Around the Kitchen Table

Sano Girls Gather

2012-01-09T22:30:00.003-07:00

This was the third annual gathering of this unique group of gals who love and understand their Sano men. We enjoyed our lunch at Olive Garden and then a shopping trip to Hobby Lobby. Who knows what other girls will surround the table next year!!! (From left to right: Cami and Mia, Katie, Brenna and Bridget, Candice and Beth)

A Wonderful Surprise

2011-12-31T08:18:00.005-07:00

Boy, oh, boy, did my kids pull a surprise on me this year with their gift. I had no idea what was in the big box but I sure was delighted to find a sculpture done by my baby brother, Cory. He is a gifted artist and I have always wanted one of his pieces.

This depiction of the Woman at the Well is from the New Testament account (St. John 4: 6 - 30). It reminds me to find time each day, among daily tasks, to take time to drink of His Living Waters. I am so happy to display my brother's talents in my home. Thank you, my dear children, for this lovely and treasured gift.

The Foods of Christmas

2011-12-28T08:14:00.005-07:00

The food served from the Sano kitchen is always delicious and also beautiful. Candice really knows how to capture the edible moments! Stuffed Lobster Tails....

...and rolled and Stuffed Fish Filets....

...as well as White Clam Sauce were just a few of the wonder fish dishes served on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Day Keith treated us to a fabulous Salt Encrusted Prime Rib Roast. This is the before baking picture (the roast was seasoned with fresh rosemary and other spices and then topped with a salt crust)....

...and this is the after. The salt crust lifted off in one piece to reveal a perfectly cooked and seasoned Prime Rib roast. He served it up with all the fabulous fixin'!! Wow, what wonderful cooks we have in the family!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-28T08:12:00.006-07:00

Lots of fun and tasty things take place on Christmas Eve at our house. There's good food to eat...

...costumes to don as the Christmas story is re-enacted by the children...

...lots of sitting around and visiting...

...hugs and holding are part of the fun, too.

It was fun to Skype with Nana in Florida which made it possible for her to be part of our Christmas Eve.

And, of course, there were presents to open and play with. How wonderful it was to have our entire family near enough to be all together for the first time in several years!

An Invitation and Evening to Remember

2011-12-28T08:11:00.004-07:00

Katie joined Beth at the annual Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Dinner at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. It was a lovely evening!

We were thrilled that our beloved President Thomas Monson was in attendance. At the end of the evening every one joined their voices in singing "Silent Night". Katie commented that she can now say that she has dined with the Prophet and has sung with the Tabernacle Choir!!!!

Cooking with Grandpa

2011-12-28T08:02:00.003-07:00

It takes a lot of work to serve up the kind of Christmas Eve meal that the Sanos are used to. This year 13-year-old Dallin spent the day before cooking with Grandpa. Dallin peeled shrimp until the skin on his fingers went all prune-like. Then Grandpa put him to work stirring the sauce.

We are so pleased that Dallin is interested in learning some of the wonderful recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation.

What a Wind!!!!

2011-12-16T08:22:00.004-07:00

Two weeks ago, Davis County, Utah, experienced what we call "East Winds" but which were in reality hurricane force winds. They did terrific damage to trees, homes, fences, windows, etc. AJ's home in Farmington was one of only a few in the neighborhood who did not suffer damage, however, they were out of power for 12+ hours. With the cold outdoor temperatures and no heat they were planning to campout at our home but just as they were heading out the door, the power came on. School was closed for the remainder of the week.

(Keith, Ethan, Dallin and Jared pulled this giant stump out of the ground after chopping and sawing through the 20 ft roots that ran along the surface of the lawn)

Our home and yard in Bountiful were not damaged. We were out of power for only a few hours. Frank went to work to close up his office which was without electricity and when he came out to his car the rear passenger window had shattered from the force of the wind.
Katie's car was damaged when a piece of the parking structure came loose and scratched her hood as it swung back and forth in the wind. Later in the day she returned home to check on things and found that the parking structure had collapsed on her neighbors cars.

(This photo shows the damage to Jared's fence when the neighbor's tree uprooted taking the fencing with it.)

Jared....the lucky guy....received the most damage. He lost two trees fortunately they did not hit the house. A fallen 60 foot pine tree filled his back yard. The price to remove it was about $350 and since it did not hit the house, home-owners insurance would not apply. What a great surprise he had when he came home from work to start chopping it up and found that the city workers had cut and hauled to the curb all but the giant stump! On Sunday, church meetings in the area were shortened and all were invited to help the community clean up the thousands of fallen trees and other damage. When he came home to get ready to participate in the clean up, he found that the mountain of cut limbs at his curb had already been hauled away. He and Keith spent Sunday helping others clean up and haul debris to the dump. Another surprise came when the crew clearing up the neighbors yard offered to haul it off the giant stump in his backyard. What great blessings these kind acts of service were. We also feel richly blessed that our homes were okay and that no one was hurt through that memorable wind storm.

A Family Tradition

2011-12-16T08:19:00.005-07:00

In Mia's school class, they were asked to share a family holiday tradition. She came over the other evening and made Strouffle (stroof-lee), an Italian pastry, with Grandpa. It was fun to have some one-on-one time with our sweet girl.

Mia helped make the dough, roll it out and cut it in to little balls which were fried and drowned in honey. Sprinkles and powdered sugar added the final touch!! Well done, principessa!!!

Bumming Around with Brenna and Bridget

2011-12-16T08:15:00.007-07:00

It is a real treat for me (Beth) to spend some time each Monday at Brenna and Mike's home in Ogden. Since Brenna has been placed on modified bed rest for the remainder of this pregnancy, it gives me a nice excuse to go over and do some little projects that help her take it easy. Bridget is always a big helper.

I have enjoyed riding the Front Runner commuter train which drops me off at the old Union Station where Brenna and Bridget pick me up.

Baby girl Quinn is due in March.

Thanksgiving Day

2011-12-16T08:12:00.004-07:00

This year was the first time in our entire lives that we did not have Thanksgiving Dinner at home. Instead, Jared, Katie, Frank and Beth went out to eat at Tucanos in Salt Lake City. It was delicious!!! Afterwards, Frank and Beth escaped for a few days to their Randolph Retreat. Not surprisingly, the traditional turkey with most of trimmings was prepared at home the next Sunday so we could all enjoy leftovers.

Tending the Grands

2011-12-16T08:10:00.004-07:00

We love spending time with the grandchildren. Marshall and Uncle Jared always have fun together.

Crafts are often part of the fun. Mia and Ethan wove placemats and decorated them with stickers.

Ty (hiding under the pillows), Remington and Marshall pause for a picture. We love having the chance to be with all our grandkids. So grateful to live close enough to have them in our home often.

We have Wrestlers in the Family

2011-12-16T07:47:00.003-07:00

AJ's oldest boys, Dallin (age 13) and Ethan (age 6) have taken on a new sport. Above and below are shots of Ethan. He did so well in his matches.

Who would believe that this little pixie face gets tough enough to pin an opponent?!

At a recent meet, Dallin took second place. That's him in dressed in the maroon singlet. We are sure proud of our wrestlers and applaud them and there parents for their efforts to be physically fit.

(Here is a little secret....their grandma gets so nervous watching wrestling that she has not made it to a meet yet. This is a hold over from when she watched her own sons wrestle being twisted and contorted and slammed and pulled and pushed, etc. She promises to "buck up" and get to a meet in the near future!)

