Little Indian

After picking Reagan up from school yesterday I went thru the CVS drive thru to pick up a prescription. The girl opened the window and I gave her my name and she was looking on the computer and not finding my prescription. She had the window open and I could see her. All of a sudden from the back seat a 3 year old yelled,

"GIGI !!!

O.R.D.E.R!!!"

It startled me.

Everyone inside started to laugh.

The Pharmacist looked up and said,

"I hope she don't think we got some French Fries in here!"

I guess she didn't realize we weren't at McDonald's.

~~~

I found this picture in my truck yesterday.

It was from her school's Thanksgiving dinner.

I thought it was a cute picture of her before she gave herself a hair cut.

Recuperating

By way of Nikon Service and Repair Center, Melville, NY.

Estimated cost of repair, $227.01!

~

That hurt my feelings.

~

The strap came loose from the camera and it

fell from my neck and hit the sidewalk

on the bottom corner where the

battery goes into the camera.

~

It could have been worse, it could have landed

on my lens and busted that but it was spared and is working just fine!

~

Soon as she gets home, I will be sewing that strap together for extra security!

Thanks, Tauna for that little helpful hint.

Freezing

THE MOST COMMON PRECANCER
More than Ten Million
This figure is generally accepted as the best current estimate of the number of Americans with actinic keratosis (AK). People with a fair complexion, blond or red hair, (I guess that I am both, dark blond when my hair isn't dyed Red) and blue, green or grey eyes, (depending what I am wearing my eyes are either blue or green) have a high likelihood of developing one or more of these common precancers if they spend time in the sun and live long enough. Location makes a difference: The closer to the equator you live, the more likely you are to have actinic keratoses.

Well, I was born and reared in Florida and that is sort of close to the equator.

I spent a whole lot of time on the beach and in the sun.

So now I am paying for it :(

Today I had 11 actinic keratosis frozen off with liquid nitrogen and one skin

tag cut off and sent into the lab to be tested.

I am now doing this every 6 months.

It's not near as fun as basking in the sun covered with baby oil that had been mixed with iodine.

Hey you, use S.U.N.S.C.R.E.E.N.!!!!

Cousin Love

A 6 Year Old

Happy Birthday Shelby!

Gigi loves you to pieces!

(The girls call me Gigi and I had nothing to do with it I wanted to be called Nanny. My son started that and thought it was so cute when Shelby first started talking. It stuck and so I am their Gigi. I don't seem to have a problem with it but a lot of others do. I don't care what they call me just as long as they call me!)

Shelby and I both love this picture.

It was taken at the hospital when she was just a day old.

I tell her all the time that I was the first person she smiled at or she'll tell me that.

We have a picture of both Grandpa's seeing her for the first time too.

Donnie's has the biggest smile and the Sweetheart is crying.

She loves that picture too and we have to talk about how Pop Pop cried.

It's such a sweet conversation ever time we have it.

~~~

Life for me certainly changed the

day my first GRAND~daughter was born!

Never a dull moment!

And I LOVE IT THAT WAY!!

52 Years

Today is Sissy's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Sister.

~~

All day yesterday I couldn't quit thinking

about her and all she went through the last week of December.

And most of her life, really.

~~

While I was washing dishes yesterday a thought came to me

about when she was very little.

We lived in a house that was off the ground and had wood floors. When mama wanted Sissy to come to her she would stomp her foot hard on the floor and Sissy could feel the vibration and would come find her.

I don't know what made me think of that, but it was sweet.

~~

I've got pictures of the funeral day and every time

I start to write a post I just can't seem to find the words to get it together.

I'm hoping to do that before much longer.

Togetherness

There is only so much lap to go around!

And it was a 3 dog night.

What I Got For Christmas

A TRAMPOLINE!!

This picture was taken Christmas Eve.

I have two very happy GRAND~girls!
I've only been on it a couple of times.

I think I had better join them more often.

I can't let them have that much fun with out me!

~~~

The Sweetheart got a Kindle!

And I love it and use it a lot more that he does!

~~~~~

That baby girl tested positive for the flu today!

Guess who she spent the night with this weekend?

Yep, her Gigi and Pop Pop!

Pray we don't get it too.

We both had our flu shots but that don't mean anything

when it comes to the Sweetheart.

Whatzit?

I know you think you know what this is!

Why that is just my Holiday Inn Priority Club Card.

Well that's what it is b.u.t....

It's also used as a "south Georgia ice scraper"!

See, more than one morning this week

my truck windows have looked like this.

But really, any credit card of gift card or hotel card will do the trick!

I'm not even sure you could find an ice scraper any where around these parts.

After Lunch With Ryan

After "Lunch With Ryan", I went back to the hotel

where my parents were resting up for the

big flight home the next day.

It wasn't long before they decided that we needed

to go back to the cemetery one last time before going home.

It took a lot of effort because it was so cold and ugly out side.

This was about 4:00 in the afternoon.

The parents.
We met my brother, niece and Nord there also.

They had cleared the snow away for the funeral and they put

this green bench in front of her grave.

It was way to cold to sit on the bench

but we were all glad that we went back over there.

