Busy, busy, busy

In Utah with the kids, staying with Paige. Too busy to blog. I will definitely get to it later.

Our schools

Advice for Santa

Fleas Navidog

But I don't want this Nativity.

Zombies

Apparently the Zombie Apocalypse has been foiled.

Nativity

I collect nativities, and found this on a friend's Facebook page. I'm going to see if Paige and I can make them. It's so cute, and I want it!!

Do your best and give 100%

Hard, harder, hardest

Remember that my goal is to blog once a week; sometimes this is hard as I really don't have anything to blog about. I can always put up another pic of one of my adorable ggirls. The first one is Macy, going grocery shopping with her baby, all decked out with boots and sunglasses. The second one is Stella with her birthday presents after her friend party. The family party (the first one I have missed - sniff, sniff), was last night.



luv, true luv

It must be really raining in Eagle Mt

Cheryl's wedding

I enjoy looking back over pics of my kids and other family members, and friends, from long ago.
This is Adam, Larry Chris, Jeramy, Amber, and Jason.

Q106.9 radio

"We know the environmentalist has gone paperless - don't shake his hand when he comes out of the bathroom."

More snow

This is 2 hours later at 10am, and still coming. Rick went to New Jersey this morning. I emailed and told him to either come home early, or stay.

First snow

The first snow of the year!!

Stella Van Gogh

Kincade sent this pic that Stella had drawn. I wondered about the cone shaped things on the heads - Paige said they were party hats. Stella had just gone to several birthdays parties where the kids got party hats and must have fallen in love with them.

 

Paige knows I love and collect nativities, so when she found the one with Santa holding the baby Jesus she got it for me.

 

The next one is the characters from "A Charlie Brown Christmas." At Thanksgiving, Pat mentioned that her Christmas trees have been getting smaller and smaller, and this year she got a Charlie Brown tree, with one branch that droops down. Then Michelle was at CVS and came across this Charlie Brown nativity, and got it for Pat to go with the tree. Jason, Rick, and I went to three CVS' before we found mine. I'm not into cutsey nativities, but this one I like.

 



Needs

Sometimes you need two pacifiers, and sometimes you need a hamburger as big as your head.

 

 

This is one wild hair do



And now Macy can do pigtails!! Two little pigtailed sailors

 

Stella is ready for Preschool

When you just really, really need something a little extra...

...only two pacifiers will help.

Please don't be stupid...

...leave that to the politicians.

(Just heard it on the radio as I was listening to Rush. Must have been a public service announcement.)

Sunshine patriots

"THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. "

This was the beginning of Thomas Paine's pamphlet "The Crisis." I thought of it because Rick and I went to a Mitt Romney event/rally yesterday afternoon. We left our house at 2:30 pm, an hour drive over to Yardley, PA (kinda by New Hope and Washington Crossing the Delaware) to Shady Brook Farms. It was packed with people - the lines were long and they just kept coming and coming. It took us 1 1/2 hours to get thro security and into the event. The crowd was upbeat and it was fun to talk to people. One woman and I talked for a long time; it is so much fun for me to come across someone who likes to talk politics as much as I do, and is as informed. I suppose most of the crowd was also as highly motivated.

It was quite cold, but we came prepared with coats, gloves, scarves, and earmuffs. It was out in a huge field, and was packed (crowded, crammed, full, filled, full to capacity, bursting, overflowing, chock-full, jam-packed, chock-a-block, heaving) with people. Lots and lots of police and I suppose secret service and other security types. It was supposed to start at 5 or 5:30 (I read and heard both times). This is where the sunshine patriot comes in. Rick and I were both cold, and Rick had to get up early today and drive over to New Jersey for a meeting - so after being there for a while we just left.

