Summing up the year

A trip to the beach in the good ol' salty air,

it warmed our heart that everyone was there.

We watched with pride and admiration,

Emerson's dream came true at police academy graduation.

A week in Sun Valley with Derek and his gal,

did outdoorsy things like only he knows how.

Found our 'Happy' at Disney with George and Megan,

no apology or excuse, we'd do it again.

The grand boys are growing, now they are three,

they melt our hearts with 'Papa and 

Grandma  'Saimi'.

We're grateful and humbled for blessings we receive,

as we celebrate Christ our Savior in whom we believe.

May your Christmas season be filled with peace, joy and love.

Much to be Thankful for

I know Thanksgiving came and went and now it's on to the Christmas season, but I can't let our family togetherness go by the way side without documenting it. My catch phrase is, 'If there's not a picture, it didn't happen.'  To say the least, I'm great at capturing the moment, in turn, leaving my phone to carry the burden of my many, many, many photos. 

I'm beginning to wonder if photo's alone are enough. My blog has always been a way of journaling for me, placing the burden upon myself to keep up with the happening's of our family by writing it down. Then eventually, making a hard copy via a book form for my most loyal of fans; my mom and mother in law.

For the last three years our traditional Thanksgiving family togetherness has been altered. In the past we would always gather at the husbands mom's house for the big feast, then have a fun craft to assemble while our stomach try to digest the intake of our food consumption.

After the boys were born, just days following Thanksgiving, the Grandma in me has changed our traditional Thanksgiving and started a new tradition. I drop everyone like a hot potato and head to see the boys for their birthday. 

With our youngest now married and with his own set of in laws to accommodate, we compromised and formulated a plan. They come spend the first half of Thanksgiving break with us by arriving four days before Thanksgiving. Then on Thanksgiving day we gather  together and feast in the morning with a huge breakfast, which isn't compete without my mother in laws specialty, sourdough waffles . 

Once we stuffed ourselves like a turkey, our son and his bride head to her families home for another feast and the husband and I spend the next 10 hours driving, over the river and through the woods, to see our grandsons.  

This is how our week unfolded:

Before we left town and while both our sons were around, we went to the movies

on Monday

Our middle son and his people

our youngest and his lovely bride

Gathered for a family dinner on Tuesday at a yummy Hibachi Grill

Went bowling on Wednesday

Thursday we had a feast of a breakfast then parted ways to see our oldest son and his family

There was a lot to accomplish in just two and a half days

Besides playing we watched a lighted parade and celebrated a

couple of birthday boys.

It was an action packed week and I can say,

my cup runneth over. 

How grateful I am for family.

They're Three!

The husband and I celebrated another birthday with these fella's.

It's crazy to me they are no longer babies or toddlers.

Three is the next step in to boyhood

They're silly,

Full of life,

Happy,

Curious,

Loving,

 

Inquisitive 

Sensitive

And best of all,

Friends.

A World of fun

Our Youngest son and his wife spent the better part of this year in Ohio doing summer sales. He did the sales and she patiently waited out the summer for him. As they were nearing their stay in Ohio, my son decided to treat his wife to a last hurrah before returning to their home state and, before school started back up.

Their hurrah was a week in Orlando. 

What an incredible way to relax, have some down time and enjoy all that Disney has to offer after an intense six months of pushing yourself to meet quota's and before diving back into school.

I know the feeling. I was extremely busy this summer as well meeting my quota of spending time with family. Actually, it was hard to tell if I was coming or going but if you were to ask the husband he would definitely say I was going.

 When our son and his wife asked us to travel to Orlando and spend a week with them visiting the Disney parks and hotspots, naturally we accepted, how could we not?  I was already a week into preschool so a trip across the country to rest and relax was just what the doctor ordered, had I gone to the doctor.

Little did I know this vacation was anything but resting and relaxing. If I ever thought hanging out with our twin grandsons was busy and tiring, they are nothing compared to two twenty something year olds.

We were up at the crack of dawn to catch a bus to the parks and stayed on the go till ten at night. We averaged ten walking miles a day with a sprint at the end of the night to catch the shuttle back to the resort. 

We rode more rides than I can count with each one perfectly calculated and scheduled. Our daughter in law had an app on her phone which checked the availability, times and the ability to reserve fast passes.

Times have changed considerably since the last time we visited a Disney park but one thing you can count on to stay the same, it's most definitely everything they say it is, the happiest place on earth!

Good Bye Archie

January 2009 - September 2015

As the husband put it so eloquently :

"Archie Beagle, he endured more physical trials than any

living creature should have to. 

But his tail wagged until the end."

#sistahoodsummer

Oh my golly, the summer just kept on a going. Didn't think anything could compare to a week with the Grandboys and in all fairness, you can't compare a week to ten days so I'm not going to compare time spent with the boys to time spent with my sister. It's all good no matter how you look at it.

My poor husband. No sooner did I come back from visiting those rambunctious boys, I turned around a week later and did a girls trip with my sister.  

It hardly seems fair having the summers off and the husband doesn't especially since I went gallivanting around without a care in the world while the husband stayed home and held down the fort. Summers are the busiest time of the season for him then tack on the farm chores, house responsibilities and the dogs; Sheesh, poor man.

It truly didn't go unnoticed and was very much appreciated. I consider myself a lucky girl to have such a wonderful husband who supports me in all I do.

My sister lives in California but no where near anywhere without hours of driving. We decided after she picked me up in L.A. we would go straight to San Diego where we stayed at her son's house.  We spent the first five days of my trip visiting a different beach each day.

Coronado Beach

 Ocean Beach

La Jolla Beach

 Mission Beach

Attended the play 'Kiss Me Kate' with my Nephew

And the four of us, my nephew and his girlfriend, sister and I, went to a Murder Mystery dinner.

After my sister and I exhausted our stay in San Diego, we headed to her house. The timing couldn't have been better. The five days in San Diego were beautiful blue skies and perfect temperature. The day we left the clouds poured down upon us with thunder and lightning added to the mix.  It was the craziest summer storm especially trying to drive in L.A. traffic.

Bumper to bumper and slow as a snail we finally made it to my sisters house eight hours later.

Her little town also was experiencing  a bit of rainy weather leaving us two guilt free days of painting and refurbishing one of her guest bedrooms.

The room was finished just in time for the sun to climb it's way out of the clouds begging us to come and play. 

 We had no choice but to hit the pool for the remainder of our time together.

But as all good things must come to an end it was time for me to return home and relieve my husband of his hectic schedule.

We had an amazing time together as always.

I love you my sister!!
I love you my Husband!!

Summer wouldn't be summer without seeing the boys

Shortly after our time spent in Sun Valley, I left the husband to do what he does best, like work, and I do what I do best like make a bee line to the Grandboy's. The last time we saw them was in the spring so naturally a revisit couldn't come soon enough.

The only thing on my agenda was to play, and play we did.

 There were playgrounds to explore,

puddles for rock throwing

Endless amount of toys to play with,

Playdoh to experience,

Museums for culture,

and rain to dance in.

Then of course there was the 4th of July to celebrate.

Everyone had their firecrackers

even me.

Learning what's it's like to sport American pride,

He's teaching his puppy well.

The fourth wouldn't be the same without a parade to attend

and fireworks to watch

All and all it was a mighty fun seven days and I can successfully say, my grandma cup has been filled.