Christmas 2010, part two

It was cold at Dollywood that first night!

Tommy, Jen and Mason in front of the entrance.

Chris and Cael kept warm inside a shop, (barely).

Hannah peeking out through the top of the ironman stroller.

The lights were absolutely gorgeous!

Cael was not a happy camper just before the posing in the orange.

Mason's okay, but now Cael is saying he's had enough. He just wants to play!

More Dollywood. I think it was the first time we had been there when it was not only cold, but snowy!

Hannah on the Merry-go-Round. Almost all of us had a turn on it.

Grandpa stealing a kiss....

The kids had a blast on the rides!

Daredevil Hannah loved riding the scrambler with her daddy!

Tommy won himself a UT football at the toss game. Two good throws was all it took.

More of Dollywood. The grist mill.

Jen and the kids on a ride. It was so much fun spending this time with everybody. And it was sad when we had to part company at the end of the day. At least I got some more time with Tommy and his family before I dropped them off in Nashville. This vacation was entirely too short!!! 

Christmas 2010, part one

Cael was a bit tired after his trip to see us at Christmas. How much he had grown since we last saw him!

The day after their arrival, Dani and Chris took the kids to the City Park School park. I had a blast with all of them.

Chris was a great sport helping Dan cut down the remains of a storm damaged limb. He also helped Dan tear out old cabinets in the kitchen.

Hannah watching Daddy and Grandpa.

Hannah would have been a great farmer's daughter. We went to Mayfield's and she made that 'milk' flow.  The leggings are some that Dani made for her. What talent!

Christmas Day up at Pat's cabin. It was so great having everyone together for Christmas!

Dani, Cael, Jen and Mason amid the Christmas stash at my friend, Pat's, cabin.

There are great uses for a dump truck! Cael is demonstrating one of them. He knows what to do with a pencil, too.

Hannah knew what to do with a dump truck, too. She was also fascinated with her zhu zhu pet.

The realization came about mid-morning that we might be in trouble. I quit measuring when it got to seven inches. And no, only the first part of the snowman was finished.

After breakfast Tommy showed Mason all the lovely snow.

Hannah just loved playing in the snow. It was hard to get her back in. It even tasted good, too.





Chris and Tommy try to figure out the best course when we got stuck on the driveway heading down from Pat's cabin. We had to leave Dan's car. Didn't figure it would make it. But the guys did it and we got out just before dark.

You remember the end of the movie, Christmas Story? Where the family ends up having Christmas dinner at a Chinese restaurant?  We ended up at a Mexican restaurant. The boys were having fun!

On Sunday, we were supposed to check into our next cabin in Townsend. We didn't make it. The snow that almost stranded us in Polk county kept us from getting to our cabin in the Smokies. We had to stay in a motel that night and finally got up to the cabin the next afternoon. While we were waiting for the guys to get some salt for the road, Hannah, Dani and I went outside of Bearly Rustic and made a snowman. She had a great time.

Hannah in the Great Smoky Nat. Park Welcome Center in Townsend. Dan, Jen, the kids and I waited there while our intrepid warriors worked the road up to the cabin. It was great finally getting there.

End part one!!!

Where has all the time gone?

I cannot believe how long it's been since I posted anything to the blog. So much has happened! In September, Dan had a high school reunion in Foster City, California, (Westmore High, 1960).  So we flew down to San Francisco for that. While we were there, we made it into the city to see some sights. First time I had ever ridden on the Cal-Train.



One of the first places we went was to the Mission district to see the Mission Dolores and Dan's old High School where he spent most of his high school years. This picture is of the Mission High School.



We also took a cruise out into the bay. That was one of the best and quickest ways to see many sites in San Francisco. Of course, no tour of the bay is complete without the Golden Gate Bridge.  



Dan and I also went out to see the ocean (near the Cliffhouse restaurant). This is Seal Rock where the seals do not live any more. They much prefer Fisherman's Wharf.




Another event this fall was the Tennessee School Librarian's convention. I wasn't able to set up to sell my book, but had a great time meeting other authors and getting advice. This is me and Jerry Palotta, who has written many alphabet and counting books. The one he's holding is a Christmas story called, "Who will Guide my Sleigh Tonight."

This is a picture of me and Karen Beaumont, a California author who wrote such things as "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!" It was talking to her that gave me the idea to send out some copies of my book to a few of the Oceanside Middle Schools.  And I did manage to sell a couple of my books and arrange to sell at the next TASL convention.



I actually had several book signings this fall, but don't have one picture to show for it. I roasted at Pumpkin Town, a downtown fall festival, held near the beginning of October. I sold a few books there. Shortly before that, I did Birchwood's Fall Festival and did rather well there. I also did the Christmas on the Square in late November and didn't do badly there, although I thought I would freeze before I got done! 

I have another book signing in January at the Cherokee Heritage/Sandhill Crane Days in Birchwood. If you can make it come on out to Birchwood on January 15th. It will be a lot of fun!

Now, I am going to go and enjoy my kids and grandkids who are here for Christmas!!! 

Trip to Oklahoma

We drove this time. It was so good to get there that Sunday evening. Grandpa and Hannah playing. Isn't that what Grandpa's are for?

Dani and Cael

Grandma and Cael. I couldn't believe how much he had grown since I last saw him.

Grandpa loved playing with Cael, too.

Hannah is quite the helper. She's helping to empty the dishwasher.

A visit to Pop's, a wonderful place outside of Edmond on Rt. 66.

At the waterpark. At almost 100 degree heat, this was a wonderful break.

Hannah the acrobat.

Bricktown, downtown Oklahoma City.

Nice shot of Chris, Dani and the family. Bricktown.

Getting ready for Blessing pictures on Friday.

A backyard interlude from the heat. The wading pool sat under the wonderful playhouse that Chris had built.

Family picture before the blessing. We had to leave right after Cael was blessed because of my work.