Grandbabies!

Chris and I had the chance to spend the afternoon

with our oldest grandchildren. We went to the

Extreme Playground or the "bouncy place" as

the kids call it. It is indoor and has large bouncy

toys and they love it - it is our second time with

them. We spent several hours there and then

to Costco for rides on the cart while Grammi

shopped and a great dinner! Loads of fun!

Kaitlyn at the top of the big slide


Love these babies!



Papa giving rides at Costco!

Is there a better dinner than Costco food court?

Colby's Soccer game

We had a momentous occasion! It was the first

organized sporting event of a grandchild!

Colby is playing soccer and we got to attend a

game! He was SO cute! They all just run

around the field in a huddle and try to kick

the ball. Hilarious! Chris's old coaching skills

surfaced and he was able to give Bryan a few

pointers. Chris as an amazing coach!

Colby did so well that he got the game ball

afterwards for listening and working hard!

We were so proud!

Colby in action


Proud Grandparents

Dad helps coach

Run Colby Run!

Game Ball!

Phantom of the Opera

After the show


We got goodies on Mill Avenue

Me and my sweetheart!

I found a former Dairy Fairy working at Phantom!

Before the show - Tim was running late

We were all able to attend the "Phantom of the

Opera" at Grady Gammage Aud on the campus

of ASU in November. We had "nosebleed"

seats in the balcony but most of us still had a good

time. This certainly was not Chris's favorite

broadway production! We have seen Wicked and

Mary Poppins in the past few months and he

enjoyed those much more! But it was great to

be with the boys and their beautiful wives!

Ellie & Bucky

We had my neice Lynsi and her husband Joey

over for dinner last Sunday. They have a new

little angel Ellie Jo and we had a great time

having them over. Bucky was quite interested

in her and her carrier. He was really quite

gentle with her. We love family!

Balloon Festival

Headed out for the adventure


Getting inflated

Some up - some trying!

The sheer numbers!

A few weeks ago Chris and I decided to take a

trip to Albuquerque New Mexico for the balloon

festival. We like to try to find something to do

on his days off so this time Chris was filing a flight

plan and saw something regarding the balloon

festival that would be affecting the air space

around Albuquerque. I started researching it

online and we decided to go. It was AMAZING!

We have lived this close all these years and have

never been! I can't believe it! It was seriously

one of the coolest things I have ever been too!

There were over 550 balloons and 75,000 people.

You walk right around the balloons while they are

inflating and really feel a part of the whole thing.

We had a great time. The trip home however was

a bit scary. It was windy pretty much the entire

time which isn't too much fun on a motorcycle.

We were doing pretty well until we got to

Springerville. That last 45 miles home were the

worst 45 miles I have ever spent on a motorcycle!

It was simply terrifying! The wind was 40-50 miles

per hour! I do not know how Chris was able to keep

the bike upright - but he did I was ever so glad

to be home!

2nd Day in New York!

Central Park


Brooklyn Bridge

Ground Zero

Manhattan LDS Temple

Waiting for Mary Poppins to start

Day two was great as were the others. This day we

went on a walking tour of New York City. I had found

this company from recommendations on TripAdvisor

(my favorite travel place!) and it was great! We

saw so much of New York and learned all kinds of

interesting trivia and memorabilia about the city.

At the end of the day we had been all over the place

and had walked 10 1/2 miles in 7 hours! Incredible!

That night Ray came into the city and we all

attended Mary Poppins together on Broadway.

We got in at 1:30 am again and this time we only

had two hours of sleep before we had to be up to

make it to the plane. It was a great trip and we

saw alot - but we sure did not rest!

New York City - day one

Times Square!


Top of the Rockefeller Center

Avenue of the Americas

Classic Central Park carriage ride

Times Square after "Wicked" on

Broadway - it was totally Wicked!

Our first day in the city we were commuters

on the train from New Jersey into the city.

Good thing Carla had done it before - whew!

We probably would have been lost! It took

about 1 1/2 hours to get to Times Square.

