Getting Ready for Christmas!, 2017

Linda posted a comparison pix of her two daughters and their husbands.  Which one wore it better last year?  I think it was decided they all look great.  When I was shopping at Target today (I can get there on the back roads very easily!) I noticed they had these pajamas on sale.  So cute!

Meagan posted Keira at a cookie decorating party and the girls were singing a song which I did not know.  Why do I not know the Christmas songs anymore?

Eden is helping decorate their home with Christmas lights!  Next Sunday is the Christmas party here on the 10th, how time flies.

You Forgot Your Age?

I keep forgetting to take pictures but worse than that, I forgot my age, I can't believe it.  George, from my childhood, noted in response to my Christmas Card that I had the wrong age on my Letter!!  And the funny thing is I had had lunch with Gary and his Mom Shirley and when we were comparing notes and she said she just turned 83 and I said I was turning 84 in January.  Later than night I realized what I said was wrong, I will be 85! So stupid.  And then George tells me I have the wrong age on my Christmas letter which I have played with, edited and reread several times!!!  This is definitely a worrisome thing.

So far, no one else has noticed or cared or even read it for all I know.  Why do I like to write my card each year?  I think it is more of a milestone to record for me.  I have my Christmas memories since 1960 in books and still like to get them down from time to time and remember.  Obviously my memory is going, so I was wise to keep a record.

Saturday I had a fun day with Linda and Maria, we went to lunch at North County Fair and then drove to Canterbury Gardens in Escondido.  My friend Diane from 7th Ward started that Christmas store when we were still raising our families.  Her one son took it over and it is bigger than ever.  We did not buy anything but so fun looking.

Maria and I went back to North County Fair and did some shopping.  I found out the size 10 jeans do not fit me so have to try some 8s!!!  Maria found a necklace and earrings she let me get her and helped me pick out something for Melissa's Master's gift.

On Sunday James's coworker Gary took his Mom and I to lunch in Oceanside and it was a fun time talking to her mostly.  She showed me her Section 8 housing and it is very nice.  She has a large CD collection also and a Bose to play them on!  Gary told me there is a Bose outlet in Solana Beach I think.  I will have to find it.  The lunch was a Brunch and I had prime rib, haven't had that in like forever.  Another of James's coworkers came to our table and told me I was a beautiful woman.  Nice to hear at any age, even if it was flattery.

The family is back and this is a big house, you cannot hear each other by calling so have to go find where someone is...Sadie keeps hearing something and thinks she is missing out when we are taking our nap or in bed or whatever.  I continue to be up and down the stairs a lot and it seems to be ok for me so that is good.

James started watching "Big Little Lies" on the plane so came to my room and wanted to find it on my Roku Tv and we found it on Amazon but had to pay for it to watch...I now have to go back and finish episodes I missed when we started on his Episode 4.  It is a very well done series though and I think it is admirable that these lady actresses are taking control and producing their own shows.

Post from Hawaii

So today at lunch I learned that Lea and Kelsi are also skateboarders and then comes a post of Kelsi to prove it.

Lea had a friend visit while she was over there, such pretty girls.

Nice Picture of Matt

Nice picture of Matt enjoying the sunset!

Seaworld for Maryanne

Maryanne went to SeaWorld and surfed with Santa!!

Two Guys and and a Gal

So while the James, Camber, Lea, Jimmy and Kelsi  are off in Hawaii for the week visiting Jacob, who is attending BYU Hawaii, I am spending the week with the dogs.  Bear and Sadie know each other from previous visits and are about the same size.  They love to tuzzle.

Hamilton is the larger dog and not so familiar to Sadie.  However, Bear is always barking at Hamilton as if Bear is his boss.  This goes on for awhile until Sadie starts getting after Bear when he hazzles Hamilton.  It is a riot to watch the dynamics of these sweet dogs.  All are very loving.

Now that I have been feeding them for over a week and walking around the property with them a few times a day they are liking me and I cannot sit on the couch without them all competing for my attention.  Bear even likes kisses!

