HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I don't think I ever put the last of the Christmas decorations away without a certain feeling of nostalgia, and today as I finished this task was no different.   Another Christmas come and gone... and another year as well.  2011 was a good year.  It brought much laughter and memories,  just a few tears and lessons learned, and as always MUCH answered prayer.  My youngest son was made the senior pastor of his church.  My daughter gave birth to her first son.  My husband got a new job and the Lord is blessing his efforts.  I got another clean bill of health.  My mom continues to move along and has not had another stroke.  My step-dad is still with us his despite the ugly cancer that grows in his body.  My husband celebrated 60 years on this earth.  I could go on and on with the list that the Lord has blessed us with, but for now I will stop with these.  2012 lies ahead of us now waiting for it's pages to be filled with our lives.  There is always a certain feeling of excitement for me,  mixed with feelings of uncertainty and wonder.  What will this new year hold?  One thing I know for sure is no matter what may come, the Lord will be with us, the one constant and unchanging thing we can always count on.  My desire for this new year is that I might know Him in a deeper and more meaningful way.  I pray that He finds ways to use me for His glory.  I pray that I might love others as He does.   And I pray as we begin this year, that I  press on, filling the pages of my life, running the race He sets before me with diligence and grace.


Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!


Hebrews 12:1...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnare us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..


1 Cor 9:24  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.


1 John 4:11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.


1 John 4: 16...God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in Him.

I treasure my on-line friends, and ask the Lord to bless each and every one of you with His richest blessings in this coming New year!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE 2011

Can it be that ANOTHER Christmas has come and gone?  haha  How I have enjoyed these last few days.  I will "TRY" and just give the highlights, but you know me, that is easier said than done.  But after looking back on my printed books of past years of blogging yesterday, I am more convinced than ever that this is just the perfect way to remember how we were.  Sooo, here we go...

I guess we will have to go back to last Thursday.  Even though I still had a few things to get done, I decided I just wanted to have a "fun" day, and do something Christmasy with some of my grands.  Soo, I went over to my oldest son's house, picked up Jeffie and Lindsey and headed out to meet my sister with her grandkids and daughter to Bass Pro Shop.   Every year they do up not only a nice display of Christmas decorations, but they have games, rides, and activities for the kids to do which includes a free picture with Santa.  In fact, all of it is free.  They have an absolutely wonderful restaurant right there next door to the shop as well, and the kids all eat for free.  Now my sister has done this with her grands ever since the store opened, but this was the first trip for me.  What a wonderful time we had!  It was VERY full of people for sure, but it never seemed to be an issue.  The kids just had a ball.  Most of the activities were geared towards kids more in the age range of about 6 to 12 in my opinion, which worked perfectly for me considering Jeff is 7 and Lindsey just turned 11 yesterday.  They raced cars, shot bow and arrows, rode the Christmas merry go round, colored, worked remote controlled cars, and took turns at the shooting range.  They enjoyed the fish, the wishing streams, and all of the HUGE fake animals that were just everywhere all over the store.  We had an ABSOLUTELY delicious lunch (they have the most wonderful sugar bread) and finished it off with a picture and visit to Santa.  We were there a little over 4 hours and it cost me just 8 dollars (for my lunch) don't think you could do much better.  After we finished there the kids and I decided to see the new Chipmunk movie to really make it a full day, haha.  The kids LOVED the movie, and I was actually pretty entertained too.  These are just the best kind of days in my opinion.  Nothing to do but to enjoy the pleasure they got it in all, and make memories.  I arrived back home around 6:30 that night, tired, but sooo glad I went.  Here are a few of the pics I got.

SEE THE BEAR IN THE BACKGROUND?  

On Friday I finished up the last of the wrapping and baking and preparations and then we left here around 3:30 to pick up Jeffie and Lindsey again and headed down to San Diego for the candlelight service in the park with our church.   Again, what a wonderful time.  It DID take us quite a while to get there as everyone it seemed was heading out of town, but we enjoyed the ride down nonetheless.  We play guessing games in the car which we ALL enjoy, and the time passed quickly.  We grabbed a quick dinner and arrived to join Larissa and the kids and quickly found our seats in the outside theater area.  It was COLD....I am not going to lie, but somehow it added to the fun even for this grandma.  We were all bundled up in our coats and hats and scarfs, and huddled under a blanket.  There was special music and a wonderful praise band to enjoy, and then my son gave a Christmas message that was both inspiring and thought provoking.  We all got our candles then and we sang a few Christmas carols together.  How beautiful it was, and the kids enjoyed every minute.  I have only one picture of this which I stole borrowed from facebook, haha...I was GOING to get a picture of all the kids with their candles, but somehow I was lost in the worship and forgot all about it.  It was a wonderful night, and again, I was soo glad we went.  A Christmas service praising God and rejoicing in the birth of His Son, is what it is all about.

