Tailgate Contest

Last Saturday a friend of mine asked if I wanted to participate in a Tailgate party because they did not have enough entry's. We had friends coming into town and they thought that it would be fun to do.

I guess I kinda decided that we would do a stuffed hamburger because I have always wanted to try it out. We stuffed them with mushrooms and swiss cheese and a little butter. In the hamburger we put some butt rub seasoning and yellowstone seasoning and worcheshire sauce. We then put more cheese on the top, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and bbq sauce. For the bun we had to have home made buns purchased from the local grocer.

I have never made it before and I don't like mushrooms so I just hoped that the flavors would work well with each other. They did I guess. We won 2nd place and $150. It was really exciting. We were sure that we would get 3rd place, because we have not ever made them before.

This was a total fluke, we were not really prepared. It was great. I think that we were more excited about the $150 than anything. Thanks to the Cellar and the Idaho Falls Magazine for a great event.

Loosing Those We Love

Two Fridays ago my great grandmother had a massive stroke and passed away. I will miss her dearly. She has been a rock in our family. She was only 85. She had always been so healthy and vibrant. We have always thought that my other great grandmother would pass first because she wants to so badly.

A little bit of history. She had 11 children, 50 something grandchildren, 120 something great grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren (one of which is mine). She was always so proud of her family. She was a widow for 35 years. She never remarried and I don't know why. I am so glad that she can now be with grandpa.

As you can imagine there are so many of us that it would be very difficult to keep us all straight but somehow she did.

In January one of my great uncles (who was only 47) was in an accident. He was in the hospital for a couple of weeks and over that time Grandma stayed with me and my husband on several different nights because she lived too far away to go home each night. I learned alot from her and am so glad that I was able to have her in my home for those few days.

I live in a really small apartment, it is about 600 square feet. Each time that Grandma would come and sleep here there were 5 people that would come with her. I am glad that my front room had enough room for a couple of air mattresses. Grandma each night when she got here would tuck 3-4 afghans around the cushions of the couch (She would have preferred sheets but I didnt have any extra at my house they are all in storage). I got the biggest kick out of watching her do that each night. I knew that I could not do it for her because she was so independent. She could do it herself. Only one of the nights that they were here did she allow me to feed her, and even then it was only a can of campells soup and toast. I offered to cook them a real meal but she would not allow it.

I am just so grateful for that experience. I think that it was the first time that I have been on a real one on one basis with her. I will always cherish those memories.

I do have on regret. I never got a 5 generation picture with my daughter with both my grandma and great grandma. I do have a five generation but my grandma is not in it because she was on her mission at the time. I do have a picture with my daughter and 2 great grandmas and 1 great great grandma. I will always cherish that picture. It is not very often that someone can say that they have that many grandmas. I hope my daughter knows how blessed she really is. I doubt it because she is only 2, but I hope that she realizes it later on.

My piece of advice: don't take family for granted (or anyone at that).

I would like to shout out to Tim Russerts family. I will miss not seeing him on the Today Show. He was one of my favorite parts of the news each morning. I will miss his news stories on the political stuff.