Sing We Now of Christmas!

It would be impossible to catch up with everything I haven't blogged, so I will go from today, just for pure sanity sake!

My dad has been in poor health this last year, and trips to and stays in the hospital, have become a too familiar experience. My brother Dennis lives in Texas, and he and his bride Jacy came this weekend to see dad, and Jacy's aunt. We decided to have a family home evening, dinner and celebration together. We came together for dinner at my brother Steve's house, we went caroling to a dear family friend's home, went to see my sister and niece perform in the Huntington Beach Stake Christmas music fireside (excellent), came back to the house for dessert and singing carols around the piano. This is our dad, Warren Pitt enjoying the caroling with our family.I just wish more of my family could have been there, it truly was a memorable evening.

My dad lives with my sister Karen right now in his health condition, Karen and Skip and their family take excellent care of him, and it is great to have him close to us. Karen has been compiling dad's personal history, and we were given the first chapter in a small spiral book form with pictures. It is really great to have this.

So now for some photo moments of our evening.

I took advantage of 5 of the 7 siblings being together, missing our Lori and Jana!
- one where we are being good.... And ya know...how it really is! We really enjoyed the singing, our heritage and gift from our dad...our love of music.nieces Kristy and AlexisDennis and Jacy Kelli and Andrewand our Tara's musical talents at the piano. Steve and his buddy grandson - Conner just loves grampa! Gramma Cheryl is right up there too!! Amber and Carter enjoying the family time My mom Geri Pitt and my brother Dennis. We don't get enough time with him ever! Kristy and Alexis enjoying Randi's Rice Krispie treats! Tara and Emily giving me their gorgeous smiles! Wonderful night...missing so many of you that couldn't be there!!
Sing we now of Christmas!

The summer has been oh so busy, and beautifully so! Brendon and Steph and Henry were able to come and spend the month of August with us during Brendon's rotation at Loma Linda pediatric surgery. Brendon had loooonnnggg days, and we enjoyed time with Brendon when we could see him and with Steph and Henry daily. Stephanie was my kitchen angel, dinner was prepared every night when I got home from work!! We made a menu, and off she went...sweet gift to receive every day!!
Henry is all kinds of personality and loved getting outside every chance he could!!
It was wonderful to wake up to this boys' smiling eyes every day! He melted my heart when he would smile and reach out in the morning, and run to me when I arrived home from work. What a little love!

With Steph here, we took a fun day and had a baby shower for her future arrival of little Margaret in December! Of course we had great food, great company...
We decorated onsies, for our little miss! They turned out so cute!! And the adorable gifts! Then the arrival of grandbaby #8!!
Porter Fairbanks Shirley arrived at 1:15 pm on Tuesday, August 30th, just 5 hours before I arrived in Colorado! Heidi went into labor at 1:15 am that day, and our (big) little man arrived 12 hours later!

Momma Heidi was looking quite content as I entered her hospital room!

I was able to take some vacation days, and spent a week with our little Shirley family and enjoyed time spent with them all, cooking, playing, sewing, and just loving every minute. I got to give baby Porter his first bath, he was not a fan, and was happy when it was over! Even a few after midnight rockings with little Porter as he adjusted to his new life, here on earth! Sweet baby, sweet family...miss them so much already! Kiss them for me Heidi!

Happy Birthday Sara!

Our sister - in -law Sara turned 40! Phillip is a blessed man!!I made her a card "Forty isn't old" open...."if you're a tree!! I had to put a little joke in there, because she is the quintessential cool mom, gorgeous mom, decorator, talent up the wazoo with every facet of life...classy, okay...so the list goes on and on. LOVE HER!
Her daughter Emily (in the middle) and our sister in law Kayla...(also amazing) put together a surprise birthday party, we were happy to be there to help her bring in her 40's...
Great friends Kendall & Michelle Anderson, Sara and Phillip's son Chad... their friends the Fardig's...Russell & I, the beautiful center pieces Emily put together...Mom & Dad Holmes, cuties Erin Anderson & our niece Kate.. Yummy decadent birthday cake...trick here, cake bought at Cheesecake Factory, brought to serve at Woodranch! Great night with great company, and great food!!

~Father's Day June 19th ~

For Father's Day we went by Russell's parent's house...forgot to take the camera in...Dork. We had a good visit with Mom and Dad Holmes and two of Russell's brother's families.

Then we went to my Sister Karen's house in Riverside. We had a great BBQ potluck...great food. Then after dinner, we went outside and sat around their family's portable fire pit, and took a great opportunity to spend some reminiscent time with our Dad, Grampa, Great Grampa, Warren Pitt. Growing up for our Summer vacations we most often went camping, and when we went we would sit around the campfire, and sing the funnest, and funniest campfire songs. We did a little recreating this experience. Karen had her son Mike videotape our time together. We laughed as we tried to remember the words, order of verses...and exposing some of our memories to our kids.
Of course we spent wonderful times holding our grandbabies, and loving them and getting new pics of them. Harley, sweet Harley ~ 4 months old.Karen has great fruit trees and the ladder was out for orange picking. Kennedy took the chance to go up, up, up. When her 6'5" daddy throws her up in the air all the time, heights are no problem. Dad took a call from Steve and Cheryl, since they were with their newlywed daughter opening her gifts. Henry was having a good time with Aunt Randi...And Karen was sharing snuggle and singing time with her grandbaby Ethan...We ended with making S'mores as well. Since Jordan looked like he was enjoying his so much..his Kennedy gave the sticky dessert a try, and came over with dirt and grass attached to her marshmallow covered skin.
Courageously, at the coaxing of Breana...I will now show you what it looks like when I fed my Henry some "Mallow" while his momma was inside, then trying to take a picture of his cute face, I put my s'more in my mouth, not thinking about the end result...so...ain't we a pair!!Great way to celebrate our dads, our family, and the love we share.