Christmas is here again...that was fast!

This has been an unusually busy year for us. It has made the time fly by.  I started decorating a week ago, just about finished.  Had the painter and piano tuner here while all of it was going on.  Let's just say a bomb couldn't have made things looks any worse than they did.  The Christmas Palooza has taken over the house. I love Christmas time.  I love to decorate for the holidays. I don't care how much energy it takes, I hope I never give up doing it.  It makes me sad when I hear, its just going to be us this year...I am not going to decorate now the children have gone...it is too much effort...on and on.  I tried  to rationalize these lame excuses before, but my inner child always wins.  The following pictures are just for my own reference, but I won't care if you want to peek.
Santa tree... check.

New Santa Picture over the mantle..check.

Piano all decked out...check. BTW another Santa picture with Santa holding a snow globe with nativity in it...check.

Love the random pieces that make up my nativity...check.

Kitchen tree and buffet...

My collection of Buyer's Choice figures remind me of my Aunt Jane's...check.

  Thanks pinterest...chandelier...check.

A Forgotten Halloween

Due to a another long drive to Utah, and the arrival of G-9, baby Zeke, Halloween got pushed aside this year.  I started early with the best intentions of getting it done but I dropped the ball.  Making a small account of what I attempted to do.
Put my pumpkin patch out first. Only one new pumpkin this year. Due to the future economy, I'm glad that I didn't splurge more.

 Love Martha Stewart silhouettes. Bats and mice had the run of the house

Kept the mantle simple this year.

An antique music cupboard that was my Uncle's mother, was one of my prized possessions from Utah. It belongs right where it is.

Hickory, Dickory, Dock, the mouse ran up the clock...

That was it. Had to take treats I had bought over to the neighbors to pass out, had church things to attend to. Anyway... like I say for my future reference only.

MAKING SENSE

Only sense I can make of what happened this week.  Thank heavens I have the leadership of righteous men in my life. Enough said.

SAD DAY FOR AMERICANS

I am so sad right now I can't stand it. My better half is more upset than I am. What are Americans thinking? I certainly don't have a clue.  I am so disappointed.  Thank you Romney's for caring enough to try. I guess that we as Americans aren't hurting enough yet for change.  I am sure that will come sooner than later. So for now I will count my own blessings, and carry on.

GET OUT the VOTE!

Hope election day finds everyone ready to VOTE.. We VOTED last week and it felt better than ever. So thankful for the opportunity to VOTE.

Couldn't imagine living through an election as a candidate.  My  father served in the Utah House of Representative and Senator.  He was Speaker of the House. I remember freezing my buns off, taking fliers door to door.  That was enough for me!

This is probably the most important election of my life time. I am so encouraged with the fact that Americans are seeing the light. I know there have to be a lot of good, smart, people out there, that can tell our nation is not headed in the right direction. I am hoping that the prayers of thousands will be heard.

We need to take personal responsibility for ourselves and our families. We need to prepare ourselves for challenges and disasters that might fall upon us.  We can not depend on the government for everything. We need honest hard working people in our nation to lead, and guide us safely through things to come.

Who knows what will happen, my fingers are crossed!  So VOTE!

A new Luvie for Guggy

I been in hiding for a few weeks because of something very exciting.  Introducing Ezekiel Glade Stewart.  My newest grandchild.  Little Zeke is a sweetheart.  He was a big boy at 9 pounds 3 ounces, which I have always said, makes for a good baby.  He is adored by his brothers, Ike and Jakie.  I tease them about taking  home with me.. They now greet me with, "you can't take Zeke home, he is our baby."

I was pleased to find out that little Zeke's middle name is Glade. My father's name. A man who made a goal of service, a theme throughout his life.  He has a great heritage and example to follow.

Big brothers and I have been hanging out a lot the last few weeks.  It is so fun to watch how they react to their new little brother.

