Another Year ~ Goodbye 2010

This year was filled with ups and downs.  The ups were so wonderful it made the downs a lot easier to overcome.   So, as I review the year gone by I am going to once again share with you the highlights of each month gone by.
January – Sundance Film Festival has become the Cinema we love and can’t miss year after year.  Nina and I stood in the frigid cold for at least an hour waiting for our number so we could return to buy the tickets.   It was well worth it, because after we received our number…we got toasty warm at Karen’s on 25th street with Hot Chocolate and breakfast.  
  January 30th the group got to enjoy dinner and Sundance!

February -  A month filled with events that will always touch my heart. I cooked, Al remodeled our family room, Time Out for Women was amazing…and Hayhurst always brings renewed life.  On a very sad note we will not be going to Pine, Idaho this year.  The Hayhursts have had way to many unfortunate events, that I can’t even talk about because of how sad this has made me.
 
March – A new beginning for our family.   Ali decided it was time for another grandbaby….and we were so excited.  Al finished the family room windows, new kitchen curtains after all these years, and yes a brand new stove (Thank you Lyn for putting the pressure on). 

April ~ I so wanted to learn to make Tortas (to this day I can’t pronounce the word correctly)…but I accomplished the bread as well as the fixins’.  Along comes produce group…what a find it was.  Bountiful Baskets just filled my kitchen with the most amazing produce for only $15.00 a week….a laundry basket full of delicious produce.  Isabella…returned from Mexico and brought Carlos to see us………only for a few weeks and back across the border she took him, just last week we got news that she is probably coming back to the States to stay.   I sure hope so!

 

 
May ~ One of my goals during 2010 was to read The Book of Mormon from start to finish.  I worked diligently and I'm so proud of myself  (pat on own back)… I'm sure I was suppose to do this a very long time ago...like 9th Grade. One of the blessings of growing old is a new found knowledge! I can do it! I also made applesauce with the apples that came from produce group.   Yes, it takes time but it tastes so much better than store packaged applesauce….I would love to make a big pot of it every week!   

June ~ Changed our lives forever.   Grandbaby #11 came into this world June 4, 2010.  We love him beyond measure…everyone of us!  I made my first trip to the East Coast with Ali.   We had a great time….well I spent all my time in the hotel with very few exceptions.   One highlight of the trip was going to Carlo’s Bakery …we are such fans of the TV show and now it means so much more to us.  Holy Cannoli……and Cheese Cake…wish I had some now!!

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July ~ Of course, summer is my favorite season.  This summer I found a new hobby with my camera and Little Man was so cooperative.  We also took Kendry for a visit to Great-Grandma and Grandpas home.  Aunt Julie (our little worker bee) along with Ali, Brevin and Halie put the nursery together…it is So Stinking’ Cute! 

August ~ The years go by so quickly…Halie turned 9, Brevin turned 8 this month….Al turned!  It was time for new furniture in the family room and Little Man so loved the new recliner for nap time.   Of course we continued to enjoy Baseball and summer cooking! 

September ~ The winds of change blew in…..and left fall leaves tumbling to the ground.  We made a visit to the cabin, continued with the photos projects, and did the best I could to put one foot in front of the other as I walked a tightrope of emotions! 

 

October ~ With life turned upside down, October wasn’t the usual hub of activities around here…..I did continue to cook and EAT!  Honestly I don’t even remember how I spent Halloween this year…..didn’t pass out candy….didn’t do the annual family party…..didn’t sever Hot Chocolate to the cold little ones on their nightly prowl.  I so hope that next year will be back to normal and we can enjoy the company of family and friends again!

November ~  New dishwasher, new washer and dryer, and hopefully a clean new start for the winter season.   We had a very blessed Thanksgiving at Jason and Julie’s….wow I have good kids.   My heart is so grateful for the blessings that I have because of good family.  Even when times are difficult, I can always have a full heart because of those special people who will always and forever be a part of my life.   Dear Family – I LOVE YOU! December ~ We learned that Al has torn rotator cuffs in both shoulders and will have surgery at the end of the month, until then he was in excruciating pain. I spent 8 hours with him at Lake View Hospital for the surgery.  He is on the road to recovery and I think doing better than we really expected.   This year we also did a Christmas Countdown with a picture each day of Little Man showing how we were celebrating this wonderful Christmas Season.  Of course…New Years Eve…and Jason’s birthday.   This year Jason gave up his birthday and asked each of us to do an act of kindness for someone.  He also donated his birthday to Charity Water   http://www.mycharitywater.org/p/campaign?campaign_id=8591  he raised $5,074.00…isn’t that amazing.   That will provide clean drinking water for an entire community.  This mother couldn’t be prouder of the accomplishments of her children.   With tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat I leave 2010 and December with so much love…Life is Good! 

Just like the last few years, all of you lovely people out there in blog-land have continued to be incredibly motivating. Reading your blogs and your comments on mine have encouraged me and given me lots of new ideas and thoughts.
So, happy new year to you all, I hope 2011 is a safe, healthy and successful year for you and your families. And although 2011 is an odd year… I certainly hope it has a bit more evens in my life than 2010.