Christmas at Eagle Crest & review of Michael's phone call

Christmas was going to be pretty quiet around our house since it was only going to be Larry and I. Michael is on his mission still and we had Christmas with the rest of the family on Thanksgiving. Larry and I decided to go away for Christmas this year as long as we still had cell service so that we could still get Michael's phone call on Christmas day. We checked and they still had room at Eagle Cest so off we went. We arrived and their were Chirstmas lights everywhere in all sorts of designs. It was a feast for the eyes. I captured a few on camera. They even had Christmas lights in designs that moved. Like 2 huge golfers with one of them putting. Santa throwing a baseball to an elf batting.
The first day we spent relaxing and watching movies. I was also reading a couple of new cook books I got. Christmas Eve we spent shopping and bought our gifts for each other. No surprise there lol. Christmas morning we woke up and everything was frozen and it was 20 degrees. It was very beautiful but very cold.
These are just a few pictures I took.

We are not going to be doing any golfing on this course.

The best thing that happened on Christmas was Michael's phone call. He sounded good and loves the area he is in. He even mentioned he would like to live there. I think he forgot how much he hated/loathed the summer weather and all the bugs. He'll experience that again before he comes home, that will help him to remember. We got to hear some stories like how the chiropractor helped adjust him so he could eat Peanut Butter. He did eat some but only on one day in the doctors office. The funny thing is that he didn't even like the taste of Peanut Butter. He isn't going to eat any again because he isn't sure how long that treatment would last. Michael also told us of when he got mugged for his ice cream because he didn't have any money for them to take. The mugger even came back for his dirty spoon. He is District Leader right now and also is training a new Elder straight from the MTC. He'll do great! He covers an area that has about 20 towns which represents Trenton branch and Gallatin ward. They've had 8 baptisms there in the last 2 1/2 months or so. The Mission President has strongly advised them not to tract because of safety concerns. Their is still hostility towards the "Mormons" there. They actually tried to tract once and the guy who answered the door wasn't very nice and told them that it's a good thing that the law was changed because he'd burn down some of the "Mormon's" houses. The members there are very kind and helpful to the missionaries, which is a good thing. Michael said they are being fed to well though lol. We got all the family on the line with their phones and had a conference call with the whole family. That was fun to hear the love, talking and bantering between them all. I'm grateful he's doing well and is working hard. I miss him but I wouldn't want him in any place else. It was a very relaxing, peaceful Christmas. It was a good weekend. I'm grateful for the blessings that we have to get to enjoy times like these.

Dates with grandkids

For Halloween this year I made a picture coupon card that we gave to our grandchildren. The coupon entitled them to a fun date with Larry and I. We've got all the dates done but Clara's. She'll be next.
Jovie and Jessica each got a turn to spend the night at our house and play games, watch movies ect. I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures. We went to take Aria her Bday present, get my hair cut and take as many as we could on dates while we were there. I have some pictures of some of the things we did.
This is the quillow I made for Aria for her birthday. She loved it:) I embroidered on it "Wrapped in love, Grandma and Papa J. A heart represented the word love.

OK, so for Mae's date her mom told us that she would love to go to REI and just play around with the bikes ect. Rachel wasn't kidding. Mae walked in there like she owned the place. She first went to look at all the pretty postcards. Doesn't Mae look like she owns the place? Making herself at home like that.

Next she wanted to go upstairs and look at the clothes so up we went. She went over to the fleece jackets and looked at quite a few of them before she picked this one out and wanted to try it on. She loved it. She starts running back and forth to the mirror so she could see herself in the mirror. She wanted us to buy it for her but we refrained. Could you just imagine what Rachel would have said if we brought Mae home in this jacket? She might not have let us take her any where for awhile LOL.

Back down to the bikes we went. Papa J showed her how to ring the bell and so she sat on the bike and rang the bell. After that not any old bike would do she wanted a bell ringer bike.

Aria's date was first thing the next morning. We went out to breakfast at Frank's diner. Papa J's favorite breakfast place there. Aria was a bit apprehensive because her favorite place to eat breakfast served hot chocolate with sprinkles. She was game though and decided to go to Frank's. Then the wait began... We finally got our table and ordered. Aria ordered the hot chocolate and lo and behold not only do they have hot chocolate with sprinkles they also had chocolate chips! Heaven!

