The itty bitty penguin that she asked for. I could have saved some money and bought nothing bigger than a grapefruit and she would have been thrilled. She did love the pony her aunt lulu got her from build a bear, but she mostly played with the miniatures.

Christmas

Me... on Christmas Eve.

The busiest time of the year

Rachel and kids just before heading back home, along with Jake and

Sam and me.

Sam's first trip to a 'real' park to play.

There is something about putting sand on slides that escapes those of us who are well into the double digit ages.....

Victor and Lucas making plans....

If they aren's the bosses they should be, just ask them!

Jake, getting a different perspective.

Beginning before Logan's wedding, everything began a fast spiral toward Christmas and the beginning of 2010.

We caught a streak of good weather and Rachel and her two children, Samantha and Lucas, came down for a long weekend in early November. Since Thanksgiving promised to be zoo-y for everyone, we fixed the turkey and all the trimmings that weekend, then took the kids out to Oasis State Park to run off the effects of eating so much.

Wild shreiks and giggles, razor scooters zipping along all the sidewalks in the neighborhood--the kids had a great time, and those of us watching did as well! Irene and her boys lived in the camper so they didn't have to go home early, and Casey's stayed in the living room, it was a total "gladhouse" instead of madhouse!

Two days later I drove to Jill's house to help her dot the Is and get Logan married. Jany came the next day, and we all had a grand time. Sometimes we were completely weirded out, and sometimes just laughing because we could. It was a stress free wedding I think! Jill's blog has those pictures.

While I was in Texas, a good friend of mine from wa-a-ay back was being buried in Portales, and then a call from Don while I was still down there, informed me that we would be driving to Denver when I got back to attend another funeral. Such a shame that it takes a "dyin'" for old friends to get together and have a good time in spite of the grim circumstances, but we really enjoyed seeing our old neighbors again!