Time……

Time has been on my mind a lot lately.  So much is happening so quickly……..  Syd is growing so fast, my “pivotal” birthday, a lot of people are passing away, and others have been having health issues that are just darned scary.  It is so important to enjoy the short amount of time we have with those we love.  I don’t know if it’s simply psychology of my age, but I know when I was younger I thought I wanted all of these “things”.  And now, those “things” still seem fun but I truly think it is time spent with people we love and respect that is the true treasure.  I know this is nothing profound……just been pondering it. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Here we are!  2010!  Our family just returned from a trip to Durango and Moab.  It was great fun including Sydney getting sick on the side of the road, rallying and making it through a couple of hours of Arches National Park.  After that, we had a pretty tired kiddo!  She is doing much better today! 

Christmas Time!

Christmas time again!  This year we tried something new – Trinity Presbyterian Church’s Childrens Pageant. We thought this might be fun for Syd and it ended up being a very valuable life lesson.  After a misunderstanding Syd wanted to quit.  After thinking about it she decided to see it through and I am so proud of her.  She was the breakout star as far as the directors were concerned.  They are planning her starring in a show before too long.  Syd, however, feels she may hang up her crown.  She did great and I couldn’t be prouder.  Look for video soon!  Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We traveled to Flagstaff to meet Dave’s mom and sister along with life long family friends; the Pierces’.  We love this event as everyone is a lot of fun and the food is really yummy!!!!

This year was a little different as Ted Pierce (Donna’s husband) died on July 5th of this year.  Donna took his ashes and the family dispersed them in the trees of the San Fransisco Peaks.  It was lovely.  The family wrote messages to Ted on the trees using sharpies and let his ashes go.  It was one of the best memorials I’ve ever been to.
Syd lost her tooth during Thanksgiving dinner.  We had dinner at NAU’s conference center where the hospitality students put on a great meal.  All the traditional fixings with many more yummy good things to eat.  No one starved and it was a really nice day.

MEET JUSTINE!

Sydney has a big sister (for four months).  This is Justine and she is our Rotary French foreign exchange student who is living with us for awhile!  She has been here since August living with a fellow Rotarian.  She will live with us until Feb/Marchish and then move in with another family for the remainder of her stay.  She has been to Supai, Vegas, and will be going to Hawaii (not with me  ) and is making money for her train trip in summer which will take her all over the country.  She is from outside of Paris and is an absolute love!  I don’t know if I will ever let another exchange student live with us as she is going to be a hard act to follow!  More stories to come!!