My Green Coat

About 20 years ago I bought a nice coat. It was a green dress coat and I loved it. I even found a hat to match. I just felt good when I put it on and I always received lots of compliments when I wore it. I had a scare with it. When Mrs. Dr was going to BSU I was taking her to class and we were in a car accident. A drunk driver hit a car two cars behind us and they hit the car in front of them and they in return hit us. We were both O.K. so I got out to assess the situation and the car that hit us had a huge screw sticking out and I didn't see it but it found it's way to my coat and OH NO it tore my coat. I was so upset. All I could think about was my beautiful coat. Art thought I was crazy because my coat was my worry. He told me forget the coat, what about the expensive car. How could I even think about the car..........my coat was torn. When the insurance adjuster called I told him how upset I was about my coat. I made sure he knew how serious the situation was. Again, Art said wait what about the car.......again how could I even think about the car..........my coat was torn. The insurance man said they would fix the damage to the car and when I asked about my coat he said he would replace it. He said he had never had anyone that upset over an article of clothing so it must have been very valuable and he would gladly replace it. Which he did and I still have the replacement coat. It is nice but not my green coat. I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of the coat and it was a good thing. I had it out looking at it one day and it came to me.....I would have it altered to be a short coat. Off to the Taylor I went. Oh I once again could wear my coat. I must mention I had to replace the buttons three times over the years. But with much sadness I must now report the coat is old and tired. It needs more than just the buttons replaced, it has been well worn. Art and I cleaned closets today and it was time to say goodbye to my beloved coat. I am not a good purger. I am however a very good hoarder. I wanted to pack the coat away far in the back of the closet. That way I could get it out and reminisce of when I wore it. But Art told me it was time to let it go. He offered to sneak it out while I wasn't watching but instead with tears in my eyes I handed it over and looked away as he took it away. Never have I been so attached to a coat. (well maybe my mom's fur coat but that will never ever go away. EVER)

When I told the Buddy that I got rid of the coat today with joy in his voice he asked if I got rid of the hat as well...........hmmm I suspect he wasn't the fan I was.

Remembering the Past

Last night Art and I made our usual trip to the auction and decided to stop by Arbys for dinner. We had not been there for a number of years. When we walked in it brought so many memories flooding back in my mind. But the memory that made me laugh is one of the times we were there with the kids. They loved Arbys and on one occasion Mrs Doctor said she loved Arbys so much that when she grew up she was going to work at Arbys and the Buddy said not him....no he was going to work for Sears.

Well it has been several years since then and the kids grew to be kind loving generous wonderful people that Art and I love and enjoy so much and are pleased to call them friend. They now have wonderful families of their own. And neither one worked for Arbys or Sears................well so far.

12 Days of Christmas Carol

Here is how this Christmas Carol came to be. My father in law shared this with me.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol.

So a couple of months ago I was chatting with my sister and she suggested I blog my travel calendar. My response was.. who cares? Well after looking at my calendar I thought it would be fun to put it all down. I was a lucky girl and got to travel a lot and let me tell you it was really fun. I may have missed something but this is the majority. I am so sorry if I fail to mention a trip with you or to see you, my mind isn't so good that is why it is goo to get it in writing. Feel free to let me know what is missing. You know your mind is the second thing to go.

2008 Travels

March 11 Cascade with Shawna
March 14-16 Travel with folks to Albuquerque for Jared and Cathy's wedding
April - I was home but we painted the house
May 12-June 6 Kirksville for the birth of Andrew
June 14-21 Ft. Lauderdale with Don
July 18-20 Cascade
July 25-27 Idaho Falls with Don, Brent, MaryKate, and Reagan
Aug 1-2 Cascade with the Young Women
Aug 22-24 Cascade with Don
Aug 29-31 Cascade with Don,Dan and Shawna
Sept 3-7 Don and I flew to Seattle to see Patty and then took the train to see the Taylors. Mark, Debbie, Don and I all went to the beach.
Sept 19-21 Cascade with Don and folks to can peaches
Sept 23-30 Kirksville
Oct 7-12 Reno and Lake Tahoe with Don. We had dinner with Elder Taylor
Nov 8-16 Cancun with Don, Dan, and Shawna

Figured Me Out

So I went to church today. It was Stake Conference and the meeting was really good. But before the service started a lady I barely know came up to me and this was our conversation.

Lady: Oh Hi, are you still in Young Womens?
Me: Yes I am, I love it
Lady: Oh so is that why you put gray streaks in your hair so they take you serious and people don't think you are just one of the girls? Personally...I like it BUT I would never do it.
Me: Oh aren't you just the clever one. You figured me out.
Lady: Well I am just smart about that kind of stuff
Me: Yes I can see that
Lady: You still kinda look young so maybe you should put some more gray in it
Me: Or change my makeup....I'll keep it in mind.
Oh look isn't that your family looking for you?

Christmas Fun To Share

What Christmas Carol is a favorite of parents?
Silent Night


Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
So he can HOE HOE HOE


What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
Frosted Flakes


What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Frost Bite


What did the ghost say to Santa Claus?
I'll have a BOO Christmas without you


How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas?
Fleece Navidad


What does a cat on the beach have in common with Christmas?
Sandy Claus

What do you get if Santa goes down the chimney when a fire is lit?
Crisp Cringle


Why was Santa's little helper depressed?
He had low elf esteem



O.K. admit it you smiled and even laughed at one or two of these.

