YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!!!

Guess what Josh got for Christmas?? You guessed it! A Daisy BB Rifle!!! We watched the movie (again!--it's a Christmas tradition!) on Christmas Eve and then "Santa" hid the rifle on Christmas morning. It was rather interesting to watch all the other kids getting into their "Santa" gifts and Josh just kind of looking around! Pretty soon Zack said something like, "Hey, Josh. What did Santa bring to you?" And then the quest was on. What fun.
Then, of course, later in the day Father and Son went outside and set up some targets so Josh could have his first shooting lesson. And that, of course, turned into a family event!!!
Dad did pretty good! He was popping those pop cans right off the fort walls.
Of course, our Sophie had her turn.
Even Grampa got into the act! (I think they were talking about the sight picture--or something technical from the expert marksman!) Wonderful Christmas Day for us all!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. . . .

This was the first of my Christmas baking--Jenny's ginger snaps. Sophie made them when we there at Thanksgiving and they are the best! And mine turned out pretty good, also. Today I finished up #14 on my baking list--our traditional Mexican Wedding Cakes. I will still have a few things to make when the kids get here--gotta have sugar cookies and a decorating contest! And Jenny--my pregnant daughter!--is insisting that I make our Ghiradelli fudge with marshmallows thrown in--I do not do marshmallows!! But for my pregnant daugher I agreed to do it. . . .

I was busy baking and Walt got busy with the house decorating! Bless his sweet heart--I hugely appreciated his pitching in.
And then he went outside and got started there! And yes, the garland is lighted!








Some of my eleven nativity sets that we have collected on our travels.
This is a set my mother made in ceramics many, many years ago. One of my treasures.












We're just about ready. We're having our international coffee party tomorrow night for our valley neighbors and on Saturday we head to Billings to pick up the Gang coming from Kansas and to spend the night there with my mother. Zack will be driving with five kids and Jenny will be flying with two little boys (age 2 and 3 1/2) and a stroller with a four-hour layover in Denver! She doesn't even seem to be too anxious about it! Guess she figures that's better than the 15-hour drive in the car to Billings with seven kids! Can hardly wait.

Phoenix and Phoebe

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. . . at Phoebe's house! Between Thayne and Cathy they have the tree put up and decorated. There are even now a few very tempting packages under it. They may not make it till Christmas!
I'd say she's looking pretty darn good for 94 1/2 years young!
We took her out to the Biltmore mall this morning to walk around and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season.
She especially loves to have her picture taken in front of this pointsettia "tree."
This is one of my favorite shops in the mall--I think Mom enjoyed it also. Such whimsy--I would love to have a room in my house decorated in this delightful stuff. It pleases me. It feels like Alice in Wonderland. Fun. "Let's don't grow up" stuff. And I have to tell you Phoebe is expert at getting that walker past everything! Didn't knock into a single thing--even in this crowded shop. We have one more day here, then hop on a plane back to Bzn on Monday. Hope there's lots of new snow. . . . I'm praying to the "snow gods."

Happy Face!

I love seeing this happy face in winter! This is the face of this cute guy loading up the porch with firewood for the fireplace!!! Yea! I really don't mind bringing up wood, but how nice to not have to. Besides, I know he likes being home and being able to do this at his house.

This morning it was -12 outside. We were in the hot tub before 5 a.m. under sparkling, brilliant stars. So beautiful. It never did really warm up even though it was sunny all day. We went over to the Grasshopper for supper and it was -6 at 6 p.m. I don't care about cold--I want snow!!! And lots of it!!! The Gang is coming and expecting it. You know--snowmen, forts, snowball fights, skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating, snowshoeing--that kind of thing. Winter's fun stuff.

We leave tomorrow morning to go to Phoenix to visit Walt's mother for a few days. It's really hard for me to totally change wardrobes--I really can't think what I need for temps in the 60's! I'll figure it out.

Thanksgiving With The "Gang!"

Allie had a hair appointment the next morning after we arrived, so we decided to tag along and take pictures.
She had a lot of hair cut off--and it looks gorgeous--but then, she always does!
Zack made his "famous" bagel sandwiches for us our first night there--one of my most favorite things--yummy!
This is Sophie's goofy little dog, Tigger, and this is how he lies in his bed while the family is eating dinner--well, sort of in his bed. . . .
Jacob was playing while he was eating--sort of eating! Good thing he gets a bath every night.

Sophie made the very most delicious ginger snaps and "Grampa" supervised--that's his most favorite cookie! And she's a super-duper cookie maker.
Cutie patootie!
Post-dinner clean-up. . . .
Whoops! Joshua's hair is getting way too long--must get it cut!!!
Our turkey stuffers. I know--you thought I was going to say, "our turkeys!!!"
The whole Gang and Grampa talking to Luna and Aunt Kate in Germany. What fun!
What a miracle is the internet and e-mail and e-photos and blogging and facebook and skype. What did we ever do without it. . . . Just don't know how Walt and I lived in Europe for four years with nothing but snail-mail and occasional extremely expensive phone calls. Seriously.
Allie is busy with a computer project. Our cute little fashionista.
And here's another of our cooks. Emily always makes the filling for our pumpkin pies and here she is preparing a pre-dinner snack tray.
She and Sophie collaborated on this little work of art!!!
They look pretty proud of themselves! And it was good besides--there wasn't much left.
Early stages of table-setting.
I'd say Jenny did a pretty darn good job. (She takes after her mother!!)
Our fashionista again.
We went out this evening to Bass Pro Shop to see Santa so some of the Gang decided to write letters to Santa.
Noah and Sophie are hard at work--I'm sure they've been very good so Santa will bring them everything on their list--maybe?? I think so!
This is Joshua's letter to Santa. Wonder where he got the idea for this???!!!!!!

The handsome Gang Guys with Santa.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to all!