Christmas 2009

We start with Jesus, after all it's His birthday! So Christmas Eve we went to church, Jacob was the sweetest little lamb and Ray a shepherd, then came the dinner, yum yum :0) The "little girls" spent the night with their hubbies and little Lily, to awake Christmas morn to Lily's joy, of a new riding toy that has more bells and whistles than I can count. Christmas gifts and breakfast, and a walk along the coastal path with Abbey and Jon completed our celebration; onward to the New Year! Maranatha!

Pumpkin Fun

I had fun with Ray and Jacob last week as we searched for just the right pumpkin for each of them :0)

All Things

Calvary Chapel Pastor's Wives Retreat 2009

What a wonderful time I had recently perched on this rock, considering the truth of Ro. 8:28 "And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Sometimes you need to "come away" and spend some quiet time with the Lord and let Him whisper His love, grace and mercy anew in your life, true refreshment indeed!

Mums the Word

Nothing says "Fall" like the beauty and color of Autumn flowers! And for all the women in this family Autumn is a favorite season, with beautiful changing leaves, cooler temperatures, candles, tempting treats with pumpkin and spice and all things nice!

what's new at IKEA

We had good intentions of getting things we needed; Lind's, (looking at light fixtures) Chelsea & Lily (along for the ride) Abbey, (bottomed out because she had guests and couldn't make it) and me? I'm always looking for candles or vases, but alas we had lunch and left with only tea lights! Lily, Chelsea and I finished off the afternoon with cheese and fruit at Starbucks, not a total loss :0)

new beginnings & cousins

Abbey & Jon have made their move to Modesto, a few hitches a few glitches but they made it and Ab is well on her way to making and feathering her new nest :0) I went up to give a little hand on Wed. and returned Sat. evening, staying with Lindsey, Peou and Finn and then went back and forth to Abbey and Jon's place to help unpack. I love that in time of need our family works and comes together, we love and sacrifice for one another, it's who we are! As a mother to these, I pray that I have been that example to my children that well after I'm gone they will be that kind of mother, grandmother, sister or brother for each other. Chelsea and Lily also came up to provide moral support, that gave wonderful opportunity for the cousins to love and smooch on each other, very sweet :0) So blessings Ab and Jon in your new home and on this new part of your journey together!

Remembered

There are few people that come into our lives that we can readily call them mentors or heros but these two folks have been spiritual giants in my life! This pic was taken on July 4th, it would be the last time I saw Marvin on this earth because he went to be with Jesus July 13th. He knew his time here was short but viewed each day as a gift and lived each day for Christ. Yesterday we celebrated Marvin's life with a memorial service in the church I was saved in 36 years ago; Marvin and Louanna have been people that God used to show me what unconditional love and service looked like in the body of Christ and it was a joy for me to testify to that yesterday. I also learned yesterday that the song, Over the Rainbow was Marv's favorite song and it was sung in honor of him; what a joy to know beyond that rainbow, where blue birds fly where dreams that you dare to dream, have come true for him as he walks those streets with the One who loves us most. Thank you Lord for the gift Marvin has been in my life, the strength and godliness he portrayed in every circumstance of life, the spiritual father that would always point me to you, my heavenly Father, in Jesus name, amen.

hola from Mexico :0)

These ships are amazing! We are sailing on the Mariner of the Seas, instead of a "boat" think more of it as a traveling city, complete with restaurants, ice rink, swimming pools, golf, spas gyms, theaters and so much more :0) Ted wants to know when the grandkids would be old enough to go with us, we see little ones and we are reminded of our gang back home and miss everyone, this is a wonderful vacation and we want all the gang here! 
Here is the view of "downtown" with shops and always lots of action going on the ship!
This is the family pool, Ted and I were reminded of taking Abbey and Chelsea on a Disney cruise and all they wanted to do was swim and eat ice cream. (Ted still does :0)) The adult pool is where we hang out now. 
Here we are spiffed up for the Captain's Dinner, I had roast duck, the best I've ever eaten!
O.k, the legs are a bit white but none the less, I'm enjoying "sunning" by the pool with my history book 1776! I'm so GLAD I bought the hat, the sun is brutal at 97 degrees! 

Lily's Funny Video

Lily's growing

O.K., please allow me a few "grandma moments" to share Lily! She is now sitting up, scooting backwards, flips over at will and generally entertaining us with her antics. A couple of weeks ago she found her voice in a new way and just began a long babbling discourse that fortunately grandpa caught on video, we of course were in hysterics because as she was "talking away" her jaw kept moving up and down with her tongue out, it was hysterically funny. :0) Oh the blessings that being a grandma brings, thank you Lord!

Ab & Mom's road trip

Well, so begins our Mom, Ab trip to Disneyland. We arrived Sunday night, taking in the sights and sounds at Down Town Disney, the kettle corn was unbelievably delicious!

Abbey is entering her "happy place"!

I start every new day with coffee, tastes even better in a Disney cup :0)

Abbey pretty in her Snow White t shirt in a Disney garden.

more Disney pics

We hope we need these sun glasses :0)

Abbey loves Mr. Toad

Bring on the sunny day at Disneyland!