Snow???

I hear tell it is snowing...........but not here. SHHHHHHH. Don't tell, it is nice here.

Thanksgiving Humor

Here is a little humor for Thanksgiving.

If the Pilgrims were alive today, what would they be most famous for?
Their AGE

Why can't you take a turkey to church?
Because they use such FOWL language

What are the feathers on a turkey's wings called?
Turkey feathers

What's the best dance to do on Thanksgiving?
The turkey trot

Can a turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building?
Yes - a building can't jump at all

What do you get when you cross a turkey with an octopus?
Enough drumsticks for Thanksgiving

How can you make a turkey float?
You need 2 scoops of ice cream, some root beer, and a turkey

What kind of music did the Pilgrims like?
Plymouth Rock

Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
The outside

Why did they let the turkey join the band?
Because he had the drumsticks

Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play

What did the turkey say before it was roasted?
Boy! I'm stuffed!

Where did the first corn come from?
The stalk brought it

Why did the Indian chief wear so many feathers?
To keep his wigwam

How did the Mayflower show that it liked America?
It hugged the shore

WHAT!!!

Cancun Pictures

The Mexicans say "What happens in Cancun stays in Cancun" But we said "What happens in Cancun goes on Granelda's blog".

Here are some pictures from the trip. This reminds me of going to someones house to watch their vacation slides. Those over the age of 40 will understand what I am saying.

Shawna, Dan, and Don at the airport waiting to go to paradise

Shawna, Dan, me, and Don at the oriental hibachi

Shawna and I in the pool

This is me in the pool. The ocean is on the other side of the pool

Don wake boarding in the ocean


Don, me, Dan and Shawna at the Moon Palace restaurant


Me, the bike peddler, and Don at Coba (we are on a rickshaw)


The view from our room

Don at lunch after snorkeling

On the boat after snorkeling

Me with the fabulous entertainers at the circus show at the Cancun Palace

Cancun Day 9

Up at 5:15. We got the airport about 6:30. The Denver airport is huge. We checked in and then had a little breakfast. The plane was a little prop job. We got to Boise on time with no problems. Di, Dan and Shawna's friend picked us up and we are now home safe and sound. What a great time we had!!!!!!!! I will be posting pictures and some funny things that happened so check back later.

Cancun Day 8

Don and I got up and had breakfast about 7:00. After breakfast we grabbed a couple of wake boards and rode the waves in the ocean. It was great. Then we got in the swimming pool. I stayed in the pool while Don stretched out on a lounge chair. It was a beautiful cloudless day. Then we went to our room about 10:00 and showered and got ready to head out. Boohoo. Dan got Shawna's crud so they hung out in the room. We all had lunch together and then we headed to the airport. Somehow Dan and Shawna's luggage got broken on the way to the airport. The flight was good. We made it through customs with flying colors. Then the adventure began. The hotel we stayed at in Denver was downtown which meant a 45 minute drive from the airport. First let me say the rooms were nice and the bed was comfy. Don asked the driver about the restaurant in the hotel and he said they close at 10:00 p.m. (it was currently 9:00 p.m.) and then it turns into a bar. Then when we checked in the guy at the front desk told us we need to hurry and eat as the restaurant closed and changed drastically at 10:00. The operative word there is drastically. We went in and there were quite a few folks already there to party. I counted six big and I mean buff guys walking around in black shirts marked security. They all had handcuffs and tasers. Hhmmmmm. They were playing rap crap and while there were several ethnic groups represented we were the only whites in the joint. Dan not feeling good, decided to back to the room and get some medicine. He was gone a long time and Shawna was getting worried about him. We started joking about how maybe they would charge him a cover charge to get back in. Finally he showed up and he was not a happy camper. His room key didn't work so he had to get it fixed at the front desk. Then when he came back and started in the restaurant which by now was the bar, security stopped him and they wanted to charge him the cover charge. Oh dear. Then they checked him with the security wand and patted him down. They put a band on his wrist and let him in. We said he got searched and tagged. When he told us what happened we all tried really hard not to laugh. It really was funny and he can laugh about it now. I was worried we would have to hear the partying all night but once we got to our rooms it was nice and quite. Let the power nap begin. We have to get up at 5:15 a.m. to get back to the airport.

Cancun-day 7

I didn't have to get up early today but I did and I watched the sunrise. It was very beautiful. We had trouble getting the internet to work yesterday so I worked on that and answered some emails all before Don got up. We had a nice breakfast and then hung out at the pool until it was time for my massage. I was a little worried about my massage as several folks to me I would get beat up with that particular massage but I actually enjoyed it. It was different from anything I had ever had before. Dan and Shawna had spa appointments as well. Don got his suitcase organized. We had lunch by the pool and then took the shuttle out to the Moon Palace. We wanted to see the new addition....the Grand Moon. We stayed at the Moon last time. It is about a 20 minute drive from our hotel. Shawna and I played in the pool while the guys lounged. We had a nice Mexican dinner at a restaurant in the hotel. I have to say the service there was incredible. We stayed for the show. The show......well it was pretty bad. I felt sorry for the performers. They made a ton of mistakes and there was no hiding them. In the beginning the guy fell off his stilts and it was pretty much down hill from there. But it made for good conversation. Prior to the show they played music videos and that was really fun. After the show we scored my favorite chocolate cake. I thought they no longer had it down here but.....I found some. Because we stayed for the show we missed the shuttle back so we took a taxi. We have had some pretty scary taxi rides in the past, but this time was great and safe. Now to bed. Tomorrow.......well we leave paradise tomorrow.

