Alzheimer's Memory Walk

Today was the annual Alzheimer's Memory Walk. Our family has been participating for several years now to honor Mom, who suffered from this terrible disease and Dad, who was her constant support and taught us much about love and devotion and many more things during Mom's illness.

We had a smaller group this year because Ryan's family lives in Utah now and the Tassainer kids weren't able to be with us. We sure missed all of you, but we still had a great experience.

Looking at our group as we congregated after the walk Brent said that Mom must probably be in Heaven someplace smiling down on this great group of people and so happy we were there together.

Only Chandler was brave enough to try the

tambourine this year, but represented us well.

Go Chandler!! Sure made us miss the Jamesons. They could have used you, Doobies!!

Isaac was trying to play escape artist and had to be in time out by the trash bin. But he sure was adorable there! Can't stay mad at somebody that cute for long.

A good time was had by all and it's a great tradition. Thanks for starting it for us, Jamesons, and thanks for setting it up this year, Em.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The yearly Halloween fun at our house happened on Monday night.

We had 10 of our little grandpeople over to celebrate the holiday.

Actually we had 12 and their parents to start with, but the babies and the parents were excused after the picture taking and went off to dinner.

NO PARENTS ALLOWED!!

Papa told frightening ghost stories and terrified the little people.

We cooked "Halloweenies" with blood (catsup), eyeballs (olives),

skeleton fingers(carrots) and all that Halloween stuff.

We carved our traditional pumpkin and everybody got their hand in the pumpkin "guts"!

We ate lots of sweet Halloween treats! ( Shh! Don't tell the parents how

much sugar we ate.)

It sure was fun for the Old people. Hope the youngins enjoyed it half as much as we did!

Happy Halloween!

PS. Sure missed you, Jamesons!

It's a "Sunny" Day!

Today is a big day for our wonderful Sunny girl. It's her Birthday!

She's centering this 5th birthday around one of her favorite stories.

FANCY NANCY! She got a Fancy Nancy doll and a dress of her own

to match the doll's dress.

Sunny is just like her name. She's bright and happy and full of fun, sparkle and spunk!

A day with Sunny is truly a sunny one!

She's having a Soiree to celebrate her big day ! So, how many little girls

even know that word!? (I guess French has been thrown around a little in

her life). But she thought that a Soiree just sounded like the name a Fancy Party should have.

Enjoy your Soiree, Sunny! Grammy and Papa love and miss you!!

Two of my favorite things

I spent the weekend quilting and watching conference. That's what I

call a great weekend! We watched the BYU ballgame on Friday and then conference the rest of the weekend. I did a Halloween quilt start to finish in that time. It made me stay awake and I enjoyed conference so much more with my hands busy. What a wonderful conference it was.!! I had gotten pretty worked up about the economy and the state of the world and it seemed that the Brethren were talking just to me when they told us to have hope and faith and try to live the commandments and do our best!. Then, we need not fear. I kept having the scripture run through my head that said, "Be still and know that I am God". It was a great help to me in these troubled times. I think I'll watch less news and read more scriptures and Ensigns.

We had all the family who were in town over for conference and dinner. It was actually cool enough to eat outside. This time together at conference is kind of a tradition and one that I love. Thanks, family, for making the effort to be with us. We missed you, Jamesons and Webbs, but we're glad you were together!

Torture-day two

We did day two at the gym. Dad thought it was "great" this time. I didn't throw up! I guess that's progress. Only 11 more session to go before I can go back to sitting in front of TV and eating bon bons.

Happy Birthday,Nicole!!

Today is a great day.! Nicole Tassainer, our wonderful granddaughter, turned 8.

She is full of smiles and fun and CHOCOLATE, since her birthday party is a Chocolate party.

We love this cute, sparkly little lady.

Happy Birthday, Nicole!!!

Can't wait for our Birthday lunch date next week.

It was NOT FUN!

Even at my age and in my shape I refuse to give up completely on some things! So, I got a bright idea that I'm now going to confess to anybody who might read my blog. I also hope that by putting this information out in cyberspace, I will be encouraged NOT to give up and humiliate myself, at least for a month.

On Wed. I suggested to Brent that we join a gym. What was I thinking!! It comes FREE with our "insurance for old people." (Maybe I was trying to get my money's worth.) They call it Silver Sneakers. (sounds cute and catchy!) Anything free sounds good to me. So does being able to fit into normal people's clothes. So, today we were off to the gym (Bally's) for our first workout!

OK. So, what was I thinking!!!!! Why did I think it would be a good idea to join a gym.?! I think it was a false impression given to me by most of my children who joined gyms, loved it and got skinny. Well....

I was tortured for a solid hour this morning by a darling young adult from our U1 ward, who was my "personal trainer". She is so cute and sweet that I couldn't believe my day at the gym would not be great fun! She later confessed, when I told her she was killing me, that her clients call her "killer."

I actually got sick to my stomach before I got finished. It was all I could do to keep from throwing up! (One of my general reactions to misery) It wasn't muscle pain or anything like that. It was just that I felt totally nauseous.

I was also totally covered with perspiration from head to toe. When I was a child and Allan would tease me unmercifully my Mom would tell him to say something nice to his sister. He would say, "For a fat girl, you don't sweat much!" I guess I've always thought that was one of my better qualities and maybe that's why I have such an aversion to sweating! Allan was seriously wrong today! This fat girl sweat!! It was disgusting!

I did not have fun.!!! And I did not get skinny!!! How could I have imagined this would be a good idea!?!

She asked me at the end of my workout what I liked the best. I was perfectly honest and said, "Going home!" She laughed and thought I was kidding!

However, I tell you about all this so that I am committed and I am not giving up, yet! After all, an hour later, I feel just fine. However, I repeat, it was NOT FUN! Will it be more fun later? Promise me!

Brent called it "exhilarating" and enjoyed the workout. I called it "surviving!" and it was not fun! (I think I've mentioned that before, haven't I?) So, I think I'm in for trouble. Brent wants to go again. It is my own fault too!

It has to do something good for the body to work it so hard or it will just cause a heart attach, whichever comes first.

At least I don't have to go again until Mon.