What’s Up ~April 2025

Grandma Lynda on April 16, 2025

Hein-Baker Trio

Garth and Bethany: Garth spent two days in Moab, Utah, biking and camping with his friend, Jim, from Winter Park. They also hosted Bethany’s niece, Zephone and her friend, Lilah for a weekend of spring skiing at Winter Park.

Chance is having a good time in Tokyo. He likes his host family, although dealing with a toddler is not always easy. He’s taking three classes ~Japanese, Environmental Policy and Food Value Chain (his favorite class). He rides three separate trains to get to campus, for a total 1 1/2 hour commute each way. The campus building is a huge twenty-two floor skyscraper with two cafeterias, gym, and a 7-11, where he gets lunch almost every day. Although he’s only been in Japan a short time, Chance is already becoming more proficient in Japanese language and culture, including using chopsticks for most meals. 

Jason and Erika’s Family

Jason and Erika ~ No news

Devon Last month Devon was looking forward to spending time in her favorite city, New Orleans, with her favorite friends and colleagues, and with good friends, Wolf and Kerry, who currently live there. But, she got “put on a jury.” (Crazy right?) Devon stayed home to do her civic duty. Send her a private message if you want to know about the experience. She has “a lot of feelings.” Since then, she’s been working hard to ramp up for #birthday month. She’s starting off strong at Jackie Robinson Day at Dodgers/Rockies. Devon notes, “#42 is killing it!”

Tyler landed a summer internship at Adobe in San Jose, one of her top dream companies! She’ll be on their Digital Experience Marketing team as an Internal Product Manager. This is a super competitive and prestigious MBA role, and she’s really grateful. (And we, her family, are so proud of her!) Over Spring Break, Tyler became an Advanced Open Water Certified scuba diver on a life-changing school trip to the Bahamas, where she lived on a boat for five days and saw sharks (including a rare hammerhead!), turtles, stingrays, and more. Right now Tyler is focused on wrapping up the semester, balancing coursework, launching her business (LifeQuest), leading a few clubs, and planning Yacht Week in Croatia for her class this summer!   


Connor was recently laid-off from his new job at Boxcar Coffee because foot-traffic has decreased tremendously. He is actively seeking other jobs in Boulder and hopes to find something else soon. In the meantime, he goes to the gym five times a week. He was recently promised a free electric bicycle from one of Grandma’s friends and he very much looks forward to having a bike to ride around Boulder this summer. Connor’s other news is that he has a new roommate, Grace, starting May 10th. Grace was previously a Resident Assistant in one of the dorms.


Max has decided he wants to go to college next year to study kinesiology, with an eventual goal of becoming a physical therapist. He’s deciding between CU Boulder and CSU Fort Collins. His senior year is winding down and he’s looking forward to attending Prom at Coors Field in two weeks. He’s applying for a summer job now. Max would love to work doing auto mechanics, maybe at a car dealership

Grandma and Grandpa

Grandpa continues to deal with medical issues, including pain in his hands and feet. He notices that the usual flock of robins in missing from his North Aurora neighborhood. He’s hoping to start feeling better, so he can spend more time outdoors now that the weather is better.

Grandma is delighted with the warmer weather. She has more than thirty yellow daffodils blooming in the front and back yards. Her new pear tree is full of blossoms and bright red tulips are beginning to open up, as well. She keeps watching for robins, but so far, no luck. Again this year she’s following the Osprey Cam from Boulder and hopes there will be chicks this spring.

What Advice Do You Have For Max?

Grandma Lynda on April 16, 2025

Grandma: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

Grandpa: Work hard and be happy!

Devon: Be kind, courageous, and open to trying new things! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, other than making the mistake of not putting yourself out there! You’ll never know what you’re capable of or what’s out there for you until you try.

Tyler: Keep being your amazing self – it’s rare and powerful. My advice? Just do it. Go on the trips, go to the parties, say yes to things that scare you (in a good way). College was the best four years of my life, and I want yours to be even better. Take risks, have fun, and don’t stress if the path isn’t perfectly clear – but also stay focused, because school is key to building the life you want.

