Granny & Papa's Place

A Game For the "Triplets"

2011-08-02T13:56:00.001-07:00

Meet Isaac, Cailyn, and Hannah! At least they are Granny's version of our 3 precious ones.
Granny had a grand time crafting these little toys for you, and they will soon be traveling across the ocean to play at your house. But first they had to play around Granny and Papa's Place :) Here's the game....can you tell were the "triplets' are in Granny and Papa's house? When you think you know you can post your answers for us to check.
Cailyn and Hannah spent a lot of time in this room. The Triplets really like seeing themselves in the mirror.

They HAD to meet Fishy, what room do you think this is?

You weren't in this room too much, but Granny spent a lot of time in this room while you were here.

This looks like it was their favorite place to explore. Kind of like being in the mountains and sliding down hillsides :)

Hannah -- do you recognize anything special in this picture?

Hope you enjoyed playing our little game. Let me know your answers!

The "BIG" One!

2011-07-15T15:55:00.001-07:00

Apparently, our Monsoon Dust Storm made the headlines around the world! It definitely was of epic proportions, I do believe we ended up with the entire top soil of New Mexico! The piles of dirt on my car's grill is AFTER I'd been driving around town all morning.
Almost every car in the valley looked like it had been mud-wrestling. You could certainly tell which cars lived in garages LOL

The dark swipe on the side of the window is where I took my finger and wiped away some dirt.

Most cars were washed within a day or two, just in time for another dusty rain. But...my little brown car is still a 'muddy shade of pale', as I wait for either the next monsoon storm, or a day where I feel like going to a 'spray-it-yourself' wash and hose the poor baby down!

Fireworks in June!!

2011-06-04T10:21:00.001-07:00

We were treated to a fireworks display after the d-backs game Friday night -- which they WON, by the way ! --
This was the view from our seats -- if we get to see another Friday night show, I might convince Papa to move over a few sections, but am proud of how my little Canon PowerShot came through with these pictures. I wasn't shaking on this first one, I don't think LOL but like the effect of the 'wiggly' arms :)

I think this last shot looks like upside-down palm trees :)

Papa and I got a good laugh out of the announcement, that we are sure was pre-recorded, telling about the fireworks after the game. It kept saying "weather permitting", and I kept thinking....AZ summer.....June, pre-monsoon.....roof open......I think the weather will permit! LOL

Frank Caliendo!

2011-06-01T08:38:00.001-07:00

What a great time Papa and Granny had at the Frank Caliendo show last Friday night. We were so excited to actually be able to get tickets...and to the EARLY show...woo hoo! We both laughed until we cried....good therapy! We were THIS close to the stage....weren't allowed to take pics during the show, but didn't get in trouble for taking this one.

We were a little suprised at how 'old' the crowd was....until we realized....they were probably all about our age and there for the same reason....it was the EARLY show LOL

Finally - a D-backs Game!

2011-05-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous Saturday, the roof was open, the sky was amazing, and we enjoyed an exciting game! I thought my little camera did a decent job of capturing the players with the 'ultra--zoom' button.....

But wait....there's more!

We also got an All-Star Garden Gnome....highly prized.....more for the hidden All-Star tickets most likely, but people were lined up at 2:00 for 5:00 gate opening!

We apparently got some of the last Gnomes on the planet....the people sitting behind us did NOT get a Gnome, and were incredibly dissappointed. She had actually already checked e-bay and they had already been posted for sale.....I'm guessing you could've found most of the sellers still at the ball park LOL

And now....for the REST of the story.......

the people sitting behind us actually offered to buy one of our Gnomes, so we adopted it out to them for just above the current (at that time) e-bay price! Go figure!

Spring in the Desert

2011-05-21T16:01:00.001-07:00

We've been having an absolutely incredibly beautiful spring here in AZ. The Palo Verde trees are still in bloom and are very impressive! This shot is from a neighborhood yard. Iin fact the owner came out to see what I was doing taking pictures of their 'house', but I assured her I was just enjoying their blossoms and she wished me a good walk and went back into her house!
Found some pretty, beach-colored candles, so our spring has included a few new arrangements with two of my favorite things -- shells & candles. I was able to use some of the shells that I brought back from Ireland last summer, although they are not in this shot.

Quail are abundant in our neighborhood, but I seldom see one this 'high up' LOL They are usually scurrying along the ground. I love this shot.

Then there is the 'ballerina' cactus. I really thought this cactus looked like it was wearing a tutu! Maybe doesn't translate as well in the photo, but is fun to think about anyway :)

Where Did March Go?????

2011-04-18T19:05:00.001-07:00

March was full of family == it was great! Jen, Seth, and the kids got to come over for several weeks so the rest of the family could meet Isaac. Papa and Uncle Thom couldn't wait! We did a lot of things, but I think Granny and Papa's favorite time was in the morning when the girls were just getting up and we could snuggle....and at night when it was time to wind down....I think Granny got some of her favorite snuggles then! But here are a few shots from some of our outings as well as the quiet home time. Here's Cailyn trying out her next 'bike'.....you can tell she has a whole story going on in her head! Talk about a wild ride!

There Was great Papa Time! Looks pretty cozy

Like Papa like Granddaughter?

Uncle Thom gets to meet Isaac......Isaac knows a good uncle when he meets one....they got along famously :o)

There are those times when a girl just needs to be alone....Cailyn is often in her own little world....love to know what she saw or was thinking at this moment!

