WV Waldroneers

Fall Happenings

2009-11-04T07:06:00.001-08:00

It's been several months now that I started this post so I guess I am just goint to post it as is and go on from here as I am so behind now.
Angela turns 12 and becomes a Young Woman!
Angela turned 12 and graduated from Primary!
Lauren turns 17!

Jon turns 19!

Jon blowing out the candlesEveryone who came to celebrate Jon's birthday.
Cross Country,Football and Homecoming Parade!
Aaron getting ready for a football game.

A Happy Halloween Happening...

2009-11-04T05:54:00.000-08:00

We had three different times we had to dress up...the fall party at the church, Kathryn's last Halloween party, and Halloween itself. Here are some pictures from those three events.
The Fall Party at the church:
Lady Kathryn!

Angela, the Cute Witch!

Lauren, the Beautiful Oriental Lady!

The girls right before the ward fall party. Angela - the cute witch, Lauren - the beautiful oriental lady, and "Lady Kathryn".

Hayden dressing up for the ward Fall Party...He wanted to be a ghost so he can "scare all the children's". Before Make-up
Hayden After Make-up. Scary!!!
Aaron was playing his football game during the fall party so I thought I would add a picture of him! Pretty cute guy!

Kathryn's 4th Grade Halloween Party:

Walking with Ms. Murphy and her class in the costume parade @CLES
Getting ready for some snacks. Everyone who saw Kathryn complimented her on her costume and told her how pretty she looked. She told them that she was "Lady Kathryn DeBurg from "Sense and Sensibility". ha.

Kathyrn's pumpkin book report - Charlotte's Web.

Our third party was Halloween itself. All the kids and grandchildren were here so we got to go Trick-or-Treating together. It was so fun being together.

What a cute group of Trick-or-Treaters!

Things were really buzzing around our house with two bee's...Aaron holding Macy. So...CUTE!!!

Babies...Babies...Babies...They Sure Make Life Grand!

2009-10-20T03:35:00.000-07:00

Lauren's 17th Birthday -
She celebrates by holding all her neices and nephews
(Alli doesn't come until a few days after this picture is taken)

Kathryn is loving being an Auntie!

Macy and Mia
Meeting for the first time.

Mia Meeting Alli

What a wonderful and joyful year this has been. We added three more babies to our family...

~Mia Rynae Jackson~
(Pictures to be added as soon as I can download them from my husband's computer)
Starting in August - the 14th- Ami delivering Mia Rynae at 7 lb. 11 oz. She delivered the day we were returning home from our vacation. Richard had woken me up with a phone call from Ami who was wondering if her water broke. I was up with her off and on all night as she ended up going into the hospital and they admitted her. I hoped we could get there in time but before we even left Indiana, she delivered baby Mia that morning sometime around 8 a.m.

~Macy Elizabeth Amrine~

Then Rachel was due to have Macy on Sept 5 but ended up having to be induced on the 11th and didn't have Macy until around 11pm on the 12th of Sept. Macy only weighed 6 lb. 11 oz. So cute! I was privileged to be in there to help Rachel with Dan. It was a WVU football game day @ home. Just before she was dilated to a 10 the game got out! It took the doctor almost 2 hours to get to the hospital. Crazy! Thankfully the baby and mommy were ok!

A Joyous Family Celebration!

~Allissondra Elizabeth Waldron~

Jessica was induced a week after her due date on Oct 8th. It was also the day Richard and I were on our way home from Palmyra, NY for a CES conference. We stopped in to see her at the hospital as we drove into town. It was sometime around 8 pm or so. It was going to be a while. They had had some challenges earlier with regulating the baby's heart rate. They had stabalized her before we got there and everything seemed to be going well. We decided to leave so we could go say hello to the rest of the children at home. Low and behold, we got a call from Nathan almost as soon as we walked in the door that Jessica was being taken into emergency surgery. The baby's heart rate had plummeted. It was scary. After saying a prayer with those who were awake, we drove back to the hosptial and walked into the room where Nathan was just waiting for them to call him back After they came and got him, it was some time after that that we saw him again. My mind has a terrible imagination but thankfully i have a logical side to my mind as well...and that reassured me that there is a lot of things that happen right after having a baby so just RELAX. Then pretty soon after that, Nathan walked in and announced the news...Mommy and baby Alli were both doing fine. She weighed 7 lb 3 oz. born at 11:13pm.