More Trick-or-Treaters

2011-11-05T19:55:00.002-06:00

The grandkids up north had some trick-or-treating fun, too. The Army man is Ethan.

The mini Batman is Ty.

Mia is the Zombie in the middle. Dallin has outgrown dressing up now that he is a teenager but I have a suspicion that he had some kind of fun too!

Our own "Trick-or-Treaters"

2011-11-01T21:28:00.005-06:00

A stream of our very own trick-or-treaters visited our home on Halloween night. Even Jared's dog, Dupree, got into the spirit of the night! As always, fresh, hot, doughnuts helped to lure them over. We have been making spudnuts ever year for more than 20 years. It is alot of work but so much fun as we share them with family, neighbors and friends.

Remington dressed as Dwight Schrute from "The Office". Candice even entered his photo on the official website and should find out soon if Remi won the prize for the most popular Dwight costume.

If you are an "Office" fan you will recognize Marshall as Mose, Dwight's cousin. Marshall is making his scary face for the camera. The boys trick-or-treated till they dropped...they fell asleep while Candice was putting their p.j.'s on them.

Katie got in the spirit of things too as Bat Girl. She looked great as she headed off to a mascarade party.

Brenna, Mike and Bridget visited also. Bridget was dressed in her Disney's "Tangled" princess dress. Check out the cute way Brenna decorated Bridget's treat bucket to match her dress. Brenna designed and made her own costume which makes subtle mention of the upcoming addition to their family. She is so clever and creative!!!

Halloween temperatures reached into the upper 60's but then we woke up this morning to cold, foggy, rainy weather. It even snowed just to make sure that we know it is November and winter is on the way!!

Family Fun at the Soccer Game

2011-10-13T17:10:00.004-06:00

Dallin had a soccer game the other night and a bunch of us turned out to cheer him on and have a good time on the sidelines.

There's Dallin....number 30. He and his teammates are fun to watch.

Even Jared's boxer dog, Dupree, was there.

Of course, the pint-sized fans find other kinds of entertainment....Ty playing on Katie's IPhone, Remi and Ethan wrestling on the blanket. We had a fun family night at the soccer game.

Red Balloon Day

2011-10-09T19:17:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day because we were able to visit with each and every one of our children and grandchildren. We call these opportunities "Red Balloon Days" and savor them!!!

Updates on Beth's health

2011-09-06T21:03:00.002-06:00

For updates on Beth's surgery and recovery, please click on "Beths Journey" page to the right of this post.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Beth!

2011-09-05T21:09:00.006-06:00

Boy, did the family roll out the red carpet for my birthday on Thursday, Sept 1! I woke up to the smell of bacon cooking and found that Katie and Candice had gotten up extra early to surprise me with a lovely breakfast with all the fixins.

I was spoiled right good...Candice did a lovely job displaying my new dutch oven to look like it was in a campfire and fire pit. Can't wait to start using this...I have always wanted one. Other gifts included a rolling handbag...birthday wall plaque..Teton picture collage...gift cards...and more. Wow, I am spoiled!!

This bouquet made to look like a birthday cake was delivered to the house. It is so unique I had to capture it on film. Thanks, Mom!

Brenna made this clever birthday plaque. It has hanging wooden discs with each of my family members name and birthday which hangs under the correct month.

We all met at the pavilion at Katie's condo complex and ate yummy treats and had some fun!

The grands especially enjoyed the playground equipment.

Mia and Ethan surprised me this original "beach in a box" which they made on their very own. They layered dirt and rocks and added little pinecones that look like palm trees. So cute and clever!!!

Crazy kids had fun playing Ninja game. How blessed I am to be part of a wonderful family that really went out of their way to make this birthday special. Thank you, children! My cup runneth over with love for each one of you!!

Sano Family Photo

2011-09-05T19:16:00.004-06:00

We had family photos taken a couple of weeks ago and we are thrilled with the results! Our family has grown from Frank and I in 1977 to 17 in 2011. We could little imagine back then the amount of joy that comes from families. They are our treasures!

Weekend in Randolph

2011-09-05T15:25:00.003-06:00

We had a great weekend in Randolph with AJ's kids the end of July. We visited Fossil Butte National Monument - a fascinating area that was once an underwater ocean. The millions of perfectly preserved fossils were found in the late 1800's when the cross country rail lines were being built.

We had all kinds of fun...painting rocks, playing in the sprinklers.....

...building a fort out of the bunkbed...

....visiting and feeding friendly goats...

....and riding horses (albeit wooden rocking ones)! It is always fun to hangout in Randolph!!

Annual Camping Trip

2011-09-05T15:01:00.006-06:00

From July 2011 - This is the third year in a row that we have packed our camping gear and headed north to beautiful Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming. We were privileged to have Keith, Candice, Remi and Marshall join Katie, Jared and I on our yearly trek. The first and last stop on our trip was to our beloved town of Randolph which is conveniently located on the way to the Tetons. Grandma Beth and boys took time to hang out at the park and get some wiggles out. It helped with the 2 and 3 hour car rides that followed.

Jackson Hole is a favorite stop. Remi shows off his bag of candy treats from the Yippee-ay-oh Candy Store in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Ahhhhh -- There they are! The most beautiful mountains anywhere...at least in our humble opinion.

Keith poses as King of the Canoe. What a great time we had on String Lake taking turns canoeing on the crystal clear glacier lake. Sadly, Remi was not up for the adventure and chose to stay on shore with little brother and throw rocks into the water instead. Maybe next trip he will want to try paddling along.

There was plenty of dirt for the boys to play in and boy did they play.

This year we rented a tent-cabin to call home for a few days. With two solid wall and two canvas walls and a cement floor it provided a nice sturdy place to relax from our busy days of hiking, canoeing and exploring the park.

Katie gives Marshall a shoulder ride while we waited for Old Faithful geyser do its thing in Yellowstone National Park.

Who says you can't have clean kids while camping. Each evening we filled up the wash bin with warm water, let them play a while and then stripped them down and tossed them in. All the comforts of home in the out of doors!!

Keith and Candice fell in love with the Tetons just like we hoped they would. Candice was a good sport to give camping a try with toddlers. We all had a wonderful time!!

Tickling the Ivories

2011-07-01T15:53:00.002-06:00

Mia is practicing a little piece on the piano that she has been asked to play in church on Sunday, July 17th. She is flexing her fingers and getting them loosened up.

Her piano teacher reports that she has natural talent and can even play by ear. Keep with the piano, Miss Mia, and remember what Johann Sebastian Bach said: "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul". We are proud of you.

Meet Dupree

2011-07-01T15:47:00.004-06:00

Jared has made us the proud grandpup-parents to his adorable Boxer dog, Dupree. Jared adopted him from a rescue farm in Star Valley, Wyoming.

Dupree is a gentle, quiet, kid-loving sweetheart. He adores Jared and wants to be where he is every moment. He sits, stays, lays down and likes to go for walks and hikes.

Way to go, Jared!!! We are happy for you and your new "best friend"!!

A Houty-Touty Affair

2011-06-14T17:07:00.003-06:00

Frank and I were invited to the Hotel Utah 100th Anniversary celebration. It was probably the nicest affair that we have ever attended. Here Beth poses in front of a 1914 Cadillac with one of the hosts dressed in period costume. (A bit of history: The hotel closed in 1987 and was re-purposed as a downtown social center and re-named the Joseph Smith Memorial Building).

