When I had my Donny moment in August, I was so excited when people I knew in the audience sent me pictures of the event. Can you believe how I felt to learn that wonderful Eileen from California had actually captured it on video? Amazing!!! I watched it secretly at first, just to make sure I didn't make too much of a fool of myself, and it felt a little awkward when I first watched it with my husband, but now, I'm so over that.
At the beginning of December, our niece Jamie came to visit us for a week. She is the daughter of Brent's brother and because she lives in England, it's been years since we last saw her. She brought the cold English weather with her, but we managed to get out and about so show her just a little of Arizona.
She's a Christmas Lights junkie, so where better to take her than to see the lights at the Mesa LDS Temple. Ssshh, little secret...we went there twice that week.
Brent, myself and Michael. I always get cold sitting out there watching the concert, so this year I came with my winter coat on and my favorite suede and fur throw. Mmmm, toasty warm!
This is Jamie at the top of South Mountain looking out over Phoenix. She's scared of heights, so this was actually quite brave of her.
Brent at the top of South Mountain.
Of course, she had to take a couple of hot tub shots. That pool in the background looks rather inviting, you'd never believe how cold the water is though. Bbbbrrrrrr!!!
This picture was taken down at Tortilla Flat by Canyon Lake. The scenery on that ride is really breathtaking. True Arizona desert,
Goldfield Mining Camp is now a ghost town and full of fascinating old equipment from back in the day when it was an operational gold mine.
I'm actually feeling bereft being without a camera. The shutter button came off in August and Sony quoted me $192 to get it fixed. While I realize it's a good camera, I've had it for about 5 years now and technology has improved such a lot that I'd rather spend that money on a new one. Anyway, the result is, I've been cameraless and have had to rely on others for photos.
Here's some things that have been going on.
Katelynn started Kindergarten
Katelynn started Kindergarten in August and she really loves going to school. This was her first school photo taken in September. She looks a little different now as since then, she was chasing around the playground, tripped, fell over and a couple of her top teeth that were wobbly came out. We teased her endlessly that she had been kissing the boys, but she assured us that she had been fighting them! Anyway, we're pleased that she loves learning to read and write and that she is very well behaved in school.
Boo At The Zoo
In October we took the grandchildren to Boo At The Zoo. It was hard to believe that Halloween was almost upon us as it was a really bright sunny day. Katelynn and Christopher had their Halloween T-shirts on and Danielle went dressed in her Tangled Halloween outfit. Her mommy did such a good job with her hair. We kept getting stopped all the time as people commented on it.
Here's just a few photos from that day.
2011 Awards Breakfast
Every year, Banner Baywood honors all those who have completed their degree within that year. As I completed my Bachelor's in Nursing in June, I was invited to attend. It was a lovely event. The decorations were very pretty and the food was good too. I do confess to having a little chuckle to myself though as the background music being played was Land of Hope and Glory...very British.
Can you spot me on this one?
Here I am with my boss Barb.
And with the CEO of Banner Heart, Debbie Flores and the CEO of Banner Baywood, Laura Robertson.
Do not read this is you are one of my children who finds this embarrassing, if you are not at all interested in Donny Osmond, don't believe in dreams coming true or if you are a romance humbug!
This is an excerpt from my "journal" on Spotlight, an Osmond online forum. Written by a Donny fan, for Donny fans everywhere!!!
Monday 29 August 2011
Oh my word!!!!
