The Tradition Continues

same recipe...different year...
You may need to read THIS POST
But...I am about to do something I have only done on a very RARE occasion
I am going to share

the ingredients to making

(my brother Ro, came this year to HELP mix the batch)

Peppernuts

(English Translation of German Pfeffernusse)
3 Cups dark karo, 4 cups sugar, 1 cup shortening, 1 1/2 Cups Postum, 6 eggs, 6 to 7 pounds of flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg,alspice,2 teaspoons anis, pepper, baking powder, 3 teaspoons soda

3 pounds powdered sugar

Directions:

Maybe Next Year

I Love Awards

and you ALL know how much I LOVE

MARYRC!

from Mary:

29.11.09

keep on rockin me baby (awards that rock)
I've been meaning to give awards to some of my blogger friends who's blogs totally ROCK! They rock me because they effect me in one way or another. But these bloggers rock mostly because we have a "real" blogger friendship. I read them for reals and they read me for reals..And with awards come rules. The Rocker of Blogs does hereby decree that all bloggers who are bequeathed the "This Blog Rocks" award, must henceforth bequeath this treasure to at least 5 bloggers who are of Rockin Blog decent.

So...I hereby bequeath this noble award to:

http://saydasjournal.blogspot.com/

http://theeducationofmissh.blogspot.com/

http://mommynurse33.blogspot.com/

http://kristijonesfam.blogspot.com/

http://gringanada.blogspot.com/ (new to blogging)

http://parkithereatabq.blogspot.com/

http://burgessfamily09.blogspot.com/ (new to blogging)

Honorable Mention... But Mary beat me to her:

http://embracethechaos-lene.blogspot.com/

Thanksgiving & Gingerbread

Our Thanksgiving Day was wonderful... We ATE and ate
some even thought they could "work in a little more room"

We snuggled and playedand visitedand THEN Kirk's sister, Pennie came in with HUGE bags of candy and

gingerbread house pieces...and said ...

"this is a tradition we started a few years ago.

Every Family gets to make a gingerbread house to take home" I have decided that you can tell allot about someone

by the type of Gingerbread house they build.

Some are so darn talentedand creativeYEA, I KNOW...I AM A LITTLE SICK AND TWISTER!

Thank You

for your Prayers, Wishes and Thoughts.

Love ya,

Janiece

OH YEA BABY!!!

So, which one should I order????

OR

Josh and Ali are going to have a baby....

guess what that means.......

SPOILDED

It Is All Good

This is my new hardware is called an Arterial Line..it really is pretty impressive. The IV is inserted at the wrist, the little unit by my elbow is for flushing and cleaning. As I understand it it runs through the artery. It has what looks like the end of a phone cord and can be plugged into the monitoring machine to watch my blood pressure. Did it hurt to have put in place?

Well, it didn't hurt me. They numbed the area and I had some sleep-aids during the night.

So, really when I woke up it was already in place...

around 1:30, Nov. 18th

I was taken to the cath. lab

I am not sure what time I woke up but the new placer is in place. Really you can not tell any difference in the look from prior to the surgery.

They cut the old scar out...and plugged the new one in...ran all the tests and...

it all went great!

So, other than the PICC line on my right arm, the IV tube on my left arm along with the Arterial Line. I look great...doing paces around the hospital.

and as soon as my blood is to the thickness they want... these crazy lines will be taken out and

I will be out of here.

Modern Medicine...AMAZING

This Week's Sleeping Arrangements

I am back to a single bed...again... though I have a great view of the Wasatch Mountains

and plenty of sunshine
and a private bathroom

already a step up.

THE CLAN Hostel...

You are about to get a hotel (hostel) review.

If you are visiting Buenos Aires and want to find an inexpensive place to stay...

Kirk & I found the perfect place... Oct. 10th...we were looking on the Internet for a place for Kirk and I to stay after Kira's wedding.

I didn't care what the place was like as long as it had a bed and bathroom. Antonella was busily scanning different hotels...most were booked that night. She called "The Clan" located in DOWNTOWN Buenos Aires and they had beds available. The person on the phone told her it can be a "bit" noisy at night because of the night club located near by.

I knew I was tired enough that I could sleep through anything.

So, we booked our room.

I wasn't expecting anything AMAZING because it was only $10.00 (USD) a night.

Let alone all that came with it:

Facilities
Kitchen/Kitchenette
Communal area - Indoor
Wi-fi available
24 hour reception
Linen included
Airport transportation
Internet available
Security facilities
In-House bar
Breakfast
BBQ Area
Bicycle Hire
Bike Parking
Luggage Storage
Telephone/Fax Facilities
Towels
Travel Desk/Travel Info

AND it came with breakfast!

We took a taxi with Kira and Sergio into Buenos Aires. Told them good-bye and rang the buzzer to check in.

As Kirk and I climbed the marble stair case to the check in desk, a nice young man came and helped with our suitcases. (not bad...$10.00!)

The staff was awesome and the ALL spoke English!

They told us the room

(Ant. had asked for a private room...how would we know...neither of us speak Spanish)

we had booked still had someone in it, but that there was a room on the main floor if we would like it. Worked for me...

We walked into our room and it was HUGE! With 4 twin beds and an upstairs balcony.

Kirk and I pushed our beds together...no big deal. Remember $10.00 a night...

Kirk was looking around and went up the stairs to see what was all in the balcony floor.