Cancun-day 6

Up early today. We went to the lobby bar so Don could gt some coffee and we waited until the restaurant opened. It didn't open until 7:00. We had a fast but yummy breakfast. At 7: 30 we got on the bus to go to Coba. Coba is a Mayan Ruin that is only about 20% uncovered. We went to it the last time we were here. It is always so amazing to see these cities and try to imagine what it was like for the people who lived there. The ruin or city is located in the jungle. It was pretty hot and muggy and the walk to the main temple is about 2 kl. We decided to take the bike taxi back. The breeze from that felt so good and besides that it was just fun. It was a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Coba and we stopped along the way at a shopping place. We also went back and had lunch there. Dan bought a nice letter opener there. We got back to the hotel in time to order and enjoy chips and guacamole then head off to dinner. We had steak by the pool. No that isn't a type of steak. We ate steak and our table was by the swimming pool. After dinner, Don and Shawna went to the Italian restaurant for Mexican coffee. Dan and I went to the lobby bar and played janga. I am not sure how you spell it but it is a game where you have a tower of blocks and you try to remove a block one at a time without knocking the tower over. It was fun. Then we went to the show. It was different dancers than the last time and they were good as well. After, the lady in front of us had a little too much to drink. She was goofing around and tripped over the stage and fell backwards spilling her drink on Dan and Shawna. Yikes, some people shouldn't drink and she is definitely on of them. Good thing she didn't hurt. Then off to bed. Tomorrow.......another massage. Aaaahhhhh.

Spoiled and Lucky

Did I mention that I am so spoiled? No? Well it is true. My darling Don just completely spoils me. I am such a lucky girl. I am so lucky to be with him. He is always doing little kind acts for me and I so appreciate him. Take today. I was in a lounge chair in the pool and he came and asked if he could get me something to drink. How did he know I was hot and thirsty? He pays attention to me and anticipates my needs. He brought me a drink and all I could think about was how I am so lucky to have him. Did I mention I am spoiled.........and very very lucky. Love you Don. :)

Cancun-day 5

We slept in a little today. We went to breakfast about 8:30. We had breakfast with Dan and Shawna this morning. I tried a new juice. It had pineapple, orange and kiwi. It was really good. Today was spa day. We hung out at the pool until our appointments. Dan and Shawna went first and so we hung out at the salon for awhile teasing Dan. He had his first manicure and pedicure. Then I went to the first of my appointments. I had a hot stone massage. Holy smokes Myrna. It was superb. I have had stone massages before but nothing like this. On a scale of one to ten I would give it a thirty. It was one of the best massages I have ever had. Then I had lunch by the pool with my darling Don. While Dan, Shawna, and I were getting pampered at the spa, Don tool the city bus to the Cancun Palace to make reservations for dinner. After lunch, I went for a deluxe pedicure and manicure. And when I say deluxe I mean deluxe. I was there for a little over 2 hours. Then I met up with the gang. If you are wondering why I didn't mention Don having an appointment at the spa, I didn't because he didn't go to the spa for anything....he hates that kind of stuff. Worked well for me, I got his share. Thanks darlin. After making reservations, he came back and played in the ocean.

We got cleaned up and I called the kids. I was sorry to hear Brent was so sick. Hope he gets better soon. We got on the city bus and headed to the Cancun Palace for dinner. We had the oriental hibachi. fun, fun, fun. They built a new out door theater. It was really cool. We decided to stay for the show. We didn't know it started at 8:00, we thought it started at 9:00. So we hurried and ate our dessert and went. It was a circus show. And boy was I glad we didn't miss it. It was fabulous. I am sure I sat there with my mouth wide open. I said the performers couldn't be human. I had my picture taken with them afterward so I will post it later. Then back on the city bus for our hotel. Shortly after we got on, the other few riders got off and surprisingly we rode the bus by ourselves. Tomorrow is an early day, we are going to Coba.

