Gratitude for a Legacy

Last summer I started a project for my Grandpa Lanier. I was scanning all their slide show pics and putting them onto CD's for him. How ever I did not have the means to store all the pictures so they've been on Chelsea's computer. And since we are in Rexburg for a few days before we head on to Colville, I was finally able to get all the pictures. I was able to scan some old photos and letters to Grandma from Grandpa shortly before she joined him in Germany, ashortly after which they got married.

The letters were sappy and sweet and a different side of Grandpa that I've never seen before. They take place shortly after they met and then he was sent to Germany for the Army. Their correspondence led to an engagement and an agreement for Grandma to travel all alone by boat, then train half way across the world to meet him in Allied occupied Germany. It amazes me that she would be willing to do that all alone. But I guess thats the difference between this era and that one. With todays advanced communications, it would be easier to continue a long distance relationship for longer periods of time. I would have never thought of Grandma and Grandpa Lanier as the "romantic" type. But the letter by Grandpa were so sweet! Any way, These are some of my favorite pictures that I scanned! Enjoy!

Together on some ship. I'm not sure if this on the way home or not, But it is a great picture!

First Family photo that I know of. The Baby is my Uncle Tim who was born in Germany

This is several years later. I can only assume that this is My uncle Tim (far right) and Aunts Colleen (far left) and Moneta (middle) watching a parade in Mesa, AZ. I love everything about this picture!

Speaking of loving everything thing about a picture, this one is back in Germany with baby Tim. I love how tender this picture is!

Pre-Mother's Day Fun

I spent the week in Topeka, Helping Daniel's Mom around while she heals from her second knee surgery. Daniel's been in OP all week, so when he came to Topeka this weekend he wanted to do go on a date and do mini golf, I told him I'd rather take Jada to use that never ending 2 year old energy. (it's been really hard to use that energy all week). So we took her and she had a great time! That is, until she tried to grab the balls of the players behind us and I told her "no". we carried her threw the next 6 holes. Then we got to the end and she was SOOOOO upset that she didn't get to keep her ball! Her only consolation was that she got to keep the club, but only 'till I ripped it out of her hands and handed it back to the guy at the counter :(

But you guys shouldn't feel too bad for Daniel for not being able to go on a date with his wife, we went later that night :) here's a holler to 'the Classic Bean' for being our favorite place in Topeka! Best Hot Chocolate EVER!

Finally Some Videos

After every holiday we have this problem. Jada knows there's treats in the house and I struggle to get her to eat anything else. She did eventually eat the apples, she love them- she just needs to be reminded every now and then ;)

The other video is self explanatory, but sooo entertaining!

Happy Easter!

How Glorious is the gospel of Jesus Christ! Doesn't Easter just make you want to sing "I KNOW that my Redeemer Lives" from the mountain tops?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oteno81QzzQ I'm sure most of you saw this already but I really like it.

I went in to get Jada this morning and said, "Do you wanna go see what the Easter bunny got you?" and she told me "No bunny. Not a bunny. Notty bunny." all I could say was, "Your right."

Daniel and I were lucky enough to be able to leave Jada with Paul, Carmen and Eric last night while we went on a date. They colored eggs with her, which she had a great time doing! When Daniel and I got home last night we were making the Easter baskets and discovered Paul didn't have one so Daniel wanted to make him a brown paper bunny. so I made one, but Daniel wanted it and wanted to make Paul's brown paper bunny look gimpy. So here are our baskets, Jada and mine look great, and Daniel and Paul's look sad :)

Happy Easter Every one!!!

Spring Time Projects

So the KC metro area has this wonderful thing every spring called 'Bulky trash'. For one month every spring sections of the area are allowed to put anything and everything onto the side of the road and the garbage people will pick anything up. However it's not all garbage, for example I was able to get two 6-pane old fashioned windows that still had price stickers on them!!! Each weekend in the month is a different area and last weekend happened to be a "rich" area. I didn't go myself, but sent Daniel instead- i didn't have high hopes. However Daniel did really well! He found a really nice cement pot which I am so excited about, an entertainment center in really good shape and a solid wooden side table! The table was extremely ugly, but I fixed it! I only had white paint and some stain so that what I did, I'll probably change it at a later date (aka when we have money!) but for now it'll do and it turned out surprisingly well!!

