Grandma Time

Grant had a doctors appointment today, so I got to have granddaughter time.  Kara is growing so very quickly.  She is up on her hands and knees alot. We tried to get a picture of it. But each time we tried she would lunge forward in an attempt to get the camera.  You will just have to trust the she was on her hands and knees. 

Picture a Christmas - part 2

I may have failed to mention that in our home, Christmas is a SEASON, not just a day.  One of our family traditions is visiting the Meas AZ temple and seeing the Christmas lights.  We did this after the Thude Family Christmas Party.

 Christmas was on a Sunday this year.  We attended Sacrament meeting as a family. The ward choir sang several hymns during the meeting.  Morgan was the accompanist and  I (Ruth) sang in the choir.  The best part was when Grant and Cami tryed to get my attention by calling out , "Hi Grandma!  and "It's my grandma!" Afterwards we had lunch at Marks home. Aunt Alison enjoyed some quality time with Kara.

Bethany and Kara also spent time together.

One of the gifts to the girls this year was a Daddy-daughter date (Mom crashed the party.)  We had lunch at Little Anthony's and then attended the Gaslight Theatre production of Christmas in the Big Apple.

 Alison & Morgan

 Bethany & Alison

 Bethany & Shelby

 Bethany seems to enjoy cooking. After Christmas we made tamales.

Bethany also treated us to a wonderful breakfast of Puffed Apple Pancake. YUM!

Picture a Christmas, part 1

Time to reminisce.  I am better at taking pictures than posting.  How grateful I am for the pictures that bring back such wonderful memories.  A recent tradition at the Maroney house is making gingerbread houses.  Alison enjoyed making gingerbread houses with Cami and Grant.

 Grant enjoyed making and eating his gingerbread house.

Grant enjoyed early morning snuggles in Papa bed.  Sleepovers are fun activity.  Grant and Cami had a sleepover before Christmas. 

Morgan enjoys writing and illustrating cutesy children books.  Her Christmas gift to Spencer was a book about a handsome fireman and a beautiful damsel in distress. 

Christmas Eve (afternoon) she was busy writing and drawing.  Bethany and Alison pitched in and helped color the illustrations.  I enjoyed watching them work together and listening to their chit-chat.  It was a wonderful afternoon.

While the three younger girls were busying themselves with the book the rest of us were preparing dinner in the kitchen.  We feasted on Smoked Ham, grilled squash and pineapple, sauted green beans, tossed salad and potato casserole.  Delicious!

After dinner we listened while Randy read Luke 2.  After scripture time Grandpa, Grandma, Alison, Bethany, Grant and Cami enjoyed a walk around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights.

(To be continued :)

THINK

before you speak -

T H I N K

                                           T - is it true?

                                           H - is it helpful?

                                            I - is it inspiring?

                                           N - is it necessary?

                                           K - is it kind?

Double Post (thoughts)

Saturday At the Maroney's

Saturday was Morgan's day to sew.  She wants a red skirt.  She was working hard on her project when her favorite helpers came through the door.  She is almost done, just needs a zipper.  Sadly when you live in RURAL Arizona you cannot always run to the store and purchase what you need.  Thankfully a trip to the big city is coming soon.

 While Grant and Cami were helping Aunt Morgan.  Mark and Kara were relaxing in the living room.

Where there is a will there is a way!

Randy has been busy trying to complete this Blazer Project.  Finally it was all  together and running.  Last thing to do was put the hood back on.  Monday I offered to help.  "NO" he said "I need someone tall and strong to lift it into position."  This morning I looked out and saw him placing the hood onto the truck by himself.  Next time I looked out he had it propped up with a 2x4 and was bolting it on.  

Congratulations Randy!  Another project complete.

 

FYI - this was a project for someone else, not our truck.

Gratitude Challenge

This months Home Teaching message is on Gratitude.  In the youth section there is a Gratitude Challenge.  The challenge lists ten categories and suggests writing ten things in each category. Sunday afternoon I sat down and  started writing my list of 100 things that I am grateful for. 

