Cruise Director Again!!!

We have certainly been blessed to have some wonderful opportunities, we get to go on another river cruise (thanks to my sister-in-law, Gayle, THANK YOU!). This time it is the "Tulip Time" cruise and will go from Amsterdam to Arnhem-Dordrect. Antwerp, Belgium. Ghent. Middelburg, Hollard-Veere-Delta Works. Rotterdam. and back to Amsterdam-Volendam and Edam.

I have been very busy getting everyone lined up to go, so far we have 10 rooms booked....I think I missed my calling, I should have been a cruise director because I sure enjoy planning and making sure everyone has fun! Something to look forward to when it is so cold and dreary outside!

This will mark one more thing off my bucket list.....before long I will have to add more to it!

JD's a Star!

Three of our kids and two granchildren (Ryan, JD, Julie, Ariana and Alexa) live in Phoenix so we don't get to see them as often as we would like. It is always a treat when we can see even a glimpse of them!

JD was at the Suns vs. Mavericks game last night and right behind the Suns bench there he was, all decked out in his Orange and Purple!!! The game was on so late on the east coast that I fell asleep during it, but I caught quite a few glimpses of JD during the game. It is alot more fun to watch a game when you know someone there...:):) JD would be proud that I did look up the score and the Suns won 128 to 100. GO SUNS and GO JD!!!! (Couldn't find a picture with a Suns shirt)

Sleepover with Trey!

We love our grandkids, the only problem is only one of them live close enough to see often. Thank goodness for Trey!!!! Chris and Ameerah went to see the play "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" on Thursday (Ameerah's friend is a dancer in it) and went out afterwards with Ameerah's friend so Cliff and I got to have Trey all night.

He is 13 months and such a happy boy. He is always smiling and exploring even when he isn't feeling very good. Since I already had dinner plans, Cliff got to spend the first 1 1/2 hours alone with him. Trey loves his Pops, they are always teasing each other. Cliff has a way with his grandkids.....he is always teasing them and they like to tease him back. When I got home Cliff was fixing him a bottle so I didn't get to play much with him. He got up a couple times during the night (I think mainly because of his stuffy nose) and I got to hold and comfort him. Nothing better than having a baby in your arms and getting those big kisses!!!

Walking the Mall!

Maryland has so many beautiful parks to walk, run and bike around and I love to get out and enjoy the great outdoors but sometimes the weather just doesn't cooperate!! Many of you know that Ninon and I have been walking and training for a half marathon in Myrtle Beach. (Don't get excited, we are walking it!) Well, she has been in Utah (her daughter is having a baby)and that has left me without a walking partner. I don't like walking around the park by myself but decided that I better continue our training or I will be sorry come marathon time. So, today (mainly because it has been raining and cold) I decided to walk the mall...there is always alot of people around and plenty of things to see so I don't get bored. It reminded me of when I lived in Phoenix and my girlfriend, Larett, and I use to go and then afterwards would treat ourselves to a diet root beer at A&W. Things I have learned from walking the mall.....NEVER TAKE MONEY WITH YOU!!!!! There seems to be alot of things that I would like to buy and the Cinnabons smell soooooo good!! I was sure glad that I didn't bring money with me this morning :) :)

Ninon, Debra and Lisa, I sure hope you are training, it is coming up on us fast and I am really looking forward to it! It sounds like my parents are going to come cheer us on (or just to see if we can really do it?)

Off to a Good Start!!!

JD and Shauna left to go home before the new year. It was sure fun having them here and we are excited about our new grandbaby that is due in June! While they were here we saw Marley and Me. It was a great movie but we all bawled like babies. After they left, I got the 24 hour flu and spent all Monday in bed sicker than a dog! So far it is just myself, Trey and Chris that has got it from Maryland. Then it was back to reality....we had to take down all the decorations and clean out the garage, and do laundry and clean the house. Of course we fit in our usual movies and games with friends and babysitting Trey!

Cliff and I decided to take a road trip to Lancaster, PA to exchange some presents and put the GPS on direct route (gotta love those GPS's)......it took us through the back country and it was beautiful. We got to see the Amish out working on their farms with horse drawn plows and spreading fertilizer. It seems like such a comforting life...I always think it would be fun to live like that and not have the hustle and bustle that we put ourselves through!

I started taking a geneology class at church and am excited to find out more about Cliff's family. I can see how this gets to be addicting. I have found info back to his great grandparents so far and looking forward to continuing.

We're trying to get organized so that this year will be a more productive and prosperous year for us... We are looking forward to a better year!!

REFLECTIONS.....OUR YEARLY NEWSLETTER

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! This past year just flew by....of course, it seems the older you get the faster time goes by! We were blessed with so many wonderful things this past year and were very busy.