Cancun-day 4

Holy Frioly...it is already day 4. My goodness the time is going to quick. Today we had breakfast at the buffet. It was good. Then we headed out about 8:30 to get on the party boat and go to Isla Majaures. We have been to the Isle a few times before. (This is where I swam with the shark and dolphins.) The resort has a contract with a new company to organize tours and airport pick up and I must say the new company is not very good. With the old company the party boat was truly a party boat. But this company well....they aren't very good. But we had a good time non the less. The reason we decided to go the Isle is they have built a new resort there and we wanted to check it out. The new resort is nice. It only has 64 rooms. While most of the other went on their extra excursions, we hung out at the pool. Nice!! It was pretty relaxing. We had lunch there. I was able to once again sneak my dessert (what I couldn't finish) on Dan's plate. (that is another story). He's a good sport. After lunch, we got back on the boat and headed over to the other side of the island where all the shops are. Don bought me a cute ring. Then I found some leather sandals that I really liked. The gal came down in price but I said no and we left. I told Don I really liked them and he said I should go back. So I went back. I offered her a lower price and her boss made a counter offer and I said no and left. I really really like the sandals. Don said they are less then $20 why didn't you do it. You know me, I wished I had done it and kept saying it. Well Don said go back and give her her price. (poor Don I do this to him all the time.) So Shawna and ran back to the shop and yes I got them. They really are cute and very comfortable. Then back to the hotel for dinner and then we went to the show. The had 4 ladies and 4 guys dancing Mexican dances and then another man did a dance with a lasso. The costumes were beautiful. I enjoyed it but was so tired I had a hard time keeping my eyes open. To bed.

Cancun-day 3

Can you say Aaarrrgggg Matey. Or as Dude would say Aaarrrgggg Marty and Miss R would give her pirate look. We were so busy today. We started with room service at 6:00 am. It was so yummy. Then off to the paradise tour. We rode the bus to the state park. There we got on a boat to go snorkeling in the ocean. Don was a little sea sick and Shawna didn't want to get in the water so they stayed on the boat. It worked out fine as neither one of them enjoy the water that much. Dan and I joined the others and jumped off the side of a perfectly good boat. Oh dear that jump is a little scary when you first look down and see how far you have to jump. I made Dan go first. When Dan jumped in he lost his breathing tube. One of the workers dove under the boat to retrieve it for him. We saw a lot of cool fish and even saw a big sea turtle. Very Cool. My legs were so tired after swimming for 1 1/2 hours in the ocean they felt like jello but I loved it. Then we (Don, Dan, and Shawna) all got in speed boats. The one Don and I were in died when we started to head out. But fortunately they were able to get it started again after a while. Then out to the ocean we sped. You see I said it was a speed boat not a slow boat. My goodness we went flying through the water. We were riding the waves. We even picked up some air and boy I wish we had some more padding on our seat as we went kerthunk back down. I thought we might roll the boat a few times but Don assured me later it was pretty safe. It was a blast. Then we went 4 wheeling in the jungle. The mosquitoes were thick and my legs and arms got bit a lot. Then when we had lunch. A couple of guys were playing their guitars and singing and they came to our table and put sombreros on our heads and sang the song Don requested. (for those familiar with the fritos bandito song, that was it) . Fun. Then back to the hotel. We were dirty. I had salt from the ocean and dirt from 4 wheeling. Oh my goodness the hot shower felt so good. Don and I had a drink on the balcony and then headed down to the lobby bar sitting area to wait for Dan and Shawna. Then we had a great dinner and I'll be darned we got sang to again. The singers consisted of two women and a man. They sang beautifully. We bought their CD. Don and Shawna had more Mexican coffee and yes they enjoyed it as much as yesterday. Then off to the show. It was celebrity night. The dancers and entertainment team were great. We loved the show. Now after a full day and tons to eat we are full and tired so off to bed to rest so we will be able to go again tomorrow.

Cancun-day 2

We got up about 7:00. We had the buffet breakfast. It was o.k. not the best but o.k. We then headed over to the Cancun Palace for our tour and upgrade speech. All the Palaces have been remodeled and are very (as Princess would say) posh. We listened to the updgrades and decided to cash in our remaining weeks and upgrade. Afterward we had lunch and headed over to check out the Beach Palace. It is interesting that they kept the name the Beach after the remodel as it no longer has a beach. It goes straight to the ocean. hmmmmm. Then we went to the market and walked around. We took the bus back to our hotel and had dinner. We ate at the Italian restaurant. Mrs Doctor said they had the best pizza so Dan ordered the pizza and agreed it was pretty good. After dinner Don and Shawna had Mexican coffee. It is made with tequila, coffee, cream, and kaluha. They set it on fire. It is quite the production and fun to watch but the best part was watching Don and Shawna's faces as they watched it being made and anticipating it. They were like a couple of kids in a candy store. Then Shawna was so happy with hers that it reminded me of a scene in the movie When Harry Met Sally. That is all I will say about that. Shawna is not feeling well. She has a sore throat, chills and just feels sick. She is taking medication and went to bed early. Hopefully she will feel better tomorrow. Tonight was Casino night so Don and I went. We played with faked chips and then they held an auction after. Don got his auction in. Yeah! You could play 21, roulette, or Texas Holdem. Don and I played Texas Holdem. I had some great hands and I won the most chips at the table. Playing in Reno really paid off. I ended up with 600 pesos and because I was the big winner I got a great used CD of show tunes and disco. I can't wait to play it and see what it really is. I wanted a red hat at the auction but our dealer said you could only have 200 pesos per voucher and could only combine two vouchers. But that wasn't true. I found that out when I was outbid. Dang. Our dealer gave me a stupid t-shirt to make up for it. I wanted the red hat. (but I am not bitter........) I am having such a great time. It is so beautiful here. Can't wait for tomorrow. We are going snorkeling, 4 wheeling and driving speed boats in the ocean. Yeehaw.

