Happy Thanksgiving!

The whole gang!

Madison and Grandma Janey

Hayden and Kaitlynn

Uncle Jeremy playing with Kaitlynn

Four generations... that's Kaitlynn hiding!

Of course we missed Emily and John (they were with Hal and Robin in Pullman) and Bubba and Gary, but the rest of us had a pretty good day! Momma and Daddy came and we all got together at Pamela and Jeremy's. Patsy brought the turkey, stuffing and a pumpkin pie. Rob and I made the fruit salad, ham, sweet potatoes and pumpkin crunch. Samantha and Junier and boys made the rolls. After we visited and stuffed ourselves, we sat around the table and played Mexican Train Dominos. We couldn't stop playing 'cuz we were having so much fun! Then of course it was time to eat again so we had dessert and played more rounds of dominos. I think everyone had a great time and we always enjoy being together.

Ok - I think that I am caught up for now... until the next event!

My Long Awaited Piano Recital!

My Piano Teacher, Helen

Playing Brian Crain's Buttlerfly Waltz

Well, let me explain... the way I remember it! When I was little I took lessons and when it was time for me to have my first recital, my parents got the time and date mixed up and I missed it. Then I tried again and I belive my piano teacher moved away, so concequently I didn't take lessons anymore. I think my mom tried to help me some (she plays the piano and organ beautifully).

So then as an adult I tried to take lessons and after a few months, my piano teacher moved away. I was beginning to get a complex as to why these teachers move away after they start teaching me! Nonetheless, I waited a few more months and finally Helen was happy to work with me and hopefully there is no move in the future! So she had a recital after just 4 weeks of playing with her. I was so nervous!!!! She said I did fine, but actually, I was shaking so bad and got so nervous I couldn't see where I was. Well, at least I can check it off my "bucket-list"... I finally got to have my recital! Sarah Jane, Patsy, Bubba, Kaitlynn, Gary and Rob all came to help support me. They humored me and said I did good!

Happy Birthday to Kaitlynn

What a love-bug!

Happy Birthday to Kaitlynn!

Samantha and Diego

Baby Madison

The Three Stooges (Bubba, Daniel and Hayden)

Miss Kaitlynn... the Birthday Girl, sporting her new apron that Grandma made to go with her "My First Cookbook by Paula Deen"

Gary looking on while we sang Happy Birthday to Kaitlynn. Each of the kids made their own goody bags and decorated cupcakes. Then we had a pinata and filled their goody bags and opened presents. We had a wonderful time!

Miss Madison

Hayden and Jeremy

Little Leap Gary

Kaitlynn and Bubba

Grandma and Gang!

Well, I've been so wrapped up in the Design Contest, I need to go back to catching up with everything else. These are a few pictures from Halloween. We don't normally get to have Daniel and Diego, so I didn't get pictures of them, but the rest were pretty cute.

I made it! I'm on the TeamWorks Design Team

Today was a long one… I waited by the computer for the announcement of the new design team for Memory Works. All the consultants that were involved got on-line and were writing back and forth all day. We were all anxious. Then one of the consultants thought we should create poetry based on the Christmas song, “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. You can see in the text below what we came out with. It was a great way to pass the time away. In the part that usually says “Now Dasher, and Dancer, etc.” we all added our names. I was so anxious to find out if I was on the list (I thought I was going to have a coronary and have to borrow Rob’s pacemaker). Then when the announcement came from Headquarters, they had taken the phrase about Dasher and Dancer and put our names in. That is how they announced that we had won. It is pretty cleaver. So some exciting news! The new design team for Memory Works was announced today….and I’m on it! I’m pretty excited. Thanks to all of you that supported my efforts! Thank you Julie for being with me this afternoon while we impatiently waited for the results. This is great company with great opportunities. Happy Holidays to all of you and thanks for sharing my enthusiasm!

MemoryWorks is pleased to announce the brand new TeamWorks, the new support team for consultants! We are so excited to compile a complete team of consultants specialists working together to promote, educate, and inspire MemoryWorks and our wonderful consultants... After receiving and reviewing many wonderful applications from our talented consultants we are thrilled to announce the new members of our TeamWorks team...

Our TeamWorks applicants were so excited for the announcement, they created this fun poem on the message board...we coudn't resist sharing the announcement with their fun rendetion of "Twas the Night Before Christmas"....

