Happy Thanksgiving

The year fly's by and now again we return to the time of gratitude for the bounty of our lives.  It has been a grand year - a sad year - a happy year - and every day - every second in the NOW we have an opportunity to participate in the grand experience of LIFE.  I am so grateful for all of my great friends and family. 

As you saw in my August Post we have a growing number of great grand children - grand children grown and starting families of their own.  We love them all and we wish them the unconditional Love and patience that make all experiences positive for our growth.  In May we were able to take a trip to meet Jesse and Amanda's 5 month old Jessica.  She is now a year old - dancing and talking.  We met Ana, Justin & Ashley's beautiful 3 month old daughter.  We have not yet met Joshua's family but from the pictures we have received they are a beautiful family. 

This is Amanda with baby Jessica during our visit in May.  Her Grandma Vicki is very proud of her!

We were delighted to have our Granddaughter 25 year old Alyssa spend the entire Summer in Salem with us.  She and a friend came by train early in June.  Alyssa had a good break after her college graduation and is now expressing her love for Child Development in a job as Nanny in Everette Wa.

This is a picture of Justin, Ashley and 3 month old Ana.  Lovely family.  Wishing them the very best!

My daughter Debbie had barriatric surgery on October 30th and we have been able to spend a lot of time together while she is off work and in recovery.  She is doing so very well.  She is so brave - and is very happy about the completion of this surgery and is following every step of the outline for great success.

My son Tim is about to be 50!!!  OH MY.  I am so proud of him.
He has been posting old video's on U-Tube and it can only remind us of how much fun we had together 30 years ago when we were all a lot more slender - pretty - and agile!

We are looking forward to Celebrating with him as he moves into the
new life as a 50 year old - today's 30 year equivalent - but a little wiser and still having lots of fun.

Tim headed up the family conspiracy to make my 71'st Birthday one to remember.  They gave me a wonderful little video camera with stabilizer and zoom capable of doing some of the recording I want to do as I pursue my hobby of bird watching.

They also planed the Queen's Day which was celebrated in honor of me and Marilyn's Mom, Pat,
who also celebrates her birthday in October.

They simply told us to mark out the entire day of Saturday October 13th and starting with a wonderful family breakfast - Queens Day was ON!

After a lovely time over breakfast we were off in Tim's Van to the pumpkin patch where we took in all the fun things on the farm - I kept my Queen's crown on through it all.

I told the farmer not to be surprised if I turned his pigs into white horses and one of his pumpkins into my carriage!  He said that we be fine as long as I return them after my Queen for a Day is past. 

We listened to a blue grass band and sang along to "Hole in the bottom of the Sea"!  We took a hay ride where I used my magic want to request of Tim, Eli and Ron that they go out in the pumpkin patch and bring back 3 pumpkins for the Queen.  What FUN!

After the pumpkin patch - the Queens parted - Pat and her party went shopping - while my kids and I headed for the Oregon Garden in Silverton Or.

It is a beautiful place any time of the year - but in the fall the tree colors and flowers were just spectacular.  We had a fun ride on the tram - took a short walk to see all the carved pumpkins - and stopped at the coffee shop for a snack before traveling on - next to the winery!

From high on the hill above the Garden just in front of the Hotel and Restaurant - we see the beautiful Willamette Valley horizon.  It was my first chance to try my new camera and it worked beautifully with no bumps and no snow between shots!  It almost appears that I know what I am doing with it.

Thank you.  I am amazed at the amount of love I feel.  How Grand!

It looks like we were both a little tired by the time we ordered a beautiful dinner at McGrath's Fish House.

Eli and Lindsay, Debbie, Tim and Marilyn, and Pat and Wayne enjoyed dinner with us.  The wine tasting had begun at the Winery so I completely finished myself with a final glass of wine - and a toast to another grand year with the most wonderful family a girl like me could ever desire.

Thanks for dropping in for the updates.  We are feeling well and enjoying life to the extreme.  My handsome husband Ron is the love of my life and what a trip it is Growing Old with Ron!
Love to all.