Bad news.

This year is 'going out' with a whole string of bad news, seemingly even on an hourly basis....! It was a 'hard year' all the way around, but this last week might be the last straw that 'broke my camels back'. Let's all pray for a super wonderful, good news new year! :)

Not so much fun anymore!!

It keeps snowing and snowing and snowing.....which makes shoveling, however you do it not quite as much fun!

Fun for Dad

The neighbors let dad borrow their golf cart snowplow to 'shovel' the driveway. It made shoveling tons of fun!!! ==There was a lot of ice under the snow, so you couldn't plow all of that off.....but at least is got the 'bulk" of the snow off!

A few pictures I missed posting earlier

Elisabeth and Grandpa sleeping in the chair

Cute Elijah

Really cute big tennis balls are lots of fun!

Kids

Put that poor boy to bed. (Joshua actually fell asleep ON the bar stool!)

Getting a haircut is 'no fun, neither'

Finally got a picture of 'just' Brennan!

Don't breathe!!

What looks like beautiful Oregon fog is actually frozen Utah Air Pollution! Ouch!

The biggest loser!

Out of the last 49 Scrabble games dad and I have played {Our 'notebook of scores'}-----I have LOST 40 times. Now, this last game I had 3 seven letter words........That is an extra 150 points. Of course, dad ALSO got 3 seven letter words...............
At least I'm GOOD at losing!

How stupid!

I 'missed' a step in going down our stairs (slipped on the third one from the bottom, so only 'fell' down two) while I was carrying EmmaRay. She, luckily wasn't hurt at all, but I crashed my head, my knee and twisted my ankle. Ouch! How dumb can I be? This old body just isn't as flexible as it used to be!--or as coordinated!!!

Lisa and I had 'fun' today.

Both Lisa and I had the stomach flu today. Yeah, and it was no fun, neither.

Perfect Snow!

We are having the most perfect snowstorm. Big, fat fluffy flakes gently falling down. So pretty. This is perfect snowman snow.......want to come and help me build one?

Cute people that came to visit me!

Grace
(As shown above-wow!, just look at all their eyes! Beautiful!)

I got individual pictures of all of the grandchildren, except for Brennan!

Ezra

Elijah

Jarom

\

Joshua

Summer

Ben

Elisabeth

Dylan

Cade

Tessa

EmmaRay, with Marie down below, it won't let me write under her!!
Aren't they all so cute and sweet?

Thanksgiving football fun!

Walking up to the park to play football!

Working out the details for the next play

Go Ezra, go!

It was tons of fun but a little tricky playing football with so many little children!

Where's the temple?

I was in the kitchen making bread.....the wind was howling and minuscule little snowflakes were coming down. I told Merilee, "It would be a blizzard, except the flakes are too small." I closed my blinds (it looked cold outside), and finished the bread dough. Then I walked into my office and you can hardly see across the street! We have about 3 inches of snow, and it's coming down hard. I have faith that the temple is still there--and we're planning on going this afternoon!

Ezra update

Ezra is in the hospital.....they actually 'caught' him in a fainting spell in the emergency room, so now they are monitoring him. [He does quit breathing.....!] The first seizure medicine they put him on will NOT work for him.....he was awake all night and couldn't control himself. (Not that two year olds control themselves very well anyway!)
Last night about 10 they came and said that he also has H1N1. So, he is starting on Tamiflu, too.
Pray for Meri's family---that's all they need to have the flu spreading around, too. Which means, of course, that all the little kids at Jarom's birthday party were exposed. And we wonder why the flu spreads so fast?
Praying for all of you! Hopefully Merilee and Ezra will leave the hospital with a game plan of treatment for Ezra's long term care :)--and it will be an easy and livable plan for all involved!

Must be Christmas!!

Here is my beautiful 18 year old Christmas Cactus blooming for all it's worth in anticipation of the Holiday Season!

Tender Mercies

Three years ago we PRAYED hard that our car would pass safety and emissions and last just 'one more year'. Yesterday it passed safety and emissions and is registered for yet another year. I am SO thankful! Yeah Car! Go, car, go!!!

I'm ready for something new

I am ready for something GREAT to happen. This holding on by a thin thread has gotten OLD. Onward and upward!

Did I tell you we have very Scary Neighbors?

They just dropped in for a bite!

Fun recipe (from Annie)

Annie brought these last Sunday and they were very delicious, so I tried them. Well, mine didn't turn out as pretty as hers, and I haven't eaten one of mine yet, so I don't know if they even taste good, but they are fun, anyway!
Bake a cake, any flavor. When it is cooked and cool, put it in a big bowl and mix it with your mixer until it is a mass of crumbs. Add one can (or a little less) of frosting. Mix well. Chill for a couple of hours until you can form them into balls. Freeze overnight. Next day, dip them in candy melts. Annie did multi colored (like orange with green tops to look like pumpkins). I did chocolate, and then I squeezed out yellow melted candy melts into rather messy patterns. (It was harder than I thought.) Anyway, with practice, they could be beautiful. Both Annie and I put them on Popsicle sticks. Made for easier dipping, too! (ie/strawberry cake and frosting dipped in chocolate and then drizzled with red....Or carrot cake and cream cheese frosting dipped in vanilla and decorated with orange dots or something. They make a little cake bite that is delicious! I made chocolate cake/chocolate frosting dipped in chocolate. I hope mine taste good?! Anyway, kind of fun and cute, too.

Our first trick or treators of the year!

Loving dragons!

This little princess is truly a 'Star'. She LOVES her treats!

Maybe I'm partial, but I think these are awfully cute dragons!

The princess, princess mother, two dragons, and the dragon tamer!!!
I don't know how Annie made the costumes while working at the Dentist office, having her house torn up--getting new flooring nearly throughout--refinishing cabinets, filling orders for baby bows, etc., drying/canning apples/applesauce....!!! One amazing woman!

We won!

Dad took our renters that left the Clearfield house with 11 months still on their 2 year lease to small claims court. He won all of his points. He was going to be happy if he won $3000........but he won $4500. Well, of course, collecting it will be probably impossible........but hurray anyway!

Here are a few more pictures.

Andrew at home in the kitchen!

Joshua and his 'cheese' smile!

Elisabeth enjoying the bouncy out under the tree.

Joshua on a date with Grandma at the park. It is EASY to take a child to the park. It is NOT so easy to get them to go home again! :)

Once we saw Elisabeth scooting out the door with a book in her hand. Obviously we hadn't been watching her very closely, because the pool was floating with books and toys!

It's fun to have a new baby in the house. Elisabeth, in particular, loves being a little mother.

Merilee Reading Boy Soup to the kids!

Elisabeth heading out to the Dr's office

A car seat is so cumbersome for a newborn! Elijah did a good job on the way to the Dr.

Best friend cousins!

Just a few pictures, because I'm tired. More later, I promise!

Beautiful Merilee playing Litebrite with Smiley Ezra.

Sweet, quiet, gentle and darling Elijah

This is to show you how long Elijah's arms are!

Sweet and quiet and serious Elisabeth

Joshua, great helper, happy and sweet

I caught Sara with her eyes closed, but this is a cute picture, anyway!

Darling Ezra riding in the wagon full of leaves!

I brought the spinney picture maker. Here is Jarom (very handsome, and extremely kind boy who is helpful, creative and interested in just about everything) having a great time! (You can see the messy kitchen in the background......cooking, eating, painting, cleaning and creating at the same time makes a mess!)