Joys of Janie

It's such a joy to be a grandma! I've had the honor of tending my youngest grand-daughter for the past year (a couple days each week) watching her personality emerge and watching her grow and develop. Of course, I have a gazillion pictures of her, but will only post some. I'm sure Mark and Sariah will enjoy this particular post the most... and it's for them that I post it. (And yes Sariah, you can steal any of them you want!) I tried uploading some of my amateur video but didn't have any luck... sorry guys.

Anyway, she gives me so much joy... her smiles and giggles make me laugh. We have such a good time together. I'm loving the stage she is at now. She's beginning to communicate what she wants with nods and shakes of her head, thus it's easier to figure out her needs. Below are a just a few of the fun-fotos this over-exuberant grandma has taken. When I put her up to the piano one day, she went nuts... like it was a photo shoot! I got so many fun happy smiles that day. Thus you'll see many with the "cutie" shirt on... which totally describes her.



Fun Hair day... I was able to get all her hair into two ponytails! So grown up looking!



Here's daddy Mark (my son) who totally adores his daughter.



Having fun eating.... yummy!



Learning to walk while her Aunt Laura was here. I love this photo how it captures the excitement of the moment! She was even carrying her favorite monkey with her.



Happy crawler....



So funny---Janelle and I helped her put these big red gloves on her and she had so much fun shaking them back and forth.



Posing for Grandma with her monkey as she is walking with the pushcart.



Surprise look! We get it often and I love how she opens her mouth in surprise!



Such a cute face... her teeth are finally coming in.



I find it interesting that she isn't scared... more like she's wondering... Who is this guy?



Gorgeous eyes....



One of my favorite Janie moments... she was walking around the cupboards as she was learning to walk. Then she came face to face with a little girl in the stove. She stood there for several minutes carrying on a darling baby conversation with this little girl. I was able to grab my camera and capture just in time the sweet little kiss she gave this girl in the stove.



Her Loving Parents.... so good and sweet to her... they are so lucky to have such a precious girl in their home.



Her cute daddy.



Another cute Liberace photo. (Do any of you know who Liberace is?)



Janie loved my nativity... pointing to it and babbling something cute.



Eating orange...



So many fun expressions of Janie... ENJOY!







This last photo is one of my favorites... It looks to me like she's saying, "I love you Grandma!" Then she leans in and kisses me. So precious!



I've had withdrawals from my little Ella who is now back in Indiana but it's fun to hear her voice on the phone occasionally. Yes, I'm definitely blessed to have 8 beautiful grandchildren. They bring so much joy to my life! That's why so much of my blog is of them.

Christmas 09 memories

Mike, Laura and Ella were able to come from Indiana and stay with us through the holidays! What a special time for these grandparents to get to know their granddaughter Ella that they don't see enough! We learned so much about Ella! As you can see in these fun photos, we found many parts of her personality. Here then, are the many faces of Ella! (Janie's page will come at a later blog)

Somewhat pouty face with Grandpa.



Expressive and adorable!



Fun Hair - in two tiny pigtails on top. Laura had fun dressing up her little doll!



A not-so-happy Ella... hopefully she'll come to love Santa!



Bright & happy Ella!


Ella - all upset soon after she arrived from Indiana off the plane. She found her mother's shoes but couldn't find her momma. She was so relieved when she found her.



Cute Ella in the car... on one of our many trips all over.



Being coy and cute...



Silly Ella - loved that blue barrel.



Curious Ella.... I can just see her thinking..."What cha doing Grandma?"



So cute... she's looking at herself in the mirror. I love the expression on her face --she's discovering who she is!



Our darling mischievous Ella!



What a pretty face and such beautiful eyes!



All Pretty for Church!



Tender time - her mom singing to her before bed or nap time.




This next section contains many fun parts of our Christmas holidays! So many fun memories!


Janelle sang with a women's group this year "We Also Sing" directed by Merilee Webb. After attending her concert at the S.L. Tabernacle, we had fun walking around the temple and seeing the Christmas lights.





Janelle adores her little nieces. She's loving reading them a story with them together on her lap! So cute!




Janelle enjoying cuddle time with her niece Janie.



Settlers! Mike and Laura, Mark & Sariah love this game!



Laura & Janelle loving their Julie-made gift!



Opening presents and enjoying the moments. BJ loving his new animal Julie made.



All my daughters playing games and enjoying their time together!



Brian & Courtney at Alayne's home party - day after Christmas.



Eating together!



