Eli

Eli's uncle Garrett gave him his first real set of golf clubs. He thought he was so cool. Now he can be a great golfer like his Papa and Uncle Garrett.

Eli and daddy with buddies Sam and Josh

at grandma Maree's

I never realized how much fun it would be to have grandchildren. It is also amazing to see your son as a father. Eric is a great dad and loves his boys. Everyday is a new experience. Eli keeps us on our toes and laughing. Noah is just growing so fast and learning so much every day. I just thought I would share a few fun pictures. The proud daddy with his little men.

Eli pondering what he should do today.

Eli posing for mom.

Eli met new cousins this year.
This is Kallie's little guywho came to visit from Texas

This is a new cousin from Sacramento

Eli had so much fun with his new friends

It took awhile for Eli to warm up to Noah

Now he actually rolls on the floor and plays with him.

My Little Super Hero.

Eli with his thinking cap on.

Eli's little cousin Sophie

Eli loved junping on the bed with his cousin Madelyne.
It's hard to believe that Eli will be three next week.

He is a great joy

Happy third birthday SUPER HERO ELIJAH

Hospice

The Hospice nurse came to evaluate dad for Hospice. He is doing pretty good except for pain issues. I thought they just acccepted him as a patient but I guess it doesn't work like that. They take the information back and decide as a team if he is a hospice candidate. They are supposed to let us know at the end of the week. This a picture of Grandpa at his 89th birthday party. This is the way I will remember him.

This is grandpa holding baby Noah when he was a month old. It is amazing that my grandchildren have two sets of great grandparents and a great-great grandma. She even lives in Oroville.

For Angelee

Coconut-Cranberry Chews

Prep and Cook time 1 hour

The mixture may look dry until it comes together as a dough. If it's too crumbly to form into balls, the dough needs to be mixed longer. It should be a smooth homogeneous mass.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

1 1/2 cups butter room temperture

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange peel (optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 large egg

3 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked dried coconut

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1 1/2 cups butter, sugar, orange peel and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg until well blended.

2. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture and stir to mix. Then beat on low speed untill dough comes together about 5 minutes. Mix in cranberries and coconut.

3. Shape into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

4. Bake in a 350 degree oven until edges just begin to brown 11-15 minutes. Shorter baking time will yield a chewier cookie. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes then remove to racks to cool completely.

Enjoy the cookies Angelee. They are one of my favorites.

November

At the end of October I took grandpa to the doctor because he wasn't feeling well. The doctor did a blood test and when he got the results he wanted a sonogram. When the doctor got the results of the sonogram he wanted a cat scan. The results were not good. Grandpa has metastatic cancer. They are unsure where the cancer started but we know that it has spread. The test showed a large concentration in his liver and spots in his lungs. Dad has decided that at his age he does not want to pursue treatment. When I took dad home to tell mom her comment was "I guess were having a race." Dad's diagnosis was a big shock to me. We have been blessed to have mom with us much longer than the doctor's thought possible. I never thought that Dad would go before mom which may be the case now. I am sure the cancer has metastisized throughout his body and into his brain. He is unable to complete his thoughts and forgets what he is talking about. He looks like he has aged so much in just two weeks. Everyone has been so kind. They offer to help but what can they do? Time can move so quickly. One day things seem managable and then everything seems so out of control. My brother is coming this week from Utah. It will probably be the last time he sees him alive. Dad's only brother called today. He would like to come but can't get here for a week. At the rate things are going dad may not even know his brother in a week. Bro. Jagoda and Bro. McBride were so nice to give dad and mom a blessing. Bro. McBride even went back and fixed there Tv remote. Remotes are difficult for older people to manage. I called my mom's sister Leora so that she could tell the other siblings. Leora was just as shocked as I was. Frank came and spent the day yesterday and David is coming tomorrow. Tomorrow I have to call the doctor and make arrangements for hospice. It is hard for me to imagine but I could loose both of my parents before Christmas. I think mom has just been hanging on because she was worried about dad. When he goes she will give up. I am so greatful for the temple and that our family is Eternal. This will be my greatest solace in the months to come. My friend Maree brought me a beautiful flower arrangement. I look at it everyday and I am so grateful for good friends, our ward family and the gospel. It is hard to plan for Thanksgiving, but I do have so very much to be thankful for.

