Birthdays...honestly

Honestly, birthdays are a day of reflection for me. Usually the night before and the morning of my birthday I think a lot about my mom and dad, and what they were feeling on the day I was born. Okay, I've reflected and the day goes on...

I had a great lunch with my friends Darla, Mary Jo and Rose. They spoil me, and brought me great gifts. A girl always loves girlfriend gifts because they are so.. personal...some make me laugh, and some make me cry. Deb sent me a hilarious card, and a scented car freshner tucked in the card...now I think of her every time I jump into my little Honda. Tammy treated me to lunch on Thursday at the BSU Bronco Zone.

Dinner was celebrated at my favorite restaurant, Pad Thai at Overland and Five Mile. Jenny runs the place, and is always there to greet her customers with a smile and a hug. Birthday cake at Suzanne and Jeff's capped off a wonderful birthday. Thank you to all my friends and families - I love you all!

So far, I don't feel a day over ... let's say ... 50!. Yes, I will just stay at 50.


And who can't but love a bouquet of beautiful sunny flowers from their grand-dogs. Mattie and Tulo sent me some sunny flowers for my birthday. Sweet pooches. See, there is a tiara on my desk too, but can't quite bring myself to wear it at the office. Thanks Melissa!


Just after dinner, and before cake. One of the best birthdays.

Baby Girl * Coming Soon!

On my 2010 birthday, Suzanne and her little wee one at 28 weeks. My daughter, and her daughter.


See, there she is, under her mom's sweater and inside her little baby cocoon, my little grand daughter! She is expected to make her appearance around the middle of May, perhaps, on my sister Debbie May's birthday (May 11) or my grandmother Florence May's birthday (May 13). Or, just maybe, Suzanne and Jeff's baby girl will create her own special birth.day!

Boise State Wins the 2010 Fiesta Bowl!

Boise State beat TSU 17-10! Can you believe it? What a great game, and we are so glad we traveled to the land of the sun (Phoenix) to watch the Broncos in their victory.

I have so many pictures and saw so many people the few here are just a glimpse of our journey.

Christmas Eve 2009

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.
Jeff, Suzanne, Vicky and Fred
Tulo, Rocco and Mattie

Shortest Day of the Year 2009

Today we celebrate the first day of winter. The days will be a little longer from now until the summer solstice (my favorite day of the year). Old man winter has arrived screaming....wicked commute today as the roads were icy, snowy, and I saw about 5 wrecks in 10 minutes. Very S C A R Y!

Downtown Boise

Christmas Buckeyes

I have Christmas memories of making a few sweet treats, cutting out sugar cookies on the kitchen table when I was about 4 years old at our Williams Street house, making chocolate swedish tea cakes, and my favorite treat, Buckeyes. Buckeyes are special peanut butter balls that look like a real Buckeye nut, from a Buckeye tree, that grows in Ohio. I made Buckeyes this year at Suzanne's request, and shared them with a few special people.

Here's the recipe Amy!

The Original Buckeye Recipe

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar

4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 T. shortening

1. Mix together peanut butter, vanilla, butter and powdered sugar. The dough will look dry. Roll into one large ball, and refrigerate dough about 30 minutes.
2. Roll into 1 inch balls, and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
3. Press a toothpick into the top of each ball, and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave until melted. Stir frequently.
5. Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate, holding onto the toothpick. Leave a small amount of peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like Buckeyes. Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

Case Christmas Party 2009

I have great friends. I am very blessed to have 2 amazing women in my life. Mary Jo and Darla. The Case Christmas party is fabulous and I love seeing everyone. Great food, great friends, and good cheer.

Mountain Home Holiday Light Parade

Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce hosted a Holiday Night Light Parade on Dec 4th. I decorated the Bronco van with lights, wreaths, and tinsel and put her in the lineup with the other floats. Marcus and his friend waved and tossed out candy to the kids along the route, and we had great fun! But, burr, it was zero degrees!

Merry Christmas friends and family, and love and peace to you in 2010.

Christmas Bunco

Love our special Christmas Bunco that Toni hosts each year! We laugh, exchange ornmanets, and eat and drink until we are all very merry!

Merry Christmas Bunco Babes!
Front..Rose, Dawn, Dawn, Lisa, Sandy
Kris..going solo in the middle
Back...Vicky, Bonnie, Dorene, Toni, Tammy, Fran, Toni

St. Luke's Christmas Social

I invited the gals I work with to a holiday social in the Bronco Zone at the Stueckle Sky Center to kick off the week before Christmas. We were so excited to see the city lights of downtown Boise, the blue turf, BUT the fog rolled in and we had no view.

