THANK YOU JESUS...THANKSGIVING 2013

RIGHT BEFORE OUR WONDERFUL FEAST ON THANKSGIVING DAY....EVERYONE BUT A NAPPING LUKE!

Well we're home.  Have you ever had one of those vacations, or holidays, or events, where everything just seemed to go perfectly and memories were made that you know won't be forgotten for years to come?  Well that's just what this one was for us.  And how grateful I am would be difficult to explain.  Seriously, just everything about it went well.  We arrived in San Tan Valley Arizona about 6 o'clock on Sunday night at my brother's house.  They had prepared a wonderful spaghetti dinner which was all ready, and afterwards we sat around and talked and visited with them.  It was soo good to see Dave, Rhonda and 23 year old Justin.  I had EVERY intention of snapping a pic or two while we were there, but honestly I simply forgot.  We reluctantly went to bed around 11 and got up at 5 and hit the road again for New Mexico. Everything about this LONG LONG drive was made soo much more bearable and fun with Jeffie traveling with us this time. He did soo well on the trip, and honestly grandma only heard a couple of times, "Are we there yet?" haha We played games, watched movies, ate LOTS of snacks, and even took an occasional nap or two and pulled into the dairy about 5 o'clock.  It was a brisk 20 degrees, and there was snow on the ground, which for these California folks was pretty exciting, lol.

GRANDMA'S LITTLE TRAVELING BUDDY JEFFIE

JEFFIE IN CLOUDCROFT, NM  WE LET HIM GET OUT A WHILE TO CHECK OUT THE SNOW

My son James and his family didn't arrive until after we had gone to bed, but I was praising God when I heard how well their drive had gone.  With 4 children, and one of them a 4 month old baby, that could have been a LONG, HARD drive.  But the kids were all troupers, and the baby never even really fussed.  Doesn't get much better.  And the next day the fun began for all of us, but especially the kids.  What a FUN FUN time they had.  Between playing in the snow, riding on tractors, milking the cows, visiting the WHOLE diary, and shooting their BB guns, they could hardly get enough of anything.  They ran and played to their little hearts content.  Their were new calves to see, a litter of 9 new puppies, a barn cat, and all kinds of farm life. We ate dinner out one night, but the rest of the time we cooked and had wonderful meals.  Thanksgiving Day they helped grandma make the stuffing and it was hard to say who enjoyed it more.  One night their Uncle Mike built a LARGE bonfire and they LOVED that as well.  Could hardly believe their good fortune to be outside in the snow at NIGHT with a fire to keep them warm, haha.  Their was hot chocolate afterwards and a movie while snug in Aunt Melody and Uncle Mike's bed.  Mikes father was in California for the holiday, so James and his family were able to stay in his house which is also right on the dairy, so that sure made everything nice and convenient.  Both babies took MOST of their naps on Grandma.  It did work out well that it seemed one was waking just as the other was needing to sleep.  Grandma was happy to oblige.  It was soo nice to have 3 FULL days of family time as it is just not very easy to pull this off anymore.  The rest of the family was missed for sure, but everyone was glad that Jeffie was able to come as well.  I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving too.  I really didn't get to visit much at all as I planned, but I know you all understand.  It will probably be Monday before I get a chance to catch up as tomorrow we will go down to San Diego to church.   I put most of our pictures in a little slide show which makes it easier to look at them all if you should so chose, but I had to put a few of my favorites ~ though it was HARD to chose ~ after it, as they will get printed in my book.  I was concerned that it might be a hard holiday for me as it was the first without my sweet mom, but  I will be thanking Jesus for this WONDERFUL WONDERFUL trip for quite a while I am thinking...

Be sure and hit the full screen button on the lower right hand side, turn your speakers on, and enjoy...oh, and escape to get out of it!

ON THE FEED LOADER

IN THE MILK BARN WITH GRANDPA

TRACTOR SCOOP

VINNY AND LUKE IN THE SHIRTS GRANDMA MADE

MY SWEETIES

GRANDMA'S ARMS WERE FULL

HANDSOME VINNY

MIKE, MELODY AND THEIR LITTLE SWEETIES SAM AND LUKE

SHOWING OFF THEIR JAMNMIES FROM GRANDMA....I WAS SOO HAPPY THAT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I MADE FIT THEM ALL!

JD AND JEFFIE WITH THEIR RED RIDER BB GUNS

JEFFIE PETTING THE NEW BABY CALF...SAM PATIENTLY WAITING HIS TURN, LOOK AT HIS FACE, LOL

LUKE SPORTING THE NEW SHIRT FROM GRANDMA....HE IS EVERYBODY'S SUNSHINE!  SUCH A HAPPY BABY!