I can't think straight right now, but tonight was the most wonderful night of my life!!!Tomorrow when I've calmed down a bit I think I might be able to write about it, but as for tonight...I'll be dreaming of the guy who sang he was in love with me. (major swoon)
Tuesday 30 August 2011
The day after and I still can't get the man out of my head. I can still feel him, oh my gosh, did I just say that? It all started before the show. I saw the guy giving out those purple request cards. I about begged him for one. "How big a Donny Osmond fan are you?" he asked. "I'm a HUGE Donny Osmond fan" I replied. "No, I said, how big a Donny Osmond fan are you?" he asked again. "I'm a HUGE Donny Osmond fan" I told him. He then said "You're not going to request Puppy Love are you?" I reassured him that I hated Puppy Love and would not be requesting that. So I got a precious purple card and off I went to write it out. My fantasy was to sit on a stool with Donny behind me, arms wrapped around me, cheek snuggled against mine (get the picture?) and for him to sing "This Guy's In Love With You" to me. I mean, can you imagine? Just the words alone to that song make me melt. So, on the card I wrote the title of the song and said that I loved it on Portrait of Donny and I loved it even more on WIMTS. I also added that Donny sang to my mom in Sheffield in 2007 and could he sing this song for me. When it came to the purple card section, my heart was in my hands, I was a little bit apprehensive, but I never get any great things happen to me, so lets just enjoy everyone else getting their mention. A gal wanting Crazy Horses, one wanting Soldier of Love, a little 7 year old wanting something from Joseph. Donny told her he would sing to her later in the show. At this point the stage had rotated and my view was the back of the stage. Donny was completely opposite from where I was sitting and then...
"Where's Janet? (Internal screaming!!!) I jump up and wave my arms frantically, but Donny is at the opposite side of the stage and can't see me. I'm thinking, please, don't let him move on to the next card, and is there another Janet in the house? Finally, he realizes where I am and comes over to me. I'm standing right there at the stage and he's right there above me on the stage with my purple card in his hand. "This guy's in love with you" he says and I'm thinking YEAH BABY!!!! "That was recorded in, what 197..." he asks, and I'm totally floored. I say the first date that comes to mind...1974 and he says I think it was earlier than that. Of course it was, but how am I supposed to remember dates when Donny Osmond is right there in front of me like that. "It was o Portrait of Donny" I told him. All the time, the teenage Donny was singing the song in the background then Donny looked at me and said "But you prefer the 2007 version, right?" "Absolutely" I replied. He leaned forward with his hand extended... ...took my hand in his and obviously meant me to go up on the stage with him. It was about 3 feet high so I climbed up and with my hand in his he led me across the stage. I had a nano-second of panic where I thought "Oh my gosh! I'm on a stage with Donny Osmond!", but it quickly subsided and felt like a date or something. I mean, I'm walking hand in hand with Donny. I've loved this boy/man since I was 11 and his hand felt to natural in mine. He pulled a stool out and I perched on that. I could see Elaine right in front of me and was hoping she would be able to get some photos.I think at this point he's singing to me... You see this guy? this guy's in love with you. Yes I'm in love.....Oh My!!!He then took my hand again and I wasn't sure what he was going to do, maybe a slow dance? but he led me over to the sofa and motioned for me to sit down on it. Of course... I did, and he went behind the couch. I have no idea what he was doing, but all I know was that very quickly he was there on the couch next to me and I snuggled in to him, like real close. He had his arm around my shoulders and I had my arm draped over him and around his waist and he was looking right into my eyes the whole time while he was singing. The he got my head and pushed it down onto his shoulders. I was soooo comfy. It was bliss, better than...well better than anything I can think of. He's singing tome..."I need your love, I want your love. Say you're in love, in love with this guy" Does he not get it? I'm in love with you Donny!!!!(internal exclamation) and then he paused...I lifted my head to look at him again and realized I had my hand on his leg (I reassured my husband that it wasn't too high on his leg, ha!) but he was either extending the pause in the song, or he'd forgotten the words. Knowing that Donny does often forget the words, I thought I'd help him along a bit and provide him with "If not, I'll just die" and then he looked into my soul and sang "If not, I'll just die".all over again.
I think he pulled me up because the next thing I know I'm literally in his arms in the biggest embrace ever!!!! It was wonderful. I did whisper some private sweet nothings into his ear and hope he was able to hear then even though he had that ear thingy in. He took my hand again and led me back to my seat.