These three little baby girl cousin's will have so much fun growing up together. We are now looking forward to February when Amanda will add yet one more little one to our family.

Swim and Gymnastics Lessons.!

2009-04-18T05:34:00.000-07:00

This past couple months Angela and Kathryn took classes through WVU. They have had a great time. In the beginning I signed Angela up for gymnastics on the same night as Kathryn's swimming, thinking it would be great..I would do both on the same night. Well, when I brought Angela in and she preformed the way she did, they told me she was too advanced for that class and needed to be put in the Thursday night class that was a half an hour longer and cost more! Ugh...but it was good. Angela LOVED it! {Pictures of Angela will be posted asap...on Richard's computer.}

On the other hand, Kathryn loved her swim teacher and wanted to stay going on Tuesdays...she can now float on her back, swim the back stroke, the breast stroke, learned to dive into the pool, etc. She LOVED it as well.

We are sad because the classes are now over but they were so worth it!

3rd Time is the Charm...

2009-04-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

Well, that is how many totalled car accidents we have had in the past year and a half. Yup, our insurance was already high but now it is going to be soaring...but not to be negative...things are good and we feel blessed.

The most recent accident happened a month ago. Jonathon lost control of our family car and rolled it. It was one of those moments parents have nightmares about....when you get that phone call and find out your son is in the hospital. Thankfully he was able to walk out of the car while it was upside-down. And thankfully the worst of his injuries was breaking his mandible...his four bottom teeth were knocked loose but not out. He had to have oral surgery that same day. They tried two different efforts to keep his teeth from moving. The second one took. They ended up having to wire his teeth at the root area- in the fleshy gum area - to hold the teeth in place. It sort of looks like braces below the teeth. So far so good.

It has been hard to loose our family mode of transportation but after seeing the car and knowing that Jonathon was ok, you realize that cars can be replaced but Jonathon's can't! So, we feel blessed to have come out of this one ok...hopefully we will be getting another car soon.

Jonathon's Eagle Court of Honor

2009-02-02T03:48:00.001-08:00

Jonathon and Nathan Edwards shared their court of honor.

Jon with Mom and Dad

\
Jon and Aaron in their uniforms.

Friends and family came out in the snowy weather to support the guys.

Coach Pastuch came and spoke. He coached Jon in wrestling and Nathan in track. It was a priviledge to have him there.

After all the holidays were over we finally got together with the Edwards family to have a double Eagle Court of Honor for Jonathon and Nathan. It turned out to be a wonderful evening as we recognized these two young men and their accomplishments. Both fathers had put together nice video/slide presentations of each guy when they were younger. There were also tables set up for each full of memorabilia of their lives and accomplishements. Many of friends and family came even though the weather wasn't so great. Coach Pastuch was able to come and speak as well. Between Nadine and I we provided some yummy treats afterwards. All in all, it was a good experience.

Family + Love = A Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T09:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve we had all our children here with the 3 grandsons. (~ Good news ~ Ami's due with her 2nd baby Aug 09!) It was an evening filled with good times, good food and lots of people making me realize that our house must be shrinking! Not really, we have just added more members to our family - Jessica and Dylan and Dan just a month before last Christmas. After an attempt at a program with music and scriptures, we had our gift giving. Christmas Eve the kids always exchange gifts to each other. Nathan and Jessica decided to give gifts to everyone! Oh my...that was so nice. Some of the children got together and bought Richard and I an I-Pod and player and some See's candy. It was such a wonderful gift that was totally unexpected! Then Richard really surprised me and gave me a ring to replace my wedding band that had been bent out of shape and eventually misplaced. I felt so thankful!

Ami and Chris and Eli

Rachel and Dan with Ami in the forfront

Uncle Andrew with Hayden and Eli

Amanda, Nick, Hayden and Dylan

< Nathan and Jessica

Benjamin and Lauren.

Jonny giving Ami a big hug -she had his name...

Lauren...

Aaron with Chris who had Aaron's name...

Angela with Amanda

Kathryn with Andrew who gave her a baby doll.

The crazy boys...

Making stuff and having fun!

