Pictures are worth a thousand words

Well, you all read that title and knew I wouldn't be able to just put in the pics and leave it at that. You knew I would have something to say, didn't you?

This was the was first time in 29 years that Lanny, Nancy, Kristy, Erica, Craig and Johanna weren't all in one room together for at least a few minutes on Christmas Day. And we managed. We found out that we can celebrate this most Blessed Day with some of ours celebrating Christmas with the other side of the family.

And you know what? It was a good year and great Christmases (two). Maybe next year we will all be together again on Christmas Day . . . and maybe not. But we still will all celebrate the birth of Christ and rejoice in family and kin and little children and it will be good.

We are all in good health. We all have jobs and food enough and roofs over our heads and people that love us and people that we love. Life is good.

































I "plopped" these photos in here and then tried to format them but it wasn't to be. Photos in blogger have a mind of their own, anymore. I cannot make them do what I want.

Princesses, Three

At Craig and Traci's new house, December 2008

IMAX

We needed eight seats -- and therefore we needed walkie talkies! Is that you down there Traci?

Jack can't believe the size of that popcorn! . . . and yes, we did. We did eat all that popcorn.

That is Morghan and Erica way down there! Can hardly see them for the glare off that guy's head! Oh, sorry. Not nice. the stairs are steep and the screen just massive. I held on very tight for awhile when I first climbed up to my seat. Held on with both hands!

These girls were so good and sat and watched the movie until the very end. I assume the boys were very good too . . . oh, Traci! Traci! Were those boys good?

Erica and Morghan were in between and I know Morghan was good. I didn't hear a peep out of her.

I think all eight of us would agree, it was a very good day!

A Sad Day

This was a record setting year for the tomatoes. We had more and nicer tomatoes this year than we have had in years! I have been nursing along some tomatoes that I picked green and brought in at the first hard frost. I wrapped them in newspaper. I stored them in the cool garage. Then I brought them up on the counter so I could check and turn them each day. Today, I ate the last one. I had to throw out three others. It was a good day as that tomato tasted really, really good with the meatloaf gravy! But now there won't be another homegrown tomato for six or seven months. Sad. So sad.

Reindeer Baby

Jack was here this evening. Some Sundays, the Small Frey come here consequetively, perhaps 3 hours at a time. This evening was Jack's turn at Nana's.

Audri adores Jack. The two got to running (chasing) around the living room and PaPa was involved in the play too but no one got hurt.

Thank goodness!

Tired children and/or Silly Children!

The kids had played for 2 or three hours at Aunt Traci and Uncle Craig's new house then we loaded them up and took them to the Science Center to see Polar Express. Three of the five children had been to an IMAX and 1 of the 3 adults had.

This Nana had never been to an IMAX movie and I hadn't see Polar Express so I sure didn't know what to expect. I discovered I loved them both! I loved the movie and I loved the IMAX screen! And, of course, I love to pieces all those children on that bench!

SORRY!!!!!

When the grandchildren were younger, we played Go Fish until we were blue in the face but the next step up was Sorry! First Morghan, then Jack and now Gabby and Joey adore, absolutely adore this game.

This weekend, I found the "Pop up" game that Aunt Kristy gifted us with a year or two back. I thought, OH YES! this is similiar to Sorry but Pop Up game will be shorter, quicker. We'll play Pop Up! Not! Joey and I found out it is not shorter nor quicker and it might have been longer as even Joey gave up on finishing.

A couple of weeks ago, I came across an abbreviated Sorry game in one of the stores. The abbreviated version is supposed to be over in just 20 minutes. Any of you veteran Sorry players know that the old-fashioned Sorry can take hours to be done. Hours plus 100 minutes! One game took HOURS plus three days.

I didn't buy that shortened Sorry game. And no, don't you buy it either. After all, when we stop and think about it, what better way to spend time with our precious grandchildren -- with plenty of opportunity to teach fairness, team work, honesty, reading, writing, physical training AND perseverence. Oh yeah. Perseverence . . .