A Stork For Luck

This is so funny when I think about it. When we, Jamie, Ty and I were in Germany last August, we had been there quite a while and we said to each other while driving, "you know, for some strange reason we haven't seen one stork's nest on this trip." And I kid you not, we drove one single block further and look and see what we saw on top of the chimney? And after we returned home, guess what? That stork did his thing. 10- months later little Grayson came to be!

My 3 "Grand" Sons

Ok, so you oldies, like me, might remember an old show called "My Three Sons"? Or maybe not.  But I do.  I never had 3 sons, only 1, but now I have 3 very "grand" sons.  The youngest is here in the picture.  He is sweet and sleeps everytime grandma comes for a visit.  I have heard him cry, but really not much.  Mainly sleep is the order of the day and boy am I jealous of that!  To have time to get good sleep is definitely a treasure that I don't seem to get much of.  Grayson is 8 days old in the picture, doing what he does best.  In about a week, I am taking some vacation time to take my other three grandkids on a "staycation".  I hope that they will enjoy spending time with grandma seeing some fun or interesting Utah places.  With 3 kids, I can't go too far by myself so it will not be overniters, this time.  Jamie has the baby and my mom has been undergoing some knee therapy, so my travel partners are not too available for all I would like to do.  But maybe some of this.  We will see what happens as the week comes.

A Little Bit About Klein Tschanz (Breslau)

When my mom was a child, she resided at the "Kinderheim" on the street address of Kinderheim 46.  While in Breslau in 2007, I was able to go here and a researcher, Adam, below, was kind enough to give me lots of materials, pictures and so forth.  It was really a wonderful experience.  I just wish that I could post everything!

From Adam Czmuchowski (translated from Polish)


The mother monastery in Koln-Nippes of the counts of Stollberg with 1 priest Bruhlen at Lehm Gruber St. 1889 organized a house for children without parents. They built a small church and patronate over it and called it Maria Hilf.

Georg Kopp was the bishop. The manager till 1920 was Eleonore zu Stollberg, countess. When the Dominican nuns took over which were then later removed in 1942. After 1920 the old woman was buried in Klein Tschanz. Till 1928 the little villages were separated but then later all became a part of Breslau.

Eleonora lived on Rybniker Str. After 1860 she donated  land to the Catholic cemetery at Oppelner Str. She gave money for the Church which was built in 1909 and having their 100 year celebration next year. The Church is on Schwentniger Str. (My name was on the plaque as being a contributor, I was really surprised)
Carl was the building advisor and the Priest from 1909-46 was Father Conrad Metzger. In the year 1905  the house was founded with a school on the street of Kinderheim 46 where later was a new house for children by the nuns of the Maria Hilf order .
There were nuns of the Vincenz Order and also the Barmherzigen Sisters at this place.

How Many Relatives Do You Have?

1 YOU
2 parents
4 grandparents
8 g grandparents
16 gg grandparents
32 ggg grandparents
64 gggg grandparents
128 ggggg grandparents
256 gggggg grandparents
512 ggggggg grandparents
1,024 gggggggg grandparents
2,048 ggggggggg grandparents
4,096 gggggggggg grandparents
8,192 ggggggggggg grandparents
16,184 gggggggggggg grandparents
32,768 ggggggggggggg grandparents
65,536 gggggggggggggg grandparents
131,072 ggggggggggggggg grandparents
262,144 gggggggggggggggg grandparents
524,288 ggggggggggggggggg grandparents
1,048,576 gggggggggggggggggg grandparents
2,097,152 ggggggggggggggggggg grandparents

Is it any wonder we spend so much time on genealogy?

Dancing Scooter Gal

As Brecklyn rode her scooter from my house to hers today, I noticed a little of her mother in her.  The leg that pushed the scooter went into a graceful arabesque.  Oh my,  I thought as I remembered...Jamie at the stores in the mall with me doing an arabesque for all to see.  No matter where we went, there was always the perverbial arabesque.  Never anywhere without it...That's how it is when you are a dancer's mother.

A Recipe for Guacamole

GUACAMOLE OLE’


1 ripe avocado in halves
½ c. finely chopped tomatoes
2 T. chopped cilantro
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper

Put all in plastic bag, seal and smush it. Cut bottom corner of the plastic bag and squeeze it all into bowl. Serve with chips. Easy, quick and fairly clean.

Look Grandma! We're Pregnant

No words needed....

GRAYSON CHAD HOFHEINS!

