JANUARY~ORZANIGACHEL-ROMAN HOLIDAY

I have decided to feature some of our favorite family recipes this year.  I have had so many suggestions that I will have to spotlight two per month to get them all in, and then I still won't be able to feature them all.  

I am starting with Orzanigachel, or creamy ham and potato casserole.  When Rachel was a teenager, she asked me to name it after her because she liked it so much.  Somehow, when we were talking about the organization of something else, Mary couldn't say it right and it came out "orzanigachel," so we said, "That's what we can call Rachel's dish!"  It was just a joke, but it stuck.  The recipe has evolved over the years, and changes with whatever cook is preparing it.  Originally, it was sliced, cooked potatoes, layered in two or three layers, with cream of mushroom soup thinned with milk, chopped onions, diced ham, and grated cheese on each layer.  Salt and pepper on each layer too.  Top with grated cheese.  Bake covered, at 400, for half an hour or so, until it gets bubbly.  Recently, I have started using sour cream and milk, sometimes, instead of and sometimes along with the cream of mushroom soup.  If you boil the potatoes ahead of time, for 15-20 minutes, then put them in the refrigerator, they slice up nicely and don't take so long to cook in the casserole.  The onions need to be diced very small or they don't get done.  Dried onions work really well.  Be sure to salt the water in which you boil the potatoes or you can never get them to taste salty enough, no matter how much salt you add. You can use raw potatoes; Grandma used to do that, but it takes a longer time to bake.The top picture of orzanagachel is from Esther and the bottom one is from Thomas.

The second recipe for January is Roman Holiday.  This is a recipe I got from Grandmother.  I don't know how she came to call it that, maybe she named it after the wonderful 1950's movie staring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.  Anyway, it has been a family favorite ever since we became a family.  Brown hamburger and onions with garlic salt and pepper.  Grandmother said her Roman Holiday was good because she used lots of onions.  If you use lean ground beef, add a little water so you have some juice.  You don't want dry Roman Holiday.  Put the beef and onions, with all the juice in a baking dish, and add drained canned corn.  For a 9x11 pan, I use two cans.   Then pour the juice from a can of diced tomatoes all over the meat and corn.  The tomatoes I spread evenly across the top.  Sometimes, if I feel it is too dry, I'll add a little tomato juice.  Then cooked pasta on top of that.  Grandmother always used regular macaroni, but it is fun to use different types of pasta like shells or salad macaroni (cooked in salted water), then top with grated cheese.  Bake covered at 400 for half an hour or so until it gets bubbly. These pictures are of a small casserole I made just for Dad and me, and then of Thomas' regular Roman Holiday.

             Orzanigachel                                                            Roman Holiday

Roman Holiday

 Our January birthdays are certainly bubbly!

Jovie had her first birthday on January 2nd

Shad's birthday was January 7th

Rebecca and Scott's anniversary was the 7th.

Deanna's birthday was the 12th

Connie's birthday was the 14th

Reygan's 20th birthday was the 20th...her golden birthday!

Albert turned 18 on the 25th

Raymond and  Alonzo turned 9 on the 29th.  I usually like to put in separate pictures, but when I was looking for some, I found this picture of Raymond helping his brother and it touched my heart.

~OUR JANUARY~

Even though we have had some freezing nights...and freezing early temple mornings...our January days have been mostly sunny and the petunias and stocks have been so beautiful.

And even Dad's garden has been thriving.

Harrison and Marlie and Soren came, during the first week of January, to spend the last of their Christmas break with us. Harrison and Marlie went with their cousins, aunts and uncles and me, to see The Greatest Showman.

Soren, however, opted to go shooting with Grandpa.

Dad made albondigas soup to duplicate Mesa El Charro's recipe.  He says he got pretty close.  Here he is tasting it with the "shaky spoon" Esther gave him for Christmas.

