More Sweet Dreams

I love this picture of my curly headed girl because it looks like she fell asleep while kneeling in prayer.

This one shows her snuggled with her beloved kitten, Marie.

I love every action-packed, jumping, squealing, pouting, taquito-eating, potty-training, question-filled day with this girl. But my oh my, it sure is glorious when she is finally asleep for the night!

My Grandma - Part 4

I am writing a bit more about my relationship with my Grandma, Virginia Ann Rasmussen Zobrist. Here is part 1, part 2 and part 3

Sept 16, 2014:
My Uncle Paul picked up Jenny and I at the airport and took us straight to Legacy Assisted Living Center. We spent the next 2 1/2 days there except for short trips to Muff's house for a shower. Grandma didn't seem to recognize us and couldn't say our names. I had brought her a photo book I made of my Grandma Phillips' missionary journal and when I showed it to her, she immediately pointed to the picture on the cover and said, "That's my Grandma!" Some of her long term memory was still there, but the stroke had clearly impacted her.

Grandma didn't have any problem recognizing Cosmo the dog or saying his name.

Jenny and I were not there for a vacation, we were there to help care for Grandma and say goodbye to her. The nights were especially rough as Grandma kept trying to get out of bed, even though she wasn't able to stand. We slept on either side of her, trying to keep her safe.  She was often agitated and called out to unseen visitors. Sometimes she talked to her parents and other times she reached out to someone and talked to someone only she could see.

This was a very difficult time for all of us, but it was also a very special and spiritual experience. It was a chance to care for and serve Grandma. Never before had I been blessed to sit beside my grandma for hours, holding her hand and talking to her. Never before had she looked into my eyes with such love and gratitude.  To be sure, there were some very unpleasant and even funny moments, like when I informed Grandma that she was wearing a diaper and she didn't need to get up to use the bathroom. She gave me a very disgusted look and shook her head at me. Another time I kept moving her hand away from her face because I was afraid she was going to scratch herself. She finally got very frustrated with me and said, "I just need to pick my nose!"  And she did!

Despite Grandma's feeble condition, she still cared about her appearance.  My Aunt Muff was always so good to keep up with Grandma's nail and hair appointments. Since Grandma couldn't make the trip upstairs to the beauty parlor, her friend and former hairdresser Dena came to show us how to wash her hair in bed. This was an act of love as Dena was very sick herself! Together, Muff, Jenny and I were able to wash and blow dry grandma's hair. Later the hairdresser from the salon came to style Grandma's hair. My aunt told her not to worry about the back of her head since Grandma was bedridden. Afterward, Grandma let us know she was not at all happy about this decision!

Before and after Grandma's hair-do

When Jenny and I left to go home, we knew that it would be the last time we would see Grandma. We expected (and the hospice doctors and nurses agreed) that she would be gone within days. Before we left, I talked to Grandma about the trip she would be taking soon and reassured her how much I loved her.

A couple of days later, something amazing happened.  The aides came in to Grandma's room in the morning and found her sitting up in her jazzy chair. She had brushed her teeth and turned her robe around (they had it on backwards since she was bedridden). She was sitting at the table eating and wanted to know where my Aunt Muff was. Grandma had some crazy stories to tell and thought she was in Hawaii. She also explained that a woman had come to visit her and told her she'd been sick and needed to get up and out of bed. Despite her confusion, Grandma was back!  And just a few days later she had her hair done. She got it colored and styled and this time she had it done right. It was combed and curled front and back!

Grandma after her miraculous recovery

My Grandma - Part 3

I am finally posting the rest of the story about my grandma.  Here is part 1 and part 2.

Even as we all grew older, Grandma was always there for us. Eventually, she and Grandpa moved to an apartment in an assisted living center where they could ride their motorized "jazzy" scooters down the hall to lunch or to the hairdresser. We still stopped to see them on our trips to and from Utah and although we didn't spend the night or swim in their pool, the kids sometimes took a quick spin on a jazzy!

Grandpa in his jazzy

In 2008, Grandpa passed away, but Grandma was still going strong. She even took a few trips to California and was able to join us for Christmas. Awhile after my mom passed away, my Grandma went to live with my Aunt Muff and Uncle Paul in Utah. They built a special addition to their home just for Grandma. Now we had a bonus!  We got to visit Grandma AND Muff and Paul. In January 2012 we got to celebrate Grandma's 90th Birthday and I was able to make a photo book of the event. My cousin Heather gathered memories from many of Grandma's children, grandchildren and great-grands. I put them in the photo book along with pictures from the party. It was fun making the book and I knew that Grandma cherished it.  Grandma loved her posterity and could always tell you how many grandchildren she had and who was expecting the newest addition to the family.

