A SPECIAL WISH!

My hopes and prayers are for all my family and friends to have a joyous and safe Christmas holiday season.

Many blessings to everyone and here is to a happy and healthy NEW YEAR for 2012!

BRING IT ON!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Linda

A short visit

We left last Friday afternoon and headed up North for a short visit with the grandies.  You know…take gifts for Christmas and all.

Of course we didn’t get there until after 7 pm Friday night.  It is a 4 1/2 drive, longer if we stop to eat which we did.

The “little rascals”  knew…we were there to deliver presents so……the second we arrived the “little rascals” were begging us to let them open the presents.

NOPE

Papa was tough on this one. LOL.  He left the gifts in the trunk of the car and wouldn’t budge.  He figured, once they were opened we might as well just get in the car and go home.  So he held out until Saturday.

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It didn’t take long for each stack to be torn into.  I made it very clear that they were getting mostly clothes (per request) and just one little toy.

I think they were ok with that.  I hope they were ok with that.  I think soon, because they are getting older, the toy part will end.  I see pj’s in the future.  You know kids, when they get older the clothes that Oma picks out really are not their choice of wear.  I can get away with it for maybe another couple of years.

It has already ended with Madison, my 16 year old.  A long, long, long time ago LOL.

We had dinner in downtown Salt Lake, went to Temple Square and saw all the beautiful lights.  It was crowded.

And cold.

 

The Nativity on the reflective pond is always such a special beautiful scene. 

There is a quiet reverence when walking around the Nativity.  The Nativity is life size and sits in the center of a shallow pond of water with  beautiful bubbles of lights that seem to float atop the water.  You can see why it is called the reflective pond…it is amazing!

 

  These pictures do nothing for what you eyes can see.  It is hard to wrap your mind around it actually.  Lights are discreetly started to be intertwined on every single branch beginning in August.

 

 

The organ pipes inside the famous Tabernacle on Temple Square are always a must to visit.  The hall was decorated  beautifully for Christmas.

 

 

This beautiful HUGE statue of Christ is a favorite visit for everyone.  Ryan was so sweet.  He just sat and starred.  He has been to the visitors center many times.  Even with all of the people shoulder to shoulder on a busy Saturday night, Ryan was so calm and I captured this pic of him.  He was deep in thought my Ryan.

 

 

He wanted to make sure that I saw the nail marks in the feet of Jesus.  Ryan actually  leaned up and kissed his foot.  It made me want to cry.  I just love the innocence of children and their sincere heart.  Wouldn’t we all love the chance to kiss the feet of our Savior! 

After our visit seeing the lights we took the Trolley and walked over to a restaurant to enjoy a delicious desert.  The day was done, the children were exhausted and so were the adults.  It was late by the time we returned home and the “little rascals” were put to bed.

Up early and on the road again back home.

We are staying home for Christmas.  I enjoy all my decorations.

 

 

 

 

 

What are you doing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is always hard to put the Christmas decorations away once you get them up.   I still have to shop for Santa.  It is hard to shop and get something that is a total surprise.  He hates that I do that.  I just can’t help myself.  I wanted to get him some warm slippers, but he wants a specific kind and like always I have waited until the last minute.  I hope to write again before Christmas with a special message.  Good intentions….I always have them….:)  Good thing I am not a drinker, I don’t think I have ever taken a picture of myself where my eyes were NOT bloodshot! ARGH, and NO I am not a photo shop person to erase those blurred red eyes.  It is was it is lol!  How did I ever raise my children without a cell phone???? that takes pictures too? Hope you are all getting your shopping done!  Me…I love to wait until the last second! hahaha, I mean HO, HO, HO! or NO, NO, NO!

Jingle Bell Rock / Bobby Helms 1957

OK I know you all are singing along! TURN IT UP! You just can't resist!

It’s the “little things in life”…

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!  I know I did!  It was busy from Wednesday night until Sunday at noon!

I didn’t go shopping.  I leave that to all the crazy people, including my children.

Papa and I just hung out and enjoyed “the little things in life”

Taking 5 grandies to the movies.  All of them with popcorn, candy and slushy in their little laps watching the “Muppets”.

Having pizza and hot dogs at Costco after the movie….(much cheaper than McDonalds).

Going to the park and riding the carousel (several times) and then letting them get soaking wet.  Thank goodness the weather was warm!  Even though the water was cold!

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Striping them down and piling them in the car to take them home, get dry clothes on them and feed them again.

Going for a walk in “the wash” (they love it, it is where we tell them dinosaurs and wild animals hang out, it is a dirt road behind the houses in a river bed) making sure they get plenty wore out.

 

 

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Getting them home again, bathed and on the floor watching a movie.

Papa and I  laughed about the day we had and totally know why we had children in our 20’s.

 

 

That was only on Black Friday!

 

 

 

 

Owen and Lauren were exhausted and once the tv was shut off, so did they!

 

 

It’s all about the

“little things in life”

that brings me so much happiness.

 

I have no idea what I did with Thanksgiving dinner pictures, but I did take a few of the feast…believe me…we had an abundance.

It was busy, crazy, and so much fun to have everyone around.

This may not be EXACTLY our feast, but it was pretty close! That’s me right in the middle of things and Papa right behind me, I think all the kids are out playing in the dirt.

For this I am grateful…for this I am blessed!

Let the Christmas hoop-la begin!

Thankful

6 of my 8 turkeys (grandies)are coming for Thanksgiving tomorrow.  Parents are also invited! 4 of them…that makes 12 of us altogether!

