A visit with Cassie

 Last week, Bob and I both had the same day off.  I had an appointment with my rheumatologist which is quite a drive from our house, but thankfully I only have to go there every 6 months.  Bob said he would come along, for company on the drive.
In the meantime, we both got a text from Heather saying Cassie got an "owie" on a finger and told her Grandpa and Grandma had to come fix it.

Of course we decided that we would leave early for the appointment and make a stop to see her!

She loves books!  Shortly after we arrived, she brought Bob this book to read.

Then she decided she should try on his cap.

I think she looks pretty cute in that cap!

Soon, we had to leave for my appointment.  She cried when we left.  "Cassie go too?"   It tore at our heartstrings!

The appointment went well, but visiting Cassie was the best part of the day.

Friday Funny

 

Cooking Thursday

 Last week I tried something new that was a big hit.  These chicken taquitos were easy to make and they make a bunch (20 to be precise!)  Once they are assembled, you can bake them all, or freeze some to make later.  They were really tasty, with creamy, cheesy filling and a crispy shell. 

Baked Chicken Taquitos

3 cups cooked, shredded, chicken
8 ounces softened cream cheese
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
½ cup salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
20 flour tortillas (6 inch)
Olive oil or melted butter

Mix all but tortillas together. Place 2 tablespoons mix on each tortilla and roll.
To use right away, brush with olive oil or melted butter and roll bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with sour cream or salsa for dipping.
Or you may freeze them, then place frozen in 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Wordless Wednesday

 

(Yes, it snowed again)

Spring Floods

 We had some pretty significant flooding this Spring.  This happened while I was on my blog break, but I wanted to share some pictures with you.

We live just a few miles from the Grand River, and there is a little park on the area near us.  I go there often to take pictures.

I knew there was flooding going on, but I was still surprised when I drove in and found that I could even get to the parking lot. You can see the edge of the parking lot on the right side of this photo, with quite a bit of water over the drive.
So, I parked right at the entry and walked on higher ground to get in.

Here's the bridge over the river.  You can see how close the water is to the bottom of the bridge and get an idea of how far the water is over the banks.  It always looks so muddy and full of debris when it's flooding.

Another part of the drive that's flooded.  You can see a road sign on the left side of the picture.  The trees that look like they are in the middle of the water are usually on the bank of the river.

These steps usually go down to the river bank, but now the river has come to them.

This is the top of a picnic table.  No one is having lunch there today!

One more area that is usually a drive, and now has water flowing through it.

The water is still a little high, but now has mostly receded.  It's always interesting to see this area when it's flooded.

Easy woolly sheep

 Alaina and Ruby spent the night last Friday.  It was a nice day and we even got to spend some time outside.

A friend from my work had given them some glow sticks and they had fun with them.

The next day we did a fun and easy craft, making woolly sheep.

I painted the squeeze part of some clip clothespins black. You need 2 clothespins per sheep.  Then I cut out a kidney shaped piece of cardboard or posterboard.  (I used paper plates)

The girls used a black sharpie to color a black face.

Then, you clip 2 clothespins to each body. 

Use thick yarn, color of your choice and wrap it around the body, covering all the white area.

Add a white dot to the face for an eye.

Here's our finished sheep!

Friday Funny

 

Cooking Thursday

I've got another new recipe to share today.  I've been trying to make some of these recipes I've saved and then forgotten to try.  I get into a cooking rut and find myself making the same things a lot.  :)
Anyway, this is a hot ham and cheese croisantwich, made with refrigerated crescent roll dough.  It makes a 9x13 pan, so you can feed a bunch and is something a little different. This is cheesy and good, with just a little bit of a kick from the pepperjack cheese.  If you don't like that, you can change it for another type of cheese.