Newest Addition to the Family

2011-02-18T20:15:00.001-08:00

Meet 'Mr. Moose'! We are having so much fun with him, he's a great passenger!
He rides along quietly, never says a thing, yet evokes smiles from passersby of all ages.
Papa even noticed a lady driving behind him the other day and she was taking a picture of Mr. Moose as she drove! In a parking lot today, I noticed a group of senior adults staring at the back of the truck as they walked by, and then they started smiling and I realized they were 'interacting' with Mr. Moose. :o)
He really has a friendly face, wouldn't you agree??

Not a Picture-Worthy Lifestyle!

2011-02-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

Having been over a month since our last entry, I've figured out that we don't really lead a picture-worthy life ! If you're wondering what we're doing, just look back through the blog and you'll probably see almost the same activities from a year ago.
So.....I decided to default to family pictures so give everyone a chance to look for any family resemblances along the way. I found yet another box of pictures from Great-Grandpa Luke - some I don't remember ever seeing before -- so I've created a little walk through the Luke family's past.
I have no idea how old I was in this picture, but, yes, this is Granny as a VERY little girl!

Here is Great-Grandpa Luke with his little brother, Richard. I see some similarities between the blondie here and our little blondie overseas - do you?
Here is great-grandpa Luke as a kid -- maybe 11 or 12? I wish I could zoom in on the pins he's got on his sweater!
and here is our very own 'secret agent' -- who knew?? She could have starred in a 007 movie, for sure! This is great-grandma Luke for those of you who don't 'recognize' her LOL

Merry Christmas Family! Happy Birthday Jesus!

2010-12-24T18:14:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite family traditions was 'suitcase kids' and whenever we went to the playground at grandma-pa Lukes' dad always had to carry you like 'suitcase kids'!
Christmas 1980 was a special one with all our family at our California house! Jennifer LOVED her play phone! What a cutie!
Thom got started playing 'Santa' very early....delivering a package to great-grandma...his assistant, Grandpa Luke, is in the background getting the next delivery ready :o)
We always laugh at the memories of our Christmas in Montana....dad giving us all a 'driving in the snow demonstration'.....snowmobiles.....sledding down a favorite hill.....snow forts.....Princess Bride....and great times.
Love you all!

Special Christmas Thoughts

2010-12-11T09:25:00.001-08:00

As we put up our tree for another year (thanks Thom for being our "tree-master"!) it looks like any other Christmas tree at full glance. But....hanging on this tree are many special memories and reminders of what Christmas is all about, and how special family is!

This Snoopy ornament is from Dad Luke's collection and hangs on our tree in remembrance of him. It holds precious memories for me because we gave these to him and he always had them sitting on the coffee table. He didn't hang them on his tree because the cats thought it was their personal playground!!

We also have great memories of early years with our two kiddos :o) Those hand-made school ornaments get more precious with each passing year. Interestingly enough, they don't always hold the same memories for you kids as they do for us LOL

But the hand-made kiddo ornaments didn't stop when ours grew up! thank goodness!
These 2 special ornaments were created by our 2 lovely grand-daughters and hang with special honor on Granny and Papa's tree.

Then we have the special places reminders, those places of ministry and memories that remind of us God's love, good friends, and beautiful scenery.

May God richly bless all who travel through our little blog!
Merry Christmas!

Why I Love Walking at the Zoo!

2010-10-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

I can expect the unexpected! Who would've thought I'd see 'cow-milking' going on!

Or 'rough-riders' speeding through the bushes

Giant ( and I DO mean giant!) birds! This is a Marabou Stork, and it's wing spread is 7-10 feet! If Hannah stood on her daddy's shoulders, that's how wide this bird's wings would spread!

He was very impressive standing guard on his look-out perch.

Cactus blooming/growing in the sunrise were a gorgeous surprise as well.

Busy Times

2010-09-20T19:31:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy month!
Driving to Star Valley this past Sunday, Granny made the trip alone because Papa was preaching elsewhere. Needless to say, there is new construction on the route, and there is now several miles of 2-way traffic....just like the good old days. My drive home looked something like this!
You can see traffic backed up behind our car as well. Surprisingly it only added about 10 minutes to my total drive time :o)
Granny has also been enjoying going to the zoo to get some walking in. I go in the early morning before the zoo is open to the general public and it's wonderful. I get to see how the zoo-keepers put out treats, snacks, toys, and food for some of the animals...
Granny also got a haircut...changing up the style some, and making it much easier to take care of.
Papa had some surgery on his foot, but we didn't take pictures of that! LOL

Weclome to Open House!

2010-08-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

Families and Faculty attending our open house were greeted with one of our famous Monsoon storms. It was a downpour for about 45 minutes, flooding everything and drenching most everyone!
Needless to say, people didn't try to venture down to the music room. I saw about 6 families and had some good visits, but mostly I got some good work time in :0)
By the time I was drivng home, the rain had stopped and we got some incredibly sky colors. This is looking south, and is the moon behind the clouds!

Luna Rodeo

2010-07-26T16:40:00.001-07:00

It was a very wet, rainy day in the mountains of AZ. Luna is about 20 miles east of Alpine, AZ.
There were some great monsoon storms while we were there, but they made the rodeo a bit slippery!
In this picture is baby Sterling with daddy Mac, & Grandma Vi.
Lots of camo, (hard to see folks hahah), here is Aunt Debbie, Sterling, Grandma Vi and Dustin's girlfriend. Some of us thought to bring rain gear, some of us didn't.
Zadeea and Chase (he is Dustin's little boy) having a good time with "cowboy toys", a tickely blade of grass. Mac, Dustin, Vi & Linda are in the background.
A stomach bug was being passed around the family, and this day was Aunt Louise's turn, so I took over her camera for the rest of the afternoon. I hope to have some of those pictures soon, and will post them as well, and...we are praying that Papa and Granny don't get the stomach bug again, (we had our turn in Yellowstone!)

