LOOKS LIKE A WHITE CHRISTMAS

SNOW AND SNOW AND MORE SNOW.....IF YOU CHECKED OUT MY DAUGHTER'S BLOG AT http://www.thatsmerx.blogspot.com/ THEY JUST HAVE A TON OF SNOW IN SPOKANE WASHINGTON. WE HAVE SOME AND IT IS SO LOVELY. I WENT OUT TO GET THE PAPER THIS MORNING AND THE CRESCENT MOON WAS ABOVE OUR TREE AND LOOK SO LOVELY. TOO BAD YOU CAN'T SEE THE SNOW ON THE LIMBS

HERE IS THE VIEW OF OUR BACK YARD:

YES WE WILL HAVE A WHITE CHRISTMAS.I TOOK THE DAY OFF TO WORK ON GIFTS FOR MY CHILDREN. LOVE STAYING HOME ,ENJOY THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND WORKING ON PROJECTS.

I MUST TELL YOU OF MY DRAMA WITH OUR CHRISTMAS TREE. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO I WORKED ON DECORATING THE TREE. IT TOOK ME ALL DAY WITHOUT THE HELP OF MY CHILDREN. I AM EXTREMELY SPOILED WHEN MY KIDS OUR HOME THEY DO THE TREE. THIS YEAR I DID. IT TOOK ME 2 HOURS ALONE TO PUT ON THE LIGHTS (RALPH AND ANDREW WERE PUTTING LIGHTS OUT SIDE.) FINALLY AT 10:30 PM I WAS DONE AND WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO DO THE LAUNDRY. I HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND RALPH YELL YOU NEED TO COME UP HERE. I THOUGHT MAYBE HE FELL....RAN UPSTAIRS TO SEE ALL MY DAY LONG WORK HIT THE FLOOR...WATER AND ALL. RALPH THEN TOLD HOW IT FELL AND BEGAN TO LAUGH. I PROCLAIMED THIS WAS NOT FUNNY AND WANTED TO CRY. I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE IT ON THE GROUND!

I WENT OUTSIDE IN THE SHED AT 11 PM TO FIND A BETTER TREE STAND. IT TOOK RALPH AWHILE TO SET IT UP, HE HAS BAD KNEES SO IT WAS PRETTY PAINFUL FOR HIM. THEN THE TREE WAS STANDING AGAIN MINUS A FEW DECORATIONS AND MESSED UP LIGHTS. NOW THAT I LOOK ON IT, IT WAS PRETTY FUNNY BUT I WAS SO TIRED!

AFTER CHURCH THE NEXT DAY I CAME HOME TO DECORATE AGAIN. HERE IS THE RESULTS: PRETTY AWESOME WITH SNOW FLAKES HANGING FROM THE CEILING.

I MUST SAY THIS IS MUCH BETTER THAN MY FIRST DECOR JOB. MAY EVERYONE HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND REMEMBER WHY WE ARE CELEBRATING. GOD BLESS!

A TIME OF THANKS

I have been thinking a lot of gratitude these past couple weeks and just what I am grateful for. And here is my list:

Life itself!! The air I breathe. My eyes that see the glorious beauties around me. My mind, still active that can think and remember good times past. My healthy body and strength to enjoy work or play. My feelings of Gods great blessings upon me and Jesus Christ who sacrificed himself.

Our great country we live in and all those who have sacrificed themselves for our freedom and free agency. With our great country came the restoration of the gospel with prophets who build the Lords kingdom on earth.

I am ever grateful for my family! A wonderful husband, children, grandchildren and the spouses are the joy of my life. Grateful for other close family members in my childhood and present day that live far away but always in my heart. Love the opportunities of family reunions bring us closer. My heart smiles with the happy memories!

I am grateful for service given and service received and the feelings it brings.

For the sun that shines, rain that falls and even the storms that come. For the glorious moon and stars at night. For the seasons each one bringing such beauties to behold.

I am grateful for challenges and adversities that come our way. They build our faith in God and strengthen our character. It gives us hope after the storm that there is a God in heaven that loves us and is there for us! Grateful for the faith of others and examples they set for me.

Grateful for friends who share are happiness and sorrows and gives us a shoulder to lean on; and there for me.

Grateful for a living Prophet on earth and other leaders in our church who give us constant encouragement in these days of trials and tribulations. Gives us faith in ourselves. Hope of a better life when times get hard.