Connor: Everything that has to be done eventually, needs to be done immediately.

Jason: Just because you can, doesn’t always mean that you should.

Erika: Listen to your inner voice. You have the gift of being keenly aware of your environment and the people you interact with. You are wise beyond your years, and make good choices when others don’t. You are the voice of reason within your group of friends, showing maturity beyond your years. Know that you are loved and have a family who will go to any length to stand with you. I can’t wait to see the life you create. It’s going to be so good!

Chance:  Above all, make your own choices and follow your heart. If college is your choice, then go. If not, and you feel like you should go because everyone is telling you it’s important, then absolutely not. Do what you know is going to make you happy.

Garth: Date the nerd girls.

Bethany: Don’t be afraid to change your mind.

What’s Cookin’

Grandma Lynda on April 15, 2025

Chocolate Croissant Hack

A decadent dessert with only two ingredients? That’s right, you can believe your eyes! These Chocolate-Filled Crescents are flaky, fluffy and sure to satisfy a sweet tooth. Serve chocolate crescents as easy weekend breakfast treats, or bring a batch or two along to your next gathering.

INGREDIENTS

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count)

1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips

Powdered sugar, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Heat oven to 350°F. Separate dough into 8 triangles.

Step 2: Place tablespoon of chocolate chips on wide end of each triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle, rolling to opposite point. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Step 3:Bake at 350°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

TIPS

TIP 1:Before baking your chocolate crescents, line your cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper for easier cleanup.

TIP 2: I like to use miniature chocolate chips for this chocolate crescents recipe to make it easier to roll up the crescent triangles.

TIP 3: Serve these Chocolate-Filled Crescents for brunch, mid-day snack or an everyday breakfast.

Meet The Ancestors: Grandpa Jones

Grandma Lynda on April 13, 2025

My earliest memory of my father happened when I was about four years old. My family lived upstairs, above my grandparents, in a small home across from the local Catholic church. I remember sitting on the edge of the sofa, watching my father sleep next to me. My brother and I were eating an orange and we methodically put the orange seeds in my father’s ear. By the time he woke up, my father’s ear was over-flowing with discarded orange seeds. That event is significant for two reasons. It established that my father could sleep through anything and that he allowed us children tremendous leeway. Adults in my family have always claimed that the ability to sleep anywhere is the sign of a clear conscience. In my father’s case, that was certainly true.

I miss my father tremendously. He taught me to fully appreciate comic books, holidays, gardening, Alfred E. Newman, horse-racing and music. He was the only father I knew who could click his heels and wiggle his ears. Who would play Sousa marches on his trumpet on the Fourth of July and taps at night. The last piece of music I heard him play was Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I never heard him play so well, or so sweetly. That was in July. He died four months later, on Thanksgiving Day, 1996. He was the most honorable, kind, gentle man I’ve ever know.

Grandpa Jim’s Trivia Questions

Grandma Lynda on March 15, 2025

What was Grandpa’s first car? A 1947 midnight blue Ford with a “Suicide Door,” that opened the reverse of a normal opening. His brother, Joe, gave the car to Grandpa when Joe went into the seminary to become a priest. Grandpa taught his brother, Bill, to drive in that car.
His next car was a 1949 Plymouth that he bought from his cousin, Tim Gessing, for $15.00. Tim was an excellent mechanic. He started working on cars when he was fourteen years old.

What was his first job?  How old was he? Grandpa was a clerk at Furr’s Supermarket in what is now the Belcaro Shopping Center, when he was fourteen years old. At the age of sixteen, Grandpa went to work with his Dad as his plumbing assistant. Together they plumbed houses in Denver, Broomfield and Lakewood before being hired to build the Sigman meat processing plant in Brush,  Colorado,

Where  did Grandpa go for basic training? What branch of service? Grandpa joined the army in 1965 and was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for basic training. He volunteer for the army rather than being drafted so he didn’t need to spend more than two years in Vietnam.
What job did he train for in the army? Grandpa learned to be a welder before he was sent to Vietnam. He worked in the jungle, helping to build roads with the 595th Light Equipment Company. Grandpa’s job was repairing road-building equipment, including road graders and rock crushers, used to prepare gravel for paving. According to Grandpa, “You wouldn’t believe how torn-up the equipment was from clearing the jungle.”

