Grandma Ray's Kitchen Table

My Mom has had the same kitchen table for as long as I can remember. It is the only table I remember. The table has had one upgrade--new legs. I can remember kicking the legs of the table out so they would be straight. The legs have also changed colors throughout the years. I often think about how many different projects, quilts, meals, babies, people (Steven), and food stuffs have been on the table. This picture is the before picture from the November Family Night. We all brought treats to share. Some of the more memorable things that I remember on the table are a cow and Steven. Steven was hit by a car coming home from church on Sunday. I remember him lying on the table and Dr. Ewart (?) coming over and taking care of him. I think he was about 7. He was hit right in front of the fire station on Lindsay Road so he had help really fast.

Next was the cow, or the parts of the cow. I remember walking into the kitchen with a mountain of meat on the table. We had to help Mom package and label the meat. I can't remember if this was the time that we ground our own hamburger too. I do remember cutting up the cow on Uncle Irving's carport...ewww, it was gross.

Dianne came to visit for about a week and had a few "projects" to complete. I couldn't take a picture of the complete project----Christmas present for.. I better not say. Mom's table has something on it for the next week.

Sydney and Rachel are having fun watching Grandma and Dianne I think here they were still trying to figure out how to make the "figure" on the project.....I should just write what it is because in 5 years I won't remember what she made.

DJ would bring Kynzi to visit while Dianne was here.

At the same time Dianne was trying to do her projects, David was working on his Christmas invitations---he made a million of them. These are the little holly-berry things we glued on the green wreaths. Becca spent 3 days cutting pieces out for the invitations.

As you can see, Dianne is hard at work doing "her" projects....just kidding....she sewed for 7 days strait. Mom and Dianne are on one side of the table, David and Becca on the other.

Moms table looked like this the whole week. It was funny to come in and see how they were progressing on all the parts they were cutting out.

Last Saturday we had over 120 jars of Pomegranate Jelly on the table. Oh, I almost forgot about all the Rook, O'Heck, Rage, Dice, Phase 10, Canasta, Hearts, Pictunary, and a million other new "Christmas" games played on Mom's kitchen table.

Family Pictures 2010

It is that time of year again...... I begged Becca to take our family pictures again. Sydney wanted purple. So here is our Jackson Family Pics 2010. Michelle, David, Jessica, Donovan, Brandon, Makynzi, Danielle, Andrew, and Sydney at the Mesa Temple grounds.

Kynzi was about done here.

Becca made this picture black and white. The entire time we were taking pictures Becca was trying to get Makynzi to smile at her.

The temple has Christmas lights ready to be turned on after Thanksgiving. Jessica has a picture with Isaiah, I will have to blog that one later.

I think this is one of my favorite pictures of Donovan. He is just happy sitting in the green, green grass.Brandon and Donovan in the tree. Isn't this what you do on the temple grounds on Sunday afternoon?

Andrew at 18!! In 5 more months he will be 19. It is weird to think next year we will have to photo shop him in the family pictures. (Mission)

I love my grandchildren. Look how cute Donovan and Makynzi are!!

Green Family. Brandon, DJ, Donovan and Mak. I think Makynzi has as many names as DJ does. Brandon calls her Macaroni....he better be careful...it might stick.

I alwas ask Sydney if she likes being the last one at home. She always rolls her eyes like she had a choice or something. :)

Jackson Family 2010.

Honey Taffy

David wanted to learn how to pull honey taffy. I have tried to learn how and I am still not as good as Mom. I don't know how she pulls it perfect every time.

I told mom she had to smile in the camera. This is actually a video, but Sydney's Flip software lets me take still pictures from the video. I have to admit, I think the Flip is now mine.

I don't know if Mom really likes pulling taffy but I know she likes to tell the story about how her Dad (Daddy) (Grandpa Scott) loved honey taffy and he was the one who pulled it. I'm sure Mom must have helped because she is an expert. I only remember Grandpa Scott handing out Popsicles on Sundays. He never pulled taffy when I knew him.

This is one tradition I want to keep. I always start to early and the taffy is so hot it burns my hands.

Sundays are the only time I pull taffy because I have Mom to let me know when the "hard ball" is ready. Sometimes my honey taffy is soft, sometimes very soft, and sometimes to hard. It doesn't seem to matter.....by the time I get finished cutting the long strings it has vanished.

Honey Taffy

1 c. honey

1 c. sugar

boil over medium/high heat unit a hard ball

take off heat and add:

1 T. butter

1/2 t. baking soda

pour onto a buttered pan to cool before pulling.