For this I am grateful, well actually we will report on that after tomorrow LOL.  I am sure it will be CRAZY.  Since my home is an OPEN area, I will be setting up an extra TURKEYS table for the 6 adorable turkey’s in the great room LOL.  It will be fun!

I am so grateful for my children, my husband, my friends, all of my extended family!

I am so grateful for a kind and lovingly Heavenly Father who watches over me each and every day and keeps us all safe in this crazy world.

Please say a special prayer for my granddaughter Madison.  2 of her close and I say VERY close friends, Makayla Kee Woods who has spent tons of sleepovers at Madi’s home was a victim of the shooting in Pleasant Garden’s NC.  SO horrible.  Madi is so distraught and needs your prayers.

 

 

And last but not least…I am grateful for my blogger village friends.

Have a SAFE Thanksgiving should you travel.

lot’s of love…..

Linda

VETERANS DAY NEVER FORGET-THANK A VETERAN!

WAL-MART SENIOR GREETER
You just have to appreciate this one.  Young people forget that we old people had a career before we retired......

this picture of Charley did not copy.  It was from an e-mail that was circulating…

Charley, a new retiree-greeter at Wal-Mart, just couldn't seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean-shaven, sharp-minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their "Older Person Friendly" policies.
   One day the boss called him into the office for a talk.
   "Charley, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang-up job when you finally get here; but your being late so often is quite bothersome."
   "Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it."
   "Well good, you are a team player. That's what I like to hear.  
   “Yes sir, I understand your concern and I’ll try harder.
   Seeming puzzled, the manager went on to comment, It's odd though your coming in late. I know you're retired from the Armed Forces. What did they say to you there if you showed up in the morning so late and so often?"
   The old man looked down at the floor, then smiled.
   He chuckled quietly, then said with a grin, "They usually saluted and said, Good morning, Admiral, can I get your coffee, sir?”

PICTURE OF AN ADMIRAL DID NOT COPY (SORRY)

One of my favorite stories!  I got this story through an e-mail and even if it is not true it seems like it should be!

sorry that the pictures did not copy!

AND MY FAVORITE VETERAN OF COURSE

THANK YOU BOB for your service to your country so that I could be safe.  Thank you for coming home.  I know that so many you fought with did not.  Thank you for being so brave, even though you were a very young  scared 18-19-20 year old boy.

I am PROUD to be your wife!

love forever and always…me

Anything but…..

Yeah, anything but that monster face staring at you when you open up this post!

I didn’t receive any pictures except this one of the “little rascals” for Halloween, it shows their true characters LOL I love that Ryan was a hotdog!

I honestly don’t know what is on that plate and I forgot to ask…but whatever it is…it looks really gross!, I think the  eye glasses were just a part of the party they attended and not part of their costumes…lol

 

 

 

1500 miles away Brooklyn dressed like this, a “bat princess”

where are the days of the “Little Mermaid”???????

 

 

 

 

 

then there was a cute little lady bug

a dragon

 

and a……I really don’t know what he was….I am just not into the “new stuff” I guess.    Plus…Halloween is for kids right?

I didn’t mention I went to Palm Springs a couple of weekends ago.  We went with some friends who has a son playing college football.  He is very good and has had numerous offerings from colleges for full scholarship rides.  Now he has to decided which one to take.

It was a very quick weekend, we drove.  It was a 6 or 7 hour ride.  We stayed in a nice resort timeshare place in Palm Springs.

You can tell I was relaxing.  The background was like a postcard honestly, and the weather was perfect.

You think of Palm Springs and you think of the 70’s and Bob Hope Classic golf tournament and all the movie stars because even though it was the desert that is where they hung out.  It was the “Hot” place to be and be seen. Yes there are lots of palm trees. and lots of windmills out in the desert which pictures I took with my little camera and a moving pace of 80 MPH.  When you are not the driver….it is hard to say “STOP” I want a picture of the windmills!  Many people don’t understand my obsession with the camera.

These windmills are so big and they look like some kind of a space ship when you get real close.  They are incredible.

 

 

This is my friend and her son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the house that Elvis and Pricilla Presley had there honeymoon in!  It says so right on this plaque in front of the house!  I even walked right up to the front door..and took a picture.  We didn’t knock because someone lives in the house and they are not anyone famous.  It is just an ordinary house at the end of a cul-de-sac.

(cul-de-sac a street, lane, etc., closed at one end; blind alley; dead-end street.)

In it’s day…It must have been a very expensive and beautiful home!  Just think…Elvis was here!

That was pretty much our tour of Palm Springs, we had to get home and our driver wasn’t into sight seeing….lol but like I said, there were lot’s of Palm Trees in Palm Springs!  An Oasis in the middle of the desert in CA!

And on another note…Thanksgiving is coming up in a couple of weeks!  I look forward to the 4 day weekend.  Not so much the cooking and clean-up of dinner but the 4 days off of my regular work routine!

I am sure I will do a little something on how thankful I am…because I really am…. Thankful

TRICK OR TREAT….

I couldn’t resist……..

I wasn’t going to do it…but decided to at the last minute… the girls at the office also had fun…what am I

 

Well a Zombie Cowgirl of course!

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can never be too old to have a little fun.  Princess Linda, ROZ from Monsters Inc., Dr. Feel Good from, and me….

ROZ was the best!!!!!  Good Job Angie!  She made her costume and it was awesome…

 

 

right down to the mole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Girls just wanna have fun…ohhh girls just wanna have fun…

 

 

 

My sweet Kinlee didn’t want to have a thing to do with me when she came to visit at work…I will post pics of what the kids send me tomorrow….hApPY hAlLOwEEn!