SOO MANY PEOPLE BRAVING THE COLD WEATHER ANXIOUS TO CELEBRATE HIS BIRTH!

Then on Christmas Eve, Jeff & I enjoyed a LARGE and totally yummy breakfast together and planned and organized our day.  We still had the food to pick up for the next day, but that was really about all with the exception of a tiny bit of house cleaning.  We got it all done with plenty of time to spare, and  left here around 3:00 and headed over to my oldest son's house for a TOTALLY WONDERFUL prime rib dinner.  Oh my goodness...how GOOD it was.  There was garlic mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, rolls, and a Caesar salad (which was all I brought).  We opened presents, celebrated Lindsey's birthday (which is the day after Christmas) and just generally had a wonderful time.  How I enjoyed myself!  With the exception of Cody (who is not quite 3) these are my "older" grandkids.  I LOVE hearing the stories of what is going on with them  in their lives, and was struck at one point at how quickly it all goes.  Two of them are already teen-agers!!  How has that happened??  We visited, and laughed and just generally relaxed and before we knew it we were headed home again.  We got comfy, lit a fire, and put our annual Christmas Eve movie on...George C. Scott's, the Christmas Carol.  We made a bet who would fall asleep first, and as usual it was me, haha...

JOE & LEAH'S KIDS...JEFFIE, ANNABEL, LINDSEY, & EVAN'
(minus Cody who is still camera shy)

JEFFIE WITH HIS BIG SISTERS

THIS PIC WAS OUT OF FOCUS AND I COULD HAVE JUST CRIED...THIS IS  JEFFIE IN HIS NEW CAR JAMMIES THAT GRANDMA FINALLY GOT MADE....HE LOVED THEM!

HAD TO SNAP PICS OF CODY WHEN HE DIDN'T KNOW, HAHA
HERE HE IS WITH HIS NEW CAR

11 YEAR OLD LINDSEY!!

Christmas morning was spent VERY leisurely as Jeff & I decided not to exchange Christmas presents this year (though he did tell me he is having ON STAR installed in my car...soo exciting) and we decided not to travel down to San Diego for church as we would be turning right around and coming back anyway.  So we made a nice big breakfast again (this is soo over) and then dressed and just relaxed until the kids starting arriving around 2:30.  This allows them all to enjoy Christmas morning with their own families, and follow it up with a trip to Grandma & Grandpa's...perfect.  James & Larissa got here a little before the rest of them (which was part of the plan) as we had not exchanged our presents with them yet.  There are sooo many of us, and with the smaller house it worked out MUCH better doing this family by family this year.  This will soo be the way we do it in the future.  Here are a few pictures of this group of grandkids.

DONATELLA, CAPRI & JD, AND THEIR DOG BRUNO, (WHO WAS NOT COOPERATING WELL WITH THE PICTURE TAKING, HAHA)

LOVED THE GIRLS DRESSES, SOOO DARLING

PRESENT TIME

After presents, the others began arriving and we had dinner.  Sooo much easier on paper plates and nice and easy.  Plenty of time to just enjoy everything.  John & Yolanda were the only ones left for presents and here is a picture of them enjoying theirs.

After dinner, we relaxed and had coffee and just enjoyed each other.  The kids got together and did a little show for us singing Christmas songs etc.  Lots of fun.  Yolanda made us all one of her traditional Christmas desserts (sorry, I can't remember the name of it) but it was really yummy.  All in all a WONDERFUL Christmas.  How grateful I am.  We missed Mike & Mel and Sam for sure, but we still "MIGHT" be going there for New Years.  We will make that decision today.

