Chloe and her fashion statements.

Checking out the shoe catalog.
Chloe has her own fashion sense, and today it was coyboy hats.

Great Great Grandma holding a new generation of great great grandchildren. As of today she has 8 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild. (Way to go Mom!)
The 10 month old is trying to give the 5 month old his binkie.
Precious Scarlett
Chloe in her Santa Dress
The grandog, Sage
Cari and Scarlett
Shana and Chloe

"Bampa" carving the xmas turkey (oh my, there is just the perfect oppotunity here for "xmas turkey and Don but I won't go there, haha).

Fun Holiday Memories

Well now that xmas holidays are over, it's time to KICK BACK AND DO NOTHING! HAHA I wish. Actually today was a nice day. It was a day to get my "nest" in order. Xmas eve we had the kids and families over for a typical meal of Enchiladas, beans and rice. Cari makes great enchildas (that compliment was from my mom and she is the "enchilada queen") and Shana made her Almond roca and popcorn balls (of which I hid some to make sure I had a stash for after the holidays). Xmas day the rest of my family came over and it was a great day of eating. But that's what my nephew Jason says is why we have New Year Resolutions. He and my niece Linda made the best finger food (actually to call it finger food is such a disservice, they really were orderves, I just don't know how to spell it. :) Chloe was a little under the weather but did a great job being a little trooper. I could hardly believe that this was Scarlett's first xmas. I can't even remember my life without these grandgirlies in them. It was fun having them and little Will (Linda and Terri's grandson. Children just belong to xmas. Now we will look forward to Jim and Alyssa's twins in February. Hope to see ya'll next year!

Whooo Hooo!

Shana found out yesterday that she and Joe are going to have a baby boy. So that's 3girls and 2 boys. Good balance. Jim and Alyssa have been busy getting the babies' room finished. She is due at the end of February but will have to go on "Pleeeeze sit down Alyssa" rest starting soon, like, now. She is a mover so it's going to be kinda hard. My "I love my Job" babysitting grandgirlies is taking a hiatus while Cari takes next semester off and Shana is finished with her Master's in English Lit. I get little odd jobs now and then, Dr.'s apt, hair apt., etc., but it's not quite feeding my "need" to see my gg's. We will have them all over on xmas eve and then my family (mom, 2 sisters and their families, cousins, aunt, etc.) over for xmas day. As an added challenge to cooking xmas feast, my stove stopped working. And yep, everyone is booked through the holidays. So after a period of hyperventilating, wringing my hands, and the inevitable taking it out on the husband, we pulled out the electric skillet and the hotplate, and will get my exercise for the day walking back and forth from the guest house. AHHHHHH xmas memories. :) Have a wonderful Holiday!

Baby shower

We had a baby(s) shower at the house for Alyssa who is having twins, boy and girl. Cari and Shana put it on and I played with Chloe and Scarlett. Shana made the cute diaper cakes. Shana is due again June 6. We can't wait for all these little grandbabies to be born.

xmas concert

Our choir (Sacramento Choral Society) finished the last of a marathon xmas programs this weekend. It was a lot of fun but tiring this week. I had planned to bake my xmas cookies but decided not to as I would just eat them and then have a problem fitting into my dress. We sang songs from Bach "Magnificat" to "Jingle Bells". It's a new choir for me, I spent the last four years singing with the Gospel choir out at Cosumnes River JC. Now that was fun. Not as much "moving and shaking" in this one. It was soooo nice having my family, Don and Kids and spouses, my sister, my mom (88), my neice Linda, Terri and their grandson, Little Will, friends (all this time) from high school (Waaaaay back), Stef and Rebecca, Friends Jan and Butch, Elsie, Dawn, cousins Max, Ellen and Lynell, and old friend Gwen, and my best friend's (Stef, we lived next door to each other since we were 7, she died in 1994. I have know her sister all her life) sister, Becky, all there Sat. night. We sang at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento (about 1700) Friday and Sat, and then again sunday at the Mondavi Music Hall at UC Davis (about the same amount of people). Ronale and Lacy Berry sing in it and talked me into auditioning this year. There are 170 in the choir with a great conductor, Dr. Donald Kendrick. I'm just trying to stay under the radar and look like I know what I'm doing.

Don likes this one better, shows more of the birds.

This is Joe and Jim shooting at a pheasant with Sage running happily!

Boys and their Birds

Today, Saturday, the weather was beautiful. A little cold, due to La Nina. The boys (Don, Joe, Jim, and grand-dog Sage) went pheasant hunting with some friends. We are babysitting tonight, Chloe, so Joe and Shana can have a date night. They are headed for dinner and the "Sacramento Kings" game. The picture is Joe and Sage, Bob and Buddy, Jim and Don.