What was his job when he worked at Buckley? Grandpa retired from Buckley AFB as a locksmith.
Before working at Buckley, Grandpa worked at the Auraria Campus as a hardware mechanic, at Colorado School of Mines, as a door mechanic and at Fitzsimons (later Anschutz Medical Center) as a locksmith.

What is Grandpa’s middle name? Stephen. He was named James after with grandmother’s brother.

What is his confirmation name? Christopher. He chose that name because he always liked the symbolism of St. Christopher carrying the baby Jesus to safety.

Where in the  mountains did Grandpa and Grandma live when they were first married? Idledale, Colorado. They bought their first home at the top of Grapevine Road for $15,000.00

What town in the mountains was first settled Grandpa Jim’s ancestors? Westcliffe, Colorado, a small town in Custer County known for its scenic views between the Wet Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Range. You can read more about these early settlers in this month’s Meet the Ancestors blog.

What is the name of the cemetery where they are buried? New Hope Lutheran Cemetery. This is a beautiful small cemetery where a lot of Grandpa’s family is buried.

What’s Up? March 2025

Grandma Lynda on March 15, 2025

Hein-Baker Trio

Garth and Bethany spent time this past month helping Chance get ready to go to Japan for the next four months. They have helped him with medical appointments, his visa application procedures, and making sure he has what he needs for travel. Bethany and Garth celebrated Bethany’s birthday with a day trip to the Botanic Gardens.

Chance is leaving for Tokyo on March 19th. He’s had a busy month getting ready for his trip, including spending eight days with friends in Salem, OR. He finished up his job as a ski lift operator in Winter Park, but not before pulling his rotator cuff, skiing with Max. While in Tokyo, Chance will live with a host family, which includes a young couple and their three boys, ages 2, 7, and 10. Vaya con Dios, Chance. Please stay in touch.

Jason and Erika

Jason and Polaris have been going on long walks, and practicing walking uphill. In their spare time, they visit the Ronald McDonald House and an assisted living center.

Devon just resturned from another beautiful tropic wedding, this time in Hawaii with many good friends from Skadden Law. And, in two weeks, she’ll be at her unit’s conference in New Orleans, where she’ll also get to catch up with her forever best friends, Wolf and Kerry. In these unprecedented times, Devon is grateful for unwavering good character and love of her friends old and new..

Tyler is halfway through her second semester in the MBA program at Cornell University. She is applying for a summer internship and hopes to hear good news soon. Tyler loves all of her classes, especially her marketing immersion class, where she gets to partner with a real-life company. Currently, she’s working on a project for DiGiorno pizza. Tyler recently was certified in scuba diving, preparing for a spring break trip to the Bahamas with her classmates at the end of March. They will live on a boat for a week and spend a lot of time in the water.

Connor has a new job! He’s working at Boxcar Coffee Roasters on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. He’s excited to be in training for his new job and looks forward to when he’s actually certified as a barrista and can work more hours at the coffee bar (with tips!) In the meantime, Connor continues to work at Target to fill in hours on his schedule.

Max was recently accepted at University of Colorado – Boulder, as well as Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. He’s still waiting to hear on two additional applications. Max decided not to try out for his high school baseball team this year, for a variety of very good reasons. He is eager to finish high school and wishes all of his classes were as interesting and as much fun as auto mechanics.

Grandma and Grandpa

Grandpa Jim had a great birthday party at Grandma’s house at the end of February. The weather was beautiful and about twenty people came to the party, including our family, his extended family (brother Bill and family, and Bill and Phyllis Esser), and friends from St. Francis School (Jimmy Coogan and Jim Nemmers.)