Home Again...Home Again..Jiggity Jig!

2010-07-18T11:23:00.001-07:00

It's Hard to Beat an AZ sunset - this is on the AZ side of Page, looking out over the Navajo Res.
We did one LONG day of driving to get from Yellowstone to Phx, but it was worth it to wake up in our own bed this morning :o)
Cousin Kayla with her nephew, Sterling Graham. He's 16 months old now, and looks just like his daddy did at that age. We got to visit with Zadeea too, and her mommie and daddie.
Mommie Ada's crown is missing in the picture, but Zadeea, her mom, and her Grandma Louise got to have 'tea' with Belle, and then see a performance of Beauty and the Beast. They had to promise Belle to wear their crowns all the way to the evening performance. Zadeea had a GREAT time!
Scott and I hiked out to Morning Glory Pool, and some buffalos decided to do the same. They just ambled by, it was great.
Here's the 'obligatory' picture by the sign! Old Faithful had just gone off, it didn't disappoint!

Our Home As We Now Know It!

2010-06-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

Grandma & Grandpa Luke had so many amazing things, but now a bunch of them are packed up and living in our house. We are slowly going through things, but it will take quite a while!
It's actually a LITTLE clearer than this now, but not a bunch! I am grateful to have time to go through these things again, SLOWLY, and really think about what they are, what they meant to our family, and how we should save, display, or share them with others.
I am especially enjoying the garden fountain that was in their patio for many years. In fact, it was the subject of a one of Grandma's paintings. Uncle Randy has the painting, Papa and Granny have the fountain!

Now THAT'S Art!

2010-05-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

Most folks that knew Grandpa and Grandma Luke KNEW that SHE was an accomplished artist, but Grandpa Luke rarely spoke of his own work. I will post some of Grandma's later, but here are some of my favorite Don Luke originals!
The Leaf now lives with Thom
Haystack Rock in Washington--Papa andI are the proud owners of this one
The Shipwreck is going home to Washington to live with Uncle Scott
Seagulls MIGHT be making its way to Montana, we're waiting to see.

Final Performance

2010-05-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

Finishing out the year with a bang! Puppet team did what I lovingly call an
"in-house field trip". I pull them for the entire day and we perform for my music classes plus other classes that accept our invitation. We pulled off NINE shows from 8:55-3:00 -- quite a day! Managed to devour 6 pizzas as well LOL
The team is holding many of the props from our black-light skit, Rainbow Fish. I'm thinking of heading out west for our black-light next year......the one topic we really haven't explored yet.
\

Thanks For the Memories! 81 Years, 364 days

2010-04-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

We said goodbye to Grandpa Luke/Dad Friday night at 11:14pm, AZ time, 45 minutes before his 82nd birthday. He was a GREAT dad, a SUPER grandpa, and a VERY SPECIAL Great-Grandpa to Hannah, Cailyn, and little-one-yet-to-be-named :o)
I'm sure I will have more pics and things to share at a later date, we are all still 'processing' this experience. We covet your prayers!

A Cowboy and His Trusty ......Toshiba??

2010-03-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

It was Papa's turn to lead a VBS clinic, and I must say he travels much lighter than Granny!
He also travels much farther! This VBS clinic was in Snowflake.....and it lived up to it's name!
We enjoyed an absolutely gorgeous drive through every AZ terrain you would want.
But my favorite part of this drive was definitely the snow :o) We have truly had 'In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb March' weather this year, and this part of the state had just received another dusting of snow a day or two before we drove through.

Dusty Twales....

2010-03-19T07:13:00.001-07:00

Dusty Twales prefers naps on his'tack' to working the range! One VBS Clinic down, about 4 to go LOL Had a great time at the first one, love, love, love the music and enjoying the western/dude ranch theme, Saddle Ridge Ranch.
Amazing what folks will do for VBS! We pulled together this 'rock' band, complete with Willie Nelson braids and a jug. Little guy really rocked out to the music, but of course he had NO idea who Willie Nelson is!

We've Come Full Circle

2010-02-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been a year already....and time for VBS again! It is a 'dude ranch' theme this year, hence the "Roy Rogers" cowboy shirt and steer in the background. I 're-purposed' my hanging backdrops ....moving them from the outback of Australia to the hills and plains of Colorado.
My straw bale was a little anemic, but with the few extra props it served its decorative purpose.
I needed a different style campfire this year.....looks a little scary....was supposed to look like embers. Note to self: NEVER put halogen plant lights under a plastic pompom!
Jen & Thom - any chance you recognize the blue coffeepot? I used to warm your bottles in it when we were in Williams LOL

Casa Grande Ruins

2010-01-31T13:27:00.001-08:00

This weekend we joined another couple and ventured down about 40 miles to visit a famous ruin, Casa Grande, which means Big House. The protective roof was not part of the original structure...LOL....it was added to protect the building from further erosion.
This is believed to be a building used for worship. You can walk right up to it now, you just can't go inside. You are able to see where the building has been reinforced throughout to keep it in tact. There was a complete village surrounding this structure at one time, and the village was surrounded by a 7-foot mud/clay wall. It has been compared to Stonehenge in that the building contains several holes at different levels, like the one pictured below. They are strategically placed for the sun or moon to shine through on each of the equinox days, PLUS one set for an astrological occurrence that happened only every 18 1/2 years! How'd they KNOW that???
We were surprised to find that we were visiting on the weekend of the Annual Indian Music Fest, so we were serenaded the entire time we were there.

It was a bit ethereal to hear live Native American music as we toured the ruins. I captured a short clip to try and share the experience with you....

