So Long 2007

Tucson
Dec 31, 2007

As I sit here at 9:30 p.m. on New Years Eve and reflect back on 2007 I can't believe how fast the year went and how much we managed to cram into it! We traveled A LOT this year! From Sedona, Arizona in Jan 07 to Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Croatia in November and lots of places in between. We have had our share of company as well...both here and Odessa.

Major accomplishments for us this year? Well, I finally made a quilt and now I am hooked, only can't seem to find the time to do another one! Have plenty of quilts in the planning stage so hopefully 2008 I will finish some of them. Al has read almost every Louis L'Amour book printed this year...a major accomplishment for the person who didn't like to read! I don't know who he will read when he finishes the last L'Amour book.

All of our children and grand children and great grandchildren are doing well and we can't ask, for much more than that! Mike and Bev are still in St. Louis and they seem to really like it there. Jerry and Ardis are holding down the fort in Odessa. Ric and Janet are still in Seattle and busy keeping up with life. Melanie and Ron live in Portland and between work, horses and their various other activities they are busy. Jennifer lives in Lynnwood, WA and started a new job this year that she loves. Billie and Dan are in California, she is a Sargent with the LA County Sheriffs Dept and Dan is a LA City fireman, when they aren't playing golf or flying around in their airplane.

Grandchildren: Stephen is lovin' his life and job in NYC. Sarah presented us with a new great granddaughter, Nadia, this year to add to her little family with Natasha. David is still in Kansas City and today he informed me I will become a great grandmother again in May when he and his girlfriend have their baby. Danny is stationed in Germany with the Army and is doing well. Ashley spread her wings this year and moved into her own apartment and got a job. Victor graduated from high school this year and is in college. Cammie is in her Senior Year of high school and is as busy as she can be between school, work and playing soft ball and soccer and coaching and her activities with the Campfire Girls. One busy young woman! Lori is in her first year of high school and still a great horsewoman. I sure couldn't keep up with any of these kids!

Extended family in Tucson, Holly, Bruce and Cortney keep us on our toes and are always ready to help us. Cortney is a Junior in High School and works as well. Bruce and Holly are both still surgical nurses.

We love them all!!!!

So all in all our lives are full and rich with our family and many friends. We are both doing well health wise, so we can't ask for more.

We hope 2008 will be a great year for not only our family but yours as well.

This is my last blog for this year! See you next year!

Merry Christmas...2007

Tucson

Dec 25, 2007

Merry Christmas everyone. And yes, it is Merry Christmas...NOT, PC, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, etc. I am an American and a Christian and I am celebrating MY holiday! I have many friends who are not Christian and I do not deny them their holidays, nor their traditional way of celebrating, so I am celebrating in my tradition. Off the soap box Jo.

We have had a busy 10 days or so. Like I said, we have my brother moved in to his house, however, there are a few more details we have had to take care of for him. Still waiting on one mini blind to be installed, etc. We got his washer and dryer installed and they are working fine....and I finally got the rest of the bedrooms put together, so now, maybe I can do somethings I have been putting off!

We finally got the xmas lights up on the house last weekend! However, the tree did not go up! Too much still on my plate. Jennifer and her friend Margo arrived last Thursday. We picked them up at the Phoenix Airport and as per usual, stopped at Pancho's Mexican Buffet for dinner. Jennifer never lets us pass up this place! It dates back to her childhood days in Albuquerque where we first discovered Pancho's. We used to take her and Melanie there on paydays and they both loved the sopapillas (or soapy pillows as they called them). Oh, and we picked up Jennifer minus her luggage. Yes, she was a bit worried.

Next morning bright and early we got a call that her luggage was on the way to our house...and it arrived around 10:00 a.m.---crisis averted! We did a bit of shopping that day and good friends from Yuma showed up as well. That evening Al barbequed his famous ribs and Bruce, Holly and Cortney joined us as well as my brother.

