Disneyland here we come...

We will be leaving early in the morning for southern CA. I'm almost packed with just the last minute things and things I forgot earlier. We won't be back until Friday, so you may not hear from us while we're gone unless Don takes the lap top computer and the motel has free internet. You know Don's cell, so you can contact us that way if you need to.

We got a call this afternoon, and Noylen is in the hospital with pancreatitis which can be serious, but they're hoping things will clear up soon or they will have to do surgery. We hope to speak to the doctor in the morning, but he told Noylen he couldn't talk to us even if she gave permission (on the phone, that is...what's that all about?) So your prayers in her behalf will be appreciated.
Symptoms came on suddenly, and from what I read on the internet about it verified that it sometimes happens that way.

Have a happy new year!

I just found this video of Angelina and her cousin Makayla.

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker was an amazing experience

We had a lot of fun.

We got this picture from Tandita. All it said was "Tell me what you think"

Recovering from a day of making candy and cookies

Esther and I made cookies and candies for the Christmas baskets and it took us all day, but the end result was a good one. Today is cleanup-the-kitchen-day!! And I'm tired because I'm no longer accustomed to keeping going ALL day!! But I'm a survivor, so all is well!

I talked to Mark, my nephew, and they are going to PUC to see their daughter and son-in-law...well, really to see their grandkids! We are hoping it will work out for us to drive back down to the L.A. area with them when they go back home, so we'll see.

More Snow

There was 8 inches of snow on the railing this morning. My batteries are dead, and I stole batteries from the TV remote in the spare bedroom and got this picture before they went dead, too. Don is trying to get out of the driveway now. Kinda hard to do with a spade shovel. So much for the here today, gone tomorrow maybe 4 inches of snow they said we'd get up here! It's supposed to snow "flurries" several more days. No school today, tho. But Don has a Dr. appointment in less than an hour.

More Snowing pictures.

View from the living room

View from the front porch

View from the deck

We're getting a little bit of snow that brings a touch of home that is very comforting without the extreme cold. It's nice.

It's snowing!

Our first snow since moving to CA

Taken from the deck off the back

Nice to have a touch of "home"

Today is our wedding anniversary...34 years! I guess the snow came today to make it seem more like our anniversary since we were married in Michigan where there definitely was snow.

Yesterday we were invited to Gary/Greg and Sandy Dickson's for Sabbath dinner. We spent a wonderful afternoon with them. It's nice to visit "old" friends...oh, that's right, most of our friends are "old" according to our kids! Oh, well, that shows you what THEY know! Last night we went to the academy's dessert auction. Don loves auctions of any kind if it's for a good cause. He enjoys running people up and sometimes ends up buying something he didn't intend to, but we don't spend much on entertainment, so it's ok, especially when it's for the school. We got some wonderful peanut brittle, almond roca, and brownies/cookies. Most of it will go on a plate to give back to the kids and adults who work with Don if we can stay out of it long enough to package it up. The almond roca is sooo good. I'll try to save some for you, Esther, but make no promises since it's pretty tempting!

Adrian

Vanessa and Alan have had some concernes lately regarding Adrian's behaviors and took him to the doctor. Apparently he has been having some seizures that have increased lately. They are scheduling an EEG hopefully tomorrow, to find out what is going on. The doctor thought it probably was "Absence seizures" since he kind of spaces out for short periods of time. She told Vanessa that it would not cause further brain damage, but of course they will find out what is going on and what to do about it. So please continue to keep our little bundle of miracles in your prayers.

Don is on his way to Georgia now after visiting family and friends in Florida. He finally reached the right people and has permission to see Jairo tomorrow from 9:00-11:00. I have been going through some boxes in the garage and am getting closer to making room for a vehicle in there!! I am SURE Esther will help me finish up that project next week!! She helped me move to Arkansas, and if you recall, Don was in the hospital with an abcess on his liver at the time. I don't know what I would have done without her, cause I got so bogged down or overwhelmed with the mess we stepped into. She took charge and got us going and organized so we could function. Don't tell Don, but I have reached the point that if I don't want it, I'm pitching it since he "fails to see the urgency"...a famous quote of his regarding others (at times) now applies to himself!

I hope you all have a very nice Christmas season. We plan to enjoy Esther and Angelina, see a few sites, go to Disneyland and see Mark and Rick (families) while there...as well as Ron Cronk, old friends from our Walla Walla College days. Oh, and a former student from Battle Creek days.
We plan to take Angelina to see the Nutcracker at our performing arts center here in Paradise. She is into gymnastics and a little ballet, so we are hoping she will enjoy it.

Oh, By the Way...

Since no one commented on any of the California Trivia questions, I'm not going to give the answers! So there! (Hope you can take a joke)

Don in Alabama...update on Adrian

Don has some training in Alabama on Monday, so he flew today so he could drive over to Georgia to see Jairo since his visitation is (or was) Sundays only. But we just got the word that they transferred him again and Don might not be able to see him at all. He has been in contact with the place where he is and there is still a possibility that he might get to see him. He won't know until Monday. He's going to be gone all week and will also go to Florida to see his cousin and a number of friends down there. Plans to go golfing with Aubrey.

We saw some accidents due to the heavy fog on the run to the airport. In fact, on the way home I had to hit the brakes hard at the same spot where the accident was on the way out...and I was "looking" for that spot. I didn't come close to rear ending anyone, but I never saw the warning that a stoplight was coming up. Good thing I was "keeping my distance".There was second accident on the other side as we went thru, and I kept seeing emergency vehicles headed that way for a long time. I got to church a little before Sabbath School ended. I was supposed to make it in time for SS, but SOMEONE left their wallet in the van door, and I had to turn around and go back...which I was planning to do anyhow since I went the wrong way on the interstate after leaving the airport! That plus the fog took longer.

I got a note from Vanessa and thought you might like an update on Adrian. She says: "Adrain's hand is giving him problems now that he is trying to crawl. He can't hold his weight up on it, and he seems to use it less then he did before when playing. I put a sock over his good hand to encourage him to use the bad hand and he couldnt pick anything up or play. He got very frustrated and eventually just sat there and didnt try to play at all."

Esther and Angelina will be here in less than 2 weeks...YIPPEEEE!