We're Walking.........we're walking........

2010-01-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

Continuing on our tour........ we got to visit the press box and sit in the seats used for the pre-game banter between Gracie and Candioti. You might notice the condition of the field...
When I first saw the field I thought they were re-doing it, dirt and all. But our guide explained that it was set up for a moto-cross event. There will be a monster truck jam in a few days as well. Sacrilege!!
They covered the sod with tarp and sheets of ply-wood, then trucked in tons of dirt. I'm thinkin' the drivers better be pretty careful or they could go careening off into the stands! (by the by, this shot was taken from the owner's suite!)
The press box has a signature wall for guests to autograph that have appeared on air (we weren't asked to sign it LOL) It was a blast hunting for signatures. I got excited about a Bil Keane cartoon signature, and papa HAD to have a picture of Vin Scully's signature.

Pretty official, huh?! From the expression on his face, I'm guessing his team must have won the game!
This is Granny signing off, no more questions, please.......

PLAAAAAY BAAAAALLL!

2010-01-21T06:49:00.001-08:00

One of our Christmas gifts was a 'deluxe' 1 & 1/2 hour tour of one of our fav spots - Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. We were allowed into places that the normal tours never go, and our group was only 7 folks, so we got plenty of time to see everything. It was GREAT fun!
Papa was especially excited to get into the home dugout! He could certainly pass for one of the coaches.
Our D-backs are a very young franchise and already have a World Series trophy under their belts. This is on display in the "Wow Lobby", the entrance to the business offices that is meant to impress. It WAS nice, but our biggest kicks were yet to come.......
We were allowed inside the team locker room, which was great fun. Some players are still in town and come to the park to work out. They leave their equipment in their lockers, and we saw the 'mighty four' lockers in all their glory (or disarray!) Reynolds, Upton, Young, and Byrnes
The digital command center. From this station they watch every camera in the stadium, choose the replays, fan shots, and set the tone of the 'digital show'.
This is the locker room 'boom box'! I've NEVER seen a portable system with that size speakers! When we asked our guide about it his response was, "well, these are young guys........"
I'm guessing that locker room rattles when they crank that thing!

"Write A Caption" Entry

2010-01-11T19:48:00.001-08:00

OK, here is a fun one for 'all' of you!
For those of you that know the 2 gentlemen in the photo, your job is to write a caption for what you THINK they are saying.
For those that have NO clue who these gentlemen are, you're probably thinking a LOT more seriously than the rest of us, but go for it anyway LOL
We can't wait to read your submissions!

Five Years of Being Grandparents - Life is Good!

2010-01-06T04:36:00.000-08:00

I think we can honestly say that NOTHING beats being Granny and Papa! Our first wonderful granddaughter turns 5 years old today, and she has definitely changed our lives forever!
Happy Birthday Sweet Hannah, we love you and are sooooo proud of you.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T08:22:00.000-08:00

As I write it is already 2010 in Hong Kong (the one sure way I can be awake at midnight!), but some of us are still waiting to ring in the new year. We pray you all have a safe celebration (even if it just means not rolling off the couch in your sleep) and may God richly bless you in 2010.
PS - if you'll click on the picture it will enlarge for you so you can actually read the caption (that note is especially for us baby boomers)

Happy Trails to You!

2009-12-30T17:34:00.001-08:00

This little guy is visiting our home tonight. He'll be making a loooong road trip tomorrow, so he and his daddy are stopping over here to save some time.

We told 'little guy' that he didn't have to 'dress' for the trip, but he didn't believe us :o) I think he is waiting for Uncle Buba to tie a windsor knot on him!

Christmas in the Desert - Part Deux

2009-12-30T17:26:00.001-08:00

While some folks are nestled by a warm, cozy fire, drinking hot cocoa or spiced cider, ( or in some cases, taking their annual cold dip in the ocean) we desert rats are on the golf course!

Our Christmas dinner hostess has a putting green in her backyard (which opens up to a real-life golf course!)

We had a mix of families represented for a wonderful dinner-- Great laughter, good fellowship, and yummy food!

Just in case you were wondering, our temperatures have been hovering in the 60s during the day, in the mid-30s at night.

Merry Christmas To All!

2009-12-24T12:51:00.000-08:00

Yeah -- A Winter Storm!

2009-12-23T17:38:00.000-08:00

What's so great about a winter storm, you may ask? Because they have been so rare for the past decade! We had a great rain storm..... thunder, lightening, wind, the whole package LOL

First came the clouds, they lingered all day long. Finally about 1:00 in the afternoon the thunder and lightening show began, then the rain. Then the high winds that knocked out our power source! No electricity for about an hour, just as I was getting ready to write this blog :o) I just had to amuse myself with candle lighting, a little reading, and enjoying the rest of the storm. (Fortunately the power came on in time for us to cook and enjoy a fam fav --- Old Fashioned Beef Stew)

We even have some colorful leaves, finally! Gorgeous greeting as we turned onto this street.

How Do You Know It's Christmas in the Desert?

2009-12-20T07:38:00.001-08:00

You have the usual home decorations
The Cactus are wearing Santa Hats!
And Thom is on his way to have fun being "Uncle Thom"!

Happy Birthday, Tommie-Toes!

2009-12-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

Hey Thom-- we hope you have a great birthday week! Maybe get a little rest like you and dad when you were 7 weeks old! We treasured every minute back then as we do today.

Your first birthday you got the 'birthday cupcake' and stayed pretty neat with it. At least that's what the picture shows, and I'm stickin' with it LOL

You were the first grandchild for the L. side of the family.
Here are 4 generations walking along.

