Christmas in California 2009 .....

Christmas in California was awesome!!! Absolutely freezing but awesome never the less!! Verg and I left on Wed. afternoon and headed to Laveen for a good night sleep with Shamoms and crew (Mimi needed some holiday wisses)! Woke up on Christmas Eve day and made it to Anaheim about 7:30 pm Cali time (it's one hour behind AZ). Met Rex after he got of work!! Had dinner at Denny's. On Christmas Day we opened gifts which completely blew me away!! A laptop, the most awesomest(sp)warm socks for Mimi, a nail gun and colonge for Papa and a surround sound, towels and sheets for Rex!!! Stayed completely away from the D-land since it was closed twice Christmas Day. Went sight-seeing and then to Chubby's (only place close to Rex's opened on CD)for dinner (don't EVER go there)!
Then back to Rex's. Got up and went for a fabulous lunch at El Gordito's and to Costco and a Blockbuster which was closing for good and which had great deals. Rex and I hit Disneyland that night and had a blast!! Walked both ways from his apartment so Sue had her work-out! Rex had to work on the 27th at 7:15am so we said our good-byes (still hard to leave him) and we went to the Orginial House of Pancakes for breakfast! TO DIE FOR!!! Then back to Arizona and reality!! Overall Verg and I are so blessed to have a wonderful family and life!!!!!!!!

Pluto flying high ............

Pluto and his pal, Mickey, were flown to Oregon to inaugrate the new planes that Alaskan Airlines, Disney and Make A Wish have painted to bring the MAW kids to Disneyland!!! This is awesome and quite the eventful time only Pluto can describe!!! Congratulations Mickey and Pluto and gang!!!!!!!

Here he is~~here he really is !!!!!!!!!

The surprise of the year .... Rex came home for our annual Gardner Christmas party!!!It was an awesome feat!! Verg and my sister, Diane, were the only ones who knew and it shocked the family!!! So I had our WHOLE family under our roof for three days!!!
GLORIOUS!!!!!!
That's Wyatt Floyd Rowell in the picture!!!!

Our loving memories from President Spencer W. Kimball

I love Pres. Kimball and love Shawna for having this quote on her blog! I really think, as Shawna, we need to bring the true spirit of Christmas back and return to basics!! I love you all and pray for you to remember the reason why we celebrate this season~~~~~~Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

"Though we make an effort to follow the pattern of gift giving, sometimes our program becomes an exchange—gift given for gift expected. Never did the Savior give in expectation. I know of no case in his life in which there was an exchange. He was always the giver, seldom the recipient. Never did he give shoes, hose, or a vehicle; never did he give perfume, a shirt, or a fur wrap. His gifts were of such a nature that the recipient could hardly exchange or return the value. His gifts were rare ones: eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, and legs to the lame; cleanliness to the unclean, wholeness to the infirm, and breath to the lifeless. His gifts were opportunity to the down—trodden, freedom to the oppressed, light in the darkness, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing. His friends gave him shelter, food, and love. He gave them of himself, his love, his service, his life. The wise men brought him gold and frankincense. He gave them and all their fellow mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life. We should
strive to give as he gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift."

Spencer W. Kimball