ISAAC

Our family is so lucky.

 We had a Thanksgiving Baby 24 years ago. 

This year we celebrated his birthday on Saturday. 

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC! 

Our day went something like this. 

I made breakfast for Isaac and we served it to him in bed while singing a rousing version of Happy Birthday. 

After eating he opened his gift. 

 It was pretty special because Doug wrote a poem to explain what we were giving him and would need to shop for during the day. 

Here is the card and poem - you can let us know how you like it.

The holiday season gets started each year

When pilgrims and turkeys come out and appear

They come to adore him, to bring him good cheer

For it's Isaac's birtday, we hope he'll appear.

He gets a few presents - traditional stuff

A check with some moola, not filler or fluff

But this year we'll outfit his dogs with a treat

some shoes to help comfort his poor aching feet!

So with these new shoes so handsome and fine

Go conquer the Amazon jungle and vine

No more dreading work's unbearable days

Your feet will be comfy and singing your praise.

And with this small gift, your feet will feel cool

They'll help meet your goal - to get back to school

So keep working hard, and we'll shout out loud

"We knew you could do it, you sure make us proud!"

We (myself, Isaac, Doug, and Scott) left Phoenix at about 9:30.

Stopped at 3 stores looking for the good sturdy shoes for Isaac.

Continued on to Mesa without new shoes.

Arrived at Scott's house to assess and resolve "issues" so he could install and start using his washer and dryer.

A run to the hardware store to get needed hardware was needed.

I stayed home to clean the appliances.

Discovered that Scott's cleaner bleached the color out of my shirt.  Dang!

Left for mom's house to enjoy a nice birthday lunch at The Olive Garden.

Returned to mom's and Scott and I did some filming while using the golfcart.

Isaac advised and assisted. That was fun!

Doug returned to Scott's house and made a little progress on installation.

We left mom's and headed back home.

Stopped on the way home to get the shoes Isaac liked best.

I gave Doug a hair cut.

Later we had cake and ice cream.

Isaac failed to blow out all 24 candles! 

Wow! 

That's a first!

He nearly passed out trying!

Due to cheating nobody saw Isaac's teeth on his first bite of cake.

Kristina came over and we played Stack Attack and Monopoly Deal.

That ended our day to celebrate Isaac's birthday.

Google +

Our last attempt at video calls with the Utah kids failed!  We tried to get Google + going on - that way we could have a multi-computer chat.  But for some reason we couldn't do it.  Then when we tried to do a single person video chat that wouldn't work either.  So we made do with a regular phone call (not nearly as satisfying).  Anyway, I'm happy to report that we seem to have our problems fixed and we will be up and running for a Google + video call with the kids today. 

Why am I so sure about that?  Well because Doug had Scott and Isaac working together to make it possible.  And they even tried it out by having a 3 computer video call going on.  Here is documentation of the event. 

Hopefully Google + works when the computers are more than 5 feet apart too!  It was so funny to see and hear them sitting next to each other in the same room video chatting!  Silly guys!

Turkey

I have lots of posts to catch up on.  But today I thought I would show you a perfectly cooked turkey.  They don't often look so beautiful.  The great thing is that the meat was tender and juicy too.  We gobbled up lots of that turkey.  Yummy!

Winter Weather

We are having a wonderful autumn.  We have been having the most heavenly temperatures.  We had a couple of rains too.  So as soon as the evenings cool down we open the windows and blow cool air into the house all night long (providing the cattle yard stink doesn't float our way).  By 8 in the morning we close everything up and enjoy a comfortably cool house all day long.  We have been enjoying the routine completely.
Enter - cold front.  Most recently it has been downright cold.  We are actually having some Winter Weather!  I love the cold.  I sort of save up or make up from the hot sweaty weather we know will come again soon enough.  Well with the cold front we had clouds, huge wind, and rain.  Yay for rain!  But a few nights ago all the wind and clouds and rain stopped and the sky got clear and it got COLD!  In the morning our outside thermometer was registering 38 degrees.  Ch ch ch chilly!  That was Tuesday morning.

Tuesday morning is also tennis morning.  It took me longer to get ready because I was layering in order to stay warm.  I wore a long sleeve shirt with a short sleeve shirt on top.  I wore 2 jackets on top of that.  Then I had on capris with track pants over that.  Then I spent a good amount of time searching for a warm knitted beanie hat and my gloves.  BTW - I found them eventually.  Anyway - here is a picture documenting the ensemble.  It did keep me warm.  Actually after a few short minutes on the court I ended up taking off the jackets, the track pants, the beanie, and eventually the gloves too.  So Winter Weather you didn't beat me.

Now the curious thing is that the missionaries who live downstairs had their double fan unit in their window all night and morning blowing that Winter Weather cold air into the house.  Why?  I can't tell you that.  But their actions resulted in our inside temperature hovering around 63.  Now that is chilly.

Lack of Posts

Can you all visualize a sad frowny face? That is what I look like every day when I come to my blog page. You see, the old desktop computer died. It died a rather slow and painful death. But finally it refused to even turn on. It still sits here, on the floor next to the desk, haunting my days and nights. The problem is that it died with all its contents encased inside. Those contents are mine. MINE - I SAY!! All my documents, pictures, and so many of my favorite places on the internet. But the old computer carcass refuses to give them up.

Actually, Doug had a back-up machine that supposedly has all those contents as well, but we now find out it isn't completely compatible with this windows version. Rats! It couldn't have been easy for us? No. But he has assured me that he can get stuff off if I'm specific about what I want. He doesn't seem to understand - I WANT IT ALL! So I am at his mercy to get stuff that I want/need. And since he rarely sits here at this computer I have to interrupt to have him and his expertice working on my demands.

So here I sit - and now you know why there has been a Lack of Posts.

If anyone wants to do something nice for me they could send me a couple pictures of my cute grandkids, siblings, parents and any in-laws as well so I can at least put them up on my computer as wallpaper. Hint, hint. And don't waste too much time feeling sorry for me. I have been crazy busy lately too - I'll try to take some pictures and gets new posts coming your way soon!