Why do I always do this at midnight?

I should be in bed but...I just gotta blog!

So ... in November my boys went golfing. Cory set up a weekend that Ben could come up and they hit the greens...and little white balls. I don't know their scores but I think they had a good time.
Sara came for Thanksgiving. She and Kristina put up my Christmas tree the day after - no the next day. (Sara and I went to the mall on Black Friday to help out the economy and it was pretty fun.) I don't know why I dread it so much. I just can't do it by myself and hate to ask anyone to lug it in and set it up. I had a busy week ahead and knew I wouldn't get to it so I am forever grateful to whoever will help. And it is gorgeous when it's up. Yes, I have thought about leaving it out all year...Last year I almost did. Jesus finally took it down in February - I think.

While Sara was here she made gingerbread cookies that we all got to decorate. It was grand fun. A big mess but grand fun.

We had everyone with us for Thanksgiving except Ben and Janae. (Ben was supposed to meet Janae's family at her grandmother's in Palm Springs after he got off work, but after sitting in traffic for an hour and a half- not moving! he turned around and went to Del Taco by himself. Isn't that a sad story.) We also invited the Marchesini's - Stephanie's family. It was great. Lots to be thankful for.

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Here is Jesus Edward Moreno - college graduate. He graduated on December 1st from Cal State. We are very proud of him.

Jerry and I went to Ben's Christmas concert with the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization this month. Janae and her mom sing in the choir now so it was fun to hear all of them. The music was fabulous.

In my new calling I got to help with the annual Celebration of the Nativity that the church hosts each year. I am not a fan of hard work... and this was one of the most strenuous things I can remember doing, ever! But now that it is over and I have almost forgotten the 'pain', I know what I will remember is the people who I got to spend that week with. The two amazing women who did far more than I did, and have busier lives to begin with, will always be my heroes and my friends. The others who came and put in so many hours and smiled about it are also the greatest examples to me (am I baring my testimony...?).

Jocelyn Delgado, Lori Gabbitas and I when we left the last day. Don't we look like we've run a marathon... I think we did.

Caleb and Patrick and I at the Nativity Celebration.

One of my responsibilities was arranging the musical numbers in the evening. Of course I had to recruit my own kids. And they did a great job.
Here is the transformed Cultural Hall.

And finally two of my favorite things!

Caleb

and Patrick

Why don't I have pictures of the babies? I'd better work on that.

The end.

Oh - ps. Thanks to Alison for my background page. Isn't it lovely.

Doesn't it just go by in a blink.

BEST NEWS!

I'm back and catching up is not easy. Hopefully I've learned my lesson...
A lot has happened in 4 1/2 months but the most important event is two new granddaughters joined our family. Most of you know that we were blessed with a miracle when Elena Marie was born. I struggled between fear and faith that day, watching the doctors and nurses helping Alison and praying she would be all right. Thankfully Heavenly Father wanted what we wanted and she is here to be a mom to her little family. And then three weeks later Hannah Noelle was born to Cory and Stephanie. Safe and healthy. Sometimes when I'm home by myself I think 'I have four adorable grandchildren who live 5 minutes away...what am I doing here at home?! I'm glad I can see them so much.

Elena and Hannah were blessed on October 12. Sara came home and Ben and Janae were here too. What a great weekend!

Sara also came after the babies were born, and to go to the fair and eat a cinnamon roll with me, and to celebrate her birthday. She'll be done with her internship in St. George by Christmas. Then who knows what exciting things she will do.

Sara, Stephanie and Hannah




Elena in her new swimsuit.

Cinnamon rolls at the Fair! Jesus rented a wheelchair for Alison - she was still recovering from surgery but didn't want to miss the fair! Caleb and Patrick spent most of the time climbing on a cardboard box... They did like the animals too.

Happy Birthday Sara and Kristina!

I love my kids!

MAMMOTH!

These pictures are backwards...but nevertheless... In August we went to Mammoth and stayed in Uncle Tim's condo for a week. Crowding 10 people in a two bedroom condo may not sound like a good idea but we had the best time. This is us on the city trolley. We took a ride across town to have ice cream one afternoon. Caleb loved the ride - he was pretty sad when we had to get off.

Janae and the boys.

One day we took a picnic to one of the lakes nearby and rented a row boat. It was a gorgeous place. You can see a waterfall at the other end of the lake.

Another day we found a park where the boys could play. We had lunch and then had some serious relay races that everyone loved...

Ben and Janae stayed in a campground up the road for two nights. One of those nights we all went up and fixed hot dogs and smores for dinner with them. Cory and Sara took turns playing the guitar so we could sing around the campfire.

Hiking with Grandma.

The first day we all took a hike up to Devil's Post Pile, (look that one up on the internet) even the pregnant ladies and little boys. Cory, Sara and I went back up later and hiked to Rainbow Falls. Cory and Sara didn't have to carry me one time!

Ben and Sara with the Mammoth.

This summer Cory was called to serve in the Monica Ward Bishopric.
Here he is with the good men in our ward and stake who have been such great examples to him over the years, four of them were his bishops.