After we got home, I turned on the tv to FOX News and they were covering the event live. It was 7:15 and Romney was just ending his stump speech! I was amazed, thought he would have been thro about 6 or 6:30. It turned out he was late arriving, so it didn't get started on time. Gov Corbett and Sen Toomey were there speaking also, which I hadn't known. With the way parking was, I'm sure it took people several hours or more just to leave. FOX News said there was a crowd of 28,000 people, which I believe it.

But Rick and I were summer soldiers last night.

Halloween

These are pics of the kids and gkids from the Fri night Halloween party at Paige's. This is an event that people look forward to each year. She and Scott spend a lot of the day fixing the edibles, and the house decos are really cute. Halloween is Paige's 2nd fav holiday.

A Geisha, basket ball player, and 2 marathoners

Scott and Jessica dressed like characters in Hunger Games

Chris and Sarah were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

This was costuming for a Sat night murder mystery party, Chris was a gangster and Sarah was a flapper - roles assigned

Is this the definition of cowardly behavior, gross incompetence, or treason?

I was going to blog this morning about Paige's Halloween Party, and all the great costumes. Something light and fun, with the pics of my children and gkids. That will still come in a later post today. But now...this...

I was reading some of my conservatives blogs, and came across this post with this pic! What happened in Benghazi is horrible - 4 Americans left to die, when they could have been saved, with only slight effort on Obama's part. The only thing he had to do was give the order for help. That is the American military tradition.

Run, run, run

Sat night was a Harvest Festival at the church for Stella and Macy. They dressed up as marathoners - I think they look adorable.

Kincade Facetimed me as he was getting them dressed (Paige was over at the church setting up, as the YW and Primary were in charge of the activity - why oh why did they get rid of the Activity Committee?); Macy kept pulling her sweatband over her eyes and walking around. Stella would run back and forth thro the kitchen and front room so I could see how fast she could run.

Grandmother Deeny (as Grandmother has asked them to call her) and I quite enjoyed watching and talking with them.

Muesh

Paige called me up to tell me that is Macy's newest word. Mooesh.
Know what it means? It is a combination of the words move and push. Paige was sitting on her hope chest in the library, reading to Stella, I think. Macy walked up and pushed at Paige to move over and said, "Mooesh!" Or is that mooish?

Rain and hail

I love storms. Indiana and Illinois had some of the best storms of any place I have lived. They are not in Tornado Alley, but close enough so that we had tornado warnings and watches all the time during the season. One time Rick and a group of church kids got chased by a tornado on the way back from a YM/YW waterski trip to Raccoon Lake. And I love lightning. Absolutely awesome.

I don't want to be out in a storm (actually, I would, if you could guarantee my safety), but I do like to be in a nice safe location while the storm rages around me. I like to snuggle in bed and hear it; I like to get up and look out the window at it; I like to stand in doorways and see, smell, and feel it.

And last night we got a bunch of rain and a little wind, just enough so that I could feel like the storm was raging around me. This morning at 8 it started raining, hard, then it changed to hail. The hail beat and pounded the house, roofs, roads, and anything else it wanted to pound - hail the size of marbles. Of course, I had to take a pic, and of course, the pic shows nothing like what it was.

Does this mean she likes dogs now?

This is the dog at Old Navy. Paige was out shopping with the girls, and Macy went right over and hopped on.

Mom and Gary

The weather in St. George is at its most beautiful. Yesterday at 11am we went for a walk around the temple. Not too hot, not too cold - just right (as Goldilocks would say). The flowers and other plants are beautiful.

Trying to catch flies...

...looks just like her Papaw!!

Zion National Park

Mom, Gary, and I drove to Zion on Mon. These mountains are so incredibly beautiful, I do not have words to describe them and no pics can do them justice. The rocks have such a red and white color, with the green foliage - it is breathtaking. Since I was driving, I had to keep track of the mountain roads while also trying to take in the sights.

We also stopped and got some Fugi apples at her fav orchard just outside the park. Mom and Gary have a fav restaurant on the other side of the park where they can enjoy a buffalo burger. Plus, we always sit right at the big pic window and see the buffalo outside grazing on the hillside. Rural and rustic.