Then you got a little sister. How fair is that??
And yes, we kept her and you all did just fine.

You absolutely LOVED reading with grandma, almost as much as she loved reading TO you! She kept you supplied with great reads!

you were a creative child......loved to explore and pretend.

"Is this really my life??"
You were usually a patient brother, and you have always been a joy to know! Being the oldest had its perks and its drawbacks, I'm sure, but we wouldn't trade a single minute of it!
We love you forever.........

Happy Thanksgiving to You All

2009-11-18T18:01:00.001-08:00

Ahhh.. family gatherings in the 'good old days'.....those days being in the 1950s!
This was a complete family gathering for my side of the family.....we're working on locating one for papa's side!
Grandpa L. is nearest to us, Grandma to his left, Uncle Randy, Great Grandma, Great-Grandpa, 'Granny', Uncle Gerald, and Uncle Scott.
I can still walk through every room of this house in my mind! Do you notice those great aluminum style glasses?! I loved those things! They always felt soooo cold to your teeth!

School Intensive?!

2009-11-14T09:21:00.000-08:00

It's been quite the week! Spending the bulk of a day among 200 singers was .....interesting!
The high school near our school hosts a festival for the 3 elementary schools within it's boundaries. We bring our junior high choirs to sing for each other, meet & hear the high school choir, and get a tour of the facilities. Then....they ALL get on stage to sing one number together. It was impressive to see 200 kids file onstage and sing a patriotic piece. I believe it was the highlight for most of my 70 students attending. But wait....there's more.....that evening we came back to sing a concert for the families. ALL the students dressed in black and white. which made the mass-choir even more impressive.
Just our school on stage performing their piece.
During the day we wore our own chorus uniform. Ah, the joys of transporting 70 (missing 15 of us) to and from a high school, keeping them from disappearing into the high school crowd, and getting them back and actually returning to their classes is always a plate-load!
But wait......there's more!........ The Friday before papa and I spent the evening at the equivalent of a school carnival. Every fall our school hosts a Family Fun Night, so we spent the night hawking candy, setting up portable lights, teaching students to make change, keeping a hawkeye on the change box AND the candy, and saying hello to a ton of students and their parents.
And yet....wait.....there's more! The week ended with our State Convention meeting in Tucson, a DOEM retirement party in the northern regions, and several speaking engagements on Sunday.
We are truly an 'integrated' parental unit LOL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PUNKIN!

2009-11-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

2 weeks old, and a joyful addition to our little family

1st Birthday - mommy was a coward and gave you
a cupcake in a bowl for you to devour. Daddy encouraged
you to put it on your head a few frames later.
Several proud Grandma's here! 4 generations
are loving every minute!
2nd Birthday - there was a top to this carousel cake
but the missing chunk was the result of an early
birthday nibble!
5th Birthday, your last in CA. Love your smile!
You got to have a party this year!
6th Birthday, our first winter back in AZ
And we'll stop our post here so we don't cause you any embarrassment,
but we loved and still cherish every year we've had with you. What a joy to see how God has grown you into an incredible women, wife, mother, and friend!
Love you forever, our sweet daughter :o)

Someone Stole October!!

2009-11-02T18:27:00.001-08:00

Record heat....record cold....end of baseball season (for most teams anyway),... beginning of Fall....October holidays......all of a sudden October is in the past and it's November!! I have NO idea where it went, but I must have been in it somewhere along the way LOL
We went to the last D-backs game, enjoyed a 3-day cold spell last week, and now 'enjoying' record temps in the 90s.
Our schedule is slammed to the hilt, adding some sinus/allergy/junk days along the way, and we're just trying to keep up! Hopefully it won't be over a month before we sign-in to update again! I actually forgot our password it had been so (too) long!
Happy Fall Ya'll!

Frogannai

2009-09-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Here is my 'new' classroom friend for the year. I've named her Frogannai (gaelic for little frog, I believe). She is sitting on top of her 'secret box'. When my kindergarten students see Frogannai sitting on her secret box they know she has something for them to 'play with'. Sometimes it's colored squares, sometimes cut-out shapes, sometimes papers to take home. They don't really seem to care as long as they know they get to handle something special from Frogannai LOL.
I'm excited to have a gaelic poem about Frogannai to teach my students as well. I usually do a few frog themed lessons along the way, so the poem will fit in nicely :o)

Arizona Sunset

2009-09-09T19:25:00.001-07:00

Here's the view that greeted me as I went out to fetch our mail this evening. The colors are so much brighter than my camera can capture, but hopefully this gives you a hint at the sight that took my breath away for a moment.

This second picture is out on our front street. What a great silhouette of AZ.

We have amazing sunsets here in the desert, but especially during Monsoon season.

Thank You....Hurricane Jimena!

2009-09-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

Rain is a big deal in the desert! And we FINALLY got some good rain thanks to the hurricane traveling up the west coast of Mexico.
Saturday morning was our typical Monsoon rain, at last, and we all enjoyed hearing and watching it. I had to be out for some errands, and it was interesting how everybody's moods were upbeat and happy. Like I said, rain in the desert is a BIG deal!

These shots are out our patio gate. The most measured rainfall in the valley was just over an inch, which may not sound like much to some of you, but out here it can cause flash floods and close streets. The last picture is out our front window. But as is true to the desert as well,
Sunday and Monday have been gorgeous. We are going to a Diamondbacks game
for our Labor Day fun!

We're Havin' a Heat Wave......a Tropical Heat Wave.....