2008-12-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas time is all about getting together with family and making and baking things and having fun of course! So, Ami came down from Pittsburgh and we made some little button bracelets for Eli's teachers and some friends. I have to say that I totally enjoyed ignoring my dishes and laundry to spend time with my daughters and make these fun little bracelets. My sister-in-law, Daphne, sent us some last Christmas and we have loved wearing them around...so we thought we should make some too. I think they turned out pretty cute.

A Grateful Thanksgiving

2008-12-04T09:25:00.001-08:00

I absolutely love Thanksgiving. It is truly one of my favorite holidays. I love being with family, and preparing and eating yummy foods! This year I made 5 pies and a ton of rolls. Jonathon helped me make the crescent rolls. I guess it is sort of a tradition that I didn't realize we had until this year. He has loved helping to do this since he was young. Another tradition is the guys playing in the Turkey Bowl. It was very cold and snowy but they loved it. Talk about traditions, another thing we do is to go around the table and allow everyone to say what they are thankful for. It is always a sweet experience to hear all the grateful comments. We invited Jim and Louise Amrine to join us for dinner. Louise brought the mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegi platter and plastic plates! It was great not having all the dishes afterwards. We really missed Ami and Amanda's families.

A Blessing from Heaven Arrives Before Thanksgiving~giving us more to be Thankful for!

2008-12-02T07:59:00.000-08:00

Dylan Yeagar Keckley

Amanda delivered Dylan November 22, 2008 @6:01 a.m.

The whole bigger, little family!

Hayden is checking out his new little brother.

I had the opportunity to stay the night with Amanda in the hospital. It reminded me of the sleepless nights spent in the hospital...but such a sweet moment for me to be with my daughter and the brand new baby!

We celebrated by ordering Chinese food!

Nick is such a good daddy and loves his two little boys!

I had a wonderful time being with my daughter and her family...It was hard to say good-bye! The next time I see the baby, he will be almost a month old...how can I wait that long?

A Simply Wonderful Day

2008-11-27T05:05:00.000-08:00

Words don't come easily to express how wonderful and peaceful it was to spend the day going, being and returning from the temple with one of my children, Rachel.

You just can't find that kind peace and joy that allows you to escape from the demands and stresses of life and the woes of the world that you experience in the temple!

Finding Joy in the Journey, Now!

2008-11-10T05:27:00.000-08:00

President Monson's talk "Finding Joy in the Journey" (lds.org/conference/talk)has touched me in a profound way...He truly spoke to me and addressed the feelings I am experiencing as a mother,so eloquently. Here are some of the quotes that stood out to me:

~ "most of the changes take place subtly and slowly."

~ "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows."

~ "If you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have.
Of course, there is no going back, but only forward.
Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today,
of the here and now,
doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future."

~ "If you are still in the process of raising children,
be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon
and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

I want to post some pictures of the last child in our home getting ready and leaving for school, which has been a stressful situation at times and yet will be greatly missed when those days are past!

After making breakfast, preparing lunches, signing papers last minute, looking at the scriptures(sometimes remembering to even read them), silverware holder on the counter - drawer broke, looks like a mess and that is how I have seen it...the messes get cleaned up but the time passes so quickly. I am learning to enjoy the messes more than ever!

Making her bed, when we remember and there is enough time:

Before:

After:

Putting on her shoes, so many times there have been only one shoe and the bus is coming up the road and it becomes so stressful...but today, both shoes were in the closet.

Doing her hair. When my older daughters were younger their hair had to be done "just right". Now, if it gets done, I feel we have accomplished something. I have learned not to sweat the small stuff.

Putting things into her backpack. OMG,this has been a huge stress maker. There have been mornings that the backpack has just disappeared. The kids have had to go and try to explain to the teacher that we have a stranger living in the attack that comes down when we are sleeping and moves things. Actually, if we look outside by the trampoline we find a lot of missing items.

Going out the door. Have we said prayer, read any scripture, said anything positive to them before going out to deal with the world?

Walking to the bus stop, So many of my little ones...have grown and left for school in the same way Kathryn is going in this picture. I now have 7 children that have graduated from HS. It really proves how quickly 12 1/2 years pass by. When we got to WV we had 9 children, the oldest was 18! Ghee...time flies when you are having fun!

On the way to the bus.

