Happy Holidays, 2014

 I usually try to send out a photo card for Christmas but did not have time to do that this year.  Our son in law David is a great photographer and took these beautiful pictures of the grandkids when they were all together on Thanksgiving, so I am stealing!  :)    Above, Susan and Corey's Aidan, age 11 and Ally, age 7.

 Sarah and Miles' three:  Elle, age 6, Beck, age 4, and baby Jack, about 2 months in this photo.

Bonnie and David's three: Emery, age 5, Luke, age 2 and baby Ada, age 3 months

Sweet kids! We love them so!  

We've been home since early December, back at work and getting into the routine of winter in Unalaska: dark mornings, ice on the outside steps, beautiful sunrises, snow on the mountains, wind, rain, sunshine, letting the cats in and out of the house constantly, community activities, seeing friends, doing chores, online Christmas shopping, my annual holiday radio shows with my friend Melanie, potlucks and Scrabble games, enjoying cards and letters from friends and family from afar.  Rich is very busy this time of year with Christmas parties and banquets galore.  He will work Christmas Day and I will be here hanging out till later in the evening when we will enjoy our traditional dinner with the hotel staff.  Happy holidays, everyone, whatever traditions you celebrate!

Family and Friends: Nothing Sweeter

 Elle and Emery coloring at the cabin

 Gigi's required matching pajama photos

 It was not easy to get all six together! Luke did not want to sit down and Aidan only agreed to wear the pjs for the photo, reluctantly.  He's getting too old for these shenanigans.

 But they are all pretty darned cute, wouldn't you say?

 The girls liked their fairy wings

 Out to dinner at Perini Ranch with family and some of my best friends in the world

 Karen and Randy

 Diana and Jim

 Susan and Corey

 Ally

 David, Bonnie and Luke (what did we do before ipads to keep kids occupied at restaurants?)

 Sarah, Miles and Beck

 Elle and Ally

 Aidan

 Susan, Sherri, Rich, me Susan, Corey, Karen, Randy, Diana and Jim

 Oldest and youngest grandkids Aidan and Luke

 The sweet girls Emery, Ally and Elle

Abilene State Park

The three girls wanted to ride with Gigi and Grandpa on our outing to Abilene State Park. It was so much fun listening to them chatting in the back seat.

 We had an ongoing discussion about what constitutes a "park."  They thought a park should have playground equipment.  We explained that sometimes a park means being out in nature.  They thought we were crazy.

 "Where are the slides?  Where are the swings?"

 First, some lunch

 Then off on a trail to see what we could see

 David got a workout!

 Skipping rocks--I believe Uncle Miles was the winner in this event

 Sarah and Bonnie

 Somebody's worn out

Girl cousins are so much fun!

Holidays 2013

Yes, way behind, way behind. I know!

Before heading off on vacation, my friend Melanie and I did our traditional Christmas shows on KUCB radio.  We've been doing this for a few years now and always have a blast playing lots of holiday tunes and taking requests.  It's especially fun when some of our family and friends live stream from elsewhere and we can give them a little shout out and send a dedication.  This year we had the additional "fun" of some local pranksters calling us and requesting "Sympathy for the Devil" over and over.  I kept saying "We're playing holiday tunes! It doesn't really fit with our theme!" And various people continued to call with the same request.  Finally after our last show was over, we queued up the darned song for them. Yes, we know who the culprit was (and he was good at getting lots of people to call and go along with it!) but I will not embarrass him by calling him out in public. :)

On Christmas Eve, Rich and I flew from here to Anchorage, over night to Seattle, slept a bit at SEA TAC airport and then flew on to DFW on Christmas Day.  The girls and their families were spending Christmas with their dad so we had a very quiet day at a hotel in Dallas, then rented a car and drove on to Abilene on the 26th.  Because of everyone's schedules, we only managed to have three nights with all the family together but we packed in as much fun as possible!

We rented three little cottages in Buffalo Gap, down the road from Abilene.  It was wonderful to see all the kids and grandkids again!  It was a beautiful day so we walked down to the Buffalo Gap Historic Village, where I attempted to get a photo of all six grandkids together.  :)

Aidan-10, Ally-6, Elle-5, Beck-3, Luke-18 mos. and Emery-4.

 Cousins Elle and Ally always love getting together

 Playing on the old playground equipment

 Dr. Pepper--good for when you are hungry, thirsty OR tired!

Bonnie with Luke, Emery, Elle and Ally. They loved this cat, who wanted nothing to do with them and managed to scratch Luke's cheek.

 Sarah and Beck

 Aidan and Rich checking out some artifacts

 Jumping is such fun!

And so is playing tag with Uncle David!

 David and Miles evaluating the old building

This thing could kill ya--but the kids loved it!

Susan is interested in an old dental office, since she used to work as a dental assistant.

 Back at the cottage

My three beautiful girls--Bonnie, Sarah and Susan