December & Holiday Reflections....

We were very happy to go to Anthony's graduation from the University of Colorado at Denver to get his Masters in Electrical Engineering. His thesis is entitled "A Real-time Implementation of Fastica for Blind Source Separation of Audio Signals". Sounds pretty ominous doesn't it! It was pretty spectacular with the endless line of graduates going across the stage to receive their degrees. Baby Oliver slept through most of it and the rest of us entertained Sabrina who was done with sitting in a chair in about 10 minutes.

Christmas 2008 in Reno......

The holiday season was just wonderful this year. We loved being with Anthony, Kandra and Geneva's families. And we missed Kim and Clark's families. This time of the year seems to trigger great memories that I treasure close to my heart. One fun memory remembered was when I received a beautiful baby doll when I was a very young girl. This doll was so special as she had dark brown curly "poodle cut" hair just like my medium brown hair.



I received a camera for Christmas, thank goodness as my old one has seen better days. Needless to say I forgot to take pictures here at home and then when we went to Las Vegas, we forgot the camera. But we did get some neat shots below. Grandpa Jackson thought it would be fun to give backpacks to the kids when they came to visit. As usual he wrapped them as they came in their Overstock brown box! What a surprise and a fun laugh we all had when they started pulling them out of the box and they ended up being larger duffle bags....! The bags came in handing to carry all the Christmas goodie home.





I received a camera for Christmas, thank goodness as my old one has seen better days. Needless to say I forgot to take pictures here at home and then when we went to Las Vegas, we forgot the camera. But we did get some neat shots below. Grandpa Jackson thought it would be fun to give backpacks to the kids when they came to visit. As usual he wrapped them as they came in their Overstock brown box! What a surprise and a fun laugh we all had when they started pulling them out of the box and they ended up being larger duffle bags....! The bags came in handing to carry all the Christmas goodie home.



This year we got to play with our two beautiful baby boys who just shortly left their Heavenly Father to join their families. They were held so much that they were exhausted when company left and they could get back to normal. Babies do have the ability to be the center of every occasion.Attending Hanna's baptism and Cole's blessing were the best way to end this years festivities. What spiritual occasions when family and friends could come together to celebrate these wonderful events in their lives and in the lives of their families. As the grandparents of these two fine babies and fourteen other grandchildren our lives are so much more interesting. These wonderful "kids" have just as wonderful parents.



We love all of you in the Shirl and Anne Jackson family... And that we will try to do better with this blog... I teach computer classes... Not sure what the problem is...



We had great fun @ Jared and Geneva's and their pictures are posted on their family blog..... And I can't copy them....!

Guess what... I am back and Rachel and Anthony helped me with my blog so I am posting a few more Dec - Jan memories that I snitched because when my new computer's hard drive blew up I lost what few picture that I took at Christmas...Hope you enjoy.

The Scullin's enjoying themselves in Vegas...! While we are enjoying them... the boys just keep on growing and growing.... but then I guess that is what young boys do...!

Oliver n' Cole enjoying themselves in a rare moment when someone was not holding them, rocking them, changing them or kissing them...!



What a very wonderful weekend...! All kinds of Chugg family church ordinances - Hanna's baptism and confirmation and Cole's baby blessing. These are some of the best of times in families. What joy our wonderful family brings us.

Sweet Baby Cole

Our God given baby Cole came into the world as a great surprise to his parents and family but soon wiggled his way into the hearts of all of us who were able to hold and look into his unfathomable eyes. It was just as if he was saying - but, I so needed to be in the Jared and Geneva Chugg family and he is so grateful that Heavenly Father let him come to such neat parents and brothers and sisters.

Of course, I was delighted to be able to share in the joy by spending a few days caring for him and helping the rest of the family. It is always the joy of a Grandmother to be able to go and help when a new baby arrives. Babies are just the most excellent way to come in tune with God.

We had a wonderful time at Thanksgiving. The dinner in honor of Aunt Erma coming home was spectacular. Don and Sonja's family with the help of Erma's other children really come up with a most memorable day. There were about 135 family members in attendance and we had the run of the huge school where Don used to work. Anthony and Rachel and little ones were able to drop in for a short time.

We took great joy in having Ashley spend the weekend with us. She is such a special girl and just did not seem to mind that she was with her "doting" grandparents or perhaps the "doty" grandparents. The highlight of our time spent with her was our day on Temple Square with Aunt Arleen for the Annual Lighting of the Square. Aunt Arleen added special tidbits to the tour that she has learned about while on her mission. Ashley literally danced around the square and took great joy in looking at all the nativities. We had a early evening lunch at the Lion House and came out just when the lights burst forth. What an evening we spent viewing the lights - Ashley and I both liked the white and orange lights the best. I know "orange".... but there was something just so majical about the reflection just as evening was ascending upon the square. Our evening came to an end with our going around the west end of the tabernacle to feast our eyes upon the spectacular life size navity with the full view of the Christus in the North Visiters Center. It was almost more than one could take in and certainly a wonderful evening to end our day.

The next day we were able to meet up with Kay Lee for a huge hug, lunch and shopping for Gina who is quite ill. Kay just hugged Ashley as if she had known her all her life. We ended our Ashley visit with visiting her apartment and giving her hair a slight darkened look. As I have mentioned before we take great joy in our posterity.

October is always a wonder time of the year and was especially wonderful for me to visit our new baby Oliver. I just love being his Grandmother. In fact, being a Grandmother is one of the most rewarding parts of being here on earth. Grandpa and I take joy in this season of our lives being grandpartents to 16 grandchildren is something that we just are so delighted with. To you parents, we take joy in your children! We just love to see them grow and develop.