November 2023 - Family projects, travels, and Thanksgiving

 

NOVEMBER HARVEST

We started the month with a work project and we end the month transforming our home for Christmas and our Nativity Display Open House.  We have had an amazing Fall and especially nice November as far as the weather goes.  It has allowed us to do a lot of yard work and to keep enjoying the beauty of the season every time we are outside.  

We worked really hard in our yard in October clearing out the dead trees and getting ready for the annual clean up days our city offers.  We just had piles of tree limbs, brush and other yard waste waiting for November to haul it off.  They usually drop off the dumpsters a day early and we were ready.  We were the first people to dump and after 5 loads we completely filled the dumpster with just our loads.  It was a lot of work and we were exhausted at the end of the day but we were so grateful the work of cutting it all down had been done the month before. The best part is looking at the yard at the end of the day and feeling a sense of accomplishment and being able to enjoy the beauty.

My sister, Pam wanted to get new flooring in her kitchen and bathroom.  We

met her in Salt Lake City to start looking fo the right flooring for her space.  It is always fun for me to look at all the options and picking the one that you like.  I also know that once you get the desire to make a change and start looking there is no stopping until the job is done.  SO ----- Russ and I had a new project to work on for a few days.  The kitchen has many angles and narrow places and almost every plank had to be trimmed.  We were not sure we had the skill and expertise to do the job.  It took us two days to complete the kitchen and then we returned on Monday to finish the job by doing the bathroom.  So grateful to be able to help her and that my body can still get down on the floor and only take a few days to recover!  

FRIENDS

It is always a treat when friends stop by for a visit.  So grateful when Tii and Mary take time out of their schedule to visit us when they come to Utah.  The time goes so fast when we are with them.  We can talk for hours - OK, I can talk for hours.  

THE TEXAS RANGERS 

We have waited over  40 years for this to happen - World Series Champions!  We are fans and can say we have been to all three of their Arlington Stadiums.  Emily is an avid fan and she went to Texas to be at the celebration parade and all of the festivities.  It was a quick trip but so memorable for her.  She parked cars for all of the home games for a couple of years so it was fun she was able to get a flight and join in the memories.

FAMILY

We went to the first Ballroom Dance Team Competition for Preslee.  What an event.  It was so fun to see the 7-9th graders dressed up and so regal in their presentations of different dances.  Her team did really well and her group received a trophy and ribbon for their dancing.  This was so entertaining and something we hope she continues for the next few years.  

A busy week for Emily as she celebrated her 40th Birthday - and she is my youngest daughter.  Hard to believe my children are getting older.  Preslee wanted to give her a Surprise party but Emily wanted to plan a party as well so I was the mediator to make it all happen.  What a fun night.  Over 20 friends and family came to celebrate and it was a festive night and just what Emily needed.  Laura and Jill, cousins from Idaho, Rachel from Saratoga Springs and Aunt Pam from Centerville all came.  It was a surprise and so fun to all be together.  They have not been together in several years and it was wonderful.  

We ended the night with her favorite Red Velvet Cake decorated to match the rest of the decorations.  So Good - Cakes are not my favorite to make but it turned out just how I wanted it.  

And from there I was off to Farmington Minnesota to spend a few days with Jaime and family.  I have not been to her home in over a year.  This is their busiest time of year and they needed help in getting their home ready for the upcoming holidays.  Jaime has a home cottage industry Bakery and Andy is a professional Santa Clause.  From November to the first of January they are non stop busy.  The bakery has taken over their home filling the kitchen and living room.  They just needed a fresh start and organization to begin this busy time and give them more room to work.  I was really glad they called and asked me to come and help.  They rented a storage unit to store all of the extra bakery things and we moved Mountains in three days.  

In Memory of Gloria

   The first event was their cat, Gloria who has been a part of their family   for 12 years had heart failure and died.  It was very sudden.  It took most   of the afternoon for them at the Vet Hospital and then to take care of   getting all of their children there and to make final arrangements.  I stayed   home and organized and actually got a lot done with everyone gone.     Gloria was their first family pet and their first pet to die.  I was glad to be     there to offer a little comfort.  

Jaime teaches Cookie Decorating classes and I got to go with her to one of her classes.  WHAT A TREAT!  She does a terrific presentation and everyone had a delightful time.  I learned so much and the cookies below are the ones I decorated.  Jaime entered the Dakota County Fair back in August and won 1st Place Reserve Grand Prize for her Decorated Sugar Cookies.  

