The CookieMa Chronicles

Our oldest grandson Jonah, had his tonsils and adenoids out on March 23rd, he has had a rough time but is a little trooper.

A Visit from Misty and the kids

Just spending time with people is one of my favorite things to do and my grandchildren are no exception, they are entertaining and cute and just make me happy I am here!!!!
Brothers

Yes, they are watching the t.v.

Marley with a camera

After a bath in my sink.

I guess Hendrix prefers blondes!

Misty made a quick trip up to our place to do a little shopping, the kids got to stay with me! We had a great time just being together!

Myla and Payton's Visit

A day at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) with our granddaughters Myla and Payton. The girls love dinosaurs and with the T-Rex exhibit we though this was a perfect way to spend the day while Danielle and Michael were off celebrating their 5 years of wedded bliss!

The Giant Sandbox

This was fun, but they did get pretty wet.

Payton at the lego table, you can really see how wet her pants got for the water they played in, I didn't even notice until I got home and looked at the picture!

Another "hands on exhibit" with sand and water and rocks etc. Myla kept flipping her sandy wet hands.

Payton with a "giant acorn" inside the squirrel house, so cute!!

Myla in the "bear tunnel"

Checking to see if the fish are real, (they are in resin)

At Omsi there is an area set up like a grocery store, a kitchen and a puppet stage all in one area, the girls had fun shopping, cooking and playing with the puppets...so cute!

This activity was fun, the girls were examining the x-rays under a magnifying glass, I kept referring to one of the x-rays as a "crab", Myla kept saying "it's not a crab"! I would say , "I think it is a crab" and she would repeat herself, "it's not a crab"! I finally asked, "well what is it"? Myla told me emphatically, "It is a Yizard"!!! After closer examination I agreed, "it is a Lizard"! It was a funny moment. Moral of the story...if you think it is a crab, look a little closer, it just may be a lizard!

I wish that I could have been in front of the girls facing them with a camera when they walked into the T-Rex exhibit, they were beyond excited, a dinosaur a "real" dinosaur!! The excitement on the face of a child is unmatchable, what a day we had and it would have been longer but after 5 hours Poppa was tired, but he was a great sport!!!

Josie' s Visit

Josie got to come and spend the day with me while her mom, Katie was having surgery here in Portland. I picked Josie up on Tues. morning at their motel, we were pretty excited to see each other, she had fun stories to tell me of swimming at the motel with her mom and Aunt, "her swimming lesson"! We came back to the apartment had a little lunch and played some Disney Princess games on the computer, counted up her pennies and just talked. We went to Target and did a little shopping and also went to the Red White and Blue thrift store, she is all about business when shopping for what she wants. She is getting so grown up at 6, it was like shopping with a friend. I took her to our Cub Scout meeting where she was PERFECTLY well behaved, I was so proud of her, she liked helping my friend Edria put glitter on the projects. When we got home Poppa was there...Yay!! Josie made some drawings while I made dinner, she and Poppa had some fun playing with the Wii, a little bowling, some golf and some "Just Dance". She was so excited about "the most wonderful dinner ever", (hamburger helper)she just knows how to give the compliments! We had a fun day that zoomed by before I had to take her back to the hospital to see mommy and to end our "Fun Day"! I love you Josie!!!

Valentines Day 2010

This is how Reuel "celebrated" Valentines' Day

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is Valentines Day!!! I must say that I feel like everyday is a day of love for me.......I know that sounds corny but Reuel makes me feel like everyday is Valentine's Day. Yesterday we went to Woodland Washington to meet my parents for dinner, we met had a yummy dinner and good conversation and then we split up and headed opposite ways home on I-5. I like to take my camera to document these times so I will post some pics!

Reuels Birthday

Even though it was not Reuels' birthday yet the kids and grand-kids wanted to celebrate so the kids had a little celebration, Mandy made a crazy good cake and Misty had us all make "designer" pizzas on our own "Boboli" shells....so yummy!! After our incredible arrangement of "Happy Birthday to Dad, Reuel, Poppa... the kids gave him a wii and the just dance game, we are excited to have our own "gaming system" . Reuel will celebrate his "real" birthday on Feb 11th, in case you are wondering he will be 49, I know he does not look it (at least with his hat on)!!

We had a little dancing fun with the Wii and the "Just Dance" game that Mandy has, Josh was the Bomb at this game but the kids were the most fun to watch. I hope that you all have as much fun watching this as we have.

Feb 7th was Danielle's birthday, she is now 24!! I was pregnant with Danielle when we moved to Oregon, so we have been here for over 24 years.....WOW! Danielle was an awesome addition to our newly formed family, the kids accepted and loved her right away and were such great helpers to me in taking care of the new baby. Danielle was then and always has been a girl who knows what she wants and stands strong in her desires, it has been a help to her in keeping her standards high. She has always had a love for animals, we always had some sort of a pet for Danielle, kitties, chickens, bunnies, guinea pigs, goats, dogs and even a horse. She now has children of her own and it is a joy to see them grow and to bring joy to their parents as Danielle has to us. Happy Birthday "Rellie Bird"!!

Josh

Wow, I feel that I should write a little about my son Josh since today is his 28th birthday. Josh came into the world on a snowy February morning, a day usually reserved for the Groundhog but after Feb. 2, 1982 the day is reserved for Josh!

Well, guess I had better do some catching up on this blog, a good activity for one when one cannot sleep! Reuel has to arise early on workdays, 4:00 a.m. to be to work by 5 but Diane who has no job can sleep in until whenever she wants! When one must get up early one must also have an early bed time but when sleeping in that is another story. My husband having my best interest at heart thinks I should go to be at 7:30 (about the time I fall asleep on the couch) I try to assure him that I am not sleepy, really, and will just wake up in the "middle of the night" if I go to bed early. Last night I gave in was in bed asleep by 8, hence the 3 a.m. ramblings of one who could not sleep! I love my husband.................

Christmas 2009

This is our fake little tree here in the apartment in Oregon city, not bad it does give us the feeling of Christmas, the presents are all for Marji!!

Visits with Mom, Dad and Marji

Marji came up to see us and do a little Christmas shopping, mom and dad just happened to be going to a Costco near us so we met up with them. After shopping and a nice lunch we decided to document the "moment". I am so grateful to still have my parents here and I am able to visit with them frequently.

The Princess and the Frog

We took Marley to see the new Disney movie, with her doll in hand and donning the dress that Aunt Danielle made for her off we went. It was a fun movie and Marley looked adorable, she did get a little sleepy and missed the end but will remember the day as a special one!

For Thanksgiving this year Misty and her family hosted in Sutherlin at their house.....
We had a total of 23 people for dinner!! Wonderful food and fun were had by all. My parents came down and so we had 4 generations there, sadly no 4 generation picture. We did have our dinner on Friday because of work schedules and travel time but on Sat Mandy hosted a brunch at her house with wonderful food and good times.

The septic at Misty's was having problems but with a lot of digging and "dumping" Reuel and Lonnie got it fixed before we had to leave on Sunday. Danielle, her husband Michael and girls Myla and Payton got to visit with all their cousins, all 7 of our grandchildren were together, we did get pictures of that!

dad said his head was cold so he just place a napkin on it to keep the fan from blowing on it, that's my dad for ya'!

I caught mom just after she had said something but she is a beautiful woman still at 83!

This is my mom Marjie's 83 birthday
isn't she just so adorable!!