CJ's graduation

From CJ: Graduation will be on Saturday, May 16th. I realize that this is somewhat late notice, but my last class of medical school was yesterday and they gave us the final details on our graduation ceremony. The graduation will take place at the Fort Worth Convention center in downtown (near the water gardens). They recommend arriving around 2 pm to find seats with the ceremony starting at 3pm (we'll save seats if you let us know you're coming). Estimated length of the ceremony is 2.5 hours. Seating has never filled up since they moved to the convention center so anyone who would like to come be part of this day is more than welcome. It will be a pretty exciting day for us. However, with 2 parties already planned I don't want anyone to feel obligated to come (the parties should be more fun anyway). Afterward we will be going to Joe's Pizza Pasta & Subs on Little Rd. just north of I-20 for dinner. We'll look forward to seeing anyone who makes it down.

PS from Ginny: The Parties mentioned will be the evening of May 30th at my house for anyone who wants to come for a going away for CJ & Randi. This event will also have the von Bose clan invited and CJ's high school/old singles ward friends and will include swimming and hot dog roasting.

Suzy & I are also wanting to do a party for the Fowkes Fam on June 6th at her house. This will be a graduation celebration for CJ, Kenny, Carrie (who finishes her masters), Abraham & Damaris. Time & other details to be announced later.

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WOW! What a car show!

The FH Lions Club held a car show and along with some magnificent vehicles, these two motorcycles were on display. No one was around to talk to. If they were mine, I would have an armed guard on them. I took a closeup of the gun, so you could see details.

Spring

I love our rose bushes in the country. Most of them were bought cheap and Melinda and I planted them when we moved here about 15 years ago. These orange roses started out as little miniatures in a pot. Who would have thought that they would live; not just live, but thrive! It is fun to watch them and smell them and try to nurture them!

Open House at Gary & Romanda’s

Lots of folks including most of the local family came to see how well the house turned out after the fire. The new furniture is scrumptious and the house looks magnificent. Everyone was inspired to go home and de-clutter and clean.

Which ones are for real?

A message from Chrystal...

“We have a new family member.” This is the text message and picture I got this afternoon from Chrystal. We are waiting for...the rest of the story! Congrats!

Woody was here!

The best part of living in the country is watching the critters. My latest little friend lives in the mesquite tree next to the storage shed (near the compost for snacks). I took this through my car window the other morning. I was afraid to move and scare him away. He is a busy little guy, digging for bugs and probably destroying the bark. Oh well. mesquite trees are just considered junk trees anyway. This little guy is a yellow-bellied sapsucker (sounds like a red-neck insult) and drills holes and sucks the sap along with insects from the trees. Unlike regular woodpeckers, he has a brush-like tongue not barbed. So much for your nature lesson today. By the way, our Readers Digest North American Wildlife book is the most worn in the house except for the old FHE manual and our scriptures. Show this picture to the kids. I told some of them about it and they will be excited to see little Woody or should it be Sappy!

Gideon has new jewelry fetish

Gideon recently won seven, or was it six, medals in the Academic Decathlon Competition for Summit High School. Way to go Gid! Maybe Ginny will add to this post exactly what they were for since I did not write it down, only took a picture. But hey, nobody else did that! Congrats! I will have to print one of these for Julie!

Heard on the radio today...

1. “That is great that you have taken out a home equity loan of $40,000 to have emergency funds available. Just park that in a CD or money market and you are ready for a crisis.”

2. “Yes, you should get a student loan as big as you can and invest that in good, solid mutual funds. You have 20 years to pay back the student loan and you could make a lot during that time.”

3. “And next, coming up, The Medical Hypnosis Hour right here in Dallas-Fort Worth.”

4. And for a healthy colon...

5. And don’t forget the Omega 3 Fish Oil...

It was definitely time to turn the radio to KLUV or WRR or maybe OFF!

! Disney on Ice Magical Journey including Mickey and Minnie with Little Mermaid, Lion King, Lilo and Stich and Peter Pan

I would have put up a movie of this, but if you are interested, go to the Disney on Ice website and see it all. Mickey and Minnie join characters from Lilo & Stitch, Peter Pan, Little Mermaid, and Lion King for a Magical Journey. I am looking at tickets for Wednesday, March 18, at AAC in Dallas. I know that is spring break. That many be better, we can sleep in the next day! The next week, they are in Fort Worth but it is the Credit Union Dinner on March 26, the cheap night.

Here is the deal - if you wanna go, let me know this week (by Friday evening, January 23) so I can try to get the cheap seats. I cannot afford the expensive ones, Sorry!

Damaris, this is the blurb I was talking about! If not very many want to go, we will regroup!

LOVE, MOM/GRANDMA

Vintage/Antique Baby Clothes

These were found in the top of the bathroom closet. I guess we put them there when we moved. I remember Mandie in the little red dress and Melinda in the pink coveralls as well as Missy in the white and green outfit. Girls, these are here for the taking and I have some vintage linens including pillowcases I actually embroidered myself. Girls, you have first dibs, then it is open for anyone and lastly - to Goodwill!

1,000 Pieces

Well, gang it is finished. Another 1,000 piece puzzle. Thanks goest mostly to Chrystal and Jonathan who get kinda obsessive over a nearly complete puzzle. This one was fun but a challenge. Next is a Thomas Kinkade capital with the fog with flags. (You just have to see it.) That fog may not lift for four years.
Congratulations on the great finish!
Grandma

Guess how many!

I spent two days packing the nutcrackers in new boxes in a more condensed manner so they would be safe. One of the little guys escaped, but I found him later hiding on the table. I will miss them while they are in the closet. They are fun to look at and talk to since many have a history – but Melinda says I’m losing it. I guess nutcrackers make you nutty! Anyway, here is a picture of the fireplace just to jog your brain (notice the roaring fire). Remember there are two more shelves full. The first one to guess the exact number in the collection wins a prize - and it’s not nutcracker!

Global Warming

Ice has been forming all day today on the trees. Poor Fluffy was weighted down. Her tender little limbs were dragged to the ground (see bottom) and she was leaning due to more ice on one side. I hope the pretty thing will not get injured.