Friday's FIVE!

Sunday was a wonderful day! Our youngest grandson, Trevor was baptized at First United Methodist Church in Marion, Indiana. It was a wonderful service - with a wonderful message delivered by Pastor Kaye Patton - Family surrounding Trevor at the alter included his Great Grandmother Isabel ... and his Great Grandparents, George and Dubie .... His GREAT Great Grandma, Mildred Myers, Trevors Grandfather, Steve and his partner, Kent... Trevors Paternal Grandparents, Mike and Michelle Morgan - His Paternal Great Aunt and Uncle ... and his MeMe and Grandpa Bruce and of course, his Mother and Dad and his brother Tyler! Following the service - we all gathered at a local restaurant for a Sunday dinner to celebrate the day!
Trevor was baptized at our family church where I was raised and baptized, the same church my mother was raised... and the same church Trevor's mother and Aunt Betsy were raised and the same church where his brother, Tyler was baptized. So in honor of his baptism - this Friday's FIVE! recognizes five significant events that have occurred at First United Methodist Church in Marion.

1. Our family has been a part of First United Methodist Church for five generations. My mother was confirmed as a member of the "First Methodist Church" in Marion in 1949 under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Benedict. My Mother and Dad were married at "First Methodist Church" May 5, 1951 by Dr. Graham.

2. Although Steve and I are no longer married... We are the parents of Katie and Betsy - and we are the reason our legacy continues in these beautiful grandchildren. Steve and I were married at First United Methodist Church in Marion on July 31, 1976.

3. Katherine Marie Fennimore was baptized in August, 1980 by Rev. Phil Stephens

4. Elizabeth Jean Fennimore was baptized in January, 1983 by Rev. David Byrum

5. Tyler was baptized at First United Methodist Church in 2000.

Friday's FIVE!

My son-in-law celebrates his magic birthday this week - Phil Morgan is 28 on the 28th of this month. In honor of the father of my grandsons... this week's Friday's FIVE! is a tribute to my son-in-law, Phil and five things that I appreciate about him....

1. Phil is a wonderful father to his two sons... I'm so proud of my grandsons and I will be proud of the men they become because of the father they have in their lives.... Phil spends time with his boys - when they visit us at the lake... Phil ALWAYS spends time with Tyler throwing a ball around in the front yard. I appreciate the time he gives to his boys, Tyler and Trevor!

2. Phil is a wonderful balance to Katie - she can talk (a lot)... and he lets her. He just smiles at her - and lets her talk (and talk)...

3, Phil loves his sister-in-law. Katie and Betsy are very close, and Phil has always appreciated that. He loves his little sister-in-law, Betsy and I love to watch them together.

4. Phil enjoys beer - and we like to drink beer with him. This Friday's FIVE! was almost a list of my favorite micro-brews as a tribute to Phil - but I wanted to say more about him than... Bells, Sierra Nevada, Pacifico etc. etc. etc.

4. Phil is just fun to be with - Bruce and I both enjoy his company... We enjoy having him around. We enjoy laughing with him.... and watching the wonderful father and husband he has become. He is helpful - and will assist with family projects (you should have seen him wrestle a 164# pig at our hog roast) - We enjoy him and are proud he is our son-in-law.

HAPPY 28TH BIRTHDAY, Phil!!!!

Friday's FIVE!

I have always considered myself lucky to share my life with my cousins... I have a total of seven cousins - 4 on my Dad's side of the family - Mark, Bob, Nancy and Amy.... and three on my Mother's side - Rex, Angie and Elizabeth. My cousin Angie and I are 18 months apart ...
(I need to make it very clear here that Angie is 18 months OLDER than I am).... and while I will forever tease her about being older than me... the age between us has never been significant. We have always been very, very close - and while time can pass without much contact - the love and bond we share is deep. I was thrilled to see her at our Luau this year... and was able to have a short visit with her this week. We have shared our deepest secrets... and our greatest fears... we have shared happy days - and we have shared days filled with sorrow. This Friday's FIVE! is a tribute to Angie just because I love her and I've enjoyed reconnecting with her this month!!! This Friday's FIVE! will highlight five of my best memories with my close cousin... my lifetime friend- Angie Alexander Moon

1. Chickens, Crayons & Tabasco Sauce - It must have been around Easter - because the Lumber Yard was having a promotion and giving away little chicks. The chicks were in a wooden bottle case- the kind glass soda pop used to come in... and each chick was in its own little space in the case. They were being safely stored in the shower at our house. Mom and Dad's house on 52nd street in Marion had a large shower - the depth of a regular bathtub with a large ledge to sit on. The chicks were in the case sitting on the ledge. Angie and I decided we needed to 'feed' the Chicks... and for some reason, we decided that Crayons and Tabasco Sauce would be a delictable treat for the tiny yellow chicks. I'm not sure what Dad ended up doing for the promotion ... but those chicks didn't live to see that Spring Promotion at the Lumber Yard.

