!, on Wednesday and then over the weekend, so we may get more snowy pictures later!


Look at the tree!

Our house. The camera battery was getting low, so this is not as good as it could have been.
There was more snow, but it blew away or the cars compacted it. I just heard that school is out again for tomorrow!!!
Posted by Picasa

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Snow Day in Beaver Town!!

Well, we have snow... yes, real snow! It started around 7:45 this morning and has not stopped. I think we have a good inch and a half and it is coming down fast. We also have some wind so it is cold. Church is canceled and so we anticipate a quiet snow day watching the flakes!! (No comment... I know what you are thinking !!)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Cinnamon Rolls

Every Christmas for years I have made cinnamon rolls for neighbors and friends. Each year, I think I will cut down the list, but when I get the plates to different homes and people say, "we've been waiting for these!!", it makes me happy and gives me the incentive to keep doing it.

So I won't ever lose the recipe, (ha!!) and in case some of you want it, here it is. It is very easy and very simple. I got the recipe years ago when Tim was teaching school and he was buying various cookbooks that students were selling for their church groups.


FANTASTIC SWEET ROLL DOUGH
4 cups lukewarm water
1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
1 tablespoon salt
2 pkgs. dry yeast
9-10 cups unsifted flour
2/3 cup dry powdered instant milk OR use 2 cups water and 2 cups lukewarm milk for liquid
and omit powdered milk
1. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water for ten minutes.
2. In large mixing bowl, place sugar, soft shortening, salt and remaining 3 cups warm water. Add 2/3 cup dry powdered milk. Stir. (If not using powdered milk, then use warm milk).
3. Stir dissolved yeast and add to other ingredients in bowl.
4. Add 5 to 6 cups flour and beat.
5. Gradually add more flour until mixture is workable with your hands. The less flour you use, the better the roll, so when through the dough is soft, but not sticky. Scrape dough off sides of bowl and work, adding additional flour if necessary, until it is smooth and soft.
6. Grease large bowl. Put dough in, turn over, and let double (about 1 1/2 hours)
7. Punch down. Divide into two portions. Roll out into oblongs, about 1/4 inch thick. Pour over this melted butter, or spread soft butter on it. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Smear around and make sure all the dough is covered. It is like wet sand! Make sure all the dough is covered.
8. Roll up for cinnamon rolls and cut. Dental floss is good to cut with since it won't smal down the rolls too much.
9. Place on greased pan and let raise until double.
10. Bake at 350-375 (depending on your oven) about 12 minutes, or until done.
11. Frost with powedered sugar frosting. I like to use real butter and real vanilla extract to make a rich tasting roll. I dump powdered sugar into a bowl,beat in a stick of butter, add milk and vanilla until it is the right consistency.
12. Enjoy them and leave some for Santa!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Christmas Past

I love Christmas! I also love snow, snowmen, snowflakes, ice crystals, icicles.... you name it. There is something magical when the world turns white.

One of our traditions was the yearly picture with Santa. Here is one of me in 1955 (age 9) sitting on his lap. I think this was the last year I did that. The neck scarf I am wearing was very popular. We had them in all colors and patterns and wore them almost every day. I remember this scarf!! It was two shades of green.
As a child, I remember going downtown window shopping with my mother. Many large department stores along F Street, DC, had huge displays, many of them animated. We would go downtown by bus and streetcar, and walk and look at the fascinating displays. We often would go with grandmommy, mom's mother.

I remember going into Reeve's pie shop, sitting on a bar stool, and eating a piece of pie. Sometimes I would go with my father. I helped him pick out things for mom's Christmas. We always went to the ten-cent store and got tons of things for Santa to put in the stockings. Each item had to be wrapped individually, even if was only a pencil!

My dad always insisted that the stores put out the best bargains the afternoon of Christmas Eve, so even when I returned home from BYU for the holiday, I would meet him at his office downtown at 15th & H Streets in the Shoreham Building, and go to a little dress shop on the other side of the building to buy her some new outfits.

I also remember walking to Woodies at Wisconsin and Western Avenues with my friend, Marilyn Crosby. Many times it had snowed so was very cold, but we saved our babysitting money for this yearly trek. I usually got my shopping for my family and friends done in one afternoon. Then we had to trudge back home with our treasures. It was a lot of fun.

We usually put our Christmas tree up just a few days before Christmas. Dad always got a Scotch pine, and mom took the bottom branches off it to make a swag for the front door. Dad always put lights around the front door.

Dad always read the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve, and then we would have cocoa and cookies before going to bed, waiting for Santa to come!

Mom always had an open house for the neighbors and made dozens of different kinds of cookies weeks ahead. She put them in glass jars above the kitchen cupboards, but ... often some went missing before the open house! I wonder who ate them??!!

Here is a picture I just love of our family. It was taken at Christmastime in 1993, the first time we had been together in over three years. David and Michael's missions overlapped by 18 months, so this was a happy time when we were all together!


It was the best present we had -- everyone together.