2016 - It's a Good One So Far!!

It’s a New Year and some people use that as a catalyst to start anew, do things differently, change direction, etc.  Not me!  I’m still going to be sharing grandkid stuff – it’s what I like to do.  So, if you’re looking for some change-up here….sorry.

Remember that we got to ring in the New Year with Lexi and Logan!  Soon after we got back, it was time to part with this girl!

Kendal celebrated her 6th birthday!  One of her very favorite gifts was a Rae costume (from Star Wars for those not “in the know”).   Here she is with her great-grandpa and great-grandma!

Kendal’s birthday is the same day as Mom’s.  This  year I felt like having a little celebration since it would have been her 90^th birthday, so I whipped up a batch of beans and dumplings like she used to make!  My Granny always made the best beet relish to go with beans.  It’s a little more complicated than I wanted to tackle, so I improvised with pickled beets in the food processor!  It was all good and the dumplings were heavy, not light, like we all used to like!  Isn’t it funny how certain foods can bring back a flood of memories?

And then...Carmen came to town!!!  We had some good visits, went out to lunch a couple of times, played games, and she even went with her sisters, Dawn and Rebecca, to go skiing at Sunrise!  She is one of the most talented people I know.  She decorates cakes, sews, makes something out of nothing – literally!  She took soda cans and made Christmas cards this year.  She cut snowflake shapes out of the cans and “hung” them on her cards.  They were cute!  She also made wooden nativity puzzles for each of her brothers and sisters AND for each of their kids.  Talented, generous, fun – she’s all that and more!

Kaytie had a fun day with Grammie and Papa  - she got to play with all the toys and didn’t have to share with anyone!  We had a good time playing with dinosaurs, cars, dolls and the Barbie house! She even got Papa to play Barbies!  She also thought it would be a good idea to try out the baby’s bed!

On another day, Kaytie and Kenna were both here – they love playing together!

Lucked out and got some time with this little cute miss!

And we got to see the backs of these guys’ heads!  OK – we did see more of them, but they usually get a “treat” if we are out with them, which is watch a favorite show or movie.  And they intently watch – eyes glued type of watch.  I have to admit that one of the shows they like, Wild Kratz, is pretty darn educational!  Both Papa and I like it!

We missed seeing our California girls at Thanksgiving, so we headed on over to spend some time with Sofia and Lilly.  They are so cute, so funny and so fun to be around!  We played with playdough, Legos, stickers, had a puppet show, went to an indoor play area…don’t judge…yes, it’s beautiful, sunny California, but sometimes it’s a little chilly and overcast!  Our visit was short, but sweet!

And just to show I take more than just pictures of kids, here’s a picture of our dinner one night…thanks to Alena and Kevin!

The year 2016 has started off mighty fine!!

2015 Comes to an End

Wow…did this year fly by or what?! 

Let’s kick the last post for 2015 off with these gems!!

My sister, Marce, and her guy, Gary, were the grand prize winners in the local holiday parade back in Missouri!  Gary is a retired Fire Chief and has restored an old fire engine that he loves to bring out every now and then.  The theme for the parade was “Whoville” and boy did they do it up right!!

December is birthday month for Miss Kennadi Ann!  She is the sweetest little love bug!!  She’s been here only 3 years?  Can’t imagine life without her!

We are also in concert and recital month!   Ryan had a band concert, Bremen had a band concert, Bremen had a flute recital, Logan had a band concert, Kendal had a dance recital and Kenna had a dance recital…and we went to them all!!

We squeezed in our church Christmas party in the midst of all that fun, too!  One of those wise men is a great nephew (and a great home teacher)!

Then, we head off to Idaho for Christmas!!  (That’s how we got to go to Logan’s band concert!)  It was cold, it was snowy, it was fun and I didn’t want to leave!  Here’s the pictorial log of our wonderful time….

We drove up and hit a bit of a snow storm.  This was in Utah on our way to Ogden where we were going to spend the night.

As we were leaving Ogden the next morning, the snow on the trees was absolutely beautiful.  This picture does not do it justice!

We get to Boise the day before Logan’s concert.  He has this bad habit of trying to make sure we don’t get a good picture of him.  Brat!  He’s there, right smack dab in the middle in the back – had to pull this still shot off a video to even get a full face picture!

The whole fam damily went to The Pancake House for breakfast on Saturday.  I have to hit that place up when we go – I love their breakfasts!  The kids love their silver dollar pancakes!

Our breakfast preceded our viewing of Star Wars!!  Was fun to go with the whole gang!

We, of course, got some gingerbread house decorating done.  I think I might be the only adult that wishes the kids would work on them longer.  I wasn’t ready to be done when they were!!

How do you make sure nobody eats the candy off your house?  Lick it.

Decorating sugar cookies had to be done.  We had great plans of making cookies to deliver to people.  That never happened.  We ate them.

We made mini cupcakes, too.  Yup – they never  left the kitchen!

As cold as it was, they wanted to do cold activities!!  Ice skating and sledding were on the agenda.  Brrrrr!!!!

I have to admit, though, that the wintery wonderland WAS pretty!

And it the midst of all that, the Meridian Temple being built!

We had a great Christmas!  Watching the kids open presents is so fun!

And to end the day, a wonderful Christmas dinner prepared by Carol!

We got a little fun in while the kids were out of school and then we rang in the New Year!  Lexi performed a song she learned on her new ukulele and then we headed back home the next day!

We sure love "living" with these two and their kids...even if it is for a short while!