Some Very Happy News

I checked Bille's blog and she hasn't posted this yet----but since people aren't expecting much from my blog you may never read or see this. But anyway------Bille and Mike are expecting a baby the end of the year, December 24th to be exact!!! We are very excited and happy for them and us. We do love our grandkids.

A Little DeJaVue

Many years ago when "Uncle Slim" was still alive, he acquired some baby guinea hens and peacocks. We watched them grow and become interesting "pets". Because it was impossible to keep them caged in they visited the neighbors frequently. I began to hear complaints of the mess and sometimes destruction they would leave in their wake. When I related these complaints to Slim his reply was, "What's the problem, we live in the country." This unfortunately didn't work for the neighbors. So------sadly the now grown birds were relocated to a place with not so many neighbors. Now more than 20 years later there are once again peacocks and guinea hens in our neighborhood. They don't belong to us but they do spend a great deal of time on our property (and roof). They love the cat food we put out for the cat and they love driving our dogs crazy as they, the peacocks, traipse around on our roof. these birds have been around for a few years now. The neighbors that were bothered by them have been gone longer. The other day a neighbor came by to talk to me about the "birds". It gave me great pleasure to say, "Oh, they don't belong to us, they just spend a lot of time here."

He Is Risen

This is a wonderful video about the reality of the Savior's atonement for us.

Easter is the time to celebrate the resurection of Jesus Christ. What a blessing it is to have the knowledge of what this means to us. His wonderful life and atonement for us gives all of our life meaning. It makes the blessing of family so precious. It brings joy and peace to everyday life.
Iam so greatful for our family; children, grandchildren, in-law children. Extended family and friends. It was wonderful to spend some time with some of them this last Easter Sunday.

Is that all there is?

I bet I can get that one before you!!!

Oooh, this grass feels funny!

Don't take pictures when I am eating!

Nathan, Jacob, Jess, Kadance, Cat and Logan

Thanks to Martha (as in Stewart) I decided to try a one color theme so lots of pretty yellow eggs and flowers. Since I didn't have any grandkids helping color eggs, one big pot and one color worked well for me. I love the sunny yellow!!!

Spring Time and Easter

One part of the Easter fun is about chocolate rabbits and pretty eggs.

Bille and Me

Last week I spent the day in San Francisco with Bille. We went to an estate sale, had lunch and went to the Palace of Fine Arts and the DeYoung museums. We saw lovely things in all places.
In preparing for the trip I got my camera and the battery charger so I could charge the camera at Bille's and get some great photos. Big surprise when I got to Bille's----she was up----not that, she was, I had the camera and charger but had managed to leave the battery at home. DUH!
So Bille took the pictures. You can see the photos on her blog. I am sure they are more interesting than mine would be. She has a very interesting perspective. There is a photo of a chandelier. It was so huge it was too hard to get a photo of the whole thing. The tear drop crystals were bigger than my hand-----it was beautiful.
Of all the interesting cuisine available in San Francisco, by the time our blood sugar demanded attention we were by a place called "Thai Me Up". We lunched there with a variety of burgers, Thai food and other stuff to choose from. The other "specialty" of the place was their video rentals. Actually my BLT and our side of Thai eggrolls was pretty good.
The best part of the day was the time with Bille. It was fun to hang out and visit.

Getting Organized

Saturday morning was designated to get the new closest system installed. My job was to empty out the closest so Reed could go to work----see the lower two photos. I got my job done pretty quickly. How hard is it to drag stuff out and throw on the bed? Nine hours later, with one unexpected trip to the hardware store, the unit was installed and looking good.
The next part of the job was mine-----get all that stuff back in the closet. And I did------minus a bag for the DI (a church equivalent for the Good Will), a few things in the spare room closet and the big plastic bin that had old quilts in it. I love going to my closet to get something. Reed thought this new organization would get me ready for church faster----it only makes the clothes easier to find. Doesn't do a thing for my hair and make up. We will have to find something to help with that, maybe a brown bad. Anyway, a big thanks to my dear husband for all his hard work. Maybe next week we can do the closet next to it!

Friends

Last November Derrell Foote was released from his calling as the President of the Morgan Hill Stake, a position he held for almost 10 years. We have had the opportunity of knowing and working with Lauralee and Derrell for over 20 years. What great friends and examples they have been. As they begin a new phase of life and church service we want to wish them well and thank them for tireless service in the stake and community.

Just before Christmas the Harris family went to Salt Lake with Reed's sisters, their mom Wilma and aunt Norma.

Wade gave us a new look for the New Year. While Reed was in Louisville as Wade's case for a seminar he had the pleasure of seeing Mike Shane who was also participating in the seminar. That was an unexpected pleasure. The expected pleasure was the great results he got from Wade's handy work. Thanks Wade.
My work was done in Idaho------giving me an excuse to stay a week two different times with Wade and Elizabeth and the kids. Thanks Wade------don't you love taking your patients home with you?
We owe a big thanks to Mike Gniewosz for taking the photos. How nice to have a couple of sons-in-law to help you look better!

