Merry Christmas 2015!

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!!

This is the first Christmas in 32 years that this greeting is
from just Tim and I!!

We are real empty nesters now!!

For my 60th birthday this year, the kids were all in town, 

so they hired a photographer to take 'real' family photos!

All of us getting together is harder and harder...

So it's wonderful to have such great shots of everyone!

Just us and our 4 "all grown up" kids!

(Rachel, Beka, Tim, Sandy, Deborah and James)

Tim and I with all the family:

The Nelson's, Beka and James, and the McInturff's!

A cute shot with the 5 BIG grandkids in front!!

Our whole family of 15!
We're grandparents to 7 special people!!!! 

Thankful and blessed!

It has been one of the hardest years for us...

following entries explain :)

But in the midst of the hard, there have been many,

many blessings!  We're thankful for the kindness

and faithfulness of our loving Savior in keeping 

and providing for each one of us!!!

Wishing each of you many blessings this coming year!

You've invited to come visit us ... we have 3 empty bedrooms!
We'd love to see you all!

Much love,

Tim and Sandy

More Family Photos!

Birthdays, visits and moves!

Tim was surprised in July for his 63rd birthday by the whole gang!

Fun Party for Papa!

 I turned 60 in September!  Crazy!  How did this happen?

 James moved to NYC September 18th!
Excited to see what's ahead for him!

 Gramma came to visit October 22-27!  

I'm so impressed that my mom at 84 yrs old 

was excited to make this trip by herself -

Including driving herself to the Detroit airport!

I want to be like her when I grow up!!!

A wonderful lunch out with just Deb and Rachel!

We spent hours together!!  

Thankful for the dad's who watched all the

kids so we could actually talk!

Great Gramma with Deb's boys ...
Everett (3), Amos (1) and Owen (6)

They want Great G to come everyday!

Great Gramma with Rachel's kids ...
Adad (7), Emsley (5), Letty (1) and Caden (3)
They just loved their Great Gramma!!!

Saying goodbye at the airport ...

so glad mom opted for a wheelchair!

She deserved the ride after such a busy week, 

before the big trip home!

Such a special time with my mom :)

I had a wonderful day out with Emsley for 
her 5th birthday in November!  She shopped
and picked out her Elsa doll, we had lunch at
Ihop, rode the Carousel - Twice!,  
and played at the park... all Emsley's choice
with Elsa joining us for the day!
Such fun!

 For Adah's 7th Birthday, also in November, she picked out
her doll!  Then both of us, with the doll, rode the light rail 
to the Sky Train into the Phoenix Airport, where we had 
lunch, explored and rode the Sky Train over and over.
We then took the light rail to downtown Phoenix where we 
got frozen yogurt and went the "free" Wells Fargo Museum!
Want a fun adventure together!
I just love my GREAT idea of spending
a day out alone with each grandkid (once they turn 4)!
I love getting to know each unique one!!!
I'm a blessed Grammie!!

I'm enjoying my new patio and hummingbirds!

This is my view from where I sit in the mornings or evenings!
So peaceful!

Pics!

Beka and WICKED in town!!!

Beka has been in the touring cast of WICKED since 7/28/14
and the show was in Arizona from 8/26 - 10/4!!
Beka was able to stay at home for 6 weeks!
It was great for all of us to be together, the little we were able ...
she was performing 8 shows a week, as usual, so was a busy girl!!

The first two shows in Tempe she was on as Nessarose!
We played the lottery and won!!
It was our 1st time seeing her as Nessa and she was fabulous!
 This is a great shot at the stage door afterwards!!

Beka was the hometown girl while she was here!
She had many interviews published in local papers, etc.
Here are a few:

Arizona Republic

East Valley Tribune

Appleford

Phoenix Stages
On September 2nd she had 3 interviews
for morning TV programs in town...

This is just a sample...I'm glad I recorded the TV,
as it wasn't available on-line! Bad recording, but fun to have!

While in Tempe, Beka got to go on as Glinda twice
and Nessarose 6 times!
James and I bought lottery seats for a last minute Glinda performance!
She knew ahead of time she would be Glinda on the 15th,
so many people were able to see her!
Over 50 friends and family were there!!

It was very exciting and crowded at the stage door!!!

Clay and Rachel were able to have a date night
to see Beka as Nessarose!

It's pretty exciting to have an Auntie in a Broadway show!
All the grandkids were thrilled with a backstage tour!

Deb and I played the lottery hoping to see Beka as Nessa...but
didn't win and it was a sold out show, so couldn't buy tickets!
I had been told I could sit in the pit with the orchestra any time,
so we texted Beka and 5 min before the show started, we
were escorted down!!  We couldn't see the show at all, but
we could hear it all and it was fascinating to watch the conductor and
Dan at the keyboard!  Thankful for this treat!!

Watch and listen to a little clip :)

Tim, Deb and I bought tickets to closing night
and got to see Beka in the ensemble!!
It was a wonderful evening but sad to see the show and Beka leave :(
Hard to believe all of this actually happened!
Thankful for a great 6 weeks!!!
Pics!  More Fall 2015 pics here!