At the bus stop.

Getting on the bus. James has been our elementary/middle school bus driver since we have lived here...Everyone loves James!

And, Home again...

"Day by day, minute by minute, second by second....Time never stands still; it must steadily march on, and with the marching come the changes." {pretty soon, there won't be as much laundry to do, or stressful mornings or days spent driving kids to lessons, band events, sports events, etc. I am taking the advise of my prophet and trying to do my best to "Find Joy in the Journey, NOW!"

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.~Elizabeth Stone:

Trimming the Tree and I'm Not Talking About Christmas!

2008-11-03T17:27:00.000-08:00

I almost had a heart attack when I got home from Amanda's shower...I walked to the back yard and found Jon way up high in the tree hanging onto a limb with one hand and a chain saw in his other! I just had to stand there and try not to freak out because I didn't want to cause him to fall. It was a harrowing expereince to say the least! He was helping Richard trim our maple tree. Half of the tree had started to die...I wonder if it had anything to do with the chain that was left up there many years ago by one of the boys while playing in that wonderful tree? Not too long after I got home, Jon had to leave. Ben had to work and Richard thought he would have to quit without the guys! We had rented the chain saw and were on a time crunch...so I decided to climb the tree thinking maybe I could do something...I realized quickly that I couldn't really trim the tree, but because I was up there Richard came up and was able to get some stuff done! I had so much fun climbing the tree! The next day Benjamin and Jon finished the big limbs. They are so agile, strong and coordinated they made it seem like a piece of cake! At one point Ben was cutting down a large limb and it started falling the wrong way, thankfully Ben moved his leg right in the nick of time. Augh...he did get a large skinned area on his arm as he pushed the log away from him. I really appreciated Richard, Benjamin, and Jonathon for all their hard work. This project ended up being a family project (and still is) with everyone else helping to cut up the limbs now they are on the ground...what a project!

A Haunting Halloween!

2008-11-03T17:23:00.000-08:00

Our ward had a Fall Festival/"trunk o treat" night the Wednesday before Halloween. It turned out to be a fun evening...

Kathryn, Maddy and Kim Walker

Angela dressed up like 'Lola' from Hannah Montana, Emma Michael was Hannah Montana.

A group of friends...

Lauren gives out carmel popcorn we made and some yummy candy from the trunk!

This year I only had one elementary party to go to for the first time since Ami started school. It was quite weird for me. I loved being there with Kathryn and her little classmates.

Kathryn by her friend, Emma in her classroom.

Kathryn and Mrs. Walls, her 3rd grade teacher.

Angela dressed up as a fairy for Halloween.

Kathryn as the cute witch.

Trick or Treating was started off bright and early...Good friends

Look at all the candy! I was very impressed with their giving natures as they shared their candy with those that didn't go Trick or Treating! Maddy got to spend the night with Kathryn and Angela spent the night with Emily!
What a fun Halloween!

Lauren and Aaron decided to celebrate Halloween by going to the Mohawk Bowl.

Ben made a great vampire. It was the first time he had ever been one. I don't think I would have wanted him to be my server at the Outback that night! Yikes.

Andrew had to dress up for his job at Texas Roadhouse. Funny.

Rachel and Dan came over and celebrated with us...they made a very convincing Vampire couple. I wonder if the "Twilight" series had anything to do with their costumes?

Amanda's Baby Shower

2008-11-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Rachel, Jessica (Nathan's wife), Lauren, Kathryn and Maddy Wright (Kathryn's friend) and I drove to Keyser, WV to go to Amanda's baby shower put on by her mother-in-law, Brenda Keckley. I have to say that Brenda did a great job of decorating and preparing. The games were unique, the food was good, the decorations were very nice, and the company was fantastic. It was good to see and be with Amanda. She seemed to glow! She looked great for only having two weeks to go! It was good to be with almost all my girls. Amanda recieved some nice things. I was happy for her and very appreciative of Brenda for putting on the shower for her.

Aaron Decides to Play Football this Year

2008-11-03T16:41:00.000-08:00

Aaron had some good times and good workouts on the CLMS Football team this year. He played defensive center and nose guard and on the offense he played right tackle. He had a good time. He looked great in his uniform. #66! Go Aaron!