I am so grateful for so much and they can never all be listed. What I don't list I remember with fondness and it warms my heart. I just marvel at what my Heavenly Father has given me to enjoy! I hope everyone has the best ever this Thanksgiving...............love always Mom

Fall Foliage Train Trip

Last weekend, October 4Th, we went on a train ride of the Fall Foliage north of Elgin Oregon ( about 125 miles from home or 30 minutes from Enterprise Oregon). It was a birthday present for my husband. We left home at 7 a.m. and arrived 15 minutes to 10 a.m. before it departed. It became an adventure we will not forget.

The train wasn't quite what we expected and I am not sure what we expected but I guess a little more modern train. It was very old, you even could smell how musty and old it was. When the train started it only went 10 miles an hour.....very, very slow! And the car we sat in was swaying side to side, once in while I could smell the exhaust from the engine up about 5 cars. It also rattled from time to time as it went along, not the usual sounds a train makes. The seats were very old and not very comfortable but we were on a train ride.

It went up the mountain about 18 miles and stopped at Kimmel for 10 minutes so the train crew could have lunch. Nothing there but this sign!

Then we boarded again to go backwards back to the station. We then had lunch on the train. Ralph didn't like the choices: turkey sandwich or chicken salad. He took one bite of the sandwich ( which I must admit it wasn't good) and just ate the fruit and brownie. I loved my salad. We had some entertainment too,an 80 year old man played the guitar and a gal played the fiddle and a guy played the guitar. They were pretty good too. And we had the scenery and wild life to see. We saw some bald eagles on the river and a brown bear running alone the hill side. And to make it complete Ralph and I saw a very still Black Cow very close to the train on the bank.

All in all it was a lovely ride and great view..........but we were so glad to find a real bathroom at Safeway. And a hamburger for us at St Joseph town.

Blessed Are We

We were all surprised and thrilled with my son's wife blog regarding a new arrival. It will be number four. We didn't expect this event to happen again, she said after her third it was the last. The desire was to great and they wanted another one, even though she gets so sick and she gets so uncomfortable at the end. I have to admire her sacrifice and it is a sacrifice..you just feel so AWFUL! I know how she feels!!! I got so terribly sick with each one....6 live births and 4 miscarriages. One of those I was flat in bed for 3 months.

I admire women today who have courage to have children no matter what the consequences to them bring and in a world that makes a large family hard to support. God Bless you Erin. I will think of you everyday and hope your sickness goes away soon. It is amazing when that little one arrives it was all worth it!!

Love to all my children and grandchildren!!

LIFE AT 60 ISN'T BAD!

Turning 60 this year I was a bit fearful! I remember when I was 20 and thought of growing older, what I would be doing and it's so far away? Well here I am and sooner than I thought. Time has gone by so fast...I can't believe September is almost over. Now at 60 I've decided it is not too bad. Some things I like about it:

1. There are times I don't sleep well. I can go a good 5 hours of sound sleep maybe 6 if I am lucky. I will hit the sack at 9 or so and can be wide a wake at 3 or 4 am in the morning. I have decided to take advantage and do something fun.....sew, scrapbook or get ready for work early and shop at Walmart. I can even get in a good book before work.
2. It is ok to take a nap if you need to....just gives you more energy!
3. No commitments, except work. It doesn't matter when dinner is on the table, no time lines.
3. I love going a movie in the middle of the afternoon ..... oh yes, love to leave work early and just go to a movie all by myself and eat a tub of popcorn by myself!
3. Love to see the grandbabies. (It is hard to fit that in right now with overtime at work.)
4. Enjoy and appreciate the world around me so much more. I take time to really see the full moon on a late summer night or when I go to swimming at 5 in the morning. The sunrise can be breath taking. I just take more time to really SEE AND ENJOY the world around me.
5. My health it great for 60...I may not be able to run but I can swim laps!

There are things I don't like as I get older:
1. Can't open a jar!!! How frustrating is that. I can see me in the future just going to the neighbors to help open a jar of pickles.
2. My husband and I are loosing our minds, or forgetting where we put things. It was so funny one day he blamed me for taking an important paper off the table. I picked of the manila envelope and asked if he put it in there. He insisted he didn't. Couple days later he found it in the envelope. I keep telling him we have to have patience with one another and our memories just not there all the time. (It gives us a great laugh later)
3. We move at a much slower pace. Can't have a race with the grandkids.
4. I guess the hardest thing to face, my hands just don't work like they use to do and that frusterates me.
5. Have to watch what I eat all the time.
6. Can't see as well...always looking for my glasses to see that fine print. Some day I will miss something important because didn't read the fine print.