Hot Ham and Cheese Croissantwich
2 tubes Pillsbury crescent rolls (I buy the crescent sheets so I don't have to deal with the perforations.
1/2 to 3/4 pound deli ham
6 slices pepperjack cheese
6 slices swiss cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons mustard
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Grease a 9x13 pan and set oven to 350 degrees.
Spread 1 tube of crescent dough into pan and press to fit.
Bake for about 15 minutes, it won't be done because it will be baked again when assembled.
Mix mayonnaise and mustard together.  Spread over baked crescent rolls.
Lay the 6 slices of pepperjack cheese over top, then layer the ham and then the 6 slices of swiss cheese.  
Spread the remaining tube of crescent dough on top, stretching to fit.
Stir together the melted butter, garlic and parsley and brush over top.
Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.  

Not so Wordless Wednesday - Welcome Spring!

 

It's been such a crazy winter!  We are thrilled to see Spring arrive.

Even with the Spring flowers popping out, we got snowed on for much of Monday.

But, there is this:

Crocus

(I love seeing the trees with that hint of green, knowing that in a week this will look so different!)

Daffodils

Forsythia

 Forsythia from a distance

 

Wild hyacinth

Leaves popping out all over.

Grecian Windflowers

Blessing in the sadness

 As I told you yesterday, my sisters and I were so happy to be with my Dad when he passed.  We were happy we were able to keep him home and take care of him those last few days.
I have some random photos of the week that followed to share with you.

The visitation was really a wonderful time.  So many people came, some that I hadn't seen for some time.  A girl I graduated from high school with came and I hadn't seen her since that time!  Each person who took time to come was greatly appreciated.
It was quite crowded for much of the time, but at one point Bob told me to look across the room.  Alaina had seen Ann sitting down and went to sit with her, which made Ann so happy.  :)

The next day we had a packaged delivered and it was this pretty wind chime from the girls I work with.  Bob put it up right away, and now when I hear the chimes, I think of my Dad.

It's a memorial wind chime, with this hanging from it.

We got such pretty flowers, including this one from my dear friend Jenny, of I'm Having a Thought Here.  A week later, they are still on my table looking pretty!

Our small group from church sent this cheerful arrangement and brought us a lovely meal.

We got so many cards, including some from blog friends.  Each one was appreciated.

Andy and Nikki came from Kentucky and were here for 4 days.  It was good to spend time with them.

Here's Laura and Aaron and family.  Alaina and Ruby had a hard time with all this.  They loved their great grandpa and this is really the first loss they've had to deal with. They were so good at the Funeral and visitation.

I didn't have time to take pictures, so I'm afraid I don't have any of Heather, Andrew and Cassie.  Cassie didn't come to the funeral, but she was at the visitation.  My Dad dearly loved those 3 great granddaughters!

The funeral was so nice, with songs my Dad had chosen.  Bob spoke, telling some memories and funny stories of Dad.  (There are lots of them!)  He talked about what he meant to our family and talked about Dad's wishes to see each person who was at the funeral, in heaven.  Dad's Pastor also gave a great message. The service ended with the casket going out to the song "I'll Fly Away".

Through it all, we felt very loved by our heavenly Father, and by our friends and family here.  I miss Dad, but surely couldn't wish him back.

Last Tuesday, I had a call from Ann's daughter that she had fallen and broken her arm. It's her right arm, and you may remember me talking about how she loves bowling.
She was moving into an Assisted Living Place on Monday.  This is very hard for her, as she is always busy doing something.  She's had so much loss in the last two weeks and this is very hard for her.  Until the move, her kids have been staying with her all the time. 

I stopped with Alaina and Ruby on Saturday. She was so happy to see the girls and I promised her they would be coming to see her at her new place too.
Please pray for a good adjustment for her.
Thank you for your prayers for my family and I!

I'm back

 It's been a few weeks since I've been here and those weeks have been busy, eventful, sad and blessed...
Many of you already know this from facebook, but my sweet Dad passed away on April 3.  He went on hospice last June and at that time wasn't expected to live more than a few months, but as he did so many times, he bounced back and did quite well for 9 months.  You may remember that he even celebrated his 92nd birthday in March with all of us around him.
He had been getting much weaker toward the end of March.  On Friday, the 31st he had an appointment with his tax people and he wanted to go.  My sister Cheri and I took him, he went in and talked to the people he knew, joked around with them as he usually did. On the way home he wanted to stop at a place that has malts that he loved, so of course we did.

