Stairs

""Your friends may lie to you, your mirror deceive you, but a flight of stairs will be brutally frank.""
Author: Journal, Helper, Utah (Newspaper)

Stairs are interesting things. When we moved here to Colorado Springs, we both agreed that we would move into another ranch style home. Perhaps the only stairs we would have to worry about would be if we got a home with a basement. So, of course, we ended up in a home with not only one set of stairs, but three. The grandkids, especially Lexi, enjoy going up and down the stairs, but we have both had problems with falling on the stairs, mostly Bruce. I had a problem carrying a bowl of buttered popcorn to the family room from the kitchen. That was fun cleaning up, since the popcorn missed the blanket we had carefully layed down to protect the carpet from the buttered popcorn. I also bruised myself quite badly. So, the next day I went and bought rubber treads to put on the slippery Pergo stairs. Bruce seems to have a problem with missing either the top or bottom step. I don't know whether it's because he can't see well, or just because we're getting old and clumsy. His latest mishap was last Friday night. I had returned home from shopping, and I asked him to help me bring the groceries in, as I was on my way to go visiting teaching. So, as he tried to bring all 5 or 6 bags in at the same time, he fell because he missed the top stair, the groceries went flying, and he bumped his head on the edge of the counter. Now there was a 2 inch gash in his head, blood was everywhere, and I was still trying to go visiting teaching. We got things cleaned up and Bruce's head injury looked worse than what it actually was. If we survive the stairs in this house for a few more years, our last home will definitely be another ranch style. Thank goodness the Denver temple doesn't have any stairs that we have to worry about. That could really be embarrassing.

Lexi climbing up stairs

Stairs from entrance way to living room

Stairs from family room to kitchen

Bewildered Bruce on stairs going to upstairs bedrooms

Creativity

Last night I attended the General Relief Society Broadcast. President Uchtdorf spoke to the sisters of the church about how to stay happy. He said there were two main elements:

1. Be creative

2. Be compassionate

So I would like to talk a little about the subject of creativity. Since we have been here in Colorado, I've learned many ways to be creative...how to make dinner with no food in the house, how to use my food storage, how to pay the bills with not enough money, how to still have fun with little or no money, how to make homemade birthday cards and gifts, how to blog, and tonight I learned how to make banana splits without ice cream. That's right...I had stuff left over from the wedding cake I did yesterday, so we made banana splits with bananas, fresh strawberries, fresh pineapple, Hersheys syrup, nuts, and...frozen whipped topping (it gave the flavor of the whipped cream, and the texture of ice cream). So there you go, I was creative once again. President Uchtdorf would be proud of me. I still need to work on the compassionate thing.

Trip to Kansas

When I was younger, I used to take vacations with a friend to San Diego. Now that I'm older, I go to Kansas with Bev. Anyway, Bev and I took a trip to southeastern Kansas last week so she could do some family history research. I just went along for the ride. It was a good trip. She found the information she needed, and we ate M&M's, red licorice, chocolate chip cookies, and rice krispie treats...and we laughed alot. What could be better! Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Grandparents Again!!

Yes, we are going to be grandparents yet again. Paula told us a few days ago that Lexi would be having a sibling. Due date is April 17th. Paula is very tired and nauseous, but at least has not been throwing up like she did with Lexi. We are excited to be having our 8th grandbaby!

I got to play Grandma on Monday and babysit Lexi while Paula and Eddie went out for his birthday. We had so much fun. Our house is a whole new adventure for Lexi now that she can walk. Bruce brought home this funny yellow plastic hat from work, and gave it to Lexi last night. Here are some pictures. Also, a picture of Lexi with a favorite toy...yes, it is Eddie's lightsaver. . . we have a true Star Wars baby!

Lexi with Lightsaver

Music on our playlist...

I know some of you will have something to say about the music we have chosen on our playlist for this blog, especially our children who will make fun of our "nodding" selections of Kenny G and Yanni. But hey, it's our blog and not yours, so get over it. It could be worse-we could be old fogies listening to hard rock or rap music or something crazy like that.

Strange Beans

So we got these weird bean seeds to plant this year in the garden. We found out they are called dragon tongue beans. They are yellowish green with purple streaks all over them, but then when you cook them, the streaks disappear and they are actually quite tasty and very tender. Well, today I was going to freeze several batches because we have beans coming out our ears. When you freeze beans, you need to blanch (boil them for about 3 min.) them first, then put them in ice water. Well, yesterday Daddy used up all the ice for the ice chest and forgot to turn the icemaker back on, so now we have no ice, so I can't freeze the beans. I guess they'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Labor Day at Green Mountain Falls

So we wanted to do something fun today...so we talked to our friend Bev (actually she is more like part of the family) and decided to take a picnic lunch to Green Mountain Falls. It was a beautiful day, and we just had fun getting out of the house and into the beautiful Colorado mountains.

Bruce in front of lake at Green Mtn Falls

Bruce, Cathy and Bev in front of falls