Cancun-day 1

Hola!!! This is day one of our fun filled vacation. Dan and Shawna picked us up at 5:50AM. The flights were all good. It is interesting how the airlines now charge for almost everything. We did still get a complimentary drink. We packed our own snacks. My passport number was entered wrong in Boise but I got it fixed in Denver so all was well. The flight attendant told us we could not take fruit (which we knew) or nuts (which we didn't know) with us when deplane. So we ate as many cashews as we could and threw the rest away. What she failed to say is we can't have beef jerky. We had some and Wilkes had some. We found out when the police dog smelled it in Shawna's backpack. The dog sniffed my bag sat down and then got up and walked away. Shawna was not as lucky. They searched her bag. She got off with a warning. Whew! Off to the hotel. It has been at least 5 years since we stayed at this particular hotel. It has changed a lot!!! It is very nice but Shawna and I both remarked how we miss the way it use to be. Oh well I guess that is progress. It would have changed any way thanks to a hurricane a few years ag0. Don't get me wrong the hotel is very nice. The room is nice and we have a great balcony. We had steak dinner and got acquainted with the hotel and then went to our room to watch the BSU game via the sling box. We ordered salmon, chips and guacamole to snack on. Yummy. Overall it has been a great day. Now we are tired and need to turn in.

A Love Story

Let me tell you about some friends of mine...Shirley and Dean. Shirley was the person who got me involved in D.U.P. (Daughters of the Utah Pioneers). She was also in love with my darling Don. Every time she saw him she would lock arms with him and smile her heart out and flirt with him. She would always ask me how he was and tell me how I had a very handsome husband. Don and I joked about her being his girlfriend. But we both knew her heart belonged to her beloved Dean. Shirley was a very classy lady and I so enjoyed her. I even had the pleasure of being Shirley's visiting teacher just before she passed away. Yes my friend Shirley passed away this past July. Shirley had a stroke and as a result she had to go to a nursing home. It was very hard for her and Dean to be apart. You see they were married for 64 years and they were very much in love. Dean faithfully visited her everyday. He was so sad to leave her each day. One time while I was visiting Shirley she asked me to wash her face and brush her hair so she would look nice when Dean arrived. She said she needed to get better because she was worried about him living alone. Dean moved to be closer to her. But sadly she didn't get better. The day before Shirley passed away she held Dean's hand and told him it was time for her to go. He told her he wasn't ready for her to go. She then told him she was going to go prepare a place for him and she was going to make it really nice. He relented but told her not to take too long as he would miss her terribly. I would say she didn't take too long. I am attending Dean's funeral tomorrow. I am thrilled that they are once again reunited.

My Surprise Package

Today the little girl and I spent the day playing. And we has a great time. We were fixing lunch when the mail came. Nothing spectacular in the mail. Then just after we sat down to eat the mailman came back. He said he forgot to deliver a package. Imagine my surprise!!! The package was for ME. What on earth? I knew I hadn't ordered anything so I hurried and looked at the return label. It was from my sister. When I opened it the little girl got a big grin and ooo'd. She and I agreed it was cute and so me. And it really says it all. Thanks so much to my sister Trixie for thinking of me. I just love it. Here is a picture of what she sent.

Frankenstein

Check out this cute Frankenstein. MaryKate made it for us. It is made out of a paint can. And but the way... it is full of candy. Clever, cute, and yummy. Thanks MK!!

Cascade

I am sitting here in beautiful Cascade this morning listening to my ipod. Don and I came yesterday. It is our last venture here this year. Tomorrow we will winterize it and not be back until spring. That is a little sad but we have other adventures planned. A friend of mine asked me not long ago why I even had a house because I am never home. Well the answer to that is simple. Don needs a place to live :).

My dear Don came home the other day and said he had looked into sling boxes so we could watch the the BSU football game in Cascade. You have to know neither of us are big football fans but we always watch BSU play. Well the game was televised on ESPN2 and we barely get the local channels on our TV in Cascade so forget any cable channels. So we decided we would go to the golf course to watch the game but then after talking it over we decided to do the sling box. You know for future watching as well. For those not familiar with a sling box, you connect a machine to your TV and you can watch your TV on a computer or laptop anywhere in the world. How cool is that? So I called the important guy (Brent) . He and the little girl went shopping with me (Brent made sure I had just what I needed) and then spent the afternoon getting it all set up for us. We really appreciated Brent getting that all done for us. As it turned out I accidently turned the power off so we couldn't connect to the sling box so we went to the golf course anyway. Leave it to me. BUT now we know what to do so we can take it with us to Mexico (yes to watch BSU play). And we know it will work because Brent went to the house and turned the power back on and yes it works perfect. We are so excited. A big thanks again to Brent for getting it all hooked up and ready for us.....and turning the power back on for us. Brent you rock!!

Confession

While in Carson City, Don and I went to the Mervyns close out sale and Don got a couple new shirts and yes I got a new pair of shoes. A nice pair of sketchers. This wouldn't be so bad but just a couple days prior we went to the close out sale here and I got a cute pair of shoes. And get this....yesterday we went to get Don a new compressor at Sears and they printed off coupons with the receipt and it was $10.00 off shoes. They have a sale this weekend so...........

Now I got to go and make room in my closet for the new shoes.

AAAARRRGGGGG!!

