Colorado Road Trip With Dad

We had a wonderful trip. It was such a special treat to get to spend this time with my Dad.  Definitely something I will always treasure.   Here is a little journal in pictures.  I have a lot of pictures.  It was difficult for me to thin them down and you may not believe it, but I did acutally thin them down considerably.  Hopefully you won't be overloaded by them and can enjoy the little scrapbook I made for my family.




If you ever get the chance to visit Colorado.... after you have visited us... you ought to take a visit to Durango and get on the Durango Silverton train.  You will love it.

You get on early in the morning.

And if you plan it right you get to sit with some wonderful company.

(But this guy's taken, you'll have to get your own).

We rode in this rail car.  It was called the "Prospector".

There were four to our table; Dad, Steve, myself, and the fourth seat was shared between a grandfather and his two grandsons.  They also had a two seater table farther down the car.

I loved the old looking decor.  Antiquey lights and oak paneling, were part of the old-time atmosphere.

The scenery was  beautiful.

Ranches....

... and little homesteads were part of the view.

When the train comes around a few of those turns, you can get a great picture of the front end of it.

The river is beautiful.  

If you look real close, you can see a small speck in the middle left of the picture.

This is a zip liner.  There is an amazing zip line tour that you can take if you don't mind heights.... I 'm not too good at heights, but it sure did look like fun.  I keep thinking maybe I could give it a try one day, before I get too old for such things..... and no I don't think I'm too old yet; do you?

Here she is coming to her landing.   We were able to watch it all from the train.

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was filmed in this area, as well as many other westerns,  they used this railroad and these trains for their film.   We were able to see a few places where they filmed, and where "Butch and the Kid" jumped off the bridge... but I wasn't able to get into the right position to get a picture of it.

I did like this old water tank.  It takes a lot of water to run a steam engine like this.... 2 stops are made for water going up, and 1 going back.

Doesn't it make you want to go rafting?  It does me.

Every view was breathtaking.

Dad and Steve and I in Silverton.

Silverton has that lovely mixture
of old and new... more old than new; the new being the cars.



The train ride to Silverton was 3 and 1/2 hours long. When we got to Silverton, we meandered around, there are quite a few tourist shops and restaurants. We had lunch at the old hotel. We took a bus back... but you can take the train back if you want. It is an hour and a half less time to take the bus, so we did that, and got a different view going back.





I'm always drawn to the "old". I love the beautiful workmanship and romance of the things gone by.

This was a huge bar that had been brought here from France, after the Gold/Silver boom hit.

tin ceilings...

.....and old, lovely lights.

A beautiful era, when travel and adventure had a different look.  

When we got back to Durango, we had a nice nap a few games of backgammon (my Dad loves to play backgammon with Steve.... and every visit is not complete without at least 10 games a day.. haha)  then went out for  dinner  and celebrated Steve's Birthday. It was a lovely Italian place, where we could sit out on the street and watch the comings and goings; I enjoy doing that!

There is a  jewelry store in Durango.  You can see the date it was established.  We think they are our relatives.   My Dad is a Raymond (last name), and his father was born in Durango.  His family was in the jewelry business.  So there must be a connection don't you think?  We were able to talk to the owner, and had a very pleasant talk with him.  We understand that the Raymonds sold their part of the business in the 40's, so we were so sad to realize that we could not meet up with any of them; Perhaps it was naive to think we could.. but we were hoping.  We are curious to know more of our family history though, and I am thinking perhaps I will do a

little research on Ancestry.com and find out a more if I can. 

The Railroad museum in Durango;

It had more than railroad items to see.

These are dollhouses.

There were many miniatures to see.  All made by hand.

The drive home was beautiful as well.  We never did get to Mesa Verde...perhaps another trip.

We stopped in Pagosa Springs on the way back and had a wonderful Mexican food lunch on the river, looking right across at the hotsprings, and thinking how wonderful the water looked 

Thanks for sharing in our little vacation. 

