Julz n' Jenny week

I spent Monday afternoon in Phoenix with Julie while waiting for Nic's flight to come in. We found a good bookstore and of course stopped by JoAnn's for the sales. Of all the wonderful places to eat in Phoenix, we opted for some dive buffet. Not on purpose of course, we were both just a little delirious from hunger, and that was the first place we found. That's my story. We noticed we were the youngest women in the place, which at this point in our lives is a bit luxurious. The food was... cafeteria, what can I say. At least they had desert, but no tapioca pudding, what kind of buffet is that??

I made up for that pathetic lunch yesterday, when I was in Prescott with Jenny. I know, I'm feeling well enough to go on two expeditions in the same week, how great is that? Anyhow, after her doctor's appointment, we went for sushi at Fujiyama's, which totally redeemed the week's food intake. I love sushi, even if it gives me royal heartburn. It's worth the burn, Fujiyama's is great, try it out if you're ever in Prescott.

Also in Prescott is the requisite Costco run. Turns out that's a popular place, even during the day. They had samples on every other row, and it was nearly a food fight, people crowding in for the goodies. Have you ever noticed how the crowd mentality kicks in? And then I see something in triplicate, and think it's got to be a great bargain! It's only after you leave the store and have to haul all those huge bags of stuff into the house that it hits you... maybe it's cheaper to get smaller quantities. Naah, I'm sure I didn't buy anything I didn't need in my own little store, er pantry.

The weather is postcard perfect, close to 70 degrees every day this week. It's especially wonderful considering that much of the country is in a deep freeze right now, all the midwest, and it's moving into New England. This is the time of year that the southwest shines, it makes the 110 degree heat in the summer bearable, knowing the winters are so mild. The Cardinals won their football game last weekend, and on Saturday will play another playoff game, an historical moment for them. Regardless of the outcome of the game, thousands of people will enjoy the game and the great weather.

Haines genealogy

Well, I'm moving full tilt into preparing for the Haines reunion this summer. My sister Debbie is hosting it, in St. John's, AZ. I'm in charge of inviting family members, primarily all the descendants of George Jefferson Haines, our grandfather. We are spread all over the country, so it will take some effort to get addresses for everyone and send them invites. Our line hasn't had a reunion in many many years, so I hope lots of cousins can come.

I've decided to create a book for the occasion, including lots of pictures, the story of William T. Haines' death and his family journey to Arizona, hopefully something interesting. Mom and I plan to visit her cousins' Edna Mae and Doris this month, so I can copy documents and pictures from them if they'll let me. Their father is my Grandpa's oldest brother, so I'm hoping they'll have some good stories, pics and maybe even letters. Our family doesn't write letters, so I'm probably dreaming that letters exist, but don't spoil my fantasy!

Lotions and Potions

I attended a genealogy class today, and got motivated again. Our local Family history library offers free classes every Monday morning. I've learned a lot from them, I can't believe the quality of teachers we have in this rural area! Hopefully I can attend a few more this year, but they're at the same time as yoga, so once it starts I'll miss the genealogy class. I can still go to the library on Tues. or Wed. though, and plan to as often as possible.

The past year I've been making my own face soap, lotions and potions. First I made lip balms, which worked really well. For Christmas I made some great Shea butter hand cream, and recently found a recipe for face cleanser for dry skin. It's pretty simple,
Facial Cleanser
1/4 c. organic cider vinegar
1/8 c. Olive oil (Grapeseed or Almond oil are lighter, and just as good a quality)
1/8 c. honey
3 TBLSP Vegetable glycerin- optional
It can be stored in the cupboard, doesn't need refrigeration. You do have to shake it up before using it, but that's not hard to remember. I added vegetable glycerin, which can be found at a good natural foods store, just for a thicker product, but it isn't necessary. Apply with a wet washcloth, rinse well.

The shea butter cream is also pretty easy, but does require products from a natural food store or an online company.

6 Ozs. Shea Butter, melted in microwave 1 Tsp. Cornstarch
1 Oz Cocoa butter, melted in microwave 8-10 drops essential oil (optional)
3 Ozs. Almond oil
3 Ozs. Vegetable glycerine


>Place ice in a large bowl and place a metal bowl on the ice. Mix the ingredients together in the metal bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the oils. Whip with an electric hand mixer and continue to beat. Add in the essential oils desired. Continue to beat until light, fluffy thick and cool. Place in a glass jar, store out of sunlight and use as needed. If you don't like cocoa butter, it can be exchanged with coconut oil, or omitted and use more almond oil.
This is a very yummy butter, it smells and feels great!
I started making my own to avoid the chemicals and preservatives in commercial products. Once I realized how easy it is, I've gotten more adventuresome in trying different 'potions'. There are some great websites with recipes, here's a couple to try.
www.spa-living-for-health.com/, www.mybeautyrecipes.com, www.pioneerthinking.com/lotions.html

2009 Already???!!!

Wow, how time flies. I went to Yavapai College to enroll in a Yoga class today, and at the top of the form was a place to fill in the date. What a shock to see 20__ for the year, and then to enter 2009! I remember when the film 2001 Space Odyssey was soooo futuristic, and now that's nearly a decade past. Whew, sometimes I feel old....

It was so hard to send Heather and Jared back to New Hampshire, I was in a total funk for days. I have to pull myself out of that and remember the great time we had together, and treasure that. I haven't been able to get on the internet the past week, but hopefully I can get the Christmas pics on today.

I'm working on a Haines/Cramblit family history book. We are having a Haines family reunion next summer, and I want to create a book with all the records, research and history I can compile. I admit that I have much more history on the Cramblit line, which is my Grandma Haines' family, but there at least I have Grandpa Haines' line back a couple generations. Hopefully I can find more before summer.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We had 2 days of Christmas, our main day yesterday, then Dakota was over all day today. The kids got us a TV entertainment center, a beautiful low cabinet that has a swivel bar for the big-screen TV. We moved the whole front room around, something we've talked about but hadn't gotten around to until now. It looks great

The best part of Christmas was having all our children home. The icing was having Mom Farr, Jon and Dakota here over the past 2 days. Dakota received a brand new bike! She was a little scared at first, but once she got on it she wouldn't get off. She rode from one end of the house to the other, over and over. By the end of the day, she'd mastered turning, pumping and stopping.

I made the kids model the stuff I made them, so I'll post the pics tomorrow. Everyone seemed happy about their gifts- I made Heather mittens and a scarf; Nic a sweater from the knitting machine, and Jared got the argyle, reversible scarf. Dakota got a backpack that looks like a sun. I tried to talk David into something homemade, but not this year. I have visions of the crazy Christmas sweater in Bridget Jones' Diary. The poor guy bravely wore the sweater his Mom made, even though it was a hokey Christmas colored thing with a star or candy cane on the front. I try to make stuff that's a little more 'cool' or in style, but who knows?

Well, I have to go to bed, tomorrow we take Heather and Jared back to the airport. I'm really sad about that, but they both have to go to work on Monday. At least flying back on Saturday gives them a day to regroup, get over jet lag and prepare for the week ahead. Waah, I miss them already!