Thursday, July 28, 2011

Brugger Posterity

 Here are some of my father's great-grandchildren.  We decided getting them to sit for this picture was like herding chickens.  From left to Right we have Athena, Joseph and Annabelle and Mallory in the front row.  Athena, Joseph and Annabelle are all my brothers grandchildren (boy is that weird!).  The next row back is Anneke holding Dane, Dutch sitting behind Luke, Marcus is holding Thomas.  Thomas is my sisters grandson.
 This one is more in focus.  These pictures were taken in my sister, Marianne Dittmar's backyard on July 4, 2011 (that was the 4th of the July of this year!) We had a great time with our mini-Brugger family reunion.
This is when it became kind of a joke and then the grandparents stepped in - it didn't help.  More on that tomorrow.  This is 10 of my father's 15 great-grandchildren.  Not bad.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Mallory at the Zoo

 This is picture of Mallory in the marvelous double stroller we rented at the zoo.  I have discovered that when my camera hits the yellow zone it is hit and miss whether it focuses or not.  Since I forgot my recharger this is what I had to contend with.
 While her older brothers and sister were riding the train, Mallory was pole dancing on the picnic table.  She was so happy to be standing and moving around, plus she thought she was really something on that table.  It was her stage!  Sara Dittmar Walker was so sweet and so good with the children.  It was a great day at the zoo.  The next picture shows Mallory's quirky smile and that halo around her head is her hair.  It does not lay down - that is how it always is.
I love this smile of Mallory's.  She has several smiles but the one that cracks me up the most it this one.  I have never seen a baby with such an expressive face.  Pam had/has an expressive face but she had to practice in the mirror.  With Mallory it comes naturally.  I hope she keeps it.  It is part of the fun of being with her.  She seems to know which face she needs to get her way.  I read a comic strip and the older kids were being scolded because they hadn't done their  chores and then the parents looked at the baby and said, "But don't you worry because you will get away with anything because you are the baby."  I think that will be the case with Mallory - though Heidi and Andy will try very hard to be fair - she just has a way.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Happy Birthday Anneke! (A Day Late)


For some reason I am having a problem with loading pictures still. Here are two of Anneke from our Utah trip.   I couldn't load pictures on Saturday and my post didn't load until yesterday.  Our internet was out all day yesterday so we couldn't make phone calls or get on the internet.  I know I didn't blog yesterday.  I am sorry we didn't call you yesterday, Anneke, but that is why.


Anneke is 7 now.  Wow!  Our grandchildren are growing up too quickly.  We had a very good time with all of the Bahlmann children while we were in Utah.  Heidi, brought the children up for Dane Davis' baby blessing and stayed for almost a week.  We were busy every day and had a wonderful time with 6 of our eleven grandchildren.  I cannot express how grateful I am for the blessings I receive because I am a grandmother.  I am so blessed.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

More on Our Trip

I am sorry I am not posting pictures, but for some reason every time I try - it tells me the server is down.  I wasn't going to post again but decided I had to tell about the gift I bought myself that I love.  In May when I was at Pam's I went to the Bosch store to replace my very worn out beaters.  While in the store the woman told me about their new avocado masher.  I started to buy one then but didn't.  This trip I did.  I know a fork works well for making guacamole but this is the perfect tool!  It takes 3 seconds and you have perfectly mashed avocado.  They are not baby food  - there is still some texture - it is just right.  So I am delighted with my purchase to say the least.  Let's face it - I am a food gadget junkie and I know it.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Two of Our Beautiful Daughters

 I caught both girls off guard with this one - actually with both pictures - but I wanted to get candid shots so people could see how wonderful and beautiful they really are.
These are the only pictures I took of Heidi and Pam.  They are not the best but they make me happy.  You see them at their most joyful - watching their children.  We are so proud of all of our daughters for the wonderful wives and mothers they are.  I marvel where they learned these wonderful skills because it certainly wasn't from me!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Continuing Our First Day in Utah

 We have said a lot of how cottony Mallory's hair is.  This is good shot of her hair.  I loved rubbing it whenever I held her.  There was no getting it to lay down!
 Here she is helping Grandpa open presents.  Pretty soon she was in his lap helping.  They quickly bonded and were friends the rest of the trip.
This is Pam and Dutch reading one of the books Dutch got for his birthday.  When the Bahlmann's arrived, Dutch called everyone to attention and the started making announcements.  The problem was no one could understand what he was saying because he kept getting louder or softer every time we asked for clarification but it was funny.  I think he was laying down the house rules.  We loved our trip.  Everyday Clyde, Dutch and Chris would set up an elaborate track for Thomas the Tank Engine that would take up the living floor.  I wish I had brought my battery charger for my camera so I could have taken pictures of it.  Some of the twists and turns were quite amazing - Dutch would start first and it always astonished me how it was always different.  He just might grow up to be some kind of an engineer.

Monday, July 18, 2011

The First Full Day of Our Vacation



We arrived in Utah very late Friday, July 1.  On Saturday morning, Heidi and her children came to the Davis household to spend the day.  They brought their Grandpa Bailey his Father's Day and Birthday presents.  Above they are helping him him unwrap them.  Later that day, Anneke, Heidi, Pam and I went and had pedicures.  I wish we had taken pictures of our toes. Mine are green sparkles and apparently very appealing to the under 3 crowd.  Mallory tried to eat my toes, Dutch was always playing with them and yesterday at church, 2 - two-year-olds kept coming and finding me to touch my toes.  There is something magical about Green and Gold sparkly toes (think the City of Oz).


From first day to the last day - it was a great trip.  My pictures of the  'Grandparents and grandchildren' did not turn out as I hoped.  But then I decided they turned out very natural.  I will post them in the next few days.  It shows how much fun we were having on the 4th of July.  Maybe we will get better pictures next summer.

I should also wish my sweetheart a happy birthday.  But I won't mention he turns 60 today because he doesn't look that old.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Coming to the End

I can't believe that our 2 weeks are up.  It has been such a great trip.  Clyde and Dutch have become great friends.  They have played Thomas the Tank engine all day long.  It is so much fun to watch them. 

I just finished blogging recipes that I thought I had lost but Pam had tucked away in her cupboard.  Thank you Pam for keeping the family heritage cookbook intact.  I will post pictures when I get home.  My camera is dead and I forgot bring my recharger so no pictures since our 3rd day here!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Today

Today was wonderful day.  We spent the day at the Dittmar's last night and then this morning went to Popi and Doreen's.  We arrived in time for lunch.  This afternoon we attended a session in the Manti Temple with them.  It was wonderful.  We are now back at the Davis' and are getting ready to go home.  Our trip is coming to an end.  It has been wonderful.  In the words of our granddaughter Anneke, "Every minute has been the best of the whole trip!"