Six? Already?

Just yesterday, it seems, our youngest grandchild was born.

Big sister waiting for little brother.

Aunt Nae-Nae is telling Emma something funny while we wait.

So excited!

Camden Scott Coltrain arrives via C-section!! He was a chunk! And look at those hands and feet!

Big sister gets the news from dad while Gee holds her!

Big sister, Emma, meets little brother, Camden.

Nonna gets her hands on that sweet red-headed boy!

And the growing in turbo fashion begins.

Diesel has been a delight every day of his life.

Who could possibly not love that face?

He’s so much fun to watch his expressions.

Can you see why we love him so much?

See how fast he’s grown!

Happy Birthday, Diesel!

You are awesome!!

We love you!!!

Nancy and George

Today, we went to Bible study in Arizona City. We cherish the times we can meet with this group of friends.

Afterwards, we went to Casa Grande to visit forever friends, George and Nancy Reid. I caught a picture of George helping to prepare lunch.

Nancy and George have decorated nicely for Christmas and I took pictures of a couple of my favorites.  Nancy gave this church to her mom years ago when Nancy was very young.

I am a big fan of nativity scenes and this one is beautiful. Nancy said she found it at a garage sale. A few of the pieces were broken and they glued them back together and you can’t even tell it’s been broken.

From the Reids’, we drove over to the Oasis Rehab Center to visit a dear, sweet lady that we know from our time at Sunscape RV Park.  Joy Nueber did not recognize me at first, but she recognized Don immediately.  It was a thrill to watch her face light up and hear, “Don and LaVon!”

After visiting with sweet Joy, we drove out to Sunscape and visited with forever friends, Jack and Kathy Gordon and Norm and Lori Post.

What a blessed day God gave us today.

Psalm 16:3 (MSG)

And these God-chosen lives all around—
what splendid friends they make!

Christmas lights at sunset

(Apache Junction, AZ)

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised.  (Psalm 113:3)

Strawberry and Pine time

When we arrived at Norm and Helen’s, Norm was making the homemade biscuits he’d promised Don.  Norm is a professional baker, if I haven’t already mentioned that.

Norm also made sausage gravy and scrambled eggs with veggies was a joint effort with Helen.

My lean and green breakfast. The plate of wonderful, flaky biscuits was sitting right next to me and I resisted!  Must have been the power of God because it sure wasn’t by my power.  I love their dishes… strawberries for Strawberry, Arizona.

Norm showed us a “clock” he made.  I love it!

The eagle in the fore is quite unique.

It’s balanced by it’s beak on Don’s finger.

After brunch, we hopped in Norm’s truck for another sightseeing tour of the area. He took us places we would have never found on our own.

Our first stop was the oldest standing school house in Arizona and it’s right here in Strawberry. It was actually built in another location and later moved here to preserve it.

You know how I love old barn pictures. And dead trees!  Two in one!

Helen suggested that Norm take the dirt road to Pine, three miles away.  We stopped at the top and were rewarded with this!

It was just an amazing view.

While we were there, Bags came running up the very steep hill.  How do I know his name is Bags?  I asked him, “What’s your first name?”  “They just call me Bags,” he replied.

He stopped and was sucking some serious air.  Gasping even.  I was a little concerned about him.

I couldn’t get enough of this view.

Neither could Don.

On the hill directly on the opposite of the road was this… do you see the rock formation that resembles a horse?

Bags turned around a few yards beyond us and headed back down the hill to Pine.  It’s several miles, but I’m not sure how far.

While in Pine, we drove around just admiring the homes.  A lot of people have summer homes here, but they stay in the valley during the winter months. 

I thought this was a lovely scene.

I can’t say enough about the hospitality and good time that Norm and Helen showed us.  It is so peaceful there and we sure needed the time we spent with them.

Payson and The Natural Bridge

It’s a great day to go see a little bit of Arizona!  Our destination:  Payson, Arizona.  Only about 75 miles from the Q.  When we got to the motel, Don asked the desk clerk what we needed to see in the area and she said…..

We have never seen an outside cave before!  Fascinating.

The Natural Bridge.

That’s me standing on the Natural Bridge.

We walked quite a bit and I climbed some steep trails.

What was I thinking?

We would like to come back to this place again.

Back at the motel, we got a phone call from Norm and Helen and we all made plans for them to pick us up for dinner and a little sightseeing.

When we got to their home in Strawberry, I took a few pictures and they showed us their home.

Don with Helen and Norm Agan.

Norm sure knew how to make us laugh. 

Part of our tour was up on the top of the ridge overlooking Strawberry as the sun was setting.

Sunset was beautiful.

Visiting up on the mountain

Next they took us to see the most decorated house, probably in Arizona.  Thousands and thousands of lights at the home of Norm and Helen’s friends.

I’m not sure how many years these folks have been decorating like this for Christmas, but it’s been a while.

The lighted cross above the manger is actually on a hill several feet behind the nativity scene and was added about three years ago to depict that when Jesus was born, the Cross was in His view and why He was born.

We had a great time and will go back to Norm and Helen’s for brunch in the morning.

It’s colder up here in the mountains than it is in the desert valley.