Old Picture

I think I was in the 2nd grade in this picture. We lived in Farmington, New Mexico at this time~ I've been shocked to see how much my bitty brother, Steve looks like his own grandson, Cole~But I think Steve was a lot meaner than Cole is~
Phillip & Christtina and the boys have been here in Colorado with us, the past week. It was great having the company--Trevor & Cole are busy little boys--I love Cole's little dimples when he smiles at me!~ Melts my heart! Trevor keeps busy tormenting him! Boys are different~
It's really quiet around here today--I did take a lovely nap~ Ha! It's a little warmer today, but it's been cold--the past two days, my fireplace has been on all day~And you must keep in mind that I'm NEVER cold!

Still Missing my Dad

Dad at Christtina & Phillip's wedding~


Dad holding Trevor--Wish we had one of these with all the grandkids!

My nephew posted this picture on Facebook, so I had to steal it! They all look so young~ and of course Jeff needs a shirt~

Kingman

This is the intersection where my Dad's accident happened---Looks safe doesn't it?

This is the Lexus that hit my Dad's car~ They were taken to the hospital in Kingman, but released~

When I first saw Dad's car--I burst into tears! I had no idea it would be this bad! Don't know what I was thinking it would look like, but I guess the reality of it, really hit me~

The emergency people had to cut his seat belt, and remove him through the passenger side.

I guess the side air bags saved his head--He had no head trauma--which is amazing after seeing this windshield~

Needless to say, yesterday was a horrible day! I know I needed to see this, but it's really been tough. I think I'm glad I didn't see it earlier--Needed to spread this out a little--Not sure my mind could take it all right after the death etc.
Wish I had some wonderful words of wisdom--about life, and our eternal journey--But I'm at a loss--I just really miss my Dad! Life is so very fragile
and sometimes we just don't realize how quickly someone we love can be gone to us!

Random pictures

Mr Cole--Not very smiley but a cutie~

Mallorie & Kolby with their daddy hiking in AZ~ They enjoyed being out of the snow so much!!

Heaven is for Real

I read a book yesterday about a little 4 year old who had a Near Death Experience. It was very interesting, and very much what we believe in, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I've read almost every NDE book I have found over the years, and once again the similarities are amazing. One thing that really struck me in this one, was the little boys description of what Christ looked like. Over the years, his parents would sort of play a game with him, and ask him what Jesus looked like--they'd see pictures from various artists, and ask him, and he'd always say NO---Then they found this picture drawn by an 8 year old, and he said YES--this is what he looked like!
Many years ago I purchased this book by this little artist, her pictures are amazing--and her story is also. Her name is Akiane Kramarik, and her parents are atheists yet she has amazing insights into spiritual things~ Anyway, I was surprised when this book referred to her picture, entitled "Prince of Peace". Check out her website: http://www.artakiane.com/gallery

Mystery Solved~

Storie & her little friend~

Friend, Storie & Kora~

Miss Kora!

Kora & Storie!


We found Dad's ring!!! We finally received my Dad's stuff he had in Needles. In a side zipper of his shaving kit, we found the Masonic ring! We had his friend look for it, but apparently he's a man, and can't find anything! ha! We have a long standing joke about how a woman's uterus is actually a tracking device--where as men can NEVER find anything!! Anyway, it makes me feel better that we found it~Now, I feel a little guilty for accusing the air lift people for taking it! Soooo, glad I didn't call and yell at them!
I'm missing my grandkids!! Kilee had some cute pictures of the girls yesterday I stole~

Isn't it strange?

Isn't it strange how we believe everything that magazines, and newspapers say but.....We question the words in the Bible?

Sunday

Miss Anabeth in her new outfit from Gymboree! I love purple on her!

Nolan, looking the food over--He's watching every bite we put in our mouths now!


Tried to attend church, here in Colorado today, but when we got there--found out it had started at 11:00am instead of the l:30pm, as it had a couple weeks ago. I guess the 1:30 time was due to repairs on the other building--so all the wards were attending my building! Crazy---Ahhh next week, I'll get it right.
It's been crazy weather here, snowing, and very cold. Tonight it's supposed to be 22 degrees! Too cold for April in my opinion~ We went to Farmington, NM yesterday to shop, and have lunch with Myrle's brother & sister in law! It is always fun seeing them. Farmington is about 75 miles from here, and has very good shopping, and places to eat. That's one of the things that makes our little town bearable! ha!
Found some cute pictures of Anabeth & Nolan, while we were in CA for our short little visit, prior to our adventure in Las Vegas!

$$ Bills!

We've received our first bill for my fathers ordeal! We were shocked! The flight from the accident to the hospital in Las Vegas is a mere, 23,400.00
AND they sent the bill to his post office box--Wonder how the hell, they thought he'd get it and pay it?? We are missing his masonic diamond ring--and almost sure the little helicopter people would have been the ones to remove, and pocket it!! I plan to do some calling---
Kodi says there is a special policy you can add to your auto insurance that will pay for air lifts--at a very low price--I'm thinking we all need to look into this, after receiving this bill~
All my kids have gone home, and it's really lonely and quiet around this house. Not sure yet when we'll be going back to Arizona! There are still alot of business stuff we need to do here--plus make a trip back to Kingman, to see if we can get all the stuff out of his SUV--They wouldn't even let us see it when we came through on our way home from Las Vegas! Need to see it, and get the accident report!
We did end the horrible weekend with a wonderful event! Kolby & Mallorie were baptized here in Colorado. We got special permission to have it here--It was really great to have all my kids & family here for the event--I'm so proud of all of them--and especially of Kolby & Mallorie, they are such little angels! They sang together, and everyone was in tears!

