Lorrilee and Me

It's been awhile since Lorrilee and I have visited and so we decided to go to lunch.  It was a 3 hour lunch and would have been longer but I had things I needed to do...which by the way didn't get done because I didn't have time by the time we said our good byes.

I cherish my friends.  I care about them all so much and their families.  I love hearing how they are doing and what is going on in their lives.  I'm proud of Lorrilee and how she faced her cancer and conquered it.  She was so positive through all her treatments and always wore a smile.  She didn't get discouraged.

Lorrilee is such a great example.  I am so glad that we have been friends for so long. (almost 30 years) It has been fun raising our kids together, and learning and growing from each other.  It has been fun making memories and making our friendship stronger.

Oh how I love my friends!  What a blessing friends are!

Happy Birthday Larry Joe

This year Larry wanted to have a cook-out with our kids instead of going to dinner with the others that share his birthday. (Cole & Suzie)  Last year he mentioned it and this year we did it!  It was so much fun having everyone over for the day.  Justin ordered Vegas Steaks and came and cooked them.  Larry paid for the steaks and we took care of the drinks and the kids brought side dishes to go with it.  It was yummy!

The kids all came at 2:00 and they didn't leave until that evening.  It was so much fun and Larry loved it!

I love Larry!  He is such a great guy!  He just keeps getting better.  He cleaned the pantry Dec 24 and my side of the garage.  He is so fast when he cleans and does a great job.  Then on Dec 26 he cleaned the upstairs room.  My car was full a few times with things for the DI or Rescue Mission.  Larry's truck was full with garbage.  It is so nice to have those rooms cleaned.  I dread the hall closet but I am encouraged now and that will be a project for the new year.  If Larry had more days off I bet he would just do it.  He doesn't clean much but when he does he gets a lot done quickly.

Larry is a wonderful dad and husband.  I hope my kids have paid attention so they will do as good of job at both callings. (so far so good)  Larry treats me good and still makes me laugh.  He is my favorite guy!  Larry is a good friend and I know many consider him one of their best friends.  He is nice to everyone and has a huge heart.  Larry is a spiritual GIANT and has always tried to please Heavenly Father and Jesus...I think he has done a great job.  I love that Larry is my Eternal Companion....Together we have had a good life...and raised some pretty awesome kids.  I'm glad we chose each other.  I'm thankful that Larry was born.  I'm thankful that he has lived a good life.  I Love Larry!

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas

                                 

This Christmas was so wonderful!  No one complained, everyone was grateful, we thought of others more than ourselves.  It was what Christmas should be like.

Diana and Gaby came from Mexico and arrived on Dec 24.  They ended up staying with Gramps and Braxton.  They are sisters and Braxton met them on his mission. They expected nothing but I was able to come up with some gifts for each of them.  It wasn't a lot but I know it made them feel loved.  I even had a little cloth bag and stocking for their stocking stuff. (Larry & I shared our stocking stuff) 

The kids each got a stuffed toy, which my kids all still love.  They also got one more present and they were thrilled.  It was more than they expected and just being thought of made them smile.  I truly have some of the best kids ever born.  They never ask for much if they ask for anything at all.  Santa left a few things under the tree.  I don't think Santa paid very close attention this year to what he was leaving.  The sled was for people under 80 lbs, (I told my kids they could ride it anyway) and the Wii game was really a Wii U. (oops....silly Santa)  He also left a few new barbies for the grands to play with.

After some doughy cinnamon rolls we got ready and went around to the married kids homes so the grands could show us what Santa brought them.  I love seeing their excitement.  They are so stinkin cute!

Later in the day we went to my mom and dads where things get crazy.  We all squeeze in their little house and my mom gives out Christmas.  My mom always makes it so fun for the little ones.  She collects gifts all year for them.  Even though the space is limited I love having us all there together. Susan and a few of her kids were there also.

It gets a little hectic and this year Trichelle's card got lost.  Trichelle didn't have her kids later when we went and so she was just planning on visiting Grandma another day.  Between me and Julie we were making sure that their gifts were kept together and put in the Santa Sack grandma has for our family. The card got lost for a few days but when Trichelle made it to my mom's the card was there.  I was so glad because mom thought that me or one of my kids had it with our things.

