It's 2008!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! EVERYONE!!

Neighbors and good friends, Dave & Darlene, sent us this Happy New Year greeting.

It's so cute we wanted to share it with everyone.

(click on the "Happy New Year")

I will probably be adding to this post throughout the day as we watch the bowl games. So, yeah Vols! over Wisconsin. Missouri is beating Arkansas (you ok, Don, Terri & boys?). Texas Tech just completed a successful onside kick. Don's having a ball with the remote.

Don has already made our black-eyed peas in the form of Mama Trudy's delicious black-eyed pea salad. I will make my favorite Cabbage Skillet dish to go with the salad. Yummmm.

The Santa Anna winds are blowing across Arizona today. Really windy here.

While Don watches football (takes a nap; he's had a good snack of cheese, olives & crackers; I would take his picture, but I value my marriage too much :-)), I'm going to share a few very interesting pics with you that Darlene took last week. These were taken on the way to/from the Saguaro (pronounced Sa-Wah-Row) Forest National Park and in the forest. A rock balanced on the side of a mountain. Looks like a good gust of these Santa Anna winds would send it rolling through the forest. Oh Look! Mickey Mouse got dressed up to visit the cactus forest! Isn't he cute? Interesting formation of arms. The Saguaro is 75 years old before the growth of appendages begins. Rock formations are just fascinating. A beautiful view of the Saguaro Forest. A view from the ground of a young cactii surely about ready to grow an arm or two. They weigh tons because of the amount of water stored inside. More desert forest flora. (Yeah! Noble Oklahoma f/ball player, Colby Whitlock, just recovered a VA fumble at the goal line and Texas Tech made a TD next play, game tied. Go Big 12! uh oh, Tech player down--team mates are praying.) Away from the forest are the crops of the desert. Jonny, just look at this cotton ready to be stripped. Pretty maize (I think) field almost ready for harvesting.

Thanks, Darlene, for sharing these pictures with us.

Yeah Big 12! 4 - 2 in the Bowl contests! (You have no idea how hard it was for me to cheer for the Red Raiders.. no idea.) Tomorrow is the Fiesta Bowl. Boomer Sooners! OU is here in Arizona with us, but we will watch the game on TV, just like you.

Dinner was yummy. Kitchen is clean. It's very true, the less cabinet space you have, the less time it takes to clean it. WaaLaa.

As I look forward to this year of 2008, here is a New Year's prayer I found that speaks my heart and I prayer it speaks yours as well.

As I sign off, I am excitedly expecting to receive pictures of my beautiful eldest grand-daughter in the next few days. She turns 10 in a few days. I can hardly believe it. I love and miss you, Lydia.