Yes life is so different when the kids were home and there are times I remember when....but I am slowly liking this new period of FREEDOM AND AWARENESS. (now where did I put my glasses?)

HUSBAND IS ON A ROLL!!!

Now the yard is all planted with grass and growing great! My husband decided to work on this deck, around half of our home. When we first moved into this house he mentioned he wanted a deck off our bedroom with a hot tub. (I thought ya right!! He talks a lot and takes forever, hum, like the bathrooms are still in the remodeling job going on 6 years...he says only 4!?!? , no 6 but we do have at least a shower to show for part of the remodel job.)

Anyway, he is on a roll now building this deck and I am impressed! He had starting buying materials since last year, I thought I'd die when he came home with a huge load of TeX deck flooring on sale at Home Depot....it was in a pile under tarp all Winter and Spring. Then this last Spring he got more supplies and I kissed the remodeled bathroom good by for another season. Two piles of lumber sat in our driveway all Winter and Spring wondering if it would happen.

Then Labor Day weekend was the being of the deck. My daughter and her husband came from Spokane for the event, as well as my son and his wife who live in town. It took us most of Saturday to mark the spots for the post, and the kids dug it with a machine called an Alger. It took 11-12 inch holes to dig....the kids liked the experience. We also did some of the frame work onto the house for the deck.

Yesterday our Daughter Denise came from Boise to help us pour the cement into the holes and put the braces for the posts in the holes. We had to work very quickly before the cement dried. This is a big project and it will be a hugh deck sitting 12 feet from our house. It will be really nice when it is done! And lots of hard work!
It is really happening!!

LOVE THOSE VISITORS

Take a look at this:

Isn't this great fun!!! My son and his wife took a walk with the twins to our home and we gave them a great treat... yogurt popsicles. That is the best part of being grandparents you can do what you want and give them back all messy!!! (Our son didn't like that very much.) They are just the cutest and we love when they visit!

GARBAGE DAY.....

Monday night chore is putting out the garbage for the morning pick up. I think I am the only one on the block who has more than one can. This picture looks good....most of the time we have 4 to 5 cans in all. It amazes me, all our 6 kids are gone and we still have this much garbage. (You should see it when some of the kids come home with their kids for a visit......garbage overload.) There are times in the fall when we have lots of leaves and bags and bags of garbage. We have so much the garbage man leave some behind, to my total embarrassment!

The most embarrassing part is when the other neighbors, like next door, have one plastic bag full or down the street one can. We are talking about a neighborhood now whose kids have grown and gone. What a person to do. I have even tried to have only one can and that only happens when we are gone for the weekend.

Oh well, not much to do but admit I am a garbage junkie.....at least it gives the garbage men something to look forward to or ...talk about!

FINALLY!!! OUR PARKING GARAGE

TAKE A LOOK!!

Yes I am a slacker!!! Summer has been so busy with yard work, trips, scrapbook retreat, reunions and just playing around.

My biggest highlight of the summer was June 27th we finally got to park into the garage and I LOVE IT> (right now there are 2 BIG loves in my life my automatic sprinklers 2 years now and our parking garage!) The best part about the garage it keeps your car so cool and never have to get into a HOT car again. Here is some pictures of this 8 million dollar parking facility. It is pretty nice Hun???

Next highlight: our backyard with 3 weeks of new grass looking really good. I told my husband I am done digging and spreading and planting! You want to know what his new project is? A deck around half of the house and first thing that has to be done.....dig up a tree!!! It is never ending! He never rests! Here is the results:

looking at the raised garden...grass growing around it and the tramp.

this is the side of the yard where we had a huge tree.....love it!

We have accomplished much for an old pair like us and still have time to go to movies and swim.....stay tune for my next adventure!

AWAKEN BY MY GRANDSON

This is Zack an energetic 4 year old full of life and constant action. Even his mom can't keep up with him. When we where visiting for my son's wedding in the area, Zack was out in the yard with me. I was busy helping my daughter weed her flower bed as Zack was jumping joyously on the tramp and keep asking me to come jump and play. Well for one thing almost 60 years I just wasn't sure about climbing on the tramp but once I am up on it I am sure I would of been fine. I did finally stop and get the camera and take some fun shots of his great joy jumping on the tramp.