THE KIDS READY TO PERFORM...CODY WAS STANDING IN THE PICTURE, BUT WE WEREN'T QUITE QUICK ENOUGH...HE DROPPED TO THE GROUND AND COVERED HIS FACE WHEN HE SAW THE CAMERA, HAHA

ELVIS SNUGGLED UP BY JAMES CHRISTMAS NIGHT..

SAM ON CHRISTMAS EVE...HIS 3 MONTH PICTURE TOO

ENJOYING HIS PLAY TIME

LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS AND EYES

MEL SAID HE REALLY ENJOYED PRESENT TIME

READY TO GO TO CHRISTMAS DINNER AT THEIR FRIENDS HOUSE

SAM WASN'T COOPERATING ON THEIR FAMILY POSE, HAHA

Our Christmas gift this year from James & his family was a calendar using all the pictures from their latest photo session...I just LOVED it.  They ended up spending the night Christmas night (though that was not planned, but we soo enjoyed it) and James loaded all the files from the pictures onto my computer so I can now share a few of those with you....they were just sooo cute.  A couple of them are magazine proportions (or is my Grandmaness showing? haha) here is the best of them, though it was soo hard to pick...

I LOVED THIS

THE JAMES CLASS FAMILY 2011

3 OF THE CUTEST KIDS EVER!

CAPRI ANGELINA 7 YEARS OLD,,,SOO PRETTY

JD 5 YEARS OLD....SUCH A DARLING BOY!

DONATELLA VALENTINA 2 YEARS OLD....LOOK AT THOSE GORGEOUS EYES!

My cup truly runneth over....Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too.  I am looking forward to visiting you all and seeing for myself.  Sorry this was sooo long to those of you who stuck around, haha.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Luke 2:11-14  "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign to you; you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

I have been reading this portion of scripture at Christmastime ever since I was a young girl, and I never get tired of reflecting on it all.    As I have gotten older I have thought about what it might have been like to have been Mary's mother.  Here is your young, unmarried daughter, out traveling a long distance from home, about to give birth without you around to help.  Or any other woman for that matter.  How anxious she must have been.  Or to be Mary herself.  Suddenly finding yourself ready to give birth to who you KNEW to be the promised Messiah, and yet unable to find any place to be except for an old stable full of animals.  Or Joseph...here was a young man doing his best to find a place for his young betrothed wife to give birth, no doubt anxious and concerned, and wishing there was some place else to go.  And yet, it was all as it was suppose to be.  God's Son, the King of kings, came into this world in a lowly manger in Bethlehem to save us all from our sins.  I love to think of what the sight and sound of those angles praising God that night might have been like.  Unbelievably glorious I imagine.

The angels are rejoicing over the reconciliation between God and His eternally beloved creation!

I want to wish all of my blogging friends a glorious and joy filled Christmas!  Enjoy the time spent with your family and friends, and my prayer would be that we all grow closer to Him in the coming year.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY

1. Are you cooking Christmas dinner? How many will be round your table this year? What are we having?  Well, I am having Christmas dinner this year, but I am not doing much cooking, haha.  After last year, I promised to keep things simple, quick and easy.  So I will not be setting up tables, getting out china and crystal, and spending the day cooking.   We will leave for Christmas morning service with baked beans in the oven SLOWLY cooking. (and that is ALL that will be cooked at my house that day!)  I am also having honey baked ham, rolls, potato salad. and the lime green salad (this is a wonderful salad that was a Christmas tradition at my house growing up, and I have carried on the tradition with my own kids).  We will serve it all on paper plates with plastic forks and throw it all away when we are done.  : )  We will have pies, cookies, candy and chips to snack and munch on for the day as well.  I am having just my kids and their families this year.  We will have 19 altogether.  

2. What is one must-have Christmas cookie in your house?  For me it is Pecan Balls, but for ALL of my kids and grands it is decorated sugar cookies....There will be both available on Christmas day.  : )

3. Santa likes a glass of milk with his cookies. Do you? What kind of milk is on tap at your house-skim? almond? soy? full fat (Gasp!)  I love a cup of hot tea with my cookies, or ice cold water.  Most of my kids would chose milk.  And low fat is what you'll find in our refrigerator.  