A Visit From My Dad

I have been cleaning and organizing this week, preparing for a visit from my Dad.  It has been a few years since he has come for a visit, and we've been so excited for him to come.   I kept thinking I would do a little post on our "cleaning-out and fixing-up" projects... but as usual,  I can't seem to post when I am right in the middle of something.  It is nice to have a spare room to spiff up.  This year is the first year in a long time that we have had a spare room, with only Eddie left at home now.  We re-arranged our little downstairs den, and the spare room, and finished little projects that we have been meaning to get to for ages.  It was all very cozy when he got here.

Today we're  going on a Colorado road trip... kind of a mini vacation together.  We're going to Durango to "look up" some old relatives (a story for another time), and to explore the pretty countryside.  Then we are going to take the  Train to Silverton, which is an old mining town up in the mountains.   Then (if we still have time and strength), we may go to Mesa Verde, which is an Indian ruin/cliff dwellings and archeological preserves.  I keep thinking it would be nice to have Instagram for trips like this... but - well its not going to happen, so stay tuned for another post, a few pictures and a couple of recipes that I made while Dad was here.

Steve's Birthday is this week-end, so we are going to celebrate that and Father's Day(a week early) with my Dad.  I'm thinking this has become a celebration for all of us.   I took the picture of Dad and Eddie yesterday.  I think it is a sweet one.  Dad and Eddie are "birthday buddies" ... they share the same January birthday; so I had to have a picture of the birthday buddies together.  Well, I suppose I better get ready to go... they are going to be in the car and honking at me if I don't get my self together haha.. I am off and away;  Have a nice weekend everyone.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Cupcakes

Did you ever like  those "Hostess" Cupcake or a Hostess Ding Dongs; I used to be a Ding Dong Junkie...  I try to behave myself these days, but  I do get that craving now and then; thus these cupcakes.  For this recipe I used wholesome ingredients, which makes them a healthier treat than Hostess would make.  In addition to whole grain flour, I used coconut flour and coconut oil in the ingredients, so they  have a chocolate, coconut flavor, and everyone around here likes that, but you could exchange the coconut oil and flour for regular oil, and flour (or almond flour) for a non coconut variation.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Cupcakes

Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter,  softened

1/2 cup organic unbleached powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Cupcake

2 1/2 cups whole wheat or whole grain flour

1/2 cup coconut flour (or almond flour)

2 cups organic, unbleached sugar,  sucanat or turbinado sugar

3/4 cup Cocoa

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp white vinegar

2/3 cup coconut oil or palm shortening

2 cups hot water

Mini Chocolate Chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare cupcake pans with papers and/or non-stick spray.  This recipe makes about 18 standard sized cupcakes.

Combine ingredients for  the filling and mix with a mixer until well mixed,  and creamy.  It will be thick.  Set aside.

For Cupcakes, combine dry ingredients.

 And whisk together until well combined.

Heat water in kettle and pour into glass measuring bowl.  Add coconut oil or palm shortening.

Stir until oil is melted.  Then add vinegar and vanilla.  Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring until blended, then mix with mixer until well mixed.

 Spoon the batter into cupcake tins filling them half way.

 Add a dollop of the filling.  

(For my second round, I had more filling than I thought I would, so I  put generous dollops
into each; it was very good...  "the more the merrier").

 Now add another dollop of cake batter over the filling (about a heaping tablespoon).

 Bake at 350 degrees 20-25 minutes until cake is done.

 While still hot, sprinkle a tablespoon of mini chocolate chips on top, allowing them to
melt slightly and adhere,

 ...or let set for a minute or two, then spread chocolate over the top as an icing.

    Lay it on thin or thick however you like; or don't spread it around at all;   I had a variety when I was done, including chocolate frosted, chocolate chipped, frosted with leftover filling and unfrosted.

Not necessarily beautiful, but beautifully delicious and wholesome.

To me the creamy center is the best part of this cupcake, tasting a little like cheesecake and cupcake combined.

Dense, moist and creamy.

     Unfrosted, with an extra portion of cream cheese dolloped inside...  No complaints  around here in regards to that.  

