Pictures for Family Sunday Dinner

Playing before dinner (from left) Emma age 5, Jaden age 5, and James age 2.

(from left) Emma age 5, Paige age 7 months, James age 2 and Jaden age 5

(from closest to the camera first) James age 2, Bridget age 3, and Emma age 5

(from left) Emma & Bridget

James waiting for his dinner to be delivered.

(in the background from left) my sister-in-law Amy, my mother known as Grandma Leslie holding Paige

(in the foreground from left) Morgan age 2, my sister-in-law Anne, and Emma age 5

(from left) Bridget age 3, Jaden age 5, and me

Grandma Leslie with Paige

Maggie age 1

(from left) Anne, Grandma Leslie, Paige & Jeff

Bridget & Paige

(we got all of the grandkids in one place at one time, for the first time in 4 years!!!) From left- Bryan's son James, Jeff's daughter Emma, my daughter Morgan, Jeff''s daughter Bridget, Jeff's daughter Maggie, my daughter Jaden, and Bryan's daughter Paige. That makes 7 grandkids age 5 years to 7 months!

Did I mention that my brother Jeff and his family came from California to visit? Well, if I didn't, now you know. We filled our days with outings and get-togethers. These are pictures from the first get together. It was a family dinner with my other brother Bryan and his family, Jeff and his family, my family, and the grandparents (whose house we met at).

Jeff's wife Anne fixed the dinner since her youngest is sensitive to soy. We had a soy-free dinner, and it was delicious! Roast, potatos, carrots, & biscuits... YUMMY!

Mini-Videos of the Animals in the Zoo

Since I now am missing more than a weeks worth of pictures, I can only give you pics of the things that we did this week (as opposed to last week, which was incredibly full of activities). We went to the zoo on Monday with my brother Jeff, his 3 kids (Emma, Bridget, & Maggie), Grandma Leslie, Grandpa Lyale, my sister in law Amy with her 2 kids (James & Paige). The zoo was fun, and we stayed for quite a while. I have plenty of pictures to show of that outing. It was fun to have my Jeff and his family in town from California!

Playing Games

I found 5 games at a good price & picked them up. Jaden & Morgan and I played 2 of the games and then left the other games for another day. It was fun spending time together!

Uncle Scott with Jaden, Morgan & James

I had to steal this picture from my sister-in-law Amy. My stinkin memory card with 600+ pictures has been wiped out!!! I lost all of my pictures that I hadn't already put on the blog. I hope to get more pictures from her and the rest of the family when they have a chance to send them. Then, I will share those, too.

Family Pics with Uncle Scott

Videos of Uncle Scott

It has and will be a wild next couple of weeks! We have been so busy (and it is not slowing down). First, we got a visit from Uncle Scott. That is Grandma Leslie's brother and he flew in from Utah. We visited him every day he was here, and did so many fun things. Jaden and Morgan really warmed up to him. These are the videos I took after family dinner on Sunday.

A New Pair of Eyes

I got this from a friend, and decided it was too powerful not to pass on:

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her.

She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her.

When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world,will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind.

The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying:

'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life Is a Gift

Today, before you say an unkind word, – Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food – Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife – Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life – Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.

More Trick - Or - Treating!

Jaden & Morgan got to go trick-or-treating a second time when we met up with Granma Leslie, Grandpa Lyale and Uncle Scott. We went to the arboretum, and they had candy at each of the play houses. The girls mostly just wanted to play in the houses- they didn't care too much about the candy at that point... Too many exciting things to do and see!

Trunk Or Treat

Uncle Scott (above in the green cape), was officially the scariest person at trunk or treat (according to Morgan who decided it was safer to run to the other side of the dark parking lot than get near him!)

Morgan's Goodies (above) & Jaden's Goodies (below)