All the marvels of the world...

....can't compare with the sight of a sleeping pup..

Or maybe 2 sleeping pups...

They're trying to catch up on the sleep they missed over the week-end..Doesn't that look like a wonderful thing to do??

I've got the whole lot of them writing on plates...after I had left Brian & Tessa a couple of notes, when they left (while I was at work) they wrote this to us...

I can't seem to wipe it clean..even after I took this photo....

Speaking of photos....I got my hair cut!

Yes, Mr. B was correc...ah...righ...OK, not exactly wrong..

We have this cool program on the computers at work called "Photo booth"...I accidentally "found" it and took these today of my new hair cut...

I think I can start to see the 20 pound loss (so far) that I've had at Weight Watchers...

So, you like the hair?? Easy-peasy...wash....towel dry...add "product"...and GO!!

And, I don't have to worry about getting caught in the rain..or wind...or snow..it's back to being "Industrial Strength Hair"...

As far as I'm concerned, that's at least 30 minutes a day of my life that I just got back.

Hmmm...30 minutes a day x 365 days a year...10920 minutes a year...wowzer.

What can YOU give up that's not worth the time??

-me

Full moons, flu shot and haircuts...

That's my day today...after they've all gone home from our wonderful Verter-thanks-mas Day week-end..


I miss them all already..

...here's Gerri and my granddaughter Alyssa....

... grandson Brian and his (our) sweet Tessa...


....Lisa and April...


Handsome Chris and our April...

Ophelia could not make an appearance this year..so she sent over her contribution..her fresh eggs..lovingly decorated by Oliver, Brahm and Brooks from next door..


The presents were ready and wrapped...with Kobe, Angel and Dot checking them out...

Emily got a beautiful necklace made by Auntie Rachael..but because this was a White Elephant game..didn't have it for long....

Jeff ended up with a set of retractable back scratchers..and he and Rachael gave a "high five"..

Chris tentatively opens his gift..ready for one of us to grab it away...

"Supper's ready.."

Yes, that's beef...prime rib. Yummy with Mr. B's famous smashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet horsey sauce, April's baked beans and my favorite...GREEN OLIVES!

We need to use 2 tables and one is round., and one oblong...so it always looks like an exclamation point (!! )

I don't know what we'll do when all of the kids grow too big for the "kid's table"..Brian used to be there, but now we have to "borrow" neighbor kids for the table..

What a grin! That's Oliver for sure..

Time for the "group shots"!! Chris, Emily, April, Brian and Alyssa

Brian & Tessa

Hear no evil, speak no evil and see no evil...yeah..right..

Ah..all my loves in one place..well, most anyway. Ella and Connor aren't here..but they were in my heart..

Didja ever notice how you "un-pose" as soon as the photo is snapped??

Well, today they all are home. Back in school. Back to work. Back to routine.

And I miss them more that I can express. It's always so hard to say good-bye. And in this economy, we don't know how soon we'll see each other again.

That makes it all that much harder...

But, even though it was quick, and tiring on the travelers, I wouldn't miss one minute of it..

..any minute I can spend with my family is worth all the good-byes..

But it's hard. So hard.

So, it's full moons, flu shots and haircuts...back to routine..back to "normal"...and a heart full of great memories.

Hope you enjoyed them as well.

-me

Rudolph the Red Nosed Turkey..

Yes, it all started out with this....from Brian's Facebook site...


Seems Tessa (his darling girlfriend) was board in her ASU classes and, because all college students have laptops in class (where was this when I was scribbling notes on the insides of my wrists??), was able to "draw" him this picture..

Well, I saw it and loved it..seems she's taken to this whole "Thanksmas" thing with our family - this is her 2nd annual Thanksmas with us..and she fits in like she was always here...


So, they had plans to go to the mall while I was at work and look what they brought home from the Build-a-Bear? (should be called "Build-a-Anything"...)

Yeppers, Rudolph the Red Nosed Turkey!

If you squeeze his little wrist, it plays "Jingle Bell Rock".. he will definitely be back every year as our special guest...Well, especially after the sad passing of Sparten Farkles....

Did I not tell you that story??

Oh, well, go get another cuppa and let me tell you...

A couple of years ago we had another stuffed turkey (and I use that term lightly) visit us for Thanksmas...and we couldn't think of an appropriate name for him...

He hung around with us for several days..cute little buggar...

Then, while little Emily was making cards with some glitter Grammie had around, she spilled some on her little plastic chair, unbeknownst to her...

When she sat down, the glitter POOFED all over the back room...and I said, to no one in particular, "it looks like she's fartin' sparkles"...

Her Dad, Chris, got this look on his face...followed by a big 'ol smile and said...

"That's it! Sparten Farkles !!"

It took us all a minute to figure out what he was referring to - we thought he may have developed a case of Tourette's Syndrome..

And so it was...the little stuffed turkey, Sparten Farkles finally had a name...and went on to become a big star of stage & screen...or sailed to an uninhabited island...or won the lotto and moved to Tahiti...or is working at Chick Fillet...just went missing..

We'll never know..maybe the fame was too much for him. Let's just hope that Rudolph the Red Nosed Turkey will have a happier life...

(kinda makes it hard to enjoy that turkey dinner, huh? Oh well, we had...............PRIME RIB!!)

-me

Save a turkey...eat more beef....

Thanks-mas is going to the "dogs"...

Kobe scores the ball from Emily

"Thanks-Mas"..for those who are new to my blog, or have not heard the story, let me explain...

We have family so not close to us (in distance not in heart) .

As in other states.

Not Utah.