Front: Joanne, Marilyn, Cheryl, Cathy, Sarah, Carol
Back: Melissa, Vicky, Terry, Becky

Tulo is waiting for Santa!

Tulo's first Christmas. Next Christmas, Tulo will be a dog once more. Dogs are well, dogs, when a new baby takes over the house.

" Clink*Clink " ornament!

This is my ornament for our Bunco ornament exchange...

and this was my inspiration ornament. I think the inspiration ornament wins the trophy. Simple as pie, take a margarita glass, fill it with glittery snow, and pop the prettiest ornament you have in the 'rita glass.

Boise State is headed to the Fiesta Bowl!

2009 WAC Champs---Boise State University! BSU is playing TCU January 4, 2010 in the Fiesta Bowl. Phoenix here we come! A few days in the sun plus hitting all the Fiesta Bowl activities. Parade, pep rally and kick off is at 6 pm MDT. Go Broncos!
Kellen Moore, the best Quarterback in the Nation!

Buster, the Best Mascot in Nation!


Tostito's Fiesta Bowl ~ better be ready for Bronco Nation!


Kirby Moore post game after BSU won the 2009 WAC championship game - we all jumped on the field for the trophy presentation.

Shop with a Cop and the BSU vs. Idaho game

As we were headed out of town to the Boise State vs. Idaho game, we stopped at Sunset C for a Red Bull and Coffee (no, we really didn't need any more hype). The Citizens on Patrol (COPS) and volunteers were collecting donations for our local youngsters to go shopping with a cop before Christmas. We made our donation, and COPS wanted a team picture with the Bronco Van.

Nice work and thanks to the volunteers - I think they made a couple hundred bucks in a few hours for the Mountain Home kids.

My family - the two girls and the two guys


Doug, Kim and Andy ~ always room for orange and blue Jello!


Horizon Airline's Boise State University airplane. The plane did a fly over before the Boise State vs. Idaho game Nov 14 09. Beautiful plane. This is the plane that the Univ. of Idaho AD would not board on the flight from northern Idaho to Boise for the big in-state rivalry game. Funny thing was the BSU Horizon plane didn't make national news UNTIL the U of I athletic director refused to get on the plane which was to take him to Boise. He drove to Spokane and jumped on another flight.



A guy brought his Llama decked out in Bronco gear. Llamas love Broncos - hope that doesn't mess nature up.


Beer Pong on a Bronco Board


And one more Bronco Beer Pong table


NO. 6 BOISE STATE WINS GOVERNOR'S CUP WITH DOMINATING 63-25 WIN OVER IDAHO!

Get out your bread supplies

I found a delicious bread recipe that is so SIMPLE even I can make it. Using lecithin and yeast, I had dinner on the table in 90 minutes on Sunday afternoon. Try it, your family will love it! Let me know if you want the recipe. This recipe mades 4 batches, next time I'll cut the recipe in half!

Southwest Chicken Braid, Italian Bread, Strawberry/Cream Cheese Braid

BSU vs. UC Davis Victory!

October 30, 2009...Victory over UC Davis.

Vicky, Suzanne and Rose - bronco nation at it's best!

H1N1 Desktop

Some of us use the new Windows 7 operating system, this is MY new operating system and what I have on my desk top at work...4 hand sanitizers. I've had my shot so hopefully I am out of the woods.

Check out the sweet card on my desk for those of you who haven't heard the happy news yet.

Only in Mountain Home...at Wal Mart

would you see this license plate, along with a skulll and feather hood ornament!

Dancing with the Stars Gala Preimere Night

Rose and I are DWTS groupies...we call and text every week with our expert opinions and critiques of the couples. Rose hosted a premiere night at her home so we all watched the opening night together. Bonnie, Lisa, Tammy, Dawn, Rose and I are all DWTS wanna-bees. Don't forget to vote - our "puppy love" favorite is Donny Osmond!

Women's Fitness Celebration 2009

Time to Celebrate and Enjoy the Good Times! Rose, Suzanne and I had a great morning - walked fast, ate some good food in the park, and strolled through the Saturday Market and bought a few fun things.


Met an old friend on the course, Suzanne Holl. She is a walking chick for sure! Was great to see her again!