Other than that, were just finishing out another PT year (they start in June and end in May), Jada is potty training, and we're getting ready to spend the entire summer in WA!!!!!)

Before

After

Better after pic

Happy Birthday Chelsea!!!!

So I can't figure out how to turn the picture. it's right side up on my computer, but oh well....

The point being that it's funny and for Chelsea! Happy Birthday Aunt Chelsea!! From Jada lol :)

I tried to get Jada to wear her apron because it is adorable and Chelsea said she wanted to see a picture of it, But Jada was trying to get me to put it on her stupid doll. So I said forget that. I also tried to do her hair, but that didn't work out either ;).

Dancing Hippos

Rockhurst does spring break a week earlier than everyone else ( I think it's because the teachers want to be able to celebrate Mardi Gras) So we decided to visit Becca and James and co. in San Antonio, Texas!!!!! Jada faired the 13 hour car ride pretty well, how ever she wanted nothing to do with the car seat once we finally got out of the car ;) We were lucky enough to be there for little Gwyneth's baby blessing so Aunt Danny and Uncle Fred were there as well as James' parents! I know what your thinking, thats allot of people in a little apartment- it was ;)

Our First full day there we all went to the Alamo, turns out that day we went was the anniversary of the Alamo. There were people in the full get up of each army, and reenactments and yellow roses being handed out every where! We also spent the sunny afternoon walking along the River Walk. If you've never been to SA, I highly recommend it :) And because it was the Saturday before Mardi Gras so there were lots of old ladies in sparkley costumes. I am ashamed to say I did not get a picture of them :( I'm especially sad that I did not get a picture of the old lady dressed as a cat :(

I did, however, get pictures of the dancing hippos!!!! The San Antonio Zoo is pretty darn cool. The fish tanks were Jada's favorite, she was pretty excited about being able to identify all the "Nemo" fish lol We seemed to have gotten there at a good time, most of the animals were pretty active.

So the pictures aren't were I want them, but you can guess what they are lol, or at least I hope so ;)

Hair Bugs!

Jada was not the type to keep anything in her hair. She was always the kid who looked like a street urchin. then out of the blue, shortly after turning 2, she came up to me holding a bobby pin that had a flowe on it and kept telling me it was a hair bug! Therefore the title “Hair Bugs”.

So going with the same theme I bought bow tie pasta, they are now Hair bug pasta!!! Yummy I know ;) but all it was was Bow Tie Pasta with butter and Parmesan. There are those out there that will tell you that giving food items cool shapes and names will encourage toddlers to eat better, well they are wrong. It didn't work with Jada lol ;) The only requests I've had all day from a certain bossy 2 year old were for treats, candy, cookies and chocolate milk. Needless to say I didn't give in ;)

But on yummier note....

So I was going to make my normal Lasagna with meat and other yummy's with. But at the last minute decided to attempt a rather simple recipe of Carmen's. It's exceptionally simple, but the one time I had actually made it it turned out really runny (not a good thing for a lasagna and it happened to be Eric's Birthday lol : p ) Any way her lasagna is nothing but cheese, cheese, cheese, sauce and noodles! Well I couldn't remember her exact layering so I did my own. Heres what I did.....

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 large container of Large Curd Cottage cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce
9 Lasagna Noodles

I layered it as such:
3 noodles
mozzarella
cottage cheese
3 noodles
sauce
mozzarella
cottage cheese
3 noodles
sauce
sprinkling of mozzarella

I cooked it at 350* for 45 minutes, in a 9x13 (obviously) and it was covered in foil as well. It was AMAZING!!!!!!! Not on my healthier menus but it worked out great and it took less dishes than my other lasagna recipe, which is always a plus. Next time I'll have to take a picture because it turned out pretty too :D