I am Thankful for the Christmas Season

This picture of Carianne was taken at Heather's 4 years ago.  It portrays our love of Christmas in the family.  I will post more over the next few weeks.  I am thankful for this time of year.  It makes you think about the Savior, others and you long to be together with family.  Fortunately the last few years we have been able to be with at least one of our daughters and their family.  Last year we were also able to celebrate Jared and Juliannuary!  More of that to come as we approach their first anniversary.  

I am Thankful for my Mother

The above pictures are from all over the place.  The first picture is our family picture from Christmas 1970.  The second picture is the day my brother Bob was blessed  with my sister Marianne and my mom and the bottom picture is Mom and me the day I graduated from Heidelberg High School in June of 1971.  I don't have that many pictures of my mother.  Today is the 10 year anniversary of her death.  It doesn't seem that long in some ways and in other ways it seems like forever.  I miss her.  There were so many things I wanted her to still teach me.  But she was so sick, it was time for her to go.  I am so grateful for the things she did teach me and for the fact she was my mother.  I am grateful she was there to be an amazing grandmother to our daughters and my nieces.  I am very blessed to have had parents who loved and cared for me.  I am very blessed to still have my father living.

Happy Birthday Luke

Today is our grandson, Caspian Luke Bahlmann's third birthday!  Happy Birthday sweet Luke!  We wish we could we could be with you for your birthday.  It won't be long until we are with you and your family.  We hope you have a wonderful day.  I am thankful for such an amazing grandson.  I am also thankful for the beginning of Advent tonight.  It is always such a wonderful start to the Christmas Season!

I am Thankful for Daughters Who Love Each Other

When our daughters were very little they loved each other and they played together so well.  For the most part they were best friends and I marvelled at how lucky I was.  And then they got into the mid grades of elementary school and that kind of went out of the window for years!  I wondered if any two of them would be friends at the same time again.  Adulthood and marriage came and now they are all best friends and sisters again.  It is such a joy to watch them.  Many times I am not even included in a problem because they call each other first - which is fine.  They are closer in age and their families are the same dynamics - so they know how to deal with the problems at hand better than I do. 

When Pam was very little, on occasion, she would call Carianne, Nana (now she calls her that or Nan most of the time).  I was laughing to myself last night because Carianne has become somewhat "Aunt Nana the Nanny" in the family.  She goes to the girls before I do when a new baby is born.  She was there for Pam because I couldn't move and now she is going to Heidi so we can go for Christmas and the baby blessing.  Clyde and I were teasing her last night that Carl gets to go on hunting trips and she goes for the newborns.  She said that Carl brings back something though.  She brings back something too - lots of love and the satisfaction of a job well done.  I am grateful for my amazing family.  I know that is pretty much all I have blogged about this month but they are the best and greatest blessings of my life.

I am Thankful for Wonderful Get Togethers

Yesterday we got together at the Church with anyone that didn't have a place to go.  We ended up with about 30 people and had a wonderful time.  I had originally come up with the idea so the military students wouldn't be left alone, but they were not allowed to leave the base.  By that time I had asked a few of the young couples if they would like to participate with us - knowing they really couldn't afford Thanksgiving on their own.  Then a few other people heard about it and it just kept growing and getting more wonderful.  We had people of all ages.  I brought "How To Train Your Dragon" for the kids to watch but what happened was that the kids played with balls and trains and ran and had fun while the teenagers and adults watched the movie.  We had a wonderful time with so much food that everyone took home generous leftovers.  Clyde and I cooked a 14 pound turkey and 12 pound ham.  I am still astonished at how much meat was leftover and how much meat was taken home.  It was a glorious day and great day of Thanksgiving.  It truly was the next best thing to being with family.  I am thankful for ward members that are like family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a picture of our four daughters dressed as 'Pilgresse's' as Heather dubbed the costumes.  This is the first and only year everyone wanted to do it and it was because of Pam.  Pam attended a preschool/daycare run by a woman we fondly called 'Granny'.  She actually made - out of fabric - Pilgrim costumes for each of the children in her preschool every year.  Pam's is the only complete costume - down to the cute little apron and the collar.  The other girls wanted to dress up so once we got to my mother's we scrounged around the house and this is what we found.  Carianne is actually wearing the hat we bought in Holland.  The next year my mother came up the wonderful idea that we make costumes for the girls and they could dress up for the the dinner every year there after.  Well, by that time our girls had lost their interest and in fact after the second or third year it was a drudgery and then it became a joke.  Oh well, this was the one fun and exciting year of dressing up and we have the picture to prove it.  Who is Heather and Carianne holding?  I think it is their cousin Julianna, who is expecting a baby this Spring!  I am thankful for Thanksgiving memories and I am looking forward to making new memories today.


