"BACON EXPLOSION"

For all of you pork lovers out there... That's what it's called... the "BACON EXPLOSION". Steve was watching TV one night and decided to try out a website and recipe offered. On Saturday we took a little drive to Pinetop in order to find "homemade Italian sausage". (all this in preparation for the Super Bowl, of course) This really is an amazing recipe and well worth trying. Steve is getting to be quite the gourmet chef! Now he does turkey, omlets and the bacon explosion. The bacon weave was amazing. It really looks too pretty to eat. This can be done on the grill or in the oven. To get the recipe go to http://www.bbqaddicts.com/ and scroll down just a little ways. Use whatever seasoning and sauce you like, it's guaranteed to be yummy. very, very filling.One must be a pork lover and willing to learn to weave bacon.

the bacon weave covered with bbq sauce


getting ready to wrap the weave around sausage roll

almost ready for the oven

not only one, but TWO

He's so proud of himself! Who ever thought in a millions years that I'd get a picture of him in the kitchen!

finished product

YUMMY! Kooper having a little sample.

CHRISTMAS 2008

Just a few shots of Christmas 2008. I think I was too busy to get many pictures but here are a few. Nate, Jen and family and Dan, Chelsee and Camdyn were here with us Christmas morning, along with Tim and Tori, Kevin and Amanda. Linde, Luke and the kids spent Christmas in Flagstaff and then moved in with us on Friday. What a busy time! Our house is full now and more fun than ever. I mentioned to a friend that it felt like the house had a "heartbeat" again!! I am loving every minute and are so happy to have Linde. Luke and their family here with us. They are in the process of finding house plans, etc. so Steve can get them a house built. We are thankful that Luke's job is letting him transfer here and work out of this area. Kooper is a constant source of entertainment for us! We wonder now how empty our days must have been without his funny antics! So, life has changed but it is good and I am loving every minute. (and I sleep very well at night) :) Life is good!

PLAYIN' IN THE SNOW

• We had a "White Christmas" and it sure was fun! Santa brought Grampa a little red sled just the right size for the grandkids. Camdyn sure enjoyed it, almost as much as Grammie, her Dad and Amanda did. What fun we had pulling her and just enjoying one another. Steve and Kevin took off on the Prowler and we wondered if they'd ever been seen again. Here are some of our pictures in the snow. I'm not sure who had more fun, Amanda or Camdyn! Grammie was trying out her new snowshoes and they sure are nice!

Daniel pulling Camdyn with Grammie following

Grammie pulling Camdyn

Daniel and Camdyn

Camdyn

OOPS!

Grammie, Amanda and Camdyn

Cam and Grampa

Amanda

Colleen

Daniel and Camdyn

Kevin and Steve

Colleen and Amanda

Kevin and Amanda

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANDY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANDY!

This picture was taken YEARS ago, my guess is, we were pretty YOUNG!!!

WAY BACK THEN we took swimming lesson at the Tunbridge Pool. This is a picture of (left to right) my sister Rose-Marie, me, (Colleen) and Candis Tuller. (better known as Candy) My earliest memories of a good friend go back to Candy. We attended Tunbridge Central School together and South Royalton High School. Not only are we friends but we are also cousins. (our grandmothers were sisters) Over the years she has been a constant source of support and love to our family. Here are a few memories that I have of Candy.... and I hope she'll forgive me for this post but I HAD to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

*going to school in Tunbridge (Robbie Howe was our best friend)

*getting to play Barbies with her when Mom went for groceries on Sat morning, what a treat!

*the playground (teeter-totter, less said the better)

*Miss Hill (Mrs. Dodge) and Mrs. Tewksbury, our favorite teachers

*swimming lessons

*study halls and classes at SRHS

*loving the outfits her Mom made her all through school

*taking my new babies home to stop and see Candy and Gladys

*always honking the horn when we went by their house (and we still do)

*visits on the phone over the years

*her gifts to my new babies

*getting excited for her when Geoffrey and Jaimond were born

*getting excited with her when Olivia and Meghan were born

*her visits to the barn with Dad, how he loved to have her come up

*hearing of her latest visit with Mom and knowing she misses the visits as much as I do

*she loves my brother almost as much as I do

*Weathervane and Sandy's-scallops, YUM

*her emotional support and friendship over the years

*my kids love her

*she takes such good care of her Mom

*enjoys her visits with my husband and Steve picking on her

*is an enduring friend and will be for years to come

We all love you and hope you have a Happy, Happy Day!

CURSED WITH "NICOLL" HAIR

What can I say... poor little rascals got cursed with NICOLL hair! Every morning, (and nap time) when they wake up it sure looks like a thousand rats were making nests in their hair!! I laugh every time I see them coming into the kitchen for breakfast and their hair is all matted. Cam got "blessed" with her Dad's hair and Kooper, from the back, looks just like Daniel did at that age! So, looks like they have you to thank Daniel! Just had to post this so you could "see" heredity in the making! Kooper

Camdyn

THE BRIDGE

I've been promising a post about Steve's recent bridge building project, so here goes...

Below are pictures of the bridge he completed on November 20th. This was a project that has been in the works for the past year and a half. He has been working with the US Forest Service and the local ATV Club. This bridge is 7 feet wide and 50 feet long, weighing about 15,000 pounds. It was prebuilt in his "red barn" (shop) in about 3 days and then loaded on a semi truck, which transported it to the final site.

Steve in the shop with the bridge before being loaded on the truck.
Yahoo, the bridge is FINISHED!

Two fork lifts were used to lift the bridge.

Steve on the fork lift.

Lowering the bridge onto the semi.

Loaded and ready for delivery.

Colleen and the Mayor of Eagar, Kim Halloway.

75,000 pound crane lowering bridge onto foundation.

Some people take their dogs for walks, here Steve takes his bridge for a walk.

Walking across installed bridge.

The finale!!!

Kason, Kyron, Colleen, Kenzi, Daniel, Luke holding Kooper and Linde.

Linde and Colleen

Kooper and Luke

Kyron, Kason and Kenzi

Daniel and Steve on the bridge, Thanksgiving Day 2008.