Old Fashioned Game

When I was a little girl some cousins who were older and wiser came to visit. We were the poor cousins who lived on a farm and didn't have any fancy toys! Okay, they weren't any richer than we were, but, they seemed like it to me. Anyway, they showed us a new game and I loved it and so I waited until now to show it, not to my children, but, to the grandchildren. Instructions on playing the game are as follows. Pack flour into a sloping measuring cup, or tea cup. Invert it onto a plate and place a penny on top. Each player has a knife and slowly cuts away at the flour. When the penny drops off the stack of flour the person who made the penny drop has to dig the penny out of the flour and away from the flour with their nose! Such a fun game! Take a long look before the noses go into the flour. See how cute and clean they all are!

Grandmothers come up with the craziest games. The girls loved it! And here we go! Kailie shows off her floured face!

Get the penny Kailie! You can do it! Next time someone else will have to get the penny!

Looks like Rylee had to get her nose into the flour to get the penny. Each time the penny dropped into the middle of the flour we all broke out in loud yelling. Danika (the 5 month old baby not pictured here) began crying. It wasn't so funny to her

Lana got involved also. Actually we played until they all got to try digging the penny out. Then when they were through we made them cookies to eat. Just kidding. We threw out the flour.

Ta-da! Proof of digging in the flour...with the noses! Thanks girls for the great entertainment. I loved it. Maybe we can play again later.

Jordan's birthday

Happy Birthday Jordan! It was a great excuse to get together. Tim, Andrew and I are the only ones missing in the picture. I was taking the picture...Tim is at a meeting...Andrew returns on the 22nd of the month. Isn't this a great looking family!? Look closely, the birthday boy is in the center holding a little boy.

Thanksgiving 2009

I have done it again! I forgot to rotate the picture before I put it on my posting. I just want to see if you can turn your head and still look intilligent! Yup! You did it! Danika seems to get lost in the pictures of all the grandkids, so, here she is. Isn't she cute, too?

The evening before Thanksgiving we got together for a pie night! Yummy! Life is short. Eat dessert first. After pie I had all the kids come with me into a bedroom to prepare a little skit. It was a little confusing to the kids at first. I told them what to do and then we went out and performed it. We put the song, "The Friendly Beasts" on the CD player and the children acted out the animals, Mary and displayed some pictures. It was short and sweet. The version of the song we used was with Bryan Stokes Mitchell and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It is so beautiful.

Just another picture of the children at the end of the skit. Count these little ones...1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. These are 9 of the reason I have much to be grateful for! Their parents and my other children are other reasons for much to be grateful for. Then I have my companion and eternal mate, Tim. Wow!

I really have so much to be grateful for. Each day it seems like I get reminded to be grateful. I have so much.

Today though, I want to remind everyone ANDREW COMES HOME IN 18 DAYS! I am down to pure excitement and tears. Every time I think of him coming home and having all of my children together for the first time in almost 4 years I get a little lump in my throat. Don't get me wrong, I love having sons serve missions for our Savior. But, because of Him, I have a family to love, cherish, be grateful for, and learn from. I just realized I lied. I said I got a little lump. Actually it is a huge lump that pushes up and into my tear ducts. Then my nose runs with my eye trouble.

Cruisin' with Ron and Kathie

Tim and I just got home Sunday evening from a Carribean Cruise. We went with Ron and Kathie and had a great time. We got someone to take a picture in the airport for us! The rest of the pictures are way out of order.

We went to a turtle farm. I love Kathie's face. It mirrors the way I felt when I held the turtle.

Tim just held on and let the turtle flap away. The arms and feet of the turtle hurt and startle you a little.

Tim and Ron showing off their macho image after braving the scary hydro-tube ride. Way to go men!Tim and I before the first formal evening dinner! In case you haven't heard...you are over fed on these cruises.

The group of us on a tour.Same group.Yup! We went to h-e-double toothpicks on our trip. Tim and Ron are even sitting with the devil himself.There was a golf putting tournament on board of the ship. We decided to enter. I will say it has nothing to do with talent. I won the game on the first hole. Lucky shot. I got a medallion even! I won because I was the only one to get a hole in one on the first hole. This road sign just made me laugh every time we went by it. Proof of the golf win. Our towel creature held the medallion.
Tim and I just goofing off on the deck of the ship. I don't know if you can tell, but the decks are wet because we had a lot of rain on the cruise. One of our day trips was cancelled because of rain.
This is how much we wanted to go home. Just read the faces!

Sister's party

This last weekend was our yearly Sister's Party. All my sisters, neices 18 years old and older, daughters, etc... are invited for an overnighter. Sometimes we do a service project, craft, eat (always), sleep (some), and share our laughter, joys and sorrows. This year we gave a surprise bridal shower for Shanon. I think we totally surprised her. As each gift was opened she told us something she loves about Ben. Then whoever gave her the gift would give some wise advice. Congratulations Shanon. Thanks to all the girls who came!

Arlene made Shanon a levi quilt. Curt helped open it. He was so cute watching the gift opening.

The girl in the pink shirt on the couch just married my nephew, Garth this last summer. It was fun getting to know Misty better.

Today Danika came trick-or-treating to my home a few days early. Isn't she cute?! Happy Halloween Danika!

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One of my favorite you tube clips is of Detier Uchtdorf's "Create". This is an inspiring clip to me and has made me think I can do better in my life, so...

Yesterday I hibernated in my home and made a rag quilt. I had a fun time doing it and when I was done I noticed all the mistakes I made. It was a good project anyway and I learned a lot. I may even do another one. Next one will be better.

ANDREW

It is official! Elder Andrew Steven Jennings is returning home from his fabulous mission in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 22, 2009. He will probably speak in church January 10, 2010. We are so excited to be able to see him. His brother, Jordan, hasn't seen him in almost 4 years. I am grateful for the dedicated service of both of these fine young men. It will be great having all 5 children together once again.

57 Days to go...and counting

Conference weekend

General Conference is a weekend I enjoy for so many reasons. I love hearing from the PROPHET! To make this weekend more special we had five of our grandchildren stay overnight on Saturday evening to spend Sunday morning with us. Sunday morning was dark, rainy and wonderful. When the first 3 girls got up we began making some salads for lunch. They washed their hands first! Then when they were all awake they ran downstairs to find their surprise which was Jordan and Nikole were here. They arrived after they went to sleep.
Conference can be a little too relaxing! Kenzie and her grandfather enjoying a little shut eye. One of them is faking it. Can you tell which one?

This is everyone who was here on Sunday morning. I was there! The evidence is the foot sticking into the picture. Yup. That is my foot. If you look closely you see all the little girls are in skirts. Hilary and Tai made them for this weekend. Rylee and Kailie's skirts match and Kenzie and Lana's match. Brielle's match another cousins' who wasn't in the picture.

Nikole got to hold Danika for a short moment. Two sweet girls. The Aunt and the Baby!

My five little girls. I really do have the cutest little grandchildren. The other four not in the picture are just as loved and wonderful. This is just the easiest, so far to have overnight. They go to sleep easy for me and love each other. Wow. One thing I learned from this weekend. Tell your family often you love them. Tell them again and again. I want it to be known here and now I love them all. I will try to tell them more often in person, too.