Happy New Year!

What a wonderful year this has been for me! I have enjoyed each holiday with so many of my family members. My birthday was so special this year I got to celebrate it twice! I have stored away a year full of memories that I will always treasure.

As I look back my gifts have been many, my heart is overflowing. Not only was I able to have the gift of family but Heavenly Father has blessed me with so many more, tangible ones and those of the heart. The list goes on and on...

Highest on that list are the times I have spent with my children and their families. In so many ways they have allowed me to be a part of their lives and it makes me so happy. It is so great that my children have all picked the perfect partners. I love watching each of them create their own wonderful families. I love their spouses as if they were my own children, too. And I can't wait to welcome Lauren officially into the clan. And then there are my nine perfect grandchildren. How I adore them. How I delight in their lives.

This year has been one of the best of my entire life. I have traveled and seen new things and I have been able to make some of my dreams come true. The Lord has been so good to me. I thank Him and each member of my wonderful family for the joy they bring to me. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Well, Christmas is here at last! This season finds me overwhelmed with gratitude for the gifts I have been given. I have great joy in the family I have been blessed to take my life's journey with. I have peace from the testimony of a living, loving Heavenly Father that truly cares about me and reminds me daily that His hand is ever present in my life. And I am humbled by a man that was born all those thousands of years ago that gave the ultimate sacrifice so that I could have the chance to live forevermore with those I love so dearly. Jesus Christ has quite literally given me the gifts I cherish most; light, hope and perfect love. So while you are having a merry little Christmas, I pray that you and yours are having a blessed Christmas full of all the very best gifts!!!!!

Snuggle Bunnies

It's not quite time to wake up, Emma. Go to sleep.

Okay, then I'll read my scriptures to you.

Okay, well then let's make funny faces.

Okay then, I'll make funny faces and scare the monsters away and you can watch.

Caity's play

Caity wore several wigs. This was the last one and so the one that she met the public in.

We were all so proud of our girl.

Aunt Candy and Uncle Howard went with us. (Sorry about the blur.)

Love the baldness.

Cookin' Cookies

So what is Christmas without a little makin' it and bakin' it? I have been trying to bake with Ryen every Monday. That way we can have a Family Home Evening treat and have some quality fun together. I would say she is loving it as much as I do and becoming quite good at some basic cooking skills. Here she breaks her first eggs and believe it or not there were no shells in whites!

Well, she doesn't like the sound of the mixer so she has to plug her ears. She cringes a little when I start a whizzing the beaters, but that may be a good thing. I don't have to worry so much about little fingers going places that would be dangerous. Those fingertips stay right in her ears the whole time.

She watches closely and listens attentively. Pretty cool for my four year old cooking pal.

I am always grateful when she gives me the go ahead, thumbs up. She loved the cookie dough and has learned quickly that while Grammy does NOT like little fingers in the dough there is always a mighty tasty treat at the end for good behavior. Yum! Those beaters are still finger licking good!

Six things nobody might know about me

1. In ninth grade I had a HUGE crush on Rodney ____ (a junior). I seriously loved him and waited all year for him to ask me out. I wanted him to be my first kiss and so even though I was "going" with other guys that year, I wouldn't let them kiss me. Rodney was my first kiss (in the spring of that year) and it was heavenly and he even invited me to the prom. Man he was a good dancer, too. And to carry this on even farther...years later Ray and I ran into him in the Rocky Mountains, backpacking. We thought he was gay.
2. I received a medal from the Brazilian government.
3. I really wanted to take ballet lessons when I was little. My mom had my sister, Candy, take them but I never did. I used to dance all over the house to my mom's records, constantly.
4. I had a scab collection when I was little (so gross).
5. I have always wanted to be a motivational speaker and help people feel better about themselves.
6. When I was little I was the outgoing, comic ham of the family. I would get lots of attention at family gatherings because I would like perform and stuff. I remember being the center of attention and people (aunts and uncles, etc.) saying stuff like "oh, isn't she cute!"
There you have it!

So the other day Meggie was going nuts and wanted to get out. I, on the otherhand, was busy sewing and loved staying in. I had been home three straight days without a venture out into the world. I was have a grand time, but I think she was a little worried about me. Hours after they had left I heard a pounding on the door and when I opened it - this is what I found. And they were serenading me..."we love you gra-a-my, oh yes we do-oo." Can life get any better than this? I think not!

It's that time again...

Fall was so great for me this year. It began in August in Michigan. You could feel the changes and then when I came to NC, I was able to enjoy that all over again. I have been blown away at the beauty here. Sonny tells me that the colors have been more spectacular because of the drought. Even now there are brightly colored leaves still holding on and trees everywhere that are a blaze against the blue sky. I love it.

Thanksgiving was great. We had a wonderful feast. It was a day of true thankfulness for me and the company I kept made it all the more special.

And then the tree went up. Every day when Ryen comes home from school she plugs in the lights faithfully. And everyday we notice that the ornaments have new places on the branches.

And tomorrow begins Advent. I bought this for myself this year. You can find it at Target online although I bought it at Walmart. I checked Walmart online and they didn't have it. This one is by Tales of Glory, but Playmobile has one, too.
When I was young my, mother always had an advent wreath on the dining table. Every night before we ate we would sing a carol and light the candle/s for that week. Of course we would then eat by that candle light and often linger to have our nightly discussions. It was so special to me. Sometimes she would read a Bible verse but most often just the singing and candlelight. And it was enough to make a lasting impression in my heart. I ( as I often do) may have gone way overboard with this tradition. I love giving little gifts each Advent Sunday (not really a part of the worldwide celebration). Sometimes it would be a little treat, a candy bar or candy cane and of course I always had to give out socks. It didn't matter so much what was given, it could be so very little. It was just so fun for me. It also seemed to de-emphasize maybe just a little the whole "presents" anticipation because my kids got something each week. Some years there were activities for us to do each week, like everyone got a cookie cutter or some part of a special project.
****But the REAL reason for celebrating Advent and the best part of it for me is making that time to focus on the Savior. I truly believe Christmas is about the gifts He gave us. So many gifts and when we can focus on that, through carols, scriptures, giving, or whatever-wherever-however your heart takes you on a path that leads you to Jesus Christ...surely that is a good thing.
Happy Advent Season and Merry Christmas!!!!!!