Grandma Lynda is already excited about her garden this year. Nearly 200 small bulbs are starting to poke their heads up through the dirt. Plants from last fall look great and promise to thrive this summer. This week Grandma Lynda added a new crabapple tree and eighteen baby hostas in the backyard. Next up, she’s adding a new section to the Garden of Magic and Miracles ~ a Buddhist garden with a Buddha planter, surrounded by all white flowers. Think daisies, lilies and white petunias. Next year she will add some beautiful white tulips and white phlox.

The Settlers of Westcliffe

Grandma Lynda on March 12, 2025

One of my hobbies is Genealogy. I love learning about family history and documenting the stories when I can.

The best story-teller in the whole family was Grandpa Bill Hein. Grandpa Hein was born in 1901, in Cañon City, a town full of good, hard-working people.

I can still see my father-in-law, pipe in his hand and sometimes a drink on the table as he told stories after dinner. He loved hearing his own words as they came out of his mouth. He’d laugh before he even got to the punch line. In the tradition of good story-tellers, he’d re-tell the same story many times, using the same words over and over. That way, his stories were carried over time. until, eventually, I started writing them down.

Here is one of Bill’s stories, just as he told it to me.

The year was 1873. Colorado was not yet a state.. That was the year my grandfather, John Hein, arrived in Denver with a team of big mules, a large wagon, and his bride, Euphrosina.

John was a bridge builder in the German army. When the army got too close to Holland, John decided it was time to split. He left the army, came to America and went directly to a German colony in Illinois. He was not there long before he sent for his parents, Nicholas and Catherine Hein, his brother Conrad and his sister Christina.

John, a Lutheran, met  Euphrosina Schneider, a Catholic, soon after coming to Illinois. They were young and brave and very much in love. They wanted to take advantage of the Homestead Act, leave Illinois and start a new life in a beautiful place. 

John convinced his family to come along. They signed on with the Colfax German Settlement and headed for Colorado. Soon they were joined by Euphrosina’s brother and his wife in what is now the town of Westcliffe.

To be part of the settlement, men had to be of good moral character, between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five. They had to be in sound physical and mental health, and pay a huge sum of $250.

John, Euphrosina and John’s family traveled together by covered wagon, pulled by two big mules. In Denver they loaded their belongings onto a train going to Pueblo, the wagon and mules in one boxcar and the family in another. They unloaded in Pueblo, and once again traveled by covered wagon to their new home in the Wet Mountain Valley.

John and his neighbors were among the first settlers in this early German farming community of one hundred families. The first thing they did was to throw up a big, long barn. In the beginning, everyone lived together in that great big barn.

Farming was tough for folks coming from Illinois. The elevation was 7000 feet, and the growing season was a lot shorter than in Illinois. Frosts came early and their crops died.

John was a woodsman and a fine carpenter. One of the first things he did was to build a sturdy cabin about eight miles out of Westcliffe. Next he decided to keep cattle, in addition to farming. He started with longhorn, but with their long horns and skinny behinds, there wasn’t that much meat on them.  

One day, John went to the state fair in Pueblo and bought a big Hereford bull for $600.00. He hooked the bull on the back of his wagon and pulled him back to Westcliffe. At first his neighbors thought John was crazy. But when he started to breed this bull with the longhorn cows, everyone saw why he had done it. He soon had the finest beef cattle in all Westcliffe.

John and Euphrosina had three children, each two years apart: Pauline (Lena), John Edward (my Dad, known as Ed) and George. On the morning of December 16, 1891, John went outside to ride his horse. The horse reared. John lost his balance. The horse fell on top of him and crushed him. The saddle horn went right through his spleen. 

The family hurried outside to see what had happened. My Grandmother, Euphrosina, yelled to my Dad, “Ed, Run for Father Servans. Then get the Lutheran minister, and then the doctor. Your father is hurt.”

My Dad found the priest who volunteered to go after the minister while my Dad ran for the doctor. By the time they returned, John was nearly gone. He died with Father Servans holding one hand and the minister holding the other. He was fifty-two years old.    ~ told by W.E. (Bill) Hein

Cowboy Caviar

Grandma Lynda on March 12, 2025

Cowboy caviar is a delicious blend of canned beans, corn and fresh Roma tomatoes, onions and avocados all chopped and prepared to be mixed together to start dipping in. This appetizer is easy to make and has a fresh and flavorful blend! Yield:12 servings.