The hot chocolate passed the test.

Nathan and Gabe were next. Nathan was fine with sharing his date with Gabe, Misty thought that Gabe would love what we were going to do. That afternoon, after Rachel did a splendid job on my hair cut, we set out for Lazor Quest. While we were waiting to get our guns and play lazor tag we chose our code names and played some air hockey.

Still waiting... Nathan is really wanting to get in there. Gabe, he's not so sure.

After all was said and done Nathan and Larry played Lazor Quest. The whole thing was dark and scary for a 4 year old (disclaimer...remember it was his mom's idea) so Gabe and I went back out and played some more air hockey. He won:) We all won when Papa J took us to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream. Oh sooo good. After he paid the bill he sat down and even though he loved his ice cream he said he isn't going there again. Too expensive. We'll see...

We will try and make it a habit of doing things individually with the grand kids. We do a lot of things all together as a family but getting to know them one on one is a good thing. They are each so precious to us! WE LOVE Jessica, Nathan, Aria, Gabe, Mae, Jovie, Clara, Ethan and those on the way and still coming!!!

Caramel covered, dipped in chocolate pretzels

The title of this blog says it all. Caramel covered, dipped in chocolate pretzels rolled in nuts, oreos, toffee, coconut, drizzled with peanut butter or white chocolate and more. I didn't make much candy this year even though I still might make some caramel. Yum! Love that caramel. Anyway... These are some of the kids favorite treats I make. Their is a friend of Rachel's who actually loves these more than my kids. So I started making him his own little bag which I found out he does not share with his family. I have to admit they are good. Good thing I give most of them away. Larry was looking for one and I had already bagged them all up so April let me take a couple out for her dad to have. He appreciated it.

Ethan got to portray baby Jesus

Ethan got to portray baby Jesus at the LDS church's annual Nativity display. It was really special to see. It was actually a last minute thing. I was in the Super 1 parking lot when I get a text from Joshua with this picture saying Ethan got asked o be baby Jesus. I literally jumped in the car and went to the church as fast as I could (legally of course) so I could see but by the time I got there they were done. We stood around talking long enough that he got to do it again and so I did get to see him.

This has nothing to do with Christmas but it has everything to do with Ethan:). This is my first chance at getting to feed him. He's precious.

Christmas card 2009

Merry Christmas!

Ruby and sewing

Ok so I admit it, Ruby is like a kid in dogs clothing. She reminds me she is dog when she gets in the garbage. She likes to be where I am and when I'm sewing this is where she likes to sit. Crazy dog. At least she doesn't put her "hand" under the needle while I'm sewing like Michael did. Now that was awful! He was 1 and sitting on my lap while I was sewing and quick as lightning he stuck his hand under the needle. I sewed right through his finger. I rushed him to the doctor so make sure their was no needle left in his finger. OUCH! He made up for it though a few years later by jumping up when I bent down to give him a kiss when he was 4 and knocking one of my front teeth back and out of joint, which is now dead and I have to have whitened to keep it from being a dark tooth.

Let their be light

Hallway light that is.
Nothing like having guest over for a party to get some projects done that needed to be done:)
Now that we are solely using our front door because of the construction by the back door and that we replaced our front door with one that doesn't have lots of windows in it we needed more light in the front hallway. Plus the YSA's Branch Christmas dinner and party was at our house sooo...

Larry does good work:) He impresses me all the time:)

My Grandparents Christmas rope.

The Christmas rope in this jar is from my mother from many many Christmas's past. We would twist the green and red rope together and then we would hang it from corner to corner in the front room in a big X. Mom would then hang her Christmas cards on the ropes. If I remember right the ropes were her parents so that would make them really really old. In fact they fall apart if you touch them so I wanted to find a way to display them that would keep them safe. I found it! Their isn't much left but I love them.
Pretty special right?

Here are the ropes almost 50 years ago. Mom had them hanging in 2 different rooms at that time so she didn't twist them together.

Mom is standing in the room and I'm in the front holding some dolls.

A few sitting at the table and in this room the cards are hanging on it. My dad is sitting at the head of the table.

