Merry Christmas!

From our house

to yours.

It's definately a cold and white one for us! We miss everyone, have a great day!

Just the beginning

The forecast is snow for the next 5 days or so.


Cleaning the path for the chickens, so they
can get to their food.

They really don't like walking in the snow.

Merry Christmas

Christmas is on its way *!* I am so tired...You should have seen me carrying all of these packages into the post office. I pulled in and started putting boxes on the curb and a nice lady and her daughter asked if they could help me carry them in. That certainly helped a great deal. I am glad they are on their way to their new homes. Don't forget, Do Not Open 'Til Christmas!

Happy Birthday, Marlene!

Marlene was born 10 December 1948. Happy 60th Birthday to my big sista out there in Arkansas! These are some pictures that my Grandma Butler had of Marlene. Glad you're part of the family!

Age 1

Age 1

Age 2

Age 4

Age 6

Age 18, I'm glad those glasses went

out of style!

1974

We are Sooooo excited *!*

Say Congratulations, Grandma, we're having TWINS *!*
Check out Brandy's blog.
www.ohanadreams.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday, Wayne

This week is the anniversary of my brother Wayne's birth and death. Wayne was born 9 November 1951, and died 12 November 1963. My father said that he was not given oxygen after he was born and the consequence was cerebral palsy. I want to share a few photos of him during his short life on this earth. Wayne was well loved by our immediate family, and I remember the expressions of love of our extended family as well. I think of him often and send him my love. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the knowledge that our family is eternal. Happy Birthday,Wayne.

Spring 1952.

Wayne at Roeding Park, Nov 1952,
shadows of mom and dad.

Mom and Wayne, Rickey, Dad and I, March 1956.
Wayne is 2 years and 6 months older than me,
but he was always very small, due to the
muscle atrophy.

Mom and Wayne, May 1963

LUVRGBS

Grandpa Holiday says when his first grandchild, Lyndsay was born he called her his GB. When we moved to AZ in 2002 I decided we needed a personalized plate. Few people can figure out what it means. We have had people follow us into a parking lot, just to ask us what our plate stands for. We do love our grandbabies, so we want to advertise (or brag)!

Gracie

We have a beautiful new granddaughter! Gracie Renee was born on Tuesday, October 7th at 4:14 am, 7 lbs 1 oz, 20 1/2 " long. Gracie is the daughter of my son, David and his wife, Julia. We are so happy to welcome her into our family. I drove to Albuquerque today to see her and take lots of pictures.

David's baby picture

Julia's baby picture

Who, me?

Thanks Abby for the Award! I do enjoy making those baby blankies and burp cloths. I love having wee ones in my arms all wrapped up and snuggly.

I shall have to pass it on to the Dadhood. His creativity, mostly through words, keeps us all in stitches (most of the time).

Pumpkin Farm

Yesterday, we went to the pumpkin farm, just north of Sacramento, CA. They have built cute little storefronts
to look like a town, hayrides, a train, petting zoo, little shops, and lots of fields of pumpkins of all sizes.


Asher had lots of fun feeding and petting the goats,

going on the slide,

making funny faces,

and climbing pumpkins.

Frogs and Fireflies

This is my first pieced quilt. I bought the fabric at least a year ago. Just finally finished it before this trip. My daughter Brandy bought me an airline ticket so I could go see my grandson, Asher, and spend time with her family. I think he loves his new blanket. It was fun to make and I am happy with how it turned out.

We have been having a great time, and I can't believe his vocabulary. Yackety Yack, all the time.

7 Random Things Meme

1. I married my husband in the Albuquerque Temple
5 days after we met. Yep, I said 5 days.

2. I could watch the same movie (one of my favorites) once a week for the rest of my life. Silly, I know, but I could and would if I had time.

3. I hate to throw food away. I like everyone to eat all the food on their plates. I'm not sure why, probably due to having to do without, and I despise waste, especially since someone had to work so hard to buy it. I'm glad we live in the mountains, now I put all the leftovers out for the skunks, and they finish it all up.

4. I can sit at the computer and do family history research for hours upon hours, searching censuses and other records. Don't plan on anything getting done in the house, which I never used to let go. I have to tear myself away or get everything done before I sit down to work.

5. I can only eat fresh mushrooms, preferably sliced and lightly cooked in butter. I cannot stand cream of mushroom soup, or pre-cooked mushrooms. They taste like I am chewing on a rubber band...yuck.

6. On the other hand, I actually used to like and eat liver and onions before I met my vegetarian husband.

7. I earned an all expense paid trip to Oahu, Hawaii in 1990 by winning a nationwide data entry contest offered by the company I was working for at the time. Eight days and seven nights totally paid for and a gift of $1,000.00 to boot for spending money.

All who may read this please add the meme to your blog and let me know so I can get to know you better!

Raffle for Callie

My sweet little cousin, Callie Butler (20 months old) is still in the hospital in Phoenix. There is a raffle on her big sister's blog at http://ourhappynest.blogspot.com/. Go see what is on auction today. Our prayers and thoughts are continually with this little sweetheart.

One of my well-loved baby blankets,
and a dozen burp cloths is up for auction.

In the future I will be posting some of these

on ebay, in a variety of colors.

100% cotton flannel, double sided blanket,
approx. 44" x 44"
6 burp cloths, double sided, approx. 11" x 22"
Pre-washed and double rinsed, ready to use.
Great colors for baby boys and baby girls.
1 blanket and 6 burp cloths, purchase for $35.00.
1 blanket and 12 burp cloths, purchase for $50.00.

Plus shipping, using flat rate box, priority mail.

(right now I think that shipping price is $9.80)
I'll check on that later.

1 blanket and 6 burp cloths.

Lonely Days Ahead

The Dadhood goes back to work tomorrow. As much as I love him, I haven't gotten much done this past week with him home. My fault to be sure, I just enjoyed sitting and talking with him, and doing more genealogy research.

Our little squirrel has been back taking as much seed as she can ... haven't seen any baby squirrels yet though.

Little Thief

We have lived here 6 years, and have only seen 2 squirrels in our yard.

We have had a new guest in the back yard since June 28th (date on 1st picture). She is a 'Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel'. We thought she was a chipmunk until I checked google. Chipmunks have the side stripes going from their eyes all the way down their side and back, and golden-mantled squirrel's are larger and only have stripes on their back or sides.

See her tummy laying on the rock?

She was fatter when we first saw her so we figure she was going to have a litter. She would go and collect straw and other things to take to her burrow for a nest. We saw her through July 6th and then she was gone. We thought she must have moved to another yard, or was picked up by a hawk. But then, she showed up again on August 9th ... a lot trimmer. We have watched her the past week or so, coming up to the bird feeder in the tree out the window. Filling her cheeks with seed and then running to the back of the yard and disappearing under the pile of old yard trimmings and pine needles. She actually jumped from a rock at the edge of the patio up 2 feet to the platform we have set up for bird seed. I hope the babies come out soon so we can enjoy their visits.

Click on the pics to see how fat her cheeks are!