Another time Zack was playing with a TV Spiderman game and kept saying "Grandma come watch!!" And as I was busy with something again I would look once in awhile at the game he was playing.....now here is my regret!! WHY DIDN'T I JUST STOP WHAT I WAS DOING AND JUST SIT DOWN AND HAVE A GREAT GAME WITH MY GRANDSON! I have regretted this over and over again. That moment will never come back! I have a bad habit of working, working and working and not taking time out to play and have fun with the greatest moments in life. I should of taken a time-out with my grandson!

I came across a poem:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,

For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

Grandchildren and children grow up to fast. I have resolved to just slow down and really watch my children and grandchildrem---at every age--before they change before my eyes. (I have missed so much already!) For now on , I will sit down with them or jump on that tramp, play that game or draw a picture with chalk on the sidewalk. No more work first....its playing all the way. This I promise to Zack and my other grandchildrem to get up on that tramp and jump with joy.

New Regence Blue Shield of Idaho Garage

ISN'T IT LOVELY.....IT WILL BE OPEN FOR OUR USE ON JUNE 27TH....YAHH!

UPDATE OF OUR GARAGE

AN UPDATE....THIS IS A SIDE VIEW OF THE PARKING GARAGE.....I WILL TAKE A FRONT VIEW TOMORROW. I AM TOLD, IT IS HEAR SAY, IT SHOULD BE DONE JUNE 27TH AND IF EVERYONE PARKED IN THIS LOVELY 8 MILLION STRUCTURE IT WILL BE FULLED UP. IT IS REALLY LOOKING LOVELY. THE FRONT VIEW HAS THE BRICK WORK OF THE OTHER BUILDING I WORK IN WHICH IS LOOKING ACROSS FROM THE GARAGE. THE TOP LEVEL WILL BE A GYM FOR EMPLOYEES AND FAMILY'S. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT A MIRACLE!

lOOK AT OUT MIRACLE: AT 7 AND A HALF MONTHS. THEY ARE SO PRECIOUS AND ADORABLE. TODAY I WENT TO THEIR MOM AND DAD'S HOUSE TO GET MY PICTURES THEY HAD TAKEN AND THEY JUST SMILED AND GIGGLED WITH GLEE AT ME. WE ARE SO LUCKY! AND THEY ARE MY GRANDCHILDREN.....HOW I ADORE BEING A MOM AND A GRANDMA!! THAT IS WHAT I DO BEST! "ENJOY THE MOMENTS"

THE REST OF THE STORY........

Our wedding dinner was a disaster but to my amazement everyone left happy. Even the bride and groom and her parents! My husband talked with the management who tried to justify what happened and my husband promptly said, "I don't care what happened to your staff. If you couldn't accommodate us we would of gone somewhere else. Of the whole party only one person or two people got their food correct and the rest was a disaster (after he explained every ones order of serve and the mess that followed)." The management took off half the bill and we gave the waitress the full tip because she tried hard, run ragged and was forever apologizing at the mess. If it was me I would of had a melt down in the kitchen and never come out again.

We lived through it all and will have a huge barbecue this weekend for 30 before the reception. We will serve steak, hamburgers, chicken and hot dogs in record time. The food will also be available at the same time without waiting! It will be a meal to remember!!!

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK A CORNDOG?

This weekend was our youngest son's wedding at Rexbury Idaho Temple. The weather was a bit cold, rainy and even hailed going in for the ceremony. Luckily the sun was shining when we came outside for pictures except the wind was blowing hard and cold! It was quite a sight trying to take pictures in such conditions. My son picked up his bride who is all but 100 lbs soaking wet to take a picture and it looked like the wind would lift her high into the air like a kite and his bride would be no more. We some how got some great pictures.

After pictures we were to host the bridle's family for dinner. I had made arrangements to go to Frontier Pie in Rexburg. My oldest son Jason use to work there 9 years ago said it has good food and my daughter-in-law loved their pies. So I made reservations with the management and confirmed 25 to 30 people. We arrived at the schedule time. They put some of the tables with water but not all. There was only one waitress doing the serving and she took all 30 orders. The manager told me to pick 3 things on the menu so it would be easier for their staff to serve us. Everyone was in agreement only ordering from the 3: 10 oz sirloin steak, chicken fried steak or Santa Cruz chicken. We had 6 children who ordered off the kids menu. All of us hungry and ready for a wonderful meal.

The waitress delivered some drink orders, which was weird she didn't take any drink orders at our table or the others. In fact my husband had to ask them to bring us more water (which some of the tables like I said never got water in the first place.) The waitress then delivered the soups and some salads and before all the salads were delivered about 5 chicken fried steaks were brought in and then some Santa Cruz Chicken dishes. I thought wow, the food is already coming and some hadn't received our salads yet! And from here on out I must say "ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE....I NEVER SAW SUCH A DISASTER IN ALL MY LIFE AND I HAVE WORKED AS A WAITRESS BEFORE!!!"