On January 2, our beloved prophet, Thomas Spencer Monson passed away.  What a joyous day it must have been for him and his wife to be reunited.  His funeral was the 12th, but we were working that day.  We recorded it, of course, but Dad had our Dish changed, and we lost all our DVR.

That Sunday, we had Rebecca and Polly and Sara and Parker for dinner. Parley was sick, so Scott stayed home with him.

Then that night, Joel and Stephanie, who had just had dinner with Paula, came by to visit, and so did Thomas and his family.  Mary's family was sick with the horrible influenza A, so she did us a favor and didn't come.  Rebecca and her kids saw them on the way out the door.

While Joel and Stephanie and their boys were here, of course, we ate at El Charro! It was nice to have Paula join us.  She is my good friend as well as co-grandmother.

On the 16th, there was a broadcast to announce the new First Presidency, with a news conference following.  It was so exciting.  We closed that day so we were able to watch the whole thing in the morning.  It was announced that Russell M. Nelson had been ordained prophet and president of the church, with Dallin H. Oakes and Henry B. Eyring as counselors.   The photos are of President Nelson introducing his counselors, then at the news conference later, and then of the Nelson family.

After Parley was well, they came over with Rebecca to play on Grandpa's playground.  I think Parley loved not having to get bundled up and being able to enjoy the Arizona sunshine.  Sara was impressed with Grandpa's garden, still flourishing in January.  She left on the 22nd to fly to Italy to be with Dallin.  She and Parley will live there for a few months and then go home to Syracuse while he finishes up his semester abroad.  Since they are on a visitors visa and he is on a student visa, they have to go home before he does.

We called Thomas and Jenn and asked if Henry could come and play with Parley.  After a couple of minutes of sizing each other up, they became good friends and enjoyed playing together.

On Sunday, after dinner with Parker, Mary came with her family to cut his hair.  Thomas and Jenn and their family came as well.

Alex was playing outside without shoes, so I put his feet up to warm them by the fire.  Ethan wanted his feet warm too.  Jared and Maya just liked watching the fire.

Thomas and Jenn's family came over for dinner on the 28th, and enjoyed playing in the costume box.

On Monday night, the 29th, we went to Willcox to have dinner with the Herringtons and Allreds.  We ate at Big Tex, a restaurant in a railroad car.  It was really good.  I had a BBQ sandwich with brisket and Dad had pulled pork.  But they are famous for their brisket, so if you go there, I recommend that you get brisket.😀 Herringtons little granddaughter had a horrible cough, and, of course, Dad was nervous about it.  He sprayed down the car after we dropped them off.  The next morning, however, President Herrington was sick, so Dad had to go in to work for him.  I felt bad that he had to give up his days of rest, but was so thankful that he is healthy and able to do it.

I was asked a month ago to speak at homemaking, so I stewed over it for the whole time!  I wrote 4 talks, revised each one, condensed some, combined others and finally started all over again and gave the last one I had prepared.  I was so glad when that was over.  

The next morning, the 31st, I went to Jared's school class where he read his report on Narwhal Arctic whales.  He was so cute and he wrote it all himself.  He invited Dad and me to come even though it was for parents.  I felt very flattered that he wanted us there, and since I wasn't working I was able to go.  Dad had a meeting at the temple, though, so he missed it.

That afternoon, I went to the movie with Rebecca and Rachel.  We saw My Girl Forever...really good chick flick.   Believe it or not, I forgot to take a picture.  So when Rebecca went back and took Polly, she sent a picture of them and I'm including it here.

~NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY~

NATHAN AND SHAUNA

Some impressive Josh the Preservationist buildings

I sent this picture to Josh.  It is a house across the street from Jared's school in Thatcher.

Jovie's January 2nd birthday was celebrated twice in Omaha with both Bethany's and Palmer's families. 

Jovie doesn't seem to love the dentist chair😩Sorry Palmer.  Also, at Disney on Ice.

After the Disney show she was just wiped out!

So  proud of herself

The beautiful Palmer and Bethany Jeppesen family.

Hannah and Seth at his parents' house.  I don't know what was so exiting to Hannah.

