Missing the one in the middle

Tonight the one in the middle is no longer with us. Those left behind are feeling pretty sad. This picture was taken almost a year ago. The one in the middle would think it is funny that all his siblings are making sad faces.

Grant Ray Jensen (mostly known as Ray) had a knack for making you laugh and was the master of sarcasm. His performances at the Draper Historic Theatre were not to be missed. He had great acting skills and comedic timing. His last role was as the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. Glen and I attended with a group of family members and it was a wonderfully good time!

"Put 'em up! Put 'em up!"

It is so hard to believe that he could be gone so suddenly and at such a young age. My heart goes out to his siblings; Peggy, Joyce, Wylene, and my husband Glen. I especially grieve for his children, Richard and Michelle, as well as his grandchildren.

Vaya con Dios Grant!

Artful day in Mesa

Today was a day for "Messy Art" at the Arizona Museum for Youth. Raymond and Henry painted and swatted and stamped. We also had a great time looking at all the exhibits.

Then it was time to introduce two more of my grandchildren to the gigantic sculpture downtown. I had shared the book about Grant Wood, artist of "American Gothic," as part of story time the night before. Raymond was pretty impressed upon seeing them in person and I had to remind him that they weren't alive. I asked Ray if he thought the man looked like Grant Wood's dentist and the woman like his sister. He answered, "I think the man looks more like his doctor!"

Now you know the answers to a question in a previous post.

I don't think Janae's been knee high to anyone for quite awhile.

The "God Bless America" sculpture will be in downtown Mesa until July 15, 2010. Enjoy the video taken the day it arrived in town.

My first sweater

I finally finished my first sweater after knitting baby wash clothes, blankets, and sock monkeys.

It's a doll sweater but has just about as many stitches and work as a full size sweater.

That is because I used the little needles for this project!

It gives me the confidence to attempt a sweater for a real person; if I can find a real person who would wear a sweater that I made.

The doll is mine. Kirsten from Sweden is the American Doll that I would have picked if these dolls had been a part of my childhood. When they announced they were retiring Kirsten, I immediately got out my credit card and ordered her on-line. Kirsten might not need a sweater in the summer in Arizona but she really lived in Minnesota so it all works out.

I think that I was drawn to Kirsten because I have Swedish ancestors (Nyborgs) who joined the Mormon church in the 1850's and then immigrated by ship to the United States. That was just the beginning of their journey as they then crossed the plains to join the Mormon saints in what would become the state of Utah.

Oscar meets the Ranes family

The Ranes family (sans Andrew) arrived just before midnight last Saturday from St. Kitts. Janae and boys will be staying for two months while Andrew studies his eyes out at medical school. Thank goodness for Skype.

Number one on their agenda was an introduction to the newest family member, Oscar. The admiration appeared to be mutual!

Oscar is now three weeks old. At his doctors appointment, he weighed over 11 lbs. and was almost 24 inches tall. Raymond is four and a half. We took him into the laundry room on Sunday morning to mark his height on the wall. Much to our surprise, he is taller than Nate was at the same age, by an inch or so! Does this mean I will have grandchildren taller than 6' 8"?!?

But maybe Oscar will surprise us and be "normal" like Henry.

I think that Janae feels like her all day trek through the airways was worth it for the baby holding alone. Ask her sometime about navigating customs and the Atlanta Airport (if you have ever flown in or out of Atlanta, you'll understand) with a cart full of luggage and two little boys. Don't ask her about her Delta flight from Atlanta to Phoenix. It might trigger traumatic stress syndrome!

I'm glad that they made it. They are in the pool as I write and they plan an outing everyday in my car because they can. They said that their first ride on the freeway was a little like a roller coaster ride. Fast and scary! It's hard to be fast and scary in a wagon!


Janae says that their wagon has a great reputation on the island with constant offers to buy it!

Thanks for continuing to share your baby Nichelle! We all want to hold the baby!

Heirloom color

After slicing up the heirloom tomatoes for our grilled pizzas last night, I just had to take a picture of all that color. Clockwise starting at 12 o'clock: Brandywine, Green Zebra, Russian Black Krim, and Old German. The pizzas with fresh basil, oregano, and mozzarella were delish!

Children, I know you think I'm strange for treating my heirloom tomatoes like gold, but they can't be found in just any garden center and they taste like no other.

Tomato Bar

I love my "tomato bar." Hum, which tomato shall I slice for my sandwich today? Unfortunately, June has brought very high temps, 108 today and 100 plus teens by Monday. My tomato days will soon be over. There are plans for these yummy beauties; salsa, homemade pizzas, pico de gallo, more BLTs. From left to right, there are eight different kinds.


I also have three volunteer tomato plants. They popped out of the ground on their own (my other plants are in containers) so I started watering them.

They have thrived! It will be interesting to see if they last longer than the container plants.

I decided to try making some sun dried tomatoes.

I cut some romas in half, scoped the seeds out, and sprinkled them with freshly milled salt and pepper.

I placed them outside in the sun during the day under a piece of cheese cloth for three days


and this is what was left. A colander full had shrunk down to half a pint jar. I'm going to store them dry and then place some in some olive oil with fresh herbs for a day before I use them in a recipe.

The yellow, red, and green bell peppers will soon be ready for grilling!

Our favorite blankies

Janae and sons are due to arrive in Arizona very late Saturday evening. The grandgirls requested a "girls only" sleepover so we had to work it in mid-week before the boys arrival. All three of these girls are very attached to their "blankies" so they were in attendance at our sleepover as well.

My fourth grade classes used to bring in their favorite baby or childhood item as part of a sharing/writing assignment in conjunction with a book I read to them. I always loved their sweet stories about their "lovies." It also made me realize how much gifts, especially handmade gifts, can come to mean so much to little ones.

Sadie is holding the quilt I made for her and meant to give to her when she was born. It actually became a one-year-old birthday present! I am happy that it became her favorite. It is impossible to predict which blanket or quilt will be honored as "the special one."

Heather has attached herself to a baby quilt made by Grandma J for her father, Eric. Eric was a United States of America bicentennial baby who was blessed on the 4th of July, hence the patriotic fabric. The quilt and it's original owner will soon be 34! Heather, however, seems to be the current owner.

Ruby received her homemade quilt from Kay Wagner, mother of one of Sally's best friends. Kay has a beautiful home in Hawaii right on the beach which she has generously shared with us. Ruby was almost two on that visit and had already loved her blankie into disrepair, so Kay patched it up for her. I was a bit envious of Kay's sewing room over the garage with its view of the ocean! As you can see, that little quilt is beyond repair now, but is still so loved.

Oscar is now two weeks old. He received a couple of quilts/blankets from Kay who is also the mother of one of Nichelle's best friends. This grandma has a quilt in the works in her sewing room with a view of the pool (which might just turn into a 1st birthday gift!) It will be interesting to see if he comes up with a special blanket and if so, which one.

I think Oscar has become Nate's special "lovie!"