Interesting note, our WVU coach's son played the quarterback and Richard sat next to his dad, Coach Bill Stewart during one of the games...Richard was very impressed with how real he seemed.

Kirtland, A Great Place to Visit, Especially in the Fall...

2008-11-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Richard and I were able to go to Kirtland for the CES Husband/Wife convention. This trip was not only a great experience, spiritually, but timely as well. I enjoyed being with my husband, just the two of us,...at the same time, learn and relearn about one of the most sacred places on earth. They call it the penecostal era of the church.

We were able to tour around the area and listen to great presentations at each spot. I enjoyed the presentation at the parish Sidney Rigdon preached at...I learned so much about him and what a great man he was. I really enjoyed the sessions at the Johnson Farm. After coming down from the 'revelation room' we went outside into the barn room where Br. Sid Sandstrom gave a great presentation on the tar and feathering of Br. Joseph and Sidney Rigdon. It was sad but very informative and inspiring to hear how the Lord was with them... Other presentations I enjoyed were the Morley Farm on the experience at the school house and on Emma.

The Community of Christ Church had rebuilt their Visitor's center next to the temple since i had been there. It was very nice. We were able to have dinner in one of the rooms that overlooks the temple. It was breathtaking! That same night we were priviledged to participate in a reenactment of the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. We sang the same hymns they sang and were told what happened step by step. The spirit was so strong. It was great.

The temple grounds were beautiful... The Pompom dahlia's were gorgeous. They looked a little like peonies from far off but were very much unique. The colors were vibrant. Take a look. I think they are some of my favorites now. I talked to the gardener and he told me some tricks to raising them. I am not so sure mine would look like these but I may give it a try next year.

Hope you enjoy the pics.

Fall brings four Fall Birthdays in the Waldron Family

2008-11-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

Sept 4 - Rachel - The day I came home from Utah, it was Rachel's birthday. Richard had told Rachel to come over and he made her a birthday cake! What a dad! So, I got to celebrate Rachel's Birthday with the fam as soon as I got home from the airport!

(sorry, no pics...she posted some on her blog...)

Sept. 24 - Jonny Wanny turns 18! This was a humbling experience as I realized that I now have seven children 18 and older! Oh my!

Oct. 2 - Lauren turns Sweet 16!!!! We celebrated by eating pie instead of cake. Yum. ~

Oct. 24 - Angela turns 11, has a party, and gets her ears pierced...

Only one more birthday left in the family, our new daughter in law, Jessica celebrates her's in November! (not to leave out Amanda's baby due Nov. 20th) Wow...everyone is growing up! As the leaves are changing and almost gone, it makes me feel melancholy. It will be hard for me when the children are all grown up and gone...I guess this means I am in the Fall of my life. Goodness...

My Trip to Utah...

2008-11-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

My mom was turning 70 years old (my dad, Jerry, was going to be celebrating his birthday a couple days later. I had never been to their new home they had built since they moved from Sunny California to Cedar City, Utah. So, I made a last minute decision to catch a flight out to Utah and surprise my mom and dad. My sister, Raelyn, helped me by coming to the airport in Las Vegas to pick me up. She sures does know how to keep a secret! When we got to their house, I ran into my mom's closet in her room. Mom and Dad were called into the room by Raelyn and I came out. I have never seen my mom's mouth open that wide before! She just stood there and held her mouth open in shock. Dad kept saying Oh My! Oh My Goodness! For Goodness Sakes...! while he was laughing... Mom hardly let go of me. It was the perfect surprise. I was able to be with Raelyn and Stephen as well. I went to the concert Raelyn sang at and met some of her friends and saw where she works. They took me to go see the 'Parade of Homes'. Other than that, I enjoyed trying to help organize, hang up , and fix up the rooms in the house. It was great fun. I sure wished Richard and the kids had been with me. Other than that, it was a great.

Long Time, No Post...Sorry

2008-11-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

I know, you have looked out the window a little too long and are sick of it...Sorry. Life has been incredibly busy and I had a few hang ups with the techno stuff again that it made it almost impossible for me to get back into blogging. All's good now, (knock on wood). Lots of LIFE has happened here at the Waldron home. I will try to do a quick recap and then continue as best I can.

One difficult thing for us was that our long time friend and kitty, Porky, passed away the end of August. This was not an easy experience for any of us and we miss him terribly.