Mix in large bowl. Keep in refrigerator overnight.

  • 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, well-drained and rinsed. Or other beans that you like. You can add an extra can of beans if you want to make more.
  • 1 green, red, or yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion diced 
  • 1 can corn, well-drained and rinsed (I like Del Monte’s Summer Crisp Corn)
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 2 roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and finely chopped (Note: Some recipes don’t call for any jalapeños.)

Mix together and add:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil (or more. Maybe 1/3 cup)
  • 2 TBLSP sugar
  • 1/4 cup white or red wine  vinegar (maybe less? 2 TBLSP?)
  • juice of one lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin or chili powder ~ not both
  • 1 tsp. salt, or less. Taste first.

Mix all ingredients together except avocado. Add that last.

February News

Grandma Lynda on February 3, 2025

Hein-Baker Trio

Garth  and Bethany ~ saw a low of – 26 degrees during the January cold snap. The cold weather froze their downspout and underground drain. They spent two afternoons with hot water, heat guns, shop vacs, hammers and chisels before the ice broke loose. It is amazing that the drains froze despite having electric heat tape in the gutter and downspout.

Chance is spending five days skiing at Jackson Hole, Wyoming before leaving for Tokyo in March. He will be staying with a host family and taking 12 credit hours of classes while he is there. Chance is excited about this opportunity and promises to stay in touch by text and telephone. 

Jason and Erika

Jason is  very busy with his real estate clients. He receives new clients from Zillow every other week. He and Polaris will be visiting the Ronald McDonald House in a few weeks.

Erika has been helping her mother, who has been very sick lately. She’s also been busy catering funerals at St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Denver.

Devon recently traveled to St. Kitt’s for her good friend’s wedding. The bride is one of Devon’s core group of friends from her cheerleading team at Harvard, and went to Columbia Law School with Devon as well. Many of their mutual friends — and now their partners and children — from relationships spanning more than decade were in attendance! As much as Devon loved the sun and the sea, it was the love, joy, and enduring community that made the event unforgettable.

Tyler is taking a full load of classes and, at the same time, spending time deep in her hunt for a summer internship.. Her concentration class this semester is Strategic Product and Marketing Immersion. She also hustling to secure small business grants for LifeQuest, her exciting non-profit business. She  says, “It’s been a whirlwind, but I’m embracing the challenge and making the most of every opportunity.”

Connor ~ Enjoys living and working in Boulder. He loves being near the mountains and the college-vibe. He is designing his own YouTube channel and applying for other jobs. He would love to land a job in journalism. He especially likes watching sports, and fervently hopes the Eagles win the Super Bowl.

Max is finishing up his last semester in high school. He goes to work-out training for baseball and hopes to make the varsity team at try-outs in March. Max applied to three colleges, and has been accepted at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins. He’s waiting to hear from C.U. Boulder and University of Las Vegas, Nevada. In his spare time, Max earns money by shoveling snow for his neighbors.

Grandma and Grandpa

Grandpa Jim is dealing with some tough family stuff. His brother, Joe, and Joe’s wife, Sharon, have worrisome health issues. Grandpa’s cousin, Denis Gessing, died peacefully on February 7, after a long illness. This is a difficult time in  the Hein family.

Grandma Lynda is learning to enjoy winter. It’s her season for rest and creativity, before the excitement of spring. Last month, Grandma Lynda created a craft room in the basement and started this family newsletter.

What One Word Describes Grandpa Jim?

Grandma Lynda on February 3, 2025

Grandma Lynda ~ Loving

Garth ~ Wise

Bethany  ~ Steadfast

Jason ~ Loyal

Erika ~ Faithful

Devon ~ Stylish

Tyler ~ Sage … a combination of wisdom, kindness, and quiet strength with a touch of mystery.

Connor ~ Stoic

Chance ~ Resilient

Max – Placid…calm and peaceful.