The Brow Bar and Charles Dickens

Saturday, Maria picked me up and we went to the UTC Mall.  They keep adding things and making it a very fun place to be for all things.  We first had lunch at the Veggie place (more about that later) and then to Macys for me to update my Estee Lauder  makeup which I have been buying there for years.

Then we wandered to the brow bar.  Now we all know there are weird changes in old age.  One is to the brows.  They go all over the place and disappear so you have a mess to contend with.  One lady demonstrated on me a brow pencil she thought would help.  Maria captured the result in a pix.  It was fun and Maria bought me the pencil for Christmas, good to do shopping for something someone wants!  Oh, and surprise I had an old Macys gift card in my wallet that paid for my makeup and gave me change back.  How great is that!

By that it was time to go to the movie Maria had selected and UTC has a nice new comfy theater with the lounge chairs!  It was the story of the man who invented Christmas as we know it.  The story of Charles Dickens writing The Christmas Carole and getting it published and sold before Christmas that year.  It was in under six weeks I think.  Great movie!

I was having an unselttled stomach, too many raw veggies?  Anyway Saturday ended well.  However, onI Sunday morning my tummy was in pain and wow, what a blowout I had, the worst in eight years!!!  I have been so careful but eating out all this week, was that it, or was it something in the veggies?  Hard to say but it scares me when that happens.  I will call tomorrow and see if I can get in to see a specialist at Scripps while I am here.  Need some answers.

Thanksgiving 2017

Thanksgiving Day was simple and delicious.  Johnny, Maria, Matt and I ate at Hennessey's in La Jolla.  They had a typical TD menu and I only cheated by eating the cranberry sauce.  We had a lovely dinner and told each other of many of the things we were thankful for in 2017.  It has been a good year!

Then we walked around La Jolla.  The Christmas lights are on and we have had spectacularly warm weather, nothing me in my white!!!  It was a very lovely day.

The Del Mar Scene

I can't believe the time has gone so fast and I have not had a minute to update in here! Maryanne and I got off as planned from Chester on November 20 after my home teacher Joe M came over and helped get the water turned off at both my house and street and put antifreeze down all my sinks, toilets in the house. I would never have made it in time by myself, that is for sure!

Maryanne drove all the way to Ventura where we stayed overnight at her daughter Sarah's house. I got Gavin's bed and Maryanne had a couch. We both slept very well after eating out at a Mex restaurant La Parilla. Enjoyed meeting Sarah and family, such darling boys. We arrived in Del Mar at my son's house around lunch time. No one was home and everything was askew. They were leaving the next morning for Hawaii!

Later in the day James moved furniture around and Kelsi moved some more things out of her room and a cleaning lady put news sheets on the bed and I was settled in Kelsi's room with a nice view of the pool and the sun streaming in.  Should enjoy the winter here!

At night we went to Morgan's Run and had dinner with some new members of the Church and the missionaries.  It was fun visiting with the Mom, she is a digital marketer, and she does it from her home. This was something totally new to me. The salmon I had was delicious! James is the Mission Leader of his Ward and so was treating everyone.

The next day both Kelly and Amy dropped by and I met Kelly's husband Collin and little Charli for the first time. I must start taking pix if I am to remember my life!  Charli is a doll and she has no fear of strangers, I even got the biggest smile ever just as she was to leave. Amy and I talked about my intestinal problems, she is a Nurse! Kelly and Collin helped me set the clock on the microwave and brought in the garbage cans from the street. They are perfect together! So fun to have so much family around!

The next day there was a email from Sarah and pix of her in the Mexico MTC

Meanwhile, I am taking care of the dogs Bear, Hamilton, and Sadie. Wow, more about that later!

The Big Black Birds

I think they are crows and they are definitely big, very big, I was telling the Stewarts about these dozen black birds that are resisting flying south (yes, I have been watching the birds fly south) we appear to be right under their path and I see lots of the flocks passing over at all different heights and anyway, these dozen black birds appear to be having a fun time together and are in no hurry to leave.

This morning I was surprised when I opened the drape and they were all in my back yard pecking away.  At what?  What could there possibly be on that rocky patio or that hard dirt ground with nothing but needles on it?  I wonder.  Surely there are no worms close to the surface when it is freezing outside?  What are they looking for?  They all flew away to the neighbors yard when I opened the drapes.