2009-09-01T19:51:00.001-07:00

You probably have to either be an old-movie buff, or an old movie-buff to catch the reference to the song in our title, but it is totally appropriate for AZ right now. This past week we saw three straight days of 113 degree highs, tying the record high for each of those days. We're still in the 106-111 range, with humidity flux-ing all over the place.
Fortunately, we have Hurricane Jimena creeping up the Pacific coast from Mexico that dropped a trace of rain last night. We hope to have more substantial moisture by the weekend.
Soooo... think of us as you all are enjoying the beginnings of Fall.....we HOPE to see some leaves changing color here by December LOL

Old-School Tweet

2009-08-22T07:13:00.001-07:00

Note to self -- NEVER put 90 junior high students in the same classroom at the same time!
I made the mistake of stating the wrong rehearsal day this week, (we are on a 6-day rotation schedule) and ALL of my 90 junior high chorus students showed up for rehearsal in a room that is made for about 55.
Well....I decided to have them all stay (for many reasons you don't want to hear, I'm sure :o) ) and found out several interesting facts.
With 90 junior high students in one room --
1. There's a whole lot of talking going on
2. There's very little singing going on
3. The room heats to about 200 degrees in 10 minutes
4. You're actually in the middle of a whirlwind that you can't really control
5. I was smart to separate the rehearsals and only see the full group on stage in the cafeteria!

The good news is that I totally survived and can laugh about the day. I also told the students that they are ALWAYS to calculate the days in their head to make sure what I say is ACTUALLY a real rehearsal day for them!

Back to School

2009-08-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Granny's classroom, or my "home away from home" :o) We are the Bulldogs, hence my welcome pic. Kids love seeing these dogs as I open the door to invite them into my room.
We are 3 days into the school year, and things are moving along nicely. My schedule is extremely full, but seems to be working out well so far. I have over 90 students in my junior high chorus, so we had to do some creative scheduling to make that work, but I'm excited about how they will sound!
I see kindergarten through 8th grade, so my classroom reflects all levels of teaching. The shapes on the floor are the seating chart for the little ones, everyone else sits on the risers. I use every bit of wall space to facilitate my teaching :o)
So now you have a glimpse of where I spend 9 months every year, making music, dancing, singing, and having a GREAT time!

2009-08-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

Well, my classroom is ALMOST ready, so I thought I'd share a few more of our favs from the UK. The hydraengeas were incredible all over. They were mostly purples and blues, but huge,

puffy balls of color all over. They were amazing.

On a trip to Cong we found a beautiful garden and wandered around. The girls aren't mad, or upset or in trouble :o) We simply caught them in a bit of a rest from running around and around some huge trees.

Cliffs of Moher....need I say more. We visited on an unusually clear day and could see clear across Galway Bay to the shore on the far side.

Readin', 'wRitin', aRithmatic....and....Rhythm!

2009-08-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

Blistering, record heat....monsoon winds and rain...the calendar says August....must be Back to School Time in Arizona!
Thought I'd show a bit of the process teachers go through to get ready for the school year.
We literally 'live' in our classrooms, it seems at times, so here are some shots of my 'other home' !

Thankfully, these are the BEFORE shots.
Here is what I came back to (needless to say teachers pack their rooms up in the spring). All the instruments, the sound system, poster, wall decor, and the piano are packed away for the summer. Now I get to bring them back out, dust them of, and try to remember where they belong in the room!

I spent last Thursday setting up the 'heavy equipment' - risers, sound system, etc. Today I started on the bulletin boards, choral music, and classroom management forms.
Tomorrow I will hopefully finish up the room, the copies, the extra papers, and be ready for a full day of teacher/district meetings.
Soooooo.........Stay tuned for the AFTER shots ... hopefully you'll be able to tell a difference!

Granny's Favs!

2009-07-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

On an enjoyable Sunday afternoon day trip we came across this little local pub, nestled into the side of a steep mountain. We stopped to stretch and I just had to take a picture. It turns out that this became one of my favorite memories of our trip! See the video at the bottom to help you understand why :o)

Kylemore Abbey was originally a summer home. Can you imagine?
We were visiting the stone bridge that was used in a few scenes of the classic John Wayne movie, "The Quiet Man". I turned around and was blown away by what I saw - Kylemore Abby. It was literally breath-taking!

One of my favorite surprises of our trip was this impromptu Ceili session! We had stopped to stretch (and use facilities!) and stayed for tea. There were many patrons inside sharing, laughing and singing. Along comes a gent with a guitar and a banjo. He and one of the patrons, who had a 'squeeze-box' started playing. Well...no one can sit still with this kind of music, let along a couple of active pre-schoolers! The locals seemed to enjoy them also, we caught them looking out the window and smiling. We were also able to go inside for one tune, and to watch the locals watching the girls was priceless! I had a ball in that short 20 minutes or so we were there, just soaking it all in!

Monsoon Clouds

2009-07-20T17:12:00.001-07:00

Driving up to the Mogollon Rim Sunday for a speaking opportunity, we were able to watch the monsoon clouds gather. They are definitely unique -- the pictures don't do them justice, but we wanted to give it a try! We've had a few dust storms in the valley since we've returned from our travels, rain in the outskirts of the valley and in the northern part of the state, power outages and the like, so we are definitely in monsoon season. This is probably the most powerful weather season in Arizona. It is also when we get the bulk of our rainfall for the entire year.
Monsoon cloulds are unique because they seem to just mushroom up higher and higher into the atmosphere. You are able to watch them move and grow.
When you see the flat bottoms on the clouds you know there is a good chance for some rainfall. I am reminded of how incredible our world is, and how majestic it's creator.
We enjoyed clouds, wind and rain during our stay overseas, but they looked, felt, and acted very different from our own Monsoon Clouds.

