Cute Doll House...

 The finished product with a hand-crank elevator up to the top floor (the red box).

Daniel & Malia's teacher (they both are teacher's)

One at the Charter school and one at the High school,

have two little girls...Malia has taken care of them several

times and Daniel has housesat their house & 2 labradoodles

a few times...most recently just before Christmas.  This doll house

was in a box in a whole bunch of pieces!!!  He asked Daniel if he'd

put it together for them (he'd pay him) while they were gone!  "yeah,

no problem"...Daniel brought the whole thing over (in pieces) and

asked if we'd help him get it together, he was completely frustrated!

So, back to STEP 1:  I helped, Tom helped, and Daniel helped,

and 3 hours later this beautiful little (BIG for a little girl) house

was together in one piece.  Merry Christmas girls!

Making Progress...Step by Step!

I made pies for Christmas Dinner...

 2 pumpkin pies, 1 blueberry pie, 1 apple pie, 1 coconut cream pie and 1 chocolate cream pie...

 Ron & JoAnn, Malia, Daniel and Tom ready to chow...December 24th, 2010

JoAnn, Malia, Tom and Daniel.  We were invited to Bogue's for Christmas Day dinner, but Daniel had to work on Christmas and Malia already had other plans.  Derek joined us a little later when he got off work.  I took my camera on Christmas Day to Bogue's and forgot to take pictures, so I'm glad to have these.  We had pies for our Christmas Dinner at home and I was to bring pies to Christmas Day Dinner at Bogue's.  It was a lovely day there as well.  Christmas Time just makes me love family time and together time.  I love all the pretty lights, the togetherness and music..."it's the best time of the year"...as the song goes!!!!  We were only missing our Anna and Zane :( PS:  the pies turned out good.

Oodles of Christmas Cookies...

This year I made cookies/treats to give out, but didn't have Malia home to help me and so I did them all in ONE day...needless to say, I was tired of making cookies, but it's still fun and even nicer to give them out to friends.  I was happier yet when it was all done and I could look at the result of a "days work" and a job well done! :) :)

Seeing the pretty lights with our worker girls...

 The lights down at the London Bridge and the English Village are synchronized to Christmas Music.  So pretty.  Our girls, Tamara & Barbara were staying with us and after their gospel meeting they and the kids
were all at the gospel meeting, went down to see the display. 

 Back- L-R.  Austin, Derek, Daniel   Front:  L-R JoLena, Barbara, Tamara & Taylor (Derek's g/f)

The Flag with the light shining on it on the London Bridge.  My Camera does not take very good night
pictures.  But it's fun to have the great memories of good times together with friends and family.

Daniel Got Recruited to Play in the School Basketball Game...

 Daniel at the left getting a drink! 

Playing for the Royal's #2

Out on the floor!

 Tiger's is the other Charter School Mascot.  The Royal's is a brand new team and they don't have a mascot yet!

 Daniel playing...

The SAD score!!! At the end of the game!  The principal called Daniel into her office on Tuesday and asked if he had to work that night..."well, no", "are you in shape physically?" "Well, yeah, I think so"...well, we need you to fill in for the basketball game tonight....here's a jersey."    It's a brand new team...a couple kids were out and another boy didn't have good enough grades to play...so Daniel got recruited to play and they put him in to play 3 of the 4 quarters.  Unfortunately, they played a team that is 2nd in the division...And believe it or not 3 kids (two other boys) were also recruited for the night....what a fright!  But Daniel had fun.  He thought they'd probably just have him warm the bench...but he played most of the game.  Check out his shoes...lol :)  They're his work tennis shoes...Vans.  It's so funny...cuz' everyone has these fancy smancy shoes and Daniel's wearing his old holey black work shoes!  Oh well, it's about having fun and doing what you can to help out!  So "mission accomplished"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"GO DAWGS"