After that, I felt strongly I would never get another animal. A few weeks later a kitten came to our door! I couldn't believe it! After Angela begged me to keep it I told her NO WAY. She went around trying to find it's home but couldn't. It came back a couple days later. My determination got squashed! Long story made short, after much discussion, we named her Gracie. She seemd to be a gift from the Lord in answer to Angela's prayers. I humbly submitted, took the little thing to the vet, spent money on meds to get it better...only to have it run away a couple weeks later...we still haven't seen sweet little Gracie ever since! She was here just long enough to give us what we needed to help us overcome our grief.

I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See?...

2008-04-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

...Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!" It is cherry blossom time and if you are advantagious enough you can drive to Washington DC to see the beautiful cherry trees and take part in the parade...or you can come visit me and look down my street and see what literally looks like "popcorn popping on the trees!" All we have to do is look out the window or walk out the door and you are in the presence of beauty provided by nature! This new background of blossoms looks like the trees on my street. I will have to take a picture of it if I can get a camera that works.

Along with the beauty of the blossoms there is the sudden appearance of the bees, wasps and flies! It is as if they were just waiting for company. They don't seem to want to come out to play unless we are out there!

At this time of year, activities also change...we are involved with softball(Kathryn and Angela), track(Aaron) and graduation preparations(Jonathon from UHS and Andrew from WVU)...plus Nathan and Jessica's wedding coming up in July! Lauren is thrilled as we have gone through our bookshelves and has discovered some books she hadn't read yet.

There is a lot to be excited about but mostly it is just wonderful to walk outside and feel the good ole' sun shining delightfully from up in the sky to say "Welcome to the day, and isn't life wonderful".

Jon won #1 in State Wrestling Finals!

2008-03-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

Well, all those hard days, months, and years of practice finally paid off for Jon the end of February. We went down to watch the State finals held in Huntington, WV. It was a very exciting moment. I had to call my two grandsons for good luck and to calm my nerves before the match. The guy he beat was a 2 time champ and was ranked nationally. Jon was confidant and Ben was right there supporting him. He did a great job and won 6 - 3. It has been so fun and exciting for all of us to share in Jonathon's accomplishments. Jon will tell you that it was with the help of his bro and friend, Ben, who helped him out as a workout partner. He had great coaches and underclassmen who were supportive. It has been so fun to watch our two sons wrestle through high school and as the coach said at the banquet, there will be no Waldron's on his next roster. This is the first time in over six years there won't be a Waldron on their team. Between Ben and Jon it has been a great experience watching them go through all these matches and learn so much. They have matured and have grown. We are closing this chapter in our Waldron book of life but I am sure there are more chapters ahead that will bring us much joy.

Nathan is Engaged!

2008-03-19T10:07:00.001-07:00

We are so excited to be gaining another daughter in our family this coming July. Nathan has great taste in choosing a companion. Jessica Miller is everything we could hope for and more. She is a doll and so sweet. She isn't afraid of our big and crazy family, in fact, she fits right in. I remember one of the first times she came to visit us and we played this crazy card game called 'Egyptian Ratscrew'. It is a game where it can be a little intimidating. She was a little nervous to play but in the end, she won! She has also won our hearts and we are so thrilled for them. She has what Nathan seems to need and visa-versa. They met while working at Kroger's and the story they tell about getting up enough nerve to talk to each other is cute. Nathan bought her a beautiful and unique ring. We officially met her family at a dinner we had together at the church, which is wonderful for us as well. They are planning to get married July 12th, this year. I have to say, I have not seen Nathan this happy in a long time, he just seems to glow.

