Maria and Melissa in New York City!!!

I really enjoyed seeing all the fun pictures of Maria and Melissa's trip to New York City.  They were celebrating the recent achieving of Melissa getting her Masters Degree!!  Here are just of few of the pix.

I Turn 85!!

On Monday, January 22, 2018 the Masseys came over with a present ( a very lovely wrap around shawl).  I served them some ice cream and cookie pizza from Baskin Robbins.  They had fun on the trampoline and running around the property.  Meagan and I had lots of time for talking.  So appreciative of their visit to me!

 This is one of the fun paths in the yard at the home in Del Mar of James and Camber.

Obviously I am not able to keep up with running great grandchildren.  And I look like a hunched old lady going after them...such as life.

That night we had a birthday party with James and Camber family.

Gary from the apartment also came and brought me these lovely flowers.

It was a very fun day!!  I am lucky to be surrounded by family this year on my birthday.

Rolled Ice Cream with the Masseys

Hamilton!!

To celebrate my birthday, Linda had bought tickets to "Hamilton" which was at the San Diego Civic Theater.  Craig was able to snare the great seats down in the Orchestra Section in the fall in Los Angeles the day before they went on sale to the general public.

It was magnificent. I had first become aware of Hamilton a couple years ago and have the music on my phone and had read both the Alexander Hamilton book by Ron Chernow in 2004 and the book by Lin Manuel Miranda of how it was all put together, I watched the performance that was given in the White House of the very first song written  and then more of the performance on You Tube. It had it's premiere on Broadway January 20, 2015.  It took years for them to write the music and get the whole show together.  This was an excellent performance.  I thought I would have a hard time understanding all the words but I could hear perfectly.

We had a delicious birthday lunch at California Pizza at La Jolla Village and met Maria there.  It was a great day from 11:30 AM until dropoff about 6 at night.  The show was from 2 till almost 5 PM!!!!

Jimmy Gets a Dance Invite!!

Charli and her Mom and Dad

 Celebrating their Anniversary

Such a cutie, we need more pix of Charli!

My Sister's Visit

On Friday December 31st, I pick up my sisters one at a time at the airport and we go to the Doubletree Inn in downtown San Diego.

We went to visit Seaport Village and had fish tacos.  This was our view from one side of the hotel.  That night James and Camber came down and took us to a marvelous Italian Restaurant and drove us around all the happenings at night in downtown San Diego.

The next day we checked into the Hilton at Mission Bay.

      And we ate deliciously at Maria and Johnny's house in La Jolla.  Mitch and Bahia were also there.  The ladies loved looking at all Johnny and Maria have done to their home.

To celebrate New Year's Eve we went to Trader Joes and bought lots of snacks.  This was a first of the ladies seeing Trader Joes.

 On New Year's Day it was very foggy and we stopped at La Jolla Village and went to an early morning movie...very cheap in the morning.  The ladies loved the chaise seating.

Across from the theater was the San Diego Temple so Carole took a beautiful picture of it and us.

Janet did a little dance in the living room of James and Cambers home.

Linda and Gary and Maria and Johnny met us at Milton's in Del Mar for a delicious meal!!

We did lots of eating and shopping in Encinitas and finally got to Moonlight Beach.

Hardy Family in Park City

Christmas with the Hardys, 2017

On Christmas Eve four families came over and each had children of about the same ages!!!  James cooked prime rib and Camber had lots of delicious veggies plus there was lots of salads and desserts.  On Christmas Day the missionaries came over and these are a mix of pictures that were taken.

There was lots of presents on Christmas morning for every one!!!  Including me!!!!

Yea for Jimmy.

Matching pajamas and the missionaries in Santa wear!

A welcoming Christmas at the Hardys for sure!

It was fun watching the four families interact but no picture of me again!!

Christmas Card 2017

As I end my 84th year I am happy to have another  Christmas season to enjoy the story of the birth of the Savior to the World, with all the lights, the music, the gift giving, the Christmas trees, the parties, the movies and the list goes on and on.  The first Christmas I remember was in a small white house in Glendive, Montana when I was about 4.  We walked to the Congregational Church for a Christmas Eve service and then back home, probably in the snow.  We had no car and not much money or possessions but we had five and soon six in the family and there was always lots of love and fun as we shared the wonder of life and Christmas together.

The thing I  know this year is that I probably cannot  tell accurately enough to brag about   my children (3) and their children(15) and their children(8) but I do know that the family that started out as Richard and I in a small apartment in east San Diego in 1959 is now spread out in 15 households, from sea to sea, in various places,  with various  number of members in the household, and doing many different  jobs and education, as they all experience the marvels  of life, with its ups and downs and joys and sorrows and Christmas’s together or, sadly, sometimes  far away from home.  I feel their love and see their beauty as I talk to them on my smart phone, get a text from them or spot them on Instagram, Facebook or wherever they choose to shine.

The only one new to enter this big world was darling Charli, daughter of Amy and Joe.  And no one left this year… and we are all missing Richard and John, who are probably living a more exciting life than we can imagine in their heavenly realm!

Another thing I can tell you is that gathering  2017  pictures for this Christmas letter  took some time.  They are not all in my camera and computer anymore.  And I did have to use one picture from 2015 because some of us avoid picture taking all together.   

This winter I will be with the family of James and Camber and spend Christmas at their home 15036 El Camino Reale, Del Mar, CA 92014,  for those of you  who still send cards (I love them).   I will  be back home in Lake Almanor by April.   I am so lucky to have family in sunny places.  And since all three of my children and some of my grandchildren  live within 20 minutes of each other…think of the possibilities!  Life is Good!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and I am so grateful to still be sharing this wonderful life with you at Christmas time in 2017!