Saying Goodbye is So Hard

This is Betty.

Or, maybe you know her as Elizabeth.

Or, Betts.

Or, Grandma Betty.

Or, Aunt Betty.

But no matter how you know her, she is still my sister Elizabeth Walker.

And she moved.

For almost 3 years she lived right next to us. We shared more than just a cup of sugar from time to time.

As we all must move on to new adventures in life, she took her adventure up north to live near her kids.

I miss you Betty! And good luck with your new adventure!

Do You Have a Movie Group?

What girl doesn't want a group of friends to watch good movies with?

Well, I've been lucky enough to enjoy some fun movies with this fabulous group of women! Lunch is included, too!

Movies we have watched:

How to Steal a Million

Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer

Notorious

Lost in Austen

Strictly Ballroom

Laura

Friendly Persuasion

Charade

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Move over Darling

My Favorite Wife

What's Up Doc?

Woman of Substance

Unfortunately, since Betty moved the Movie Group has fizzled.

Anyone up for good movies?

Ringing in the New Year 2010

Guess where I started off my new year??????

Thanks to my dear friend, I was granted a job as "driver" in my favorite place on earth....Hawaii. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it!

I mean, waking up to THIS every day, was a little hard to swallow!

Here we are at the Waioli Tea Room having tea with friends.

Here is my sweet Kailua Beach. I had to cleanse this beach since Obama was just there before me. "Get off my beach buddy!"

North Shore Turtle....love these little guys!

This is our beach house we stayed in! Thanks Debbi!

Macky's Shrimp...to die for!

Debbi and Maci building sand castles.

Noah and Mike, Matt and Delea

I love this place. It's a little piece of heaven on earth. Thank you for this gift Debbi!

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS.....

We love Christmas at our house.....

Nativities the grand kids can play with....

The Stockings were hung...

Merry Greetings....

Nana and Papa's Tree...

Snowmen from around the World...

Why we celebrate....

OKAY, MOVING RIGHT ALONG......

"TIS THE SEASON"....Now that Thanksgiving is over (I love Thanksgiving!) and it is December 1st, I mean please, what is taking me so long to get my Fall/Thanksgiving decorations down and my Christmas decor up and ready ?? These stockings...have been keeping me busy and behind just a bit....The story behind these "fun, cute and the gift that keeps giving, stockings"
is.... I saw them years ago at my sister-in-law's home,(like 1988-ish) had to have the pattern. So, then everyone that saw them at my home wanted one. I decided to start making them as wedding gifts for close friends and family. I thought that would be the end of it, but no, all the newly married couples started having babies and of course they would need a "fun, cute and the gift that keeps on giving stocking" for all their babies...so the rest is history. Every year, the first week in November, my daughter, Natalie and I get all our orders in and make these, "fun, cute, and the gift that keeps on giving, stocking". We love it and have enjoyed our tradition making event...and that's my story. What do you think about that???

These are just a few I made this year...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY.... Here is how we started our day....Natalie and Brig were in a mini-Triathalon( 2 mile run, 12 mile bike ride and 400 meter swim)

And then Thanksgiving dinner(over 20 guests) and a celebration for Ken's birthday....

May I always remember my many, many blessings each and everyday, especially on this day of Thanksgiving....Love and best to all!

Happy Birthday Sandy Rodriguez!

SURPRISE! It is your birthday and we came to celebrate with you!

It was my sister, Sandra's birthday, so with the help of her husband, Bob, we planned a surprise trip to be with our sweet sister, SANDRA. It was a great time and we are so glad we did it! Sandra, you're not getting older your getting better....

Sisters at Church-Donna, Gail, Sandra, Elizabeth

Sandra and Bob with Sandra's awesome (Shutterfly)

Tribute book, her son made for her.

It always seems to find us!!

What would a visit without shopping be? BORING!!!

Or pedicures......

We love you Sandra....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

We had a great time...it just went by too fast!

THE WEATHER IS CHANGING!!!!

HALLOWEEN THROUGH THE YEARS...

(I have so many more photos, but they were before the days of digital)

Elle- Care Bear- 2003 Brig- Harry Potter- 2003

Tatum - Cow girl- 2008

Elle - Minnie Mouse

Ken and Donna- Rhett and Scarlett- 2007

Doctor Brig, Samurai Ken, Cowgirl Elle 2008

Samurai Ken and Geisha Donna

Cowboy Dallin

Ken as a "tourist" 2009

Our home is ready for the change of weather....FALL is in the air.....

HAPPY FALL TO ALL OF YOU.......

Good-bye to Summer!

Let's say good-bye to the Summer of 2009....

Sept.21 is officially the last day of summer, which might mean cooler weather to most people, but not here in sunny Arizona...I like saying it is the end of summer because, I think that it might make the weather "seem" cooler, but it doesn't. It's just a tease that cooler weather "may" be around the corner. So, with that in mind(mainly because I need a theme for this blog spot and for journal purposes) I wanted to download photos from this summer...kind of like a "photo journal" to say, good-bye. Before I started the search of my summer pictures, thought I wouldn't have but a few, thinking that this summer wasn't very busy, but I guess I have a short memory loss, because we really did have a busy, fun and memorable time (these pictures are not in chronological order as blogger will not allow me to move the photos...dang! I don't know why it just isn't working!).

Here is our Summer of 2009 in review:

Cousins at the Bates reunion-June

l-r: Amy, Jarond, J.Hyde, Kevin and Greg

Brigham with his brother, Rigdon(on the right of photo) and his cousin, Cooper-Sept.

Alyssa and Amanda in Hawaii - May

Ken with 4 of our 8 grandchildren just hanging out at our home

Dallin turns 3 in August.....

Bates Family Reunion-June-sisters, Elizabeth and Sandra





Swim meets with Brigham...he had a winning summer!

Elle turns 8, goes to Disneyland with Nana and Papa

and gets baptized-June

Family Fun week Michael with Hunter and Brandon...July

Ken with Rigdon, Michael with Cooper-August

Gail, and Donna on beautiful Kailua Beach -June

Grand Lake, Colorado at Gail and Hyde's cabin - August

Grand Lake with Hyde and Travis-August

Grandpa Schaub's Funeral -July

At Grandpa Schaub's grave site

Brandon at the Schaub Family Reunion- July

Hunter at the Schaub Family Reunion-July

Ken and Donna at the Snowflake, AZ temple....

I can't say that the summer of 2009 is my favorite summer, but as I look over all of our pictures, there are fun memories, sad feelings, but mostly a lot of reflecting and realizing what great blessings I have. I could never feel right about complaining or being ungrateful, when I know all that I have be given is so wonderful! Good-bye, summer. I'm looking forward to what the Fall of 2009 will bring...it will be interesting I am sure!

HAPPY FALL, TO ALL OF YOU!