We holler "HELP" and here they come!

 Because LaVerl has been feeling so much better, he's gotten excited about gardening. He's ordered all kinds of stuff to get the seeds sprouted inside our house on metals shelves with grow lights and warming mats. Everyday is like Christmas with lots of packages arriving. He has also ordered a small greenhouse that he wants to set up inside our big outside greenhouse. The problems was-- it was a MESS! We were gone last summer, so the weeds overtook all the grow boxes, there was junk all over and it needed to be cleaned bad! So we sent out a call for HELP! Reed got here on Friday the 31st. He got most of the work done before Chad and Luann and Kari and Gabey got here. I helped him and so did LaVerl!! It was a major project!! We also put together the metal shelves he ordered.

The lights are hung, but it's just holding 'stuff' until it's time to plant!

The plastic blew off a while ago, so now it's just an open air greenhouse, but it keeps all the deer and elk out.

We carried out all the old grow boxes

and all the old plastic.

...and all his wire trellis's that were pounded in deep!

LaVerl cutting down all the little trees that have grown in there!

After the weeds were burned, Reed got the rototiller and that helped level it a little, but then he also raked it smooth. Now we just have to clean up the mess we hauled out of the greenhouse. That will be another project!!

Reed also looked at my microwave that was never trimmed around when we put it in 20 years ago because the metal trim was too big and I didn't want to lose my top cupboards. He said, 'I can fix that'. He was going to trim it out with wood and I told him that I had bought a metal trim 20 years ago, but it didn't fit. I couldn't believe that I still knew where it was in the garage! He used his Dad's tools, cut the metal and made it fit!!  After 20+ years, it's done and looks so good!!

I didn't get a picture of Chad and Luann. I gave Chad a haircut, I should have gotten a 'before and after'. He was quite shaggy!!

Reed and Kari had troubles getting home. Kari got sick on her 3 hour drive here and had to pull over and lay on the side of the road amongst the weeds and beer cans after she threw up!  Reed flew into Sky Harbor airport from Dallas and rented a Tesla electric car. He was told there was a charging station in Globe, which there was, but the Tesla charger was out of order, so then he had to go to Payson. He had a whole 9 miles to spare before his charge was gone. That cost him 1 1/2 hours extra! We sure do appreciate our kids coming to help us!  

'Not Much Goin' January

 Well, it's been a rather quiet January so far. We have had no snow, lots of cold weather and not much going on, so LaVerl has been spending his time ordering 'stuff' online. He plans on really getting into gardening. He's ordered a little greenhouse and weed barrier and lots of planting things like grow lights, shelves, plastic containers, etc, etc. He watches videos to learn how to make compost and fertilizer. He's ordered berry bushes, asparagus, and seeds. He's been a busy boy!

My front porch has more now.

He's also felt good enough to go ice fishing!

We had our 48th wedding anniversary on Jan. 21st. We didn't do much, but at least we got a picture.

We had some excitement when we had a broken water line in our greenhouse that ran the well holding tank dry and almost burned out our pressure pump. This is the mess we are cleaning when Reed comes on the 31st to help us with. 

LaVerl fixing the broken water line. 

Our monthly trip to Show Low for his prostate cancer shots.

We did a little freeze drying this month. Kari had some old applesauce that she brought me and I made some little tasty snacks. She ended up with 4 quarts full. I took lots of containers of leftovers out of my freezer and did another 8 trays.

MORE HOLIDAY MEMORIES

 Christmas Day was a nice relaxing, peaceful day. Chad and Luann came over in the afternoon and I made some Mexican food.  We usually have our traditional Mexican food dinner on Christmas Eve, but we didn't have anyone here, so I didn't cook.  I got a lot of nice gifts because LaVerl had asked the girls to buy things for me, from him. They also got him some things. 

This was kind of funny. I thought this was a gift for LaVerl, so he opened it. He looks very confused, not quite sure what it was.

And it turned out to be a gift for me, bought by LaVerl, for me.

A really nice lounge-outfit. 

Before Chad and Luann arrive, I changed into my new outfit, along with the cute boots from LaVerl, bought by Kari.

Tami picked out a new vacuum and a bracelet, bought by LaVerl.

Mark's family arrived on Friday night, the 27th. We all made some 'snowman' pizza for dinner.

Saturday, Mark and the kids filled my garage with wood, burned a bunch of boxes and Mark and Zallen installed the last rail on our stairs. 

Bret's family arrived about 4 on Saturday, along with Kari and her 4 boys. I had a house full!!! Boy do cousins have a great time playing together!! They all love our zip line and treehouse.

Because Barry was sick and couldn't come, Mark got to install the new kitchen faucet Lisa bought from LaVerl to me.

Somehow, he banged his head and was bleeding!!

The grandkids all playing games.

Saturday, Chad and Luann came back over from Snowflake and we all ate a big Christmas dinner together. 

Saturday night they all watched BYU football team play in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado State and we won, 36-14!

The 29th is also Chad's birthday!! And the 30th is Bret's!!

It's also Holly's on the 22nd and me on the 23rd!

Sunday morning we all went to church and then around 6pm, Mark and Kari had to head home. Mark had a 5 hour drive back to El Paso and Kari had a 3 hour drive back to Flagstaff. The cousins all cried when they left!! Bret's family stayed one more day. Of course we had to have 'reindeer pancakes' again.

One final picture together! Bret and Mark had to trade places to get in the picture.

Before the kids all left, they all wrote letters to Grandpa and gathered together and gave them to him. Of course the parents were all crying because they came up with this on their own. Elijah said they got the idea about 2am in the morning while they were all still awake!!

Monday morning! Bret's family helped me take down all my Christmas decorations and the tree and carry all my totes out to my shed. It was such a huge help!!

The birthday boy!!

I had to get a picture of Kingston's hair style. I wish I would've gotten a good one of Zallen's too.

The farewell picture with Grandpa.

What a wonderful Holiday Season we have enjoyed with our kids and grandkids. We always miss the ones that didn't get to come- Reed's and Tami's families. Maybe next year! The Holidays are all about Families and we've got a great one!