Here is a shot of one of the tables on the lobby where the dignitaries were seated. The centerpiece must have measured three feet tall!

Another view of one of the lobby tables. Each setting was complete with place cards, commemorative program and coin. We were glad that we had paid attention at those "etiquette" lessons so we knew which spoon and fork to use for which courses.

The gala dinner was served to 600 and was superb! A delightful band played through it all. A Hotel Utah original chilled beet soup was the first course followed by Smoked Duck Salad. A lime sorbet with mint came next to "cleanse the palette". The entree was beef tenderloin with lobster tail paired with Basil Mashed Potatoes. The presentation on each course was fabulous, but the dessert was out-of-this-world stunning! Here are two pictures of the strawberry shortcake.

The "sail" is a white chocolate curl. Isn't that awesome...and to think that they served 600 of these all at the same time...Wow!! The delicious meal was followed by guest speakers that included the mayor of Salt Lake City, the Governor of the State of Utah and then remarks by President Thomas S. Monson. We had a lovely time and were so happy to share the evening with co-workers from the Event Services Division.
To see even more pictures of the food, check out this blog: http://chewandchat.blogspot.com/2011/06/hotel-utah-100th-anniversary-gala.html

Scenes from our first outdoor "gathering" of the season

2011-06-10T16:57:00.002-06:00

A bunch of us got together to celebrate Ty's 3rd birthday and Candice's ?? birthday (she's not telling her age from here on out!)Marshall Man poses for a photo. He is such a social guy and likes the chaos of it all.

Uncle Jared always provides aerial activities for the little ones.

Candice's family joined us...That's Dave with Danielle to his left and then Katie and AJ. Candice's mom, Shelly, is in the pink blouse.

The three-year-old cousins warm up after a soaking good time at the water table (see video in next post). Happy birthday!!

Cousins at the Water Table

2011-06-07T16:30:00.003-06:00

We had a very fun time celebrating Candice and Ty's birthdays last Sunday afternoon. It is amazing what a little cake, a little ice cream, and a little table filled with water and a few cousins can do to a nice quiet afternoon. Enjoy watching the fun!!

Grands are GREAT!!

2011-06-07T16:24:00.005-06:00

We traveled to Randolph and spent some time with Brenna, Mike and Bridget before they headed back home after spending the first half of the Memorial Day weekend there with Mike's family. It turned out to be a fun way to celebrate his birthday. Bridget donned her cowgirl attire and fit right in with the resident country folk.

Notice the small piles of snow on the grass...it snowed twice that weekend but melted off quickly. Frank and Beth stayed Sunday through Wednesday and by that time the weather was glorious and perfect for mowing the "pasture".

Grandpa Cheech was tickled to death to see Marshall eat an entire plate of red clam sauce. Marshall is a joy to feed...he will eat anything and everything which very much pleases his Italian grandpa.

Remington is not as thrilled to try new dishes, however, he gets very excited about trains, elevators and bowling. Look at that concentration as he sets them up perfectly. What fun we have with our grandkids..they are a joy to be with, to watch grow, and to hug and squeeze. How lucky we are!!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2011-05-15T20:40:00.003-06:00

Mia invited us to her soccer game on Thursday. It was great to see her play and to watch her with her team mates. What a lovely multi-talented little gal she is. She plays soccer, takes piano lessons (and can play by ear much to her piano teacher's delight), does gymnastics and is working hard to earn her Faith in God award in Primary. Oh, did I mention that she is a whiz on my sewing machine?!!! She made a home sewn gift for each member of her family last Christmas.
Ty has lots of experience on the side lines cheering for his older siblings. It won't be long before he follows in their "cleats" out on the field.
Ethan came from his own baseball game to watch Mia play soccer.
That's our girl, #26. Keep up the great work, little lady!!!

The Joy of Dipping

2011-05-15T20:37:00.003-06:00

Marshall discovered a new gastronomic delight....
...dipping his french fries into sauce. It takes high levels of concentration but brings such joy!!! What a cute little fella!!

Brenna's Family - All Dressed Up

2011-05-06T17:43:00.003-06:00

Brenna's sister-in-law got married on Friday. We had the chance to visit with them before they headed off to the wedding and captures a cute family photo while they were all dressed up. Later that evening we stopped by the reception. Not surprisingly we found that Bridget had delighted and entertained the attendees with her sweet smile and personality.

Grandkids at Play

2011-05-06T17:41:00.007-06:00

It is always fun and busy when the grandkids come to play. Remi enjoys watching elevators on You-Tube.
Perhaps that is where he gets some of his imaginative inspiration that has turned the main floor shower in to his own elevator. He even gives rides to his cousins, grandparents and any other rider he can find.

Marshall likes Aunt Katie's cell phone.

Ty gets some help from Dallin to play bowling.

Ethan, Mia and Remi belly-up to the bar to sample some of Grandpa Frank's goooooood cooking.

Once in a while, everyone sits still and enjoys watching a video. Bridget and Remi both like Toy Story. Ahhhhh, quiet at last!

Easter 2011

2011-05-06T17:39:00.002-06:00

The Easter Bunny found our house again this year. It was fun to have little people around to really get in to the decorations. These cupcake baskets with jelly bean "eggs" were are great way to do place cards.

Mr and Mrs Bunny look sweet near Candice's crepe paper carrots. It was wonderful to have Keith's family with us at our Easter table!

Our very own Karate Kids

2011-03-04T07:21:00.002-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Ethan and Dallin for advancing to high belts in their karate classes. Ethan is now a gold stripe and Dallin a purple belt!! Way to go! It was a pleasure to watch them take their tests. We are so proud!!!

This video features Ethan practicing some of his moves. Ethan started out being shy and wouldn't perform without Dallin joining him. As you will see, once big brother gets
Ethan started, he humbly backs out and let's Ethan take center stage.

They are Here!!! Yippee!!

2011-03-04T06:51:00.004-07:00

We are all jumping for joy to have all of our kids nearby. Look at the big smile on Grandpa's face surrounded by his treasures!! Keith and Candice arrived safe and sound are unpacking and getting settled in. We are all so happy to have them back home.

The entire crew gathered on Saturday and Sunday to visit and play and eat some of Grandpa Frank's good cooking.

What fun it is to watch the cousins enjoy playing together. The big kids are so sweet and attentive to the little ones.

Not surprising, Uncle Keith had some fun up his sleeve....

...smoke bombs and snappers. The following video clip is a glimpse of the fun that is had when the family gets together. Count the times you can hear Grandma Beth say "careful"!!! We LOVE it!!!

A Field Trip with Mia

2011-03-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

It was Grandma Sano's pleasure and delight to be invited by Mia to go with her on her field trip to the Treehouse Children's Museum in Ogden.

It was fun to meet lots of Mia's classmates and help while they did arts & crafts.....

....acted out fairy tales (Mia is the light pink pig 3rd from the left)....

...and enjoyed time exploring the museum.

It was a great day! Thanks for inviting me, Miss Mia!! I love you lots!

