March 2022 - Family, friends, funerals, reunions, parties and Life

 

Winter is still going strong as we enter the Month of March.  There is nothing more beautiful than the sun setting on a snow covered mountain.  I continue to "Stand All Amazed" at the beauty of this amazing earth created by God.  

We had a quick visit from Spencer Duce - it is always fun to be with these young people who mean so much to us from our mission.  He currently is living in Idaho Falls, ID.   He came to visit on his way to a wedding in Kansas City and then on to see his family in Minnesota.  We drove him to the airport so he could keep his car at our house and save some money.  

Food photos from all of the different events I have helped with this month:

I continue to volunteer as the school lunch cook three days a week.  Taco Tuesdays are a favorite but very labor intensive.  We decided to start making taco casserole and it is so much easier to make and serve.  

An 8 year old young man was baptized this month in our Ward and his mother was looking for a place to order cinnamon rolls.  I responded to the request that if her other options fell through I would be glad to make them as a gift to their family.  She responded quickly that the other options were very expensive and she would be grateful for me to make them.  Some habits are hard to break - I hear cinnamon rolls and I am on it, especially when I give all of them away and don't eat any.

Reclette Meal

Cooper and Elli - friends from the mission, came for dinner and we had reclette.  Elli is from Freiburg Germany and lives in the German House at BYU.  It was a fun evening of memories from Germany and our favorite foods.  Cooper left for Army Boot Camp at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri the following Tuesday.  He will be gone for 3 months and we wanted to send him off with good memories and our love.  

Saint Patrick's Day Dinner of Corned Beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, sauerkraut and salad.  The Insta Pot is the secret to delicious, tender corned beef.  It is always fun to celebrate the Irish blood in me and share stories of my Irish ancestors.  

I was asked to serve on the committee for our Stake Women's Conference.  I was given the menu that the committee wanted and then I began to create the food and how we would serve it.  My daughter, Emily decorated the food area and helped me in planning the presentation.  It was beautiful and the food turned out really good.  We served 200 women chicken salad on croissants, relish tray, fruit bowl, BYU Mint Brownies and Homemade granola bars for those who needed gluten free.  Recipes below:

The speaker for the event was Lilly de Hoyos Anderson - check out her podcasts.  She was Wonderful!

The theme of the Conference was taken from Ezekiel 11:20. He was the last Prophet in Israel before Captivity.  He was a contemporary of Lehi and Jeremiah .  

"That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances and do them:  and they shall be my people, and I will be their God."

TO BE HIS PEOPLE

When the Lord has a Zion people - He will come again.  Will I be ready as a Zion People?  We need to be ready for Him to come.  

ZION:  One Heart, One Mind, No Poor among them, people, saints, baptized, received Holy Ghost, those who keep covenants, those who keep commandments, righteous - The Pure in Heart.

*Zion is never in danger - it alone offers safety to the world.

*Babylon is in all things, the counterpart of Zion - the opposite of Zion.  Go ye out of Babylon.

As spoken by Joshua, "Choose ye this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

It was so rewarding serving on this committee with women who serve and give their all to the Women in our congregations.  

We have been to 4 funerals in the past few months. We had two this month.  McKay Sorenson, the 31 year old son of a family childhood friend who passed away from Cancer after a two year courageous battle. It was a beautiful celebration of his journey in the time he was given on the earth.

On a beautiful Winter day we gathered as a family in Burley Idaho to lay to rest the 7 month old daughter of my niece.  Gracyn Ruth Searle was born with Othtahara Syndrome - a form of Epilepsy.  She was a strong fighter and quickly was loved by her three sisters, grand parents, cousins, aunts and uncles, and all of the medical personnel who cared for her.  Her funeral was a special celebration of her short life that touched so many.  It is in these tragic challenges in life that we learn so much about who we are, why we are here and what lies ahead.  Gracyn's grandfather, my brother Tad Haney, gave a beautiful                                                        talk about the Plan of Salvation and the 

Hope of Eternal Families.  He shared his thoughts and lesson learned in the past 7 months from this special little girl.  

Life is so precious.  Our Father in Heaven knows each one of us and we can find peace and comfort through Him - who sent His Son to live and die so that we can live and return Home to Him.  

Gracyn Ruth Searle

We have had many opportunities for Service this month.