What can I say? It was more than I ever imagined. I thought he was simply going to sing the song for me. I never imagined that he would do what he did. I never thought I would be so calm with him and I never thought he would feel so good and so right. I also never thought I would be gushing so much either. My husband is so happy for me and I'm blessed to have a husband who understands this love that I have for this amazing man named Donny Osmond. I have obviously been thinking a lot about this all day. Who wouldn't, right? I never in a million years thought that this would happen to me, but it did and it was so delicious, that I wish that every Donny fan could experience it. Donny has the most phenomenal way of making you feel that there is no one else but you and him at that moment. I saw Elaine as I got to the front of the stage, but after that, there really was no one else in the entire theater except for me and him. I saw no one and heard nothing but Donny singing toME. I always knew why I have loved Donny since 1972. I've seen him with other fans, saw him when he treated my mom so well when he sang to her and now, I've experienced it first hand. Sorry to gush so much, but he is one fabulous, fabulous person and I'll love him forever.
Thank you all my friends who gave me photos that captured this wonderful moment. Some are a little blurry, but I don't mind at all. They tell a story, and here it is!
On Thursday a big dust and rain storm came through the Valley. San Tan Valley, where I live, was pretty badly hit with electric poles down, trees and branches down and roads closed off.
It started about 5pm and our electric went out for about 5 minutes. Thank goodness it wasn't any longer in this heat! The rain pelted down but it was so nice to open the doors and watch. It felt so cool!
I dared Brent to retrieve a couple of patio chairs that were in danger of toppling into the pool and my pool floatie that had blown off the pool and down the side of the house. Guess what? He did!
The storm lasted all evening and then when I woke up in the morning to go to work, this is what I saw.
A big tree that stands on the strip of land between my house and the neighbors (thankfully belongs to them!) had been uprooted and blown down. That's my car you can see there. Thankfully, they're selling the house and moves out last month or else their cars would have been smashed as the tree came down on the driveway. Thankfully for me, the tree went on their driveway and not ours. I have often parked right there under the shade of that tree.
The trees in Arizona never seem to get a good root system going. This one certainly didn't.
Too bad that this is one less home for those dratted pigeons to live in! (Tee hee!)
What? I hear you say. Well, it's a popular expression in my part of the world. Literally translated, it means "Anything for nothing is worth having" or "isn't it nice when someone gives you something for free".
When I was at work a couple of weeks ago and I was asked if I knew someone who wanted a king-sized headboard, I immediately thought of Me. We haven't had a headboard on our bed for ten years! Ghetto, I know!
This is it. It's a dark brown wrought iron look with tarnished gold on it, and whilst it might not be exactly what I would have chosen from the store, it was free and it looks absolutely fine!
This is the little plaque we have over our bed...aaahhhh, and the flower wreath that I love!
Olivia was moving house and so we had Katelynn and Christopher overnight. Katelynn has stayed a few times now but it was Christopher's first time and we were a little worried about how he would be. They were both GOOD AS GOLD!!!
Coming to Grandma's house means lots of water play, so here they are with their swimsuits on. Don't they look adorable?
What's with the funny faces Katelynn?
When the water sprinklers came on, Christopher couldn't resist running through them.
Here is the good boy himself getting ready to go shopping.
Thirty years ago today I married my sweetheart. We've had lots up ups and downs, but we're still together after all these years. Happy Anniversary Brent. I love you!
Out of Africa Wildlife Park, that is, at Camp Verde, AZ.
On Friday it was Katelynn's 5th birthday and instead of buying her another toy for her brother to break, we took her on the 2 hour ride north to see the animals at the wildlife park.
She held a parrot. (It was heavy and she needed a little help.)
She touched a snake. (Grandma kept at a safe distance!)
And she enjoyed riding the trams around the park seeing all the animals. She decided to wear her zebra outfit for the day. Thankfully, she didn't get mistaken for a zebra and we were able to bring her home at the end of the day.
We all wore our hats to keep the sun off our heads, but it was still a sweaty 115F with no shade other than on the tram. We had lunch and Granddad got comfy watching the tiger splash show.
We saw zebra and giraffes and were able to feed the giraffes with a carrot stick. Katelynn wasn't frightened at all and held her carrot stick out for the giraffe to take. Grandma decided to go all out and put it in her mouth. She was rewarded with a hairy kiss from the giraffe as seen in the big picture (but you can't see Grandma)!
We saw all kinds of horned animals...
ostriches, camels and sensible animals cooling off in the mud...
but the crowning glory were the tigers, Zion and Rejoice.
We all had a great time again and would love to go back to see more...when it's a LOT cooler!!!
