Let there be blogging!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I came into the garage after Caleb went home one day and saw that he had parked his 'bike' in between Grandpa's 'bikes'. We have two for he and Patrick that look exactly they same but Caleb knows the difference and prefers 'his'.
Sara has been hanging out in the kitchen again. Her next project was a cheesecake.

She is an evil woman.

And more of Sara's creations.

Sara and I went to hear Ben and Janae's concert last month. We spent a glorious weekend with them and at Huntington Beach. The concert was fabulous. (The shopping was pretty good too.)
We had dinner at B. J.'s and finished off with a Chocolate on chocolate with chocolate Pazooki.

Janae's mom is in the choir too, and Ben is in the orchestra, of course.
ps Next pic: Sara licking the Pazooki pan...

"Hey everybody, it's my birthday and I'm THREE!"
Yes Caleb is three. And we had a party.

Amanda Pitts helped Stephanie make this darling Bob The Builder Cake.

I can't believe Caleb is three. Time does fly when you're having fun and grandkids are so much fun.

Yes these are cinnamon rolls. And they were horrible - each one of them that I ate.

Stop the madness!!!

Always a party when Sara is here.

The day the diploma arrived!!

This is random I know but I found these stockings this week when I was cleaning out a closet and wanted to take a picture before I gave them to Goodwill. I made them for the Noriega House when we decorated it for Christmas with my good friends Audrey Horlacher, Heidi Pfeffer, Varlene Turner and Bettie Taylor. Anyway I loved the gorgeous lace I found to put on them and thought I should have a picture. (F & M's ladies)

I have two silly grandsons. They get so excited when they see each other at church or at their apartment or my house. I love it now that they can say 'oh hi gwama', tell me secrets (Patrick), or say 'doin grama, doin?' 'where Hannah is?' (Caleb) and I love to watch them when they don't know it. They are in such wonder of everything.

See.

And then I have the two sweetest granddaughters. I think it feeds me in some way to hold them and touch their soft warm faces. I hope I appreciated that with my own children but probably didn't think of it very often like most busy mothers.

The 'sling' babies.

So Sara - she has moved home for awhile and it has been so fun (for us). It probably won't last too long - as soon as she studies, takes and passes her test to be a certified lab tech she will be off to a job somewhere near the ocean.
But while she is here we have parties - and most of them involve cooking.
We found out one day that it was Chinese New Year so... she told Alison to make red a velvet cake, and she made spring rolls, lettuce wraps and other treats, and found a pattern for a paper sack dragon we helped the boys make.

Another day she made red cupcakes.

Then for Valentines she made red sugar cookies and spent half a day decorating them.
They were awesome!

Tonight she made homemade donuts.

I can't wait to see what comes next.

Christmas, New Years, Heaven

These pictures are mixed up...so I'll just label them as they are.

Won't that be fun!

This is biscuits and gravy on Christmas morning. The Moreno's were in Utah so Alison got to make them for Jesus' family. She said they were almost as good as dad's.

I went to Utah to see my family and then help Sara move home. This is our four generation picture at the Orton Christmas Party.

New Year's Eve at the Petroleum Club - Sara and Stephanie share a dessert. They were just a little bit excited.

We got a babysitter for the boys which made it nice for the mom's and dad's. We love you Laura Mayberry!

Happy 2009! Ben and Janae got stranded on the Grapevine...so we didn't see them until the next morning.

Utah: playing the bells - an Orton Family Tradition. So fun to be there.
It snowed while we were there. . . Don't miss that very much.

Christmas morning. Cory and Caleb playing with the new train.

So, Heaven... We just got back from San Diego. Jerry had a conference and invited Sara and I. It was glorious. The weather, the food, the shopping, the view...

This is Sara sitting in the window sill picking out her condo when she gets a job here...

Jerry and I at the USS Midway where they built this statue of Bop Hope who entertained the troops through several wars. Thanks for the memories!

And last; Sara and I at the Hotel Coronado.The end.

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.

*************
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.