HE CHOSE TO OBSERVE AND THEN SERVE

It is 4:30 in the morning.  I was reading over my last post and realized I had left out the most important part of our trip to Utah, the unconditional love of my sweet better half. You see, he didn't have to go, he could have sent me up there on my own.  He unselfishly gave the last week of his vacation for the year, which means no holidays off. He paid the cost of the trip, and he drove all but 100 of of the 3,600 hundred miles. He pitched in when I know it was physically hard for him, and gave up seeing his family to help mine. There was nothing in this for him.  But he chose to OBSERVE, and then SERVE.  I love how much he cares for Mom and I, and how he has always been willing to step up and help me at the hardest and not so pleasant times. He kept me focused and listened to me rant. He made sure I was comfortable in every way. I love him so much, and it is pretty obvious to me that he LOVES me too.

Cleaning out the den.

I can do HARD things...

Made another long drive to Utah about a week and a half ago.  Besides my bad attitude, there were challenges along the way.  But through it all, the Savior's hand was guiding me through, step by step, and task by task We recently moved mom into an assisted living center in our childhood town. She loves Vernal, Utah having lived there most of her life. Only other place she would rather be is West Virginia where she grew up as a child. It is difficult to have her there, but that is where she chose to be.

The ride up was long... fog, road construction, and rain, made it interesting.  The gentle touch of fall made it bearable.

Fog in Kansas.

Beautiful gold leaves of fall, the red ones had already fallen.

 Snowy peaks left me longing for a snowy wintry day.

 










Rabbit Ears Pass in Colorado.

I don't know if anyone could comprehend without experiencing it, but my sweet Mom keeps everything. Times that by 10 children and a very service oriented husband and you can accumulate a lot of stuff.  I was six years old when the doctor had taken out my tonsils. She kept them for 30 years before asking my permission to throw them away.  Hate to bring it up, the thought nauseates me, but it will help you understand our task at hand. She lived alone in a 3000 square foot home, filled to the brim, with unorganized and organized stuff. Here are a few samples.

My hair cut from when I was 10 years old.  Didn't see anyone else  hair cut, so this must have been special. She probably knew I wouldn't be a blonde my whole life I guess.

My art... mostly 6th grade I think.

Then the evidence of the job at hand. By the time we left of Friday the dumpster had been dumped twice and was half way full again.  2 trailers of donated goods had been taken to the local thrift store, and half way loaded again.  Several carloads of personal treasures and a trailer had been sent to Salt Lake.  We were going to haul an organ down to Texas for my sister, but, things didn't work out. So we hauled about a half of a trailer down. 

One of the best things of the trip was seeing family.  First time in years that we had all been together in one place. Even at the recent reunion not all of us were there at the same time. so it was a milestone... Celebrated my Moms 79th birthday on Sunday night when we got there. pictures of party and some of us at work.

 Mom and Becky. Becky is the oldest of nine children.

Glade and Liz.  Funny thing...my Dad name is Glade and my Moms, Liz.  Glade is number 8.

Sam 7th and the family comedian.

 Lousie, SIL and niece Rachelle and husband JD. Other brothers in the back ground. Allen, Scott, Farley, and Rick.

 
Nine names on paper stuck to the wall help keep every ones piles of treasures separated.


Scott wins the prize for most sentimental. He would have kept everything.


Chris, my youngest brother and I, both liked  the idea involving matches.

Becky was the rock... working day and into the night as she stayed in the house. I opted for a hotel and it was probably a good thing.

After five days of hard work we loaded the trailer and headed for home.  I would like to say we finished the task at hand, but a few more hard days of work from the brothers will be required.

 We found out there was snow in parts of Kansas and Colorado, so we went an alternative route.  We were going they ugly way back to Texas and took  an alternative route last minute.  We didn't think it would be too bad, but it put us back up in the high altitude of the Rockies. It was worth the drive though.  At one point we look up the road to see 3 charging buffalo. I was so surprised, I didn't get a good picture.    

Oh give me a home...

We were happy to see this beautiful rainbow at the end of our descent.  I thought to myself a promise from God that he is with us in hard times.

It was amazing to me to see the hard work of my siblings.  We all got along really well and there were no disputes over "things" of the world.

I think I am pretty lucky to have a great family.

My wish is that my own children can follow their example someday. I am pretty sure they can.