Thanksgiving Weekend

 My posts aren't in the right order, but I wanted to post the Thanksgiving weekend photos.  My brother Allen and his wife Joyce drove down from Salt Lake City to spend Thanksgiving with us.  I was so happy that Joyce felt like traveling this year. My cousins Lorri and Josh drove from St. George to be with us too.  Bret, Laura and Sierra came and also my daughter Sherry.  After dinner Allen, Sherry, Lorri, and Bret gathered in my little living room.  Allen played the piano and the rest sang.  They had to hunt for songs that they knew in an old 80's song book.  My neighbors across the street could hear the music, and I am sure they were wondering what kind of party was going on at the old folks home. The pictures are a little fuzzy, but worth a thousand words.  They had so much fun, and it was fun to watch them.  I should have taken more pictures.  Frank and Josh were in the family room, and every now and then Josh would join in with them singing from a distance.  He had knee surgery a few days before, and was such a good sport to make the trip from St. George with his Mom.  It was so much fun to have them with us.  My special cousins from St. George.

 The piano is over 100 years old and was bought for me.  My Dad told me I had to learn the clarinet, before he would get me a piano.I hated that old silver thing, and felt like I had to blow my brains out to play it.  I wanted a nice Licorice (black) one.  I was a Jr. in high school when the piano was finally purchased.  So instead of me learning on it, Allen learned to play.  He taught himself.  He plays by ear, and can read music too. He also composes music. He is so talented and I am jealous as I have always wanted to play the piano.  The only time the old piano gets played is when Allen comes to visit.  I started to take lessons as an adult after a surgery I had.  I was told it was really good for the nerves.  I had been busy with kids, church responsibilities, etc. So I had taken some time off to heal.  I was just really learning to play a few songs, and enjoying practicing everyday.  I took lessons from the same teacher my girls took from.  She told me that it was too bad that I hadn't taken lessons when I was younger as I would have done well.  Then I had to go back to my busy schedule and couldn't keep up with the lessons, or maybe just didn't make time for me.  Now I can't remember anything and old Arther lets me know that my hands won't cooperate.

Another cute one of the family

 We were tired of turkey and went to Mesquite to Los Lupies for Mexican food the night before Allen and Joyce left.  We had fun eating, and visiting.

My sweet granddaughter Sierra, Bret and Laura.  We are waiting for our dinner.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year.  It is all about having family around, and I am looking forward to getting together on Christmas Eve for another fun family evening.

Christmas Decorations - Memories

There are some special Christmas decorations that I put up every year that have special memories attached to them.

 This one reminds me of our Elk Meadows Condo. I bought the showman with skis for the condo.  It was fun having a Christmas tree and decorating the condo.  We loved to ski back in the day when we could, and we loved taking walks at night with snow glittering in the snow drifts.  It was fun to have a fire going, and watching the snow flakes fall in the light of a lamp post in front of our condo.  We miss our condo days, but there is a time and place for everything and our time at Elk Meadows came to an end because of aging and approaching retirement.

I made these Elves when I used to take care of my grandsons Shiloh and Shannon.  I wanted the house to look festive for them.  Now Shiloh and Shannon are grown young men and I miss those days of playing ball, putting the tent up, going to the park and many other fun times together.  I tell them that I was the one who taught them how to play base ball. One day when Mark, their Father, came to get them, I told Shiloh  "lets show your Dad how good you can hit the ball."  I had bought a plastic bat and ball and we played out in the front yard all the time.  So dummy me thought that since it was a plastic ball and bat no harm could be done, and well I wanted Dad to see how good Shiloh could hit the ball.  He hit it so hard that it hit a big vase with flowers that was by my front door.  Yep! smash went the ball right into the vase and broke it.

When Larry was still alive and we were a very young couple, I bought my first Christmas scene. It consisted of little cardboard, glitter covered houses. I put that scene up for many years. Then when Frank and I were married, he bought me a little porcelain set.  I added things to it for several years.  I loved to make my little snow village scene for a long time, but now I just don't have the energy to do it.  So last year will more than likely be the last year for the scenes.  The above picture was taken last year and the Christmas scene was very small compared to other years.

Larry and I loved Christmas and we always had an all blue light flocked tree.  He did all the work, putting the lights on first and then covering each one with tin foil, and then would flock it covering all the light cords.  I will never forget the year that Bret was watching Larry put the lights on our tree on the Patio.  Bret was talking to his Dad the whole time it took Larry to put the lights on the tree. Larry would nod his head and say things back to Bret.  That would be our last Christmas together.

Every year when I put this cute decoration up, I think of my dear friends Kay and Allen Lewis. Allen was our Bishop for several years. He was one of the influences of Bret going on a mission.  He died of a heart attack while attending General Conference in Salt Lake City.  Such a shock.  He was loved by all who knew him.  Kay has remarried and is now serving her third mission with her husband. Kay gave me this decoration a long time ago.

