What a day!

I had a great birthday! It actually started earlier in the week when I got a great recipe book in the mail from Leigh. Then the phone calls started. Leigh called first! Then I went to dinner last night with Marcia, Tiffany, and Diana. We went to Bucca de Beppo. Lots of good food and fun conversation. Today was great!!! It started with being sung Happy Birthday to in Swedish by Cami! Goodies at my desk including the biggest balloon I have ever received, a plant, some toys, a beautiful purse!!!, lunch with friends, then cake at work in the afternoon. I also received some great emails, lots of messages on Facebook and more phone calls. I loved hearing from all of my granddaughters! I really do cherish the friendships I have. It is hard living alone and being so far away from my children and grandchildren. I don't think I could handle it if it weren't for my friends and other family! With all the heart ache that has happened the past few months that each of my children have experienced in different ways-- I am extremely grateful for the life that I have and all the people in my life. I look forward to the next 58 birthdays!

What Matters Most

My heart is hurting tonight.... Brooke lost a dear friend to cancer today. Catie was a young mother of 3 small children, wife to a sweet gentle husband. I am once again reminded of how fragile life is and to never take those that matter for granted. I try not to and will continue to work at that.



Catie's husband, Steve, has posted a beautiful tribute to Catie on her blog.
This is her blog : http://steve-catie.blogspot.com

Amended Valentine's Post

Got this in the mail today--- from my Reagan and Jenna- they are soooooo cute! Love them!!

Happy I Love You Day!

Being single is not a great thing on Valentine's Day! I don't let it get to me but the reality is I don't have a special one person to share the day with. That being said - I did manage to have a fun time with Valentine's Day. My Valentine's started early on Thursday- when I received beautiful flowers from Ian, Anayansi, Reagan and Jenna! They are so good to remember me every year on V-Day! I also got a few cute little Valentine's from friends at work.

Love my tulips from Ian and his family!


Found these cute little goodies on my desk at work.

On Friday we celebrated at work with a Pot Luck- we don't really need an excuse to bring food to work but we thought it was a good one! So after eating spaghetti, enchiladas, fruit salad, cookies, etc., etc., I went to a dinner party for the opening of the Olympics! It was fun to visit with Marcia, Diana, Torry, Gary, and Kevin. GO USA!


YUMMMMMMM!

Saturday I went on over to Brooke's to stay with Brynn and McKenzie while Evan and Brooke went to SF for the night. This was one of Evan's birthday presents to Brooke. As usual I had fun with the girls- even though little Brynn was feeling kind of crummy. McKenzie made the sweetest little Valentine Heart for me! We kept it low key since Brynn wasn't feeling great. This morning was pancakes as usual! We then got a little baseball practice in- in their back yard. Kenzie is such a little athlete. She loves baseball and basketball.


My cute little Valentine from McKenzie!

I tried to explain to McKenzie that Valentine's Day is a time when you tell people that you appreciate them, or you like them or you love them. "But Grandma- you always tell me you love me anyhow..." Love that kid!


Pure silliness in the car!


Monkey see - Monkey Do!!

30 years ago!

Happy Birthday Brooke! I remember the day you were born so clearly. We got to Kaiser Hospital on Mission Gorge Road in San Diego at about 5:30 AM. I never made it to delivery. You were born at 8:13 am in the labor room!! A doctor I had never met before helped deliver you. Aunt Susie was there too with your dad and me. It was so exciting to have a little girl. Your big brother was over at the babysitter's house. By some weird notion I knew it was going to happen and the night before we had taken Ian over to his daycare provider's house. You were born 4 days early. You weighed 7 lbs. 11oz. and you were fair and blonde!!!! So sweet! You looked different than Ian had as a newborn so it was a totally new experience for us. You were such a quiet natured baby! You have grown into a beautiful woman and mother. I am so proud of you and love you so much!


Brooke at six weeks old


Here she is at two and a half years old


Brooke's beautiful family last November

They're moving.......

I had such a fun weekend hanging out with McKenzie and Brynn. Brooke and Evan went to Seattle to find a house. They succeeded! Their new house is ONE MILE away from my sister, Susie, and her husband, Pete. How crazy is that??? So I will be seeing more of them in the future which is a good thing! It is going to be really really hard to have Brooke's family move farther away. But as a parent you want your kids to grow up and be independent- right? They have their own lives and I totally understand that. But picture my world- I live in Sacramento. Ian and his family are in Dallas. Cami and Klas are in Stockholm, Sweden. Now Brooke and her family will be in the Seattle area. I wish I could just retire so that I can travel. But my house is here and it wouldn't sell now for what I would need it to sell for. My job is here. So for now - Here I stay. I do manage to have a busy life anyhow. Just wish I had more time and money. Maybe this will be the year I will win the lotto that my group at work plays! Is that asking too much???


We went downtown for yogurt!


We played Mr. Potato Head


We went to Chris's and McKenzie and MJ played doctor!


The girls love playing at Chris's!