Enjoy

A Mother's Day Special

While I was loading the pictures for this post, I was reminded of  our adoption story and a few connected adoption stories in our family. As you see the pictures, you will understand why those thoughts came about.   It also ran through my mind that  when I was a little girl, and even into my adult life, my favorite books, t.v. shows and movies  were about families, and especially the ones about big families and about adoption.  Here were/are some of my favorites;  "The Waltons", "The Brady Bunch", "Cheaper by the Dozen" "With Six You Get Egg Roll", Yours, Mine and Ours",  "Room for One More", "The Gentle House", "Life With Father", "Little House on the Prairie", and the list could go on, but you get the idea.  I think I was always attracted to them because they express a little of the things I think about, feel  and love about life; they put their finger on my heart.

So, in this post, I thought I would tell you some adoption stories from our family that maybe you would enjoy. This post is a little longer than I usually write, but I couldn't seem to shorten it so, it is what it is.

Just as a note I want to say our story has some sweet things, and hopefully some inspiring things, but if you don't hear about the  difficult things,  it isn't because they have not happened to us, it is because at this time of my life I don't care to write about them on my blog.  I add this, because when we write about our lives and the fun, interesting or wonderful things, people sometimes think how perfect everything works out in your life; they haven't seen your pain, or sorrow or struggle. I can assure you there is struggle and pain… but my calling is to encourage people  to look towards the goal, and be over-comers.  Persevere in running your race, even if it requires much of you, and "what ever is good", speak about those things.        

 Now here is a recap of my trip, and  a story for you.

The second week of my recent trip I flew from Florida to North Carolina.  Our oldest son Nathan and his wife Himilce and family live there now.  This was the first time I was able to see our new precious granddaughter.  Little Elyse is our 6th grandchild,  Isn't she beautiful?  Yes, its okay for Grandma's to gloat a little, I think (It is always a little more permissible for grandma's to gloat about the children,  rather than parent's for some reason, I don't know why that is, but I take full advantage of it as you may have noticed in previous posts).

Before I start my story,  I want to show you some sweet faces. Above, is Elyse whom I just mentioned; don't you just love her  festive dress?  Below is our little Asher.  Look at those adorable eyes.

Now you might think he is sad....

I mean look at those eyes...

...but he's not.  He's having a birthday.  And he's very happy about cake and presents.  He talked about his birthday all week in anticipation, and without shyness... he was so cute.  He wanted a strawberry cake and a blue car.  Himilce made him a beautiful strawberry cake, and we were happy to  be able to get him a blue car (forgot to get a picture of the blue car).

And here is Elon, our oldest Grandson.  He's getting so big.  Right now, he is busy loading up Asher's  Tonka  truck with rocks.  This is an authentic, vintage, metal, Tonka Truck.  These days,  you can buy a new truck like this, but it is made out of plastic, and not near as durable;  this was one of Asher's birthday gifts.

Now with that little part out of my way...( I mean how can I type out a story when those pictures were crying out to be shown and talked about... ), so now, let me try again.

While our children were little, we had gotten a desire to adopt children.  I believe we were stirred by the news coming out of Romania at that time.  It was sad and terrible news, that revealed thousands of orphan's  in Romania that were there, due to that country's dictator who had decreed some outrageous laws to suit his own pride. There is of course a greater depth of details, but in a nutshell there were thousands of orphan's barely surviving in the streets, and this stirred our hearts, we yearned to help.  We were not, however,  in the financial position to afford foreign adoption at that time, so we didn't, but we held onto that desire  to help children that needed someone to help them.

After our sons went away to college, and while our daughters were teenagers, we became certified to foster adopt.  We had a small interaction in that realm, but still it was not quite the Lord's timing.  Several years later, after Nathan and Himilce were married, had finished college, and were living in North Carolina,  we went to visit.  There I had a lovely chat with Himilce's Mother, Darlene, who told me about a group that they were about to sponsor, by hosting some Russian orphan's for a two week visit to North Carolina.  The ultimate desire of this group is to help place orphan's in homes; By bringing groups of orphan's to the U.S., they were able to bless them with a trip, and possibly open the door of adoption for them.  When I heard about this, I was very intrigued.  This was our heart, and this was Darlene and her families heart as well.