4. Time magazine recently named their 'Person of the Year' for 2011. This is the person the editors believe had the greatest impact, for better or worse, in the past year. This year they chose 'The Protester'. Your thoughts? Who would you name Person of the Year for 2011?  When I read this question I considered not doing this Hodgepodge at all as it would mean I would have to expose myself for what I am....And that is someone who follows world events and world news and world or media or political thoughts VERY little.  Now, I have always felt like I should, but somehow or another it has never happened.  I am not really sure why I guess.  Maybe it is because I find it all soo confusing.  I can never remember names, find the majority of it very depressing, and just generally feel like I haven't much to say on most of the topics due to my ignorance of it all.  I find I can only cram so much information in my head and hope to retain it in any useful way, and this subject is just never really high on my list of priorities.  Sooo, having said that I really have no idea who I might have in this position.  I have considered just asking my dh as I am sure he would have someone as he does follow ALL of this very closely.  I think maybe I have relied on that over the years too.  He lets me know what is going on when I really NEED to know, and fills me in with information when he can or I ask.   Now I don't want any of you to think I don't care what goes on in the world, or that I don't inform myself and vote in important elections etc., because I DEFINITELY do.  I have very general ideas of what is happening and am very aware of the fact that things are in very sad state of affair.   My heart does ache for those people who suffer great losses in natural catastrophe's and support and pray for those who help them.  I am very proud to be an America and I pray and support our troops for their dedication and service to our country.  To me the person of the year could be different in everyone's mind and heart and could be someone the rest of the world will never know.  The child who suffered with a terrible sickness and endured more in their little life than any of the rest of us might ever know, and yet smiles and brings joy to those around them.  Or the ordinary man who works hard day in and day out so he can  feed his family and put clothes on their backs, but still takes the time to enjoy and play with his kids when he would probably rather be relaxing.  Maybe it's the missionary who sacrifices everything he could have, so that he might bring the gospel to those who will never hear it any other way.    Sorry this answer is so long and really doesn't answer the question, but this is where my head goes on things like this.  As for picking the protesters I have to freely admit I don't get that...it seems to me that to be Person of the Year you ought to be someone who done something that made the world a better place....just saying.

5. December 21st is National Flashlight Day... when was the last time you needed a flashlight and did you know right where to find one? The last time I needed one was last Fall when the electricity suddenly went out in the park.  And yes, thanks to my hubby, it was right in the top drawer of the desk where he insists on keeping it even though I have pointed out it is a strange place to keep a flashlight, haha.

6. candy canes...yum or yuck?Truthfully I have mixed feelings about these things.  I have to REALLY be in the mood for candy canes, AND they have to be the really good ones.  But even if I am really in the mood and they are really good ones, I will only eat a little bit of one and I am done, haha. 

7. What Christmas carol lyric means the most to you?  I love love LOVE the lyrics to the song Mary Did You Know?  I just feel that it best sums up the reason we all celebrate His birth.   Here they are....

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water? 

Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? 

Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? 

This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? 

Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? 

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? 

And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again. 

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? 

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? 

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb? 

This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am.

  

I especially love this version of it done by Rascal Flatts who are one of my very favorite Country groups.    ENJOY

8. Insert your own random thought here.  I am looking forward to the rest of my week as I have managed (imagine that? haha) to keep things MUCH simpler this year.  I have just a little wrapping to do, 1 pair of jammies to make, and a little bit of baking left on my list.  Friday night we are going to a candlelight service in the park with our church and I am really looking forward to it.   Christmas Eve will find us at my oldest son's house sharing dinner with them, and Christmas Day after church our family will join us here for the day.  I will miss my Melly and her Mike and Sam, but hopefully we will see them soon.  Here is the one of the most recent pictures of this cutie....

This was taken at a Christmas party they went to last week-end...

Hope you are all having a joy filled week.  I hope to get in one more post before Christmas, so we'll see how that goes.

 Oh!  I just had to share the little video I made using the elf people. (thanks for the link to do this Kimberly!)  Sooo funny.  Or maybe it just is if you know all of us, haha...Anyway, click HERE to enjoy that...

To join the others who have linked up for Hodgepodge, click HERE.  You will be soo glad you did...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF!

WHEW....What a busy last couple of days it has been.  But what a GOOD couple of days.  Memories were made that won't soon be forgotten.