I have one of these for each of my children. You too get to have some of Grandma Jean's Christmas rope:)I love you!

Christmathanks 2009

Since we combine Thanksgiving and Christmas we have both of our holiday meals. Our version of fondue is on the menu for Christmathanks Eve. Jessica helped set the table and she folded the napkins. Aren't they pretty? Jess and the napkins of course.

It's time to eat! Ethan is in his swing behind his mommy and daddy. I of course was taking the picture. We are missing 7 people this year so we all fit around one table. That's a first for awhile. Hopefully that won't happen too often.

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that Grandma and Papa will fill them to share.

Happy Christmathanks morning!

Jovie helping Papa open one of his presents. Is he doing it right?

Papa is a big tease. Mae wants her crown in her hands and Papa wants to put it on her head. They went back and forth for awhile. Papa got it on but she immediately took it off and went to her momma.

The guys went golfing in the afternoon and us girls and kids stayed home to visit. I was holding my youngest grandson. Isn't he absolutely a handsome little guy.

These are sunglasses that April gave to dad for Christmathanks. He loves them! In fact he had been trying to get them from her for a year now. Every time they would leave them here he would use them so April decided to just give them to him.

Mae is admiring Jess's mood ring she got in her stocking. Ruby is taking advantage of someones lap who was sitting down.

Joshua with his son Ethan. Ethan looks so small in Joshua's big arms and hands, Precious.

Thursday, I then cook a turkey dinner. Rachel made the mashed potato's and April made the yams. Let me tell you something we use soooo much butter in all the food it's unreal. Why do we do that? I guess once a year is ok??? Maybe??? I don't know???

Dad wasn't feeling very well so he was napping after the golf game. We let him sleep and breaking with tradition Joshua "got" to carve the turkey this year. I don't think he minded because he was sampling while he was cutting.

This tells it all... Whew! We got a much needed cat nap.

It's over for another year. Next year everyone will be here! As I know right now I heard that Michael's release date from his mission is the day before Thanksgiving. So he will be arriving on Christmathanks eve. What a great present that will be for our family.

Joshua is a huge help in getting our concrete patio in!

The patio is in!!! How exciting it that? It's not finished yet but it's in:) We are grateful for Joshua's knowledge and connections in getting it ready and pouring the concrete. Larry wasn't sure what the next step was but Joshua took the bull by the horns and wow the job got going. He has some really good ideas and so we are doing things a bit different than originally planned but it will look so good when it is done. Dad is listening.

Joshua is pointing out some of his ideas. Dad is listening:)

Joshua guided and worked and got the area ready before the concrete came and then he was out there helping lay the concrete.

He got some of the guys that he works with to come out on their day off to lay and finish the concrete. They were the most quiet patient concrete workers I had ever seen. No hurrying, cussing or frantic behavior. They had a calmness about them.

Here they are stamping the 2nd half of the patio. If you look close you can see the design on the first 1/2. It's a stone look.

It looks great! Joshua is going to wash off the concrete color powder and seal it. Dad can then start on the small back porch and roof. A roof that won't fall down.

Christmathanks with Misty's family

We celebrated Christmathanks twice this year because Misty's family needed to go to David's parent's for Thanksgiving for his whole family to be together as much as they can. They got some really sad news a week or so ago about his mom having stage 4 cancer. They decided to come to our place first before heading to his mom's for a few days so we could exchange our gifts and spend some time together for which I am grateful.
Joshua and April's family came and spent some time with us too so they could visit and spend time with Misty's family while they were here.
This is our Christmas tree in it's "decorated" state. But do you notice their are more ornaments on top than the bottom. Their is a reason for that:)

This is our Christmas tree after the younger shorter grandchildren decided to take off the ornaments. I believe I have decorated my Christmas tree at least 10 times. The bottom half anyway... Do you see all the ornaments on the piano? We would just put some of the ornaments on the top of the tree when we ound them on the floor or in their hands.

I was so happy that the kids loved the bathrobes I made them! I love that Gabe is so happy after he opened it and saw what it was.

The kids are posing for me with their bathrobes on. Looking good eh? Clara is in front holding her baby doll and being a very cute Santa.

I loved that they came and we got to share a bit of the holiday with them.