We helped with Spring clean-up of the flower beds at the

Mt. Timpanogos Temple.  It was an amazing experience along with the 

work project.  The Cornerstone that you can see in the picture has been covered by trees for the past 25 years.  They recently removed the trees and one again the cornerstone can be seen.  Anciently, the cornerstone was laid first and all other stones were placed off of it.  It literally held up to building.  Today it is place symbolically to show that the Temple is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ.  It is actually a hollow space that contains a time capsule that will be opened every 50 years.  This Temple is 26 years old so it will be a few years before it is opened.  

Mt. Timpanogos Temple

I am the Humanitarian Specialist in my Ward.  I was asked to put together a project for the Sister's to do.  With the help of Stitching Hearts Worldwide - who donated the two quilt fabrics - I put them together and we were able to tie one quilt that evening.  Most Sisters enjoyed visiting together, but did not do much stitching!  I plan to finish the other quilt this next week over Spring Break.  The quilts will be going to Ukraine refugees through the Stitching Hearts organization.

SENIOR MISSIONARY REUNION

We had a very special week beginning on Monday with a luncheon with 15 Senior Missionary Couples who had served in the Alpine German Speaking Mission.  It was held at the Blue Boar Inn in Midway, Utah - a little bit of Alpine nostalgia .  We had a delightful time catching up with friends and enjoying a delicious lunch.

Blue Boar Inn

The Lakes, Grimmett's, Thayne's,. Homers, Wades and Hansens

We ended the week at the 40th Anniversary of John and Carol Homer.  It was A PARTY!  We had so much fun just preparing for the party and then being with such wonderful people.  The invitation requested Formal attire.  It is not often that we get the opportunity to go out on the town all dressed up.  John and Carol supervised the Mission Office and were and continue to be leaders of our group.  They are adventurous, fun, kind, spiritual, examples of goodness and service, the life of the party and everything in between. Each one of their children shared memories and then we danced the night away. 

One more Mission Story - Another Service opportunity.  The Youth - ages 12-18 in our Church had a month devoted to Missionary Service.  They had activities all month that culminated in them receiving an invitation to dinner with families in the Ward.  We were asked to host a dinner representing the Mission we served in.  

We had two young men, Levi and Cameron who were assigned to our home.  It was a delightful evening sharing good food, stories and memories and getting to know them better.  We served the traditional Austrian dinner of Schnitzel, potatoes, spatzle, and bread.  Lindor truffles, Manner wafers and Nutella pastries finished off the dinner for dessert.  

A fitting end to a great Month - BYU SPRING ALUMNI FOOTBALL GAME

For those of you who know Russ very well you will know he has become a fair weather fan.  He cannot watch the games live - too much anxiety - but he really enjoys watching as soon as the game is over and he only watches if they won the game.  

This was a special event for alumni coaches and players to come together - the Navy vs. Royal - the two colors of the BYU team.

It was a beautiful crisp Spring night - just right for Football.  It was so fun being back in Cougar Stadium - so many memories.  

I was cheering for Navy and Russ was going for the Royal Team.  Navy led the whole game until the last two minutes.  Royal scored and let by 2.  With 8 seconds in the game - in BYU fashion a "Hale Mary" was thrown and Navy won.  Russ was good because either way - BYU won!

RECIPES:

CHICKEN SALAD

4 1/2 cups Cooked Chicken. (can use rotisserie, baked, boiled)

1 cup Celery, diced

1 cup Grapes, halved (I like to use red)

3 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup Mayonnaise 

1 Tbl. Lemon Juice

1 Tbl. Grey Poupon Mustard

1/2 tsp Pepper

1 tsp. Salt

Combine Chicken, celery and grapes in large bowl.  Set aside.

Mix remaining ingredients together until smooth.  Pour over chicken mixture.  Stir till combined.

Serve in lettuce leaf or in a croissant .  Keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.

FRUIT DRESSING

Bowl of your favorite fruit

strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, pineapple, kiwi, peaches, pears, melons, etc.

Mix together:

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup orange juice

zest of 1 lemon

Pour over fruit to glaze

This is a light glaze over the fruit that gives it a great flavor.  Fruit does not sit in juice.

Looking forward to Spring and all that April brings.  

The Grimmett's