HAPPY NEW YEAR

Christmas was not the same this year without GG. She's doing better was unable to leave the SNF (skilled nursing facility). She is healing and doing some therapy. She spends most of the day in a wheel chair now instead of bed. She looked so pretty on Christmas Day when I went to see her. She had a new red turtle neck with gold tread stripes in it and her hair was brushed and she looked better than she has in a while. She still looks frail but is eating well.

Trey got his license and has his Dad's 4runner now. Jackie's Dad is making her wait for a while. Amanda got braces right before Christmas, they're teel. Whitney is getting taller and curvier. Rich just got engaged to Rayna and was named Clayton Officer of the Year at his Christmas party. Katrice is still working and is a busy mom running her girls to all of their events. Me, I'm still working but am working on partial retirement soon. If everything goes as planned, I'll start drawing Social Security in April and work only 2 days a week. That way I will still have my travel benefits but have time to spend on myself. I really need to get in shape again and finish my back yard. Those are my new year goals (not resolutions).

GG update

We found out she had a broken hip when we took her to the doctor on friday so she had surgery on saturday to replace the ball of the femur in her right hip. Any pain medicine she's given really knocks her out. She is so groggy she can't start therapy yet. Hopefully tomorrow she'll get to try to walk if we can keep her awake. We feel so bad we were trying to get her to walk and exercise her leg and she must have been is so much pain we weren't fully aware of. She'll go from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility again for therapy before going back to her new home. We don't know yet when or where she'll be going. I'll try to keep you posted.

GG UPDATE

GG is now living in an assisted care home in Walnut Creek. It's in a residential neighborhood and has only five or six residents and when I was there the staff was the manager, the cook and two care takers. She has her own room which is quite large and she now has her own furniture again. She is walking with a walker and still having therapy. She already has her eye on a retired Colonel who is also a resident there. She just move in tuesday so we'll see how it goes. It is a residence converted to a home so it feels more like home. She seemed quite content when I visited but I'm going by again today to see how she's doing now after a couple of days. If you want to visit her address is 1516 Castle Hill Rd in Walnut Creek 94595. You take the south Main exit off of 680 and turn right and then right on Castle Rd and its the first driveway on the right. You almost don't see it because it has tall hedges around the front. There is a button on the gate to the yard that will ring a bell for someone to let you in. They discourage visitors in the early morning 6-8 and evening 6-830. When the weather is good she will be able to go out to the yard where they have tables and chairs and get some fresh air. She goes to the doctor on December 1 to have her wrists checked and hopefully have the splints removed. Her life should become much easier once these are removed. For those of you who live far away and can't visit I know she would love cards, letters and pictures.

Rich at Work

Amanda Cheers for ECYF

Amandas squad just won 1st place in cheer and dance at the Great America Competition and also at the Davis Competition

Chamber Choir Retreat

I had the honor of Chefaroning at this years event. What a great group of kids with voices like angels. We spent 3 days at a beautiful home on 9 acres in West Point. The kids study their music almost all day in sections and then as a whole. The were learning Haleluah and White Christmas as well as another song I don't know the name of. With the high ceiling the acoustics were great and the sound carried out onto the hills so beautifully. We had deer, a fox, a possum and a king snake all visit while we were there. Great experience for all!

CAL BAND DAY UC BERKELEY

Saturday the Liberty Band was one of the bands to perform at halftime with the CAL marching band. There were about 30 bands total and the field was covered. It was awesome.

















The middle picture is of Trey with the Cal Band members who were former Liberty band members Jessica and Matt. Jessica was Treys Senior when he was a Freshman at Liberty. We had to be at the field for practice by 10am and then we took a tour of the campus. We then had lunch at the field before the game and after the game the CAL band did its post game show and all the bands marched of the field with them and through the campus to the buses. I got to go as a chaperone and had to help with hair and hauling the lunches up to the bleachers. We had a great time but were exhausted a long day from 6am to 1030pm. Oh yeah in case you didn't know CAL kicked Colorado States butt!



This is the stands early morning but they were full for the game.

JACKIE TURNS SWEET SIXTEEN

September was our month for milestone birthdays. Jackie's 16th was September 14. We celebrated with a family dinner at my house. I can't beleive it's been sixteen years since we first saw those big blue eyes and the dimple in her chin. She's still a beauty.

CONGRATULATIONS JACKIE!

Whitney's 13th Birthday

Well it's official, Whitney is a teenager now. September 1 was her birthday. We had a swim party at her house for a few friends and family and had a great time. Her latest accomplishment is being chosen for her school cheerleading squad.

Way to go Whitney!

While we were in Alaska, Bob and I took a flight up to 20,000 to get a good view of the peak of Mt McKinley. It was awesome up there. It was a 10 seater unpressurized prop. Thats why we had to wear oxygen masks. That was the best thing I did on this trip.

Mt McKinley Up Close

JAG

swinging sisters

Rich, Butch and Mom's birthday