I Love Technology!

I have TWO messages on my answering machine that will NEVER be erased!

The 1st is a sweet message from our oldest granddaughter, E.

It goes something like this:

"HI NANA!..... Oh, Nana not talk me.".... (now read with a voice of dejection) "bye, bye."

I LOVE talking with E on the phone. We've come a long way, baby!

Each week the conversation is better and more detailed.

Yesterday she told me the story of Jonah and the Whale:

(okay... I can't seem to type near as cute as she said it... but I'm sure you can imagine.)

"And Jonah didn' obey. And the whale ATE him! And Jonah told God he was sowee. And the whale spit him ouT. And he went to Ninah and told the peepow God says to wepent!"

The 2nd message was left last Sunday afternoon.

It's sweet little Nora belly laughing while her Daddy played with her.

I listen to these messages just about every day.

You precious little girls are so blessed with terrific Mommies and Daddies.

And you are missed SOOOOO much!

Please don't grow too fast. I don't want to miss it.

So, my friends, celebrate my love of technology and sing along with me

Napolean Dynamite's closing credits song:

"Yes! I love technology! But not as much as you, you see!"

Jay is a Commercial Star!

Went to a Mariner's Spring Training game today for our Anniversary Weekend Get-Away. It was a great game (we won!!) and fun to see Griffey with the team again.

Before the game started FSN (Fox Sports Network)

was filming commercial segments all around the park.

Since we were there 90 minutes early and no team players were warming up

we wandered around the park with the commercial crew.

FSN has hired The Coats http://www.thecoats.net/

(quartet from Seattle, aka The Trenchcoats)

to sing in the commercials welcoming the new players (Griffey especially).

Fun watching the filming behind the scenes.

AND at the end they asked for fans to come join them!

Jay was quickly there and I planted myself with the camera to capture the Kodak moment.

So Seattle fam... watch for the commercials.

If we're lucky Jay won't end up on the cutting room floor.

Living Legends

What a great weekend!

BYU Living Legends performed at Yavapai College Saturday.

We just got back from Regional Auditions in Flagstaff

in time to take a 30 minute nap and dinner

before seeing their terrific show.

We were blessed to have Kana and Tara stay to nights with our family.

They are incredibly sweet and talented girls.

It was such a pleasure to get to know them.

Think we need to start a Kana and Tara fan club.... our family will be president!

The Bass-ness!

The High School Regionals auditions (in Flagstaff) went very well on Saturday.

Paul made 12th chair Bass!

Kingman, AZ here we come!

(Regional Choir Festival is held in Kingman Feb 19-21)

P.S. Paul and his friend Chris were having a GREAT time with the camera during Saturday's down-time. :-)

Good Things Come in Threes

Life is good! And now seems like a good time to make a list of some of the things that make life great (in no particular order).

So... here's the list with a three theme. Why three, you ask? Well... read on and you'll see why three is my magic number today. (Can you tell who are on my mind?)

Three very adorable and very missed granddaughters!

Three stores to visit on Saturday WITH JAY! (Nice having him home again on weekends!)

Three upcoming family visits! (Dave's fam in April; Jayson's fam in May; & Val this summer!)

Three terrific directors to work with preparing for this Saturday's Regional Auditions and Solo & Ensemble in Flagstaff. ASK: Amie, Steve and Katie

Three times nine = the students I'm accompanying on Saturday.

Three well used tools of my trade.

Three trips home today.

Three more seminary lessons to finish the book of Acts.

Three (amost!) days till some birthday cake.

Three college kids to accompany in Tucson the weekend of Feb 6.

Three more days till we receive our tax return - we think. (Jay figures they've had our money long enough.)

Three terrific sons, two amazing daughters...

And a newborn baby on a pi.a.no.

Friends are the best!

Thanks to a sweet friend who shares her talents,

we had a family photo shoot yesterday.

Here are a few teaser photos:

Kim calls this our first album cover

The results of the promise:

"If you sit for a few more pictures Nana will give you a chocolate kiss"

Jayson's sweet family

Kenny's little Nora

Merry Christmas to All!

Here are some of our favorite things to do on Christmas:

1. Write a note to Santa on Christmas Eve.

(If you look closely you can see that Elizabeth wrote "Ho Ho" all by herself!)

2. And leave Santa some cookies and milk.



3. We sing "Jingle Bells".
After waking everyone up EARLY on Christmas Morning
we gather by the tree and sing "Jingle Bells"...
but you see, this year, we opted to sing a song Elizabeth knows well: "The ABC's".

4. We open presents!


5. And the day always ends with a Sibling Monopoly Challenge!


Okay... there are many more traditions
(and ones closer to the true meaning of Christmas)
but I didn't take pictures of those. :-)

Merry Christmas to All!