Grandpa decided to sell his old red pickup. A sad day for Caleb and Patrick. Good thing he bought this to replace it: and much more fun for grandma too!

RECRUITING TRIPS

Here's Jerry and Cliff Johnson at the BYU Idaho Career Fair. It wasn't snowing this time but it was 24 degrees one day and we decided that was too cold for us to consider it a place to retire.

A week later we were at BYU Hawaii... what can I say.
Jerry always has to do his job...(darn) but we are able to ejoy the shrimp truck, shaved ice, relaxing, scenery. ..Even just being on campus is one of my favorite things.

Here we are in the Lobby of Turtle Bay on Halloween - sorry we missed it in Bakersfield but we did see pictures!

I did get to go to the Pumpkin Patch with everyone.

Hannah and Grandma.

Patrick and Caleb

Popcorn on Sunday evenings. Sometimes I have little boys on my island and sometimes I have $100,000 in cash... I don't know which is more fun.

Yes I do.

Do I dare?

Alison is in Utah and Stephanie is busy at home so I am going to attempt to post a new blog all by myself... and catch up for two months! Here goes.
Sara graduated from BYU!! Hurray! Hurray! (Most of these pictures are on A & S's blogs, but just incase you missed them...) Yes Sara graduated and we (most of us) were there to celebrate with her. We rented a friends motorhome and went to Provo. It was such fun. We are so proud of her. She just moved to St. George and started her internship at the hospital there, working in the lab, until December. Then she wants to move somewhere that has a beach.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Caleb cools off in the sink on the way home. The boys were pretty good on the trip, watching videos and trying to hang on when Grandpa changed lanes. Patrick liked to sit up front and point out the moto-cho-cho's as they went by. (All 729 of them...)

My Mother's Day lei from my great kids. How did I get so lucky?

In May we went to the Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, took a trip through the Strawberry Shortcake Tent (I won't go into details but you can guess how glorious that was) and then spent the afternoon at the beach. We flew a kite and dug holes, chased waves and seagulls...you know the rest. It was a great day.

For some magical reason everyone was able to come home on Labor Day - also Jerry's birthday. That doesn't happen very often and we love it when it does. This is after breakfast at Lorene's, before Ben and Janae left and took Sara to the airport.

After school got out, (I quit my job after being an aide for BCSD for 11 years.) I went back to Provo for my mom's birthday and to see Sara participate in a Triathalon...which turned into a Biathalon because of the wet, rainy roads - no biking. A big disappointment for Sara who had worked so hard training for it. Here she is getting ready to go into Salem Pond (I actually played there when I was very young) just south of Provo. It was a cold wintery day (June 7....!!!) but she said the water was warmer than the air.

After the swim and run with her friend Elizabeth. (A couple of weeks later they both went back over and did the whole thing together in good weather... so now Sara can cross 'Triathalon' off of her Life List.) Yea!

After the 'biathalon' Sara and I met the Standifirds - my sister's famliy - in Park City. The men went golfing and we girls went shopping. Need I say more ladies... We stayed in an fabulous condo with them. Thank you so much! The celestial kingdom could be eating, shopping and laughing in Park City with the Standifirds (and anyone else who wants to come.) It is one of the most beautiful valleys I have ever seen.

Patty and I decided to take a road trip together. So she came back with me to California. Here we are after church getting ready to leave. (Not in this car - my midlife crisis car - which we just sold - haleluja!) I now have a more practical car - which every grandma needs. Bye bye convertible.On the way home we stopped in Las Vegas to see Ryan, Allyson and Lucy. ( And Ryan's golf course- he is a college graduate and is an assistant superintendent there) . I might see Patty a little bit more now that she has kids in Nevada. We got to see Lucy's new bed and go to breakfast with her and her mom.

While Patty was with me we went to Orange County to hear Ben perform in the Orange County Mormon Choral Organization Orchestra. It was started by two amazingly talented young men that Patty knows (of course - doesn't she know everyone) She is a great friend of their mother from back in her Idaho days. The concert was patriotic and inspiring. Ben was using his new horn. It was so fun to be there with him and Janae.

Patty helped clean my house for a RS activity, made salads, made me get in the swimming pool which I sometimes forget to do, bought my grandkids surprizes... I want to be just like her when I grow up.

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  Going out to dinner with two-year olds is always an adventure. This was for Aunt Wendy's birthday.
  
  

  
  

  Then I had a birthday! Which we kind of celebrated all weekend - thanks to Jerry. Dinner out, then breakfast with my friends, then lunch with Cory, Stephanie and Caleb. Jewelry... and a coupon from my kids to have my mother-in-law's platform rocking chair recovered. Which I will need in September when my TWO granddaughters come! This is a picture of the darling birthday cake Glen and Ann Pitt's brought to me - made by their daughter-in-law.
  

  
  Last of all. Jerry and I just got back from a conference in Las Vegas. This is the botanical garden at the Bellagio Hotel. Not great shopping there unless you have money to burn but it is a gorgeous, fancy place to stay - when CBIZ is paying for it. And the mall at Cesars Palace is right next door...
  
  The end. If this works...and Alison sees it...I hope she doesn't go into early labor, she'll be so shocked. Hurray for me!