My Dad

It's really hard to write about my Dad and this last week--I'm having an even harder time talking/calling people who are closest to me, and telling them everything--sorry! I will eventually be able to do it.

My Dad's obit:

Perry McDonald
Funeral services for longtime Cortez resident Perry McDonald will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 1, at the Cortez Elks Lodge. Interment will follow at Cortez Cemetery.

Visitation has been scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 31, at Ertel Memorial Chapel.

Perry passed away from injuries sustained in an auto accident that occurred March 22, 2011. After fighting to survive, he peacefully slipped away on March 24, with a smile on his face, and his loved ones by his side.

Perry was born to Dollie and Floyd McDonald, on May 5, 1929, in Grady County, Okla. Triplets, Perry, Jerry and Derry were a great surprise to his parents and 10 year old sister. He spent his childhood in Oklahoma. After graduating from high school, Perry married Bonnie Nevius in June 1948. They had two children, Terri and Steve.

Perry began his career operating heavy equipment for Simms Construction. He became a supervisor for the company in his early twenties, and was transferred to Farmington, N.M. He moved to Cortez in 1958, and loved Colorado. When the company wanted to transfer him back to Oklahoma, he decided to start his own oil field construction company in the Four Corners area.

In 1981 he sold Perry McDonald Construction, and retired. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and traveling. Perry owned a winter home in Arizona and later spent winters in California. While traveling around the United States in his fifth-wheel travel trailer, Alaska was one of his favorite places to visit. At one time, Perry owned several collector cars, and he especially liked to restore 1940 Ford coupes. Perry was a member of the Masonic Lodge, and a lifetime member of the Elks lodge, as well as a Shriner. Perry also served on the board of directors at First National Bank.

Perry will be greatly missed by his friends and family. He leaves behind his triplet brother, Jerry of Texas; his sister, Harriet Neill of Oklahoma; his daughter, Terri Higgins and husband Myrle of Arizona; his son, Steve and wife Judi of Cortez; eight grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

Preceding Perry in death were his parents; his brother, Glen; and his triplet brother, Derry.

Services are under the direction of Ertel Funeral Home. For further information or to send condolences, log on to www.ertelfuneralhome.com and click on the obituary section.

CA, OR, ID & CO

Tomorrow we're heading out for a road trip--We'll go to CA and visit Kevin, Helen & kids--then off to OR to see Kodi, & the boys--she'll be having her Spring Break from nursing school~ Then to ID for the twins baptism! Then we'll head to CO to check things out there~I'm a little hesitate to leave the grand kids here--I always miss them so much! Also the whole earthquake deal scares me to DEATH~!! Kevin doesn't even live on real land in the bay area--it's just fill dirt!!! Insane! Anyway, I've said goodbye to everyone in case CA falls into the ocean!! ha! I'll take lots of pictures~ I'm always surprised at how much they grow when I haven't seen them in awhile!

Are You Lonesome Tonight

Just finished reading this book--Actually Myrle picked the book up at a garage sale--& he read it first. I was hesitate to read it--I always liked the book, Elvis & Me--but there were always a lot of questions I had when I read it many years ago. This book answers all the questions~ Lucy was Elvis's one true love--My girls can't believe it--I'm anxious for them to read it too~
Anyway, I need something else to think about~ I can't tear myself away from the TV & watching all the Japan stuff! How horrible for these people--But I admire their organization, and lack of panic under these horrible circumstances ==So very different from what we saw during Katrina!

Little Boys!

Kade got into trouble, and was sent to his favorite corner==where he fell asleep! Poor baby boy, being ornery makes you so tired!!

Ok--The boys love to play with Barbie's pink car==!


As soon as the kids come into the house, they want Papa to play legos with them!

Trevor is pretty good at building his own X=wing fighter!

Mallorie & Kolby's birthday

Trevor!


Aubrey, Maddy, Trevor, Mallorie & Kolby!

Mallorie & Maddy & Misha!

Christtina & Cole.

Kolby!
Mallorie

We had an early birthday party for Kolby & Mallorie while they were here in AZ--Jeremy's parents were here from Missouri with two extra little cousins. Jeremy's sister, Janessa's little girls, Aubrey & Maddy==! They were so cute--We really enjoyed them! Misha wanted to steal Maddy==She is such a little character! Anyway we went to Chuck E Cheese Pizza (Where a kid can be a kid) and instead of cake they had krispy kream donuts!

The Newest

I have to steal pictures of Bailee from Facebook, and then try to crop her friends out of the pictures! I just love this little girl--and those cute dimples! She's growing up way too fast for her grandma!

I love her winter look!


My Dad had a colonoscopy yesterday~ He is doing wonderfully now--But was not liking all the prep stuff he had to do! I had to sit and cheer him on, so he'd drink all the nasty stuff to clean him out--Then of course he didn't make it to the bathroom a couple times, so I had extra laundry to do!! Awww----taking care of a parent is so much harder than taking care of children!

Little Boys!

Trevor & Cole on Sunday after church!

Mr. Nolan--He's growing up too fast!

Kora's Birthday

Cole & his daddy!

Storie has a black eye--She ran into the counter--which is why running in the house is now forbidden!!

Storie cooking something up for Trevor!



Kora, the birthday girl, with her purple cupcake! Poor girl, she only had a 20 minute nap today, and was worn out~

Kora's 2 years old~

Our little 2 yr old!

Mommy & Kora~

Cole & Trevor in the background~

Storie, Kora, Trevor & Cole~

Sisters~

Today was Kora's birthday~ I can't believe that little girl is already 2 years old. She has such a cute little personality==She's really Papa's girl==She is his sidekick~ She was so excited about her birthday--and all her gifts. She knew exactly what to do, when it came to opening them~