I am so exited to be able to blog again. I am not sure what I did to mess things up, but thanks to my computer genius of a brother, Dale, he got me up and going again.
We have been so blessed again in 2011. Below are a few of my favorite memories beginning with our trip to Tahoe. We have so many pictures that I can't possible begin to post them all, but this is a pretty good representation of our live during the past 6 months.
This is the beautiful home that we stayed at in Tahoe.
This lake is amazing beautiful as you can see.
This was the private beach we had access to.
This was our own little piece of heaven on earth that we staked out early in the morning.
The aprons I made for everyone at Tahoe.
Poppa and Shirley with 3 of their beautiful granddaughters.
Kim, Michelle, and Mary spending some time in the kitchen together.
Sean getting acquainted with his little cousin Kennady.
We spent Sunday enjoying good food and fun times visiting.
Our long time friends, Darell and Cerise made it up to spend some fun with us at Tahoe also.
Kerry and Cerise with Kennady and Marlie.
The "gang" is all here.
Poppa and Shirley with 7 of the grandkids. It has been a while since they have been together.
I love this picture of Mason and Maddi with Shirley and Poppa.
Mason is such a good cousin, always playing with the little kids.
Keri Beth, Kim, and Drew enjoying so fun in the sun.
Tim and Marlon on the long boards that we rented. The kids had a great time with them.
Kerry bought this inflatable kayak a couple of years ago and we have had so much fun with it.
Tim, Kim, and girls also enjoying a little kayaking.
My kind of fun.
Geoff and Jenny checking out Kayla's crawdads!
Cam, Mary, and Kathleen.
Marlon, Daniella, and Dalene.
If you weren't there you might want to think about coming next year. We had soooooo much fun playing games and laughing together.
Down stairs was all kinds of games and room for everyone to have a lot of fun.
Some of us made a trip into San Francisco, stopping to visit Geoff and Jenny at Geoff's boat where he lives.
Kerry and I with Alcatraz in the background.
Mary, Cam, Kennady, and Hudson at the Golden Gate Bridge.
Until next year, the memories of Tahoe will hold a special place in our hearts. Thanks everyone for making it such a special vacation.
While at the cabin we were able to celebrate Kim's birthday. We are so grateful that we get to spend so much time together.
It is always so fun to watch the grandkids with Poppa~he is the first person they always want to play with!
Cerise made a trip up to Utah for a quick visit. It was fun to see her 2 times in such a short time. We sewed, and kayaked, and just plan had a good time.
Cerise was named an honorary grandma, and now will be known as Grandma Cerise.
It was fair time again and as usual it started out with the parade. I have never seen a child enjoy a parade as much as Hudson. He never lost interest and cheered everyone on.
Kennady and me enjoying my all-time favorite ride. There will never been anything better than the carousel.
After the parade, there is family night at the fair. All of the rides are only 1 ticket so this is the night that we let the kids ride all of the rides.
I had always wanted to enter something in the fair but had never done so. I decided to make 2 sets of apron's, one for each daughter with a children's apron to match. These were Keri Beth's of which I received a blue ribbon.
I won a blue ribbon on these also and gave them to Mary and Kennady!
Kayla did well this year again with her lamb, however, made sure she will never forget him by taking off with her and throwing her up next to a brick wall which resulting in a trip to the ER and sutures above her eye.
Maddi did great this year with her lamb also. She participated in showmanship and came in first place for her age group winning herself a lamp stand used for sheering. She traded Mike the stand for a lamb next year. Good deal for both of them!
Wishing my twin sister a happy 60th birthday. I truly cannot believe we are this OLD and went "over the hill" again!
Had dinner at Texas Road House with Mary and her kids.
Kennady loved the cupcakes that Mary brought to the celebration.
Dinner with loved ones at one of our favorite places was so much fun.
The kids had a surprise party for me the night after my birthday. TOTALLY surprised me. What a fun memory!