Saturday morning Lano, Jennifer, Margo and I took off for the Mesa Swapmeet. This has became a tradition with Jennifer and I and now Lano. The girls had a great time shopping and we covered most of the swap meet before we got so tired we could hardly move. Of course, another tradition was In n Out Burger. Jennifer needed her fix! And come to find out, so did Margo! And since I grew up on In n Out Burgers I always need a fix!

Jenn and Mom

Sunday Jennifer and Margo took my car and took off to explore Tucson. From the amount of pictures Jennifer took they had a great time. Lano and I baked Christmas goodies most of the day...as if we all needed them.

Christmas Eve day Al and Jennifer have another tradition...they go shopping for my gift and they go out to lunch. They have been doing this every year since 1981 and have only missed one or two years when we were in Saudi. This year was a bit different since Al was having a bad day on Saturday, but they managed. Also, another tradition in our house is Frito-lollies on Christmas eve. Frito-lollies you say? WTH? This is nothing more than chili beans on top of Fritos with lettuce, onion, tomato and cheese. We have done this since both of my girls were little and I dare not change it. Matter-of-fact, Melanie carries on this tradition with her family! After dinner the girls (Jennifer, Margo, Cortney, Lano, Holly and I) decide to go look at Christmas Lights....very fun.

Today dawned bright and sunny (it's hard for us to imagine that it is anything but that anywhere!) and Santa arrived on time. We had a big breakfast and opened our gifts. Even the animals got in on the fun as you can see with Beau and his "antlers".

Afternoon found some napping, some reading and Jenn and Margo out for a walk with the dogs to Catalina State Park. This evening we had our Christmas dinner of prime rib, twice baked potatoes, green beans and salads. Yum. Then the pumpkin pie and all the treats that seemed to be everywhere! There is way too much food in this house! ugh!

The Christmas at Wraspirs:

Back Row: Dick Gale, Al, Bob Grabow, Margo Mitchell, Bruce Sanderson

Front Row: Holly Sanderson, Cortney Sanderson, Jo, Lano Gale, Dick Spaid, Jennifer Wraspir

So now the Christmas 2007 is drawing to a close. I am the only one left up, everyone else has gone to bed. I sit here reflecting on Christmas' past and of those who are no longer with us, but are celebrating in heaven. I also sit here, a little pensive, that not our entire family is together, but I take what I can get! Our prayer is still for Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward man.

Here's hoping your Christmas was happy and bright...Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

The Oakridge Boys -- LIVE

Tucson

Dec. 16, 2007

YAHOO! Last night we went to see the Oakridge Boys in concert! All I can say is I am sure glad we didn't miss this! It was their Christmas Show, however, they did do some of their big hits as well...and yes, I have"Elvira" stuck in my head! " We (Al, Dick and I) along with Jack & Suzi Waddick (our partners in everything fun!) met at the Desert Diamond Casino restaurant "Agave" for a great dinner before the concert at the Diamond Center. We had some time to kill before the show so the guys went to the sports bar while Suzi and I made our contribution to the casino. Then it was SHOW TIME! This venue has no bad seats and even though we were in row "I", we had great seats! And the Oakridge Boys didn't dissappoint us...they put on one fabulous show. The bass, Richard Sterban was, as always, VERY DEEP! When he sings I find myself holding my breath...I can't believe anyone could have a voice so low. Joe Bonsall has such a powerful voice...and Duane Allen too! And then there is William Lee Golden (the bearded one, or Mountain Man)..he is my favorite. They performed for a good two hours and we all enjoyed it. Of course, we came home with CD's and Teeshirts for Al and Dick. We didn't get home until midnight last night so we all slept in today!

To catch you up on our week....we got Dick moved into his house last Wednesday and he is settled in nicely. We have a caregiver come in twice a week to do light housekeeping and help him with what ever he needs. The rest of the week I am in and out two or three times daily to make sure all is well. I think he is really enjoying being here...and enjoys the house. And yes, it is just about finished inside. We are still doing little things here and there, and waiting for the rest of the blinds to be installed, but it is, for the most part, DONE! We got Dick set up on Lifeline as well, so I feel much more comfortable with him down there now. The first night he was down there by himself I felt like a mother hen....I worried all night and I am sure he was tired of me "checking" on him!

