Mary Louise Richardson Walker

I had a dream about my Aunt Mary Lou last night.

I dreamed that I went to

Grandmother/Mary Lou's house and it was spotless -

no sign of anyone living there. 

All the furniture was there,
but there were no personal belongings. 

I walked into Mary Lou's room

and looked at the beautiful old fireplace.

(It used to be my Great-Grandmother's home -

five generations have been raised in that house.)

I then turned to Mary Lou and asked her 

why the house was so bare and where everything had gone. 

Then I looked at her again and said, "You're ready to go aren't you?" 

And she smiled at me and said "yes" and then the dream shifted. 

I didn't really think anything of it until this afternoon

when I received a text at 4:37 pm
telling me that my dear Aunt Mary Lou
died today from a brain aneurysm.

She is one of the women I have admired most in my life.

She is a strong, beautiful, smart, funny, independent lady.

This is a picture of her in her early thirties.

My Uncle Elliot was diagnosed with Polio when
Mary Lou was expecting their second child.

Elliot spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair
teaching everyone around him the
significant and eternal aspects of life.

Mary Lou went back to school and got her degree

in teaching, and then a Doctorate in Education Administration.

She was a Counselor, a Vice Principal, and then a Principal

at a variety of schools in the Granite School District.

Mary Lou and Elliot have five beautiful children.
All those Walkers have the best sense of humors
I have ever known in my life.

Mary Lou - you will be missed so much -
but there sure are a lot of people rejoicing right now
as you are welcomed back into their presence.

Brothers

WOW! I love that there are some souls out there that read my blog!!!

THANK YOU!

It means the world to me . . . really!

So I have decided to be brave like the true bloggers

and post a "little pinch of me" everyday . . .

even if it means no picture.

Although I do have to show you all this one

because I think it is rather . . .

sweet . . . should we say?

First of all . . . don't you love the way

Doug looks like he is praying?

Don't be deceived - he was once a complete rascal.

But not anymore.

The two boys sitting next to me are

wonderful good kind righteous amazing men.

These are my brothers Douglas and David
. . . along with young sweet Michael,

(who I still love and will always love and will see

one day when I pass through the Veil of Heaven)
they have watched over me my entire life.

And that doll that I am gripping. Still have it.

Still have the dress. Wish I still had the shoes.

In an adult size actually.
I wonder if my mother posed my feet for me that way?
Very Princess of Wales poise at a very young age.
What happened?

A Very Delinquent Blogger

I have been a very delinquent blogger lately . . .

and for the handful of faithful friends who tune in

to see a picture of Grant or

even perhaps a rare appearance of a recipe . . .

I apologize.

January and February have become

very difficult months for me to enjoy.

Something about cold . . .

short darker days . . .

the fact that I am getting older . . .

and the month following those two months

I get even older.

So please don't give up on me.

I promise I will get my creativity back

and start posting a bit more often.

Maybe even more than a bit.

A Portrait Without Paint

There are moments in life when you slow down,

and just watch the world around you.

Yesterday was one of those days for me.

January was long and cold, and February 
has been short and cold.

So hunkered down inside my house 
despite the sunshine

that kept trying to break through yesterday,

I watched Grant for a few hours.

Katie wanted me to take a picture 
with my phone and send to her.

Needless to say . . . 
my phone does not take perfect pictures.

Especially if the subject is constantly moving.

Somehow this little guy paused for a brief second,

giving me a Blue Boy sort of face.

My little Blue Boy. With Green Eyes.
Wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans.
Playing with a red tractor that was Tanner's.
How I dearly love him.

Grant's Cupie Doll face.
I love that look too.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies

So much for my promise of posting . . . 

but here they are the decadent little morsels 

I mentioned earlier in the week.

And yes . . . one of these days I will learn to take a photo that looks like all the other blogs.
Until then . . . my baked items will be slightly blurred.
I am a cook, not a photographer.
Not really anyway.
Mostly I am just a craver of delicious foods.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix together until creamy, butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar.

Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

Add flour, soda, and baking powder and blend well.

Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet and criss-cross with fork.

Bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 12 minutes.

I like them just barely browned.

When cooled frost with the following:

Peanut Butter Frosting

 1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup whipping cream

powdered sugar

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

powdered sugar

Mix each with enough powdered sugar to make a soft spreading consistency.

You will notice that I did not mix my frosting as well as I should have. There are little flecks of butter and cocoa.
Oh well . . . still tasted divine. 

Grant Learns To Climb Stairs

I haven't been blogging lately.

I caught a sore throat, started school,

and have just been hoping spring will come early this year.

So to cheer myself up I took some pictures of life around me.

Here are my favorite pictures of watching Grant 
climb stairs earlier in the week,

and a day later tearing apart my kitchen and office.

I adore this kid.

 Tomorrow I will post a picture of the 

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies 

we made while Grant was having a grand time.