A Day Trip to Provo, Utah

2011-02-06T21:13:00.002-07:00

We spent a fun day with Dallin, Mia and Ethan as we took a day trip to visit BYU. The Museum of Art had a special exhibit of the paintings by the Danish painter, Carl Bloch. The exhibit featured his famous paintings of Christ, some of which are on display for the first time ever outside of Denmark. It was inspiring!!! No trip to BYU would be complete without a bowl or cone of Creamery Ice Cream.

We showed the kids where their daddy was born and lived, the Provo Temple where we were married, as well as other favorite places in Provo. We visited the Eyring Science Building and had fun with the handon activities and exhibits. We also stopped at the Bean Museum at BYU to see many, many taxidermied animals on display.

A special visit to Great-grandpa Clawson, Beth's dad, was delightful. He is doing well and entertained us with is wit and story telling. We had a great time with these great grandkids!!!

Catching Up - January 2011

2011-01-28T21:33:00.002-07:00

I am way behind with my blogging--- but what else is new?! This is a picture of the "Second Annual New Year's Day (give or take a few days) Sano Girls Day Out". We went looking for bargains at Tai Pan home decor store and then to lunch at Bajio. It is fun to be together. We are hopeful that Candice will join us for our third annual Girls Day Out ;)

Beth and Bridgie in her Mickey Mouse Christmas jammies.

Happy Holidays!

2011-01-10T21:19:00.005-07:00

This month was filled with all kinds of activities, including crafts (Katie and Brenna tranformed boring matchboxes in to cute gift boxes for Katie's students).....

... Dallin's sixth grade "Dig It" program where the students took the audience on a trip to early civilations through song and dance and fun....

...tending while AJ and Cami attended the law firm's annual holiday dinner. Grandma and Ethan show off our Santa hats...

...Ty took a bath in the BIG tub...

...and everyone helped to make a yummy Monkey Cake!

A Very Special Day

2010-12-04T23:17:00.006-07:00

Mia was baptized today! With many family members, friends and neighbors there to share this special day. She is the newest member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She looked so beautiful all dressed in white. Her parents have taught her well.

Grandpa Sano and....

...Grandma Sano are so proud of her for preparing well for this important day.

Dallin (the oldest grandson) and Bridget (the youngest granddaughter) were there too.

Ethan provided his usual "comedy" routine. What a fun and adorable little man!

Brenna and Bridget were there as well as....

...Aunt Katie and Uncle Jared. Both of them participated in the program by giving wonderful talks.

Mia's family in 2010 at her baptism.

This is a picture from Dallin's baptism four years ago. My how the children have grown and, of course, the family now includes the Ty Guy!!! It was wonderful to, once again, share this kind of "red balloon day" with the Morgan family. There was a warm and peaceful feeling present as we shared Mia's special day.

Getting Ready for Christmas

2010-12-04T23:07:00.002-07:00

We have "decked the halls with boughs of holly" and have most things ready for our favorite time of year! Bridget came for a visit and donned Santa's hat. Isn't she cute!!!???

The tree is trimmed... the candles are in the windows....the wrapping "station" is ready and waiting.

...and we even set up the Christmas village this year. Our early and ample snow storms have really helped us get in the "fa-la-la" mood!!!

We hope you are also enjoying this joyous time of year and that the Light has found a welcome place in your home, too!

A Grateful Thanksgiving

2010-12-04T22:49:00.004-07:00

Our hearts and bellies were full this Thanksgiving! This is part of the line up of delicious dishes prepared by......

...Frank and Dallin. Here Dallin is preparing his famous and tasty rice balls.

Here are the rice balls ready to cook and eat. They were served as appetizers along with Grandma Susie's chicken meatballs. We numbered 10 for dinner (AJ's family, Katie, Jared, Frank and Beth). We missed our Texas kids and Brenna's family.

This saying, which now graces the wall of our kitchen, really captures the Sano family philosophy. We are grateful for the times when we can gather around the table to share treasured memories, good food and fun times.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T21:34:00.006-06:00

Halloween is fun for everyone everywhere! The Texas Sanos had fun on a warm southern night. Remi was dressed up in this extremely clever Elevator costume lovingly made by his creative Momma.

Bridget wore the darling Minnie Mouse costume that Grandma Dearden gave her for her birthday last week. Her friend, Calli, made her this cute, cute cape to go with her costume.

AJ's family had a good Trick-or-Treating time also though we did not get photos.

As always there were dozens of doughnuts for the taking. We have been making doughnuts now for about 20 years. We talk about not making them but somehow we end up doing it every year. Once started, some traditions are hard to break! Oh, well, it is a delicious one that we can share with all our friends and loved ones.

Dallin - The Man

2010-10-24T17:22:00.003-06:00

This was big day for Dallin...Having turned 12 yesterday, he was able to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood. He has made the step from being a little boy, to becoming a man.

The ordination was performed by his dad with Grandpa's Morgan and Sano and Uncle Jared assisting.

Dallin will be one of 5 deacons in their ward and gets be pass the Sacrament for the first time next Sunday.

It is always fun to share the special moments in the lives of our shared grandchildren with Cami's parents, Portia and Ron Morgan.

We are so proud of Dallin and the good choices that he is making! It is a joy to watch him grow up. We are also very proud of his parents for leading and guiding him in so many good ways. We echo the words of John: "[We] have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth". 3 John 1:4.

Bridget Turns Two

2010-10-18T16:27:00.003-06:00

Bridget enjoyed a small family gathering at Grandma & Grandpa Dearden's home.

Obviously the theme was "Minnie Mouse" which included a fun Minnie dress and ears,...

...a talking Minnie doll, and Minnie shaped cookies and brownies. No party would be complete without cake and ice cream, too!

Bridget was a perfect party girl! Happy birthday, little one! We love you.

A Tidy Family Home Evening!!

2010-10-07T17:22:00.003-06:00

For Family Home Evening on Monday, AJ's family helped us to haul our Fall clean-up stuff (branches, lumber, old air conditioner units, etc.) to the curb just in time for the city bulk trash pick-up day.

With their happy help we got it all done and were even treated to some of Grandpa Frank's fabulous pizza. Thanks helpers!! We couldn't have done it without you! Love you lots.

Come on over...

2010-09-01T09:51:00.000-06:00

To celebrate a special someone's birthday!
The Fellas and I...

Randolph Fun with Mia and Ethan!

2010-08-30T12:50:00.004-06:00

When the Rich County Fair comes to town....so do we! This time we took Mia and Ethan with us.

Having the rodeo arena across the street makes it a fun and easy activity. Each night of the rodeo starts with the US Flag circling the arena and the National Anthem.

Front row seats are great!!

The rodeo inspired Ethan to "go western".

The next day we visited the animals in the 4-H barn.

The parade was fun! There were 30 entries this year and so enjoyable that, as usual, it goes up the road and then turns around and comes back down the road, tossing candy the entire route.

One of my favorite entries was the tow truck named "Mater" ...get it tow-mater, from Disney's movie CARS.

Grandpa Frank was in charge of hanging on to the candy "loot"!!

Next on the agenda....an afternoon at Bear Lake. The weather was perfect!

What a great weekend we had.

Visiting with Grandma Brown and Aunt Ev

2010-08-15T12:26:00.002-06:00

I am way behind in blogging picture of the Texans visit. We stopped one day to visit with Great-grandma Brown and Great-aunt Evelyn who was visiting from Indiana.

Remi and Smokey Joe, the Pomeranian, became friends.

Grandma Brown shows Remi some toys from her fun and fascinating toybox.

