My 2nd Christmas, and more of my 1st Birthday

December is a big month for this guy.

The 14th is the birthday, with Christmas following, 10 days later. We have all decided these events should be celebrated

as two.

Tooth #3 has emerged, the next milestone will most likely be walking. He is fast on all
fours, he will be running circles around

Gramma soon.

Happy 1st Birthday, Connor!

December 14, 2007

The celebration of C-Man's 1st birthday was a well attended event, with lots of friends and family, and of course gifts and well wishes.

He was diagnosed the same week with several food allergies- wheat, eggs and peanuts. Needless to say we are all on alert, reading food labels, and thinking twice before we give the little guy anything to eat.

I made him this little cake for his high chair, he didn't quite dig in to it like his Uncle Michael and his mommy did, back when they turned one! We bought the mixes at the local health food store, no wheat, gluten, eggs, sugar etc. He has taken 2-3 steps by himself, and also stands alone briefly. It won't be long he will be walking.

Winter in the High Country

Once again, Stan went on a business trip, and "old man winter" arrived in Flagstaff!

We received 17 inches of snow at our house, and 5 feet up at the Arizona Snow Bowl ski resort.

Arizona is welcoming the snow, as we have experienced drought conditions in the past few years.

Our snow blower was put to use by our neighbor Steve, he blew through the snow at our house and at his own. (I do think he enjoyed playing with the new toy).

Flagstaff will have a White Christmas this year.

Aloha

Stan and I spent 10 terrific days on The Kona Coast, The Big Island of Hawaii, in September.

This island is where my family lived for 8 years in the 80's. We were busy everyday, driving around in our little Ford Focus rental car, which by the way, got 34 MPH. Wow.

I had an itinerary in mind for our visit, and we pretty much stuck to it.
The evening we arrived, we were met at Huggos on the Rocks www.huggos.com , right on the water in downtown Kailua-Kona, by Jenny and Dain, friends from 1979. Jenny and I worked in an OB/GYN clinic, and have kept in touch over the years. I was also a patient there while expecting Melissa. We had such a great time, and Stan enjoyed their company as well. She is a kind and giving person, with a very infectious laugh that I just love. She greeted each of us with fragrant plumeria, pikake, and cymbidium orchid leis, & Kona Coffee. We had some great tropical drinks and "pu pus", which are appetizers. That evening there were hula dancers and Hawaiian music. What a way to begin a vacation.

We also drove around the island to Kilauea volcano, which is an active one, but of course no lava flow the day we were there. Other attractions, Akaka Falls, Mauna Loa macademia nut factory, Hilo Farmers Market, sugar cane fields, rain forest, anthurium farms, coffee farms, the black sand beach and miles of beautiful coastline.

On Wednesday, Sheryll and Guy (more old friends we met in La Maz class in 1980), took us to the Kona Village Luau http://www.konavillage.com/ (she also has the "spirit of Aloha" in her) I have to say it is the best one I have ever attended, (and I have seen a lot), it told the story of old Hawaii and the dancers and music were exceptional. The food was authentic, from Kaulua Pig (which means the pork is cooked in burlap, buried in the ground with hot lava rocks on top to cook it. The meat is covered in ti (tea) leaves, which are long green leaves. Other authentic foods were served buffet style, chicken long rice, lau lau, lomi lomi salmon, poi, fish, turkey, white rice, haupia coconut (pudding) which the local people eat, 3 times a day, fresh fruits, and purple sweet potatoes, Oh, and of course Mai Tais! It was great visiting with them also. Everyone loved Stan.

We discovered a few new beachs, Stan swam with the turtles and snorkled and used the boogie board too. Not me, I am not a fan of the water, so I sat on the beach and read magazines, very relaxing.

We ended our vacation with a sunset/booze cruise where the food was good, music excellant, and the Mai Tais were flowing and going down easily! We danced into the sunset, doing the Macarena, a Conga Line, and shaking our booties, till I tore my achilles tendon. 18 days later I am still in an air cast! I guess I am not a young chick any more!

We are still talking about the fantastic Hawaiian vacation, and we hope to journey back again in the near future.

Arizona Road Trip

We recently took a trip to Southern Arizona in the fifth wheel. We stayed at this old style rv park, and ate a great breakfast ! Stan will post pictures of the late model Airstream trailers and more.

We also visited Karchner Caverns, Bisbee, and Tombstone.

More on the trip at a later time!

Did ya miss me?

We have had a lot on our plates lately, for sure.

Life has been busy with grandbabies, work, household projects, and my health issues, but all is well.

We have been enjoying the monsoon season here in Flagstaff, lots of days with summer rains, nice for our zucchini and tomato plants, and the yard and flower beds.

We attended free summer concerts in a local park a few evenings,there are some talented folks up here in the high country.

Molly is well, still thinks she owns the sidewalk out front, actually the street too, and lets us know when there is a person walking, or actually has the nerve to walk their dog on the sidewalk. She is a kick. It will be interesting to see the interaction between her and Gilmore, and the Hulme pack of dogs!

My mom is failing, she isn't the same person, I miss my mama. She knows me and Stan, and seems happy in her world. The director creates a memory box for each resident, I filled out a questionaire, and submitted her high school graduation picture, it is a beautiful photo. Scrapbook materials were used to signify special interests in her life, such as the horse shows my older brothers participated in for years, and her love of of going on cruises. Her favorite holiday was Christmas, she placed a stocking and Noel in the box. Very clever idea.
I take Connor to her assisted living facility on Wednesdays, and that does bring her joy, as well as joy to the female residents, by the way, there is only one male. That fact is amazing in it self, and just shows that the women out live the male population.

We had a yard sale today, it is amazing how things accumalate, it doesn't help that we both are "savers"! The garage seems much larger now.

We are looking forward to our trip back East and spending time with the Ohio gang.

Babies Babies Everywhere!

We enjoyed seeing our "little" Casey Lee and mommy Katie a couple weeks ago, the time went by quickly and I definately enjoyed my baby "fix"! Stan and I and Great Grandma Marie enjoyed our time with them, and visiting and eating, well you know.
We hope to make a trip in our new fifth wheel in September or October, and catch up on the Cincinnati gang.