Welcome to the family!

This is "Peaches Le'mon"! Snesko boys named her Peaches and Alvin named her Le'Mon. She has both colors and is very beautiful. I love her coloring and only 3 months old so we can train her to be a fun bird. Thanks Chelsea, Stephen, Chandler, Cooper and Tatum for the best Christmas present.

I love Christmas!

Christmas is over! Is everyone happy? Not me!!! I am always a little sad every year to see the holiday season end and this year not a bit different; Alvin and I have enjoyed the whole month of December. I don't know why; maybe the colder weather has helped and the interactions with the little boys have been fun. Cooper loves to sing the Christmas songs and knows the words or at least the correct tune to many different ones. Cash has the cuttest smile whenever you talk to him. Carter so tender and caring for us all. Chandler being the oldest and going to school until 2:30 everyday seems so grown up anymore and I miss not being able to do things with him. Alvin has been especially happy and cheery this season too and that has been the best.

Thanks everybody for a great Christmas. Sorry the Snesko's were under the weather a bit of the time and glad Cody and Chelsea have been able to spend a good portion of the week with us.

Three Years Old and Secrets

Carter was just 3 years old late November and Cooper will be 4 years old in early February so there is a little bit of age difference and a big difference in keeping a secret. One morning about 3 weeks ago before I took Cooper to preschool he said, "Nana, we got your Christmas present." I said, "Oh, what did you get me?" "Can't tell you it is a secret." So, he went off to school and after picking him up from school and he was eating his lunch he said, "Nana, we don't have two birds at our house". Now, I know for a fact they have Vinnie the african grey and would not even think about getting another. So, that was easy to figure out. Since then many little slips of the tongue that I have just ignored but I told everybody just don't tell me the color or the name so that would at least be a surprise for me. Well, just yesterday Cooper said, "Peach and Vinnie talk back and forth." So, I guess there is nothing left of that secret! I love it; just part of a fun Christmas.

Now Carter has been doing much better. He has been delivering to our front door each night presents for the "12 days before Christmas". I figured it out quite quickly who it was bringing gifts but of course didn't let it be known. It has been fun to see what we get each night and I understand Carter has found the nightly secret trip to Nana's front door and leaving the gift, knocking on the door and than running fast back to the car lots of fun. Thanks Carter, Cash, Chelsea and Cody. It has been fun for both Alvin and I.

Pizza Party

Our college days at ASU were spent mostly in the ceramic room; Alvin most of the time and me on special occasions. One thing the group of students and instructors did often was have a pizza party. Now this was not calling for pizza delivery like we do now but actually cooking pizza in kilns. Yes, this can be done and we have continued to carry on this unusual activity all of our married life with kid parties, teenage parties, church parties, adult parties and school parties.

Alvin's college class always have a year end Christmas gift exchange and pizza party. Let me explain how this works. I prepare all the stuff you need - dough, sauce, cheese, pepperoni, sausage, olives, bell peppers, onions, and pineapple. Each person takes a wad of dough and flattens it in a pie pan and then adds whatever toppings they desire. It is than cooked in the gas kiln at around 900 degrees.

Now, my kids have been doing this all their lives so they know that the pizza might be burndt on the bottom or soggy in the middle and very seldom "just right". But, as my girls say; "you just always know it won't be perfect but it is just a fun thing to do." So, Chelsea Pace who experienced her first pizza party tonight (because we invited our kids to join in the party) sorry yours was soggy and Carter's was burndt on the bottom. We just wanted to carry on this tradition with Chandler, Cooper, Carter, Cash and Tatum. I think they had fun!

Christmas Card Tradition

Sending Christmas cards to family and friends have been a top priority with me in my Christmas preparation. I started sending out a card with a picture when Gretchen was 1 year old. There hasn't been too many years it didn't happen and the last many years it has defnitely been a must. We added Stephen first to the family picture and than Chelsea so that made 7. A good enough amount; but now we have added Chandler, Cooper, Carter, Cash and Tatum so last year I booted the big kids out and now only Alvin and I and the grandkids get to adorn my annual Christmas card. Do you know how hard it is to get 5 kids under five to all look good at one time for that special picture? Gretchen suggested we get everybody dressed up again and try one more time. I said no; the one I choose is just perfect. You will have to be on my Christmas list to see my perfect picture.

Happy belated birthday Carter!

My favorite boys - Cooper, Carter, Cash and Chandler

Very old but yet very new!

We had a picture session at the CHS photo department with Sterling Skousen. You see, I have a picture of me when I was "maybe a year old." What is so amazing is that I actually have the little yellow dress that I wore in that picture and also have the blue stuffed doggy sitting beside me. Yes, I know; a pretty old dress! I am not sure how I was lucky enough to have these because my mother was not a "keeper" of anything. Anyway, Sterling who is an amazing photographer and very good with small children took a picture of Tatum in the yellow dress sitting next to the blue doggy. What do you think?

Swinging in the breeze . . .

"Hea" - now you can recognize me on the road!

Tatum on the move at Nana's home!

Disneyworld a wonderful place!

