The Nutcracker and an Anniversary Get Away

Steve and I got in on the Black Friday specials this year... we found a 2 day get away in Colorado Springs for $45.00 a night... which included breakfast.  We feel as if we got a lot better deal than all those shoppers who stayed up all night.

This was our anniversary present to each other.... not Hawaii yet;an appetizer for next year.. right? It was a nice, much needed,  restful 2 days for us.  We left on Friday and returned on Sunday.

Friday night we went to the Nutcracker Ballet, which was a first for me; I have never been before... I feel as if I have been missing out on a lovely tradition all these years.  It was a delightful evening.  Three special little girls who are the daughters of our friends were in the  ballet, which was what made it the most wonderful of all.   Not only that, but we bought  the tickets at the last minute, but ended up with seats right behind our friends and their family, out of a crowd of so many, that was remarkable.  With that joy to launch us, the Christmas Spirit is rising in us now, and I feel the desire to get the tree out and decorate it tomorrow... if Steve and I can figure out how to get the tree out of the attic now that Steve is "out of sorts". Steve doesn't even think Eddie can extract that tree this time, so we might have to get our neighbor to come over and help.  Hope you have a wonderful week everyone.  I pray the delights that belong to the Christmas Season  be yours.

Blessings, Pam

Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving

I have been praying this week that the Lord would help me make our Thanksgiving Holiday a special one.  I have found it a little harder to get my enthusiasm up this year.  Perhaps it is just because I am tired, and have had a hard time getting back into my strength.  On Monday, I went to a luncheon at my friend Ava's house, where we had a wonderful surprise party for our friend Roxy, whose birthday is this week. Without doubt Roxy was surprised and blessed, and I was blessed as well.  It was just the thing my heart needed to build some enthusiasm and delight for the week.  I think my tank was filled back up, and Ava's hospitality restored my own sense of hospitality.  After the party I went to Hobby Lobby and found a few Thanksgiving flowers and Decorative Pumpkins for 90% off  original prices(that's always fun) and have spent the last two days cleaning, polishing silver, setting the table and decorating.   We will have Luke, Eddie, Olga, our friends Roxy and Danny , and Steve's Mom with us this year. Russ won't be able to come home this year, so he will be missed.  Now all is ready except the Turkey and fixins.  I thought I would recap the joys of these last few weeks as my own little "Blogging Thanksgiving Celebration", and enter the gates of our precious Heavenly Father with Thanksgiving and praise for all the blessings in my life, and with gratitude that he has blessed our lives and our Country with such bounty and goodness.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

 Psalm 100:4

I am thankful for.........

pretty table decorations and...

 polished silverware

Roxy's Birthday 

Old friends (Me on left, then Missy, Amy, Roxy, Lynn, Kathy and Ava on right)

 Missy's wonderful spice cake

Ava's pretty table

My precious Grandson Zane

and

Little  Ezra 

Another precious grandson; driving Grandpa's Backhoe (with a little help from Mom and Dad)

Visiting "Focus on the Family"

With precious Grandsons and...

Old family friends,

(sorry its a blurry one Danielle) 

 Delightful,  golden, autumn days with adorable babies..

Beautiful daughters and daughter in laws,

 and sons and son's in laws

and little Elon

and little Asher and ponies and good friends

And  my gorgeous, man, doing well, recovering and healthy.... thank you Lord;

And for celebrating 32 years of marriage with him tomorrow.... it is definitely Thanksgiving.


My daughter Marie and her hubby Jon are celebrating their anniversary tomorrow also.
Happy Anniversary Steve and Jon and Marie!

Have a blessed Holiday Everyone!

Cowboy Birthday Party

Here are the pictures of the Cowboy Birthday Party.   We had the delightful addition of a little "Cowpony" brought by our friend Donna.  Her name is Daisy.  She was the highlight.  All the little Cowboys got to ride her (with some assistance from Nathan and Benjamin). We had a fire in the  stove outside, hoping for a marshmellow roast, and bales of hay for seats, but alas it became far too windy to continue in that mode; the day started out fairly sunny, but turned very cold and windy, so our delightful outside decorations were abandoned for the inside ordinary; and cowboy hats were exchanged with Beanies but all in all we had a rootin tootin time, and I think Elon enjoyed being the head Ranch-hand for the day.  

Donna introduces Daisy to all.  Himilce and boys and Steve (with Marie and Ezra in background)

Elon wispers to Grandpa asking "is this is the horse that rolled over on you?"