2. Sleep overs at her "D" Street House - we spent the night together a lot. When we were little and when we were teenagers. I can remember spending a lot of time upstairs at her house on "D" street listening to albums and talking forever ... I loved staying all night with her - because she lived in town and had so many friends within walking distance. I grew up in a 'neighborhood' on the far south side of town... and it was a completely different environment. We could walk to a Shroats market... and we could walk to her friends homes. I loved it!!!

3. BOYS BOYS BOYS Angie was pretty and Angie was blonde. I was the chubby brunette. Whenever with Angie - wherever we were.... there were BOYS BOYS BOYS. Angie would come to the lake with me = and we would meet new boys. Jimmy Heltzle was a friend of my brothers, and a very cute rebel boy on the lake. Jimmy Heltzle was around, only if Roger or Angie were here....

4. GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS Angie and I grew up together - and it was our dream to have children at the same time. Our dream came true - My oldest daughter, Katie is just 2 months older than Angie's twins, Laura and Tara....and 2 1/2 years later, my Betsy was born.
The girls were also raised together - we went to the Elks pool together, we shopped together, we sat in our yards together with inflatable pools, we went to rummage sales together, we would come to the lake together.... If we weren't together, we were on the phone. We would spend hours and hours and hours on the phone - we would look through Christmas Wish Books and talk about Christmas gifts....we would talk about Dr. appts, menu's, soap operas, child development, husbands, family, and our lives.

5. Empty Nests and other Mid-life crises - Angie and I have shared so much, our own weddings, our daughters school days and graduations, fledgling daughters moving on...our empty nests, my divorce, the loss of grandparents, fathers and her mother and sister-in-law, tragedy and joy... new babies and new homes - jobs and life. Ahhh - the circle of life - here we are ... How did we become our mother's age so fast??? The joy I've shared with my cousin - softens the growing pains of aging and I'm so thankful to have her in my life!

PS: HAPPY 28TH BIRTHDAY LAURA AND TARA - JULY 24, 1980!!!

and... Happy Birthday to Rex, too!!!

Living the Legacy at Yellow Creek Lake!

In the summer of 1927 - my Grandma and Grandpa Pence rented a "clean, but simple little cottage" on Yellow Creek Lake for a week. Married just 8 months, Grandpa was recovering from an adverse reaction to rabies inoculations and my Grandma was pregnant with their first child, my Aunt Barbara - they called this vacation at Yellow Creek Lake, their "Honeymoon".

The "Honeymoon" began a legacy of family fun that has spanned 5 generations.

Following this "honeymoon" my grandparents spent several summers renting and camping on the lake - and in the early 1930's built a cabin on the same lakefront property where we live today. My grandma's memories indicate that in the summer of 1929 - "something must have happened during our week at Yellow Creek Lake" = that 'something' was my father, born the following spring on April 4, 1930...

My Grandpa writes in is personal memories:

"We built a small cabin on the lot (most of the material was scrap from the lumber yard), drove a water well, and put a pitcher-pump in the kitchen. We had a pot-bellied coal stove in the front room so we could extend our seasons a bit. The cooking was done on a coal-oil stove and we had a wooden ice-box. Each time we went to the lake, the first thing I did was take the tongs and a small wagon and walk to the little store to get a 50lb. block of ice for the ice-box. It would last all weekend. We enjoyed many years at Yellow Creek Lake as our family grew up around us"

When my father and my aunt were children at Yellow Creek Lake - they became friends with a neighbor, Janyce Knotts. The Knott's continued the same Yellow Creek legacy with their own family. In 1958 I was born - and late in 1959 - Janyce Knotts Ward gave birth to Laura Ellen Ward. Laura and I grew up together at Yellow Creek Lake and in the spring of 1980 we both gave birth to daughters , Katie and Amanda. This spring- our daughters both gave birth to sons. Wyatt Kucartz and Trevor Morgan are now the 4th generation of family friends to grow up together in the fun and the sun at Yellow Creek Lake.

Trevor's first weekend at YCL!