Abbey's share of the turkey leg! Yumm-o

Last ride of the night on Space Mountain, we were going soooo

fast, I was worried for delicate bones!

the "New" me

after learning that I have a pretty severe case of Osteoporosis of the spine, and with my wonderful Dr. saying "you will be that bent over old lady if we don't change this course", I need to make some lifestyle changes. I've already upped my calcium/vit.D intake, made a decision to join a gym for "real weight bearing exercise" and now waiting upon insurance to figure out what drug therapy they will cover, and awaiting my consultations with physical and occupational therapists, nutritionists, etc. All this to declare to all of you women under 30 out there while you are still building bone density, eat more calcium and vit. D, for those over 30 do the same and get a bone density test and stand up straight!

May Reflections

David, Esther & Herbie @ Lovers Point

John, Angie, Jack & Cerys at the S.F. zoo

Ted and I loved having 2 dear and sweet English families stay with us in April . Our own Angie, John, Jack and Cerys and then David, Esther and Herbie Blount. There were many comings and goings by the other clan members as well, so the house was full, lively and usually somewhat chaotic :0) After all the happenings that April brought, May is distinctly quiet, (and foggy) reminding me of work I need to catch up on, a life I am called to and a longing for a deeper walk with the One who loves me most. I am going to make prayer and study of the Word a more definite priority as in the words of the Psalmist "delight in the law of the Lord and meditate day and night". I am so looking forward to the fruit He will develop in me. :0)

He is Risen Indeed!

17 of 18 in the garden

Ray, Cerys, Grandpa, Finn, Grandma, Lily, Jacob and Jack

That is the message of Easter, a stone rolled away, an empty tomb. "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen"! It was a beautiful day at Lighthouse Fellowship celebrating the truth of that message and also very special to me to have all my children (but 1, Mikey had to work) and all my grandchildren there with me! Jordan and Chelsea dedicated Lily to the Lord with Grandpa officiating, a total blessing for him! Then came the food, the fellowship and the egg hunt at Michael and Sara's. Michael was home for that :0) A lovely day indeed, does it get better than this? I think not.

a sily poem

I love pink, it makes me think, I want to drink, a bit of heaven.

Filoli in Springtime

Hyacinths and English daisys

Inside the atrium with hyacinths and tulips

There is nothing for removing the Winter blues like embracing the vibrant hues and fragrances of Spring at Filoli; a beautiful manor house in Woodside with sculpted gardens that seem to go and on, the colors restore the gray soul with all the purples, pinks, colors of Spring! A beautiful day for friends and family to share :0)

Kindred spirits

I spent a little time with Lindsey this past week, a full on shopping trip to the City, 2 trips to Baja Fresh including a couple of days of laughter and thought provoking conversations! But I KNOW we are kindred spirits by reading her blog, seeing she has caught the cleaning bug, wanting to be out in the garden etc. I also made it my purpose yesterday to clean off my desk, which included filing those receipts from bills paid that say "save for your records". I counted over a years worth of those stuffed into the "to be filed" cubby! After making 10 or 12 piles of receipts, I asked T if all these should be saved or just thrown out, we decided to save them all, "just in case". From there I moved to my closet, working through each drawer and shelf (and T's sock basket). I think I'm ready to paint something now, perhaps a bathroom spruce up? My garden has already been prepared for the Spring planting, I have lovely violas perking up on window boxes and orchids in bloom, Spring anyone?

The Disney Adventure

Captain Ray after the Pirates of the Caribbean ride

Finn having a Disney breakfast

Lily a.k.a. Tinkerbell flying on a cloud

Rainforest Cafe Birthday dinner for Chelsea!

This was a first, taking grandchildren to Disneyland whilst celebrating Chelsea's 18th and Lindsey's 27th birthdays! The kids behaved wonderfully and we all had a very good time, rain and all :0) Both Abbey and Chelsea soaked up a lot of water in their sherpa lined shoes, trying to dry their feet out with plastic bags over new socks, I think it worked for C but not for A :0( It was really fun to "see" Disneyland and California Adventure through Ray's 6 yr. old eyes, everything magic and excitement. He was always asking , "is this real"? Ted and I many times "manned the strollers" but we found we liked the idea very much, Ray was big enough to ride with Aunt's and Uncle's and occasionally with Grandma and Grandpa. A fun weekend for the 11 of us!

Chelsea turns 18!

Yes , we still think of her as our baby, but it's official, she's now all grown up! We decided to celebrate her special day at Disneyland. Jordan made her "his princess" complete with tiara and sash while little Lily became Chelsea's favorite Disney character Tinkerbell, thanks to the darling costume Abbey made for the occasion :0) More Disney pics to follow soon, Happy Birthday Chelsea!

new Lily pics

Well as babies do, our Lily is growing and changing each week we see her. Her eyes are turning lighter, her hair is filling in, her cheeks are chubby and she has definitely outgrown her newborn jammies! She is altogether lovely :0)