Cute Grandchildren

I feel spoiled by having so many cute, sweet grandchildren. Last Monday I got to take the 4 girls (Veronica, Zoe, Elizabeth and Kelli) to the movies and to lunch. They chose Hometown Buffet so they could eat anything they wanted. So many choices--especially sugar for Zoe. Elizabeth showed me how healthily she was eating and Veronica kept Zoe away from the dessert buffet and towards the mac-n-cheese and mashed potatoes. It was just after Kelli's birthday, so she got to choose the movie. She wanted to see "Twilight" for the second time, so the others were glad to see it for the first time. They seemed very satisfied with all the handsome, vampire goodness. They liked Bella a lot.

We got to see Oliver along with his nice parents this past weekend. It was good to relax up in Des Moines and just spend time watching him play and practice walking.

We are especially grateful for Katie who takes good care of Rose when we are gone. We'd be lost without her and Paul.

Josie Jeanne Swertfeger

It's been a great week since Josie was born. I decided that I, too, could post a picture of her, even though it's mostly family that looks at this and Grant has done a fine job of letting us all know about her.

She's a beautiful little girl and we can't wait to see her. Hopefully we can do that in March.

It really touches my heart to see Grant and Mindy so happy and enjoying Josie so much. It is also touching that Grant, "just can't stop looking at her" and is sad because, "in 4 weeks I'm going to have to go back to work and leave her". She is loved.

Happy New Year 2009

We had a fun time at Ron and Anne Leptich's house tonight. We joined many of the people our age from the ward. They are so great to host us every year. We heard a funny story about how Anne drove her deceased father, Charles, in his casket to where he wanted to be buried in Idaho. In between her mother insisted on having a funeral in the few towns they had lived in. Anne dubbed it "The traveling Chuck show".