I get the comics via the internet and today as I was reading my favorite comic strip "Mutts", I read this: "I give thanks for the perfect day.  Miracle will follow miracle and wonders will never cease." - Unknown.
May you have just such a day!

I am Thankful for my Son-in-laws!

This picture was taken 4 years ago in Las Vegas when we all descended upon Heather for Christmas.  Brandon Nordell was in Kuwait.  From left to right in the picture: Chris Davis, Carl Pfiester, Clyde and Andy Bahlmann.  I wish Brandon could have been with us, in fact I wish our family could be all together more often (just once would be glorious!).  I have wanted sons for as long as I can remember.  To have the sons (I dropped the 'in-law' a long time ago) that I acquired through marriage - well I am very blessed indeed.  The Lord has blessed each of our daughters with the right husband and each of these men is an incredible father.  We are extremely blessed in so many ways but we are truly blessed with our wonderful family that is so close and loves each other so much.

I am Thankful for Dutch!

 This is Dutch and me when he was about 2 months old.

This is Dutch when he was just over a year old with his Pfiester cousins.


This is a really hard post for me.  The last two years we were able to spend Thanksgiving with the Davis family in Pennsylvania and the year before that we helped them move into their house.  Knowing that it was an easy days drive to their home made it so nice and fun. We were able to watch Dutch grow up and spend quite a bit of time with him and his parents.  Dutch is our 5th grandson and our youngest grandson.  He has the most infectious laugh you have ever heard.  When he laughs - everyone around him laughs.  He is filled with joy.  I have not seen him for almost a year because they have moved to Utah, but from what I understand from his mother and from my sister, Dutch has hit the 'terrible two's' with a vengeance.  He is very busy and has decided that temper tantrums must be fun for everyone.  His mother has not been feeling well and I am sure that has just made matters worse.  It has been hard to be so far away but it is the way life is.  Just once I would like to be with family members when they need us.  I am thankful for Dutch as I am for all of my grandchildren.   We are fortunate to have 10 healthy grandchildren. In the spring our numbers will increase to 11 grandchildren.  We will see which happens first, the Royal wedding or the birth of my next grandchild!

I am Thankful For My Bahlmann Grandchildren

 Bahlmann and Pfiester grandchildren together in July of 2010.  It was a fun vacation.

The Bahlmann Family in July of 2010.  I tried to download a picture of our newest granddaughter and the newest Bahlmann, but for some reason it is just not happening today.


Today I am grateful for my Bahlmann grandchildren.  Marcus is special for a couple of reasons.  He is our oldest grandson and he is the only grandchild we have lived in close proximity too.  For the first part of his life he lived with his parents, just through the block from us!  Then the family moved just a few hours away.  I was able to be a part of his life for the first little while of his life and that meant a lot to me.  Marcus will turn 9 in January.


Anneke is our third granddaughter and the first granddaughter that I was able to be there to help when she was born.  In truth, she is the last grandchild that I have made it for the birthday.  We have lived so far away we now are lucky to see the babies a week after they are born! Anneke was 6 in July.


Luke is our fourth grandson.  He will turn 3 this week.  Heidi and Andy have had a child for every stage of Andy's schooling.  Luke is their 'Master's' child.  He was born in Colorado.  I personally think he is going to grow up to be a mechanic.  He loves cars - especially orange ones.


Mallory Hope was born on November 7.  She is our 5th granddaughter.  I have not met Mallory yet, but we will be there for her first Christmas.  How fun is that!  I am grateful for all of my Bahlmann grandchildren.  I am so excited that in less than a month I will be holding them in my arms and getting lots of loves!

Today I am Thankful For My Nordell Grandchildren

Today I am thankful for Bella and Evie Nordell.  Bella is my second granddaughter.  She was born in Italy and of course I could not come for her birth.  Her mother was a trouper and handled her pregnancy pretty much alone, with just the help of Branch members.         Bella and I got very close when Heather was pregnant with Evie.  Once again it was when Brandon was deployed and Heather was having a rough time.  I packed up and moved in to make sure that Heather and Bella were eating properly.  We had a wonderful time.  At the end of my stay everyone in our family but Brandon met at Heather's for Christmas.  It was a joyous time.  I wonder when it will happen again?  


Bella will be 8 this coming March.  Once again we will miss her landmark birthday because they are far away in Okinawa, but that is the way life is.  She knows we love her.  Evie is 3 years old.   Evie is our fourth granddaughter and a very busy young lady.  Where Bella will sleep until noon, Evie has to be up at dawn.  They are keeping Heather on her toes.  One day they will live close again and that will be a joyous time!