Ten living people I am grateful for:
1-Randy (and his family)
2-Mother (and Bob)
3-Shelby (and Drs. Reilly, Lee, Cohen, Logan, Yorgan, Rider and their surgical teams and staff)
4-Mark (Rachel, Grant, Cami, Kara)
5-Alison ( Jean the PA, Dr. Kim Manwaring & surgical team)
6-Bethany
7-Morgan
8-Mary Abrahams
9-My Siblings (Randi, Kathy,Heidi,Eric, Andy)
10-Rosemary Isbell

Ten people who have died that I am grateful for:
1-Dad
2-Dean
3-Grandmother Callie Haggard
4-Grandpa W.P. Haggard
5-Grandma Ruth Haggard
6-Grandpa Hans Thude
7-Grandma Erna Thude
8-Grandma Fern Maroney
9-Marjean Paxman
10-Aunt Beth, Aunt Bessie

Ten Physical Abilities
1-Sight - to read and learn
2-Smells
3- Legs to run, walk and cycle
4- Hands - touch, work, craft, sew, etc.
5-SLEEP (I love being able to sleep)
6-arms to hug and hold
7-ears to hear music, voices, etc.
8-Balance & strength
9-Think
10- Chewing

Ten Material Possessions
1-Home
2-Bed and soft warm sheets
3-Warm shower
4-truck to drive
5-piano
6-washing machine
7-indoor plumbing
8-books
9-furniture
10-garden

Ten things about nature
1-Sunrise
2-Beautiful Sunsets
3-Trees
4-Flowers for Cami and Grant to pick
5-Warmth of the sun
6-Changing seasons
7-smell of citrus blossoms
8-Night skies
9-birds morning songs
10-lizards

Ten things about today (Sunday, December 4, 2011)
1-Meeting House
2-Primary
3-Music
4-That my children attend church
5-Peanut brittle
6-Fasting
7-Randy's church service
8-byu.tv & Christmas Devotional
9-Ensign and the Gratitude Challenge
10-Coat and warm clothes

Ten Places on earth
1-Temples
2-grocery stores
3-Childhood home
4-Campgrounds
5-Huachuca Mountains
6-library
7-bike paths
8-hospitals
9-schools
10-anywhere Randy is :)

Ten modern-day inventions
1-Phones
2-texting
3-Kindle & e-books
4-electricity
5-medical diagnostic equipment
6-Stove and oven
7-refrigerator
8-freezer
9-printer/copier
10-Stereo

Ten foods
1-homemade bread
2-oranges (citrus)
3-potatoes
4-food storage
5-flaxseed & bran cereal
6-homemade applesauce
7-warm soups
8-garden fresh veggies
9-eggs (they don't upset Morgans tummy)
10-tree ripened fruit

Ten things about the gospel
1-Jesus Christ - His life, example, atonement
2-A loving Heavenly Father who knows me
3-The gift of the Holy Ghost
4-my Bishop
5-Priesthood
6-Sealing Ordinances
7-Prophets
8-Scriptures
9-Repentance
10-Revelation

I am so very blessed.  Life is Good!!!!!

Christmas Season continues

I love this time of year.  Christmas is a season, not just a day.  Yesterday (Sunday) was wonderful.  We drove through snow flurries on the way to Church.  Fast and Testimony meeting was centered on Christ and very uplifting.  In the afternoon I went with Randy to visit a home teaching couple.  He goes every Sunday.  The man is living in a nursing home now.  When we returned home Randy made peanut brittle.  I worked on my Gratitude Challenge from this months Ensign.  Randy, Shelby and I watched the First Presidency Devotional together while we cut out trees for Shelby's classroom project.  In the evening I made Snowball cookies.  YUM!  This morning I got up and downloaded The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke on my kindle.  I just finished cooking red cabbage to freeze and serve later this month.  Christmas music playing in the background (Barbara Streisand's Merry Christmas)

  Life is so good!