Due to "Technical Difficulties"

2008-03-05T10:52:00.001-08:00

Don't you just hate it when you hear...'due to technical difficulties'...the show will be postponed or whatever. Well, that is sort of what has happened in my life. I have had one "technical difficulty" after another. If it isn't the camera breaking ( all 3 cameras at the same time!!!!), it is the computer that has a virus (I am not complaining only amazed that not only is it our home computer having problems, but Richard's work computer and so here I sit at the good ole' public library using their computer - if these go down, then I can say that I have some bad luck! ha) ...to my cell phone being lost ...to me trying to finagle any sort of a cell phone to use until the two year contract comes due again.... to my microwave quitting the day after Kathryn looks up and asks me how old it is and how much longer will it work?! Ugh...I am afraid I am living in a technical world and am very tetchy-deprived lady which is why I haven't been on my blog recently. I have had with-drawls. I have thought of all sorts of things to write about...like the other day - it was a snow day (wait, we've had several snow days, so they kind of run into each other). Anyway, like I was saying, it was snowing and there were some cardinals pecking on the pine cone covered with peanut butter and seeds that Angela's Activity girls made for the birds. It was a beautiful sight and what was really neat is that the birds really ate from the pine cone. I had no camera and no Internet to write it down so I add it here. I did witness it and it was a lovely moment. Ugh... the life of the bloggers. I will return. Hopefully it won't take me too much longer to resolve my techy problems plaguing my life.

Angela's Hair Cut

2008-01-22T05:15:00.000-08:00

I have been pretty amazed at my daughter Angela. She is very loving and giving of herself to others (most of the time that is...). Well, she has been growing her hair out for several years now. Last year she decided she would grow it long enough to donate it to the 'Locks of Love' foundation. Originally we were going to cut it last summer but then her sister Rachel got engaged and I asked her to wait until after the wedding so it would be long and pretty for the pictures. She agreed a little reluctantly as it was hot and got pretty tangly by then...(she has a very sensitive head!). Well, the wedding came and went - her hair looked beautiful for the pictures. Then the holidays were upon us and to be honest, I wasn't quite sure how to go about it. Then after the holidays, Angela came to me pleading to cut her hair. She wanted it cut before she went back to school. I was still quite apprehensive about cutting it myself but she wanted me to. I found a website http://www.locksoflove.org/ It was very helpful explaining what was needed and how to do it. I got my courage up and decided I could/would do it. Of course there was now working camera in the house, so I had Richard film it on the video. (A couple days later, when we went to babysit Eli for Ami, we asked her to take a picture of Angela. That would be the one at the top.) It was a very exciting moment for Angela. After we measured her hair, we found out she would be able to donate 14"! Wow. (a minimum of 10" is required) We gathered her hair into an elastic and put it into a ponytail and braided it, then cut it off! She was so happy to have that much hair to donate! She looks adorable with her new short little bob!

There's no day like a Snow Day!

2008-01-17T13:59:00.001-08:00

Snow Day!

2008-01-04T21:21:00.000-08:00

What better way to start off the new year than with a snow day? School was cancelled. It was so great to not have to get up the 2nd day of January and get all the kids up and out the door...instead we made pancakes, dressed warmly and went outside and played in the powdery stuff called snow. I think we had about 13 inches or more! It was beautiful! Friends came here and then they went to the Ude's and then Hanna's and then to the Wright's. It is so nice to have good neighbors! I think the kids played more outside than they would have on on a normal day.

Fear, Frustration and Discouragement

2007-12-31T07:28:00.000-08:00

FEAR is something I don't enjoy, so when something is scary, I stay away from it. I don't watch scary movies, I don't like to be in dark rooms by myself late at night...you get the picture.

Well, this blog has seemed sort of 'scary' to me. So I haven't done anything with it since Kim Walker first helped me start it. I think I was afraid I couldn't - shouldn't - wouldn't do something "write"...ha.

Then there is the FRUSTRATION factor as well. I typed out Richard's and my experience of going to Boston, MA. (hence - the minute man statue at the top...still haven't figured out how I did that!) Anyway, when I had finished, I went to check it. There was something I needed to change and when I clicked on to change it, I lost it all! It was completely gone!

This is when DISCOURAGEMENT took over. I felt I couldn't waist that much time for nothing.

So for all the reasons above (and more!), I stopped caring about my blog!

For some reason, today I decided to face my FEAR and try again. I have to say, it is coming along quite nicely and I may even venture to doing this more often.

I have learned an important lesson by writing on my blog...that sometimes we stunt our own growth by not wanting to face our fears because frustration and discouragement may be involved...but when we do, it can be so rewarding and much more enjoyable.

(After writing this out, I somehow stumbled upon my original post about Boston! It had been saved in an area I didn't know existed! I couldn't believe it! I felt so happy. Now you can read about our trip! And, I also figured out how to move the Minute Man statue to the blog it is supposed to be with! Blogging isn't so scarey after all!)