I must start with a sincere apology to the Taylor family unit. I went to download the video of Elder Taylor and it didn't work. I have the beginning.....in the dark with driving instructions and the very end no picture. I am so sorry. The video was Elder Taylor wearing his new hat and his message to his family was he loved everyone and missed them and hoped they were all good and he would see them in a few months. Then he smiled and then pulled a goofy face. I am so sorry I didn't get the goofy face 'cause it made me laugh every time I thought about it. Again, I am so sorry it didn't work. I know I'm a dog..............But I got pictures, they just don't make any sound.

Winding Down

It is hard to believe but the mini vacation is almost over.We are sitting at the airport. I must say I do enjoy the people watch here. We had a great day. The sun is back out and I packed my coat. We recouped most of our losses. I was down to $10.oo and I needed $15.00 to play three card poker so the man next to me gave $5.oo and told me to play it blind. Sooooo I did. Can you believe I had three eights. Oh my goodness that hand paid $150.00. It was up for us from there. Gotta love it. We had a lot of fun (I love being with my PC) but it time to go back to our lovely home. Real world here we come...........Oh wait, Monday is a holiday. Score.

Dinner With The Elders

We had a great dinner tonight. The food was good and the company was even better. We had dinner with the Elders. Yes we ate with Elder Taylor and Elder Wright. It was great to see Elder Taylor. He looks great. Don and I enjoyed it completely. We picked the elders up and went to a place really close to their apartment. After dinner we took them home and I made a quick video of Elder Taylor in the car. I left the USB cable for the video camera at home so I will download it later. It is really meant for his family but I think all will enjoy it. Here are some pictures.

Elder Taylor and Elder Wright

Elder Taylor andMe

Don, Elder Taylor, and me
(Elder Taylor is wearing the Pebble Beach hat Don brought him. He gave one to Elder Taylor and one to Elder Wright)

Made It to Tahoe

Talk about it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. It was snowing so hard in Reno we weren't sure if it would be safe for us to go to Tahoe. While eating lunch the power went off in all the Hotel and casino areas. After talking it over and calling the road report we decided to venture on. The closer we got to Carson City the better the weather was. But let me a sure you it was cold. We had a nice hotel room with a gas fireplace and we ran it almost the entire time. It wouldn't have been so bad if the bed had a comforter or bed spread on it. Oh well it gave us a reason to cuddle up close. This morning we drove all around the lake. There are some really nice homes. We ran into a few snowflakes but nothing serious. (I could make a lot of jokes with that last sentence but I will refrain). We decided not to stay in Tahoe tonight instead we headed back to Carson City. We are having dinner with the elders tonight.

Let me say if you aren't winning.........then, oh dear......you're losing. Enough said.

Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow

As I sit at here at the laptop, outside there are light snow flakes falling. Hopefully it will warm up to be rain. Don is done with the conference today at noon. We are heading to Lake Tahoe this afternoon. Hope it is at least dry weather.

Shout out to Princess......Happy Birthday!!!

Thought for the day..Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.

It was a nice relaxing day

Not a lot to report on the day. It was a nice relaxing day. I mostly wandered around checking things out. I played a little 21. I met some really nice folks at the table. The game wasn't that good to me. I spent all the money I had set a side but true to form the guy sitting next to me said I brought him good luck so he gave me a few chips to play and as soon as I had my original investment back I quit. I wanted to play a little craps but just watching was enough. The dice were not kind to anyone so I just kept my money in my pocket. The conference had a little reception so I attended that with Don and his peeps. Afterward we wandered around a little and then Don and I hit the tables. They have a new game here and I tell you for the life of me I can not grasp it. I went back to the three card poker and was up and down but when we retired (after midnight) we were up. Yeah!

I have to give a shout out to Mrs. Dr. I do hope you are feeling better. And remember shingles belong on the roof not the body.

Thought for the day... Don't sweat the small stuff and according to my PC it is all small.

Stay tuned...........

Good of the Day Definitely Out Weighes The Bad

To my faithful readers and you know who you are I am sorry this post is so long but you will see why.

Today has been an interesting one. It started off really fun. I watched the Little Girl (Miss R) while her parents worked. I picked her up and we went to the Discovery Center. I wasn't sure how well she would enjoy it so I decided we would stay as long as she wanted and if that meant leaving after 15 minutes then so be it. But as it turned out she loved, loved, loved it. We were there for a little over 2 hours. The Little Girl had so much fun but it wore her out. She was asleep before we even got out of the parking lot. It was fun to watch her interact and have fun.

Then home to pack for my trip to Reno with my PC (prince charming). When he arrived home, we quickly took a load to the auction. This is were my saga begins. I decided to leave my purse at home and just take my phone. After the auction we slid by Wendys. When we got home I grabbed the auction check, the Wendys dinner items. After dinner, MaryKate and the Little Girl came and picked us up. Off to the airport we went. I told Don I felt like I had forgotten something important. I had driver's license, underwear, contacts, medicine, camera.....hmmm I guess I was O.K. Don reminded me I always say I am forgetting something (and I usually do). It is almost a joke now. I usually say "I wonder what I am forgetting". This time was different I really felt I had left something big behind. Well I did. When we got to security I thought I had better turn off my cell phone. Oh NO!!! I looked at Don and told him I knew what I forgot....my phone. I left it in the truck. After talking about it for a few minutes we decided to call MaryKate. I couldn't remember her cell number (it is in my phone) so Don called Brent and he transferred us to her. Bless Her Heart!!! And I mean it Bless Her Heart. She is wonder woman. She hurried to the house, got my truck keys, and found the phone. Then she hurried back to the airport with my phone. I was so grateful that she was so darling as I put my dumb neglectfulness on her. Let me say MaryKate rocks! I got the phone and raced to the gate. I got their a minute before they started boarding the plane. Whew tragedy averted.

