I had an appointment with the eye doctor, so the girls came along and then when Dale didn't get a subbing job for the day, he joined us as well for a very fun day. Simple things are sooooo much more fun with the grandbabies along.

Just a couple photos from Christmas Day

Christmas Day

Christmas Get-tgether

Joel and Richelle, your house looks so pretty :)

Our Christmas get-together at Joel and Richelle's house was so much fun. Great to get together with the cousins. I hope we can do it again and that more people can come next time. Thanks, Joel and Richelle! It was great!

A FEW Christmas favorites

Mommy has Caleb totally trained to NOT touch that VERY tempting Christmas tree. "Hmmmm -- let me think about it.

Maybe if I just touch it a little bit.

One little touch surely won't hurt . . .

Oh, maybe I better not . . .

What do you think, Gramma?"

"I think you are a very, very good little boy."

I think some people really don't believe that I'm a court reporter. So here's proof! I'm hard at work ! :)

Desert Outing

I know it's going to be a real shock to eveyone, but I decided to add to my little blog here.

Today I was feeling just a little down. It just seems like our lives are so busy -- and it's a good busy, but at times I long for just a "free" day, a "getaway" day, if you will.

As Dale was heading out the door for another of his many endeavors, he noticed my sigh.

On his way to "Boron" -- the epitomy of desertness -- he -- yes DALE -- noticd the flowers!! Can you imagine that? My extremely observationally-challenged husband noticed the flowers. You have to know Dale to know how amazing that statement is. But the desert is in full bloom right now. Soooo beautiful! Then, what he was planning to do in Boron didn't work out, so he called me and said, "Let's go look at the flowers." I protested a little because of all I have to do, but he insisted and so he came back and got me and off we went.

The flowers were magnificent. The desert is literally carpeted in bright yellow with accents of purple and bright orange and white. It always amazes me -- God's handiwork. He can grow flowers where NO ONE ELSE could possibly grow them. And not only does he grow them in such a beautiful array -- but so many! Miles and miles and miles of them.

Then since we were already out that way we decided to visit Randsburg. It's an old mining town that is still inhabited (by about 80 people). It's a living ghost town. Really cute. We had an "old fashioned" coke at a 100-year old soda fountain.

Chatted with the "soda fountain girls"

And walked along the main street and enjoyed the old buildings.

And thought about putting one of us in jail

Then went to Boron to eat at a little hamburger stand that is in the shape of an old barrel -- it's called "The Barrel." Probably the best hamburgers in So. Cal, by the way.


Anyway, it was just a wonderful day and I came home so thoroughly refreshed and renewed, thanking the Lord for his beautiful creation and for a thoughtful, loving husband who is my best friend and with whom I love just "spending the day."

I want to encourage everyone to get away once in a while.

Jesus did. If he needed it -- so do we!

Heading Home

The Trip Home

We had to get up at 5:30 in the morning because all the other connecting buses to the airport were booked. Our plane didn't actually leave London until 12:00, so we had a lot of time at the airport. While waiting there, we noticed this couple reading Bill O'Reilly's books. We're a fan of Bill's, so I snapped this picture (cutting off the heads on purpose) and sent it to O'Reilly. If you see this posted on his show, you'll know where it came from. We told him that he is "ubiquitous." You know how he loves those big words.

We finally boarded the plane and began the long, grueling trip home. Unfortunately, we had seats in the center, so we were so crammed in, you felt like you just could not possibly get comfortable. After three and one half hours I was so done -- but I had seven more hours to go !!! Torture. Pure torture. You fly with the sun so it's light outside the whole way -- even though it's the middle of the night for your body clock.

Our "40th-anniversary celebration trip" was absolutely wonderful. Truly a memory we will treasure forever. We do hope to go again. I would really love to spend more time in England. That's my favorite of all the places we went. Dale said he thinks it would be his favorite as well.

It's sad to leave, but it's so wonderful to come home -- home, sweet home.

America the Beautiful --

God bless America! Land that I love.

Joel picked us up at the airport. Thank you, Joel. It was so nice not to have to catch a bus and drag our suitcases everywhere.

Of course, the favorite thing about coming home is this:

Abby and Essie, little princesses, Halloween 2008