In the summer of 2014, Grandma went to live at a lovely assisted living center just a mile from my Aunt's house. One day in September, I had the strongest feeling that I needed to go visit my Grandma as soon as possible. I called my sister and asked her if she wanted to join me and she immediately agreed. Between our busy schedules, it wasn't easy to find a time to travel, but we managed to squeeze in a few days the next week. A couple of days later, Aunt Muff called to tell me that Grandma had suffered a stroke. My brother David and his wife Annie flew to Utah to be with Grandma. After talking to them, I worried that we might not make it in time to see Grandma! Fortunately Annie is a nurse, and she must have used all her talents on Grandma because she was doing a little better by the time we arrived.

Sweet Dreams 2

Lavender woke up in the night and didn't want to go back in her bed. I didn't want her in our bed, so this was our compromise. She slept very happily in the chair in our room. Apparently the blanket covering her head made it even more comfy!

Sweet Dreams

This is how she fell asleep "on" her bed for naptime today: Standing up and leaning over the footboard.

ROAR!

Our little kitten is becoming a lion! 2015 has been full of changes for this girl and she is roaring through them.

We started the new year in Utah, getting Marianne and Aaron settled at BYU. We tried to prepare Lavender with lots of discussions, but once we went home without them, she was still growling at the loss of two of her favorite people. Of course, Evan is back in class too and Lavender often asks, "Where is everyone?!"

This did bring about one exciting change though. After nearly 3 years of sleeping in our closet, Lavender finally has a bedroom! She alternates between calling it "sissy's room" and "my room." Either way she loves it and decided to really shake things up by refusing to sleep in her "tent-bed" (crib) and insisting she needs a bed. She is now the proud owner of a "girl-size" toddler bed.

Unfortunately, she is not sleeping like a cat! She usually does great at night, but she is struggling with naps. And she is roaring and growling when she doesn't get one.

She has also been fiercely independent. She has insisted on dressing herself and potty training. Both are still a work in progress with Mom trying to soothe the savage beast that shows up when she gets frustrated.

She was also determined not to ride in her "too tight" car seat any longer. While she is still within the weight limits, she found it too confining. We have remedied the situation with a boatload of cash (have you priced car seats lately?) and two purple car seats--one in Mom's car and one in Dad's.

Finally, she is taking after Daniel in the lion's den with her prayers. She loves to pray and does so even when it is not her turn. She is no longer content to repeat our words. She takes off on her own with long lists of things she is grateful for and people to bless. She tries to remember everyone in our large, extended family, often stopping for clarification, "What is that other big boy's name?" Like a lioness, she is quick to remember the animals in her pride. She always blesses her nieces' dog Teddy and "Grandpa and Oma's big dog Max and little dog Missy."

Although she's been showing her fangs and claws lately, she still gives the sweetest hugs and kisses. She devours books, puzzles and applesauce pouches. She loves to be a "good helper" and is quick to say "thank you." She notices and appreciates the beauty in flowers, blue skies and rainbows.

We enjoy every minute with our little lion and savor those hours when she's curled up asleep and purring like a kitten!

Birthday Treats

Today is my Mom's birthday. She would have turned 73.  I'm guessing she looks more like 25 now. And since she's eternally young and thin (at least that's how I imagine heaven!), she would have no problem eating some of her favorite desserts.  I rarely make these, but they are delicious (although not gluten free or dairy free)! Here are a few recipes:

Brownies and Icing
(This is the one begged for by the boys in my seminary class. I made them all the time and when I was really busy, mom would make them for me and let me take all the credit.)

Mix:
2 c sugar
2 c flour
4 T cocoa

Add 3/4 c oil
1 stick butter
Pour in 1 c boiling water

Add:
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda in 1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs

Mix  well and pour into greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. As soon as brownies come from the oven spread with frosting. Let cool before cutting.

Icing
Mix and bring to a boil:
4 T cocoa
6 T milk
1 stick butter

Remove from heat and add:
4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c chopped nuts

Krazy Kake
This one is really easy and flexible.  You can make lemon or apple cake and top with whipped cream or ice cream.

Mix:
3 eggs
1 can lemon or apple pie filling
yellow cake mix

Put into greased 9 x 13 pan.

Topping
Mix with pastry blender:
1/2 c sugar (white for lemon, brown for apple)
1/4 c butter, cold
1/2 flour
(For apple add 1 tsp cinnamon & 1 tsp nutmeg)

Crumble on top of cake and bake at 350 for 30 min. It will look crazy and lumpy on top. Hence the name!

Hymie's Chocolate Fudge Cake
Great for birthdays! No need for frosting, but it's great with ice cream. You can add powdered sugar or a chocolate glaze, but Mom was a purist with this one.

Mix:
Devil's Food cake mix
1 package instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c water
1/2 c oil
8 oz sour cream

Cream for 5 min and add 1 package chocolate chips. Bake in greased bundt pan at 350 for 45 min.

This post shows a triple layer version of the brownies and the Hymie's cake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!