She won 1st, 2nd and 4th Place for their Monster Cookies, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Whoopie Pies.  Spider Monkeys Bake Shoppe is growing.  

The days went so fast.   We worked so hard and I was worn out but I am so glad I was able to help.  I was off and connected through Chicago.  I really like that airport - so many memories.  It has been the connecting point for several trips to Europe including our mission to Germany.  I enjoyed being by myself and just walking through the terminal reminiscing.  

Time to be home and get my own home ready for the Holidays.  The best place to start was at the Deseret Book NATIVITY MARKET in Salt Lake City.

Marie Osmond was a fun surprise as we entered the venue.  She was in the house to kick off the beginning of Christmas Music on FM 100.3

She was beautiful and so much fun.  

We had a nice time viewing the 400 Nativities from all over the world.  I have to say it was a little underwhelming when I have been a part of a Nativity Display with over 1400 Nativities for the past several years.  We took a lot of effort to display them and to create a nice environment.  It cost $12 per person to attend and then it was all about purchasing a Nativity that could be purchased at a local Deseret Book Store.

With that said, it is a magical experience for me to see all of the different expressions through artistic mediums to show the birth of Jesus Christ.  I enjoyed learning about the traditions in other countries and seeing the artistic creativity.  

It is always a nice time when I am with my sister, Pam.  There was some nice entertainment from local groups and 3 artists showing their items and signing autographs.  

I found two Nativities that I purchased to add to my collection.  I have added five this year - CRAZY!  

We ended the evening with a delicious dinner at Jim's Family Restaurant in Sandy, UT.  Today was the very best event to kick off the Christmas Season.

ANNUAL NATIVITY OPEN HOUSE

For all of our Utah Friends you are invited to come and see over 100 Nativities on display and to visit and enjoy holiday refreshments.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Monday, December 18, 2023

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

1064 E. 140 N.

Lindon, UT.  84042

These pictures are two of my new acquisitions .  The top picture is truly magical as it is filled with lighted glitter and snow in an antique lantern.  You will have to come and see it to capture the magic within.  

The bottom picture is taken from the artist Jorge Cocco's painting of the Nativity.  

It's beginning to look like Christmas at our home.  Emily has been busy upstairs - she is so talented  - she takes Christmas to the next level!

Pinks

Geraniums 

Thanksgiving Day

It was such a beautiful day with the Sun shining and I still had flowers blooming in my yard.  I knew there was snow in the forecast  for the mountains and so I took pictures of the flowers to show how beautiful it was at the end of November.  

Oh, what a difference a day makes.  We woke up to 6 inches of SNOW.

It took us an hour to shovel the driveway and sidewalks - We had moved the snowblower to the garage and purchased new gas for the Winter - what we did not do was start it up and make sure it was working for the first day of snow.  We could not get it to start and then the pull rope pulled completely out!  It was good we had a new snow shovel.  

Winter Wonderland

SALT LAKE CITY - GENTRY CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Vinyard Front Runner Station

With the snow storm and the Gentry Concert we decided to make it an adventure and take the Front Runner to Salt Lake City.  Instead of driving in traffic and finding a parking lot to park in, we enjoyed the train and being dropped off at City Creek Mall.  One of my favorite memories as a child was going to Salt Lake and seeing the fancy windows at Christmas at ZCMI.  It is now a Macey's Department Store and their windows were Awesome.  I loved getting to see them and to feel the Christmas spirit.  

Macy's Window

Gentry Christmas Concert at the Eccles.

AMAZING!!  

I have wanted to attend a Gentry Concert for about 8 years.  It was everything I was expecting.  They are great entertainers and musicians.  Their pianist/composer and arranger was phenomenal.  One of the highlights for Russ and I was their new arrangement of a German favorite, Still, Still, Still.   It was absolutely beautiful.  It brought back so many memories of our Christmas in Vienna.  I hope this becomes a Christmas Tradition for us.

Making it even more special was being there with my sister, Pam and daughter Emily.  It was our Christmas gift to them and we really enjoyed being with them.  It was truly a magical night for all.  We finished off with a nice dinner at the Blue Iguana  - Russ's choice - it did not disappoint.  

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving this year had a different look than we

have had before.  It was a hard day for Emily as her first big Holiday divorced and not being with her extended family and kids.  They were with their Dad and his family in Las Vegas.  We invited several families to dinner but none of them were available to come.  So, it was just the three of us.  We still wanted it to be a day of Gratitude and Thanksgiving.  I cooked for two days and we could have fed 12 people easily!  We had glazed Ham,  Potato Casserole, sweet potatoes, Quinoa stuffed acorn squash, frozen fruit salad, cranberry jello salad and homemade break.  We topped it off with Pumpkin pie made with fresh pie pumpkins, Fresh Cherry Pie, Pecan Pie and Pecan Cobbler (recipe below).  