Marshall and Aunt Ev visit.

A Playdate Downtown

2010-08-15T12:19:00.006-06:00

One evening last week, Candice and the boys came to Salt Lake City to pick me up from work. While we were there we walked around and had some fun. The Tabernacle display at Deseret Book store was one stop.

A refreshment break at the Blue Lemon was another.

We walked over to the Triad Center/LDS Business College to see Uncle Jared. Much to Remi's delight there were ELEVATORS. (More on this later.)

A spin in Grandma's desk chair was fun. We lucked out and were able to enjoy "leftovers" from a banquet that was taking place at the Conference Center. We enjoyed a serendipitous dinner and Creme Brulee for dessert. Throwing pennies in to the relecting pond was right up this boys alley.

Good job, Rem!!

Marshall enjoyed his ride around town so much so that he blew happy bubbles and "sang" contented songs the entire time. What a fun playdate we had!!!

Who Done It?

2010-08-15T12:09:00.002-06:00

We came home on Friday evening to discover that that one of the patio furniture cushions was torn apart. The "nine-year-old-wearing-out-frequently-repaired" cushions were meant to last through this one last summer. Who or what ever did the deed tore a jagged two inch strip of fabric out and removed a good portion of the stuffing. Very frustrating!!!

The culprit returned to scene of the crime later that evening and was captured on film. A squirrel....no doubt a Mama Squirrel...stuffed her cheeks full of fluffy stuffing and then....

..took off!!! We took that cushion away and the next morning found evidence that she is trying to split open another one. Any ideas on how to get rid of a furniture-eating squirrel? All suggestions will be considered.

Cousins Reunite

2010-08-06T12:51:00.002-06:00

When the Texans came to town it gave this very happy Grandpa (Nono) and Grandma (Nona) the delightful opportunity to have all our babies together. Here they are surrounding Cami.

This is our oldest handsome grandson and our youngest handsome grandson. They represent all the cute grandkids inbetween. We just love them all!

Our Wonder Trip to the Grand Tetons

2010-08-02T08:23:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful, wonderul time enjoying the scenery, hikes, and beauty.

Some day, on a future trip to the Tetons, we would love to float the Snake River.

We will also continue to discover breath-taking hikes. The kids found and customized a walking stick for me where I will engrave each hike we go on.

Ahhhhhhh!! Below is a video taken on one of our hikes. Enjoy the taste of the Tetons.

Bridget's Bag

2010-07-29T14:07:00.002-06:00

It was fun to meet up with Brenna and Bridget for lunch today. Bridget is such a girly-girl...she knows just what to do with Grandma's purse. Love that little girl!

Making Sausage

2010-07-27T10:49:00.003-06:00

Frank has been interested in making homemade sausage for a good long while. He took advantage of a quiet weekend to do it and with Dallin's help it was a great success!! It took a while to locate the right casings and get the sausage stuffing attachment for the KitchenAid. Frank did the research on how it is done and found a good recipe for Sweet Italian Sausage. He and Dallin had quite the experience preparing the casing which was so long it stretched from the kitchen down the hall to the study!!! Then they had to slide and stack it on to the stuffer tube. At the end of the day they served up a delicious product.

And we are off.....

2010-07-22T11:54:00.003-06:00

... to Grand Teton National Park! Jared, Katie and I will be seeing sights like this! Yippee. We will report when we return.

Happy Birthday, AJ!

2010-07-19T17:00:00.004-06:00

Our first-born turned 32 years old yesterday. How is that possible!

Jared, Frank and I joined the family and a few friends for some cake and icecream to celebrate the occasion.

We love you, son, and wish you many, many more happy birthday celebrations.

Fourth of July Weekend

2010-07-12T09:45:00.003-06:00

Dallin joined Frank and I for the day up in Randoph. He was a great help getting the field and lawn mowed. Dal looked pretty cool driving the mower. He is good at it...a natural farmer!!!

We had a nice time up at Rendezvous Beach at Bear Lake.

The water was surprisingly cold but it was fun anyway. It was a fun day!

Surprise!!

2010-07-01T17:34:00.004-06:00

We all enjoyed helping Katie celebrate her 26th birthday. Jared threw her a surprise party at his house.

Several friends....

...and lots of family (my Mom, Mia, Ethan, Beth, Bridget) were there. Frank's famous homemade pizza was a highlight, as always. Here's a fun video of the arrival of the Birthday Girl.

The Deer that Came to Dinner

2010-06-14T18:17:00.002-06:00

The day that Frank came home from the hospital we looked out the window to see what we thought at first was a dog. It was eating at the red leaves on the tree outside the kitchen window. But it turned out to be a young deer, making himself quite at home on our deck. He must have a penchant for flowering plum trees!

The deer that roam the hills of our neighborhood make themselves right at home in our yards and even on our decks. They have very little fear of humans and will walk right down the sidewalk just 10 feet or so from us.

Our city is trying to determine what to do about the problem. Deer weren't such a problem when the cougars were around. Of course, the deer were here first so I guess we will share with them like they have with us!

Catch Up 2 - A Trip to the Park with Bridget

2010-06-14T18:12:00.005-06:00

Bridget took Katie and I to the park a couple of weeks ago. It had rained earlier in the day which made for a muddy, wet bottom for Bridget, but we had fun and laughed alot at her enthusiasm for the sliding boards. If you listen over our uncontrolled laughter you can hear her cute squeals. What a precious little gal she is!!!

Playing Catch Up- Memorial Day Weekend and stuff

2010-06-14T18:08:00.006-06:00

Jared invited the family over for some yummy smoked brisquet. As always the kids enjoy his terrific back yard. Ty pauses from his usual high speed playing.

Ethan, our cute little elf, always makes us smile.

Mia showed off her strength and skill at a recent Gymnastics Show. You should see her on climb the rope from floor to gym ceiling (kind of like spider man) and do jumps and flips on the trampoline! Wow.

We had a nice time at the Elementary School's annual Grandparent breakfast. See those kids hula-hooping in the background...Dallin decided that it would be best if we passed up the opportunity. We agreed whole-heartedly...it could have proved very embarrassing. However, there were a few grandma's who did try it.

Grandparents Breakfast

2010-05-26T17:43:00.002-06:00

A month or so ago Dallin and Mia invited us to their school for a Grandparent Breakfast Hawaiian-style. It was delightful! They served a very nice meal and then we could hoola-hoop and have a picture taken. We passed on the hoola-hoop much to their delight!! We even got to visit their classroom and meet their teachers. It was lots of fun.
This was the school fundraiser - the only one. No nichol and diming grandparents with candy sales, etc. We thought it was a great idea and a lovely way to start the day.
Thanks for inviting us.

Congratulations, Miss Sano!!

2010-05-19T14:46:00.003-06:00

We are so proud of our Katie! She was nominated and chosen by the faculty and board of her school to be teacher of the year!

We think that she is the "teacher of the century"! She has known since her sixth grade experience that she wanted to be a teacher. It is her passion. Her love for the students put in her care is evident in the time, energy and devotion that she gives to them. Not only does she do her best to teach them "book-learning" but she also helps them through the tough relationship hiccups that 12-year-olds go through. She does all that as well as plays a mean game of football with them every chance she gets. We are so very proud of her and the good influence

she is for not only her students, but for all who come in contact with her. We love you, Miss Sano!

