Christmas 2019!

Merry Christmas Blessings

to all our family and friends!!

 Can't get better than this!

8 healthy and happy grandkids
 - each such a delight!

Ages 11, 10, 9, 7, 7, 5, 5, and 2!

Life is full of challenges but 

When we live in love each moment...

thankful for every blessing from

our Great God - 

We realize we lack nothing!

May we each experience this truth 

every day of the coming year!

Fall 2019

So much to be thankful for this Fall!

Time sure goes by quickly but so many blessings 

are packed in ... remembering them here 

helps me to keep perspective. 

In September we bought a new car ... A brand new car!

A first for us!

We'd been saving for years and finally

it was time.  Tim's little Honda had over 200,000 miles!

We had a fun spend the night with Caden, 

who turned 7 in August and Letty, who turned 5 in September. 

So special to have time with the little ones!

It was too wet to play outside but we found

plenty to do inside!!

Caden creamed Grammy in Monopoly!

Letty being a little old lady!

Papa making waffles ... Letty wanted to do the dishes!

Yummy breakfast!

They chose where they wanted to sleep ... mats on the floor!

When we took them home we got to see 2 complete rainbows!

Beka got home from Ireland on Sept 30th.  

She spent the week sorting and packing all her stuff

which hasn't been all together since 2010 when she

left for college!

We had Root with us for a month while Beka was in

and out!  Love this little doggie!  She likes

Grammy and Papa but missed her mom, I think!

Had time with the Macs before she left to visit James in 

LA and look for a place for them to live!

Beka got back from LA on the 16th, bought a couch, 

we loaded a trailer and moved on the 18th!

Tim and I hauled the packed trailer and enjoyed the journey!

Beka left before us, met James and they signed 

the lease 30 min before we drove up!

We unloaded (I held the door open :)

and helped them unpack a bit.

Their lovely place ... 3 redheads getting all settled in!

On October 12th our dear brother-in-law, Gary, 

my youngest sister's husband, died of a massive heart attack. 

So very heartbreaking but I couldn't go quickly.  

So thankful for a big family during these difficult times.  

Joe and Tom were able to go right away,  

Lisa went a week later, 

then I left on Oct 31st and was there until Nov 9th.

Gary was a beagler... this is an article Carrie

wrote for the "Hounds and Hunting" magazine...

Gary's community he loved and that loved him.

My heart is so heavy for my sister.

At my nephew Avery's ultimate frisbee match

with Tom and Carrie ... the only picture of us we took. 

We helped Carrie with many things but I got to help with this:

Making a doll for Gary's daughter's daughter. Carrie wanted to 

complete what she and Gary had planned for Christmas gifts.

Her clothes are made from Gary's mom's hankies...

so very special.

Nov 19th-21st Deb was able to go with Jonah to Las Vegas

for his Lighting Convention.  

Tim and I got to hang out with the kids!  

So fun being with this gang ... but Grammy and

Papa sure got tired!  Not used to being with little

energetic ones for days in a row!

The next week was Thanksgiving at our house!

It was fun getting everything ready...

The 3 cooks ... so much easier when the cooking is shared!

Eight kids and 6 adults had a great time!

Now just 2 weeks till Christmas! 

We're keeping it simple this year -

just want to enjoy being together!

More Fall Pics

Las Vegas - "The 21st Day of September"!!

Beka's last day of tour was September 21st ... 

she was leaving for a week in Ireland on the 22nd!

Tim and I drove to Vegas on September 18th to have 

an anniversary (41st) and Birthday celebration there

before driving Beka's car and dog home!

We were 30 min from Vegas when we got a text
from Beka that she was on as Glinda that night!
She got us tickets to go ...
4 hours till showtime!!!
We got to go backstage before the
show in Glinda's dressing room!
So special ... a first!

So amazing to be at this performance ... 

Video of her final bows as Glinda!

We explored The Strip the next day ...

Fun to see all the gorgeous resorts/casinos!

This pic is so fitting for Tim ... hahaha!

Amazing Decor ... everywhere!

That night for our anniversary we went out

to dinner then to 

 Cirque du Soleil: Beatles - Love!

What an amazing show!  A treat!

We had a rest day the next day.

Wonderful to relax all day ...

We needed it!!

Saturday the 21st was Beka's last day...

We were planning to be at her last show!

What she didn't know was that all the siblings were

on their way to surprise her!!!

They had some time together on the strip...

Then got to the hotel in time to get ready and prep

for THE SURPRISE!  She was planning to come to our 

room between shows for a light dinner ...

What she wasn't planning was for her sibling to

pop out of the bathroom to the tune of

"The 21st Day of September"!!

Clay made this little funny clip!  hahaha!

We had an hour celebrating before heading

 to the theater together to all see her last show!

Last show ... last bows!

After the show ...  ready to celebrate!

We got to the Bellagio Fountains in time for the

last show of the night!

Then had fun exploring the strip!

We went out to eat the next morning before

everyone had to go their own way ...

Beka to Ireland

James to Los Angeles

Deb, Clay & Rachel to Phoenix

Tim and I stayed one more day!

What a special 24 hours! 

Forever memories made!

Deb made a compilation video of our time together!

Jonah, who stayed home with their 4 kids so

Deb could go, made this ... a great finale!

Forever memory!

More Pics!

Videos!