I am Thankful For My Pfiester Grandchildren!

The greatest joy of my life is my grandchildren.  I have to admit that when people told me that before I had grandchildren, I thought they were crazy but now I know.  The real purpose of having children is for grandchildren!  Carlye Anne is our oldest granddaughter.  She will 10 this year.  She brought joy to us just after a great sadness came into our life.  She has been a joy ever since!  Nathanael is our second grandson.  He is 8 years old.  He is one the tenderest, most compassionate young men I have ever met.  I cannot tell you what a joy he has been in our lives.  He is also all boy and loves to rough and tumble and he, like any other little boy will push the limit but immediately regrets his choice.  


Noah brought us laughter when he showed up.  He is our third grandson but the youngest in this family.  He loves being the center of attention and the family jester.  The problem is, not only is he funny, he is smarter than the rest of us and very endearing.  So while he is doing something he probably shouldn't be doing, you are dismissing yourself from the room because the situation is so funny and brilliant.  I feel so sorry for his parents because daily they are caught between keeping him on the straight and narrow path and just wanting to laugh out loud and say, "How did you ever dream that up, Noah!"  He doesn't do things to be naughty, his predicaments come from pure curiosity and joy.  We have a picture of Noah jumping down the stairs from his parents bedroom with pure joy on his face with just a t-shirt and his briefs on.  It is an older picture and I didn't want to embarrass him or his siblings with it today.  I just have to say, today I am thankful for my Pfiester Grandchildren.  I dream of the day we live closer to them.

I am Thankful for Pamela!

Today is Pam's turn!  One of my seminary students explained to me how to download pictures so here we go!  Pam is our youngest daughter.  She is so special and such an amazing person.  We are so blessed to have her as a member of our family.  She is bubbly and so driven to become a writer - and she is very talented.  She is a fabulous mother even though right now she is wondering about that (Dutch is in the terrible two's and she is pregnant again!).  But she handles things so much better than she thinks she does.  She has a wonderful husband.  They are such a giving and caring family and a blessing to all who know them.  We are so lucky and blessed to have such incredible daughters, son-in-laws and grandchildren.

Today I am Thankful For Heidi

Heidi has been the sweetest child since before she was even born.  She was a quick labor.  My father invited me to attend the symphony with him when I first thought I might be in labor.  He and my mother both told me I wouldn't have a baby that night (Heidi was 25 days early) and that I should go and relax to some great music.  Imagine his surprise when I had her before he even got home!  She slept through the night almost from day one.  She knew I had had very little sleep with her older siblings but I still kept getting up and checking on her because I was so afraid she had died!  Finally I started sleeping with her in my arms on the couch for the first month until I realized she really was going to sleep though the night.

Heidi has always tried to do what is right.  I know of two people that have showed up on this earth with a testimony of Jesus Christ, Heidi and my sister, Marianne.  They never struggled to find out for themselves - they always knew.  What a wonderful gift and a blessing to have.  Heidi has been a light in our home and as with our other daughters, a true blessing in our lives.  I am so grateful that she is my daughter.  She has an amazing family of her own now and though she is struggling right now (she has a newborn and toddler so sleep is not in her picture currently) she will handle it admirably because she always does.  I used to wonder what the older women were talking about when I was little and they would say they had 'jewels in their crown'.  Now I know.  I didn't acquire them on my own though.  Heavenly Father blessed me with amazing daugthers, son-in-laws and grandchildren.

Today I am Thankful for Heather

Heather Lou is my second daughter.  She had kind of a rough start in that I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer during my pregnancy with her.  Our family has great stories about Heather.  We are so blessed to have Heather in our life.  She is currently in Okinawa with her husband and 2 daughters.  This is not a part of life that I enjoy.  I like it better when my children and grandchildren are close by and not strung across the globe.  I miss her this time of year especially.  The year she was pregnant with Evie, I was able to spend several months with her and Bella.  We had a wonderful time and one of the only times our whole family has ever been together (except for Brandon).  The Lord has truly blessed me with a wonderful family.

Today I am Thankful for Carianne

I have four amazing daughters.  Carianne is our oldest.  We waited almost 5 years before she finally came and we were thrilled to have her.  She was truly the 'Sunshine' in our lives.  She is a blessing and a joy.  She is married to an amazing man, has three wonderful children and is a better wife and mother than I ever was.  I am thankful she is my daughter. 

I would love to do pictures of my special daughters but the blog tells me I don't have license to print my own pictures.  I am not finding any help on how to post with pictures so I will just do plain text blogs forevermore I guess.  I am totally frustrated with this. 