I have a few people to thank for the success of my hubby's 60th birthday party yesterday, so let me start with that.  First of all sooo many thanks to my sister Diane who as always is someone I can count on to lend a helping hand.  She came down from the mountains where she lives and spent the night with me, not only so that she could help me on some of the treats I was preparing, but also because my dh decided to go and pick up his dad from Arizona so that he could come to the party, and I didn't know if I felt like spending the night alone.  ; )   He lives about 4 hours from here and so he drove out on Thursday night, and then drove back Friday morning.  They got here around 2, so had plenty of time to rest up before the party.  Anyway, back at home, we made candy (which I forgot to take a picture of our chocolate Santa heads, but they were both tasty and darling) and then put on a Christmas movie and chatted our evening away.  The next morning started early and never stopped until 11 last night....We made our Santa hat cookies which Melody had found on-line and had made a couple of times and had assured me they were both delicious, and SUPER easy.  Right up my alley.  They proved to be true on both counts. If anyone is interested in how to make them let me know, though you can figure it out by just looking at them, haha.  Then... my son James arrived around 10:30 and we went over to the clubhouse to continue the preparations.  We set up tables, arranged the room, unloaded drinks and snacks, made hot cider, meatballs, the centerpieces etc. etc. etc.  I was originally going to make popcorn snack gifts like the ones Lois made at Walking on Sunshine, (such a GOOD idea Lois!) but decided there just wasn't enough time, so my son James picked up some ready made GOURMET popcorn that was just positively delicious, and we bagged it up.  I bought snack bags, and made tags, and tied it with ribbon.  They were darling, and a big hit.  He also brought chocolate covered pretzels, peppermint bark, and the vases for the centerpieces.  They were made REALLY simply and inexpensively with fresh cranberries and water and candles, and looked beautiful with a few scattered scented pine cones.    His wife Larissa made some of her WONDERFUL Pumpkin pie dip.  I am going to have to get the recipe and post it on here sometime soon, as it is the BEST tasting dip in the world.  You dip both apples and graham crackers in it.  Soo good.  James did all the fetching and carrying yesterday, and TRUST ME there was a ton of it.  We even moved around some heavy chairs and tables in there to make more of a comfortable "chatting area".  The jute box that was to come with the clubhouse was not working, so James bought a speaker system for his phone and hooked it up and we had lots of Christmas music, and also some other kinds occasionally as well on the night.  Somehow or another we got everything done around 4:30 and people began arriving around 5.  It was such a GOOD night.  The extended family doesn't get together very often anymore, as there is just too many of us.  But there were over 40 of us there last night.  I think just Mike & Mel and Sam, and Donna and Todd and their two kids were the only ones missing.  OH, and my two nephews were both working.   The food was SOOO good.  We had a delicious tri-tip, herb chicken, garlic mashed potatoes (these were to die for) bread sticks, and a Caesar Salad.  The delivery guy arrived right at 6 and set the food up and within minutes we were eating.  But not before James prayed not only for the food and the evening, but for his father.  Mike & Melody picked up the tab for the food as their gift to Jeff, and again, it was MOST appreciated.   When our kids were growing up on Diana court (where we lived for 25 years) most of the neighborhood kids spent their time at our house. A few of the kids over the years had become very attached to Jeff.  A couple of them even called him dad.  Well, I did invite these two guys to come as well, as Jeff considers them almost family.  Only one of them could come (the other was working) but he brought his family and that was really nice.  The two guys got together and bought a really nice football and signed it with really touching and nice wishes.  When Jeff set down to open his gifts, we started with the book I had put together for him.  To say he was blessed, would be an understatement.  He told me later he felt like Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life"...haha.  The bottom line is that he is just that kind of a guy.  I wish I could share EVERYTHING everyone wrote, but it would simply take too long and the posts aren't mine to share.  BUT!!  I can share mine....

