Halloween 2009

We grew pumpkins in the back yard and they really produced. We had orange ones and green ones and even some lighter colored ones. The boys enjoyed watching them grow in time for the holiday.

Some of the neighbors had spooky decorations in their trees. This one was very scary at night illuminated by some spot lights.

These jolly ghosts

were Jacob's favorites. He wanted to go trick or treating with them.

We had school parties on Friday and Chris' office party where the children got to trick or treat at each cubicle. On Saturday we had a church party, then trunk or treating, and then trick or treating. Enough candy to last for the year.

Ian was a scary monster for Halloween this year. We had fun painting his face and making his costume out of some of my old clothes.

Jacob was a cowboy with red boots, a cowboy hat, a shiny vest, and even a stick pony. I had a safari hat and he decided that he and I were both cowboys.

Thomas was "Bob" from the new animated movie. He had one large eye and visibility was limited. What fun we had trick or treating.

Summer of 2009

Kurt and Terry drove to Houston to pick me up after I had spent four weeks in Texas and Mississippi. Here they are in the hotel lobby in Oklahoma City.

We ate at Earl's in Oklahoma City. Earl was the chef for Elvis Presley and supposedly Elvis gained fifty pounds on Earl's cooking.

Kurt and Terry relaxing along the river walk in Oklahoma City.

We stopped in Dallas to celebrate Jordan's birthday. We went to a nearby park at the university. Here Jared and Austin are enjoying the beautiful day.

Demi and Jordan at the same park. We enjoyed the lake in the background.

This is the famous chicken and waffle place where we got our picnic. Terry had heard about it on TV.

Russ, Jenni, and I at their home in Katy, Texas.

Sweet little Gracie and me.

McKay and Lauren on the duck ride in Galveston. This was a highlight of our trip-going from land into the ocean.

Lauren, Emma, Sierra, and McKay with the famous pirate-Jean Lafitte.

We also went to the Space Museum in Houston.

Emma, McKay, Lauren, and I at the aquarium in Houston.

McKay ready for his deepsea dive.

These next three pictures are all from the aquarium in Houston. McKay could tell you what this is called.

The aquarium displays were so beautiful. Apparently this one was for seahorses.



And then there were snakes of all sizes and colors.

The Houston Temple early on a Saturday morning.

Kurt and Terry at the Shurtz home in Katy, Texas.

One of the gorillas at The Rainforest Cafe.

The girls and I loved the birds and butterflies at The Rainforest.

Gracie loved the elephant. She was more excited about the animals than she was the food.

Mr. Cheetah greeted us as we went in the door of the cafe.

McKay and Lauren compare their height with that of the giraffe.

We went to this restaurant twice just because the children and I enjoyed it so. I liked the lettuce wraps, the rainfall which came every fifteen minutes, and also the sounds of the birds and animals.

I traveled by Amtrak to New Orleans and had to take a picture of the track as we went along.

The lake as we came into New Orleans.

Chad Margetta, Vickie's son. What a nice guy to have as her neighbor.

Lynette, C.J. and Ethan Margetta-Chad's family.

My niece Vickie and I in Picayune, Mississippi.

I took a trip during July and August of 2009. Jared flew to Denver to pick me up and take me to Dallas, after a few days Jenni and the children met me in Dallas and we drove to Houston. After a few weeks I took the Amtrak to New Orleans where Vickie and Marty met me. We had a great week in Picayune, Mississippi and then back to Houston. Kurt and Terry met me there and we spent some time in Galveston and downtown Houston. Then back to Dallas where we celebrated Jordan's birthday with Jared and family. Kurt, Terry, and I spent some time in Oklahoma and then back to Fort Collins. What a wonderful trlp.

Christmas 2008

Demi and I eating gingerbreak cookies while Chris does the cleanup. Jared and his family, Jordan, Demi, and Austin came from Plano, Texas to spend five days. Eli, son of Chris and Lockey, was born just a few days earlier. We all had Christmas at Chris' house. Some of the group went snowshoeing and sledding. Others of us stayed and ate, enjoyed the baby, and watched videos.

Austin and Ian looking over the Christmas surprises.

Chris showing Jacob and Thomas how to decorate cookies. Demi has ideas of her own.

Jared and Demi look over the digital cameras. Demi got Jared's, Jared got mine, and I got a new one from Mike and Sande.

Chris and I goofing off at the end of Christmas Day.

Austin and Jordan relaxing at the end of the big day.

Tired Jacob with his Christmas stocking.

Another serious picture of Chris and I.

Jacob Krieger's Third Birthday

My grandson Jacob turned 3 this week. He chose to have a turtle themed party. Jacob, Ian, and Thomas looking at the turtle cake.

Chris dishing ice cream cones for all the children.

The finished yeast turtles all of the children made. They were put in their gift bags to take home. A nice alternative to candy.

The excitement of birthday presents.

The children made paper turtles with many decorations of stickers and colored paper.

For an activity, the guests had "turtle races". They got under laundry baskets and crawled around on the lawn. The kids enjoyed this wild activity.

As the childrfen arrived, they started with making bread dough turtles. The picture shows the yeast dough turtles before they had a chance to bake.

The lovely turtle cake-chocolate and white with M & M decorations. The guests went home with gift bags that Lockey had prepared in advance. They contained turtle t-shirts that they had made (Lockey got the turtle picture and iron transferred it to each shirt). Also included were toys and snacks.

Jacob and one of his favorites-a balloon. Jacob love the party. I said it was a wonderful party. He repeated in three year old fashion "I had a wonderful party".