We are having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend at Yellow Creek Lake! Katie and Tyler and Trevor have come to visit. We miss Phil, because he works Saturday, Sunday & Monday nights... however, it is Phil's work schedule that gives us this precious time to spend with our grandsons and Katie....So, while we do miss Phil, it is wonderful to have this time with Katie and the boys.

Tyler and Trevor are the 5th generation of my family to enjoy Yellow Creek Lake... the joy of family, friends, fun in the sun, and evenings around camp fires - roasting hot dogs and Marshmallows.

We had a great visit with Grandma today - and we enjoyed KFC and an assortments of salads - and Grandma's homebaked pies!

I'm so blessed - I love living at the lake with my peaceful husband- it often feels like we are on vacation all the time. I love sharing the lake with my children and my grandchildren. I love it when Mom comes up - and we all share this legacy that Grandpa and Grandma Pence started for us in the early 1930's....

PS: Betsy & Debbie - We hope you had a great time at Summer Camp... We Miss You -

Addendum....

In honor of Katie's 28th birthday - my Friday FIVE! this week focused on the things that Katie and I enjoy doing together... however, there is one thing that I didn't include in the Friday FIVE! that is certainly worth an addendum - and possibly could have been top on the list of the Friday FIVE! When Katie was just 13 years old - we took our first family trip to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Little did we know, that it would become a family favorite vacation spot. We have since returned many, many times - and hiked many, many different trails in the National Park. Katie celebrated her 16th birthday on the Abrams Falls trail - and Betsy celebrated her 16th birthday on the Alum Cave Bluff trail. Two years ago - we took Tyler, the next generation to hike Andrews Bald. Discussing this with Katie today - we realized that there are so many things that we love about hiking in the smokies - packing the sandwiches for lunch on the trail, the sights and smells and vistas to enjoy on the trail, the time together, the silence, the hustle and bustle of downtown Gatlinburg and the taste of the cold beer after the hike - just to mention a few. There is just so much to enjoy - together as a group ... or just with our partners. We have passed this love on to a new generation....and before long, we'll be planning a trip to introduce Trevor to the Smokies.....

Homemade Noodles!

One of Katie's favorite meals is her Momma's Homemade Noodles...

When I would make noodles when Katie and Betsy were little - I had to shoo them out of the kitchen area or they would eat the noodles raw before they had a chance to cook. So, for Katie... in honor of her birthday month - I am posting my Homemade Noodle Recipe -

Mindy's Homemade Egg Noodles

1 Cup Bread Flour

1 T Vegetable Oil

3/4 tsp. salt

3 T Water

1 Egg

Bread flour for rolling and dusting

Place four in a medium bowl - make a well in the center and add the rest of the ingredients. With a fork, stir to combine until a ball of dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured space and knead until a smooth dough is achieved - about 5 minutes. Cover dough with tea towel and allow to rest for 45 minutes.

Cut dough in half. Roll out one-half to approx. 14X8inch rectangle, not quite paper thin. Sprinkle dough surface lightly with a bit more flour, flip over, and sprinkle more flour on the other side. Transfer to a tea towel and repeat with remaining dough. Allow the rolled out dough to stand 20-30 minutes.

Roll dough up like a jelly roll, starting from the short side. Use a very sharp knife, cut the noodles about 3/8" wide. Unroll each slice onto the tea towel, sprinkle with a bit more flour and allow to stand until noodles are completely dry - this may take several hours, depending on the humidity in the air or the amount of moisture in the flour.

We like to cook our noodles in a very rich, chicken broth seasoned with clove.

I love the satisfied look on the faces of my family as they enjoy the taste of the rich homemade noodles!!

Friday's FIVE!

My oldest child celebrates her 28th birthday tomorrow... I cannot believe it has been 28 years since the day she was born. She came into this world with a head full of dark hair...weighing in at 9 pounds 12 1/2 oz. She was a beautiful baby... and she was everything I wanted!! She has grown to be an amazing mother - an incredible wife....and a devoted daughter. Katie is also my friend. I cherish the love of my daughters and the relationship I have with both of them. I'm so grateful to have two daughters that I love and enjoy so much... and also to have two daughters that love each other so much. There isn't anything that brings as much joy to a mothers heart - as seeing her children enjoy each other! This Friday's FIVE! is a celebration of Katie's Birthday Week!!! This Friday's FIVE! is all about Katie and the things we enjoy together!