They acted as chaperones or advisors for a high school show choir event, I think.  Hannah is the quintessential show choir person.

JOEL AND STEPHANIE

At El Charro with us and Paula Layton

Sunday evening visit.

Ok, everybody...It's a girl!!! A girl in Stephanie's family!  Wow! She's going to love having a girl to dress up and play with.  Lucky baby. 

DANIEL AND CONNIE

Daniel's hand, which, as you can probably remember, had been injured by a thorn from a Russian Olive, never seemed to heal, so he had to go in for more surgery.  It turned out to be a major surgery and now he has this scary bionic arm which is supposed to restrict some movements and encourage others.  It's his right hand, too, so he's had to make some adjustments.

When it is Connie's birthday, I always wonder who's going to make her an "Amazing Connie Cake." But I surely didn't need to worry this year.  Everyone made one for her!!!

And Shadrach had his girlfriend, Hannah, in Colorado for a visit at that time.  He took her shooting, too.  He says she is a great shot.  She must be like Polly.

With Hannah and her family in California

Albert's 18th birthday with his Amazing Connie cake.  He is going to Greece for HEFY (Humanitarian EFY) this summer, so Connie made him a cake with the Greek flag and olympic paraphernalia: a laurel wreath, the Olympic rings, and gold, silver and bronze medals, plus an Olympic torch.  Like I said, Amazing!

Shannyn with some school friends on what looks like "flannel shirt day."

It has been so so cold and snowy.  The tracks are of a crane who lives on their creek.

Amazing Connie cakes for Raymond and Alonzo.  She always tries to tailor her cakes to the likes and interests of her birthday child.  The ostrich is for Alonzo, and I think the other one is a game device.

REBECCA AND SCOTT

The Taylor and Allison Atkinson family.  

Harvey, hanging out at the doctor's office...well-child checkup, I hope. 

Her baby girl is due in April...maybe.  The doctor says she may go early.

Modern day Paul Bunyan in real life!

Harvey helping with FHE treats?

Polly went on a cattle drive with Dallin Stevens.

Rebecca and Scott celebrating their anniversary at the Branding Iron, the place they went on their first date 29 years ago.

Deanna's birthday celebration.  I think DeWitt instigated a surprise party for her at work.

Dallin's study of ruins in Greece and also in Italy at the Basilica de San Marco.

Missing Dallin

Sara and Parley went to New Jersey to visit her dad before they came to Arizona on their way to Italy.  It was a nail-biting time for Rebecca, though, because there was a snow storm and Sara didn't have a phone.  But they made it safely, thank goodness.  Doesn't Parley look so much like Sara's dad?

Enjoying Arizona.  He sure loves his Papi and Becca Bo.  And Sara loves Arizona weather.

They took him to the Tucson zoo.

Finally together again in Italy.

Rebecca and Polly took a road trip to see Lillian in Cedar City.  They went through Las Vegas on their way.  The girls were so happy to see each other.

She showed off her sweet little studio apartment in the barn.  The bedroom and living room are the same room, but she has a nice kitchen too.

Kevin took them up to the mountain to have some snow fun.

They went to church in Cedar City before heading home.  They saw the Cedar City Temple and the St. George Temple as well.  They are so close, but the weather is very different.  Cedar is cold and snowy and St. George is like Mesa.

JEREMY AND ERIKA
Ellie had an extra ticket to see the Harry Potter symphony with her family, so she invited Kirtlyn.

The love birds...maybe thinking about building a nest?

Reygan went to Disneyland with her friends

Happy Birthday dear Reygan! Her golden birthday...20 on the 20th🎂

Celebrating with the Browns...a fancy candle

Congratulations to the happy couple and welcome to the family, Jori!

RACHEL AND TONY

The kids at their Grandpa Tim's (Papa's) wedding in Mesa.

Rachel's picture of the announcement of the new First Presidency.

Isabel and Rylie went to the ice cream museum.  I didn't know we even had an ice cream museum.