Sailor dresses

I thought I had already blogged this pic, but as I looked back thro my posts I didn't see it. I think they look adorable.

Time zooms on

I can't believe that today is already Sept 25. Soon this month will be over and it seems it went so quickly. (I have blogged before about using the same word more than once in close proximity to each other in an article, blog, post, essay, whatever - can't do it, doesn't look right. I used "quickly" in the below graph and I don't want to change it, so feel free to reread the above sentence and substitute one of these words for quickly: apace, briskly, chop-chop, expeditiously, flat-out, fleetly.)

Rick and I left on Thurs afternoon to go up to Paige's. I got some pics of the little girls, but it was on my iPad, so I have to figure out how to email them to me. Then I will blog them. I can't believe how quickly Macy is changing. It seems she does new stuff every week.

Stella is in Preschool and loves it. Her teacher even gives them homework occasionally. Which is good. Helps her develop good educational habits.

When I did a lot of teaching for the 3rd grade team in North Carolina, I would list on the board every day about 5 or 6 items that the students were to do as they came in each morning. Most of them looked at it and did as instructed. It was mostly the same stuff every day - sharpen pencils, use restroom, turn in homework, which I listed by subject and page number and they were to place in a specific location on a table. A few kids would forget to turn in their homework!! That always amazed me. They would usually have done it, and would want to get it out of their bookbag when we were going over it during that subject time, and I would have some consequence for not having it out and properly placed in the morning. It was a real time waster.

Ohhhh, even writing this makes me really miss teaching.

Hair

Every day I fix mom's hair, and every day I tell her how pretty her hair is. And it is. Still thick, despite her age. A beautiful white silvery color. She uses Matrix Essentials So Silver shampoo, which seems to help it keep that pretty white silvery color.

So today I took her to Evan's Beauty College to get a cut, and her stylist, and several other girls commented on the pretty color. One asked her if she uses the purple shampoo, which is the above shampoo. The stylist fixed it like an older lady style, which I don't particularly care for - I like it the simple blown out style that looks hip and cute. But it still looked nice.

I also clipped her toes and fingers (nails, that is!!&^%) so she is good to go for a bit anyway.

Rolly rolly backpacks

Do you like rolly rolly backpacks?

When Stella was 2, Paige and she flew out to North Carolina to visit us. Stella tried using her regular backpack as a rolling one. She was quite disappointed that it wouldn't roll, like she saw suitcases roll. Paige told her she should tell Nano that she wanted a rolly rolly backpack (as she called it). That very day we went to Walmart to get her one.

Paige was out garage saleing today and came across this rolling backpack for Macy, who acted interested. Papaw decided to take a pic, and Nano decided it must be memorialized into a blog post.

Veg Straws

Rick's fav chip is a certain bag of vegetable straws - they are crispy yet hollow in the middle, and he likes to crunch, crunch, CRUNCH. Supposedly the straws are made from good vegetables, such as spinach, tomatoes, and potatoes. They are delish but not nutrish.

I went to Costco today and bought a bag for him, since he will be coming down to St George on Mon. He just got to Paige's, will stay there a few days to spend some time with the little girls, his sons, and meet Scott's girlfriend, Jessica, who is visiting from Alabama.

I got mom a small bowlful to eat with some guacamole dip. She quite enjoyed them, and she told Rick, when I called him, that she was going to eat the entire bag.

Pres Obama

Can I say that altho this is not a political blog, after the events in the Middle East the last few days (our ambassador to Libya and 3 other American citizens murdered by Islamic extremists) and listening to the MSM (mainstream media) cheerlead for the ever wrong and/or do nothing president, this country cannot get rid of him quickly enough.

It almost makes me want to divide this country up between Republicans and Democrats. If you voted Republican within a time period, say the last 5 years, you get to live on this side (or in the middle, if the Demos want both coasts), and if you voted Demo in a particular time period, you live in the other part. You won't get to choose, you live where you voted.

