Saturday, December 31, 2011

Christmas 2011 in Des Moines, part 2

From left: John, mema (my mom), Allison, Alex, and nephew Will--who doesn't 'belong' in that crowd, but rode the Megabus from Chicago to Des Moines that day so he could spend Christmas in Sac City the next day. Samantha and Allison provided the 'car service' and retrieved him from the bus station.
Alex and Will mugging for the camera (below).
Allison liked her new watch! (below)
Alex in his 'caped crusader' shirt. (below)
Grandpa M. (my dad) showing off his great sherpa-lined shirt from Margie & Bob (who are sitting there on the loveseat behind him).
Dad discovered I had taken a picture, so he wanted me to take one of his self-haircut while Bob and Margie try not to laugh! Dad thinks he's SO FUNNY!
Marty holding little Blake.
Marty and John mugging for the camera (I think Samantha took this picture with my camera...).
Marty and Uncle Charlie watching Samantha open a present.
Sam & Allison opening identical gifts from Santa with Marty and Will (who didn't get any presents at this house because we didn't know he'd be there quick enough!) looking on.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas 2011 in Des Moines! (Part 1, to be continued tomorrow)

Christmas if more fun with small children, and great-nephew Blake and Izaac both enjoyed opening presents!
Blake is in the middle (above) with his dad, Brian, behind him. Blake is 9 months old, and Izaac is now 4 1/2 years old!
Blake and Izaac playing with the cars Alex got them at an auction (a whole box of hot-wheels size cars, too).
Great Uncle Charlie, who seems to always have the shortest pile of gifts... (I think Blake and Izaac have now made him a double-great uncle??)
Thought this one of Blake checking out Uncle Charlie was cute! (Blake/Izaac's grandma Shirley and Aunt Michelle on the couch behind, and Brian on the floor.
Joe made it to the party after working a long day at Target. (He's talking to his grandma--her back to the camera--and the crowd is still busy opening packages.)

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Sac City Christmas Eve

Claire, Alex, Rachel, Will and Samantha. The Walker grandchildren.
Alex & Allison, Marty & Samantha, Grandma Jean Walker, Rachel (in front), and Will and Claire behind Grandma Jean.
BREAKFAST!!!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Worst present Phase 2

It's done!! Even though they ended up having to dig a third drainage line, they finished last Thursday.



Thursday, December 22, 2011

The worst Christmas present phase ONE...

So the backhoe was finished on another job and came this afternoon to get things started for the new septic system that has to be installed Friday.
Let's hope they don't 'run' into any 'blockages' in the process of putting the tank and drain field into place.
Merry Christmas to EVERYBODY!!! (Including those guys that are working on this project!!)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Worst Christmas Present EVER!!!

Yes, there are some disadvantages to living in the country, but we think it's still better than living in the city (like we used to). (I took this picture through a dirty back porch window--oh well.)
So, we're getting a new septic system this Christmas on Friday. (and as expensive as it is, for the next 10 Christmases!!!) ICK!!!!
Thank goodness for the dependable guys at Mort's. It's not their fault our system is VERY OLD....
I LOVE that they have a sense of humor about their profession! (The picture below is from the back of the poop-pumping truck.)
One year we got a water pressure tank for Christmas and I thought that was bad.... This one is the WORST!!! (and most expensive!)

Saturday, December 17, 2011

What an interesting/revolting (and expensive???) development!!!

John noticed this whole in the ground where the access cover was, a couple of feet long and a foot wide.
The men with the backhoe will be here on Monday.
For a nicer picture of the yard, I looked to the west! We're not going to have a white Christmas according to the weather people... oh well.

Monday, December 5, 2011

The second snow of the fall season...

First it rained, then it snowed. Now, it's gotten even colder!
When Samantha was here last week, we put the Santa Claus up that my Uncle Charlie made when my kids were little (and he used to sell them--but each of the kids have one saved for their houses when they're ready--and Samantha was ready for hers!). It's a tradition...
There are few ornaments that have knocked off the tree, and a couple of branches that are sagging because Gracie has been climbing in the tree...
I'm not sure which picture of the tree is prettier, with or without the flash from the camera, with the snow outside.
Yes, that's Gracie under the tree... as usual.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Interesting Delivery?