IT WAS LIKE A MASS CONFUSION...The waitress would come out with orders of salads and some main course and would yell out who has "steak with baked potatoe well done" or "chicken fried steak with fries" etc. I have never been in a place where she called out the foods no idea where they should go. Then people were getting their food out of order, some plates came out with no side dishes on it like fries or steamed vegetables or baked potatoes and mind you there were still some who had no salad yet while others got their meal first and got their salad last. Things got continually worse to VERY BAD!!! Steaks were not cooked right. They came out under cooked or overcook. My chicken finally came out and it was burn and dry as were others. My baked potato looked like it was cooked 2 days before the event. I sent it back and told them to forget it since it took over 1 hour or more to get that dish. In fact, a member of the other family was waiting for his steak and the waitress came up to him thinking he sent his steak back and said it should be up in a minute. He said he never sent it back and when he did get it was too done.

Now with all this mess going on, my grand kids orders were so late!!! They were incrediably patient! It took over an hour to get one hamburger for my grandson and a corn dog for my granddaughter. My youngest grandson also ordered a corn dog and instead of it coming up with my granddaughters it finally arrived 2 or more hours later. Now I tell ya, just how long does it take to cook a corn dog? 2 and a half hours? It should of come out with the first one! By the time my grandson got it he was beyond hungry and falling asleep.

The grandparents of the bride sitting with us order a steak medium well and it came out rare. They sent it back and the gentlemen told the waitress they didn't want it back and to get them a chicken fried steak because he didn't think the cook knew how to cook a steak.

It was one wild crazy night lasting 2 and a half hours; and most embarrassing when you trying make a good impression on the other family and make a lovey evening for your son and his bride.

Yes, how long does it take to cook a hot dog? My guess is at Frontier Pies a very, very long time!!! Hate to think how long it would take to get a piece of pie?

PARKING GARAGE ALMOST DONE

What do ya think....pretty big hun? It is almost done! In fact, end of next month to be exact. The building on top is our work our room and it has a view of the mountains... The outside will have brick work like our building. It will be so awesome and we are all so excited!!

UPDATES IN THE LIFE OF THE BARNES

For those who want to know....our twins are now almost 6 months old and doing great! They are in the 11-12 pound range and lovely.

Our parking garage at work is almost done. They are working on the finishing touches and should be finished in June....we have an awesome fittness center on the very top of the building. I will take pictures of it!

Had a great spring break with my grandchildren from Idaho falls...here they are :

It was a very cold week most of the time but we found things to do!!

Have had 2 promotions: my daughter Jen is now manager of the a Store pharmacy and my son is a General Foreman in his place of work. I am so excited with the strides my children are making.

We had a great scrapbooking weekend in Boise about 2 and a half weeks ago that was the best ever!! (Each one is just the greatest!) We may not of gotten much done but we sure laughted a lot and had fun. Next one is in June Asotin, Wash. area and it is going to be awesome. We know how to have a terrifie time. Grandma has it all in the bag!!

When will it End?????

This has just got to stop....the cold weather that is!!! I am still wearing winter cloths and my car has to be defrosted every morning still. I have gotten an awful cough and cold from it and I stayed home 3 days from work for the first time in 11 years. It sucks!! I just now tried to dig up some weeds but the ground is still frozen.

We are going to have our annual Dogwood Festival in 3 weeks but at this rate we won't have any Dogwood trees in bloom. The trees are still very bear, a few are taking chances to bloom. It is still snowing in Spokane and surrounding areas.

There is only one good thing about this weather, I don't have to yard work yet. I can read good books, sew (I am in the process of making 3 bride maids dresses for my son's wedding) and scrapbook. But I do hope the SUN will come on very soon!!!

Just The Two of Us!!!

Will it has finally happened as of Saturday February 22 2008 our last child, third son Andrew moved out into his own apartment. We are now officially all alone for the first time in 32 years. You see, when we first got married I had Shauna from my first marriage so we weren't really alone in the beginning and this is a new thing for us. My husband argues that we were alone for a while when Andrew left on his mission and our daughter Denise moved back home because it was cheaper to live at home than deal with the room mate thing. But I don't consider that....we are now just the two of in this now very large house. There are the disadvantages and the advantages.