23-Hour Travel Marathon

2009-07-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

Doesn't is seem that if you travel for 23 hours straight you should be able to go completely around the world in this day and age?!
Well, that's simply how long it took us to get back to AZ from the UK a few days ago. By the time we wove through all the customs, security, and airline queues there was not even any time to sit and 'wait' for our plane, which I guess is a good thing. One, we had enough time between each of our 3 flights to get through all the queues, and two, we didn't have a lot of down time between flights.
Regardless of the time travel, queues, and crowded planes & airports, it was a wonderful and fully enjoyed trip and I wouldn't trade any of it (except maybe the lost cell phone)!

If You Visit....

2009-06-20T08:36:00.001-07:00

We would love to hear what you think of our site! If you have visited before but never left a comment.....please take a moment to post a comment and let us know how we're doing (for a couple of 'old' baby-boomers!) Or just to tell us hello!

Flamenco - Not Flamingo!

2009-06-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

Here is my attempt at adding video to our blog. I saw this team at the library near our house. It was very fun to watch. Hannah -- do you what country that flag represents?

"The Shrine" or "Papa's Smile Door!"

2009-06-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

Papa's office door brings a smile to any visitor walking through it!
I know it makes ME smile when I look back over the special moments of our precious little granddaughters that are posted on papa's door.
You can certainly see that not a day goes by without granny and papa thinking about our girls.
The added bonus is that you girls make us smile every day! That is a very special gift to us.

He is putting the other papa and granny's in his office to shame because they have not even started to cover their doors with their grand-baby pictures yet!

Faces of Santo Domingo

2009-06-03T13:14:00.001-07:00

I think the grins are proof that everyone had a good time with each other! Kids are kids no matter where you go, and these pictures demonstrate that completely. Smiles and expressions communicate when language fails us. These smiles made every moment worth it!
Precious faces focused and concentrating as they helped each other with their craft project.
High school kids getting into the spirit of the assembly! Smiles communicate when language is a barrier!
This precious little girl is about 2 years old. The older children in her neighborhood watch over her very carefully.
I called this little girl Pandita, because she had some panda bears embriored on her shirt.
She was full of life and energy, which is completely communicated in her face! Don't you think she would be a fun playmate?
We didn't share the same language with this sweet little girl, but we could share a sucker! We showed her with our camera how her tongue had turned blue!
One of my favorite shots, right here! They were proud of their artwork, and proud to be brothers.
This young man was part of our local team, he helped out in many, many ways, and we appreciated all his efforts.

Just for Thom!

2009-06-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

This picture is now by special request only LOL
We took this picture specifically for Uncle Thom, do you think he'll like it???

To Ecuador and Back!

2009-05-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

Here's our Arizona team plus the "Hands-On" team and the local pastor and church members.
This is a view of the town we worked in, Santo Domingo. We were on the top of a mountain and the view was spectacular. We were told there are over 600,000 people in this city, but it looked to us that there were many more than that.
Papa got to speak at Primera Iglesia Bautista. His translator (on his right) is Ron Sutton.
Ron is sponsored by Trinity Baptist Church in Casa Grande and has lived in Quito for several years. He works alongside many of the local pastors and churches in and around Quito.
This is the back entrance to Primera Iglesia Bautista. They also run a Christian school, and this building houses most of the classrooms. The place where I'm standing to take the picture is their cement playground/basketball court.
Granny got to lead 100 children in Laura Flores (a barrio built in the city dump)
Everyone had a lot of fun, the kids were great, the smiles even better
The children were also very good listeners. They were very interested in learning about Jesus
There was plenty of color in the jungle, here is one of many gorgeous flowers.
Granny bought this flute - it's made out of bamboo and sounds really pretty
We saw some REALLY BIG snails in our traveling through the barrios - here's the biggest!

We're Bloomin'!

2009-05-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

Papa's cactus has a whisker shadow, can you see it? Soon it will be a full-grown flower beard!

My singing cactus has a beautiful blossom -- soon the tips will all be covered with flowers!

Puppet Marathon!

2009-05-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

Here is my puppet team - 12 5th -6th graders. They are holding their "amoeba", small little creatures that glow in the black light. We started at 7:45 in the morning and finished performing at 3:00 in the afternoon. THEN we had to clean up the equipment. It was definitely a full and fun day.
We did a patriotic song with flags and everything!

We performed for 23 classes in 11 shows!

My Cactus Friends Keep Me Company on My Walks

2009-04-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

I love this cactus because he looks like he's praying. It always reminds me to thank God for such a beautiful place to live and serve Him.
Here's my singing cactus (of course there had to be one of those!) As I studied the picture I realized that this cactus is not singing a solo! He has some back-up singers! Did you find them?
This one I call Papa because he's big and strong, and he has enough arms to hold and play with Hannah and Cailyn at the same time!

Granny Takes a Walk

2009-04-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying the beautiful Spring pictures from 'across the ocean', so I thought I would share some of the color we find in the desert during the Spring. When I walk, this is the return view that greets me -- Camelback Mountain. It's one of my favorite parts of my walk. However, this time of year, several neighbors have beautiful blooming desert plants, so I also get to enjoy the following scenes as I get some exercise!

These colors won't last long, but they are beautiful when they show up!

And Now.....For the Rest of the Story.....

2009-04-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Granny's 5-8th Grade Choirs

The second half of the day Granny spent with her chorus students -- about 100 of them!
We sang 3 songs at our district arts festival.....in the afternoon sun......in Arizona!
The kids did great, we had fun, and we got to sing for a lot of other students.

VBS ---- Ahhgain!

2009-04-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

Papa and Granny led groups in another VBS workshop today. It was fun, we had a good time. This afternoon granny is going to an Arts Festival where her school choirs will sing. Busy day!

