Birthday Celebrations - George and Heather

Yesterday was both George's and Heather's birthday.
Heather was with Kevin and Mya at the coast for a much needed vacation while George worked the day away then came home to dinner with Andrea, Jeremy and the girls joining us.
Andrea brought cupcakes which the girls helped decorate.
It was a pleasant evening.
Happy 58th, George! :-)

Mya's 1st Birthday

Our youngest grandchild, Mya, (Kevin's daughter) is a year old!
Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the party due to being sick.
George took these pictures which I really appreciate.

She loves Elmo

The frosting is finger licking good!
So was the chicken daddy cooked on the barbeque!
(George brought some food home for me to enjoy.)

Kevin and his little girl

Mommy (Heather) and her sweetie.

Mya with Great-Grandma Douglas
(My mom)

Ally thinks her little cousin is the cutest baby ever!

Kaitlyn loves playing with Mya
Looks like Mya enjoys Kaitlyn, too!

Present time!

At the end of the day, Mya was one happy little girl.
George and I feel so blessed to have such wonderful grandchildren.
Mya, we love you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A Beautiful Sabbath Day in the NW

George and I rarely get or take the opportunity to enjoy all the beautiful scenery around us.
After church yesterday, we decided to take a ride up the Columbia River Gorge in the Jeep with the top down and drive the old Highway. It was a wonderful drive. We had the Mormon Tabernacle Choir playing and enjoyed talking about church related topics while taking in all the great scenery. I wish I would have taken a picture of the actual drive through the trees on the old highway. The sun shining through the thick trees and casting their shadows was truly beautiful.
The drive was exactly what I needed to balance out a very busy week and make me not feel so closed in by it all. As September starts to come to a close, I am grateful for these last warm days and clear skies and the opportunity to enjoy such a peaceful beautiful day out with my hubby.

Looking east from Crown Point

Horseshoe Falls

It's my time of year......

A week ago Friday, Ally came over for some grandma-time.
We went shopping during the day and in the evening while grandpa was sleeping she and I got out the fall decorations and displayed them. She spent the night and the next morning was excited to show her mom and sister what we had done. We had so much fun! This last Friday, Kaitlyn had her grandma-day. We too, went shopping and had a fun evening of watching a movie before she fell fast asleep. Kaitlyn loves to push the buttons to make the fun decorations sing and move.
Grandma just loves being able to share her love of the season with her girls and wishes she could with all the grandchildren.

Follow-up on previous post......

After hearing Andrea's interpetation of how she viewed my comments on Ted Kennedy's memorial service, I thought I better clarify that when I said I enjoyed it...I meant that it was light and filled with humorous comments from his friends ...the circumstances were different than of his brothers' deaths, so it wasn't as solemn. I certainly never meant to imply that I enjoyed the fact that he was dead! ......Whew! Now that's taken care of!..Hahaha

A bit of history and personal commentary

Ted Kennedy certainly hasn't been a favorite of mine in the Senate, nor has he impressed me with his moral conduct over the years, however his passing does take me back in time to when I was young girl sitting in my 6th grade class room. We were having music time with the school music teacher when there was a knock on the classroom door. I remember the teacher going to the door and stepping outside for a moment then coming back in with a terrible look on her face. She went to the front of the class and with tears running down her face and told us that Pres. Kennedy had been shot. I remember the shock and the unsettled feeling that came over everyone. (Times were shaky back then in the early 60's...The missile crisis, the KKK, etc. At school it was common to have air-raid drills regularly.) It was shortly after that we were dismissed from class...I believe for lunch. After returning to the classroom, we were told that he had died. School was out for next few days. I remember watching the funeral procession on TV and how 'John John' saluted his father's casket as it passed by. I remember being glued to the TV and for the first time really understanding that I was watching a historical event...live coverage on TV...something we were not use to back then. I also remember the live coverage of Lee Harvey Oswald being shot by Jack Ruby. These became strong images in my mind. ...Of course, a few years later there was the assassination of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. In the 60's my eyes were opened to the many things that were going on in the world....the KKK... mobsters, riots, Vietnam, Hippies...protests. I found it all very scary.
Tonight, as I watched a little of the memorial service of Ted Kennedy, I have to admit I rather enjoyed it in comparison to watching the services for his brothers. I find myself surprised he lived as long as he did. He tried running for president a couple of times over the years...I think we all assumed if he did, he would also be shot down. There were many who didn't like the Kennedy clan. Though I wasn't a fan of his, one can't deny that his passing marks the end of an era. Things have changed. Now, I believe there are threats to us all much worse than back when I was sitting in that 6th grade classroom. What is the biggest threat to our society today? This country's motto is being pushed aside..."IN GOD WE TRUST'... if only it was taught and valued by all...I believe we all would be living more peacefully. Instead, celebrity status seems to be what people follow, trust and treat like gods. It is superficial on so many levels.
I believe that Ted Kennedy had good intentions and did many good things in his life. I do not believe most of his political agendas were correct ones, nor do I think he conducted himself as someone to be idolized. Nevertheless, I do pray for him and his family...that they may all turn to God and find the peace and comfort that lies within His love.

Rain Forest Cafe

One of the grandkids' favorite places to go in Katy, Texas is the Rain Forest Cafe.
For those of you who have never been to one, it is a place that has various animated animals, waterfall, and aquariums under branches of foliage all across the ceiling and walls. The animals come to life at different times making their familiar sounds, while moving their various body parts.
While there, you will usually experience a thunder storm complete with lighting as well as the big booms of thunder. While Melissa was working one afternoon Jason and I took the kids there for lunch where they ordered their favorite....mac & cheese.

I wanted to get pictures of them with some of the animals...but kids will be kids...they were ready to go after lunch. Instead we went out to the gift shop where they picked out treasures for grandma to get them to take home.