In other news, new great granddaughter, Nadia and mom (Sarah) are home and settling in comfortably. I talk to Sarah every day (again, the mother hen thing) and I can hear Nadia "talking" as well. Natasha (big sis) thinks she's pretty cool.

Aren't they beautiful?????

We are going to start decorating for Christmas today. We don't even have outside lights up yet! Very late for us! Jennifer and her friend Margo come in on Thursday and I think we need to have some decorating done by then! They are going to put up the tree for us however. Well, maybe...I may get a burst of energy and do it, but since I have so much on my plate right now, I may not get it done! And me getting a burst of energy lately is like the sun not rising!

Speaking of the sun....man, it's been cold here! We have had some rain and snow on the mountains, but now that the cloud cover is gone, it has been COLD! It was 28 this morning...brrrr...too cold for this warm weather lover! Al says he knows its getting cold when I have socks on my feet and I have my flannel PJ's on! Yup...that's me!

She's Here!

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family, Nadia Raeann, born 12/11/07; 3:25 p.m., CST, weighing in at 5 lbs, 14.5 oz and 19 inches long. Parents are Sarah Wraspir and Chris Hatley. Yes, she is our new great-granddaughter and we are so happy and proud. Mom is doing fine and older sister Natasha is so excited!!! In this picture she is just an hour old!

It's December in Arizona

Tucson
Dec 10

15 more days until the craziness stops! Oh, wait, then we will have the "after Christmas" sales! I swear, people have really lost the real meaning of the season! Ch-ch-ch-chia! But I digress!

My brother Dick from Anchorage arrived two weeks ago to move into our other house that we are renovating. When we bought this house we didn't expect to completely re-do it, but that is pretty much what we have done! It is nearing completion and close enough that we will finally move Dick in tomorrow! Whew...it has been a rat race, with the rats coming in second! I have pretty much been on a non-stop shopping trip for the last 2 weeks...and I am not a good shopper. Especially at this time of year...I seem to lose the last bit of patience I don't have! At any rate, today was the Costco, Walmart, Home Depot run and I think at least for the time being, we have everything he needs to get moved in. We have a local thrift store here, the Golden Goose, which is really an upscale thrift store that I have been haunting...so much that they know me by name! Not good! Any way, thanks to them, Gary and Jeannett; Holly and Bruce; and our spare "stuff" I think we have the house furnished so he will be comfortable.

Our weather hasn't exactly been cooperative either. In the last 2 weeks we have had rain, wind, cold, rain, wind, cold, repeat. We have had a few warm days, but for the most part, it has been Tucson nasty. One night it rained so hard it washed out our road AGAIN! There has to be a permanent solution to this road washing out every time it rains....and I hope we come up with one soon before we go broke fixing it! I want to build a bridge, however, I am told it would never get past permits...permits? We don't need no stinkin' permits!

As for Christmas, well, it isn't happening yet at our house. I have thought about getting decorating started, but it isn't the 15th yet and I really don't put up our tree until then, so what? I have a few days to worry it yet. Outside lights may not happen this year either. We will see....the weather has to get better before I try the outside light routine.

Last Friday night we hosted a Greek Dinner here. I must say I think we did a great job, but no one told me making Mousakka was an all day deal! Whew...it was good, but it was a lot of work. Suzi brought killer crepes and bakalava; Al bbq'd lamb shanks that were sooooo good. Gary & Jeannette; Bruce, Holly, Cortney; Bob Grabow were here to enjoy the feast. It was fun.

Well, that brings us up to date for now...stay tuned to see if I really do get the Christmas decorations up before Christmas and if I am brave enough to venture out to another store!

And on another note, our granddaughter Sarah is due to deliver our new Great-Granddaughter Nadia any day now....one or the other is being very stubborn and I have a hunch it isn't Sarah! Older great granddaughter Natasha says it is time her little sister makes her appearance and we agree.

Stay tuned...............