The twins at Thrifty.  Never too old to like riding the horse for 25cents.  You can get too big, but not too old.

Rachel decorated for Weston Wiltbank's wedding.  Beautiful! The bottom picture is of the bride and groom (in the middle), Rylie and Brandon on their left an Polly and Isabel's friend Ethan on their right.

Our very own Gila Valley Idol Star.  She made the finals...March 22nd.  We weren't able to go, but we heard her on Mary's video and on the radio the next day.  She was so good...so smooth and sweet.  Surely she will win the whole thing.

She made the front page!

Dancing in the kitchen

ESTHER AND SHAD

Shad's annual happy birthday picture.

Harrison baked him a gorgeous German Chocolate cake and his friends got together to ridicule him for turning 40.

Harrison finally finished his Christmas Harry Potter jigsaw puzzle, with Reygan's help.

Soren at the shooting range with Grandpa.

When Rachel went to Mesa for Tim's wedding, Isabel wanted to stay with Esther for a while.  Here, she and Marlie are having pedicures, I think.

Bridger wrestling.  Look at his face 😅

Then poor Bridger got the dreaded flu.

They have decided to raise chickens!  Good luck with that.  Their chicken coop; the boys carrying in a box of chickens; and Harrison with one of them.

Making snacks for visiting nieces and nephews

Harrison's school class, I think.

THOMAS AND JENN

Dad went to one of Thomas' basketball games.

We hired Hyrum to come over and rake our leaves.  He especially liked being able to get on the pool cover to blow them off.

Kirtlyn with Ellie at the Harry Potter symphony

FHE hide and seek...ending up with the whole family in the shower!

A family field trip to the Tucson zoo.  It was a popular place for our family this month.

At the Golden Corral after the zoo.  I didn't know they had cotton candy.

MARY AND TYSON

The Richins family had an after-Christmas party in Cotton City.  Carson loved being the oldest boy and being able to drive everyone around on the gator thing. 

They brought home Influenza A, however, and Ethan got it first.  When Mary took him to the doctor, he tested for the flu and sure enough, that's what he had, so they gave him Tamiflu.  It was very expensive but it really helped.  When poor little Alex came down with it there was no more Tamiflu available in the whole valley, so he had to just tough it out.  To make matters worse, Mary got it too.

The evolution of a very sick little boy until he got well. It got pretty scary there for a while.

After he was better, they celebrated by taking the whole family to the Tucson zoo.

Ethan thinks my watch is his own personal game device.

Jared was a 100-year-old man for the 100th day of school.

Telling about Narwhals

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Wouldn't it be nice???

Messy babies 😱

Jovie loves scrambled eggs.

Harvey thinks the best place to wash his pjs is in the tub.

Aila likes to draw, but got bored with just drawing on paper.

This makes me smile.  Grandmother always used to give the boys a baby doll when we had a new baby so they could practice being soft.

Another of Erika's "Urine collection cup" laughs.  Someone made a lemonade sign for the deposit cubicle.

The perfect picture for "hang a bucket on your lip to catch your tears."  That's what Dad's dad used to say to him when he was crying or pouting.  I never quite understood what that meant, but now I do.  You sure could hang a bucket on that lip to catch the tears.

This was on the way home from church in Florence, Italy.  It takes an hour and a half to get to church...bus and walking.

~LAST WORDS~

I have such high expectations for 2018.   I know it is going to be a good year for all of us.  I just want to leave you with a couple of quotes about the temple. President Monson said, "As we go to the holy house, as we remember the covenants we make therein, we will be able to bear every trial, and overcome each temptation."  Former Presiding Bishop, Vaughn J. Featherstone said "I promise you that all who faithfully attend to temple work will be blessed beyond measure.  Your families will draw closer to the Lord, unseen angels will watch over your loved ones when satanic forces tempt them, the veil will be thin, and great spiritual experiences will distill upon this people."  Who doesn't want that for their families?  We do.