The Good Life

The nice thing about being away from my home and yard (though I miss them) is that I have more time to read non-stop.  I just finished  "Dancing Water" by Gail Tsukiyama  which Marilyn gave me for Christmas and I will read more of her books.  I am always happy when I find an author I really enjoy.  "Dancing Water" was about a child who had Werner's Disease in which the person ages prematurely and eventually dies at a young age.  It was sad and the whole book only encompasses two days but goes back and plays out their whole life.  Very moving and enriching to read. 

Now I am reading an exciting mystery which I can't put down even though it is about a murder over 30 years before.  I have read over half the book in one day and it is almost 600 pages long.  It is "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson.  I will definitely read more of his books as well.  The book takes place in Sweden and it is fun to know about the places in the book having just traveled to Sweden this last summer.

My eyes get so tired though, I know I need better glasses.  I went to Costco today to see when I had bought these reading glasses and it was four years ago!!!  I can't believe that much time as gone by but I will definitely get my eyes tested and get new glasses.  It will be even more fun to read!

When I saw "Avatar" (which I really enjoyed) I saw that "Dear John" is coming to the screen in January.  It was one of my most favorite Nicholas Sparks' books.  Yea!

Oh, yes, and Nancy Meyers has another hit "It's Complicated!"--sooo funny.  You really appreciate her movies when you watch another so-so movie and see how uncoordinated and slow moving some of them are...

The movies cost way too much down here though--you can buy the whole book for the price of the movie!  And popcorn, wow, that is a whole other issue--movies and popcorn used to be a cheap date which Richard and I had every Friday--not cheap anymore.

Today I also enjoyed listening to the cd my sister Jeanne sent me for Christmas--Susan Boyle.  I knew her singing was good but it is even more pleasurable than I remembered, so good.  Poor Jeanne is in the hospital with pneumonia, we are all praying for her speedy recovery. 

My niece Stephi and her family were here this weekend and I hoped to see them but did not.  I don't drive out at night much anymore and being way out here in El Cajon I couldn't think where to meet them.   I have been gone from San Diego for over 10 years and hardly know where all the favorite eating places are anymore.  However, the sun came out today and they should have a lovely cruise down the coast...Meagan and I really enjoyed our cruise last March.

Christmas, Part 6, Pulsiphers, 2009

Puldipher Home in El Cajon

Around 11:30 A M Christmas Day the Pulsiphers all gathered for the traditional Omelet Party.  They are pretty awesome.  The Valkos and I joined them.  I didn't get many pictures though, unfortunately!

Eventually everyone began to gather in the living room and Amy had everyone playing a game of "What If"--lots of laughs.  It was really funny.

One of my favorite pictures, Melissa and I both look pretty and happy!!

I had seen Kate a week ago in Reno.  When she saw me, she said, "What are you doing in San Diego?"  She is only 3!  She is a thinker...

It was a very fun Christmas Day but on the way out to the car I had a very weird accident.  I was following Linda down the steep driveway when my foot caught in the gutter and I fell into Linda.  However, my head was held tight by her body while my body was falling and the result was my neck was bent severely back and it was the most painful thing I have ever felt.  I was afraid I had broken my neck.  (Greg, Camber's dad, called it 'buttlash'--apt name.)

The girls walked me slowly into the bedroom and I immediately asked for a blessing and ice as I was laid on the bed.  Gary and Frenchie gave me a blessing, which I appreciated so much, and Kristi tucked an icepack into my sweatshirt, close around my neck.  Matt gave me a 800 ibuprofen.  

Bummer, we were off to the movie and now I was going to miss it!!!  Finally, we took off for James' home and there Kelsi, Camber's sister, took over the nursing with ice on and ice off and more ibuprofen--by morning I was feeling fairly normal but my shoulders are still a little stiff.  I don't like this growing old business...  As they say "Old age is not for sissies!"

Christmas Morning, Rancho Santa Fe, 2009

Santa Claus has been here...

