Grandparents Day

It was Grandparents day at school today.  This little girl is growing up so fast.  The bond her and I had for the first 3 years of her life has made a special place in my heart, they say that will never go away.  I can't say that I love her more than the other two grandchildren, I have plenty of love to spread out between all of them but Elly and I connect.  Not sure how or why, we just do.

Here is our note that she wrote us.

Grandma watch me, I can do cartwheels in the classroom.

Grandchildren fun

 I love to spend time with the kids and the grandkids, they are getting to be so much fun but poor El has a hard time understanding that Grandma isn't only hers anymore.  She wants to play games and the other two either can't be near the small pieces or they want to play too.  Garrett decided he wanted to play Uno with us and to her that was the worst thing ever but he thought he was a big boy playing games with Grandma (Ma to him) and Elly.

Garrett being a big boy while Elly pouts

Ma trying to explain to Garrett how to play the game.

Toy box fun, let's all get inside and see who we can squish.

Miss Mallory played so hard and so good, she is such a good baby.  As long as there are toys she is happy.

I hope I'm playing peek-a-boo with Mallory or these three are really getting to me.

Everything about this next photo is wrong, it's out of focus it's over-exposed and it's just not a technically good photo but I love it.  I'm not sure what Lynn said to us but it must have made all of us open our eyes really wide.... so funny.  Our grandchildren are not going to remember the days I made them dress in good clothes, sit in a certain spot, smile at the camera at a certain time.... they will remember the times Grandma got on the floor and played with them!!

Mallory still playing all by herselft while Elly and I try to get a quick game of Uno in.

Treasure your time with your kids, they grow up too fast.  Now I enjoy the days they come over to hang out, eat pizza and just play.....  of course we usually have a sleep over guest after days like this..... someone still needs her Grandma alone time  : )

Garrett’s 1st Birthday

Jett and Jake seem to think Garrett shouldn’t get clothes for his birthday…. I’m wondering why he got Bud Light???

Elly got him a shape bucket, because he likes the one at Grandmas house. 

His Mommy and Daddy got him a bead maze, I think it’s his favorite.

Can I have it mom?     Please!!

He bearly got messy but he loved all the attention.

Here is the sweater that Adam wore when he was 2 so the girls thought it would be fun to have Garrett sit on Adam’s lap and make their mother cry.  Adam had that white hair just like him…. where does the time go? 

I’m not so sure I could have stuck that toothbrush in my mouth…. it’s usually dripping with Garrett drool.

Then Jett was wearing an Adam t-shirt too….. those girls are not nice to their mother. 

Halloween adn Garrett's 1st Birthday

Here is the birthday boy in his giraffe costume, with of course his toothbrush. He can now walk all over, get himself up without help and can even walk while dragging his blankie between and under his feet. At one point we even found him almost completely upstairs.... I guess that means he can climb steps really fast.

Elly loving her picture taken with Mallory.

Miss El the kitty cat sporting her new haircut.


Here's all three of them. Garrett can hardly move, Mally can't see and El refuses to wear her ears. Gotta love Halloween.


Elly (6.5 years) and Garrett (1 year)

Coffee Cake Recipe

I found this recipe on someones blog but I can't find the link anymore or I would certainly give them credit and leave a comment on how wonderful this cake is. I made it last night and as John knows I rarely follow all the directions (which drives him crazy). I'll give you the real recipe and then I'll add my alterations below.

Coffee Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp. almond flavoring
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup blueberries tossed in 1 T flour and 2 T sugar

Lemon Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 T lemon juice
2 T heavy cream
1 T softened butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter, cream cheese, almond and sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs and then flour, baking powder and salt. Then fold in blueberries. Bake in a well-greased bundt pan for 35-40 minutes. While it cools, combine ingredients for glaze and stir until smooth. Drizzle over pound cake and enjoy.

Okay I didn't use blueberries I used apples to the same amount and tossed with the flour/sugar mixture. I didn't make the glaze since I don't really like the sweet frosting and I'm not really a lemon fan. It was fabulous without the glaze.

After last night and tonight eating half of this cake I realize it taste much like a cream cheese danish and I love cream cheese danishes. I love just about anything with cream cheese and then when you add almond flavoring.... ummmm yeah that's the bomb. It's suppose to be a crappy weekend so go bake this with whatever fruit you have in the house or even without fruit would be good too.,and then sit in front of the fire and eat the whole pan so I don't feel so bad.

Adam updates

I started this post back in Sept and decided I should probably finish it up before too much more time passes by.

Adam bought a new truck so the ole' car is no longer going to be seen on the open roads. I know you will all miss that car and you will no longer be able to wave to Adam since you won't know it's him coming but there is no way on this little green earth that he is going to screw any horns or antenna's to this truck.... right Adam? You'll all have to just get used to Adam in the white clean truck, at least he kept the same color.... I'll tell him to watch for you and wave. Here is Adam with his past and present pride and joy...

Adam has been going to school about 40 minutes from home and his first class starts at 7:30 AM, yes AM and that class is 5 days a week...... his mornings are no longer meant for sleeping in as he likes to do. I get up before him and then when I'm done in the shower I knock on his door and open it slightly so the hall light shines in on his face. Adam is either somewhat awake when I do this or his sense of "Emmerich" humor is way strong and he can't help it. I will let you in on a couple of morning wake up conversations

Me - Wake up Buddy Boy

Adam - Leave a message after the beep....... beep

Me - Morning Bud
Adam - I don't smell the coffee

Me - Up Son
Adam - They canceled school due to lack of interest

Me - Good Morning
Adam - Good afternoon, I must have missed school today

Me - Are you getting up buddy
Adam - I already took a shower

Me - Sun's up
Adam - No I'm not

It's always interesting as to what the next morning will bring, but Adam gets up every morning with no complaints, he doesn't like it but he does it. I think sleeping in is a Emmerich thing too, I wish I liked getting up in the morning but I hate it. That is one of the reasons I cannot nap during the day.... two mornings in one day I couldn't handle that.

More Hemmerfest

Okay so since I have a day of vacation and it’s raining outside let’s load up some more Hemmerfest pictures for you to see.

I think this is where we left off….. Hummmm I’m not sure why this happened but I got the pictures.  From left to right is Michelle, Shawna, Grandma Hemmer, and David. 

Here is poor Grandma getting her hair done by the others…. don’t tell anyone but Shawna is a licensed hairstylist!!

There now she looks Purdy!!  Anyone want a appointment with Shawna?

Ohhhh one tidbit of information so it doesn’t look like all the kids’s fault….. Grandma had a very large Old Fashion and then everytime I got near her she would drink out of my glass….. not a sip either like gulping half my glass.  She loves Paul’s Old Fashions!!

The little kids were feeling left out, they wanted to know why wrapping yourself in toilet paper was so fun.   : )

Megan is showing Grandma her lovely pictures…. Shawna looks like she may be in trouble…… hint – look in Grandma’s hand

Here is what Grandma thinks of all of us picking on her…  I think she belongs on the front of a Hallmark Card!!

All kidding aside they really are the reason we have Hemmerfest for a number of reasons

1) They had 5 wonderful sons who married awesome girls who had beautiful children who now are marrying great people and together they are having beautiful children….. Circle of Life

2) They gave this land to their sons when they sold the farm and it has been the family gathering place for everyone.

3)  They taught their sons to enjoy the outdoors and ride around the woods…. summer or cold winter it’s always good weather for a picnic.