Last few weeks.

Grandma Harding-now 100 years old.

The last two weeks have been hard.  Jessica got really sick.  It scared me to death.  She had a blockage in her intestines and a hole  She had surgery, was in the ICU for four days, and in the hospital for 11 days.  It almost broke my heart.  I didn't want to see her so sick, in pain, and have to go through what she went through.  I am so thankful that she survived and has started to get her strength back.  I am so thankful for this blessing.  She is sweet but tough and I am thankful for that.  In the middle of it all Afton turned 100.  We had a little dinner at sizzler for her 100th birthday.  It was nice.  I was tending leighton so she got to come to her great grandmas 100th birthday party.  We were going to have a big party, but she told us no.  I was going to have a dinner at my home, but we got too busy with Jessica so sick so we went to Sizzler.  Here are some pictures.  This is Jessica after she got out of the ICU.  So glad she got unhooked from all the wires and tubes.

We finally took family pictures again.  We had to get the four grandchildren that have joined our family since the last time we took pictures.  It was amazing we could all get there to have them done.  Joseph (my second to oldest grandchild) didn't feel well that day and hadn't eaten.  He fainted during the Grandchildren group.  That made it a picture to remember for sure.  Looking at my family together reminds me how blessed we are.  My treasures are all in the pictures.  I am thankful that I have been taught to value my family above every earthly treasure.  Here are the new pictures.

last few days

The last week I got to be the lucky grandma that tended my grandkids and their Golden Retriever named Yankee.  It was fun, but so busy.  I kept thinking how I possibly worked and raised four kids and am still alive today.  On Sunday we celebrated two birthdays.  Then I started thinking how did I ever have a birthday, how did I have birthdays and raise four kids.  Here are some pictures.  I should have taken pictures of the messes, because now I am not a young Mom with daily messes, I really think they are kind of funny.  Next time!

In three weeks my mother in law will be 100 years old.  There isn't enough I can say about the life she has lived and the amazing person she is.  She has really lived a simple life really.  She lived in the same home for over 70 years.  She lived simply, loved and took care or her family, accepted all her children's spouses like they were her own.  She didn't travel a lot, she didn't drive new fancy cars, but she know what the real riches were and that was her family.   We are having a quiet party for her 100th birthday.  She is very fragile and requested that we do that.  Here is a picture of her.  I will post pictures on her birthday and write more.

I didn't decorate as much was I would have liked, but here are a few of my Christmas touches around the house.  I love Christmas and here is a list of my favorite parts of Christmas.
1.  The reason we celebrate.  The birth of Jesus Christ.  2. The Music  3. The way people act towards others at this time of the year.  4. The lights and decorations.  5. The children.  6. Having my family around, and all our traditions.

After the great St. George snow storm and travel home we began Christmas in earnest.  Grandma Harding was with us in December.  She is failing and we cannot leave her alone so we were grounded. Mom stayed healthy but it is still lots of time and work to help take care of her.  Besides the extra work it was nice having both of the Grandmas with us on Christmas day and we had lots of fun enjoying our kids, kids in law, and 13 grandkids.  Here are some pictures.

December was a wild and crazy month.  First we were in St. George (where it was supposed to be warm and sunny and they had the biggest snow storm in 40 years,