Dear Jeff

I don't think I could come up with a favorite memory (like I told everyone else to do haha) if I tried.   After almost 37 years together, there is simply WAY too many to choose from.  We have gone from kids really, to "senior citizens" haha, and everything in between.   Though many of our moments together might seem very ordinary, together they've made a whole lifetime of memories that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.  So then I began to think about what words I might use to describe you, and our life together best, and the first one that popped into my head was strong.  Not only unbelievably strong physically of course, but strong in every way I needed you to be.  Strong spiritually, strong emotionally, and strong in all the ways it is important for a man to be strong.  Someone I could count on no matter what life might be happening to throw our way.  The next word might be helpful.  I know it seems like a weird word, but it just soo describes who you are.  Always, and I mean ALWAYS ready and willing to help me with whatever it is I was needing.  I will freely admit I have always been a little high maintenance, lol, especially in these last few years where I honestly don't know what I would have done without you.  From doing our grocery shopping, to keeping my car full of gas, to making sure I have all of my "supplies", to cooking for me, and right down to letting me control the TV remote, haha, the list seriously could just go on and on.  But it goes beyond what you just DO for me to be helpful, it would have to include how you are always willing to talk me through something, cheer me up when I need it, and encourage me with whatever it is I am trying to accomplish. You just have a servants heart, and I have basked in the benefits of that pretty much our entire life together.  The next word I would chose would have to smart!  Now I know it isn't something I have probably let you know too much, smile, but it is just so true.  I guess I don't have to explain to you (of all people) how "challenged" I can be in some areas, and it always made me feel good to know, that you just  KNEW IT...The next word is provider.  This is an area I know that I have never really given you any where near enough credit for what you truly deserve.  The fact that you have always worked hard, is just that... a fact.  Your hard work provided us with a standard of living I really appreciate, and enabled me to never really have to work outside of our home.  I love that you always just considered it your responsibility and never seem annoyed or irritated when you came home from work (this has been just in the last few years of course, haha) and found me lying on the couch watching TV and still in my PJ's.  Now for any of those who might be reading this, it doesn't happen very often, but it HAS happened, and he greets me with a laugh saying, "Looks good to me."  I guess I could go on and on but I imagine it is time to nip this, so let me just say this, My life with you has just been blessed.  That truly is the best word to describe it.  I love you soo much more now than I ever imagined I could, and I thank God everyday for you!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  And may the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you, now and always....

Debbie

There was a wide variety of posts somewhat similar to this one, and a few that were quite funny.  But together they made a very nice book.  After dinner we chatted and visited and took pictures.  It was just wonderful.  There were MANY little ones (4 two year olds alone, lol) and the noise level was large.  They ran around and had a ball enjoying each.  I put together a video of the best of the pictures, and with my new internet connection it really went pretty fast too.  A couple of the pictures wouldn't fit in the space they provided for the video so I will post them here.  It will be hard not for me to narrate every picture, lol, but I am very sure you will get the idea.

Jeff & I with 7 of our 9 grandkids.  We were missing just Samuel and Cody.  Cody was there, but is camera shy and just couldn't be swayed about getting his picture taken.  Oh well, someday I will pull it off and have them ALL in one together.

This is a pic of all the "older ones" haha...From left to right they are my bil Greg and my sister Diane, my brother Dave and his wife Rhonda, me and Jeff.  We have all been married over 30 years and together through much of life's events.

Jeff & I and our parents

The sign in Dave's present

Hello Mr. Salesman

Just had to explain these two pictures....My brother and Jeff have worked in the same line of business for years, with a few occasions actually working for the same company.  How they enjoyed working together.  They kept each other amused with their own brand of humor.  One of their standing jokes YEARS ago was that SOME day they would be 60 years old and wearing plaid colored sports coats (a horror sometimes in the sale world according to the both of them) and soup stained ties, haha.  Jeff opened the gift and found the sign, and then the old sports jacket and tie.....sooo hilarious.

Pretty much all of our kids stayed and helped clean everything up.  AGAIN, such a BIG BIG help.  Thanks to you all!

Soo much fun.  But I was soo tired and hurting soo bad last night when I finally climbed into bed I couldn't even fall asleep at first.  But I did finally manage, haha.  Today Jeff and his dad have watched old movies and visited away, and I have worked on these pictures.  In about an hour or so my parents are coming over and we will go to the Outback for a yummy steak.  (not all of us Mel, I will have fish I promise!) Then we will come back here and have pie and coffee and they will open their Christmas presents from us.  Jeff's dad will then go home tomorrow and I think I will try and finish up with my Christmas shopping.  I am almost there.

How blessed I am.  Hope you all are having a good week-end.   ENJOY the video...be sure and turn your speakers on (I usually leave mine off) and hit full screen and then escape to get off.

This free photo slideshow made with Smilebox