Shortly after that time, Nathan and Himilce moved to Colorado, and life carried on.  A few months went by and the plans to sponsor this group finalized; Himilce's parents had the children in their home for 2 weeks.  I delighted in hearing all of the details about their story, because, as I told you above, I love stories about these kinds of things. I especially loved hearing the details that her parents were going to adopt 4 of the children.  One day Himilce talked to me about 2 siblings that had come with this group that her parents had met.  She showed me a picture of them.  There was no adoption pending for them, they needed a family.  There were actually 3 siblings, but the third (whose name is now Eddie), had not been able to go on that trip to North Carolina  for various reasons.  Steve and I felt our hearts stirred by them.   We prayed and got a peace from the Lord to move forward; A short time, and a lot of paper work later, we found ourselves on our way to Russia to meet them.  We spent a week in Russia, and most of that time with them.  It was wonderful, and somewhat difficult, but very heart stirring for us.  When we got back, we finished all of the paperwork to complete the adoption process, and waited on a court appointment to be set in Russia.

In the meantime, Himilce's parents also completed all of their paper work, and finally received a court appointment;  They brought their children home approximately one month before we brought our 3 home.  They ended up adopting 3 of the 4 children that they had hosted in their home; the fourth was not a part of the sibling group of three, and he ended up being reunited by the court, with his birth mother, so hopefully that was a good thing.  

That was seven years ago.  Since that time,  we had our first grandson (pictured above), and 5 more grandchildren.   Our three grandchildren from Nathan and Himilce have  6 Aunts and Uncles from Russia, and 2 Auntie Olga's; one on each side of the family.  While I was in North Carolina this time, I got a chance to see Himilce's parents again, whom I haven't seen since that little chat we had those years ago that started this adventure.  I enjoy them very much, they are very special to me.   I also got a chance to meet Himilce's siblings from Russia,  whom I have always felt as if I knew, but I had not gotten to meet yet.  So you can understand  the reason for all the memories and thoughts about adoption while I was working on this post.  It was such a joy to meet them all.  Eddie has talked to Vadim now and then, and soon we are hoping to get them together when we "all" three get a chance to go back out to Florida and North Carolina.  They are a little like kin to each other, because they came from the same region, in Russia, and are related through the marriage of adopted brother and sister.  Russ and Olga remember them, having gone on the first trip to North Carolina with them, although I don't think they were in the same orphanage, but from the same city.   It is all very interesting  I think. You can click here for a few more details and pictures.  I was able to take a few pictures this trip, but I wish I had gotten a  family picture of them all together.  We had a wonderful week, culminating  in Asher's birthday on Saturday, and Mother's Day highlighted by Elyse's baby dedication on Sunday, after which the whole tribe of us went out to eat.  It was wonderful.

Here is Vadim, the oldest of the siblings from Russia on the left, and next to him,  Himilce's Nephew  Terry, who is not so little anymore, but was 2 when he was in Nathan and Himilce's wedding, and Himilce's brother Dillon.  Himilce has 4 siblings along with the 3, making a grand total of 7 siblings, or 8 children altogether.

Here is Darlene, Himilce's Mama, with our mutual, precious, new baby granddaughter.

And of course, another adorable picture of the precious one.

Here are Himilce's sisters from Russia; Olga on left, and Marina on right.

This is Himilce's niece,  Jimena who is the sibling of Terry above, and was adopted by Himilce's sister;  Jimena is from Guatemala; so you can see adoption really does run in the family.

Here are Himilce's sisters Amanda on the right and Marina in the middle and their little niece.

The precious cupcake again...

...and scrumptious little toes.

This was Mother's Day, and baby dedication at Church.  

Nathan and Himilce arranged the dedication around my visit, and had her family come up for that and Asher's Birthday... it was all very, very special to me.

What a perfect Mother's Day gift for all of us Mom's.

Himilce and the precious one.

She is a "Smiler"; and a very happy baby.

Doesn't he look delightful in his suit?  Love his smile too.

...gotta have one more picture of the precious one in her lovely dress for the baby dedication.

My treasures

"Church is over and....I gotta get this suit off"


My own boys were the same way when they were little.

"Hey Elon, do you think its strong enough to hold you?"

 Buddies

"Hey Grammy, come look, we found a bird's nest".

"Did you see it Grammy?"

"Beautiful Blue Robbin eggs".