Wednesday is my favorite day!

I have been lucky enough to have a very special day of the week for awhile now. It is Wednesday and let me tell you why. Jaxon and Megan and Courtney moved to Idaho Falls several weeks ago and I have missed them dearly. Before they moved Megan was teaching piano lessons to several young musicians at our house. When she came each Wed. she brought Courtney and we had a wonderful couple of hours together! When they announced they were going to move I knew I would miss my special Wednesdays.

Lucky for me Megan decided to keep teaching piano here at my home through December so Wednesdays are still my favorite! The weather has been so nice here that Courtney and I get all bundled up, she sits in the red wagon, we stroll to the park and on the way pass by her favorite apple tree where I climb the wall to get Courtney an "appo, appo, appo".

Some people have pets to keep them company, I'll just stick with grandkids! Miss you Jay!

A Surprise for me on RON'S Birthday...figure that one out!

For Ron's Birthday this year, Ron, Brett, Aubrey & Jay surprised ME by sending Ron & I to Fullerton, CA to see Brett & Aubrey........for Ron's Birthday?!?!?! Along with the trip itself I was surprised...for Ron's Birthday, with tickets to see "Wicked" with Aubrey and the boys went to the USC vs. California football game! It was wonderful company, beautiful weather (we went the week before the fires!) and Jay told me I'm his favorite Grandma named Jill!!! It was a fast and furious weekend...........and all for Ron's Birthday! I'm thinking all the kids should do the same for me on "their" Birthdays! What do you think fellow mother's of the world?

And the Not-So-Cute part of Halloween!

This is him----Chester! AKA... Ethan, Ashley's hubby and sidekick. He plays the part so well it's scary and even Courtney cried and backed away when she saw him at the door for trick-or-treating. Wouldn't you?

Darla...aka...Ashley, Ethan's wife and my daughter was not in full costume for the evening but we hope to get a pic of the two of them together someday. They are hilarious and have way too much fun!!!

The Best Part about Halloween '08!

Usually Halloween is NOT my favorite holiday and I don't certainly don't look forward to the after 8:00 crowd of "kids too old to be trick-or-treating". But this year was different. As you can see our little Courtney Rose came to the door in anything but a scary costume and even though all we got out of her was a faint "tweet". Her ladybug costume was perfect and she tolerated all of our ooohs and ahhhs and the picture taking. The only thng that would have made it better was if her cousin Jay could have been with her. There's hope for the holiday after all!!!!

But I'll admit I have started playing Michael Buble's "Let It Snow" and James Taylor Christmas favorites....but only during the day when I'm the only one home!

The white envelope finally opened!!!

After what seemed weeks, months and years, Tanner & Ron arrived home safely from a wonderful month together in Europe! That was a once in a lifetime experience for the two of them. They came home on Wednesday Oct. 22nd it just so happened that everyone was present for the opening ceremonies! We managed to squeak a 20 minute window of time we could all be here, including Brett, Aubrey& Jay via webcam. I could sense in Tanner's eyes he was experiencing a myriad of emotions and realized "this was it". With so many in the family familiar with the verbiage used in all mission calls, we knew what to expect, all except where and when he would go. He read word for word "you are hereby called to serve in the North Carolina, Raleigh Mission and are to report to the Provo MTC on January 7th".

We are excited for Tanner and now will spend the next 2 months preparing for him to leave. He joins 3 of his other cousins in the Southern states. They must be something right down there y'all!