Bountiful Basket...

I do still love getting a Bountiful Basket from the Coop now and again... it helps to have fruits and veggies in abundance in the house to keep me on track eating more healthy.

But once in a while there are things I have to google before I cut into them...

Last week I found these... persimons.

I can remember my dad talking about persimons, I am not sure if I ever heard anyone talk about them except him.  So it felt a little special, like a secret hello from heaven from my Dad.

For the record, I learned this week that I don't like persimons.

What is that weird residue they leave in your mouth?????

I started my google search on this one in the squash categories, but when I moved to fruits quickly found it... I knew that, it's a papaya!!

I wasn't stumped for very long.  

I did not love fresh papaya, but I dehydrated it and I LOVE it that way.  Why does it taste different dehydrated????

I have never been impressed with a watermelon the size of my two fists... because I can eat a whole regular watermelon pretty much in one day.  So the tiny ones just seemed like a tease. 

But I have to say, last night I wanted something sweet and I cut the mini watermelon in half and ate out one side with a spoon and half was just the ticket, I was really impressed!!!

I never gave these little guys the credit they deserved.

I can't wait to eat the other half today.

 I am super excited to try the multi colored carrots, those will be a first too.

My strong silent mysterious man is waiting patiently for his broccoli cheddar soup I make that he loves so much!!

The Christmas Box...

NO way we could wait until Christmas Eve!

We opened the box, we laughed and we cried, there were so many neat things from where he lives now.  But there were also hundreds of bus tickets and taxi receipts and a magazine in Spanish with he and his companion in it about Mormons.  He kept EVERYTHING... like his Mom, and we have a trunk to put it all in and we CAN'T wait to go through it all with him when he gets home.  We know there are stories to every single everything!

I personally can't wait to hear the story of how he got the Paraguay Police hats, they have the original owners names inside them.... how do you go about getting a police officers hat off his head?? Hmmm should be some great stories, CANT WAIT!!!!

hand woven back packs and bags, I LOVE THEM, I hope one is for me!!

this custom leather work is amazing

hand whittled and painted animals, adorable

the marble that we have a photo of the kid that gave it to him... must be super special!!

hand leather coasters and beaded bracelets so beautiful

polished stones hand woven into necklaces, Jim thinks these are more masculine for him

operation smile, what a neat memory

hand carved and painted flutes, yes they work!

hand woven bags, wouldn't I look so cute sporting this as my new church bag?

It was so neat to touch and smell things that had just been in his hands.  We could not believe how much stuff he got into a box that small.  Beautiful artisan work, great keepsakes, we are not sure if any of it was for us (probably not) but it was the best Christmas Box EVER!!!