Valentine's Day Table

Well this will be my last table for awhile because I go in for knee replacement surgery tomorrow. I don't know if I will get to eat at this table or not. I just used stuff I already had downstairs with a few dollar tree purchases. Hopefully someone will get to eat here. It is festive nonetheless.....Greg will be so happy to have the cheer :) He didn't have to carry one thing anywhere which makes him the most happy. My Valentine's Day present to him.

Ellie Won Her School Spelling Bee

We got to go visit our kids and grandkids in their new home in Mesa, Arizona. It was so exciting when we got to go to Ellie and Reagan's school for the spelling Bee and Ellie won 1st place. She first won in her class and then she had to compete against 18 other kids (4th, 5th amd 6th graders.) It was very intense and so much pressure :) but it was down to 2 kids ( she and the other boy in the picture) and she won. It was amazing as she is only in the 4th grade....the youngest of the group. It was fun to have Greg's parents ( Ellie's great grandparents) in the audience too , as well as us ( her grandparents) . Unfortunately everybody was busy taking pictures up in the front and then it was time for the kids to go back to class...and we didn't get any pictures of us or Greg's folks. But we were there along with Jordan and Melissa and their other kids.

We are so proud of Ellie and we were so glad we could be there to share this fun and very exciting day with her. She will go on to compete at the next level. Greg told her he won his school spelling bee as a kids...then went on TV and got out on the 3rd word. There may be some genetic connection.

My Winter Table

Once again a new table with things from the downstairs. I have lots of cute winter stuff in my attic....snowflakes, plates, greenery, etc. but of course no way can I get it this year. I had to do a table to teach my Mia Maids how to set a fun table ( goto http://gaytonmiamaids.blogspot.com/)

so this is what I came up with. However, I had some borrowed ornaments I had to give back. Luckily for me. I hit the 75% sale at the one spot..got these ornament packs for 25 cents each..all under a dollar. So I decided I would invest in a few more and then use othe stuff I already had. It went from blue/silver/white to silver/white. But it works and the sister missionaries enjoyed lunch last Sunday at the winter wonderland table :) I can hardly walk or do anything but I MUST set my table. I know.....I need therapy.

Could Suzie be mistaken for the mother of a newborn?

It was highlight of the day yesterday at the hospital when a 90+ grandma came up to me while I was holding baby Gigi and asked me if she was my new baby..as in "are you the mother?" I was in a chair next to my wheechair with my cane next to it. What gave it away? :) Chelsea was at the bathroom so wasn't an option at the moment. No clue? I have to chalk it up to the fact that I must look really young compared to a 90 year old.....but I wish it was because I just plain looked so young:) Either way, it was a bright spot in a long worrisome day of Clayton's surgery :)

A Quilt to Covet Made by Grandma Katee

This is the handmade quilt Gigi's great grandmother, Kathryn Romans, made. She makes these beautiful quilts for all of her great grandkids and others and even sells them. They are amazing hand pieced and embroidered and then machine quilted. They are truly works of art and worthy of an art display. They are so neat you really don't want to really use them...you want to hang them up. If you are ever interested in one, let me know. I have done a previous blog post about them that you can find in my archives. Thanks Grandma Katee for all your hard work.

Fun with Lindsay and Chelsea

Last weekend I went down to Raleigh, NC to spend sme time with my girls. Lindsay and I stayed at Residence Inn and stayed up until 2am talking away. It was so fun and so rare that we ever get to that together. We are usually with the group or she is working alot. We had an awesome suite with our owns rooms/bathrooms and shared common space....courtesy of our awesome hotel manager. Unfortunately it was on the 3rd floor at the end of the longest hall in the world. I barely got up there with my cane.

Lindsay texted me to meet her downstairs at the breakfast table in the morning ( she went exercising). So no wheelchair pusher for me. It was brutal getting down there. However, my brilliant, resourceful self spotted a luggage cart after breakfast:)I talked Linds into pushing me on it back up to our room and then down again with our stuff. She was so embarrassed and laughed her head off up and down..even though we only passed a few people. You know me, rarely embarrassed. I will be embarrassing her for the rest of her life as I have done for the past 26 years. Luckily she didn't know anybody there and was a good sport. Sometimes I can't talk her into my antics. I had to take a picture for posterity because I know she will tell the story ( and probably embellish it :)

We had fun shopping and then went to eat at Chelsea's favorite place...Le Farm Bakery. Chelsea had 2 doctor appts that day and still can't take the baby out in public. But we brought her her favorite salad and got to see our new little darling Marjorie Kate. She was up to 6 lbs....yeah! And Miss Chelsea lost at least those 6 lbs and more because she was in a darling fitted skirt and looked fabulous..like she never even had a baby. But she still wouldn't let me take her picture. I am sure mainly because she has been so sleep deprived :) I wish I looked as good as her.

Lindsay gave her some darling headbands/bows for the baby ( in the picture) and a really cute dress. Chelsea loved it all. We also got to see the big kids home from school and bring a few presents for them ( since the baby is getting so many).

It was a short visit but so worth it to bring Chels a little cheer and hold that sweet baby again.

We are excited that we will all get to be together again for Felix's baptism in a few weeks.

I have wonderful daughters that are so talented and fun. I am glad I am close enough to see them and other family fairly often.

Arizona here we come: We get to see these cute kids soon!

We are going to Arizona to visit these cute kids pretty soon. I can't wait to see them and their beautiful new house. Those orange tress in the yard remind me of my home growing up in California. And we get to see Greg's folks and cousin's family too. Hooray for 8O degree weather they are having. And of course eating some great mexican food. I am excited.