So yesterday Jamie told me she would be having a baby today and so I took the day off. And yes at 7-8 am she called.  Mom, it's time. And so we went and at 11:35 Grayson Chad Hofheins was born. He weighed 7 lbs and 3 oz. and 18 1/2 inches long.  He is the smallest of the 4 grandchildren.  Brecklyn, the daughter was the largest.  He is so blonde.  How could a Nishimoto have such a blondie?  Can't figure it out.  But it is so.  He had his cord around his neck and gave us a little scare, but all is well.  He was born so fast.  The doctor was literally running across the parking lot and the nurses were definitely a little nervous that he wouldn't make it in time.  But just in the nick of time, he did.  I was there as with Logan's birth, but this time I was supposed to help by pulling Jamie's leg.  Never did that before.  It was amazing.  Later as I picked up the older kids and we were riding to the hospital, I heard from Logan and Brecklyn, Is my mom still fat??? Is she skinny again?  Well, not skinny but much better!  I asked Tyson what he thought about his new brother and he said, "It's so amazing."  I think he will be an awesome big brother.

A Little Gralla Family History (Koszecin, Poland)

LOCAL PEOPLE GIVE COLORFUL ACCOUNT OF "ROBIN HOOD" GRALLA.
(I mentioned I would be doing some genealogy stuff on this blog)

In the village of Koszecin, Poland, stand the remains of the Franz Gralla farm of the late 1800's. Although, much has changed on the property, the people who live there now were able to share what they remembered of Franz Gralla, father of twelve children and my great grandfather. The current owners, the Soballas, bought the farm from a Jewish man who had purchased it originally from Franz Gralla in the year 1903. Mr. Soballa tells what caused Franz Gralla to leave the area for Moscow and later St. Petersburg, as he recalls in the year 1903. Franz Gralla, although the owner of a farm and acreage was not the farmer "type" nor did he want to be. He lived life a little on the "wild side" as he chose to defy the local nobility, the Hohenlohes, who owned the forests and most of the surrounding property. Franz Gralla liked to hunt in the forests of the Hohenlohes, which was against the law. But he did this to provide food for his large and growing family and to provide food for all the poor townspeople. For this, the people of the village loved him and the Hohenlohes despised him. He became known as "Robin Hood" Gralla. Often times he would hide with his hunting friends in the forests as the local authorities tried to track him down. He made traps out of bridges which would drop to the water below and help him in fast get-aways. This he did for quite some time until the Hohenlohes eventually caught up to him, and knowing him to be very knowledgeable in forestry, rather than arrest him, as was expected, he was given a forestry job in Belorus on the Hohenlohe property there as an alternative punishment. This same Franz Gralla was also a merchant, a business man who provided the stones for the road which still is there and leads to the next town. According to the Soballas, Franz Gralla was involved in many interesting business "deals", but was a good man whom the people liked and respected for his help in feeding their families.

Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe From a Cookie-holic

Do you all have a favorite sugar cookie recipe?  Well, here is mine.  It's a good one!

Sonja’s favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe


1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla or almond flavoring
1/4 t. soda
4 t. baking powder
4 ½ c. flour

Mix together and roll out. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes.

Buttercreme Frosting for Sugar cookies

½ c. butter or margarine
½ c. shortening
1/4 t. salt
1 ½ t. vanilla
5 ½ c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. of milk
Cream butter, shortening, add salt and vanilla. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time. Then the milk. Beat till light and fluffy. Add food color if desired.

How Does My Garden Grow?

Finally it is beginning to be summer!

I went outside today for the first time in a week due to too many things going on and saw that the garden was finally coming along.  I cut my 3rd cutting of lettuce and picked a green pepper.  Then later I trimmed back the half dead lavender bush and cut some mint to dry.  I felt like the Pioneer Women in me had come out. 

But then I realized how hot it was out there and decided to write about the garden, rather than work in it.  Can't wait to write about tomatoes and black currants, ha ha!

The Anniversary

Having Dinner at Applebee's

Grandma, when do we blow out the candles??

60 years, only a drop in the bucket!

The happy couple Heinz and Eva, alias Omi and Papa!

The great-grands, we are 1 short here, Grayson tried but just didn't make it...

Which is why Jamie and Jake weren't here tonight...

The grandkids help in unwrapping, a difficult task as you age...

A little gift for you!

As you can see no Jay or Jake, they were at the hospital with case 2 of the false labor of love...

What the Grandkids Taught Me

So over the years, I have tried to get some exercise by walking.  The goal is to lower bp, get less fat, get in shape and be generally more healthy.  Lately the grandkids have noticed grandma's walking routine and decided they want to join and everyday the question "Have you gone on your walk yet?" comes out and if I haven't gone, they are gonna go with.  So we round up scooters, big wheels, bikes or whatever the tranportation of the day may be.  Well, I must start by saying when you take your grandkids, or kids with you, the exercise part of the walk really disappears and it is interesting what does appear.  First, one child is 3 miles ahead, while another is equally behind.  The one from behind finally catches up by running over the back of your feet with a big wheel or other instrument of pain.  But being the sweeties they are, they ALWAYS apologize and as you limp along you say "It's OK, honey, it only hurts a little."  The far away child returns and says, "look at this or look at that".  And so we stop and look at this and that and talk and laugh.  What do we look at?  Well, via my blackberry, so excuse the bad quality, here is what we see:

We see millions of ants having their breakfast, lunch or dinner...