I just returned from Disneyworld! I had a fun time with Cody, Chelsea, Carter and Cash. Thanks Cody and Chelsea for inviting me! While Cody went to meetings the rest of us spent our time at Magic Kindgom, Animal Kimdgom, and MGM Studios. The most fun was watching the boys reaction to all the characters. Take a look.

Not This October!

I watched every single inning that the Diamondbacks played with the Rockies. I never gave up; I just knew they would win. But they didn't . . .

I Loved New York City!

We are back and today I did nothing but empty the suit cases and the laundry. No grocery shopping so that means no dinner. Anyway, It was loads of fun and lots of good memories. The weather was a little too warm - in the high 80's and we all wanted "crisp and cool" and most of us packed the wrong cloths so we went and bought a few cooler tops to wear.

Tatum was a perfect angel the whole time. The plane ride back home last evening was her first fussy time; maybe she didn't want to come home either. Alvin enjoyed the art museums and galleries and other than Friday night ventured out on his own to do "his thing." This morning he said he could of spent 3 or 4 more days and I agree. I could of stayed longer but that is the way it seems whenever I go anywhere lately; it never is long enough.

My favorite part of the trip was the open air bus ride that took us on a 2 1/2 hour "night" tour of the city. The lights and signs on the buildings were awesome and a lot to take in. Here are some of my favorite pictures of the trip.

RALLY MONDAY!

Hea! We went to the celebration rally held at the Tempe Marketplace for the Arizona Diamondbacks. If some of you aren't into baseball they won the National League West Division and play Wednesday night, October 1 against the Chicago Cubs. It was a fun night with lots of noise, "anybody - anytime" red t-shirts, and a huge crowd! We have tickets for the game Wednesday night before we head out to NY on Thursday morning. Fun time ahead!

We Welcome "Fall Break" and New York City!

Two weeks off from teaching school - "YEA" says Alvin and Chelsea! Chandler is counting how many days he has off from school too but I think he will find he is going to miss it because he really likes school and doing so very well.

So, now we can concentrate on our trip to New York. Perhaps research places we want to visit and see and go through our wardrobe to bring out the warmer clothing for the 65 degree weather. Now that sounds cold to me but I am sure it is going to be a welcome change. Alvin has already picked out two museums he wants to visit. I'll just go along with whatever as long as I am fed every few hours. Sweet Tatum is ready to shop with her Mom and Auntie Gretchen. What fun we plan to have!

COLD WATER buddy boys!

Heads up to my swimming buddies, and you know who you are! We went swimming last Saturday, September 15 and the water temperature was 88 degrees. We went swimming on Labor Day, September 3 and the water temperature was 92 degrees. So, in just 12 days the temperature dropped 4 degrees. That really doesn't seem like much of a drop but it does make a difference when you compare 92 degrees to "bath water" and 88 degrees to being a "little cold." Now, that is not my description of the water in our last swim but Chandlers as he said, "Oh, it is cold!" It was, but I told him just to swim and he would get warmer; which he did.

But, my point is that with the cooler nights and shorter days the pool water will dip fast so perhaps our good times of swimming this season may be over. (at least in Nana's pool) I'll miss the fun times I have had with you boys and Chandler I will ask your Pa if we can increase the length of our pool so you can swim longer than the 36 feet next summer.

Tatum - Tatum - Tatum

Trouble - Trouble - Trouble! Tatum is just learning to explore and she found my scrap balls of yarn and just wouldn't leave them alone. In no time she had her little body all wrapped up. Like we always say - why do we buy toys? The answer to that questions is easy; grandmothers just do.

Sitting on a Fence!

I told you I would be sitting on my back fence after the 3rd injection. I am sure glad those painful shots are finished. I did discover it hurt less if given on the right side of knee instead of the left. Also, the doctor informed me I wouldn't see results until two long months after the last injection. So, I'll wait it out - nothing left to do but just sit.

Birthday Idea!

I have been known throughout the years as the "bird lady." Whenever my friends and neighbors have stray or injured birds I am always the first to be called. Yesterday, I got such a call from my friend who lives two cul-de-sacs away. Her frantic call was telling me she had an injured colorful "exotic bird" of some kind in her backyard. I said I would be right there thinking I just might get me a beautiful cockatoo or a colorful conure! It wasn't quite that magnificant however, just a lovebird but still very pretty. I retrieved the friendly but hurting bird, carried it home and tried to nurse him back to health but he later died. But, he defnitely reminded me of our cute lovebird named Cheddar that met his dimise too when Alvin asphyxiated him. (that is another story) So, how about another one - I think I would like that!!!!!

Cock-a-doodle-doo

I have a knee problem! I have had osteoarthritis knee pain for at least eight months. How does it hurt? Only every way imaginable - achy, sharp stabbing pains some times and other times deep throbbing pain, and of course stiffness and popping sounds. It seems I have no cartridge in my knee - they call that "bone on bone." What have I done for this? I have had two cortisone injections in the knee. The first didn't work because 3 days after the shot I tripped and fell right on the knee but the second one did get rid of some inflamation I think and I even walked better. I just last week had the first injection of a series of three that is an hyaluronic acid. It seems that the acid is extracted from a rooster comb! I figure by the time I have had my last injection I will be sitting on my back fence crowing "cock-a-doodle-doo!"