We were starved - so we found lunch and

then headed to the Top of the Rock for

amazing views of the city. After that a walk

to Central Park, the classic horse carriage ride,

a stop at the Museum of Natural History (where

Night at the Museum was filmed) dinner at

a great Italian place and then Wicked on Broadway!

Carla had already been so Rustin Reidhead met us

in Times Square and used his student ID to buy

her a ticket for Shrek - thanks Rustin! It was

great to see him - I can't believe we forgot to get

a pic with him! After a full day, back to New

Jersey and into bed at 1:30am - back up at 6:30!

Niagara Falls

Simply breathtaking!


Ready for the Maid of the Mist boat ride

The boat gets very close to the falls - you get wet!

Read for the "Cave of the Winds" tour - cool

sandals that they give you to wear!

The walk way on the cave of the winds - check

out the rainbow! You could see both ends!

This part of the trip followed the Palmyra Temple.

It is about 2 hours from Palmyra to the falls.

Following the day there, we had to drive

6 1/2 hours back to New Jersey and Ray had to

be to work the next morning!

Palmyra New York

At the airport excited to go!


The house my Mom grew up in - Port Byron NY

Hill Cumorah

In the sacred grove

Palmyra Temple

The day after our Holladay Reunion, Chris and

I boarded a plane for New York. We have never

been and we took the opportunity while Ray

and Carla are in nearby New Jersey on temporary work

assignment for Ray. Bridget flew in from Kentucky

and we began our journey. We arrived on Monday

night. After dinner at a local NJ hangout, we bedded

down for the night and got up early the next morning

to head out. We drove first to Port Byron New York

where my Mom was raised. We saw the house she

lived in and the town. It was great for me to see as

I had never been there and I was able to connect

stories from her childhood to the actual location.

We ate lunch at the little local diner which was classic

and had the daily special menu handwritten on a

piece of notebook paper - classic! After lunch we

drove on to Palmyra. We first stopped at the Hill

Cumorah. There is a beautiful visitor's center there

and we walked up to the monument on top. Following

that we went to the Smith Family farm and took

the tour with the sisters there and saw a replica

of the original log cabin home and the actual frame

home that the family lived in. Then on into the sacred

grove - such a peaceful spirit there. We stayed at

a lovely new motel in Palmyra and enjoyed "hot

tubbing" that night and visiting with other folks

touring the area. The next morning up early again

for a session at the Palmyra Temple. Another

wonderful experience. We changed clothes and hit

the road for the next part of the adventure - Niagara

Falls.

Holladay Reunion 2009

From whence it all stems!


Ummm those nachos are yummy!

Swimming buddies

The boys minus missionary baby

Gorgeous daughters

Kaitlyn cannonballs!

Best buds!

Papa and Mackey

The whole group (I know tiny pic!)

Jet skis on Canyon Lake

We had a little family reunion a few weeks ago in the valley.

In the past we have gone to Mexico (7 years running!) Due to

a lot of different factors we decided to change it up this year.

I rented a huge house in Gilbert where we all stayed together.

Every family had their own room and some privacy and we had

alot of large common spaces to share - it also had a pool, pinball

and other games - lots of fun!

The first day we rented jet skis and spent the day on Canyon Lake.

I had never been there - it is a beautiful little lake and the weather

was perfect and the water refreshing - it was amazing! We had

a super fun time and B engineered a ghetto knee board out of a

boogie board and Kenny got up for the first time ever! It was

a fun day all together. I forgot my camera that day and I imported

pics that B took but I am not so competent so I only posted two as

they are tiny - I have to work on that skill!

The next day we went to a live production of "Jack and the Beanstalk"

for the grandkids - it was a fun time. The afternoon we spent enjoying

the pool and hanging out. Sunday morning we were up and out to

the boy's ward at 9am - lunch following at Tim and Cara's completed

our little get together.

I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I have - such amazing sons,

daughters and grandbabies - thanks to all of you for the success of our

reunion!