I am Thankful for Sedona

Sedona is where I work out.  It is place for only women.  They have an exercise circuit, weight center, classes, diet and nutrition consultations and a bike room plus saunas and a tanning bed.  You can get the perks you want and you pay accordingly.  I can walk there so I try to go at least 3 times a week but I feel better when I go 5 times a week.  I go and do the circuit, have them check my weight and food diary and then sit in the sauna.  It is bliss.  I had a misdiagnoses a couple of months ago and when I went to the RN that runs Sedona and discussed my concerns, she immediately put me at ease, got me back on track and basically made my life better.  I consider the consultants there some of my best friends.  I know they care about me.  I am grateful that my sweet husband discovered this wonderful place.  It has been one of the best blessings in my life.  One of these days my weight will back to where it was 4 years ago.   Then life will be good!  But I am getting there.

Happy Birthday Popi!

Today is my father's birthday.  I have been gone all day and haven't had a chance to blog before now.  I wanted to do a bunch of pictures but every time I try to upload one it tells me I don't have the license too.  In other words - I am frustrated and tired.  I didn't want today to pass though without saying how grateful I am that Archie Maynard Brugger is my father.  He has been the best father anyone could want and I am very proud to call him mine.  To add to that he is also an amazing grandfather and many of our daughters' friends have adopted him as their Popi too.  We are blessed to have such an incredible man in our life.  I am so grateful to be able to call him Dad.

I am Thankful for the Sun!

I started to say, "I am thankful for sunshine."  But in capital letters that becomes our oldest daughter's nickname.  As I am going to do a post on what I am thankful for about each of my daughters on another day- I had to be careful today in my wording and that made me laugh.  November is notoriously the most cloudy month in Rhode island.  Typically it is cloudy at least 22 days of the month.  Last week was one of the those weeks where we went days on end without sunshine.  I hadn't realized how it was affecting me until was getting headaches everyday and we lost daylight savings time.  I didn't think I liked daylight savings time but apparently I do.  This getting dark at 4:25 pm is hard.  But this morning at 7 a.m. the sun was shining and looks like it will be a picture postcard day.  A great day to prepare for the Sabbath.  I won't need to bask in front of the 'Happy Light' - I can do it naturally as we run around getting ready for tomorrow.  I am thankful for the beauty and warmth of the sun.  I will be so glad when we can retire in Texas!

I am Thankful For Temples

Yesterday Clyde and I were able to go and do a session at the temple.  We both work in the temple but this time were able to attend as patrons, something we don't always have time to do.  It was a fun very low-key day and just what we both needed.  It is funny how the peace of the temple can bring such joy and peace into your life.  I am thankful for the opportunity of attending the Temple and having one so close.  The Lord has blessed us in so many ways. 

As a side note, my journal ran out and I went and found an inexpensive one to write in.  It ended up having a section at the beginning of each entry to write what I was thankful for each day.  You never know how necessary this is in your life until you start writing something daily.  We take so much for granted.

I am Thankful for the Veteran's of this Country!

I am an Army BRAT and so I have been raised in a military atmosphere.  Because of that I see things with a slight twist that others don't.  I am so proud and grateful to the men of our Armed Services!  I am proud to be a military BRAT and I am proud and thankful to be citizen of the United States of America.  Every Sunday I have the opportunity to stage lunch for a few of our military men that are attending schools and are away from their families.  It is an honor to take care of them when their families cannot. I am grateful for that opportunity as well.  We are so blessed to have such an incredible Armed Services and today I give thanks for their service and in many cases, their lives.  In our family we have 3 immediate family members that have served or are serving in the military - my father, COL Archie Maynard Brugger, Ret., Clydes father served during WWII; I met Clyde while he was serving in the Army and currently our daughter, Heather's husband is in the Air Force, Brandon J. Nordell.  We are blessed and honored to have a legacy of honorable men in our family.  Thank you.

I am Thankful for Amazing Daughters!

I have four of the most amazing daughters in the world.  I have been blessed in so many ways.  One of our daughters just gave birth to our newest granddaughter and it has brought back memories of their births and the joy of raising them.  Life was not perfect but it wasn't all bad either.  I am grateful that Heavenly Father blessed Clyde and me with such beautiful and talented daughters.

I Am Thankful for My Kindle!

I am thankful for my Kindle.  People that don't have one will probably think I stretching to find something to be thankful for here but it isn't true.  I am thankful everyday for my Kindle.  I love reading on it.  I have gotten to the point where I don't like to be bothered with regular books.  Books are heavy and inconvenient and you have turn pages and sometimes library books smell funny.  I read faster on my Kindle and it doesn't take up book shelf space - something that is a premium in this little apartment.  It is truly the best gift I have ever received and I will always love and be grateful for it.