I'd like to share a few 'Thoughts for the Day':

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.-- Unknown.

Never fear shadows... they simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby.-- Unknown.

Who bravely dares must sometimes risk a fall.-- Tobias G. Smollett.

Our Fun Christmas Eve Program

2007-12-31T06:43:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Christmas Eve can be a bit of a challenge for a large family with so many things

to plan, bake, make, wrap and etc. But this year Ami wanted to take over the responsiblity of planning it so I wouldn't have too much to do after the wedding was over. I gratefully said, "That would be Wonderful!"

Ami's enthusiasm was contagious! She even sent all the family e-vites. She gave everyone responsibilities and assignments for the evening in plenty of time to prepare for it, plus gentle reminders so no one could forget! hee hee. She decided to stick with our traditional Christmas Eve Mexican theme as we have been doing for longer than I care to admit... because of that I was asked to make my famous Chicken Enchiladas, salsa and rice. Everyone was given a part in the program, mine was to sit and enjoy it - which I loved. Then on top of that, everyone was supposed to bring a nice gift for the White Elephant gift exchange marked 'girl' or 'boy' gift. We also had to narrow it down to 'little girl' gift for Kathryn, 7, and Angela, 10, who basically did a gift exchange with each other! The two grandsons were able to open gifts from grandma and grandpa...

Amanda bought all us gals Christmas bell earrings and the little girls wore bell necklaces.

Rachel and Dan made a delicious dip with chips...YUM!

The guys helped with some of the food preparation and moved around the furniture to make room for an extra table brought in from the garage...Amanzingly there was a seat for everyone!

Ami and Amanda had made these really festive tissue Mexican flowers in the traditional green, red and white colors...for our placesettings. They also brought with them some table decorations as well.

Ami made some beautiful programs. See photo above...

We loved having Jim, Louise and David Amrine come this year to join in our family celebration.

I have to say that it was one of our best Waldron family moments. The food, the friends, the family combined with the program and the gift giving turned out to be a very special evening for all of us!

These are the kind of moments that make having a large family so worth it and fun!

Quote for the Day:
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other”

Our Trip to Boston

2007-10-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

Richard and I were able to drive up to Boston, MA earlier this month. The leaves were just beginning to change, it was beautiful.

I loved being in Boston. I loved seeing the historical sites. But more than anything, I loved the talks that were prepared for us at the conference. The timing and the messages couldn't have come at a better time for me and I have to say that I felt a divine hand in it.

On Tuesday we visited for a while and then drove to the The Minute Man Museum and statue in Concord, which was inspirational. We discussed the courage and valor these men and women possessed that started this country's revolution! Those people were there "for such a time as this". We talked about the unsung hero's of our country and how the fabric of our country is made up of them.

Wednesday we had some amazing talks...this was the day that really felt productive in word more than sight. After being nurtured by the good word, I was so excited to take a tour of Boston's Freedom Walk. A tour was offered by the student/secretary of the institute there. We felt that would be the best choice...I ended up being a little disappointed. Instead of taking us to the Paul Revere house and the old North chapel, we went to the holicost memorial and saw some other places that I had not expected to go to. (not that the holicost memorial wasn't very impressive, I just wasn't mentally prepared to go to anything like that.)

Then the next day we met together for some other classes and had a good time talking to the other CES couples. The drive home was filled with some frustration with traffic and not knowing where to stop to get something to eat, and then finding out that the hotel on the way home was RIGHT next to a busy street that made you feel like you were camped on the freeway. Sleep escaped me that night.

But the next day we drove to Philadelphia, PA. That was one of the highlights of the trip. We went to the visitors center there to get tickets to Independence Hall. While we were there we were invited to join a pretzel tasting contest who was MC'd by that man that dresses up like Ben Franklin there! We enjoyed that and also walking the streets where our nation became a nation and the declaration of Independence was signed. We had to have a philly-cheese sandwhich while we were there. Yum.

Then we drove home and were able to hug the kids, the best part of coming home is having your children gather around you and then to be able to sleep in your own comfy bed.

Hi. from the Waldron's

2007-10-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! With the help of my good friend, Kimberly Walker, I have started my first family blog...