Here he is, back at his house enjoying his malt.
He was really tired out though.  The hospice nurse told us to tell people to come see him as more declines were expected.
Laura and Heather and their families all came Saturday morning.  He recognized them and was able to talk a little, but by Sunday he was mostly sleeping.  Hospice came again, brought him a hospital bed and we stayed with him.
On Sunday afternoon, we told him we would be ok, and that Ann would be too.  He said "I'll see you all in heaven", and shortly after that he said "I'm packing my bags."  Those were his last words.
By Sunday night he was not responding at all and he passed away shortly after noon on Monday.  Ann, my 2 sisters and I were with him, and he was very peaceful.  We were so happy we had been able to keep him home and that he passed quickly and peacefully.

Here he is at about 8.

This picture was taken when he worked for the road commission, doing lots of snow plowing in the winter and mowing in the summer.

Last, I want to share something I wrote for his funeral bulletin that tells more about him.  

Elmer DeWeerd was born in 1931, the 5^th of 10 children.  He had 5 sisters and 4 brothers; one sister died as a child. It was a busy household with several mischievous kids, one of which was my dad.  We used to hear stories of the pranks they pulled on each other.  Good thing their mom had a good sense of humor and lots of patience!

Dad went to school through 8^th grade, then started farming.  He left briefly and served in the army, spending time in Germany where he made some life long friends.

Shortly after returning he married Jeanette Zinger and they settled on 32^nd street.  His brother Purcel lived across the street and they farmed together.

Elmer and Jeanette had 4 kids; Maribeth, Duane, Terri and Cheryl.  He was a strict, but fun Dad.  The kids remember him coming home for lunch and playing with them, other times they would bring lunch out to him in the field and eat with him there. Church was central in their life and the kids remember seeing him on his knees next to his bed praying. There was always a lot of teasing and laughter as well.
In 1972 the highway went through their land, which meant there wasn't enough land for both Elmer and Purcel to farm.  Elmer decided to go to work for Road Commission.  He enjoyed driving the trucks and plowing snow, even though there were often middle of the night calls to go to work.
At that time, Elmer and Jeanette built the house on Quincy street where he lived till his passing.

As the kids grew and left the house, Elmer and Jeanette were able to do more traveling, and also enjoyed staying at cottages and doing lots of fishing.
Jeanette passed away suddenly in 2003 and Elmer was lonely but he enjoyed spending time with his kids and starting doing things like making pies, canning juice and sharing those goods. He also started bowling and it was there that he met Ann Postma and started telling his kids about this new friend.

Ann brought new joy to his life.  They had such fun with each other, frequently laughing and teasing.  Bowling was always important, but they also enjoyed camping up north, spending time in Florida in the winter, playing cards.
With Ann came more kids, grandkids and great grandkids to love and enjoy, and he certainly did!  During this time, Elmer also had grandkids getting married and he welcomed those new family members along with 3 great granddaughters that were a great joy to him.  He always made sure he had suckers in the house so none of the little kids left the house without one when they visited.
As his health started to fail and his vision was decreasing, he wasn't able to get out as much as he had before.  He continued to bowl for as long as he could and made it to church just the week before his death. He continued to smile and joke; visits to see him and Ann were always enjoyable.
The day before his death, he told his kids he would see them in heaven, and then that he was packing his bags.  Those were his last words.  He left a great legacy of faith.

I was so blessed to have such a wonderful Dad.  I miss him, but am so thankful to have had him for all these years, and even more thankful that I know of his faith in Jesus, and the knowledge that I will see him in heaven.

Taking a break

 

Hi my blogging friends.  My dear Dad, who've you've heard lots about over the past years has had a real decline in health and life is a little crazy as we navigate taking care of him in these days.  So, I'm taking a break for now.  Your prayers are very appreciated.