Shopping together! (to watch Kylie sing @ Macey's)



Realizing the size differences, and getting to know one another.



Loving those grandbabies!

Past Decade

With the beginning of a new decade, it's interesting to ponder on all that has transpired over the last one. We've had many challenges, but many blessings as well. In the past 10 years...
*Both my parents passed away, my Dad in 2001 to a heart attack and my Mom to cancer in 2008.
*I won a teacher award and a couple years later I retired from the profession.
*Two of my children found their eternal companions and married in the temples of their choice!
*5 of our 8 grandchildren were born in the past 10 years: Kylie 2000, Savannah 2002, B.J. 2006, Ella and Janie in 2008.
*Served as a Church Service Missionary for 6 years... beginning at the Church Office Building becoming an assistant supervisor over hosting there and then to the Relief Society Building as supervisor - experiencing many spiritual and inspirational moments.
*Found genealogy records and facts my mother and grandmother had been searching for over 50 years. Took names to the temple and sealed as a family.
*Remodeled our home, finishing the basement, redoing the kitchen and bathroom, and just have master bath to finish for home to be complete.
*Jon & I have traveled to the United Kingdom (when he went for work), visited Israel with Janelle, been on a cruise to Alaska & the Bahamas. I went with Alayne & my mom on a cruise down the Baja - Mexican Riviera cruise.
*Started up painting again and have taken oil painting classes, enjoying the creative process and beauties of nature.
There are probably a lot more things I'll think of after I publish this, but these are the main ones.

I wonder what the upcoming decade will bring? I hope my husband can retire from work, that we can serve a mission together or work in the temple. I imagine there will be several more beautiful grand babies born, and maybe even two missionaries (oldest grandsons) will have served, and maybe even married...whew, hard to envision. I hope to accomplish more family history work, writing and compiling a book about my mom's history, and maybe even my own. Hopefully our health will continue so we can enjoy doing all those things.

By 2020 I suppose I will have painted more pictures, read more books--especially be more familiar with the scriptures, love a lot more grandchildren, hopefully see Janelle become happily married, and enjoy life with my husband in serving others and traveling to Denmark, Norway and places of our origins, and visiting the lands of the Book of Mormon with the huge Mayan pyramids, and visiting Laura wherever she and Mike end up living.

I don't want to focus too much on the future. I really want to enjoy the present! I want to love each day and every moment I have with my family when they are around. Today, I just feel very blessed!

It's about time!

It's about time I posted a blog. It's been a couple months since my last blog. But I won't make this too long.
The first part is at the Discovery Museum on a day I had Chris & Kylie and Janie. The next photos are of our Halloween party and the kids costumes, then it ends with Time-out for women.
At the museum Janie had a BALL! Literally! She loved the balls. I took so many pictures, but my digital camera wasn't fast enough to catch how quickly she was moving. She was thoroughly involved. Fun, fun, fun... just to watch her.



All the balls on the floor are the ones she threw there! She kept pulling them out and throwing them! I gave up trying to clean up after her and decided to get a photo instead. What a funny girl!



These grandkids had so much fun at the magformer table. We actually started here (that's why Janie is still in the stroller.... that was the last time she was because she loved everything and had so much fun at the Discovery Museum!) After this she played at the puzzle table which was just her height and scattered pieces everywhere. I'm glad they pay the help to pick up after kids.



Kylie's cool house creation. I love those big brown eyes.



Christopher's awesome huge ball made of pentagons and hexagons. Pretty tricky to make. And he made it over and over again. This kid's got a gift!



HALLOWEEN PARTY AT GRANDMA & GRANDPA'S
First we see tall scary Zac!



Then cute little cheetah Savannah!



Scary BJ spiderman!



Here's where the whole family was coming through the door....Oooh!



Then our cute monkey, Kylie and Star Wars Christopher! What a fun night and fun family!


Cute Janie pumpkin!



Beautiful Hawaiian Janelle with niece Janie posing for Grandma.



This past weekend, some of the extended Thomas family went to Time Out for Women at the Salt Palace. We had an inspirational weekend. Below are a few photos of the beautiful women in my life who attended. First is Patty Steadman and Melanie Shoell.



Next is sweet Grandma Thomas with her daughter and my sister-in-law, Sara Johnson.



We had such a wonderful uplifting time, heard many great messages, and the company we were with couldn't be beat. Here is Marianne another awesome sister-in-law, and her two daughters: Melanie and Melissa. Doesn't everyone just radiate?!