A little Christmas Magic.....

This year I made two new stockings for my two new grand baby Girls Eva and Brooke. Take a look see:

BROOKE

and

EVA

I hung all 14 Grandchildren stockings from the ceiling this year as there was no room on the fireplace. I think they looked cute.:

I did not put up a live tree this year for the first time ever!

I was a little sad, but I hung up lights between the fans and it looked festive.

I just miss the smell.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Holly Dolly has a Birthday.....

Hawaiian Born

Beautiful

Sent to me to lift me up

Kind

Compassionate

Loving

Warm

Funny

Tender

Sings like an Angel

Smart

Will take care of me when I'm old....er

Good Mom

Hard Worker

Best Daughter ever!!!

Happy Birthday Holly Dolly!

Cherish your friends..

Love your memories.....

This is seriously the only picture I could find of her.

She is a camera dodger!

THANKFUL FOR IT ALL.....

I was cleaning out a closet the other day to make room for something new and came across many of my girls formals. Analyn tried them on. [I wish I would have taken a picture of her in them, but the moment is gone.] Many were made by their Aunt Peggy. Some were borrowed, definitely the 90's dresses. Puffed sleeves, off the shoulder sleeves, necklines cut in from the sleeve. Velvet with gold or silver inlaid, lace bibs, those good old days...what were we thinking? I cut out the "dates" to protect the innocent! Here are some pictures of my girls in them:

I also found this one. Yellowed from 40 years in plastic. Hate to chuck it, but what do you do with it?
1971

2011

What would we do without our memories? I guess even the DI could not use a yellowed wedding dress from 1971...sad really. Don't you think?

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT....

......CHRISTIAN TURNS 6 !!!!

HOPE IT WAS A GOOD ONE!!

HUGS, GRANDMA.

MISSING THESE KIDS.....

AND LET'S NOT FORGET THIS LITTLE MUNCHKIN.......

Ahhhhhhh......

MACSHAKPATTYWACK

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO MY VERY BUSY

VERY BLESSED SON

YOU INSPIRE ME

LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

HAPPY DAY!!

HALLOWEEN HOOT!!!

WE HAD A HOOT OF A HALLOWEEN PARTY!

COMPLETE WITH PICTURES OF THE "SHORT" PARADE,

PICTURES IN FRONT OF GRANDMA'S PUMPKIN

AND

AN "I SPY" TREASURE HUNT!

THAT LED TO A SCARY SPOOKY DARK LOOK FOR THE TREASURE.......................

IN OUR SCARY SPOOKY DARK BASEMENT!!!

HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF THE PARTICIPANTS:

ON THE PARADE ROUTE

IN FRONT OF GRANDMAS PUMPKIN...

MASON'S BEST EFFORT....BEATLE? OR PONCHO VIA?

ANALYN THE "NERD"

EMMA THE GYPSY....

LINDSEY THE BAT!!

THERE IS ONLY ONE BATMAN...SIR LUKE!

THE PIRATE AND THE PRINCESS.....CHRISTIAN AND FARRAH..

ONLY ONE "POOH HUGGIN" WITCH.....CAMPBELL..

ONE SAD TODDLER....WHO WAS CONFUSED ABOUT HER IDENTITY..PENNY

AND OF COURSE......LAST BUT NOT LEAST.....

ONE TINY LITTLE ELF......BROOKE!

THE FOOD WAS GREAT/THE GAMES WERE FUN/

AND LETS NOT FORGET THE PUMPKIN CARVING:

THE END

PS WE MISSED LILI, JOHN, SAM, AND EVA

PLEASE SEND PICTURES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAC!!

Goodbye Summer my friend......

Not too long ago, early on a Saturday morning I took a brisk walk down String town to say good-bye to an old friend.....Summer...oh how I will miss you.........come again.

The morning breaks, the shadows flee.......

A dawning of a brighter day....

In Deseret's sweet peaceful land....

Things I love about the valley waking up:

The smells of dew on the new cut hay.

The slight smell of a distant skunk.

The sound and sight of Sand hill cranes as they feed in the fields and then take off in flight. The sound of geese as the fly over head. The silence of the morning. The crisp air of the early morn. The sound of a rooster as it wakes up the barn yard. The mooing cows in the green fields as they eat and wait for the dawn to break. The sight of a hot air balloon as it makes it's early assent and the rushing noise as the balloon takes flight. The sound of an owl "Hoot" in a pine tree. The cry of a hawk on a telephone pole surveying the morning light. The holly hocks in the morning light..... The sound of the water as it rushes down the ditch......

But nothing is better than coming home early on a summer morning to the familiar place where we feel comfort and love, and peace.

Yes, I will miss you summer....for Fall is in the air.....but I have high hopes I will see and smell and feel you again.

I love this verse from O Home Beloved:

Ye valleys fair and snow-caped mountains,

Ye peaceful hamlets mid the trees,

Ye murmuring streams and crystal fountains,

Kissed by the cool, soft, balmy breeze.

Words cannot tell how well I love thee

Nor speak my longing when I roam.

My heart alone can cry to heaven,

God bless my own dear mountain home"

THE END