The grandkids, Logan and Preslee asked that we have Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday when they returned home.  It worked out great to have Ham on Thursday and Turkey on Sunday.  Having most of the cooking done for Thursday made it so much easier on Sunday to just cook the Turkey and stuffing and add some mashed potatoes.  

We had a really special day.  It is rare to have both of them at the dinner table and usually not for very long.  Everyone enjoyed the food and stayed and talked.  Logan kept thanking us for the nice table setting and the delicious food - it was a lot different than their Thanksgiving Dinner with takeout from Canes Chicken.  

We had dinner and then played card games for a few hours.  It was one of the best days we have had together in a long time.  

With our Children living all over the United States, it is difficult to get us all together.  I miss those family gatherings.  I am grateful that Brian, Beth and kids took a trip to Chicago and ended in Minnesota to spend Thanksgiving with Jaime and Andy and their family.  That made my "motherheart" Happy!

The last few days of the month have been transforming our home for Christmas.  It takes a few days to get the decorating done and then we begin setting up all of the Nativities.  It is the highlight of our Christmas Season to display and share with others the Nativities.  We had planned to go to Granbury, Texas to help with the Nativity Display there that we have helped with for many years but it did not work out for us to be there.  I am sure the new owners of the Display will make it a special experience for all that come.  

I love the warmth the Christmas lights bring to a room.  It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in every room of the house.  

Emily's Family Room

We end the month at a Ballroom Dance Program for Preslee.  Oh, how I love watching her dance.  It brings out the best in her.  She is really enjoying it and has great rhythm.  A great Bookend for the month

Final bow

The Dance Team at Oakridge Jr. High

RECIPES:

QUINOA-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This can also be served as a side dish without the squash.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup Dry Quinoa

1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth

2-3 Acorn Squash

2 Tbl. Olive Oil

1 small Onion, finely diced

1 stalk Celery, finely diced

1 large Apple, diced

1/2 cup Cranberries, fresh or frozen

3 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp. Sage

1 tsp. Thyme

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp. Salt

Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 425*

2.  Cut each squash horizontally in half.  Scoop out the membranes and seeds inside of the squash and        discard.

3.  Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, cut-side up.  Brush the inside with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Roast the squash for about 35-45 min, or until tender, tested with a fork.

4.  Add the quinoa and broth to a medium pot.  Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to maintain a low simmer.  Cover with lid and cook until liquid is gone and quinoa is fluffy - about 15-20 min.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.  

5.  In a large pan, heat 2 Tbl of oil over medium heat.  Saute' the onion, celery and apples until softened.

6.  Add cranberries, garlic, sage, thyme, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Saute' about 7-9 min. or until cranberries are tender.  

7.  Remove from heat and add the cooked quinoa.  Combine well and taste for seasoning, add more as needed.

8.  When the squash is ready, fill with the stuffing mixture.  Place in oven and bake 10-15 min. until the quinoa is lightly browned and crispy.  

This was a great option for high carb bread stuffing and went great with Ham.  

Pecan Pie is one of my favorite desserts to eat in the Fall.  Living in Texas the Pecans were plentiful and you could afford to bake with them.  I found a new recipe this year for Pecan Cobbler and so I decided to try it.  It was really good and for people who don't like making pie crust it is a great alternative.  

PECAN COBBLER

6 Tbl. Butter (No Substitutions)

1 cup Pecans, chopped

1 1/2 cups Self Rising Flour

1 1/2 cups Sugar

2/3 cup Milk

1 tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, packed

1 1/2 cups Hot Water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350*

Pour melted butter into a 9 x 13 in. Baking Dish

Sprinkle Pecans over Butter

In a bowl mix flour, sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Stir to combine, but do not over mix.

Spoon batter over the pecans and butter but do not mix!

Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the batter.  Again DO NOT MIX!

Carefully pour the water over the mixture.  DO NOT STIR!  

Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Note:  Cobbler will have a slight jiggle.  Allow to cool completely just as you would with a pecan pie before serving.  Enjoy!

We have so much to be Thankful for.  Our friends and family who I write this Blog for every month and who continue to read and be a part of our life are at the top of the list.  May you feel the Love of Jesus Christ in your life as you finish up the year and prepare your hearts and homes for the Christmas Season.  

With Much Love,

The Grimmett's