Someone in our house (should I say 'someones') still love those Huskies up in Washington State
even though we are Arizonans!!!  So, that someone....aka Tom...got his creative juices flowing yesterday
and today...and yes, just another way to use spray paint!!!  LOL :-)  Grabbed a bunch of the landscaping
rock and started painting away...so when you're NOT sleeping at night...I guess your mind starts thinking
of things like this to do...Any who are HUSKY fans (GO U of W)...that tomorrow (Saturday) is the Apple
Cup!!!!   So, GO DAWGS!!!!! (By the way...this is in our front yard!!!  An older gentlemen walked by and
asked Tom "Who are the Dawgs????"  Guess in Arizona you may have to explain!!!! ha ha

Some more December FUN!

 Fresh Blueberry "mini" muffins...lasted just for a day!  Good while they lasted!

I just got the little "latte", "mocha", "cappucino" & "espresso"...little plates-in-a-rack
from our new store in town called Kirklands...a neat home decorating store reasonably priced!

December/WinterTime Fun Continued!

Top Picture is the Entry Table w/my winter decorations.  The next three pictures are Pumpkin Bars.  I promised the boys I would make a batch of them for them for Thanksgiving.  How about the day AFTER Thanksgiving...no problem...everyone enjoyed them and now they are GONE!  The last three pictures are of the fountain with the bubbles and frozen water.  It's kind of hard to tell...it wasn't so frozen that you'd be able to skate on it, but it still froze.  I wished I'd of taken B4 pictures of the fountain when it was PINK.  Somewhere I must have some pictures...just don't remember where!

Winter and December are in the Air!

I just got out my Christmas/Winter stuff today and got it set-up.  I don't do much, usually just the dining table and entry table.  It's been so chilly here this past week or so...our water fountain even FROZE!  That means
COLD...even Arizona gets cold...Florida does too! The little fireplace in our bedroom has been running quite a bit this past week and it feels so cozy and warm.  I love EACH season...they all have something about them that just appeals to me...and by the time the next season comes...I really feel ready for it.  Its been fun wearing all my warm sweaters, jean skirts, and turtlenecks, tights and jackets! 

Fountain, Bench & Vase "RE-DONE"

Our Fountain, Bench & Vase were

Pink.  Now don't get me wrong, I DO

like pink...just not on a fountain, bench

or vase...because they're cement, and VERY

HEAVY, Tom helped me.  He put a new pump

in the fountain, took it apart...I did the painting and

now the stuff feels like new again!  (I wanted a

darker beigh/tan color, however, this cement paint

with grit is able to withstand water...well they tinted it

as much as possible and this is what we got!)  Not perfect

but much better than PINK! :-)

Fresh Picked This Morning From Dunnett's Trees!

Thanksgiving day little tangerines...Pam picked them this morning and had them on the table for all to enjoy!

Thankful Thanksgiving Day...

 Pam pulling the turkey out of the oven...Looks Great!

She's checking the internal temp! Just Right!

 Jordan (Bogue's Son from Colorado), Daniel, Derek, Me and Tom...

 Karen & Ron Bogue, Melissa, Dana & Jordan Bogue...waiting to CHOW!

 Our excellent Host & Hostess, Everett & Pam...it was wonderfully prepared!

 My dessert plate, a "sliver" of Weight Watcher Pumpkin Pie and a "NOT so WW Chocolate Truffle
Pie sliver!
We have sooooo much to be thankful for, and NOT to forget why we have a Thanksgiving Day.  We
had a very nice day spent together with friends.

From "ICKY" to "KHAKI"

The bottom picture is the before picture of our "park bench"...it was so wobbly and terrible looking.  I scraped off two layers of paint after I took it apart.  Then sanded the slats, primed each piece, sprayed them then put a clear finish over all of it.  Also sprayed the metal bench part with Rustoleum Metal Spray paint.  Lots of stages and took a little time, but now its actually useable and we can enjoy it now looking out on the pool and not feel like it's going to fall apart when we sit on it.  The Arizona sun is so hard on everything!!!