Chrstmas With the Grandkids--cont'd

Hey! What's the deal? I didn't know that you got cut off from blogging at a certain point. I wasn't finished!! Anywayyy--to continue--Lilybeth is so sweet & wanted to share with her sister, but it is difficult to share with someone who jerks everything you pick up out of your hands! She got a little frustrated as the day went on. Lucy & Lilybeth were still opening presents at 2:30 pm! Lilybeth stopped for a nap & Lucy stopped to play with each gift she got! Jill & Stephen (& I) had a very nice Christmas dinner prepared which the girls allowed us to enjoy while they napped. It was just a wonderful Christmas for us! We do have the most beautiful granddaughters on earth! Our grandchildren are the delight of our lives--I can't even imagine our lives without them. We are soooo blessed! We had a "hairy" trip home from Logan in a nasty blizzard, but arrived safely, thanks to Greg's "expert" driving skills. Greg & I opened our Christmas presents on Dec.26 since he said that if he had to put anything else in the truck to go to Jill & Stephen's, he would have to rent a U-Haul! I didn't even dare ask!! Anywayyy, it was a wonderful & so enjoyable Christmas time for us! Thanks to you all for making it so magical!! P.S.--Did I mention that I have the most beautiful grandchildren on earth?

Chrstmas With the Grandkids

Wow! We have had such a fun Christmas this year! It first started last weekend at Jeff & Jamie's house. We arrived on Friday evening (late) & spent a little time with Cade & Seth before bedtime. The next day we had fun opening presents with the boys & Jeff & Jamie. It was so much fun to watch their little faces as they opened each gift--that in itself was a gift for us! Cade & Daddy seemed to really like the "Tower of Doom" & the action figures & on Sunday had a major battle going on! Seth is starting to get the hang of crawling & was starting to slowly move around on his own power. He is such a little charmer with those beautiful blue eyes & that huge grin! I think that he will have fun with his new Fisher Price jungle. We definitely have the most beautiful grandsons on earth!! Next stop was on Christmas Eve to Jill & Stephen's house. I am so glad that we decided to go down that night. We got to watch "The Polar Express" with the girls (Lucy's new favorite movie!). And spent a delightful Christmas Eve just watching their mischievous antics. Christmas morning started slowly with Lucy just happy to have Nana & Grandpa at her house. We kinda wanted her to eat breakfast before the Christmas thing started--I think she ate 2 bites of scrambled eggs & maybe 2 bites of sausage before the fun & games began. Lucy loved the wagon that Santa left for the girls & opened several of her presents while sitting in it before she started to get the "hang" of the whole Christmas thing (look out for next year!). I think Lucy's favorite gifts were the "Choo-Choo" alphabet puzzle & the apron that her Great-Grandma Jean made for her--plus all of Lilybeth's Christmas presents!

Christmas time

This time of the year makes me look at my life & all that I have to be thankful for. I have had such an amazing & blessed journey! Greg & I have created 3 very interesting & special people--our children--who are a very intricate part of our lives. They have added 4 grandchildren into that mix. Oh, man!! That really shakes things up!! I hate to admit this, but I do believe I have at least 10 to 1 pictures of grandkids to kids displayed in my house--sorry, kids!!! (you have to admit that they really are cuter than you!!). Anywayyy, I am so grateful to whomever is in charge of my destiny--it's been a great ride & I wouldn't give any of it up! I'm just hoping there is more to the show!!;)

Chico

I was just sitting here in the kitchen watching IDTV & SoapNet, & crocheting a swaddling blanket for Katie's baby girl-soon to be ( yes, I am a multitasker!), when Chico limped over and sat at my side very patiently waiting for a pat on the head. I reached down & absent-mindedly gave him a little pat then went back to my crocheting. Chico got up & limped to the bottom of the stairs going up. He laid down & looked up like that was the tallest mountain he had ever been asked to climb. He slowly got up & made his way to the top. I stopped to watch him & realized that he is getting very old. Then I realized that it won't be long before all of my "muttly crew" will be very old!! (Actually, 3 of them already are!!) These companions of mine have given me so much! They have made me laugh, they've made me cry, they've made me so mad that it is amazing that I haven't had a stroke yet!: but, most of all, they have always been there each morning to greet me with their happy faces that say how glad they are to see me. Now; I ask you, "Who in the world, would be glad to see this aging face in the morning?"! Believe me, that list only includes pets & grandchildren! And, the only reason that my grandkids like to see me in the morning is because they get to jump on Grandpa & Nana's "tree bed"! They certainly are not looking at Nana or they would run screaming in fright from the room! Anywayyy--I got off of the subject of my faithful pets. I really love them all--I guess that's why I keep cleaning up the 3Ps each & every day. Chico has come back downstairs since I have been typing this to be by my side. WoW! Makes you wonder if people could be so devoted that they just want to be in the same room no matter what you are doing--even if they don't understand what the heck you are doing! Sigh, I think only dogs have that ability. I know my dogs are out of control; but, they are not mean, just noisy--I hate that!!--but, at the same time, they are my pack!

