Cross One Off the "Bucket List"

On our way to Phoenix for a week of MLB Cactus League Spring Training, we flew over the Grand Canyon...what a trip!!




On my morning walk...in Litchfield Park, AZ, so many beautiful things to enjoy!

Having a "Lucy" moment...have you seen that "I Love Lucy" episode?

Our first game was at the Mariners' facility in Peoria, AZ

Ichiro up close...he hit a homerun his first time at bat! We do love the Mariners and Ichiro!

Camelback Ranch was our favorite ballpark...Gorgeous!!

There were warning signs everywhere...really?...flying bats and balls???

This was my view of the Dodgers-Brewers game...who won????

Almost there...I'm feeling Ohio!!

I was a little giddy to see my Indians! Met a woman (in the parking lot!) who lives in Berea and taught at Roehm!!

Interesting "Rocket Ball" sculpture in front of the stadium

The Indians and the Reds share Goodyear Stadium...

We were this close to the Giants' dugout...I know there were other Indians' fans there, but I was the only one on this side!!!

The Angels play in the devil's stadium (Tempe Diablo Stadium) and everywhere you look you see #5...Albert Pujols is now an Angel and a fan favorite!

We ended our time in Phoenix with a trip to the Heard Museum...

I loved this quote...from the collection: "We Are!" Arizona's First People

USA Dance

We drove to Rexburg at the end of February to attend Brooklyn's first ballroom dance competition...had no idea what to expect...it was very well-run, the judges had hand-held keypads that immediately posted scores on the main board for the dancers to see. They handled, perhaps, a thousand dancers with great efficiency. Fantastic!

Couple # 115 takes the floor...to perform what I would term free-style...no choreography, just listen to the music and DANCE!

Brooklyn did so well in the competition...they had to perform foxtrot, samba, waltz, swing and chacha...each dance was done in its own separate competition with judges placing dancers into quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds each time.

In a different type of competition, the dancers wore costumes and performed choreographed dances...Brooklyn and partner on the right.

Each member of the team received a Gold Medal

...and the waltz competition ended with a first place trophy!!!

Christmas...at last!

Little Durham likes the lights on the tree...

We gathered at Eden's this year for Christmas Eve...

We start 'em young in Bronco Country!





Eden had a beautiful, watercolor "family tree" painted for us. WOW!

The festivities concluded with Christa's Danish pudding tradition...as the children turn 10, they can participate...We all choose a dish of "ricelamon"(!?), eat, and try to guess who has the hidden almond secreted in his/her mouth. BAILEY! A NEW WINNER!

Tradition

We are going to The Nutcracker.





We love being at the Morrison Center. It's a beautiful concert hall, especially at Christmastime.

We love being at the ballet.

We've studied the program...let the dancing begin!

Festival of Trees

My granddaughter, Brooklyn, started taking ballroom dance lessons, and performed a waltz at the Festival of Trees during the Thanksgiving holiday. Very exciting!

I asked Brooklyn to pose "over by that tree"...then I looked closer...


What a SURPRISE! The class in which I did a long-term sub from the first day of school, through September, won a blue ribbon for their entry in the decorating contest. I was SO PROUD!! (I feel like they're MY class too!) When I saw them last week, I went into their classroom, told them how I found their tree, and gave them a big cheer!

Pumpkin Train, Halloween...NOW October is OVER

MY favorite thing about Halloween is the Pumpkin Liner train ride to Banks, Idaho. This year the weather was spectacular and we had so much fun! Halloween for the grands is always celebrated with fabulous costumes and parties and a parade!