Kelsi loved her buggy

Bandido was bored with it all.

Kelsi is quite the clown.

A good Christmas.

Family Love

The older ones watching the younger ones...

The neighbors come to call.

 

It has been a good Christmas.

Christmas Part 5, Rancho Santa Fe, Christmas Eve Dinner 2009

Christmas Eve was at the home of James and Camber.  The Valkos, Camber's family and neighbors were all there.  The food was wonderful and so was the company.

Christmas Part 4, Rancho Santa Fe. 2009

After a delicious Christmas Eve dinner we settle down for the Christmas program at James and Cambers home in Rancho Santa Fe.

In the tradition of the years when my children were little and we acted out the Nativity Story with me narrating and Richard being the donkey carrying Mary to Bethlehem, James is the narrator and Chase is the donkey, Jimmy is the angel,  little Kelsi is Mary, Maria, Matt, and big Kelsi are shepherds and Melissa, her friend and Lea are the Wise Men.

The angel visits Mary to tell her she is going to bear a son and his name will be Jesus.

Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem to pay their taxes and can find no room in an inn.  Baby Jesus is born that night and laid in a manger.  The shepherds follow the star to find the Babe.  The Wise Men, too, have been traveling to seek the Baby Jesus.

The Shepherds and Wise Men visit Baby Jesus and Joseph and Mary for the final scene of the Nativity Story.

Joseph accepts gifts from the Wise Men for Baby Jesus

Jacob and Camber finish off the Christmas Eve with a beautiful Christmas duet.

Christmas Part 3, Salt Lake City, 2009

It was so beautiful at Temple Square with snow falling.  Meagan took some beautiful pictures.

As you can see it is snowing!!!

Meagan and I pose before the Christmas Tree in the Joseph Smith Building.

One of our favorite things to do at our Park City trip is to visit Temple Square.  Linda's family went on Sunday when they picked up Gary at the airport.  

Meagan and I went on Tuesday and also saw the new movie at the Joseph Smith Building entitled "Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration."  I enjoyed it very much but if you didn't know Church History it would be a lot to absorb.  A young man in front of us kept commenting to us that the mistreatment of the Mormons was just like the mistreatment of his Native Americans. 

Afterward I urged him to read the Book of Mormon so he could read about his Native Americans.  He said he had and understood all about the Lamanites.  He seemed happy to have us talk to him.  We thought maybe he was a "disturber" but he ended up just being excited about what he saw.

Christmas Part 2, Park City, 2009

Meagan caught me just as I entered the Pulsipher timeshare for our party!

My  husband's brother Martin and wife Kathy arrived on Sunday, looking very young.  All of their family of five with spouses and children will be at Park City this year.  Very Nice!

The Pulsiphers from El Cajon arrived on Saturday and on Monday we had our annual White Elephant Christmas party--Linda provided the main parts of the ham dinner and Kathy provided rolls and Meagan corn bread and whipped honey butter and I some of the green salad and the rest of the Pulsiphers the dessert.  It was delicious, of course.  Pulsiphers had traded timeshares with the Martin Hardys and were staying in a place to sleep 10 so Matt (Valko) ended up staying with them.  Kelly is hiding in this pix so only one we cannot see.  In the white elephant game I took her cheetah boots away from her to go with my cheetah robe and pajamas!

Matt Valko, the only one of Maria's family to come this year.  We were all here last year.  He will be my companion and driver down to San Diego.  He lives in Tahoe City and works in Squaw Valley.

My daughter Linda and her daughter Sarah look happy for Christmas and how much they look alike!!

Tanner Pulsipher, who is a junior at Grossmont High in El Cajon.

Gary Pulsipher and daughter Amy, who attends BYU with brother Craig.

The last time I had a picture of Meagan (Shang Hai) and Craig (BYU) together is before Craig went on his mission to Brazil.  Craig attended church with me on Sunday.  It was a special service for visitors and featured a family who wrote their own music, played the piano, sang, played violin and cello.  Very inspiring!