I have been bit....

2010-05-14T17:14:00.002-06:00

...by the family history bug!! I am obsessed, driven, addicted, I don't quite know the word to use to describe this, but I think about ancestors daily. Let me give you an example of why: These are pictures of the Calvin and Capola Gallino Clawson family. Just the pictures, all by themselves, tell a very interesting story. We have no other formal entire-family photos like these of any of our other ancestors. Isn't that interesting? These parents considered it a high priority to capture their family images. The top picture was taken in about 1905 the bottom in about 1920. They were not a wealthy family...why did they make family photos such a priority? Perhaps it had to do with the mother, Capola, being the only surviving child of her parents. Her two older siblings died as little children. Soon after the second picture was taken, Jesse (on the far right of the bottom picture) passed away leaving a young family. What a treasure these family photos are!!!

I love to look for familiar hairlines and noses. I like looking at the details of the clothing of the eras. I had the privilege of knowing/meeting four of these family members. They are familiar and friendly faces to me. (By the way, your Great-grandpa Clyde Clawson is on the far right in the younger photo and third from the left, top row in the other picture.)

Perhaps this is a product of being middle-aged but I am loving every minute of the time I spend learning about these and other amazing family members who have left an interesting and inspired legacy to all of us.

Love you all....hey...next time we are all together...let's have a nice family photo done!!!

Oops!

2010-05-14T01:28:00.007-06:00

I posted on mom's blog. That's what happens when you're up blogging at 1 :30a.m.. I've copied my post onto my blog. Sorry! :)

Barbeque at Uncle Bubba's

2010-05-12T22:11:00.002-06:00

Ty meets fence...Ty climbs fence!! This little man is unstoppable!

I don't know how Cami keeps up with him.

Jared and Katie put on a very nice barbeque last weekend. The food was fabulous! Jared smoked some ribs following big brother Keith's great example of Texas grillin'.

AJ and family joined in. The kids really love Uncle Bubba's swingset.

Katie shows off her nail polish. We all had a delightful time. Thanks Jared and Katie!!

Ethan's Tonsils

2010-05-02T19:07:00.002-06:00

This little man had his tonsils out last Friday. AJ said he was so brave. He has been healing amazingly well with no complications. Here he slurps a cool drink that makes his throat feel good. We are proud of you for being so brave!

Happy Birthday, Brenna!

2010-04-27T07:50:00.003-06:00

Happy 23rd birthday, Brenna Dear!! Hope you have a delightful day full of reminders that you are loved.

Jared Time in Texas

2010-04-27T07:31:00.006-06:00

Mom's not the only one who loves to visit our Texas kids. Recently Jared spent a week with Keith's family. He and Remington made fast friends...who would love to have Uncle Bubba all to themselves..to play with... to laugh with...to love!!!

Perhaps Remington had in mind to give his opinion on some political issue as he takes to the "stump"!

Fun in the fountain near the Houston Convention Center!

Mmmmm...I wonder what Remi thinks of this Tea Party held in Houston. Jared and Keith wanted to experience the gathering. They report that it was calm and interesting.

During Jared's visit, the bar-b-q got a real good work out! Yummy!

Keith plays a mean bagpipe. He and Jared spent a little time jamming on their harmonicas, too. It is always fun to visit our Texas Sano's. They are warm and wonderful hosts.

Ethan Turns Five Photoshow

2010-04-24T22:24:00.002-06:00

Frank the Amazing Glazier

2010-03-27T20:01:00.003-06:00

In case you didn't know, a glazier is one who cuts and installs glass in windows or doors. Today, Frank officially became one.

One of my "pet" projects since we bought the Randolph place was to make the back garage/porch/large lean-to into a usable space. We are not sure what the original creator of the space had in mind when he built it but I have a vision of it eventually being used as a summer porch. It needed eaves repaired (did that last Summer, thanks to Keith), garage door (hopefully this year), and window replacements. There are/were 10 old, recycled windows, most of which were either completely missing or in deplorable condition. We began our project....

My darling hubby is so clever! To save $$$, he went to the thrift store and bought cheap, used picture frames, removed the glass and cut them to size. Cutting glass is a little tricky, it takes a certain amount of talent. You have to hold the cutter at the right angle, apply just the right amount of pressure so it makes a "singing" sound, then tap the cut with the end of the cutting tool.

When done just right, the cut piece snaps right off!! What a clever, clever glazier is my Frankie!!! I am so proud of him.

Pint-sized Cousins

2010-03-12T07:30:00.004-07:00

This was a first for Ty and Bridget. They were both over to our house and it was fun to watch them share and play together. We all want Remi to some day be near enough to join the play group!! We thought Remi would enjoy this picture of Ty and Bridget playing with the same "Tick-Tock Clock" that he received as a gift from his new baby brother.

Ring-around-the-rosy will be much more fun with one more cousin!

Of course, when Barney is on TV, everyone joins in!! What fun it is to have toddler cousins come over to play.

Chillin' with Marshall

2010-03-05T13:54:00.003-07:00

He's doing great! Eatin', burpin', tootin', poopin'. sleepin' and eatin', burpin', tootin', etc, etc.
Here is his mad face accompanied by a healthy set of lungs.
Daddy is such a softy when it comes to babies and little kids....shhhhhh...don't tell him I said so.
What a sweet little man, this Marshall is! Each time that I have been over to see him he has opened his eyes for me and looked around. Welcome to the family, little man!

Toddlers are Terrific

2010-03-05T13:41:00.003-07:00

What a choice privilege it is to spend some great time with Remington. He is a delight! He is getting a little more used to the idea of a little brother. He held him for about 5 seconds today...that was enough! He would rather hide in the built-in wardrobe closet in Mom's hospital room or play the "blow up the rubber glove game" with his Dad.
Most mornings we take a walk to the nearby park. He really enjoys the sand and knows just what to do with his birthday gift of beach toys.
Funny how quick boys find out how much fun dirt can be!! Speaking of boy antics...today Remington saw his dog Niles go over to a pile of leaves, pause, lift his leg and....well, you know. Remi followed Niles to the pile of leaves, Remi paused and leaned to the side and lifted his leg, too, then went on his way. What great entertainment a toddler can provide!!!
The jungle gym is fun, too! Thanks, Remi, for taking Grandma to the park!! I have so much fun with you.

Introducing.....Marshalll Hunter Sano!!

2010-03-03T13:20:00.005-07:00

He is here and he is a keeper...for sure!! Weighing in at a full pound heavier than Remington was...he is a solid little man. He has a double chin already and thigh creases!!
Remington is not sure about this new creature yet but Marshall had a big brother special present waiting for him at the hospital which went over very well. Keith is a proud, proud papa. Candice is doing real well under the skilled care of the hospital staff. She feels good and is very happy that Marshall has already taken to nursing.
This little love has the cutest lips! We love how they tuck up and under his top lip. He has a cleft chin and an adorable round face. His hair is lighter and less than big brother's was. We are so happy he is here. You can check the blog daily for more pictures. Can you tell that this is a very happy grandma!!!

He is Here!!

2010-03-03T07:48:00.002-07:00

Marshall weighed in at 8 lbs, 5 oz. 21 1/2 inches long. He and Mom are doing fine. Rem and I are going to go see them in an hour or so. He is adorable!!!

Yeah!!!!!

Waiting....

