A quick catch up...

Gosh darn time sure flies in December!  So let me catch up a bit.  Last Wednesday Ken changed the oil in the orange Patriot.  We've had the 4 WD Patriot 3 years now, so warranty is up.  We were trying to get it up to close to 36,000 just in case anything popped up. It's a really good car and we haven't had any issues, so hoping it stays that way.  

Thursday we were basically caught up and it was too darn cold to be outside we headed for Carson City.  I had something to pick up at Kohl's and wanted to go to Ross for a few things so it was a good day to get it done. We finished and headed over to CVI and our favorite waitress, Carmen for a late lunch/dinner before heading home.  

On our way to Carson City

Snow is mostly gone

Friday was a wrapping day!  Waiting on 2 more gifts this week and DONE for this year.  

Saturday we were home until a little before 1700 when we headed into town for their 2nd Annual Parade of Lights.  I didn't take my camera, but next year will for sure!  Once it was done we headed back to the house and a fire in the backyard.  Highs have been running in the high 30's and once in awhile low 40's.  Very cold!  So we hung out near the fire until a little after 2100.  It looks so nice out there with the lights on and the fire. 

I loved all the lights on this one!

Gingerbread house

This was one of the churches floats..
The manger scene and a beautiful cross

Inside the bunkhouse looking out :)

The fire was so nice and looking at the lights just made us smile ;)

Sunday morning we slept in until about 0600 and then started our day as usual! Visiting with our friends online and seeing what everyone is up to! Breakfast and then some general cleaning and the day has flown again. Decided it's time to get this blog done! Ken's out front bar b quing some chicken and a turkey burger for dinner. I'll make sides inside the house haha..We made it to 35 degrees today ...brrrrrrr. Have a great evening! 

Owen, his Great Grandpa Pat, Cassidy..
Dusty, His Dad, Bobby, Chelsea and Auntie Vickie
Happy 87th Birthday Pat!!

Happy Birthday to my little sister! Carson City and a generator! Seth went to MEPS and was sworn in!

First off, Happy Birthday to my baby sister, Linda!  Love you lots sissy dear! There are very few pics of her now, so I'm going backwards a bit! 

Linda on the hood of her first car..

As a baby with our Oma..over in Austria

She's the one holding the Partridge Family Album which she
still has!

Last night's lights lit up..

Our little dusting of snow.  

Monday was a stay at home day.  I worked on getting Christmas gifts wrapped. I used to be quick, not anymore but I'm getting there.  It was cold so we had a fire going all day.  

Ken worked on the lights on the bunkhouse and outhouse.  Looks so cute now. I had Hallmark Christmas movies on so later on I found him relaxing in the bunk house. My movies don't thrill him LOL.

We walked over to Karen's to take pictures of the car that they bought for John's daughter in Oklahoma.  They've decided to sell it and get her another one instead. I offered to post it on the FB website as she doesn't do Facebook. We had a quick visit and then back home. 

Nothing too exciting for dinner so we just grabbed what we could. Some TV and then off to bed. 

Grandson, Seth left home at 0330 Monday  to meet his recruiter and head to downtown Sacramento for MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station). He spent the day going through physical exams and other things.  Sometime in the afternoon he was sworn into the United States Marines! So far there is no picture of this as he was supposed to call his dad, Eric but didn't have time. There is another swearing in before boot camp so hopefully they'll be pictures then!  His leave date for boot camp is August 26th with a graduation date of November 22nd.  Our son Russell had a leave date too, but they called him sooner so we'll see.  Very proud of our Marine Recruit! Looks like we'll all be in San Diego next November for sure!


Tuesday morning I was awake about 0400 and waited until 0500 to get coffee for Ken.  Cold, cold morning.  About 0630 we noticed that we had a dusting of SNOW! So pretty!  

On our way to Gardnerville  the mountains looked so pretty..

We had our breakfast and got ourselves ready to go.  We were heading to Gardnerville to pick up Ken's chain that he had sharpened for the chainsaw. Then over to Carson City to get a new chain for the saw, Ahern didn't have it so we found it at Home Depot.  A quick stop at Dollar Tree and Marshall's.  WE then headed over to Nevada Power Tools to spend some money on a new generator.  We love our Honda 2000, it's 13 years old and the rope broke and some starting issues.  So we bit the bullet and got a brand spanking new Honda 2200. Won't run the air conditioner but it does everything else we need when we're camping. Then off to our favorite Chinese place for a warm lunch and then home. We killed another day! 

Now we're sitting here watching it snow! It's so pretty and Christmasy looking! 

Our son Bryan (third from the right standing in the first row) and his team at work
participated in NO SHAVE NOVEMBER supporting men's
health.  Group pic of these handsome guys with their mustaches.

Youngest son Russell participated too! He put together a
little collage..middle pic is now, he's clean shaven once again!

Tomorrow looks like another day at home and getting things done. Getting close to Happy Hour Time! Have a good night everyone!

Happy Birthday to my Hubby! A nice surprise in the mail and finally my wine delivery!

A couple of days ago Ken brought the mail in and it was something from Amazon. Now I order stuff, especially at Christmas, but knew I hadn't ordered from there.  Opened it up and there were 3 Chris Stapleton CD's. When Eric and the boys were here a in November Eric, Seth and I were out back with the fire going and listening to Chris Stapleton.  Eric told Christina about it, and she ordered the CD's and had them sent here.  Very sweet surprise.  

