I Hope Julie is Happy

I just wanted to point out to my sweet granddaughter that I DID in fact make a post every day for a week, starting last Tuesday. I even made TWO posts on Monday. Unfortunately I missed yesterday, which was the day she congratulated those who had posted on that day. :( I do know how you feel, Julie. I LOVE seeing new posts when I check people's blogs.



I need to take more pictures of my BIG granddaughters by themselves! (Allyson and I have decided we can't in truth call them "the little girls" anymore. They are growing up too fast for this old grandma.) This is the latest I have of Julie "alone." This is her first grade teacher who came to see Julie as the Wicked Witch in her fifth grade play.

A New Look

Hmmm. Those who know how much I ADORE (ABHOR?) change will be shocked to see my new template. It may not last, but I decided to go for a more fallish look, a la Loretta. (I even created a new word like she did. Do you like the adjective "fallish?")


To complete the fallish look, a lovely couple last Halloween.


And some cool pumpkins at last year's "Trunk or Treat."

Sydney and the Giant Peach

Allyson walked by the counter Friday and Sydney helped herself to a peach.


We fished out all the pieces of peel as she ate and finally made her stop when she'd eaten half the peach all the way down to the seed.


She may be only ten months old, but she knows what she likes.

Ward Halloween Party

Last night was our annual Ward Chili Cook-Off, Halloween Carnival, and Dessert Auction to benefit the Cub Scouts. Dad bid on and won several desserts and also won Gloria M's ward-famous flan cake in the paper airplane flying contest. The activity was a big success and a lot of fun as usual.

Gypsy Grandma D., Superman Nathaniel, Goth Julie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Ally, Medieval Lady Maddie, and Sydnnie Mouse at the party.

Sydnnie Mouse was much too busy to pose for a photo...

Nathaniel came over from Kingman to go to the party...

A couple of people actually guessed that Ally was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Must have been that cool stake Uncle Brian carved for her...

I'm not sure where Julie was when we were doing individual pix, but this one shows the cool Goth she was...as opposed to the Raven she started out to be...

Maddie borrowed our friend Mandy's beautiful costume to become a beautiful Lady...

The cool volcano cake Ally made and Dad won at the auction...

I had to put this one on for Amy. Doesn't our friend Willie make a great Jack Sparrow?

It's the Little Things...

For 25 years, I sewed on the Kenmore sewing machine Jeff got me just after we got married. It was a good machine and I got a LOT of use out of it. The last couple of years I had it were very frustrating though, as it lasted EXACTLY as long as its 25 year warranty said it would...and not a year longer...

When the time came that I could no longer put off getting a replacement, I decided on a little machine from the local quilt shop. It was on sale, in my price range (I couldn't spend a FORTUNE on a machine, because I don't get to sew all that much any more,) AND it has a great machine applique stitch for quilts.


I absolutely LOVE my little machine. It is easy to use, the applique stitch is perfect and almost looks hand done, and it works flawlessly. It also has metal gears like my old Kenmore, something that even the new Kenmores don't have any more.

But you want to know what I love best about my new machine? It's the littlest thing, and every time I use it it just makes me HAPPY!

I LOVE the automatic needle threader!!! Each time I thread my machine and use it to put the thread through the needle I just appreciate it so much!

Sometimes, it just takes a little thing to make me happy...

Scrapbook Corner

I started to write my post this morning and ended up spending three hours organizing and editing pictures on my computer. (Hmmmm...I thought Friday was supposed to be housecleaning day...This was much more fun and satisfying.) So, finally, here I go.

Some, (including my husband, who ought to already know!!) might have wondered why we scrapbooked in my bedroom last weekend at our scrapbook "retreat" as shown above. Jeff asked me twice when he got home, "But why did you do it in the BEDROOM?"

These two pictures are the opposite corner of the room from where Ally is sitting.

If you had all these supplies upstairs, wouldn't you think it was easier to scoot the bed over and bring up a table and some chairs than to run up and down stairs all weekend long getting things you needed?

We did!

Beach Trip

This may not look like everyone's ideal of a "tropical beach," but this is where we took Jeff's mom for her 75th birthday. It is one of three "pocket beaches" (translate: tiny) in a row in Malibu, California.

El Matador, Pescador, and La Piedra...

...are great winter beaches, full of tidepools, and covered with shells and rocks.

I've never seen so many mussels in one place...

...and the rocks were COVERED with sea stars (aka: starfish) the first day, but not the second! Interesting...

Some adventurous souls even braved the chilly water...

...and Dad tried out his new skim board.

"And a good time was had by all."
Grandma Mary Anne S. with her three children- Mike, Joy, and Jeff, 9-28-07