Sunday, December 21, 2008

DECEMBER 21, 2008 Let's Play Catch-Up

November 13-22
You are all too young to remember the TV game show "I've Got A Secret", but I am ready for a sequel, in which I am the star. It's called "I Can Keep a Secret". This is unique, becuase this is rarely something I can do. But I did. Majorly.

In August I started planning a trip for Bob and I, without his knowledge, and told everyone I was going to kidnap him. I got plane reservations, hotel and car rental reservations, planned activities and events, and bought tickets for a broadway show. I got him out of work for a week, out of barbershop quartet rehersals, out of church resposibilies, and even got a government security clearance application signed - all without him knowing it. I packed and took the luggage to Karen's in SLC ahead of time.

So, we went to SLC to celebrate the November birthdays on Thurs. Nov 13. He knew we were staying overnight at Karen's and that I had something planned for the next day. Thursday night Jeffrey asked if we could give him a ride to the airport, and Bob said "I don't know. You'll have to ask Bev. I have no idea what her plans are." I said, yes, we could start our day that early. So, next morning Jeffrey shaved and finished packing his luggage, and put it in the back of our car - into which I had already packed our luggage and covered it with my coat. At the airport we all got out. I handed Bob Jeffrey's jacket, then his bag. Jeffrey was fiddling around in the backseat (get the camera turned on). I took my coat out and slung it over my shoulder, and took out our luggage. Bob looked at the luggage, then at me, then at Jeffrey, who snapped his picture. He smiled. "I'm guessing I need to put Jeffrey's luggage back into the car". It was perfect.

We flew to Baltimore, Maryland, where we spent 5 days with Anne and Mike and our three grandkids. While there we drove into Amish country, toured Gettysburg, got a personal tour of Camp David, went to church, took Anne to her treatment (more later), Bob took an all day hike, and had an impromtu family birthday party for all three kids.

Then Bob and I drove to Philladelphia, toured Valley Forge, Independance Hall, and saw the Liberty Bell. We drove to New York, turned the car in at JFK, and took the subway to downtown Manhattan. Our hotel (old, very small, and shared a bathroom with 4 other rooms), was 5 blocks from Times Square.

We spent Thursday walking around, eating and having fun, and then saw 'Mamma Mia" that night. Friday we spent all morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then went to see "Twilight". (We went to the 4:15 showing open day - right after school let out. 85% of the audiance was composed of twittery, giddy girls between 12-16 years old. There were a few college kids, and Bob and I were clearly the oldest of the 8-10 adults present. It was delightful bedlam!!! Saturday we flew home. Nine days of fun.

FAMILY MATTERS

Thanksgiving
We had James, Cami and Hudson, Jeffrey and Karen, David, Rebekah and Pete, and Granny for Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday after Thanksgiving. The night before was Manti City's Light Parade. The Girl Scouts were in the parade (elves and dancing cookies - with the help of borrowed Girl Scout Cookie costumes), and then sold bake goods at the high school afterwards. There were others selling soups and breads, drinks and treats, and Santa was there. Bob sang three songs with a barbershop quartet ( he sings "statusphere"- high tenor) It was lots of fun.

Mary and Aaron moved to Provo to be closer to BYU where Aaron is attending. He will apply for the animation program soon. Check out his blog in the right column. Mary is 14 weeks along, and Bob did an ultrasound for them to watch the little one wiggle and squirm and suck it's thumb. They are due the 18th of June. That will make 5 grandbabies for us!!


James and Cami are the greatest parents, and Hudson is doing soo well. They had this picture taken when he was just a week old, but he has grown into quite a little chubby cherub. He looks so much like James when he was new.


Jeffrey and Karen have a large, chocolate colored dog named Jane. She is very "bouncey". They have her in obedience school, where Jeffrey says she is the best and the worst pupil. She learns very quickly, obeys instantly, and hates every minute of it, as is evidenced by her barking, whining and complaining.
Ned and Kim are in SLC. Kim is starting school again next month, to work toward her teaching degree. She is currently working part time at a school for the deaf and blind. Ned is going through a hard spell, after one of the handicapped kids/men where he worked attacked him and he quit work there. He is working on his music, though, and has some new songs.
Pete and Rebekah are in Draper, and both are working and both have church callings. They
are happy and are enjoying being back in Utah.
David is living in SLC, plays drums in the band with Ned. ( I say drums, but, although he does have a drum set, he also plays "juice bottle full of beans" and bongos). He is playing Ultimate indoors during the winter months, but can't wait for spring.

Mike, Anne and kids are doing well. The good news is that 5 months of chemo have begun to shrink the desmoid tumor in her hip, and she is completely off the narcotic pain pills and can even drive a short way. They have reduced her chemo to every other week, but will continue until June. Kids are growing and learning and keeping them busy!!
Looking forward to hearing from all of you!!

FACEBOOK


Okay. So I put all my kid's blog links on this page, and only Ned and Kim and Rebekah and Pete and Aaron were ever updating them. When I asked why, they said they put all their stuff on Facebook. I said,"Well, that doesn't help all your relatives keep in touch with you." "Mom", Mary said,"They're all on Facebook, too." So, today, they hooked me up with Facebook, and I probably will hear more from you there than here. I will continue to log stuff here, so don't forget about me, but I will probably see you there more often. So. There you go.