Not such a nice waterfall!

If you can't tell this is a pipe that runs from the houses above us down over the rock retaining wall to keep the water from creating a revenge in the wall....
Because of the movement this summer on the dirt and rocks above us it isn't working correctly anymore. This gulley had the drain saging in it and the water pooled inside the drain and created a frozen block of ice so the water found a new path and created another gulley. These are our neighbors out saving us in a pouring rain. What a fantastic bunch of men!!!!

My Siblings

I have recently been thinking about my brother and sisters. How much they mean to me. The way they can make me laugh.... Dawnell who always instigates mischief, Daniel who is there in a second if I need him, and Stephanie who lifts me when I don't even know I needed to be lifted.
I get so much comfort just knowing they are a phone call away. I am truly grateful for the happiness and laughter they bring into my life.
I couldn't ask for a better bunch of people to have as a family. I love you guys!!!!!

The first day of the rest of my........year!

John took me to the Anniversary Inn on new years day. We stayed in a room called Nefertiti's Court.

We had selected the Pirates room but it had an entire flight of stairs to get to it so we got upgraded to this room:)

This bathtub was the neatest. It had colored lights in it that kept changing. The shower was the strangest shower I have ever been in. It had four shower heads, one from the ceiling, two from the wall, and one that was hand held .

This was on the left side of the room when you first walked in. On the right side was another couch and a pool of water with a small fridge full of cheesecake and sparkling cider. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the first day of the new year.

Our yearly double scoop of Christmas

This is my favorite picture of the Christmas holidays. I really love Santa Clause! I was glad he stopped long enough to let me have a picture with him. He always makes the trip to Grandma and Grandpas house on the 26th of December very memorable for everyone.
I went around the room and took pictures of the 32 people crammed in the livingroom "Stokes Christmas Day". . . I really don't know were we will all fit when great grandkids start to appear. This is Randy, Crystal, Sunshine Rainbow Sparkle AKA Sara, April and in the backbehind the chair James.
Grandma and Grandpa and that one dorky guy we call Daniel.Rebecca, Dawnell, Crystal, and Stephanie.

James, Caleb, and Stephen who are still behind the chair. It was a blast. We ate, played games like BINGO and catch phrase, and had a visit from Santa himself. It was Great....