Tuesday a box was delivered from Amazon. I LOVE Amazon for the variety of selections, prices and delivery, especially at Christmastime!
Look again... YES--it's DIAPERS!!!! A box of diapers for a baby who weighs 16-28 pounds. NO, I did not order them, nor were they a 'surprise' from EITHER of my (married) kids!!!
So I went to Amazon.com and chatted online with a customer service representative, who explained the labels might have been switched and she sent me a return label for the UPS man to pick them up so they may be on their way to their original destination! Gheez...

Monday, November 28, 2011

Gracie inspects the Christmas Tree!

Samantha and Marty were here visiting yesterday, and Samantha insisted we put the Christmas Tree up and decorate even though I warned her that the last time we had it up, the 'orphan-kitties' (the kittens we took in three years ago) lived IN it at various heights.
Gracie was bravest while Samantha and Marty were still here (Georgey does not show himself when we have company), and Queen and Bogart spent the afternoon alternately keeping Marty's chest warm while he watched a football game.

We only have two of the 'orphans' living here now, so it's probably worth trying it this year. (Pat & Ron live at Samantha's, and Suzy lives with Mema)
The tree doesn't actually look too bad, considering some of the branches were bent the wrong way (from the kittens living in it) when we took it out of the box! Some of the branches need a little more fluffing or relaxation time before they make the tree look more real.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend Everybody!

That's Uncle Charlie heading for his traditional chair for the spread yesterday. YUM!!
Two turkeys, John-made rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry salad, corn (from last summer), baked beans, sweet potatoes cooked in brown-sugar sauce, two bowls of stuffing (one from inside the bird, the other baked in a dish!), Christmas salad (red on top, green on the bottom, and cream cheese/pineapple and whipped cream in the middle!), and PIES!!
Izaac modeling his G. Grandpa's snow-hat, which he (Izaac) has worn off and on for years just for fun! He didn't need it yesterday because Des Moines had a record high of 69 degrees. Beautiful! Especially since John didn't have to go to work until evening... nice.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Happy Birthday Joe!

Okay, so as you get 'older' (Joe turned 22 on Sunday, the 20th) the birthday parties aren't 'quite the same' in the way of 'focus'...
The whole family getting together anymore is almost impossible! Schedules just aren't 9-5 Monday through Friday anymore for many people (and nobody in our immediate family has a 'normal' work or school schedule anymore). Oh well. I think Joe enjoyed the meal his grandma Lenore made, beef and noodles (homemade noodles) and apple crisp. John and I both certainly enjoyed it!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

A flash picture from the past... 1983??

I discovered this instant-camera picture of John from the past when I went hunting for something else in what used to be my daughter's (Samantha) bedroom yesterday.
It took me a few minutes to figure out where and when I thought it was taken. It's 1983, in our little house in Des Moines with first cat, B.D. (Baby Doll). Nice glasses, honey!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Ben's b.d. party in Des Moines on Sunday...

Here's the 21-second video of Izaac singing the Happy Birthday song to Ben (with his grandma Shirley assisting). Ben blows out fake candles afterwards because he had PIE instead of CAKE!!! His grandmother then felt bad when she hadn't thought to put a candle in his pie.... oh well. The pies she made were DELICIOUS (as usual)....
Izaac (on the left) with Ben and his new "Rookie of the year" MLB jersey (of Jeremy Hellickson, a former Hoover High School alumnus, along with most of my nieces and nephews!). Ben is now 19 and at college most of the time now. Izaac misses playing sports with him!
Izaac actually took this picture of Ben's desserts for his birthday (with my camera). Ben doesn't like cake that well, and LOVES his grandmother's pies!!! (two apple and a chocolate!)

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Tuesday, while it was snowing 60-80 miles south of here (4 to 6 inches of the wet stuff-mostly gone today!) it was sunny and windy here, and this is how the furry clan spent the day!
Gracie (above) and Queen (below)

Georgy (above) and Bogie (below)

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