We stopped on our way home and visited Larry's mom and Clark.

It was just a peaceful, perfect kind of day!  A Very Merry Christmas!

Ropelato Christmas Party

I love our Ropelato Family Christmas Party.  There are a lot of us now and it's harder to fit into one place but I love having us all together.  This year Becky and Jeff hosted it at their new house.  Their house fits us all easily.  It's so nice and big and open.  They built it so they could have people over.

I love our traditional Lasagna Dinner and the performance of the Nativity.  Every year I reminisce over the previous years when our big kids were the actors....now it's their kids!  In the earlier days we might have had one angel...these days we have a lot.  (we even had some in the back ground) I love the expressions on the children's faces...I believe they know how important their parts are.

I love visiting and catching up with everyone.  I love playing Jeopardy and seeing how competitive everyone is. I also love how smart we all are!  It's just so fun for me.

I love that Santa visits and gives the kids new socks.  I love watching my little's get excited about their socks and how they like to put them on right away.  I just love this time of year and all the hustle and bustle and family time!  It's the best!

Family Christmas Party

I Love our little Family Party.  It's so fun to see the excitement of each family member.  This is the time that our kids exchange gifts with each other.  We rotate each year so that every kid always has someone different to exchange with each year.  The grands also exchange gifts with each other. It is fun watching them exchange.  It is so obvious the love they share with each other.  I hope it will always be this way.  We also give our gifts to the grands and married kids.  I like giving the grands a new Christmas book each year and then they get their traditional cereal.  I actually think they look forward to the cereal....some of them tell me what their favorite is. ☺

 This year we didn't decorate Gingerbread Houses....we were cutting back and so I didn't pick any up.  Instead we decorated sugar cookies.  The kids had a great time and did a good job.  I think we might do this again next year.

 I love my family and love the time that we spend together.  We missed Ivy this year which always stinks. (she was in Disneyland with her dad and his family)  I love Christmas and the Spirit of Jesus that is felt throughout the season.  I love talking about Jesus and discussing His birth.  I love all the beautiful music that makes you feel good.  I love the lights and presents and Santa.  Everything about Christmas is symbolic and wonderful.  This time of the Year really is the Best time of the Year!

Happy Birthday Carla

Before Carla and I went to lunch to celebrate her birthday I bowled for another Carla.  I did something that I have only come close to before.  I had a clean game...that means I didn't leave a frame open...I marked in every frame.  The gals I was bowling with thought I had done it the 2nd game but when I looked close I noticed I didn't mark in the 6th frame.  I still got a 191 which means most of the marks were spares.  In the 3rd game I didn't leave any open frames and ended with a 197 also mostly spares.  However I even picked up a 5-10 split with the coaching of Sylvia.  I don't know how her logic works but it does and did.  That's the second time I have picked up that split and she had coached me the other time also.  Now if I can just remember...move my toe 2 1/2 boards towards the 10 pin and throw my ball in the same spot.  Crazy that by doing that the ball moved to the left which is the opposite way that I moved.  Awesome though.....I was so excited!

Carla is so sweet and kind.  When I text her to see if I could take her to lunch she text me back saying her and her dogs (5 of them)were doing the Happy Dance.  How cute is that?  I think she was excited! Carla has a big heart ♥ and is so thoughtful.  I love this girl and she truly has helped me to be a better person.  I'm just one happy and very blessed girl!

Celebration of Dave

What a hard week.  It's hard losing a best friend. Our family loves Dave and his family.  We have shared so many fun times with them.  Today Dave's twin sister Debbie, his son Davy, and Larry all spoke about Dave at his funeral.  It was so fun to hear about him in different aspects of his life.  Larry took the most time because he was last and got to take up the rest of the times....I'm glad he didn't have to cut his talk short...even though he shortened it considerably.  I think Larry could have gone on for another hour or more....we have shared so many good times with Dave and Vicki.  We still plan on spending time with Vicki and the family.  New Years Eve is planned and we look forward to playing with them and ending one year and starting a new one together.

I was so glad that all our kids were able to take off work and school to make it.  I know Dave meant the world to all of them as well.  He had a way of always making you feel good.  When he spoke to you he listened and was genuinely interested.  What a great example to us all!  Our lives are better because of our association with the Jones Family.♥♥♥