2011 JANUARY 29th -- HAPPY 11TH BIRTHDAY, ELLIE!

SNOW, SNOW, AND MORE SNOW!!!

We continue to get more snow! It has been a real old fashioned New England winter! Gorgeous out there! Some fresh baked warm chocolate chip cookies and a crackling fire go perfectly with this winter weather! HAPPY SNOWFLAKES to all!

2011 JANUARY -- BRENT & PAXTON ON SNOW SHOES

Brent & Paxton went out on their snow shoes from their house and all around the field. A beautiful sunny day to be out enjoying the sparkling snow! Paxton really loved it!

2011 JANUARY -- TEA PARTY WITH GRANDDAUGHTERS

Ellie and Ava spent the night Friday night. Shaelyn came and joined them Saturday AM while Paxton had his basketball game. We had to have our tea party with the teacups from Great Grammie and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. This was Shaelyn's first tea party, and she thought it great fun! She tipped her hat and shouted out, "YE HAW!!! I'm a cowboy!" A real riot!

2011 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Best wishes for a wonderful year in 2011!

2010 THANKSGIVING UP NORTH

Our whole family (Brent's, Brad's & Kent & I) went up north to our Lodge on Wednesday night for the Thanksgiving week-end. It was relaxing to have 4 full days up there! There was enough snow for the kids to go sliding, and they had a blast! Jobe & Mamie's kids and Duane & Andrea's girls, and Megan, Kristy & Hannah all joined in. Danny would pull them back up the hill behind his tractor and Brent used the 4-wheeler with the snow coach behind to haul them up as well. On Saturday it was blustery cold and ended up freezing ice on the windows so you could hardly see out, as one picture shows. We got a good taste of winter! When indoors, there were games of Skip-Bo and Farkle and Rummycube, drawing, reading books, and building tunnels with mattresses, etc. and of course lots of eating! Isn't that what you are supposed to do at Thanksgiving? Ha! Paxton and Brent went for a ride on their 4-wheelers too. A good time by all!

2010 DECEMBER CRUISE ON "OASIS OF THE SEAS"

The first week in December we went on a cruise on the huge ship "Oasis of the Seas" with 7 other couples -- Warren & Sue Wainwright (CA), Don & Eve Strassburg (CA), Arleigh & Fern Larson (BC), Arnie & Marion Lyon (CA), Glenn & Shirley Spunaugle (OK), and John & Ester Lynch (NY). We went to 3 islands -- Bahamas, St. Thomas, & St. Marten. The ship is a whole "city" in itself with a huge park in the middle on one level, shopping mall and restaurants, pools, basketball courts, a zip line, rock climbing walls, two surf rider pools, a wonderful work-out gym and spa, a track, etc. We made good use of the gym every day. Kent did the zip line and also the surf rider pools. One you just go on your stomach or knees, which he was succesful at both. So then he got brave and tried the one where you stand up and surf. He made that too but soon got flipped. Great fun! Lots to do and enjoy. We had fun going back to the hotel in St. Thomas that we stayed at on our honeymoon and had lunch there. We gals also signed up for a cupcake decorating class, and that was fun. Had lots of scrumptious meals on the ship and wonderful fellowship together along with two meetings with the 18 of us in one of our cabins. Very special and a wonderful trip together!