On the Road

This has been a week on the road. On Tuesday, we met Dan and family at his office to pick up Emma. She spent the night so should could come to the Girl Power class Jan and I taught at Scrap Happy Sisters. She was joined on Wednesday morning with Abby, Eliza and Libby. We had a great time together making this cute purse book. The girls are quite creative and crafty and seemed to enjoy the opportunity to be creative. Afterwards, we went to lunch. We picked up Micky D's for Libby and Emma and took it to Subway where the rest of us got our lunches. Then it was on the road again to take everyone home. At one point, Emma said, we've been driving for a LONG time. I replied, "We've only just begun," because we went to CG for Matthew's baseball game on Wed. night. Then we went to dinner with the CG Mabees. They missed our Mother's Day dinner, so this was their turn. And then we brought Matthew home with us to spend the night. He needed some assistance from Mark on one of his Bear requirements for Cub Scouts. So this morning he went to work with Grandpa. They had a great time together fingerprinting, dusting for prints and learning about law enforcement. They went to lunch at Burger King (yuck!) but had fun together. He especially liked riding in the DARE Mustang. Then this evening we returned to Dan's office where we left Matt to ride home with Dan. Whew! We've put a lot of miles on the car, but we sure had fun with grandkids. And this morning after swim team, Erin and her girls stopped by for a short visit. Now for the weekend.....

My Dream

Warning....this is a long post!

Last night I had a dream. Here's what I dreamed...
I dreamed that we had our annual Christmas candlelight dinner. I dreamed that all of our kids and grandkids came, along with Dad and Aunt Dovetta. I dreamed that everyone brought the YUMMIEST foods to share. Also in my dream, everyone was happy, glad to see each other, cooperative and loving. As we prepared dinner, everything went smoothly and there were no major glitches. Everyone arrived safely and in due time. All of the candles (battery-type) worked and they all stayed on during the entire dinner. The grandkids got along nicely and didn't argue about who was sitting where. Nobody spilled anything. Everyone LOVED the meal. After the meal, Mark and the boys tidied up the kitchen while the grandkids, their moms and I got them prepared for our Nativity play. I also dreamed that they would all WANT to be different characters and that nobody would get their feelings hurt if they didn't get the part they wanted. In my dream, the costumes all worked and they each played their assigned part well and to their best ability. I dreamed that they wouldn't get silly with it and that they would show appropriate reverence for the Christmas story. After the play, I dreamed that the grandkids would sit patiently and wait until everyone had their early Christmas gift (PJ pants and corn bags) before tearing into them. After that, I dreamed that the ornament exchange would go off without a hitch and that everyone would be pleased with their gift. Then we would sing Christmas carols together and everyone would participate and do it with a smile! In my dream, the grandkids would want to go caroling again this year to Sister Clem's house because they had so much fun going there last year. But this year they were in such a hurry that the parents were still trying to get across the street before they started in their singing! And finally, I dreamed that everyone would have a wonderful time and be sad to say goodbye to each other. That truly was my dream as I tried to sleep last night, and I have to say that all but one thing in my dream was real and true and was my dream come true. Here's what didn't happen....all of the candles stayed lit during the entire dinner. Sorry to say, one of them pooped out and was a dud! Other than that, my 2008 Christmas dream has already come true. Life can go on and I'll be happy. It was a wonderful evening and one I know that I'll never forget. I am so very grateful for my children and grandchildren and their love for one another. I'm also grateful that their love is genuine and that they make my life so happy every day. They are my greatest joy. Thank you, family.

And now to pictures of the evening....

Sorry, but I didn't get a shot of the table when nobody was eating something. But this was our LONG table set for 12.

Six of the grandkids at their special table....Matthew has "graduated" to the adult table...he's getting too tall for the short table! Welcome, Matthew!

Emma and Abby were our angels.

Luke was one of our shepherds. He made a cute shepherd, but the shepherd's crook was deadly in his hands!!

Libby was also a shepherd. She especially loved holding the baby lamb.

Eliza was our shepherd/narrator.

Dallin and Matthew were our wise men following the star. I wish I had a better picture of them together, but it didn't happen.

Ellie and her daddy, Brian, were our Mary and Joseph. I guess we don't have enough "little" boys to cover all of the parts! Thanks for being a good sport, Brian. Dan played the innkeeper, but he managed to avoid the camera!

And Ellie made a sweet little Mary.

This is the best we got for a group photo!

Dallin, Eliza and Abigail were the brave ones who performed for us, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas". They did a great job!!

Patient kids waiting until just the right time to start opening their gifts! They all seemed pleased with two new pairs of PJ pants and a corn bag all their own!









Some happy expressions during the ornament exchange.

Hattie enjoying some of Emma's birthday cake.

Dallin being....well, Dallin!

Yesterday was Emma's sixth birthday and she's blowing out her birthday candles.

Libby lost two teeth over the weekend and managed to keep them both a secret until her mom noticed them missing! Luckily, the tooth fairy came for a visit for both missing teeth!

Caroling at Sister Clem's house....luckily, I managed to get a quick photo before they finished! They were so excited to go, they forgot to wait for the adult slowpokes!!
It was one of my best days so far. Thanks again, family, for making my Christmas dream come true!!