And, because we wanted to see the kids and the grandkids open their presents, and they wanted to see us open theirs, we decided to have "Thanks-Mas"..a combination of Thanksgiving (which many of my family travel to Utah to have with us) and Christmas (the holiday where you'd love to have the kids, but they're grown and have their own traditions, experiences, etc.) at one time.

Gorgeous Kobe - with snow all around his collar...

So, it's turkey on Thursday, then Black Friday shopping for the girls, and breakfast with the men at about 10-ish - then off to see Wheeler Farm, or Thanksgiving Point or Gardner Village.

The evening is like Christmas Eve - a scurry of wrapping, giggling, talking and card playing.

Saturday morning then becomes "Christmas" with all meeting on the family room - in Pj's - and opening presents and playing the White Elephant game. "Christmas" dinner is served, pie eaten and bags packed for the Sunday departure times.

Sad times. Very sad times.

Ever tried to play "catch" with a snowball??

Well, as the grandkids grow and get jobs ( many in retail..or banking) fewer are getting the Friday after Thanksgiving off.

So this year, to have the maximum number of kids and grands able to come, we moved "Thanks-Mas" up to the Veteran's Day week-end.

How does Veter-Thanks-Mas day sound??

And, as families grow, so does the pet population. April & Chris had a friend watch their 2 dogs ( Riley and Sophie) & 2 cats (Ty and Tiki), and Brian & Tessa drove from the Phoenix area with Kobe- pictured above.

He's a beauty of a Healer-Lab mix that is just a pup - but mannerly and sweet as can be.

Auntie April tries to give kisses to Spec - Lisa's little "couch hugger"

and no, she didn't get one...

Then there were Dot and Spec..2 more Arizonians of my niece Lisa's. ( Bishon Frese and Maltese mix)

Curly little balls of fur.

Oh, and pretty little Angel, a Cocker Spaniel of Lisa's friend, April, who finally got to join us this year.

Here's Spec and Angel with Auntie Rachael

Emily, Grammie, Braxton, Alyssa, Tessa and Brian

So, if you're keeping count, adding in Braxton and Lulu, we had 6 dogs.

And one cat, Bones, that lives with Grandma Evelyn downstairs.

And, yes, if we could have, we would have had more.

Maybe we can borrow Ophelia, the Urban Chicken that lives next door...

Handsome Lulu Belle and pretty Mr. B...I mean...ah..you know what I mean..

Sweet Spec...


Lisa, Spec, Angel , Dot and April

It was a bit rough on little Lulu, the Princess Warrior... but she did remarkably well..sharing her Mom & Dad... her floor... her window... her people.. her couch...her air...however...

DO NOT go near my bones, toys, blankies, socks, treats, food or water. My pillow, my bed or my leash. My park, my sidewalk, my street. My hydrant. My park bench.. My sticks, my rocks, my grass.

More photos to come of the other parts of the family..and to share with you our fun, food and festivities.

And, Lulu said after that...NO MORE SHARING. Ever. Again. Never. Nada. Nope. Not even.

Until next Thanks-Mas

Have a good Tuesday. And thank your pup, gerbil, fish, cat, rabbit or horse for being so kind and good. Maybe with a lot of practice and study, we can be more like them.

-me

We're just a scurry of activity here...

Company's comin'...well, not exactly "company"..family's comin'!!

So, you know that won't be me...cooking...with a smile on my face...and in a dress...

... with heels...and boobs..

Oh, I may look like I like to cook. I may even read a few cook-books. And I own an apron, or two or 3..

..but this little beauty? Oh yeah...did I ever tell you about my most amazing neighbor, Jenny?

She is the queen of pies. And jam. Pies and jam. Oh yeah.

Well tonight, knowing we are expecting family for the week-end, Jenny brought over this beAUtIFuL pecan tart...with the crust so flaky and light..it was like it wasn't there.

Each pecan placed individually in it's own little place...almost too pretty to eat..

Yeah....right...have we met??

ah huh...I had some..oh yeah..Weight Watcher's isn't until Tuesday..and I can live on water for at least 2 days prior, right??

And, the answer is yes...it was totally worth it. Scrumptious!

Oh, and Mr. B finished the hallway...and the topper? Put this on the pantry door...

And, no, he will not be allowed to put one on the bathroom door...The Crapper..I don't care how pretty the font is...or how much he says he's going to...

Have a wonderful week-end. I'll try to stop by for a minute when I can..

-me

"What a difference a day makes...

...24 little hours "

...or so the song goes..

Lulu is rather stunned....not unlike myself...

"Wha.??"

"MOM... What's this stuff??"

You did NOT just say snow..!! Oh no, you did-ent!!"

42 inches in Alta Ski Resort ...about 10 miles the canyon

Powdered sugar?? Nope. 11 1/2 inches at our house...

Pink skies at sunset...and the reflections on the pavement - who'da thought that'd be so pretty??
You know, I do rather look forward to fall. I finally get rid of my summer-bummer uglies...Crocs, crop pants. T-shirts. No make-up. "Industrial-strength-short- hair"

Ah yes. Fall. Cute little sweaters. No too heavy. Whole pants. Sassy little boots. Make-up that doesn't melt off...actually taking time with my hair..using a curling iron for goodness sakes!

Crispy-crunchy leaves...Hmmmm..

Yeah, I do like fall..

...only this year, it was about 17 seconds long.

And then there was today..., snow boots. Hat-hair. Big fatty-pants that you can get long Johns under.

Going to your car a good 30 minutes earlier just to scrape the snow off. Snow hair. Red runny nose.

And, after a long summer and a too short fall, EvERyONe forgets how to drive... news reports over 100 fender-benders today..

Geesh. And I was looking SOOO cute.

Ah well. I'll be a totally adorable Grammie in about another 11 months. Until then...well now we know why all the cute bears .........hibernate...

-me