I imagine within a very short period of time, the Republican side would once again be a successful, prosperous, free, constitution-loving country, and the Demo side would be some type of unsuccessful, bankrupt, Marxist, socialist nanny state.

Claire

It looks like Rick will be taking Claire to the airport tomorrow to go to Squirt's house. I have developed allergies to her, and we are gone a lot, leaving her "home alone," so this will work nicely. Rick will feel good with her going to a home where she will get lots of love.

Originally, Scott was going to take her back with him to Squirt's, but Southwest had a bunch of rules that didn't look like Claire would fit. Rick then found a place that had different people bidding to ship her. Too expensive - I think the cheapest bid was $1600 and went up from there. Finally, after searching around on shipping animals some more, he discovered United/Continental would take her for $220. That price will easily be made up in what we don't have to pay for someone to watch her while we are gone.

Rick will initially be sad, and maybe I will be, but I don't think so. But I am glad my sister is taking her, because she is an animal lover.

At Jason's for Labor Day Weekend

We left Philly at 7am on Fri and arrived here at 6pm. Not bad. We lost an hour with stops. Rick and I actually really enjoy road trips.

Jason had dinner fixed, homemade meatballs subs with his homemade marinara sauce. Quite delish. Then walking downtown on the Historic Trail, getting ice cream, and just enjoying being outdoors at night. Back home and to bed at 12.

Up, and off to Danville. Hurricane Isaac's rain had hit Indiana, so no outside walking, but always fun to drive into Blanton Woods, by our house, make comments about how they are not keeping the landscaping nice, etc. Drove around Danville. It made me nostalgic but not sad, which is the first time I have not been sad to go there.

We went to Fred and Barbara's for an outside BBQ, but since Isaac was visiting, it was moved indoors. That was too bad because they have a beautiful and fun back yard, all wooded, also brings back a lot of memories about good times there, hot dog roasts, raking the leaves and having the kids jump in the huge piles. Robin, Harry, Ginger and Co were all there. It was nice to see them.

We left and went to Ginger Drach's just to say hello, they were having a BBQ also with family and friends. Then to Pat's, Michelle is living with her and wonderful to see her, whom I had not seen for several years - she is a sweetheart. We took them to Gray Brothers Cafeteria in Mooresville for dinner. That brought back many memories, as we had taken her to Gray's for her birthday many times. Ed had to work, so we didn't get a chance to see him.

Back at Jason's by 10pm, we sat around talking, which is always enjoyable, he is witty and funny.

Sunday we went to church. The size of the ward is about the same, but so few people that we know are still there. Still, it was great to see the people we did. Betty and Norm Zahn were both using walkers and had been picked up for church, probably they are no longer driving. I guess that is the cycle of life, but it is always sad to see. And I guess that will be me soon enough.

Then over to Aunt Phyllis. She had a lunch of finger food and is always so kind. Rick and Jason stay in close contact with her, we have helped her with money and odds and ends at times.

Church didn't start until 1pm, so in the morning we went for a walk in 100 Acre Woods. The Indiana Museum of Art students are always adding some new thingamajing, and it is always some modern looking something or other. This time it was a huge tree suspended sideways with swings hooked on it, and tree trunk round picnics tables. Quite fun.

Rick left early on Mon, and Jason and I left at 8:30am to begin our day, which was quite full. Bakery, for a fancy cookie, but it was closed. Onto the jewelry store he had gotten my dangly earrings for my bday. I did exchange one pair, but kept the other. It was hard to choose, so many cute ones.