I am Thankful For...

Today I am thankful for a nice warm apartment.  It is sleeting outside and the temperature won't get much above freezing.  I am grateful I have a warm place to live and blankets to snuggle under!  I can't wait to move to Texas! (Hopefully just 3 more years.)

I Am Thankful to be a Grandmother, Again!

I don't think I will be stealing the thunder of the Bahlmann's by announcing the birth of our 10th grandchild and our 5th granddaughter today!  All is well.  Heidi and daughter a fine.  I will leave them to fill in the particulars but we are grateful mother and child are doing fine.  We are truly thankful for this most bounteous blessing!

I Am Thankful I am a Member of the Church

Today I am thankful I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is our stake conference this weekend and we have two members of the Seventy speaking to us.  It will be a long weekend but a wonderful one.  I am grateful for all the gospel has taught me.  Gaining my testimony has come through time but it is a knowledge that is mine and one that I will continue to work on.  I know this is the true and living Church of Christ on the earth at this time and I am so grateful to be a part of it.

PS:  I have tried to put pictures on my posts but for some reason the blog is blocking me.  It says I don't have a license for my own pictures!  I need to figure out how to unblock this latest 'block' that has caused this.

I Am Thankful For a Good Doctor

Yesterday I went to see my endocrinologist.  I have had thyroid issues since Heather was born.  This Dr. has been monitoring me for several years now.  I have a new primary care physician that I do not like and I am trying to find a new one.  It turns out that my endocrinoligist quietly listened to all of my complaints and told me to basically hold to his course - not the new doctor.  He also said that I had been mis-diagnosed and to not panic.  I left feeling so much better.  I do need to lose weight and get back to where I was 4 years ago.  I would feel so much better.  I am just so grateful that he listens and reassures the way he does.

I am hoping to be able to blog but I have been having problem getting into my blog to blog.  We will see what tomorrow brings.

I Am Thankful For

Today I am thankful Clyde has a job.  In this economy, especially in Rhode Island, jobs are not easy to come by.  I am grateful that Clyde has a job that pays fairly well and gives him the time he needs to perform his responsibilities as bishop.  I watch people struggle to find work or to simply make ends meet.  We are so blessed.  I could go on and on about the things I am thankful for but I have a whole month to do that.

I am Thankful For My Husband

I am thankful for Clyde everyday but today I will post about him.  I love that he so willingly drives me to seminary every morning because my night blindness is so bad that I can't get there on my own.  I love that he pretty much chauffeurs me everywhere I need to be because I cannot figure out my way around Rhode Island.  I love to be with him.  Someone saw us coming into the room together at a stake meeting not to long ago and laughed.  They said that they knew we would be together because they had never seen us apart.  We will be married 38 years this year and have known each other 39.  We are still best friends.  It has been worth every step of our journey to get to this point.

I Am Thankful I Can Vote

For day two of giving thanks - it is also election day.  I am grateful for this right to vote.  I spent a lot of time in Germany growing up.  When I was there, the country was still divided into East Germany and West Germany.  Almost half of the European countries were dictated too and did not have the right of a democratic government.  I remember listening to a German friend of ours who had moved to Germany from Romania, expound on how important it was to choose your leaders.  I remember listening to him from the time I was 9 years old.  He was impassioned about it because so many of his family had very few rights at all.  So ever since I could vote, I have.  If I miss an election or couldn't vote locally because we moved then I don't complain because I feel I have no right too.  But if I have cast a ballot and things are not going well - then I feel I have every right to complain because I have put my two cents in at the ballot box.  I may not get my candidate but I at least had my say.  One presidential election I admit to voting for Snoopy and Mickey Mouse because I felt they would run the country much better than the two men running for office.  I turned out to be right!  I am still grateful for the blessing of being able to vote and I will be exercising that right today.  I will tell you if it goes off without a glitch later on.  Somehow every time I have voted in Rhode Island - there has been problem.  I can't wait to see what it is today.  (There is never a problem for Clyde, just for me.)

November 1st

Yesterday while I was sitting in church, I decided I needed to do a month of things I was thankful for.  So I am starting the month off with a simple one.  I am thankful for the opportunity to teach seminary.   I have the most amazing seminary class!  They are so much fun to be with.  I was astonished this morning to find out that we had been together 35 times.  It doesn't seem like we have met that frequently.  We have had amazing discussions and interesting lessons because of the questions and comments they have come up with.  I can't believe how blessed I am to have this opportunity.