My 'wonderful' backdrops aka painted sheets! they make covering things in a room very easy!

Happy Birthday Cailyn!

2009-04-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here are two happy "Happy Birthday" candles to help you celebrate your birthday week, Cailyn! Hugs and Kisses from Granny and Papa!

He Is Risen!

2009-04-12T08:46:00.001-07:00

Granny and Papa just came back from a sunrise service where we watched the sun come up over the Superstition Mountains after an evening of rain. It was wonderful to sing about Jesus rising from the grave, thinking about that very morning as the sun was coming up, and imagining the women finding an empty tomb. What an incredible God we serve, why we ever doubt what He can do is beyond me!

What Does Papa Do?

2009-04-06T18:37:00.001-07:00

what does papa do when he can't be with his precious little girls? He thinks about them, laughs when he remembers things they said or did, talks about them, looks at their pictures on their blog.

But....Papa also is a minister, and so he does things to serve God. Right now he is preaching at a church in Apache Junction, and since we are in Easter season, he wanted to build a cross for the Palm Sunday service. We went to the lumber store and got the wood he would need. Then he went out to his "work shed", his truck bed! and started working on the wooden cross.

Once he finished the cross, he set it up in the auditorium of the church building. He will lead in the Lord's Supper in the Palm Sunday morning service, and will focus on how we should tell God things we want Him to fix in our lives.

Securing the Cross
Papa leads the service centered on the Lord's Supper

APRIL FOOLS!

2009-04-01T05:38:00.000-07:00

"Peek-a-boo!"
"Like our hats?"
"My Best Friend!"

"I Fit!"

What Does Granny Do?

2009-03-31T06:09:00.001-07:00

One of Granny's favorite things in the whole world is gettting to be Granny to 2 very special little girls.
But when they're not around, what does Granny do?

Granny works with lots of kids, teaching them fun songs, serious songs, folk songs, dances, music history, how to play instruments, and cool stuff like that.
Granny also teaches kids how to work with puppets. Here is a current project with this year's puppet team, elephants that will glow in the dark!

Also, I sometimes get to make adults dress up in silly costumes as I train them to lead Vacation Bible Schools! This husband and wife are dressing him as an Emu, an Australian bird!

You Might Be Sick If.......

2009-03-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

Well, Granny finally admitted that she was sick Saturday morning. When she couldn't get up and ready for a music teacher workshop, it was official...."I'm Sick!"
(Granny speaking) I felt really tired Thursday, Friday I was cold all day, even tho' my classroom has been nice and chilly all week, I was especially chilled Friday, and my body was aching.....but I figured I was still OK.....until Saturday morning hit. I had a CRASHING headache, kept getting chilled, and didn't want to get out of bed.......it took all that for me to admit that I needed to stay home....and in bed :o)
I literally slept ALL day. I got up to eat some soup, but that was about it. I finally really woke up about 5:00pm, ate dinner with papa and watched a movie, then went back to bed!
I feel MUCH better this morning, but am staying close to home and resting to be sure I get all my energy back.
I tried to find a cutesy sick picture (if there is such a thing) to add to this entry but haven't figured out how to get pictures from clipart to the blog, or off the web to my blog yet.

You Might Be A Redneck If.......

2009-03-23T17:58:00.000-07:00

I chuckled all day long the other day as I watched my 'slow-cooker creation', being reminded of the old story about why a family always cut the end off the roast before they cooked it.
I can envision Hannah's or Cailyn's daughters some day asking their mummy, "why do we tape a jar of grape jelly to the top and our crock pot? to which mummy would reply,'I don't know, my granny just always did it that way!'"
No worries, girls, I won't do this again for a long time (probably!)
The story is....I put a turkey breast in the crock pot and it was about 1/4" too tall, so I needed to weigh the lid down so it would seal correctly. It worked like a charm, by the way!

2009-03-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Granny and Papa led workshops today for our association for VBS. The theme this year is Boomerang Express, (Australia) so we used lots of sheep, boomerangs, and Aboriginal art. Papa helped Granny set up her room for our VBS clinic. Granny always seems to have more 'stuff' than papa! Granny had the walls covered with backdrops, pictures, bush hats, and sheep! It took these two bags, PLUS 2 small suitcases, Hannah and Cailyn's beach buckets (thanks girls!) and one of Grandma Lukes beach totes. I guess you could say we almost had the whole family represented. By the time we got around to taking pictures, a little helper had already taken down most of Granny's room, so we could only show you us with our bags LOL

2009-03-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hannah & Cailyn - do you remember making our play dough and cutting out letters?
I've added a link to our site that has fun alphabet songs that I thought you might enjoy. You might even have mommy and daddy translate them in Gaelic for you! Let me know if you find a favorite song.

2009-03-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

There is a Chihuly Glass Art Exhibit at our local Desert Botanical Gardens that is magical. The glass is 'planted' in the ground, appearing to grow right beside the cactus and wild flowers. These glass sentinels great you at the entrance, the sun sparkling through them by day, lit by night.
My fav is the red/yellow 'bush' that reminds me of a musical instrument you might see in any Dr. Seuss book!

You Might Be A Grandparent If.....

2009-03-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Granny & Papa's Place, a site created with our kids (but mostly our granddaughters) in mind. A place to see what's up in our world, things we think the girls would enjoy looking at, and just another way to stay in touch across the miles.
This is our first attempt at our very own blog, so have a few laughs at our expense as we stumble through the learning process, but we hope H and C enjoy our pics, and our grown-up kids see this as a fun way to keep up with what the 'old-folks' are doing!