1. Katie has always wanted to be "Amish" ... she is fascinated by the Amish lifestyle - and has been since she was a young girl. We love to make long road trips to Amish Country - and see clothes hanging on lines, gardens in full bloom, foals in the fields and Amish children in carts and buggies. We love to stop at local bakeries lighted by gas lanterns - we love to have lunch at a family style Amish restaurant and we love to shop the furniture and quilt stores. These are wonderful days!

2. Katie and I love to eat lunch at Flores in Gas City. We both love Mexican Cuisine - and Flores is a local family that began by selling tacos from a stand at local festivals. Tyler loves hot sauce and was been eating refried beans and hot sauses before he could sit up by himself. Keeping with the Mexican theme, we also enjoy a cold Corona or a pitcher of Margarita's. We all love to be together in front of a bowl of homemade Salsa and Guacamole with a cold Corona on a lazy lake Sunday.

3. Katie appreciates the joy of cooking. Since she was a child, she has stood across the counter from me while I cooked and observed my techniques ... she adopted many of those cooking techniques, but has also learned many of them on her own as she has been watching Food TV since she was in middle school. This Christmas, we enjoyed a 'candy clinic' together...and many lake mornings start with Katie's YUMMY sausage gravy and biscuits. She still calls me frequently to discuss a technique or a favorite family recipes. She is an amazing cook and yet, she still loves her Mama's cooking!

4. Katie and I both love country music....and we love to listen to it together. We are both married to men that would rather lose a nights sleep than listen to country music, so when we are together (and the guys aren't with us), we take advantage of the mutual admiration of the Nashville sound and crank up the CMT! We have enjoyed several country concerts together....including Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney and Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

5. Katie and I both love antiques - and love to spend hours perusing antique stores and malls together. We generate a lot of discussion about family heirlooms and personal favorites. We linger over the pink depression glass, cut glass and hand painted chintz. We look at the pottery and we look at primitives. We also enjoy Art Fairs and Flea Markets. We enjoy these things because of the items we like to look at - but mostly because we enjoy the company of each other.

As always - this is not an all inclusive list ... this is just the top five that come to my mind this evening. I'm so thankful for my Daughter, my friend. This celebrates you, Katie!!!! The day you were born was one of the best days of my life!!!! The Lilacs are blooming!!! The Robins are nesting.... Enjoy YOUR birthday month!!! Enjoy your Birthday Week!!!!

Happy Happy Birthday Katie!!!!

Belly Cast!!

It won't be long before my new Grandson, Trevor arrives... Bruce and I are both so excited about our new grandson. Katie and Tyler came up this weekend - and we had a such a wonderful weekend. Katie and I went to local bulk/bakery/organic stores while Tyler and Bruce did 'boy stuff'.... I casted Katie's pregnant 'belly' - and we watched movies and enjoyed bakery treats. Saturday morning we had Steel Cut Oats that cooked all night in the crock pot.
I love these visits so much... I can't wait for Trevor to join us!!

Friday's FIVE!

I recieved an email from my Aunt Barbara this week - I've always had a very special place in my heart for my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Ovie. Aunt Barbara is my Daddy's older sister. When I was 4 years old, they moved to California - and to my four year old mind, that was a million, gazillion miles away. I vividly remember the day we gathered for a cook out at my Grandparents house to wish them farewell. I remember that I cried. My sentiment for my Aunt Barbara has always been strong - there is a very, very special bond between us. I'm thankful for this dear Aunt of mine.... and I'm thankful she is still very present in my life, even though she lives a million, gazillion miles away. While I hestitate to focus on 'things' - her email this week informed me of a few items that belonged to my Great Grandmother and my Great Aunt that she wants me to have. I appreciate that I will have these items - but mostly, I appreciate that my dear Aunt wants ME to have these things. So in appreciation of my Aunt's generosity to share these items with me... this weeks Friday FIVE! will focus on a few of my most sentimental treasures....

1. My Mothers Wedding Dress - She loved her wedding dress....and she loved my Daddy.

While the dress is beautiful - the marriage that began the day she wore it is the true sentiment of this dress.

2. A Quilt that my Grandma Pence gave me - A quilt made from my Aunt Barbara's dresses and stitched by my Grandma, My Great Grandma and my Great Aunt Vera

3. An amethyst ring that my Grandpa Alexander had given my Grandmother for Valentines Day before I was born. I was very small when my Grandma promised it would be mine on my 16th birthday - because the heart shaped amethyst stone symbolized my Valentine birthday. She kept her promise and gave it to me on when I turned sweet sixteen.

