It's Almost Time

Since "Sugar Cookie" Season is fast approaching (some call it Valentines Day) I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes. It has a lot of history. My sweet redheaded sis Suzie gave it to me along time ago. I think the recipe has been doubled maybe even tripled over time so you could cut in half (heaven forbid) or I sometimes 1 1/2 times it depending on the project. when my kids were little we would make them at Halloween, each kid making his/her own and decorating. They would get to do with them what they wanted and I remember Nate keeping them under his bed till they were gone. We made big heart shaped ones for our neighbors, one for each member of the family putting their names on each one. We worked for days and I think one year I bought 25 pounds of powder sugar for the frosting (and used almost all of it!) We would then deliver our treasures out to each family. What fun!! My sister Yvonne likes them plain without frosting (I don't know what is wrong with her) but you can color the dough if you have anybody strange like that. Or put sugar crystals on them too! Anyway start some traditions of your own, put this one in the recipe box, it is a keeper and most of all take time to eat too many yourself.

SUGAR COOKIES

7 cups of flour

2 cups shortening (crisco)

4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup milk

Mix together flour,salt, baking powder and sugar

Cut in shortening like you would for pie dough

Beat eggs and milk together

Add to flour mixture and mix (okay this is the part if you have a kitchen aid mixer, use it)

If not then mix by hand, if you have a large teenage boy or husband around to do this part it really helps.

Roll out, cut you favorite shapes. Bake on PAM sprayed cookie sheet @375 for 9-11 minutes

These stay soft for along time, they can be made and frozen until you are ready to frost.

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

1 cup shortening

1 cup butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 lbs powder sugar

milk or water to thin

beat butter, shortening together, add vanilla then powder sugar 1/3 at a time till combined

You can substitute 8 oz of cream cheese for the shortening (yummy)

instead of vanilla add 1 tsp almond extract and 1 tsp vanilla

Instead of extract with the cream cheese add some orange zest and some orange juice to thin (again yummy)

Aly Sofia's Big Day

On a cold January 14th 2008 Grandma Deanie was lucky enough to spend the day with Max and Annie anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new baby sister.
Mom and Dad got up really early and made the trek to the hospital while we played games, watched TV, tapped our toes and melted a
couple of pacifiers on the stove instead of sterilizing them(Grandma Deanie was too busy playing games).
Around 3:00 in the afternoon Dad calls and tells us she is almost here and we better get to the hospital in a hurry. By this time Max is sacked out on the couch and boots are hiding. We find all the boots, coats, mittens and kids and get buckled into the van.

As we are flying down Bangerter I had an overwhelming feeling come over me and I start to cry uncontrollably.

Just then I heard Kirk's voice say to me "I am giving her to you guys now, take good care of her". I looked at my watch and we quietly made our way to the hospital.

We went in the wrong door and had to wander the halls before finally finding the room with our precious new addition.

She was beautiful and Aly promptly named her "Minnie".

I asked what time she arrived and it had been the exact time I heard from Kirk.

Our Minnie has been such an amazing addition to the family, she is funny, she is way to smart for her age and she makes me laugh all the time.

Happy First Birthday to my Aly Sofia!!

Love ~ Grandma Deanie

Christmas Holiday's 2008

Well it is now January and the lovely holiday season is behind us. I don't know about you but it has been a whirl wind of activities. Our family started right after Thanksgiving with the traditional get together. We always do the "White Elephant" gift exchange and the wood fish platter was again given. This platter has been with us for about 15 years now. It pops up every year since Kirk and Carrie donated it. Some years it is wrapped in a big box, some years it is in a little sack with a note telling the lucky person it is theirs to keeps for another year.

The "Girls" got together at my house this year for dinner. We had made blankets this past year and collected various items to donate to the "Womens Shelter" in Midvale.


I spent Christmas Eve with Nate, Hillary and the kids. It is always so fun to see the wonder and joy in my little grandkids eyes Christmas morning!
Aly and I had a reunion with our very dear friends Bob and Diane Johnson and their girls Robyn and Kimberly. It was so great to visit with them. It is hard to think that our little girls (Aly and Robyn) are Moms now and all grown up and we are grandmas. Bob checked out my latest pictures of the grandkids and let me know his are cuter than mine, of course they are! He just hasn't met them yet, I know he will change his mind when he sees them in person! I am so glad that we had the chance to spend time with these very special people, it made my holiday one to remember.

Carrie and the Kids, her Mom, the Mechams (some family friends), Aly and me got together and cooked dinner for the Ronald McDonald house. This was a really neat experience and I am so glad I had the opportunity to participate. We spent some time at my house
making big pots of soup. Later in the day headed up town to deliver the food and serve it to the people staying there.
The last get together of the season was of course the unforgettable Utes/Bama football game. Carrie invited us all over, what fun!! Decorations, food and all kinds of red sweatshirts. Mikey is a very intense fan and doesn't get very far from the action. What a great game,WAY TO GO UTES!!