We see "Kornblumen Blau" as Omi would say.

We see horses too, and we also smell them a mile away! 

We see the seagulls on their favorite roof top every day, literally hundreds of them.

And we see toadstool "nests"

They are a little gross...

And sometimes we decide to climb a tree or two!

So you see we spend lots of time looking and not so much time exercising, so this grandma will remain fat and happy.  But the key word here is "Happy".

Happy 60th Anniversary To My Wonderful Parents! I Wish You Many More!

ODE TO EVA

It was many yesterdays ago,

When I met you, setting my heart aglow.

Times were tough then, with seemingly nothing to live for,

but undaunted, we opened this new door

of life’s experiences together;

Many storms we would weather.

Now there’s some smoother sailing

With winds from the right direction prevailing.

We share this life in mutual bliss,

And although Mozart and Bach I would never want to miss

(but I know that you like ‘em too)

You’re the greatest - my love and companion so true,

Our love will remain forever as new.

Your Heinz

A Nummy Polish Recipe

I tried to post this on The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen Site, but it kept rejecting everything I did to put in the recipe.  So I am posting it here so as not to feel like a complete failure...  It really is nummy and the credit goes to Theresa Ulfik, my Polish relative's wife, who is a really good cook.

Teresa Ulfik’s Polish Salad.

Ingredients (every ingredient should be put in the form of a layer)
1 can pineapple cut into pieces ( I used Pineapple tidbits, drained)
1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans
The white part of a leek cut into pieces. (I sliced it)
a layer of mayonnaise
1/3 lb.of deli turkey or ham cut into thin stripes (Omi can leave out)
2-3 carrots (boiled) cut into thin stripes ( I used boiled baby carrots about 10-12 of them)
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves of mashed garlic
can of corn (I used frozen because I had no canned corn)
another layer of mayonnaise
4 grated hard-boiled eggs (I just sliced them and put them on top)

Mix it when you serve it, but it is prettier in the layered form in a clear serving bowl till ready to eat.

Blossoming Musician?

Well, Last nite I got to tend my two grandsons.  We took Tyson to scouts and then that left little Logan, the birthday boy, all by himself.  I was in my bedroom when I heard loud noises from my office area and went to investigate. There laying on the rug were the contents of two tin containers of crayons.  Every crayon was laying on the floor, with no Logan or container in site.  My first thought was, why does he dump out two containers of crayons and not even color anything!  Great, now I get to hunt for the containers and then clean up all the crayons, right? Ugh...not my day.  So I proceed to track down the culprit and there on the kitchen floor sits a little drummer practicing his musical skills...

Fish

Fish: "Add a touch of nature to your page with these hungry little fish way down at the bottom of my page. Watch them as they follow your mouse hoping you will feed them by clicking the surface of the water."

I Wish My Daddy Was a Dog!

At Stake Conference today, Elder Sitterud spoke about being a better parent, a better grandparent and just plain being a better person.  He told us this poem and I really thought it hit the hammer on the head!

I Wish My Daddy Was a Dog


One day, when Bruce was just a lad, starting out in school,
He came into my workshop and climbed upon a stool.
I saw him as he entered, but I hadn't time to play
So I merely nodded to him and said, "Don't get in the way."

He sat a while just thinking---as quiet as could be.
Then carefully he got down and came and stood by me.
He said, "Old Shep, he never works and he has lots of fun.
He runs around the meadows and barks up at the sun.

"He chases after rabbits and always scares the cats.
He likes to chew on old shoes, and sometimes Mother's hats.
But when we're tired of running, we sit down on a log;
I sometimes get to thinking--I wish Daddy was a dog.

" 'Cause then, when I come home from school, he'd run and lick my hand
And we would jump and holler and tumble in the sand.
And then I'd be happy, as happy as could be.
'Cause we would play the whole day through, just my dad and me.

"Now I know you work real hard to buy us food and clothes.
And you need to get the girls those fancy ribbons and bows.
But sometimes, when I'm lonesome, I think it would be lots of fun
If my daddy was a dog, and all his work was done."

Now when he'd finished speaking, he looked so lonely there
I reached my hand out to him and ruffled up his hair.
And as I turned my head aside to brush away a tear,
I thought how nice it was to have my son so near.

I know the Lord didn't mean for man to toil his whole life through
"Come on, my son, I'm sure I have some time for you."
You should have seen the joy and sunlight in his eye
As we went outside to play--just my son and I.

Now, as the years have flown and youth has slipped away.
I've tried always to remember to allow some time to play.
When I pause to reminisce and think of joys and strife,
I carefully turn the pages of this wondrous book of life.

I find the richest entry recorded in this daily log
Is the day that small boy whispered. "I wish my Daddy was a dog."

-Author Unknown

Logan's birthday

Baseball Boy