4. A small black and white pillow that my daughters, Katie and Betsy gave me....that says "Your love and belief in me have been my inspiration. Thank you for being my mother and my guide, I love you" I love my daughters so much - and am so proud of the beautiful women they have become.

5. My 'handcarved' engagement ring from my dear husband, Bruce. When we were engaged, he lead me to believe he couldn't afford and engagement ring, so he 'whittled' one for me. He asked me to marry him with the little whittled ring, and then suprised me with the real thing later that Christmas day. The ring did not matter to me - I was just delighted to say yes to him!

Friday's FIVE!

In the news this week - a couple from Georgia won the largest Mega Million lottery in history ...
275 Million dollars - for a single lottery ticket. The numbers they picked, were their grandchildren's birthdates.....
I have a new grandchild due May 16th - so I know how special those days can be....
My favorite dates are:
1. 2/14 - My birthday.... and my wedding anniversary ... and valentines day. It is my TRIFECTA day -
2. 3/22 - Bruce's Birthday
3. 5/17 - Katie's Birthday
4. 10/31 - Betsy's Birthday
5. 1/18 - Tyler's Birthday

I love my family and I love to celebrate their special days!!!
It would be a good guess, that if I were playing the lottery - the numbers on the ticket would be (and have been)........

1-5-10-17-18-31

or a any other combination of the above 5 dates!

Head Games... COLD as ICE!

What a fun weekend we've had!! We took Katie and Tyler to the Lou Gramm concert at

Wagon Wheel Theater in Warsaw -

Lou Gramm was the lead singer for Foreigner - the music was nostaligic and the best of the classic ballad rock of the late 1970's and early 1980's.... it was Tylers first concert - and he was able to leave with an official concert guitar pick.

Tyler spent the night with us - and after breakfast with Grandpa this morning, Tyler and I went to Pottery Bayou to paint some pottery.

We had a wonderful day and made fun memories!

Golden Birthday Party!!

I'm so grateful for my family and friends....
Last night I celebrated my Golden birthday - hosted by my Daughters, Katie and Betsy and my Mother....
About 75 friends and family gathered for the celebration...
Some I haven't seen for years... many traveled long distances...
the food was wonderful - the cake was amazing...
the setting was perfect - and the company was as good as it gets!
Thank you so much to everyone!
and an extra special thanks to Mom and Katie for all they did!!!!

Friday's FIVE!

From this point - my Friday blog will focus on FIVE Essential things in my life.....
It may be things I'm thankful for - or things I enjoy.... or favorite things -
This week - I will focus on 5 essential things I'm especially thankful for.

1. A full week back to work - and a GREAT team of co-workers!
2. Fresh Ground Coffee from Betsy
3. Two feet on the ground (instead of hobbling on crutches)
4. Sharing a Mug at Mad Anthony's with my Peaceful Husband, Bruce
5. Telephone chats with Katie

Ramekin of Butter!

I had prepared Cornbread for our dinner tonight and realized that I didn't have any butter. I did still have some Whipping Cream that was not outdated left from holiday cooking.
I remember vividly being in Mrs. Brown's second grade class at JCKnight Elementary School in Jonesboro, Indiana. We were taught in that public school classroom to memorize Luke 2 and the 23rd Psalm, we were taught cursive writing and we were taught how to make butter. I was amazed at the way the butter formed in the glass peanut butter jar as we each took our turn shaking the jar and passing it down the row of students. I'm pretty sure that Kenny Pearson passed the jar to me - and I probably passed it on to Brian Powers. We were really making BUTTER!!! Mrs. Brown had made home made white bread and after we were all done shaking the cream into a solid substance- we were all able to have a piece of the home made bread with the delicate yellow spread. I thought I was tasting a little piece of heaven that day.
So - when I realized I didn't have any butter, but I had the left over whipping cream...
the sounds and sights and smells of JCK and Mrs. Brown's second grade class came flooding back to me. Bruce and I both took turns shaking a jar - while the beans warmed and the cornbread cooked. I placed the butter in my new LeCreuset ramekin that Katie gave me for Christmas - and I served it with our Cornbread. Once again, now 40+ years later... I experienced little taste of heaven. Home made butter!

The BEST Essentials!

Essentials = My Family!!!!!!!

It is always a fun time when Katie and Tyler come up to while away Phil's second shift hours.
Pizza - Waterford discussions - Bridge to Terabithia - Baby planning - Leftover Christmas cookies - Slumber Parties!!!! These are the Essential things!