He comes back down with an odd look on his face and says, " there are 4 more beds and there are things on them" Somebody else has already been given this room.

So, he goes to the front desk and mentions something about it

and remembers we were never given a room key...

Our nice, fun, young, English speaking front desk person says

...we do not have locks on the doors.

and the people upstairs yea it is THEIR room TOO!!!!

Kirk knows when he comes into tell me...I will freak out...

"Kirk, I have been living in a pench with 4 other people. I have shared the same bathroom for the past 3 months....it is fine"

Kirk's only response was..."You have really changed".

I walked down the hall with all the fun "art work" sometimes referred to as graffiti, around the corner to where the bathroom was, brushed my teeth and went to bed.

yep...that is me sound asleep...noise what noise...the blanket over my head must have been sound proof !

Kirk on the other hand did not sleep as well as I did.

Especially when the 2 other beds in our room got their guests.

No...not up on the balcony...in the same ROOM!

( I did not hear a thing)

When Kira and Sergio came to take us to the airport...they walked into our room...They were both about to have a heart attack...Boy, was I glad they did not walk into the hostel with us.

BECAUSE I loved it!

The other guest IE: kids were awesome, very polite and I am sure in shock to see Grandpa and Grandma hanging out the same place they were. (average guest age: 18-21)
Remember $10.00 a night WITH BREAKFAST!

though I am sure if I had read this review...I may have missed out on one great memory!

Lonely Planet review
Danny Palmerlee
Lonely Planet author
Friendly, fun, disheveled, active and intimate, Hostel Clan is like one of those good-time party buddies you can always rely on for a laugh. With about 60 beds, a great rooftop terrace, ping pong and pool tables, as well as an on-site Spanish school, it's got it all.
One of Hotel Clan's finest features is its lack of bunk beds, meaning (a) you're not stuck on a top bunk, (b) there's no one threatening to bounce bed springs into your face as you sleep, and (c) all the rooms have a spacious feel. There's lots of light in both the lobby area and the 2nd-floor common room. The latter doubles as a 'backpacker museum', with all sorts of backpacker paraphernalia hanging from the walls. There's an on-site travel agency, free bicycle rentals, weekly asados (barbecues) and even weekly soccer matches. It's a great place for meeting other travelers, and quite comfortable, but you'll have to accept a little disorderliness - it's all part of the vibe. There are several private rooms with shared baths, and the biggest dorm room has nine beds on two levels. If you need more privacy, head across the street to their B&B, the Clan House.

Remember for only $10.00 a night

and the night club near by...more like located on the 2nd floor!

glad that room was already taken. hehehheheheheeheee

next time...we might have to check out the Clan House:

Single room: U $ D 39.

Special promotion

Four nights accommodation + two activities (city tour, or tango show, etc.)

= the fifth night for FREE!

ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!

Remember the blog design give away that MaryRC was having?

Well, she put all the numbers into the "Research Randomizer" and

MY NUMER WON!!!!!

Kira has just started her blog and so I am going to let Mary design her new blog for her.

I can not wait to see what she comes up with for my little Gringanada!

Thanks Mary!!!

I Hope Julio Does Not Mind...

I have been wanting to do this blog for a month now...

This is the first time I ever saw a photograph of Julio Salto.

Kira sent it to me in January '08. She wanted me see the baptims pictures of a very important person in her mission, Julio, he is one of Kira's converts. She would write me and tell how amazing he was and the respect she had for him. She always said how lucky she was to have met him and to have the opportunity to share the gospel with him. She would say he was a "great" man.

(little did we know that Kira's future husband was also in the picture)

I had the pleasure to meet and enjoy Julio & his family while I was in Argentina and Kira is so right!

I can not even start to tell you how much I appreciate, respect and love this man. Julio and his wife have several business that they own and operate, this requires them to be apart most of the week.

Julio also cares for his mother who is a funny lady and requires alot of attention.

His son Leo, attends school in Centro. He has an amazing memory. I could tell him a word in English and he would not forget it.

Felipe spends his week closer to the business his mom takes care of. Many times Julio would share how difficult it was for him to be away from his wife and Felipe so much. I had such great respect for them as they make this sacrifice for Leo so that he can get the education that he needs.

Felipe LOVES to play games. You could bet that "Jenga" would get played on each visit to their home.

Julio's support for Kira is unbelievable. He spoke with his sons and told them that Kira was their sister. That they would love her and care for her. He is a man of honor and of his word.

He was Kira & Sergio's "chauffeur" after the "registry civil". He drove all through town honking his horn on the way to the lunch held at Sergio's parents home. He also came and drove Kira to her wedding reception. He looked like a proud father as he took his turn dancing with the bride.

He would say to Kirk and I, "Be Tranquil"...do not worry about Kira. She will be watched over. I know how much Sergio loves Kira, but there is something really comforting about having a father figure also for her. In the short time I was there, I know that it is true. She has someone who will be her Argentine Dad.

I wish I knew how to put into words my feelings for this very special man. I respect him as a father and husband. I am grateful to him for the care and love that he gives to my daughter. Kirk and I are thankful that he is such an important part of Kira's life. It was difficult for me to tell him "bye" before we left Centro. No amount of words could express my gratitude for him and all that he has already done for Kira.

but his words ring clear in my ears..."Be Tranquil"

Julio...
Gracias por tu amor y la amistad. Ninguna cantidad de millas puede cambiar esta situación.

Te Amo!

We love you!