Our 3 Chris Stapleton CDs

My Happy Camper bracelet from Bryan and Cheryl :)

Love this wall hanging from Bryan and Cheryl..will find a
wall in the Jayco for this :)

Last weekend we got a email from Revelwine and it was order 12 bottles for 50% off.  Woohoo too good of a deal to pass up! Usually it comes Fed EX on Tuesday.   Got a message it was coming, waited and then nothing. Finally Thursday afternoon it was delivered.  You have to have someone over 21 sign for it so it meant staying home until it was here. Oh my is that good wine. No added anything to it, and so it's considered organic. I have to thank my doctor for that one!! I haven't ordered in awhile, but it's my favorite! So worth waiting for!!

I was talking with Owen and Chelsea at Thanksgiving about my favorite Christmas movie so we ordered it for him.  Got it in the mail yesterday. Hope he likes it..an oldie (1984) but a goodie! 

Owen with The Night They Saved Christmas :)

Yesterday, December 1st was Ken's 67th Birthday!  He got lots of phone calls and FB greetings (even though he doesn't have FB).  We decided to take a run to Carson City to pick up the Tundra tire he dropped off at Discount Tire the other day.  It had a slow leak and needed repair, but they were so busy it was going to take at least 4 hours to fix so a return trip needed.  

Even though this pic is a few years old..my favorite of Ken and Russell..67 doesn't
look too bad :) He hasn't changed a bit!

My mostly veggie pizza (someone thought I needed a little
meat on top) broccoli crust..

Ken's spaghetti squash crust pizza with lots of goodies..

Off to the city, Tire fixed and for no charge, even though we hadn't bought the tire there. Target for a pick up of a Christmas gift.  Ross for some more shopping for some special kids we like to help out with at Christmas.  Headed over to Gardnerville for a stop at Ahern to pick up a sharpened chain saw chain and to buy a new chain...oh oh they closed at noon! Darn!  Walmart for some groceries and then to Linner at CVI.  It was 1400 when we got there.  Delicious meal and then heading home I was talking to my sister in law, Diane so I didn't get my nap in hahah.  

We had a pretty pink sky yesterday morning!

Carson City snow! 

Home, unloaded and then we just enjoyed the evening. No cake for Ken, he's just not a sweet eater. Wish I could say the same..haha.

This morning, we're up at 0530, having our coffees and visiting with our blogging friends. Not sure of plans for the day, but sure we'll come up with something. Starting the day at 22 degrees feeling like 16! Cold, crisp morning! Have a great day today!! 

Our nephew Dusty ran the California International half marathon today! He had a cheering crew there at the end.  A few pics of family! Congratulations Dusty! 

Dusty and Chelsea at the end of his run!

Of course Owen cheering for daddy!

Dusty and his dad, Bobby

A well earned bloody mary a little later in the morning! 

Ken's out in the cold putting up some lights on the bunkhouse and the outhouse this afternoon.  We decided against lights on the house since we're leaving right after Christmas but that's ok! ..

Have a great day! 

Mac is back home! A new Marine recruit in the family! Rain!

We headed over the hill yesterday to go get my computer! I'm so happy to have it back.  

WE stopped in to visit our oldest son, Bryan and family for a bit. It's been a long while since we've seen them so it was a nice, but short visit.  Bryan and Cheryl gave us our birthday presents so that was a nice surprise.  I'll have to post mine, so cute!  Ken got BEER! So he's a happy camper! 

Next we headed to Eric's house to get the computer from the Jayco.  Nice surprise there to see Eric and our grandson, Seth at home.  Eric was home sick and Seth was done with school for the day.  A quick visit and then we headed home. 

Highway 50 was still beautiful and 4wd was needed in a few spots. Luckily the newer Patriot has it!  We ended up stopping at CVI in Minden to see our favorite waitress and get some dinner.  Early for us at 1700 but we had a small breakfast early in the am and nothing since, so we were starving! YUMMY..

The BIG news of the week!? Our grandson, Seth signed papers for the delayed entry program into the Marine Corps!! As it stands now, he graduates high school and will leave for boot camp sometime in the summer. So very proud of him following in his Uncle Russell's footsteps. Monday he will be at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) for a physical and many other things.  He should have a better idea of what job he wants and leave date.  He just turned 17 in November. 

Seth signing for the delayed entry program

Eric signing papers allowing him to join

Seth and his recruiter :)

Because I've missed so many days blogging (and i don't take notes) I'll just condense.  

We got the Christmas tree up and enjoyed our usual brandy and egg nog while we did it.  Ken put a tree on the porch of the bunk house which looks nice when lighted at night.  Hope to get him to put lights on the bunkhouse and outhouse like last year.  

We decided to do something different for New Years this year.  We were talking with our neighbors Karen and John and decided we're heading for Pirates Den RV Park in Parker, AZ.  We're leaving on the 27th of December and will be there from the 28th until the 2nd.  Ken made the reservations so we're glad they had a couple of sites left. Then who knows?  They'll head home as he still works for a living.  

Now for a few catch up pictures from Thanksgiving and beyond. 

Sunrise at home

Russell and Michael

Michael and our son Russell with the red solo cup and the smile!

Lori and Seth

Christina and Lori

Brother in Law Bobby

Grandma Linda holding Cassidy and Owen taking a minute for
a bite!

That's Jacob smiling!

Our spot at Imperial Manor MHP

Highway 50 going home :) 

Christmas tree on the front porch of the bunkhouse!

Got our quirky tree up! 

Woke up this morning (Thursday) to pouring rain! It's still going good..we need it badly..I know my Canadian friends won't want to hear this..but sure am hoping it would turn to snow!! Have a wonderful day everyone!