I was enjoying the relief of having my phone when the flight attendant brought me a drink. Great. What I didn't realize was my tray was bent so when I put the open can down to receive my eight peanuts the flight attendant was handing me, the can of pop slid right off into my lap. Spilling half of it. Oh my goodness me oh my I truly looked like I wet my pants. Well I eventually dried.

We got to the hotel with no problems and after checking in, my PC and I checked out the hotel and found were he would need to be for the conference and then before retiring we played a little three card poker. We walked away $110 ahead. Woohoo.

The good of the day definitely out weighed the bad.

Why 6 is Afraid of 7

Do you know why 6 is afraid of 7?

Because 7 8 9.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

gotcha

Whirlwind

My goodness the past week went by so quickly. I can't believe I am already back home. The past week was so much fun and I so enjoyed every minute. It is amazing how fast kids change and grow. I even had a couple of treatments on my neck from Dr. Now I am back in the planning mode. Next week we are going to Reno and Lake Tahoe. Here are some pictures from my trip.

Honey Bunch and Bubba

Princess and her new clock

Dude reading his magazine

Me and Mrs Dr

The Hap

Oh my goodness the past few days have been really busy. I am not going to be here for Princesses birthday so on Friday we went shopping for a present just the two of us. She said she wanted a clock for her bedroom. She even described the one she wanted so I told her we would see if we could find it. Sure enough it was at the Walmart store. We got a decorative princess clock that is pink, a musical Barbie and a shirt. Then we went to the nail place and she got a manicure. She was thrilled. When we walked out she gave me the biggest smile I have ever seen and said “Thank you grandma, I love you, you are the best. Now let’s hurry home and show mom…..she won’t believe this.” (I have to admit I did buy some shoes. They matched my shirt so I couldn't pass them up. Even Princess thought I should get them and she is very fashion)

Then on Saturday we ventured to Nauvoo. Christmas went to the temple and the kids and I tried to entertain ourselves. Megaman had other plans for us but we had a good time anyway. Then home to play with grandma’s make up. The guys played video games and the girls all got posh.

I Am So Posh Darling

What another fun day. We played and played and played. We got to play my favorite game -beauty shop and I got to be the customer. It wasn't even my idea. The girls made me "Posh". Posh is another word for Fancy. Then the girls dressed posh for dinner. They looked pretty fancy and ate with their pinkies in the air. They got a book from the library called Fancy Nancy. It is all about being posh. And we had to talk posh. Princess told me in her very best posh voice " Darling you are soooooo posh". So there you have it..I'm posh

Kirksville or Bust

My darling PC took me to the airport at 5:30 am (yikes that is early) yesterday morning. I checked in and only got one ticket so I asked the agent about it and he told me I would be on the same plane and so when I got to Salt Lake I didn't need to deplane. I questioned him twice and both times he assured me. I had an interesting seat mate on the plane. (For an other blog). The flight attendant came by and asked if anyone was making a connection and need to know what gate they would need. I said I didn't. He asked me twice and I said no. He went back up front and sat down for a couple minutes then got up and came up to me and asked me if I was sure I didn't need to know a gate and I again said no. He asked if Salt Lake was my final destination and I explained I was going to Kansas City so I would stay on the plane. He said O.K. and turned away and then stopped turned back around and said the plane was going to Portland not Kansas City. OH!!! Well the couple behind me heard and said they were doing the same. Good thing the flight attendant came back. I got on the correct plane and made it to Kansas City. My luggage even made it. Woohoooo. In fact, it was the third suitcase off the belt. I got my car and headed to Kirksville. It is so fun to play with the grandkids. They have grown a lot. And are so cute!!! We played today. Dude and Princess had school but Megaman and Honey Bunch were here all day. What a fun day. Dude had his allergy shots today and did a great job. We played hide and seek when the kids got out of school. Megaman and I were a team. We had a hard time finding Dude. Princess went to the spot he was hiding but didn't see him. When he came out of hiding, he laughed and said when Princess went to the spot he didn't even breath for fear Princess would hear him. More fun in the works for tomorrow.

More Yearbook Fun

While my parents were here we did yearbook pictures. It was great fun. These are of Don and my parents.

It is Canning Season

It is once again time to can those peaches. We were a little late this year. The peaches were late coming on due to the lack of spring we experienced this year. My parents came and we had a great time. We canned 50 jars of peaches. (actually 51 but 1 broke in the canner). They are beautiful and taste yummy. My dad and I pealed the peaches, my mom cut them up and put them in the jars, and Don poured the syrup in the jars and put them in the canner. It was good team work. I am so grateful my folks are willing to come and help us each year. It makes it so much easier and a lot more fun. I can't thank them enough. And I have to thank my darling Don for all his work. He also procured the peaches. Now we can sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Ahh, I love it.

