Christmas Eve Update

The day started out at 8:30 with a fun breakfast at Joe's Farm Grill to help Alissa celebrate her birthday! We always enjoy the food there, and had a leisurely visit before everyone left to complete their to-do lists for the day.  We arrived home by 10:00 and continued packing more boxes as our move to the new house is coming up fast!

The bookcase is now empty, the china cupboard bare....the kitchen hasn't been touched, nor has my roll top desk.  The desk will take a good day because of all the "stuff" I cram in there, but I'll get it done by Saturday when the movers are coming.  The closets and kitchen will be emptied soon enough, but the movers won't be moving dishes anyway....just all the boxes of heavy books, photo boxes, and photo albums, which seem to have multiplied over the years, not to mention the furniture we are taking and all the grandkid toys we have collected!

At 11:00 we received a call from the Title Company telling us they would like for us to sign papers for the new house "today" so that there's enough time for the process to be completed before Friday's "key turnover" day.  Things are so different now (15 years since the last time we bought a house!)...the title company sent a NOTARY to collect our signatures on dozens of papers.  She arrived just before 1:00 and was gone again by 2:15.  We were cooking sauce and sausage in preparation for tomorrow's lasagne we are bringing to Alissa and Alan's home for Christmas Day. The cooking continued through the signing...
and then we went back to packing!  Before long it was time to get ready for mass...and the day is now done.  It was memorable to sign for our house on Christmas Eve AND Alissa's birthday, 2013!

Here are the latest photos of the new house....painting completed, front yard landscaping done! The trees and shrubs are so tiny....we will miss our beautiful backyard at the "old house"....but we won't miss all the work and upkeep!

 "fawn" carpet in the extra bedrooms

 master shower not quite finished

 new house numbers-- address was changed 3 times during the process....long story!

Our soon-to-be "Home Sweet Home"!

ZOO LIGHTS!!

One of the highlights of our Advent Season was the night that Michael and Corissa invited us to join them for their family's evening at Zoo Lights!  It had been several years since we had been, and it was very special to be able to go with Cailyn and Landon and their parents.  We went to the Phoenix Zoo on a Tuesday evening early in December, so the crowds were at a minimum.

The music and lights were very pretty and magical.  The best part was spending time with our children and grandchildren and enjoying "the lights" through the eyes of a child!!  Sure makes you appreciate the simplest pleasures all the more!

GIVING THANKS!

Thanksgiving seems like ages ago, with the flurry of activity we are experiencing in our lives right now.  However, it really was only 10 days ago.  This year our nephew Chris and his wife MaryBeth were very kind to open their home for a family gathering, a potluck dinner, at 4:00 in the afternoon.  The weather cooperated, as they had beautiful tables set up outdoors in their lovely backyard.  There were 30 people so we enjoyed being able to see loved ones and their loved ones too!  Here's a sampling of photos...

 Chris is showing his carving skills! The turkey was DE-licious!

 Mom is holding her youngest great-grandchild, Brock Schuld....

 Terry is unveiling the delicious pies that she and Amy made from scratch!

Mary Beth and her mother at the appetizer table.  Note the beautiful veggie tray which Jen created?!

 Alissa & Jen

 Mike, with his cousin Chris Silvertooth and brother-in-law Alan

 Niece Jamie with Corissa, watching after their children's playtime

 Mom and Dad enjoying the day.

Jamie's parents, Bruce and Vicki

 Mom and me 

 Corissa and Mike

 Jen and Nick

Cailyn, Landon & Uncle Alan talking at the children's table...

 Beautiful tables!

Terry and Ken at one of the Big People tables!

 Landon playing in Bode's room with cousin Noah!

 Alan and Alissa ready to celebrate!

 Amy and Chris

 Cailyn with all "the boys"...cousins Garrett, Ethan and Bode in the sand pile!  What FUN! 

 Our Hosts with the Mosts!

 Vince and I

 Cailyn and Garrett smiling for the camera!

 Cailyn and Landon...."look at the camera, Landon!"

Aunt Jen enjoying her nephew and niece while we eat yummy dessert!

We have so much to be thankful for....and Thanksgiving is a good day to remember our many blessings in this life.  Thanks again to Mary Beth and Chris for a wonderful celebration this year!!

Memories from November

Months ago I took advantage of a "Social Living" deal and purchased half-price tickets to see the Boston Pops Concert at Hohokam Stadium on my birthday!  Vince was agreeable because it was MY birthday! ;-)  In the meantime, Mom and Dad decided they wanted to go as well, and surprised Terry and Ken with tickets for their October birthdays.  Coincidentally, our seats ended up in the same section! We met at Serrano's Mexican Food for a late lunch, and then piled into Mom and Dad's van for the short ride to the stadium.

 The weather had been rainy and colder a few days prior, and there was still a chance of rain on the 16th.  However, the skies cleared, and the full moon rose, and the evening was absolutely perfect!  Jen and Nick also purchased tickets, but were seated in a different section.

 We sat right behind the first baseline dugout, and the music was absolutely spectacular!  A wonderful variety of tunes from George Gershwin to Rhapsody in Blue to Abba's Dancing Queen to a patriotic sing-along, and finally the 1812 Overture, complete with cannons!  The crowd's standing ovation resulted in a favorite Sousa march. The show ended with an extensive fireworks display!

With our house on the market, the weekends have been challenging, trying to keep the house neat as a pin, and ready to show.  Sundays are usually the only day we can see our family, so one weekend we met at NYPD for pizza night.  Service was a tad slow, but the grandchildren were very good waiting for their pasta!

 Jen was able to join us; Nick had his bowling league that night.

 We missed seeing Alissa and Alan on this particular evening.

And, last but not least, here are more "new house" updated photos from Thanksgiving weekend. (Thanksgiving will be a different blog post!) Our flooring and granite countertop in the kitchen are installed~love the way it is coming together!!

NEW HOME UPDATE

Wow...the month of November is flying by.  Thought I'd just post a few recent photos of the new house progress.  Everytime we make a visit, there's something new to see...exciting!

                                           kitchen cupboards and granite are in...

                                                          Master Bath shower tile

                                                        Guest Bath shower tile

Partial paint....roof tiles are installed now, and the driveway is done as well, 

so this is an "old" picture!

Guess we'll be a little more "enthused" when our current home sells.  It's been on the market only two weeks, but keeping it "ready to show" is tiresome!

An "Open House" is scheduled for Saturday morning....hope the buyer for our home will be among the visitors who look on Saturday! ;-)