2010-03-02T13:21:00.002-07:00

Still waiting for the new addition. Tomorrow is the big day! While Mom and Dad went to the hospital to pre-register, Rem and Grandma played.
Recycling an empty Pampers box into a make-shift Easter basket, we hid and hunted for eggs...
...then did a little digging....walked to the park to swing, climb and dig somemore...
He doesn't seem to mind a new grown-up to play with.
The family of three. We have a strategic plan for getting pictures posted as soon a possible of family member #4. We can hardly wait!!!

Time in Texas

2010-02-28T15:07:00.005-07:00

I am here!!! Yeah!! Great weather followed me. We have enjoyed sitting outside in the back yard for two days...rain is forecast for the next couple of days...so we are taking advantage while we can.
Remington has been a very hospitable fellow and seems to like me. Hopefully he will still like me when Mom and Dad disappear to the hospital in a couple more days. We will get some good "granding" time together (grandma with grandson).
Rem is a natural with a shovel, a good look in to his future on his Dad's dream farm.
There is always good food to be had while visiting in Texas. As a birthday surprise for Keith, Papa Frank made and sent a big batch of Christmas Eve-style fish sauce. It traveled well in its frozen state in my suitcase. All we had to do was thaw, heat and eat...yum-yum. It was a well received surprise!!
Check out this fabulous looking and incredible tasting Carmel Apple Pie that Keith made!! Just fill the pie crust with Granny Smith apples, add the lattice top and pour on a homemade carmel sauce and bake. Served with Butter Pecan ice cream it was indescribable!!!
When the time is right (Rem is not napping and the doggies are outdoors) Keith takes time to practice on his bagpipes. (They are a "little" noisy.) He is getting real good and is able to practice most of time on an electronic chanter using head phones. Well done, son!! Take a minute to listen to this short clip.

Sunday Dinner

2010-02-22T07:53:00.004-07:00

When Frank cooks....the kids come!!! Frank put on quiet a spread on Sunday. There is something in his blood that gives him a passion for cooking (that and lovely new pots that he got for his birthday!!) This week the menu included Antipasto platter, Meat Lasagna, a delicious pasta and seafood dish, steamed asparagus, a German Pot Roast with vegetable gravy and roasted potatoes. All this he made "just in case somebody was hungry"!! Anyway, the food was TERRIFIC and we got to see our precious Utah grands. Bridget was a bit sober - most pictures show ear-to-ear smiles - but this one caught her in a more serious mood.
Dallin, AJ and Ethan always enjoy Grandpa Franks good cookin'!
The Lad and his Dad. I marvel at how much Ty looks like AJ did when he was a baby.
Aunt Katie and Princess Mia. Maybe someday, when the family gets together, Keith's family won't be quite so far away....we have our fingers crossed. I am feeling very lucky because this time next week I will be with our Texas kids to welcome our seventh grandbaby!

Grandma Brown's Adventure

2010-02-14T21:24:00.003-07:00

I am happy to report that my Mom is recovering nicely from open heart surgery a week ago. She needed to have a valve replaced and a hole in her heart repaired. Wonderful doctors, nursing staff and hospital have helped her to an amazing recovery. She still has several weeks of recouperating but it is such a miracle!!
It was a blessed experience to unite with my siblings, family and friends to provide support and encouragement to her through her ordeal. Mom's "dark gift" provided us kids with the chance spend lots of time together.

Grandkids are the Greatest!!!

2010-02-14T21:22:00.008-07:00

Last Wednesday we had the chance to play with all of our Utah grandkids. Bridget came to my work for a little while while Bridget & Mike went to an appointment. She was a perfect little lady and won the hearts of my co-workers.

Later on, AJ and Cami dropped the kids off while they enjoyed a dinner date and a Utah JAZZ basketball game. Here is a cute pic of our oldest and youngest grandkids! That will change real soon when Keith and Candice bless us with a new youngest grandchild in just two more weeks!!!

Grandpa Sano treated us to homemade Calzones!!! They were delicious....right, Dallin!?

Mia taught Bridget some new tricks....somersaults!! Bridget loved mimicing Mia's every move.

Ethan and Ty make beautiful music at the piano! I think it was music...kind of hard to tell with all the NOISE!!!

Jared found out that Jell-O is not the easiest food to feed to a toddler, especially a wiggly one like Ty.

Some of Grandpa's favorite games to play are Chinese Steps (guess which hand hides the coin and progress up one step) and LONDON BRIDGE is falling down, falling down, falling down.....

.....take the keys and lock him up, lock him up, lock him up...... What a fun Gramps!!!

Dallin is almost as tall as Cami. How can that be...it seems like it was yesterday that Dallin was our one and only grandchild and we had the wonderful opportunity to tend him everyday and spoil him. I would not say that we spoiled him rotten because he is a very nice boy and we are so proud of the way he treats his siblings and his cousins.

What a blessing it is to spend time with our children and grandchildren. We have truly found "joy in our posterity". We love you all...each and every one!!!

For Kaggie's Heart

2010-02-12T14:38:00.003-07:00

Found this cute pic from 2(!) years ago and just thought I would share...

Slow Season

2010-02-03T12:36:00.002-07:00

I just realized I haven't blogged for quite a while. Sorry to our blog followers. It is not that we haven't been busy...seems like every weekend is fully loaded with to-do's.

We typically take on an indoor home improvement project during the winter. This year we are freshening the basement rooms. Last weekend we painted the family room. It turned out GREAT eventually. As we got started we found the paint to be the consistency of water so we returned it. This gave us the lucky chance to choose a different shade of yellow which looks wonderful!!! Really brightens the room. Frank and I love to do home improvement projects together . We find the oldies station on the radio and hum/sing along. I do the cutting in of the edges and corners and Frank does a great job at rolling the paint on the big surfaces. What a great team we make!!! But as we have "aged" we find that we have to rely on the heating pad, Tylenol and a soak in the tub to keep our stiffened joints and achy muscles quiet!!! Despite the pain, it is still one of our favorite pastimes.

Amazing Fog

2010-01-15T09:22:00.007-07:00

We have been having some interesting fog and smog. This morning on my way in to work I saw this most amazing sight! The air was clear as a bell at hour house but as I drove down the hill I could see a massive, fluffy white cloud hugging the valley floor.

The white in the distance is fog. An a clear day the houses and freeway would be visibe.

The closer I got the valley floor the thicker the clouds.

Here I am almost to the valley floor and ready to drive right in to the fog. The fog is forecast to linger until Monday when the report says it should rain or snow which will clear the air. It was so intriguing that I had to capture the sights on film.

Ethan at Grandma's Office

2010-01-15T09:22:00.004-07:00

Grandma got a last minute visit from Ethan at her office. He came to hang-out with me while AJ and Cami took Ty to Primary Children's Hospital. It seems that Ty and Ethan were playing and Ethan tried to help Ty climb up on to his bed. In the process Ty's elbow was pulled out of place. The doctors called is "nurse maid's elbow". They put it back and now Ty is back to his usual energetic self.
Meanwhile, we had a very nice one-on-one visit with Ethan. After doing some drawings and other pre-school "office work" we headed home and enjoyed dinner with Grandpa Frank. It is very fun to feed Ethan. He has a hearty appetite and really enjoyed his French Dip sandwich and ate a very healthy portion of sliced tomatos (his favorite food). We read books, chatted and played Curious George computer learning games until his daddy came to pick him up. What a delightful serendipidous time we shared!! Thanks, Ethan.