Cliff is always busy at work, he is a workaholic and is always traveling up and down the east coast with a couple side trips to corporate offices in Scottsdale (an added benefit because he can see the kids and old friends.) He loves his job but is always glad to be home. His weekends are always taken up with working in the yard and doing the things that need to get done around the house. I still love doing real estate...the first of the year I was busy and like most other businesses things slowed down a bit toward the end, because of the economy, so I took up a part time sales job selling Miche handbags and really enjoy that too! I am very active in church as the Enrichment Counselor for Relief Society. We both enjoy the many dinners, movies and game nights with our friends, sightseeing (yes, still), taking drives to see the beautiful scenery, golfing when we can and going to Orioles and National games! Chica (our Chihuahua) scared us by getting bronchitis and then found out she has a heart murmur but is doing much better now. Ryan is still living in Avondale, AZ. JD married Shauna in the San Diego Temple this year and they live in Phoenix, AZ. Andy married Chelsea in Monterey, CA and that is where they are currently living. Jennifer lived with us for the first part of the year and then moved to Monterey to live with her mother. Julie lives in Chandler, AZ. Chris and his family, Ameerah and Trey, live in Columbia, MD. We get to see them often and babysit every once in a while. It is so much fun being grandparents….. Besides Trey, Chris has a daughter, Alexa that lives in Phoenix; Julie has a daughter, Ariana and JD and Shauna are expecting their first child in June 2009. We are growing!!!!!

We really enjoy it when family and friends come to visit. My sister, Lisa and her family, live close by and visit often or we visit them. Some of our other visitors included: Julie and Ariana, my Mom and Dad, JD and Shauna, my sister Jacqui with her family and their exchange student, Hannah, Stan (Cliff's brother), Teri Taggart (my brother-in-law's sister) with daughter and friend, Alexa, Andy and Chelsea, and Jennifer and Ariana. We love to tour everyone around our area. We live in such a wonderful spot to see all the historical places. We are so close to DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, NY...it is GREAT!!!

Every year I say that I am going to stay home more but opportunities come up and I get to go visit all my family and friends. I still love to travel, last year I went to Dallas to visit my parents and sisters, Jacqui and Leslie and their families; Malad, ID for our annual Bowen Family Reunion, which our family was in charge of this year; McCall, ID to visit some very good friends…it is a beautiful area and had a lot of fun; San Diego for JD and Shauna's wedding…beautiful day for a wedding and they were on top of the world. The San Diego Temple is beautiful and I went with Shauna’s family to Sea World, it was a great weekend; Branson,MO for a vacation with my parents, brother (Jeff), sister (Leslie) and their families; and Eden, UT for my annual Nieces Weekend which I always look forward to seeing all my aunts and cousins. Cliff and I both went to Costa Rica with Cliff's company for a conference (beautiful place and alot of fun). Cliff worked most of the time and I got to play and enjoy the area. Pebble Tec always does an excellent job with their conferences and makes sure we all enjoy the area. We joined my parents, Jacqui’s family, Lisa’s family and Chris’ family in Orlando, FL to go to Disney World. I decided at this stage in my life, I like Epcot Center better than Disney World but sure had a great time at both places. Then, in October, we went on a European river cruise from Paris to Prague with a group of friends… way too much fun was had there!!! Great friends, beautiful scenery and you can’t beat the accommodations! We both love Europe and can’t wait to go back.

Cliff's brother, Glenn, passed away, which was a big loss. He was such a jokester and always so thoughtful and loving. Cliff and his brothers got together every year to play golf and have fun but Glenn hasn’t been well for the last few years so he wasn’t able to play with Cliff and Stan. We will all miss Glenn deeply. Stan came to Maryland for their weekend of fun and golf and got me to start playing again. Cliff and Stan sure have a good time when they are together!!!

Holidays are when we really like to spend time with our family. We spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in Maryland. My parents, Chris and his family, and Lisa and her family were here for Thanksgiving. I love when we all get together, no matter how old I am, I always learn something new from my parents and grateful for every minute we spend together. Mom, Dad and I went to Williamsburg while they were here and really enjoyed that area, can’t wait to go back when it is warmer! Mom, Lisa and I managed to still do our traditional Black Friday shopping. Christmas was suppose to be with all of Laurie's immediate family but it just didn't work out this year so Lisa's family, JD's family, and Chris' family all got together and was very grateful for our friends for allowing us to use their farmhouse to celebrate. It was a beautiful setting and gave us plenty of room to move around!! We all missed not being around the rest of the family but we had a wonderful Christmas. Christmas Eve we invited 8 other families to join us and had a wonderful time. New Years Eve we spent dining with friends and then playing games until the we celebrated the New Year!!!

Blogging? Who would have guessed!

I have heard so much about blogging over the past few years but never had the desire to do it until JD and Shauna were here and talked about their blog. We use to write a monthly newsletter to bring everyone up to speed on what we were doing but this seems so much easier! Anyone have any advice on the dos and don'ts, please let us know!