Sometimes they are swooping around in the trees above and sometimes they are walking all around the street and front yards.  What are they doing here together?  Except for the little birdies who built the nest and had the babies I have never seen such a close knit group of birds around here hanging together for such a long time.

Wish I could get their picture but at the slightest sound they fly, fly away.  How does that song go?  And what does that song really have to do with birds?  Now I can't get it out of my head.  Back from the Ella Fitzgerald days.

Bye Bye Blackbird

Joe Cocker

Pack up all my cares and woes

Feeling low here I go

Bye, bye blackbird

Where somebody waits for me

Sugar sweet so is she

Bye, bye blackbird

No one seems to love or understand me

And all the hard luck stories they keep handing me

Where somebody shines the light

I'll be coming on home tonight

Bye, bye blackbird

Bye bye blackbird

Bye bye blackbird

Nobody seems to love or understand me

And all…

"Hangry" in Red

Lea referred to this as her "hangry" face.  Nevertheless, she sure looks pretty in red with her hangry face.

The Massey Family at Salvation Mountain

The Masseys go on such interesting adventures.  I had never even heard of  "Salvation Mountain"!  And evidently, this Leonard Knight spent 30 years creating this 50 ft by 150 ft tribute to God out of adobe clay.  He died in 2014.  I am curious as to who preserves it and takes care of it.  Quite amazing.

Love those freckles.

What a beautiful sky and sea backdrop for mother and daughter, Salton Sea, I believe.

A delightful picture of the three.  Nico is catching up with Eden, look like twins here.

Love it.

I can't imagine the scope of this place.

I wonder what kind of paint was used, it looks like it will endure forever.  Thanks for all the cute pix!!

Happy Anniversary to Kristi and Mike

A fun trip to San Francisco for a wedding anniversary, 12th I believe.

Great selfie with that view in the back.

Bicycling?  How did they arrange that and is that low clouds over there?

Looks like a fun adventure and they have a third party in the mix there.

Happy Anniversary!

First Day of School for the Stewarts

I told Kristi I didn't get enough pix of her children so she sent me these.  They grow up so fast and change so much, I really love seeing the pix as often as possible.  Here they are all smart and sassy ready for that first big day of school!

Brynn, lst Grade

Kate, 5th Grade

Ryan, 3rd Grade with Kate and New glasses! and Brynn.

So good looking!

Molly, Pre-school, so cute.

My Sister turns 79!

Seems just yesterday she was cheerleading at the ball games!  Here she is with Raina, Sage, and Finn with her birthday card.  This year, besides spending time with the grandchildren, she is also a Foster Grandmother at the Kindergarten.  She gives special attention to those children who need it. Spends 5 hours a day for four days a week, whew....that will age her fast!! 

 Carole and I were both kindergarten teachers and we reminisced how different it is today.  More like first grade, they can read!!!

Interestingly though the classroom sizes are much smaller than California, they were that way when I taught there in 1955 and still the same, only 21 in her room.

Here is her cozy living room, Chris is lucky to have a full time decorator always warming up their home.  The wall decor reminds me of our Mom!!

Talked to Kay

Kay moved to Glendive from Baker when we were in Junior High, that is her with the letterman sweater on...the girl in the kerchief is Deloris who lives next door to my sister Jeanne in Treeo in Orem.

Anyway, for some reason, Kay has been on my mind and so I called her on Friday afternoon and we had such a fun chat.  I meant to see her in Denver when I was there the winter of 2015-2016 but it ended up with just a phone call also.  

The last time I talked to her was early in the year and her husband Al (4 years older? ) was still recuperating from a fall down the stairs just before Christmas last year.  He is doing well now.  Kay also told me Raine and her husband (also 3 to 4 years older) stayed a couple days with them in the spring and they are doing well.  Both of them have been married about 65 years I think.  And then Joanie and her older husband, who they visited in Billings, are still doing well also.  We do have some longevity in my friends from Glendive.

Kay was remembering this trip we went on out in the county where we found a dead horse on the side of the road.  Somewhere I have a picture of me as if I was stabbing the poor thing!