Today, I went to Georgetown to spend the afternoon with my sweet sister Teresa & her beautiful girls & grandchildren-all from the Ogden area--along with Dad & Jean & Mark & Chantal. Jean had the house decorated so cute with Christmas knick-knacks all over the place! She is such a fun person!!! Dad is so lucky to be spending his last years with her--she just has a way of making every day be an adventure. Anyway, the kids are growing up so fast!! I was thinking that I didn't remember when the last time was that I saw them all together. Then, I remembered that it was probably Lucy's first birthday party at Bullwinkle--someone, please correct me if I'm wrong. Could it really have been over a year ago?!? What is wrong with us? We live close enough that we should get all of the little cousins together at least once a month! At least in the summer--winter roads can be iffy. Anywayyyy, it was wonderful to see them all. They are such beautiful children!! We are so lucky to have healthy, beautiful grandchildren! God has been extremely kind to us! When I left Dad & Jean's house, I went to the cemetery to leave a pine swag at Mom's grave. It was so peaceful & quiet at the cemetery. There was hardly a breeze. I didn't even put my boots on as Chantal had suggested!! She is such a wuss!! What was on the road at the cemetery couldn't even be called mud compared to what I'm used to at Bullwinkle!! I became quite melancholy as I was putting the wire on the swag to make sure it didn't fly off of the post during the next blizzard. I just really miss my Mom!! She's been gone for 6 years now--will I ever stop missing her? She left us way too soon--there was so much more I wanted to share with her! Where-ever you are Mom, I hope you are at peace, happy, & having one hellofa good time! ;).

Barbara Walters had her list of the 1o most interesting people of 2008 on TV tonight. I, too, have my list of the ten most important & interesting people in my life!! First four are my absolutely beautiful grandchildren!--Cade is my very precious first grandchild, he will always hold a special place in my heart. He has such a love of playing & enjoying every minute to its fullest! He is so full of wondering with all of his "why?"s. Next comes Miss Lucy. Wow! What a smart child she is! She amazes me at how smart she already is--I do believe she is smarter than her Mommy! (Who, at one time had top honors for smartest person that I know!). She blows my mind about all that she knows at the age of 2! Next, comes our sweet, sweet Lilybeth Grace. Her name fits her so perfectly. She has got to be the sweetest baby I have ever been around! She is so mild-mannered & easy-going (kind of like I used to be before I had a husband & children & grandchildren!). Last, but certainly not least is Seth. Man!!! Those blue eyes surrounded by those long lashes & that huge grin absolutely melts my heart! His smile is contagious & makes me feel joy & happiness! On to the 5th most important & interesting person in my life--well, I hate to put Greg in the middle, but that seems to be where he has been put all of his life, & he seems to fit there very well! What a wonderful husband, father, & grandfather this man is! He has given me everything in life that is important to me & continues to put up with my idiocyncrises (sp?) every day--now, who in the heck would take on that job?!? What a guy! The next 3 people on my list are my three children. The people that Greg & I created--sorry that you got bumped out of first positions by the grandkids, but that's what happens when you have such beautiful children!! Johann, my troubled, but, oh so talented first son. He has no idea how much he has to give--if only he could find the combination to the lock. Jeff, he needs no help on his way to success! So handsome, strong, & smart. His illness is only making him a stronger person inside. And, Jill, my beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter! She has chosen to give up having a career to be a stay-at-home Mommy with my two beautiful granddaughters. I couldn't be more proud!! There is nothing more fulfilling than being a mother & being there for your children whenever they need you & knowing that you were always there when they did need you (was that redundant?). I tried to do my best, & I know that she will always do her best, too. Lastly, but not leastly, I would like to acknowledge my parents as being the 2 most important people on my list. There are not many people who can measure up to my Mom. She after all, was the main catalyst in making me the person I am. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think "what would Mom do or think about this?". I miss my Mom & wish she could be here to be a great-grandma to my grandkids--she would have been so awesome with them! And, her sense of humor would have kept them all giggling! Her love knew no bounds. Then there is my Dad. I'm sorry, but, there will never be a man on this earth that will ever measure up to him. He is the kindest, most caring person that I have ever known. He has endured so much in his lengthy life--a lot of it not so good, but it hasn't changed who he is inside. He remains the very best person I know on this earth. I also have 3 more people that I would like to acknowledge as very important people in my life--my stepmom, Jean. She has been a Godsend to our family & to my Dad! What would we do without her?!? I love her so much for how she has given Dad a reason to live longer! But, I also love her for the friend she has become to me. ---Jamie, she is my second daughter. In all of the world, I could never have found someone that could put up with a London personality (or 2 or 3) better than she has done. Man!! that is a job!! Gold Star achieved! Stephen--you deserve a Gold Star for putting up with my daughter! You actually deserve 2 more since you are dealling with Lucy & Lilybeth, too! ;)You, too, are one helluva a guy!!

Thanksgiving Past

I am finally catching up after Thanksgiving. Whew!!! What a day or two or three! We had everyone here for Thanksgiving--well, not EVERYONE, but all of my immediate family, my Dad & Jean, & Chantal, Mark, & Colt. It was great!! Except for the fact that Lilybeth wasn't feeling well. We had fun (anyway, I did!) & enjoyed our day together as a family. This was the first year that I have ever stooped to using paper plates & plastic glasses, & it won't be the last!!! It was sooo much less work than in years past. Cade & Lucy were so cute together. Lucy loved following Cade around & watching him play. They watched TV together in Grandpa's LazyBoy chair & played on the pool table together. They basically did everything together but take naps! Cade hates naps & Lucy loves them! The babies were so adorable. Lilybeth started feeling better on Friday & was acting more like her sweet self & was 'bopping' along to Uncle Jeff's guitar playing; and, Seth, well, he knows how to light up a room with that grin of his & his beautiful twinkling blue eyes! Now, on to the next holiday!!!