The disadvantages: now that it is tax season my husband works late and there is no one home to ...talk to or yell at. It is very quiet....very very quiet! I have to blame me now and not the kids. No one to help me open jars or lids.....

The advantages....I can watch what I want on TV or even just listen to music. During tax season I don't have to make dinner and if I do it is just for 2 not 10 and then some. I get my own way! The house stays clean longer except when my sons decide to come home for lunch and leave a mess. I can even do what I want and when I want. I can dance naked. It can only get better they say but ya know......I would have the kids back in a minute!!!

ENDLESS SNOWWWW...!

Our Dogwood tree was a lovely sight Sunday night....but the snow is now gone. Everywhere around us tons of snow is falling but not in our bananabelt valley, just lots of rain. Everyone at work wished we would get lots of it so we can play and have snowdays like everyone else. It would be a lovely sight.

He will be remebered

The world has lost a great man last night....what a shock but shouldn't of been. President Hinckley was 97 years old and for some reason he seemed he could go on forever! There was no warning he was sick or ill. He just passed due to old age. The last conference he seems so healthy and vibrant to me. He will be missed but needed to move on: to be with his beloved wife and serve God in Heaven. To me he was an example of how I need to be in my elderly years.....serve always in any calling you are asked, no matter what it is ,don't use age as an excuse not to do it. Always stand as a testimony of Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. Be happy with what you have. Be valiant in your choices and obey His commandments. Just so many things I will strive to better myself because of his great example in life. I rejoice in his life, he lived it very well!!! I just hope I can do the very same thing. Rhonda

Parking lot is really coming along....can't wait!

Can you just believe this!!! It is moving along really fast...in fact this picture is 2 weeks old. It should be finished in June. It is almost as exciting as having the twins home. Lucky me I do have a parking spot in February no bus rides for me.

A NEW YEAR WITH NEW REALIZATIONS

A New Year has got me thinking... now the holidays are gone, and all my children have gone back home except my youngest who was fortunate to go to Hawaii for a week with friends. And I have had a long week to think as my husband and I are home alone, just how lonely that can be. He has been so busy watching the Football games and Basketball games I don't think he even thinks or listens to the DEAD SILENCE in our home. Yes, it is mighty quiet around here. Then when we got the news that our youngest son has gotten engaged while he was gone....I further realized how quiet it will truly be around here. In ways I love it but mostly I hate it. It is bitter sweet.....sour, sweet? I can get lots of things done I haven't done in a long time but you know one thing is for sure! I will love it when the kids come home once in awhile to bring the house with LOTS of noise! Yes when I was younger with 6 children driving me crazy from time to time and was told they will be leaving soon....they were right, they left much to soon!! Rhonda

TWINS COMING HOME

Our precious twins are coming home....they are now Ava 5lbs 9oz and Emma (who is pictured) is 5 lbs and 6 oz. We are so excited and what fun we all will have....and I am sure frustrating times as well but there are more of us to help out. God has truly blessed us. They have been in the hospital a total of almost 3 months short by 7 days. The parents are so glad to be coming home...mom Natalie has been staying at the Ronald MacDonald House all this time except a few trips home. Dad Jeremy did too, til he had to go back to work a month or so ago. That organization is so wonderful to give parents and family places to stay while a loved one is in the hospital. (God bless you Ronald MacDonald!!) Monday will be a day for celebration!!!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

I am so excited about my New Year's resolutions: first on the list is to continue my weight loss. In the past 3 months I have lost 12 lbs and am now excited to work on the other 15....now the holidays is over!! Second I want to work on our debt....when I retire I want us debt free. I have no desire to be a Walmart greeter or a food demo lady at Cosco as some of my friends are doing as they retire. I want to be free as a bird to do the things I have planned to do. Third....finish projects I have started for hummm years ago. 2 of those projects are almost done. I want us to finally finish the bathrooms....downstairs at least! I want to visit my sister this summer, a visit long over due. And a trip to Oregon Coast with all my children and family....rent a house and have lots of fun!! I have others in my mind and it is great to have a new beginning to look forward to. Happy New Year to all and good luck with your resolutions.
draft
5:

COMING HOME AT LAST!

Look at this, isn't this the most precious thing in the world. Nothing like sleeping babies....they are 12 weeks old and will come home very soon, maybe as soon as next Sunday. 2 1/2 months at the hospital 2 hours away from home....Mom and Dad can't wait to be home for good with their girls!! The girls are off the oxygen and sleep apnea is almost gone. They are so beautiful. We have truly been blessed for this mircle. We are so lucky to have 8 lovely grandchildren!!!