Here are Kay and Al at the 2000 Reunion but I bet they looked just as good with a little more grey hair is all.  Kay has aged very well and they have both stayed so trim!

Story of My Life

Five Months Old

Can't wait to see Charli, what a sweetie.

Jacob, the Surfer

What a great picture of Jacob in Hawaii!!!

Gabriella

Gabriella and Eric F are marrying on Saturday after Thanksgiving.  Congratulations.  And here she is with the huge deer she shot.  Is there anything she can't do.  What a marvel and what a pretty lady.

SCD Know How

 I found a new site that has a lot of new recipe ideas for the Special Carbohydrate Diet, it is called NoMoreCrohns.com and I like the way the author Erin describes what the diet is and why it works for chronic diarrhea.  After years of finding one thing and another that I should eliminate in my eating I found this book a few years ago and it really has all the answers.  I found I could eat quite a few more things after a while but after my bout with all the antibiotics I have had to start all over so am glad to find some new recipes.  Although I don't have a disease I really like all the work she has gone to come up with so many recipes.   Most all the ones I have tried in the  "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" are very good, too.   I made the beans and ham hock and have not tired of them yet, I freeze small portions and I have had no problems with my taco recipe and I eat a lot of tacos with the taco meat frozen in sandwich bags so I never run out.

"The Specific Carbohydrate Diet - in simple terms - was designed to starve out the intestinal bacteria that cause many kinds of pain and inflammatory bowel diseases. These "bad" bacteria happen to thrive on starches and sugars (long-chain carbohydrates). If the food for these critters is gone, then they won't be around to cause us pain.
"The SCD at its essence is a gluten-free, grain-free, lactose-free, and refined sugar-free diet. That doesn't mean that dairy and sweets are out of the picture! Although it sounds similar to a no-carb or low-carb diet, it is distinctly different; the goal with the SCD is to eliminate all long-chain carbohydrates. Short-chain carbohydrates that are allowable come from fruit, honey, homemade yogurt, nuts, and legal vegetables.

The specific foods allowed and not allowed are listed in complete detail in "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" by Elaine Gottschall, which must be read to grasp the major ideas of the diet and specific foods allowed. However, to make the SCD more understandable to you, I'll list some of the foods you can eat while on the diet:

• Meat (with no additives) such as chicken, beef, turkey, pork, and fish
• Cheeses which have been aged long enough to eliminate lactose such as cheddar, parmesan, jack, swiss, and brie.
• Fruit
• Honey
• Most vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, avocado, tomatoes, and many more
• Lentils and Navy Beans (soaked overnight and water discarded before cooking)
• Butter
• Oils
• Eggs
• Homemade yogurt (incubated at least 24 hours)
• Fruit juices such as Welch's 100% Grape Juice, Martinelli's 100% Apple Cider, and Orange Juice
• Nuts (many recipes for baked goods are made with almond or pecan flour)
• All natural Peanut Butter (such as Laura Scudder's with peanuts & salt)

Bacon (crisply fried, once a week)"

I notice there is a conference for SCD in October of 2018 in Massachusetts.  I hope some doctors get there.  They need to know this stuff.

Happy Birthday to Ryan

I don't get to see this sweet little greatgrandchild too often but this winter when I had looootttts of snow they happened to be visiting relatives in Reno and came up and spent a couple days.  They had lots of fun in the snow and I just had fun watching them.

OK, I Am Back!

I used to try and do 30 minutes of dancing as my exercise before I went to bed.  And then I got way out of shape and I could barely do 5 minutes.  And I just did dancing to 8 songs, about 15 minutes so I am going to work up to my goal again of at least 30 minutes a day.  It is wonderful and easy on my wood floor.  Just danced to Acker Bilk music.  I told Carole about him the other day and she had never heard about him either and really liked him.  Joannie Hughs sent me all that wonderful music several years ago, all the oldies plus him...sooo much better than the music of today and so wonderful for dancing.  Yay, I am back.  I have to give credit to the Special Carbohydrate Diet, that is the only thing I have changed in my life in the last few months...feel so good.  And no diarrhea!!!!