TWAS THE TEAMWORKS ANNOUNCEMENT
By MemoryWorks TeamWorks Applicants & Jodi Howell, MW Home Office

Twas a few weeks before ChristmasAnd all 'cross the boards...Several women were waitingFor a few special words. The layouts were done Sent to Sue with great care.In hopes that on the TeamWorks Team,Their names would appear. Home office was gathered reviewing each appTheir heads were full of projects and layouts and pagemapsAnd Amber in her Memoryworks T-shirt and Kevin in his man-capris,Felt like they might need a late afternoon nap When up on the boards, there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the scrapping desk to see what was the matter.Away to the computer screen, I flew like a flash,Hit refresh again, hit the keys... MASH! MASH! The glare of the screen on my bright excited faceGave me hope that the answers were trueWhen, what to my wondering eyes should appear,But a note from the Home Office, with the new TeamWorks crew! Now Alison, now Bobbie Jo, now Elaine and Janey!On Kari, on Tammi, on Wendy, and LaceyDon't forget Sandy, and Sarah and Susan and TammyJoining the team were also Betty, Kemi, Jennifer, Sharon and Mary. Finally the answers had come to all who had waited The TeamWorks support Team had finally been chosenSuch creative and talented ladies to help MemoryWorks showHow great our consultants are! We want everyone to know! They'll share their talents in creativity, business, and writing Our new Teamworks members will be the greatest aroundThey'll mold and influence while their talents aboundGiving smiles and good cheers to everyone in town.

We're thrilled to welcome these following individuals to the MemoryWorks TeamWorks team, who will be working together to provide a top-notch experience, ideas, and inspiration to our consultants!

2009 TeamWorks Members

Tammi Bennett
Tammy Cleckler
Sarah Crawford
Kemi Forestieri
Susan Frazier
Alison Hammond
Sharon Hill
Bobbi Jo Howard
Lacey Igo
Mary Konow
Jennifer Kranig
Elaine McManus
Wendy Morris
Janey Pumphrey
Kari Roach
Betty Weaver
Sandy Zent

Congratulations to our new team members...and a HUGE thank you to everyone who applied! There were so many great candidates....it's truly the hardest part of our job to weed through the applicants. Thank you for sharing your talents and passion for MemoryWorks with us!!

Can you imagine my excitement? What a day!

Apple Hill Pumpkin Money Holders

Each year we go to Apple Hill I give the grandkids money to buy their pumpkin. This year, I made each of them a little Money Holder and then filled it with money for their pumpkin. My daughters say that I have set a tradition to do every year.

Life Happens...Let's get caught up!

Ok - I know I haven't been good at publishing to my blog! Life happens with kids, grandkids, and life in general.

Let's see... a lot has happened since I last wrote. Rob and I celebrated our 29th Wedding anniversary! We took the grandkids for our maiden voyage in the RV to Walker River Resort and had a great time. It was a perfect place to go for our first time out.

All the family came out and visited too! Our friends Jake and Cindy were out there camping too! Sean and Katie came out with their boys. Caesar loved his time in the RV and loved all the exploring. We had fun in the sun, swimming, and smores! Who could ask for anything more?

After we had been home for a bit, I decided I would get some exercise and go out and do intervals. That is where you run for a bit and then walk until you catch your breath and then run again. You do this until you have conquered 4 miles a day. So I was doing real well and each morning I would get up and do this until one morning I wasn't doing real well. I went to work and continued walking on my leg and then we went to some friends house and it had swollen up like a balloon. I knew I had done something, but figured if I elevated it and iced it I would be fine. Well, I went a couple more days and then went to the doctor where he let me know that I had a Fibular Stress Fracture. Who would have thought that exercising would do that. So I was in a "boot" or walking cast for 8 or so weeks. It was a bummer but in the meantime, we discovered I had Osteopenia of the Spine. So in some respects it was a good thing! Now I know to watch it and to take better care of myself. The irony is that they want you to exercise! Oh well, I will have to walk, swim or ride my bike. Much to Rob's disappointment, I won't be skiing this year either!

The grandkids and the Primary kids are so familiar with Transformers that they kept asking me when I would get my foot put back on. Pretty funny nonetheless. I'm glad that is behind me and I am hoping for a complete healed leg.

Let's see the next thing is all the politics and such to elect a new president. Boy am I happy that is over with. It will be interesting in the next year to see what happens. No matter who the president was going to be, it would be historic and challenging no matter what. Obama and Biden have their work cut out for them.

We had the annual day at the Candy Dance and our traditional trip to Apple Hill. We had fun on both accounts. It is always fun to spend time with family. I had my cast on for both events and got a lot of exercise both times.