A Little After Dinner Music

2010-01-13T19:37:00.005-07:00

Bridget was delighted to join her dad at the piano to provide us with a little after-dinner music. Perhaps she has some of her parents talents. Mike took years of piano lessons and plays very well. Brenna taught herself to play a bit, all by ear.
It was fun to watch Bridget carefully strike the keys with one finger. What a sweetheart!

Snow Shoeing

2010-01-03T07:25:00.003-07:00

Katie and AJ have found a new "sport". They made it up to Elephant Rock in Mueller Park Canyon and had a nice time and a great workout.

Downloads from AJ's Camera

2010-01-02T09:39:00.005-07:00

AJ's family stopped by last night and happen to have their camera with them. We were able to download a bunch of pictures from his camera. They are random but hope you enjoy some fun shots.
This was taken on Christmas Day on a visit to Grandma and Grandpa Sano's. AJ knew there would be leftovers from Eve in the refrigerator and he wanted to get in that action!
Dallin, the So Fine (as grandpa calls him).
Big brother, little brother.
Mia's favorite new toy - her DS.
My, but Mia is looking grown up!
Our Ethie!!
There is always time for a little cat nap with the dog!
Yorgie and Ty.
Ty has learned a few new tricks. When he sees something he wants on the counter, he simply opens the dishwasher and climbs up or slides a chair over for easy elevation! What a character.

Girls Day Out

2010-01-02T09:28:00.004-07:00

Brenna, Bridget, Katie and I met on New Years Day for some shopping. The day turned out to be a lot of fun and we have decided to make it an annual thing. Next year we will see if Cami and Mia are free to join us. It goes without saying that any time Candice would like to join us we would be thrilled (though it is a long drive from Texas!). We were so surprised that this picture turned out so good. Katie did an amazing self-photo aim!!
Lunch at Cafe Rio added to the enjoyment of the day. Yum!
Bridget has gotten in to the habit of taking my glasses off of my face and putting them on hers. I try to trick her by putting them on top of my head but she finds them anyway.
This, of course, is not a good thing for a grandma to teach a toddler but this pair of glasses are the cheap, indestructible kind. When I get new glasses we will have to break the habit but until then, the glasses keep her entertained.

Bridget's Christmas Dress

2010-01-02T09:21:00.002-07:00

Bridget was happy to model her new Christmas dress from Grandma McAllister.
This pint-sized Santa Claus always fascinates little ones.

A Sano Christmas - Texas-style

2009-12-27T12:54:00.002-07:00

Yeee-haw!!! Its Christmas in Texas too! We sure do miss having Keith, Candice and Remington to add to the excitement and festivities around our home. They report that Santa found their house and left lots of stuff for the good little boy who lives there.
Next Christmas there will be two little boys waiting for toys. I am counting the days until I get to go help when the new baby comes the end of February or first of March. We love and miss our Texas kids.

A Christmas Day Visit to the Deardens

2009-12-26T15:40:00.002-07:00

Mike and Brenna were unable to join us for Christmas Eve dinner because they were on call for the mortuary. We joined them for breakfast and enjoyed seeing what Santa had left at their house too.

Bridget seemed to enjoy the Christmas festivities.

She really loves books and they seem to be her favorite toy of all.

Christmas Day Visit to AJ's Family

2009-12-26T15:35:00.003-07:00

For the first time ever, Grandma and Grandpa got a chance to visit and see what Santa had left at the Sano's home. Santa was very generous and brought lots of fun things.

It was good to see them in their own home and watch them open some of their gifts.

Ty's Dinnertime Antics

2009-12-26T15:10:00.004-07:00

Ty wasn't much interested in eating during dinner time but some time afterward he hopped up the table, found some leftover pasta on a plate and you can see what happened.

What a laugh it was watching him try to figure out how to eat a clam shell!

Christmas Eve Sano-style

2009-12-25T19:50:00.006-07:00

The food as always was fabulous! Frank really knows how to feed the family. Here AJ digs into the steamed mussells. Soooo good!

Red sauce is one of our very favorites. Dallin got real brave this year and learned how to crack open a crab leg to find the good meat inside. We had a fun discussion about the family love of crabs which included the time we drove a bushel of live crabs from Maryland up to Pop-pop Wolfe in Pennsylvania. We stopped at a gas station to water them down in an attempt to keep them alive until we got there. A bystander saw our Utah license plate and asked if we were planning to drive those crabs all the way back to Utah!!!

The crab claw clusters were really wonderful and gave great flavor to the red sauce. The multiple days of cooking paid off in a big way as we all enjoyed a truly wonderful feast.

As a surprise for Ethan, Mia helped make a big box into a playhouse for him. Notice the chimney on top of the box...it was rigged to allow a stuffed Santa to come through the chimney and drop right in to Ethan's house! He loved it.

Mia even wrote his name on the door.

Here is the king of the castle. His house was complete with a Christmas tree, bed made out of copier boxes and a rug! Mia thought of everything!

He was very pleased with his "home" and played in it most of the evening.

Mia came over early in the day to help Grandpa get dinner ready. She was much braver with the eel than Grandma. Yuck, gross, slimy, icky!!!

Mia learned how to clean the shrimp like a pro and did a fabulous job of breading the shrimp and scallops too. What a good helper!

What Shall We Give?

2009-12-23T10:33:00.001-07:00

What-Shall-We-Give?

Click on this link for a lovely Christmas message.

Merry Christmas!

School Pictures

2009-12-08T17:30:00.002-07:00

Beautiful Mia!

Handsome Dallin!

Christmas Fa-la-la-ing

2009-12-08T17:11:00.003-07:00

AJ and Cami attended their annual company party and we had the pleasure of tending the kids.

As always, we had a good time! Here the kids pose for some silly, wacky face pictures. We also decorated gingerbread men and snow man cookies, read Christmas books and watched Christmas videos.

Mia LOVES Pastina! Thanks to Frank's cousin, Lisa, who mailed us the hard-to-find pasta, she was able to eat to her hearts content. The other kids really like it too, but Mia is the one who jumps up and down at the prospect of a big bowl of buttered "stars".

Darling Ethan had fun setting up our kid-friendly nativity sets. He is a pistol! He keeps us laughing. We will have to tell you what happens after he says, "Now for the Cowabunga!!".

Here is a rare look from Ty. Usually he gives us an average camera face, but this wrinkly-nose pose was unique. We love the opportunity to fill our house with giggles, chatter and angel-prints. We love these precious gifts that we have received from our children!!!

Katie's New Digs

2009-11-16T07:29:00.011-07:00

Here are a few snapshots of family at Katie's condo. Her home is lovely and she is having loads of fun furnishing and decorating.

Pictures really don't do it justice.

There will no doubt be more pics in the future. Congrats, Kate!!

Where did Ty go?

2009-11-16T07:29:00.010-07:00

Perhaps we have a new Houdini in the family. Look at the sly way that Ty surveys the box....

You can almost read his mind...mmmm, "I wonder if anyone will notice".....

..."I'm going for it!" (says he).....

..."Yep, just as I thought....a perfect fit!" (except for that one tell-tale red shoe).

"Darn It! They caught me. I've been Busted!!!!!" What a funny, funny little guy (says Grandma.)