October

Eli loves my bed. He comes in my room in the mornings and says "grandma can I get in you bed"? Who can turn that down. He climbs in and tells me stories about Bateman, Joker, and Spiderman. He's my little super hero. October is my birthday month. I stopped celbrating when I was 29 again. My parents took me out to dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant. My friend Jan took me to breakfast at the new Denny's on the Saturday after my birthday. That same afternoon I went shopping with Becky Walt and Scottie which is always lots of fun. Walt does the driving and I sit in the back with Scottie. Scottie is growing up so much that I don't get to spend much time with him anymore so this was fun for me. We played dinosauers most of the trip. Not really my thing but he was having fun.
The ward had trunk or treat and a pie baking contest. Dava made a great Chocolate pie that was gone before I got to try it. I made a Surprise Pecan Pie. We didn't win but this pie was gooooood. I will make it again sometime.This is our little Noah and Angelee's Charlie. Charlie is a month older than Noah but she is so tiny and dainty. Noah is a Giraff and Charlie is Cheese. They are so cute together with mom Dava and grandma Marie.

61st Anniversary

In September Grandpa and Grandma celebrated their 61st. anniversary. In todays world this is a huge accomplishment. This has been a difficult year for them with grandma's declining health. We didn't expect them to make it to 61 years. They preferred a quiet night at home with Kentucky Fried Chichen for dinner. Robin, David's friend and a special family friend brought them a beautiful basket of fruit, a cake and this plant they are posing with. They are not fancy people but they have withstood the trials of life together.

The Ocean

In September we took a trip to Fort Bragg. I love the ocean. I could sit on the beach all day listening to the waves and feeding the birds. It is one of Gods greatest creations. I always hate to leave. This was Noah's first time at the beach and it wasn't his favorite thing. Eli on the other hand loves to play in the waves, eat the sand and chase the birds. This is his second time at the ocean and he had a great time. I think he will be like me and never want to leave.

Joey also loves the beach but was a little misplaced being there without a special person to share it with. He loves to skim board or surf. He has always told me that he is really half Hawaiian and needs to live on a beach somewhere in Hawaii. Maybe someday he will have his dream.

This is a very happy family enjoying nature and enjoying time together. Someday when the boys are a bit older we will spend a week camping. This trip was hotel all the way.

I could be ready to go again tomorrow.

Grandpa's 89th Birthday

This post is all backwards. Someday maybe I will get this right. This is Eli and his new found cousin. This is his sad face because she had to go home and he didn't want her to leave. He was having so much fun with his new friend.Aunt Leora came from Lehi, Utah and her great grandchildren came from Sacramento to visit. It was the first time we had met them and it was a very nice surprise visit.

Mom loves music. When she was young her family entertained themselves by singing. Mom played the guitar and the auto harp. All her sisters were singers. This is Uncle Dick, mom's youngest sister Janie's husband. He drove Janie and Leora out for a visit. It was great having him. I think Dick loved his visit. He wanted to go fishing for Salmon. We spent Sunday afternoon singing Hymns. Everyone picked their favorite hymn and we just kept singing. Mom enjoyed this a lot and I'm sure it brought back memories of her childhood.

Aunt Jane is mom's youngest sister. She has a contagious laugh and is always lots of fun. I lived with her family for awhile when I attended LDS Business College in Salt Lake. She has always benn very good to me.

I was fun to have everyone here visiting and to celebrate grandpa's 89th birthday. We had two days of celebration with different groups of family coming each day. It was a lot of fun laughing, singing and remembering old times.

My niece Mariah, David's daughter, came which was really nice because we don't get to see her very often. Noah loved Mariah and she was a natural. She will celebrate her 18th birthday in October.On Sunday, my cousin, Leora's grandson brought his family for a visit. They are the only other Utah family members that live in California. It was fun for Eli because they had a son and daughter that Eli had fun playing with. I lost track of how many people came but it was lots of fun and I think grandpa enjoyed his birthday celebrations.