 The snow man and lady remind me of my good friend Kathy. We used to go shopping together all the time, and we spent a lot of time together in our younger days of raising kids.  One year a long time ago, when shopping at Christmas time, we saw the kits to make these cute snow people and decided we had to have them. We had a fun afternoon making these decorations together. Kathy got me through some real tough times, and I will always consider her a special friend. We had so many fun times together, going to basketball games, shopping, serving in primary, and later on both being Primary Presidents in different wards. We were always on the phone or at each other's homes.

My grand kids Merritt and Sierra gave this cute little tree to me.  There are little cards on the tree and each one has a special message to me from one or the other. When I put this little tree up, it is so much fun to read the messages and smile. I have many fond memories of time spent with them.  Sierra helped me decorate my home a couple of years.  I almost called her to come and help me this year.

The below Santa Claus is also a decoration that I bought for our Elk Meadows Condo, but the real memories of this one are the two stuffed characters Kermit, and whoops can't think of the other's name. A long time ago I was taking care of my grandsons Larry, Cortney, and Riley at their home in Kingman, Arizona.  I took them to McDonald's and bought them the kids meals.  These little stuffed characters were in the meal as it was Christmas time.  Cortney and Larry both gave me their gifts.  I am pretty sure they felt they were too old for them.  I remember so may fun times with them.  I miss them a lot. Wish I could go back in time and play with them again, and can't help but wish they were in my life now, so I could play with my great grand kids.  Oh how I wish things were different.

Catching up - November 2013

Here are some more random pictures taken in November.  I thought the picture of Rozlynn and me was cute.  Even though I need a hair cut. I love it when Rozlynn cuddles up to me.

A cute photo of Rozlynn & Me

 I went to Jamie's birthday party and it was a lot of fun visiting with her family and friends.  Renee and Roz dropped by for a while and surprised Jamie.  They don't get to see each other very often.

Oct. 1st Jamie's Birthday party.  I had a lot of fun visiting everyone

 Grandpa bought an early birthday present for Roz, a bike with training wheels.  He bribed her for a hug.  He told her if she gave him a big hug he would buy her one.  She loves to play games with him by ignoring him and won't give him good by hugs.  Yet, the first thing she says when she comes into our home is "Where is Grandpa?"  He is usually in the office at his computer, and she goes running in there to see him.

Rozlynn getting ready to bike ride

 We bought Roz a pair of gloves as she was holding the handle bar grips too tight, and it was hurting her hands.  Now they are keeping her hands warm.

 Grandpa is giving her instructions about going to the side of the road if a car comes by.  He goes bike riding with her.  The last time they rode Rozlynn was singing the whole time.  If she sees any kids, she wants to stop and play with them.  She loves to play with kids.

Grandpa and Rozlynn heading out for a bike ride

Rozlynn's 4th year Birthday Party, November 18th.  I can't believe that she is four she is growing up so fast

Catching up Again October Post

I have been a blog slacker for quite a while.  I just haven't felt like blogging, guess it is lack of energy.  So I want to post some pictures starting with Halloween 2013 and Grandparents Day at Bowler Elementary.

A while back, I was elated to hear from my old neighbors, Wendy and Kyle.  They were moving back to Logandale from Arizona.  Actually back into our subdivision.  They used to live next door to me, and were the best neighbors we have ever had.  The first thing that happened was that Frank and I were invited to Grandparents Day at Bowler Elementary.  Of course we said a big YES!!! It was so much fun to be with Allie.

They served breakfast and then we browsed the book fair that they have and Allie picked out a book.  The last time I saw her she told me she had just about finished the book.

 Then at the end the children's chorus sang, and it was so cute.  There was one song that I really liked.  I should have taken a video of it.  All in all it was a really fun day with Allie.  The only problem is, I want them to be back next door as we still don't get to seem them very often.  Maybe at church on Sundays and then not all the time.  I really miss them being next door.  At least we would just about get to see them every day, if nothing else just to say a quick Hi, and maybe chat for a few minutes.

 Frank helped me put up the Halloween decorations. We put some orange lights around the window, and added a few other new decorations.  Frank wasn't up to putting his old man mask on as his back was hurting, so it wasn't as much fun as it was last year.  Bret and Laura came over and helped give out the candy.  We took turns while trying to eat dinner. I had bought three big bags of candy, and Frank bought some more at our local store.  We only had a few pieces left, and had to turn the lights out. Luckily, I think most of the kids had come, except for some older kids.

Another view of the decorations.  I didn't get a picture of our big bat.  We have been putting him on the opposite end of the house, as he kind of scares the little ones.

Allie came by with a group of kids, and I had her come into the house as she was so cute in her costume.  I think Allie looks more and more like her Mom.  We sure love her.  All in all it was a fun Halloween night, and thanks Bret and Laura for coming over and helping out.