Doesn't this look like a fun time!
What a blessed grandma I am!
Guess I should be grateful to still be in such good health and to be surrounded by family and friends.
Tim and Kim took Keri Beth's kids on a photo shot and this is my all time favorite.
Poppa and Shirley taking in one of Kayla's soccer games.
Trying to catch her breath, Minnie Mc waits for her turn at the ball again.
Run, Kayla, run!!!
Tim and Kim agreed to a photo shoot with family and friends. We appreciate the pictures they took of Kerry and I. These are a couple of my favorites.
I actually like the black and white. Funny how I like old fashioned looking things. Maybe cause that's how I remember life as a kids.
Mason hasn't quite decided if he enjoys wrestling, but I can tell you for sure that it is NOT my favorite sport. It is too intense. I can hardly stand to watch kids throw each other around. Not sure if you will see me at very many matches!
I am on a committee at the hospital for emergency preparedness. Lynn Yeates, our county Sheriff, has taken us on 2 trips out west to help us learn the area. We toured the most beautiful places. We truly have some amazing scenery in Box Elder County.
The fall colors were absolutely beautiful.
I love pictures of running water.
I not only love the looks of streams but I love the sound of running water.
I love old barns. Might enter this picture in the fair next year!
The rock formations at the City of Rocks are amazing. I had always heard of this place but never been there.
Kerry and I try to go on a photo shoot every fall. The colors are always so amazing. The photo's don't do justice to them but give an idea of the beauty we see.
Oh how I love this time of year. I actually think it has become my favorite.
Kerry's Uncle Smitty passed away this fall. Kerry flew down to California to go to his funeral. Here is a picture of Smitty 27 years ago with our baby Mary!
Kerry and Val with their cousins (Smitty's 2 sons) Scott and Dave. It had been many years since they had all been together.
Halloween time again! McKayla, Madison, Marlie, and Mason.
Guess who? Keri Beth is the one who enjoys Halloween at our house! This picture was quite the hit on Facebook!
Halloween at the clinic. This is not my favorite holiday of the year but I decided to join the fun and dresses up as a "happy" witch.
Mason turned 8 this year!
Mason's baptism.
Some more aprons! These were for my sister and the 2 little girls that she nanny's for.
All the girls having fun in the kitchen on Thanksgiving!
Addie and Drew made sure they left room for some dessert.
Mason and Hudson enjoying some wonderful pumpkin pie also.
Every year at work our office manger gives us an item/items that we must use to make a Christmas ornament for our annual contest. This year we received a box for which I used as the base of my snowman angel. Unlike some in the clinic, I enjoy the opportunity to create.
I love decorating our Christmas tree's every year. This is the one in the basement that we call the angel tree. My mother-in-law, Marie, made the kids porcelain cherubs every year when she was with us, and my mother collect angels for me. There are some special ornaments adorning this tree.
Kennady doesn't remember the warm weather of Florida where she was born. She loves the snow but she doesn't know what beautiful warm beaches she's missing!
Maddi hurried outside to make a snowman before the snow all melted.
One of my all time favorite things to do is to go to Fonnesbeck's Nursery in Wellsville to pick out poinsettia's to take to those that we want to give a bit of extra Christmas cheer to. It is so hard to pick there are so many beautiful varieties. We go home with a car full every year.
Our friends, Alan and Suzanne Heiner, invited us to go with them to Salt Lake for dinner and then attend the Christmas program at the Conference Center. We had a wonderful evening and as usual always love the lights at Temple Square.
In an attempt to bring some joy and happiness to other, JanDee a nurse I work with, and I organized a caroling night with the families from the clinic. It was bitter cold, but the warmth of everyone's spirit made it a fun night to remember.
JanDee's husband was kind enough to get us a trailer and filled it with straw for us to sit on. We enjoyed hot chocolate and sugar cookies before going home to warm up.
Christmas Day ~ 2011