All the little guys gather around to give Daisy some "lovin"

 From left to right... Donna, Zane, me, Asher, Elon (behind) Steve and in upper right hand corner, little Ezra.  Aren't Asher and Zane cute?

 Ezra and Mommy

 From left to right... Zane, Elon, Asher, Donna and of course Daisy.

 Elizabeth and Little Winston are watching.

 Donna teaches each little boy to brush and take care of Daisy.

 Winston is doing a good job... with a little help from Daddy.

 Elon looks quite relaxed as if he has been doing this for years.

 Asher is a little less at ease.

 Since Zane was raised with a  horse Great Dane, he is quite at home.

 Cute even when crying.

"Hey Daisy, thanks for the ride".

 Blowing out candles, and opening presents are always fun even for a tired bunch of cowboys.

Have a great week everyone

Golden Autumn Days

Well, I have been away for quite a while.  It always takes a little umph for me to begin blogging after being away too long.  It has been hectic to be sure.  I hate adding how hectic things are, because it seems like a constant drone or excuse spoken of too often these days... and yet I must say it has been more hectic than I can ever remember.  We have had our own struggles and tragic news of close friends  to  our youngest children... things you don't anticipate hearing about, and things I don't really want to blog about, but have felt compelled to mention, I suppose,  as an obscure way of filling in the gaps of where we have been, and why  my heart has been so heavy.  Then there was also the loss of the father of our two sons in law last month which added to a very sad few weeks;  It is enough to say that life has not been its usual,  since Steve's accident.  The Lord, however, is always good to us.  His grace abounds and He blesses us and comforts us when we need it most.  For us that comfort is found in our  children and grandchildren.  We have had a delightful houseful for about a month now.  Beginning with the visit from Elizabeth and baby Winston whom we enjoyed for about a week, then was joined by her husband, Benjamin.  Next came Nathan and Himilce with Elon and baby Asher, and finally  Marie with baby Zane and baby Ezra.  We were only missing Jon, Marie's husband, who has been in Mexico and Russell who has been out to sea with the Navy.  I don't think I mentioned in my previous posts any updates about Olga, who has come back this semester from Wyoming.  She is going to finish school and work here close to home.

The golden light of Autumn has shone upon us and blessed our brief moment of togetherness.   We were able to do a family picture (the results of which I will post after Nathan works on them a little and sends them our way); a family picnic, and a wonderful cowboy birthday party for Elon, who turned 5 in September.  Here is the little conversation that Steve had on the phone the morning Elon and family got in the car to drive to Colorado

Phone rings.  Steve picks up and says hello.  Little voice on the the other end says: "Hi its me. *!#*!! (un decipherable excitement) something something... Colorado!"

Now if any of you have Grandchildren yet, you will understand  how delighted such phrases as "Hi its me" can be to your heart.  Elon told Himilce that there was no time to stop for breakfast.... nor any other breaks...just go straight there.... I am sure 12 hours of driving was inconceivable no matter how many breaks were  cut.

Nathan and Himilce arrived by car on a Friday evening, and Marie and babies arrived by plane the same night in Denver, whereby I picked them up at the airport and we drove back together, arriving home very late, thus uniting the whole group for the first time in a long time. We had a brief reunion that night, but the next morning was like Christmas itself... all the little cousins together for the first time.  There was noise and laughter just like I am sure we will experience in Heaven... as if we had opened presents all morning... and for Steve and I it was just the same as opening presents.

For 3 and 1/2 days, we were all together, then they began leaving in the order they came; with Marie and babies still amongst us.  We are very blessed.

We have had a wonderful time catching up with each other and various old friends each week (loved getting to be with you Roxy, Amy and Danielle... you were all so good for my heart).    I will post what pictures I can (Elizabeth was sweet enough to e-mail me pictures... I cannot seem to get the pictures taken when so much is going on... but it is exactly the time I wish that I had taken the pictures.. so thank you Elizabeth.  Marie and Nathan will get me some of theirs as well.  Many Blessings to you all. I am hopeful to get over to each of your blogs this week, and catch up with your families, which is always a blessing and delight to me.

Benjamin and little Winston

Uncle Luke with baby Zane

Aunty Olga with baby Winston

Trying to take a family pictures can be a little confusing some times.   Left to right.... Eddie, Olga, little Zane and Nathan

Steve getting around with arm in a sling, and foot in a boot.

"Lolli pops all around!"  Bribery seems to be the only way to get 5 little boys in one picture at one time.

From left to right: Baby Winston 18 months, Asher 2, Elon 5, Baby Ezra 10 months, and Zane 2


Stay tuned for pictures of the Cowboy Birthday Party later this week.