Happy New Year!!! Since I haven't done a post since January of 2008 I thought I would do a year in review. Then maybe I will be able to keep this up to date.

This is how Reed worked on closing out 2007. Actually this was Christmas day.

When I put my post together last year I didn't have a current photo of Adam and the kids. It took me a while to get them to sit still for this photo------then I didn't get it posted.

February: Reed and I had a little get away in February and went to Carmel. It was lovely just to walk around and eat and be aimless.

I decided to take this handsome guy with me for the getaway!!!

March: Jess and Cat and family were supposed to come to our house to celebrate Jess's 31st birthday.

Turned out Jess was sick-----so we took the party to him. He looks really excited about that.
I have made an ice cream cake for Jess's birthday since he was 10. Chocolate cake and mint and chip ice cream------always. Since his birthday is on St. Patricks day I have to be sure to get the mint and chip ice cream before it sells out.

May: Another birthday----we have lots of them in this family. Reed's birthday is May 28th and Michael's is May 29th so they often celebrate together.

This is Reed the day of the celebration-------he certainly looks festive. We did give him presents too.

June: Another birthday boy. Logan on his 6th birthday. Those dimples are almost edible.

This is Logan's cake but all the guys are excited. Good work Cat----some race track!!!

June.

This was the beginning of an exciting day. Braces are going to come off in an hour. I haven't gotten the "take my own picture" thing down.

Later the same day-------braces off. This was the first, actually second, stage of getting my Grill fixed. Wade is in charge of the last stage, and is doing a great job.

This is how some of the guys do the beach.

July: The girls decided to help me celebrate my 65th birthday with a trip to Las Vegas. I had a business meeting so the girls went with me. Cara flew to California then Bille, Cara and I drove to Las Vegas. Elizabeth flew into Vegas with Devan and we spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday together playing. The girls played while I was in meetings-----we all played when I wasn't.

I really was there but the only picture I had of me was not going to make to this site. Cute aren't they.

July: We were at Cara and Doug's for Clint's baptism. When I went through my photos I could not find one of Clint----how sad is that?!?

Nikki Pilling

Max Pilling - such a happy boy, probably thinking about the tooth fairy.

In case you didn't get it the first time.

Whitney Pilling. Say cheese.

Devan Pilling. No wonder I can't stop kissing her.

August: Adam's birthday. His birthday "cake" is cheese cake. Didn't want to melt the cake so we did the token candles.

August: Ariel came to California for a visit. These two don't get a lot of time together----they had a good time. Grandma enjoys being with them. One day they got on the train in San Jose and went to visit Mike and Bille in San Francisco.

August 17th: Kadance Grandy's birthday. After those three adorable boys we now have an adorable girl.

August: Grandma takes a couple of the boys to the beach. We had great weather and plenty of sand. You should have seen my car afterword.

September: A trip to Louisville, Kentucy. Reed was Wade's "case" for a dental seminar. Elizabeth and I decided to tag along for the fun of it. We did have fun. This huge mirror was outside of the Louisville Discovery Center.

I don't remember what this is but its cute. Dont you love those pjs?

Novembeer: November 8th was Kadance's blessing day. She wore the same christening gown her mother wore. She is so sweet. She has the trademark dimple on her chin.

December: Alex's 13th birthday. Enciladas and chocolate pie. Alex got her braces on in November------I can sympathize.

December: The weather started to turn quite cold (for Morgan Hill) and this dog doesn't have enough fur. So I decided to make him a sweater. In the holiday issure of Martha Stewart there was an article about making things out of felted wool. I had purchased some used sweaters at the DI and washed them until they we felted with the intention of making some cute stuffed toys. The toys aren't finished yet but I got the bright idea of making a sweater of Gizz (short for Gizzmo). It was easy. I just cut a sleeve off, used the cuff for the turtle neck and cut holes for his front legs. I rolled the sweater up because it was too long. For what should be obvious reasons I didn't make holes for the back legs. The neat thing about the felted wool is that it doesn't unravel when it is cut. The dog wasn't too sure at first but later was running around the yard as usual. Gizz is Adam's dog but resides at our house----which is ok since he and Tipp (our border collie) keep each other company. Will post a picture of Tipp later.

Pretty sad when the dog gets more blog than the family!!!

A few photos of Christmas at our house. This is Nathan, age 8. Mikey was taking some of these photos.

Alexandra .

Jess and Cat.

Mikey doing a self portrait.

The end of a full Christmas Day-----a casual meal, looks like everyone is bored.

Bille and Mike being the great aunt and uncle.

Do I really have to eat this ham? It's Christmas!

The Christmas tree a few days before Christmas---------where are the presents? Oh that's right, Santa hasn't come yet.