Thanksgivng 2010

We enjoyed turkey, dressing, , sweet potato/apple casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and Lea's baked beans, fruit salad and rolls - plus pumpkin pie for dessert. My favorite was the baked beans - yum!



Mazy playing in the family room. She sure smiles a lot!



Playing peek a boo on the couch:)



Mazy tried on her Christmas dress to make sure it fit, then ran around for fun!


Our home was so much more lively with Mike, Lea, and Mazy! Glad you were here:)

Fun at Home and at The Magic House

I got to spend a 4 day weekend with Mike, Lea, and Mazy!

Playing with sticks and leaves at the play area right by their apartment.



The slide is great entertainment!

Climbing and peek-a-boo :)

The Magic House is a St. Louis hands-on adventure for kids! Driving - fun!




Fishing with Daddy.

Taking care of baby.


Static excitement!
What a cool place to visit. It's fun exploring the St. Louis area!

Visit With Mike, Lea, and Mazy

We went to a ward cook-out at a farm - including a bonfire, stories, hot dogs and hamburgers, and a hay-rack ride. The weather was still so mild - nobody froze!

Watching the entertainment.


Mazy is opening her foam letters from Grandma - we had fun sticking them on the side of the tub during bathtime! She kept her little pig tail in for a while:)


On Columbus Day we went to a sculpture park. This was inside the cat at the entrance.



And this is Mazy looking out the window with her cool sunglasses on :)



And this is the HUGE eyeball sculpture complete with arteries drawn in by the artist. Mazy thought it was a big ball for pushing, but it just wouldn't budge!


There were many other big, unique, metal structures to explore!

It was fun to "get away from it all" for a few days and spend some laid-back time with Mike, Lea, and Mazy. The weather was still summer-like even in October - I'm not looking forward to the fall chill!

What Have I Been Doing Lately?

I went to the Nauvoo Temple and also stopped at various favorite spots.


The end of Parley Street. Some of you reading this will remember walking here after the prophet suggested we do it following the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple. This is where the pioneers crossed the frozen Mississippi to escape.


Well, I'm not quite sitting in the rocking chair yet, but I'm loving the role of grandmother!
I love the statues in the garden behind the Visitor's Center.

Joseph and Hyrum statues. The background of the Mississippi River is very pretty and unobstructed by buildings now.



I also bought a new car! I know, I know, it looks a lot like my Caravan - exactly the same color, but it is a Honda CRV. I didn't really need the 7 passenger vehicle, but I like to sit up high, so this seemed perfect. It gets good mileage and has great safety ratings, so I'm happy:)

The weather is so beautiful right now. It cools off at night and we have been having lots of sunny days. My garden is still producing tomatoes and cucumbers - I have to give most of them away or I would be overrun! School is going well, so anyway, life is good:)

St. Louis Zoo

I was able to spend a few days with Michael, Lea, and Mazy when I flew in to St. Louis from Salt Lake City last week. We braved the HOT weather and went to the zoo one morning. It really is a wonderful place to go especially with Mazy who, at about 15months old, loved all the animals!


Wish I could go in there and touch him!


These monkeys/chimps were right next to the window eating lunch:)


The penguins were really cute as you can see by Mazy's reaction!


Plus, the exhibit was really cool - literally - the penguins were so cute marching around!



Chillin' with Grandma - I was holding the camera with one hand - not the best shot.

So my travels are over - it was so fun visiting kids and grandkids!!

When I turn the calendar over to August, I will have 12 days until school starts - pffffft!

Jack's Blessing & Visiting in Provo

My "cross country "trip in the Caravan wasn't too bad! I drove 10 hours the first day then 11 hours the second day and made it to Salt Lake where I stopped off at the Church Distribution Center. Then I joined Brian and Megan and her family for dinner at her uncle's house in Alpine, UT. I had never been to Alpine before. My GPS took me over a mountain which turned out to be the scenic route:)

Jack continues to be a very happy baby. One night he slept for 6 hours straight!



Jack is all dressed up and on his way to church for his blessing:)

Brian gave Jack a beautiful blessing on Sunday, July 11, 2010. Also in the circle were Rob, 2 of Megan's uncles, and her brother Brian. Megan's Aunt Angie invited us all to Alpine again for lunch after the blessing.



Claire is always fun. Here she is enjoying Grandpa McEwan's favorite ice cream from the Creamery at BYU:)



Playing peek-a-boo with Grandma at the jungle gym in a park near her new home in Provo

Trying on Grandma's reading glasses:)

Putting on "lips" - Grandma had way too many lip glosses and Claire knew where all of them were.

Going through Grandma's purse - always an adventure!



Today is Saturday already! We went to the Bean Museum and saw all the animals. There was even a reptile show. Then we enjoyed Red Lobster for a late lunch. Yummm...

I love summer vacation!!

Bermuda / Bahama cruise

We enjoyed our cruise, which left from Cape Liberty, NJ going to Bermuda, Bahamas, and Coco Cay. This one was more relaxing, more sea days, and beautiful weather.
I had never seen the Statue of Liberty so I was pretty excited when we sailed by it even though it wasn't close up!


Every night there was a new towel animal to make us laugh:)

This one was wearing my reading glasses!

These are the homes in Bermuda with white roofs. Supposedly the residents collect the rain water that comes off the roof, which is made more base (instead of acid) from the material the roof is made of.

We are at the top of an old lighthouse at the very northern tip of Bermuda.

Evening on deck is a favorite time - warm with a little wind - so pleasant!

We did lots of snorkeling and sailed a small Hobie Cat one day. I don't take the camera with me when we go out on excursions and to the beaches etc. so no pictures, only the ones in our memories!