Up to Castleton, 1/2 Price books, lunch, then 2016 at a theatre. I'm happy to see this documentary doing quite well at the box office. More stuff, then back home at 7pm. At 8 we decided to walk on the downtown canal. That is one of my fav places to walk. The entire walk is about 2 miles, fun to walk and talk. It was dark by the time we finished. Home, more chatting, and to bed at 11:30pm. I had leftover Donatos pizza and Jason had Nachos from Quedobas. I had my Donatos fix, ate the entire large meat lover by myself (that must be why the 2 pounds showed up) and so I won't need another one until the next time I hit Indy, at Thanksgiving.

Jason went to work, I'm packing, then when he comes home for lunch, I will take his car and do something. Maybe drive back to Danville. I catch my flight to Utah at 7:05 tonight. I do have a good life and need to be more grateful and give more thanks to the Lord for it.

Unfortunately, no pics. I told the guys to take some on their cameras, but we always forgot.

We always wanted to live by water

Just got 2 1/2 inches of rain in 45 min. A little lake formed out on the golf course, and a creek is coursing down towards the storm drain. It's hard to tell from these pics (always is), but we now live on water (for an hour or so, until it goes down).

Chris' motorcycle mama...

...or is this Paige on the back of Kincade's scooter? (This pic is actually courtesy of Jason and his old girlfriend.)

Happy Birthday, Love Jason

I just got my birthday card from Jason, a nice sentimental card with a loving happy birthday message for a special mom (he did that on purpose because he usually gets me funny ones). But he had written, " Happy Birthday, Mom! I hope Santa gets you a nice Easter basket for your birthday. Love Jason"

I had to laugh, because a few years ago I starting sending him cards a week or so before his June birthday. The first one was a Valentine's card, and I said I know some special day is coming and I hope I've gotten it right, or something along that line. The next card was an Easter card, then a Christmas card, all saying the same thing, a special day is occurring, I hope I've gotten the correct card (or whatever cards I sent, I've forgotten now). Finally his birthday card. At first he just thought I was being cheap and sending the Valentine's card because that was all I had, and then thought I was crazy.

So I got his hidden message in this card. Quite funny.

Dinesh D'souza's movie and book

"Immersed in exotic locales across four continents, best selling author Dinesh D'Souza races against time to find answers to Obama's past and reveal where America will be in 2016."

I have not read D'Souza's book The Roots of Obama's Rage (where he gets the material for the film), but I have read What's So Great About America and have it in my political bookcase, which is only one of his many, many books. He is a talented conservative author, an Indian-American, a Christian. He is a strong voice for conservatives and Christians, having once debated Christopher Hitchens, well known atheist, at the University of Notre Dame in a discussion called The God Debate. I just now listened to a few minutes of it on YouTube. Sounded interesting, but lasted almost 2 hours so I doubt if I get back to it.

Tonight Rick and I are going to see "2016:Obama's America." I have high hopes and wish all conservatives would support this film, if for nothing else than to put some money in D'souza's pocket and show Hollywood that good, conservative films can make money.

Drapes that cause problems

Squirt took this pic of Jasper hiding in the curtains. It reminded her of another time someone hid in the drapes...



...does anyone remember who?

Ride 'em, Cowgirls

This was at the Philadelphia Outlet Mall that Scott found.

When Paige was a little girl, she had a sailor's dress just like these.

Yum Yum Donuts

These are the donuts that Paige calls the best in the world - they must be because Paige and Co hit up Yum Yum's 5 times in their 8 days here.  On Wednesday's Yum Yum's has a Kid's Make Their Own day, which simply means frosting and decorating a donut. Here is Stella and Macy eating their donuts.

I always forget to take pics but this time I did get a few. I bought this wading pool for the girls at Aldi. They had great fun several times.



Yesterday morning I was downstairs when I heard Macy wake up so I went to get her. As we were coming  down the stairs she said, "Papaw, Papaw!" Rick usually is downstairs at the bar on his computer doing work. And she ususally sits with him and they watch "Wheels on the bus" together (many, many, many times), but this time I had to tell her that Papaw was gone to work. I guess that meant the party was officially over. I will miss her yelling "Nano!"