Thanks for the Memories

Wow, we have been shot back into reality. We had a beautiful ride back to Portland. The drive was just beautiful and the company fun. You can never visit the Taylor's without having a good time. I just wish we lived closer and could get together more. But I guess this way just makes it that more special to get together. We stopped at the Spirit Mountain Casino for lunch and then went straight to the airport. The plane ride was thankfully uneventful. Our Brent and the little girl (Miss R) picked us up and delivered us home. I believe that the little girl grew some whilst we were away. She was full of chatter and giggles. And now back to the real world but we have some wonderful memories added to the pages of our brains. Thanks for the good time!!!

Here are some photos of the trip:

Don and Patty

Don on the train

Don and Connie at Historic Haystack Rock
(the big rock on the left is the historic rock)

Debbie and Mark at Historic Haystack Rock

Debbie and Mark on the beach

Don's new footwear

Don and Mark keeping up with the "real" world

One More Day in the Books

We had a fabulous breakfast at the hotel restauraunt this morning. I had the best omelette. It was loaded with ham, bacon, sausage, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and cheese. yummy. Then we had to go back to the outlet mall to do some exchanges. (again not mine) But!! I did get another pair of shoes. Oh they are so cute. Debbie can sign my voucher for how cute they are. And then as my mom would put it a little clean up dress. Debbie got a new dress and a couple shirts. Don got a couple of foot wear items as well. He got some aqua sock shoes and matching sock thingys. They are cool. I don't think Mark got anything but the bill. The sales girl just loved my purse. (way to go Don....nice purchase). Then off to the casino. What can I say....didn't really feel the love. We walked on the beach and enoyed all that that is. The beach is always so great. Don even had an opportunity to try out his new foot gear. Back to the Casino for awhile and then to dinner. Dinner you might ask. Yes and may I say "OH MY GOSH" . We all had the prime rib dinner and may I repeat "OH MY GOSH". Each meal could feed a family of 12. We cook roasts that are smaller that the prime rib they serve. And we had a great peanut butter chocolate cake for dessert. Then to the grocery store, Walgreens and back to the casino. After we sat in the hotel hot tub for about 40 minutes. Don and Mark got in the saunas. Now to bed. Sadly we have to return to reality tomorrow.

One thing I failed to mention. When we were at Cannon Beach we stopped at a sunglasses store. Don found a rack of regular sunglasses that were also bifocals. Don and I each got a pair. Sweet!

Beachward Bound

We got up to have a delicious farmhouse breakfast at the Taylor kitchen cafe. Then off toward the beach. We made a few stops along the way to check out the cool scenery. Historic Haystack Rock was pretty cool and made a great photo stop. We had lunch at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Yummy. Then we arrived at Chinook Winds. We have a great room overlooking the beach. We had a need (no not me) to go to the outlet mall. While there I did find an opportunity to purchase a cute pair of shoes. Then we went to the casino. I did get a three of a kind playing three card poker. Woohoo! We took a quick break to have dinner. I had .........surprise prime rib. Then a little more playing and then back to the room. What a great day!

To The Taylor's

After a fun night of visiting with Patty. We awoke to have a leisurely morning. Don and I went for a little walk around the area. We had leftover Chinese food for lunch. We went to Patty's favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner the prior night. The food was delicious but we had enough to feed a small village. We had a fun time visiting. Patty took us to the train station. The station was a great old building. The train ride was fun. We sat in the business section which in the train world is first class. We arrived in Portland to be greeted by the Taylor family unit (less one....Goeff) It was great to see them. We had dinner downtown and then strolled the streets of the street fair. Dinner was great, the company stellar and the people watching fun. Then back to the Taylors to visit. They have an awesome backyard and we sat outside until the neighborhood raccoon made me nervous. Chanel entertained us. She is awesome and so funny. I can't find the words to express how much I enjoy her and how incredibly funny she is. She needs to take her show on the road. She would make millions. Tomorrow we are off to the beach.....yeehaw.

Vacation Again

Yes it is true. Don and I are on vacation again. Since I didn't bring my journal, I will be blogging our adventures so bare with me. This morning Brent and the little girl (Miss R) took us to the airport and we flew to Seattle. Don's sister Patty picked us up and we went to a great little cafe for lunch. We are very excited to visit with her. We are sorry Harry isn't here to visit. He is on the water bringing the boat back home. We also stopped by the train station to pick up our tickets. Then back to Patty's place to visit. She had to work a little this afternoon. We will visit tonight and then tomorrow we will take the train to Portland to see the Taylor family unit. Interesting side note, my parents took the train 60 years ago from Seattle to Portland. They were on their honeymoon. I don't think the train station has changed since they were there. I am excited to take the train. I have only been on a train once and Don has never been on one. Stay tuned for more adventures.

I Yearbooked Myself

My niece did this on her blog and I thought it was awesome. I did it too. You can too at http://www.yearbookyourself.com

It wasn't easy finding a photo as I don't have any of just me so I took one and cropped it to be just me and these are the my awesome yearbook results.