Hi all,

Just want you all to know that I have started yet another blog!!! I entered a contest and didn't know how to enter with my old one. So this one will just have some recipes once in a while. Wish me luck!!
http://sweetpeasposts.blogspot.com/

Love ya all.

News from Maya

Thought I would sent you all some pictures of Maddie, Lydia and Hayden. Rec'd a nice note from Maya and she kinda caught me up on their lives. They got a new puppy, cause they were all missing Lucy so much. Have a new border collie (she can herd the kids) and Maddie named her Josie.

Lydia is liking school and has become a geography nut, or so says her Mom. Likes making maps and singing "The Continent Song".

Isn't she beautiful in her Princess dress? Seems to me she is looking more and more like Maddie!

Maddie and Lydia with their American Girl Dolls. We are all going to Chicago some day and have lunch at the American Girl store. Maddie is loving reading all the stories about the American Girls.

Hayden is now talking up a storm and says "I wuv you" and gives great hugs and kisses, if they can catch him!! In Maya's words he is a pill. Must be like Maya, cause Ethan was the perfect child!!

Sounds like the whole family has really enjoyed the very snowy, long and cold winter, just like the rest of us. Guess Ethan's busniness has been a little slow, but I bet it will start to pick up soon. I am beginning to get hints of spring among the snowflakes. Lots of birds flitting around and squirrels are chasing each other all over the place. I'm excited, cause they say it could get up into the 40's this weekend before the temps plunge again next week! They are talking about coming up around July 4th. I am so ready for family to come up here!!

Really miss you all.

By the way if you click on the pictures, you can enlarge them!!

Remembering an old friend

Hi All,


Am feeling very sad today. Lost another great old friend. My old friend Sandy Sanback Sommers passed away yesterday February 27, 2008. Sandy has been my friend since 3rd grade at Fancher School in Mt. Pleasant, MI. She had a pony, named Duke that we rode until our legs dragged on the ground. Sandy had a wonderful love of animals and I can remember her always drawing pictures of horses. She became an Art Teacher and a renowned sculptor of animals in bronze. You can find info of her works by googling Sharon Sommers.







We spent many happy hours together and my Mom and Dad loved her as much I did and do.


This is Sandy on the right, me on left and Duke.

Think we were about 12 years old.










Her Christmas card from 2007. It so exemplifies Sandy.



Goodbye old friend - I will never forget you.

A Michigan Poem

Hi all,

The following poem was in our local newspaper and pretty well sums up my feelings.

It's winter in Michigan

And the gentle breezes blow

Sixty miles an hour

at 42 below.

Oh how I love Michigan

When the snow's up to your butt

You take a breath of winter

and your nose gets frozen shut

Yes, the weather here is wonderful

So I guess I'll hang around

I could never leave Michigan

'Cause I'm frozen to the ground

- Author unkown

I'm back!!

Oh happy day. Am back on line. Many, many thanks to you Ryan and Bob. I really will try to be good and not crash my computer again!!

As soon as I get everything back up to date I will be writing more news. The one good thing about being off line is that I read 4 books in two weeks and actually got out of the house and went some places.

Some news from Karen, Eddy and Owen.

Am sitting here again in a winter wonderland. I do believe the sky has broken!! Just spoke to Evan and they are all safe, thank goodness after such terrible storms rolled across AR. Such very strange weather even for them at this time of year. See the storms are headed toward GA today, so now there is another worry!!


I want to tell you all that one of the best gifts you all ever gave me, was the snow blower. It has really gotten a workout this year and I do not know what I would do without it. I really never thought I would say a snow blower was the best gift, but believe me it is true!!

As some of you know, Elie came over and had dinner with me last Sunday. Was so nice to have someone to eat with.(so much better than eating at the sink with peanut butter on a knife!) She is working hard at starting over. Know it is hard. Sure she could use encouragement from everyone.



Had a long phone call from Elin last night. They are all fine, busy as usual. Ian is getting ready to go to another school dance. Elin, Terry and Anna went skiing last weekend and by the sounds of it, it may be Elin's last time to ski. Sounds like it did not go to well. She has also quit smoking, which is a very good thing!

Both Katy and Jenny have also had their school dances and I understand they both looked beautiful.

Wouldn't it be nice if I could get some pics to show you all? Maybe someone will send me some!
If they do I will post them for all to see!


Last night I rec'd a nice note and pics from Karen that I am going to post. Little Owen is growing up so fast. Will be 6 months old in 2 days. Wow where does the time go. I have got to get to Iowa before long, can hardly stand it. I'm a working on it!!

Have been writing a little business which is very good. When weather gets a little better, I may go out and visit a few customers, maybe Bob can go with me. Love you all and miss you.



Here is note and pics from Karen:

Owen and Mom

Here are some recent photos of little Owen. He is growing like a weed and really has a great personality. He is so much fun. We can't just lay him down on the floor anymore because he just rolls to where ever he wants to go. He is also sitting up pretty well by himself. Owen is an active little guy and really likes his "Johnny Jump Up." He'll jump in that thing for a good 1/2 hour or so! It is hard to believe that Owen will be 6 months old on Friday. Eddy is a wonderful dad and has been doing a great job staying home with Owen part time while my mom is recovering from her radiation treatments. We hope that she can come back and start watching Owen again soon. Right now she is recovering from the flu, so we are also dog sitting Macy. Macy is a great house guest and likes to sit on my lap with Owen for story time. I only have 7 more days at my current employer. I have been with Holmes Murphy for 9 years as a Client Service Executive. It is quite a demanding job with lots of extra hours and stress. I decided that it just wasn't worth it anymore. I will be starting a new job at GuideOne Insurance Company on February 29th as a Product Management Specialist. I will be working in their product development department. The position will be project based and my life will no longer revolve around renewal dates. I am so excited! I would like to thank Traci and Patti for motivating me to keep in better touch with family and friends. I am very impressed by both of their blogs and have enjoyed keeping up to date with them.
Take care, Karen

Check out those eyes - do you see any Johnston there??

And do see him sitting up all by himself? Way to go, Owen!

Love you all. Grandma Poppi

Wondering....

I was thinking today about the time when we traveled with CB's and everyone had what they called a handle. Poppie was the, Iowa Meat Grinder and I was, Snowhite. I was Snowhite for the obivious reason of having 7 kids (dwarfs).

Someone ask me the other day if I remembered the name of the seven dwarfs and I did not. In this age of instant information I soon found out. Do you remember their names?

They are:
Two S's: Sleepy and Sneezy; two D's: Dopey and Doc; and three emotions: Happy, Bashful, and Grumpy.

I thought it would interesting to match each of the 7 kids with the dwarf names. I have them in my mind, but would be interested to know how you would match them up.

You can tell by this blog that I have way too much time on my hands. Oh well, a girl has to have fun!!

Love ya all.