sunshine of my summer!

So my darlin' boy got to take his first trip to the beach this week, dig in the sand, play in the waves. Then later in the week he got to have a romp thru the sprinklers. On both occasions, he was hesitant at first, and then reveled in the wonders of California summer and the water.

He is the sunshine of my summer that is for sure!

Lovin' our Adventures with Jackson

Well it has been 9 days since picking up my Grandbaby boy at the airport, my girls come home at Midnight tonight. Jackson has been an absolute delight & he has kept us on our toes. He has a hilarious sense of humor, and loves an audience. He cracks himself up as much as he cracks us up. He has been an adventurer of all things Kitchen, loves emptying cupboards. Grandma bought him some new toys, but he finds so much more fun in tossing around empty 5 gallon water barrells,

stacking empty ice cream buckets,
and while shopping at Marshall's with Julia, I had to buy him a red serving spoon. I think chef school may be in his future.

He learned the phrase "shut the door" from exploring the DVD collection in the Entertainment unit. He likes hangin with the guys drinkin' & watching TV.

He is a dancer extrodinare, and watches "So You Think You Can Dance" with Gramma. Mark & Gev have nothing on this white boy!

Heidi told me to watch out for his "leading the music" in church. Sure enough as soon as we walked into the chapel and he heard the organ play, his little arm went up, and he led the music each and every hymn, and wanted the hymn book close by to make sure he had it right.!

He had fun in my friend Cathy's pool with Skyler, and loved floating around in his pool ring.

Skyler shared his frozen gatorade, and J-man was all over that.

He is an amazing sleeper, taking a good 3 1/2 hour nap everyday, and put him down at night and he sleeps a good 8 hours straight thru the night, and doesn't wake, whimper or whine once. he gets that from his mom, cuz she did the same thing, only problem was that Garen and Randi were 2 1/2 & 1 1/2 and were still getting up in the night.

So we are bonded thru and thru, and so excited that he and his mommy get to stay for the next 3 weeks until Jordan and Breana's wedding. So if you see me with this silly grin on my face, you know why!

Reminiscing

I am taking up the challenge from Melinda!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you! reminisce away...

Tag - I'm it...and you may be next!

I was tagged by my friend Lura. She was tagged by a fellow blogger in England, and called it a “meme” I guess that means things about me. Lura and I have been in the same ward for years off and on, and she has always been so sweet to me. I have gotten to know her and her family better by reading her blog. That’s what I love about this. I see it as scrap booking on line, and it’s the best.

The tag is to mention 6 things about yourself. Sooo….Some may be things you know about me already, some may be new to you.

I grew up in Huntington Beach California and attended Edison High School. I loved choir and followed my older brother and sister into the program. They were both in the Acappella choir, and so I auditioned and made it first try for my freshman year. Then I auditioned for Madrigals for my soph, junior, and senior years, and never made it. I figured out later that it was because I was auditioning in the Soprano section, and could not hit the notes clearly and powerfully, and the choir teacher did not have me try for alto positions, which I truly am….so Senior year, I quit and spent my time in the art hall, which was my other love in High School.

I did not date much in High School. I was the girl who was everybody’s buddy. I found out later that my brother who was just 2 years older than me basically told his friends that I was off limits. So I usually went on dates as a “double date”, so my friends could date my fun and beautiful cousin Lisa. So at the time it was a bit lonely, but in college after I got in shape playing raquetball and running, I got a little bit more attention, and married right after I turned 20.

I am extremely claustrophobic! The thought of going into caves, tunnels, any tight spot - no way! Even my feet are clausto! Need to be able to kick my shoes off, or wear sandals whenever possible. Straps buckled to my ankles - NO WAY…

I am a pack rat….no big surprise to most. I have a very hard time throwing things away. I attach too much sentimentality to a lot of things. A few years ago my mom told me that she heard that it is a form of selfishness to keep things you are not using when someone else could be using them, so it is easier to send things to the thrift store thinking someone can use them.

I am a craft-aholic. I have always loved being creative, seeing something come to life. Be it sewing, painting, wood working, scrap booking….Fun stuff for me. Just wish I had more time these days to do it.

I love Amazon.com. Last year I discovered it for Christmas shopping. Then I found many things that I wanted like music, videos, books that I did not know where else to look. It has created some great memory lane type gifts for my family. Love the wish list concept. Gonna have my kids get on there with me and Randi this year, and create a list to make my shopping easier.
So there you have a long post that you may or may not care to know about me…. ;)

So now I tag 6 of my blogger friends

Stephanie - my sweet daughter-in-law
My sister Lori -needs to blog more anyway!
My Heidi - my blog teacher and momma of my Jackson
My niece Ashley Lee - new momma and blogger extrodinaire
My friend DeAnne Kalayji - super momma of 3 busy boys, and hope she can squeeze it in!
My friend Starla - nursing student and adventurer- one of my all time favorite young women!

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
..
Now it is my turn to play. I've tagged you six and you're it

I have our Baby Jackson!

He's Here!

Long day in L.A..We left the house at 10 am, and didn't get home until 7:30.....Randi's passport problems took us to the Los Angeles Federal Building. When I tried to document that with my own camera, a Security Guard jumped out of the building, and made me delete my picture. He also made me scroll thru to make sure I did not have any other pictures. Myyyy Gooodnesss! So after waiting another hour and a half they corrected her birthdate from 1960, to 1980, and we were off to the airport to meet Heidi and Jackson.

We had some time to kill, and so Skyler thinks I figured ways to torture him, by trying to play a game, and taking some pictures. But alas, he was not amused. But he is MY Baby even if he is 18!Randi was a bit more compliant, but people watching won out in the end.

One of the Best Smiles ever!

then our Heidi and Jackson arrived,. Heidi looks great. She has taken up running again. It was so good to hug my girl after 3 months! And Jackson has grown! In just 3 months and 4 pounds later, our boy has changed so much. He is a walker, and he answers yes and no questions with the nod of his head, and sometimes a resounding "yes"...He LOVES to dance, and he is a curious and busy boy, I am going to be plum tuckered out after 8 days for sure. Good thing he is an angel and he is so easy going. He gave his momma kisses goodbye as she and Randi left for their adventure, and we are loving having him. Can't get enough of this boy!!

Surfer Dude!

First thing this morning to start our holiday, Russell wanted to go surfing. Grant was the only young Holmes man that was up for the adventure. So after getting up a bit late, we met Grant and Julia at Huntington at the River Jetty. The guys were getting ready, and Grant said, "hey mom, you know how our bathroom has pictures of family at the beach, well I am the one who surfs most, and there is no picture of me in there."

So I made sure there were a few photo opps of two of my favorite surfers (wish we could include Brendon here too). So Julia's moondoggy, and my big Kahuna...heres to you!

thank you sweet blogger friends!!

Help wanted

I switched to this cute backround, but the body of the text and pictures are all off to the left and right now, does anyone know how to fix it?? I could use your seasoned blogging help.