It's a long way from Georgia and Florida to go

and visit Sissy's grave very often.

~~~~~~~~~~~

We took my parents back to the hotel to get warm

again, can I say bitter, it was some kind of cold!

At 6:00 that evening, The Sweetheart's family had

thrown together a little family pot luck dinner

for my family. It was on short notice and a lot didn't get the message.

I know that they would have been there if they could have.

I was thrilled to get to see as many as I did.

Most of them I haven't seen in about 6 or more years.

I didn't take my camera out until late and

I missed a lot of pictures of those that left early.

I am sorry yall.

I was not happy with the way my pictures turned out.

I so hate my point and shoot camera right now and I am looking for a new one.

Any sugestions?? Please tell me what you have and love.

Aunt Shirley and my brother, Sanford.

Linda Milne and her favorite nephew, Garrett

Aunt Betsy and her grandson Michael and granddaughter Molly

Rob and Josie Farnsworth

(Betsy's son and DIL)

T.J. Thorpe and his daughter Maddie

(Kirk and Sherry's son)

Jessie and his girlfriend

(Kirk and Sherry's grandson)

B.J. Newland and his girlfriend

(Aunt Betsy's oldest grandson)

Boddy (sp?) and my sister Carla

In the back ground is Sherry

Boddy is TJ's son and sherry's grandson

My brother Sanford and his daughter Amelia

This is Nord Anderton, Sissy's husband.

Michael, Uncle Val, Aunt Betsy's husband and half of Rob.

3 generations of Farnsworth men.

We have their ancestor, Philo Farnsworth to thank for inventing the TV!!

Kirk Thorpe, Sherry's husband.

Thank you to Sherry and Kirk for opening up your home

to my family and for inviting a lot of the Griffis family

so that we could visit, even if it was for just a few minutes!

The food was great but he company was even better!!
I l.o.v.e. The Sweetheart's family!!

Teachers Planning Day

The GRAND~girls were out of school yesterday.

To cold to jump on the trampoline.

Way to cold for the Zoo.

There were no movies they could see.

Katy's Kastle Jump House was closed.

What's a Gigi to do???

Wednesday $1.50 a game day at the Strike Zone!

These girls are some bowling freaks!

They bowled 4 games each.

The last game they played Shelby bowled a 102!

She was so proud of herself.

Reagan is the funniest thing.

That silver thing behind her is used for children.

She sits her ball up on that thing and pushes it down.

She won't let you help her with the thing or her ball.

She wants to do everything herself.

I would stand beside her and when her ball would get about

have way down the lane she would look up at me

with the biggest grin and excited voice and say, "Lookin Good, Gigi"!

I had more fun watching them, they just get so excited.

~~~

Chick fil-A lunch.

Pet Smart for all the animals, birds and fish!

Home to play with the dogs and they did brave the cold

for a jump on the trampoline!

~~~

GREAT DAY!!

~~~

ps: I hate cell phone pictures!

Lunch With Ryan

I had one day after Sissy's funeral to spend in Utah.

On top of the list is to always see Ryan.

Ryan is the Sweetheart's first cousin.

Ryan loves me and I love him.

I think I have spoiled him.

Usually when I go to S.L.C. I stay with his family in Sandy.

Aunt Betsy and Uncle Val Farnsworth are his parents.

Betsy and Dad Griffis are brother and sister.

This time I stay at the hotel with my family.

Back to spoiling Ryan, he loves the University of Georgia Bulldogs.

When I go out I always take him a new t-shirt.

I showed up at his house to take him to lunch

and he was so excited to see me!

I mean, he really gets excited and loud.

I love it! I tend to get excited and loud too.

Well, after we got calmed down a little bit

he wanted to know if I brought him anything.

Okay, I nearly died, I forgot! I was just trying to get to Utah

for a funeral and completely forgot to bring him anything.

I throw my arms out and say, "I am your surprise, this time"!

He wasn't to excited, he'd rather have a shirt.

I can't blame him, I'd rather have a shirt too.

I promised to mail him one for his birthday, Feb. 7th.

Well, we hurried him along so that we could get to lunch .

As we get out to the car and before he gets in he says,

"Gig, I've got a surprise for you."

"Okay, what is it Ryan?"

He whips this CD out of his pocket!!

"It's Patsy!"

Oh my gosh! How could I forget Patsy!

We both love us some Patsy Cline.

One summer Ryan rode with me to Bear Lake

and we listened to Patsy for 3 hours straight.

I know every word!

But this day he only wanted to listen to the first song,

"Walking After Midnight", over and over and over.

I asked him where we were having lunch?

Trying to see if we could try a new place.

I should have known better because some things never change.

N.E.V.E.R.!

For which, I am forever thankful.

It's always Wendy's!!

1-11-11

Apparently ones feet are smaller in Utah.

Most embarrassing to be walking along and walk out of your heels.

3 times I stuffed toilet paper down in the toes

of my shoes trying to make them tighter.

It worked for a little while and then all of

sudden I was walking out of them again.

It's not like I could go to the closet and get another pair

I had only brought the ones.

I can't tell you how nervous it made me thinking

as I walked to the stand to give the Eulogy for my sister's funeral

I was just going to trip up the stairs.

I made it fine but did get stuck in the mud at the cemetery.

Now thinking, heels and Utah winters just don't go together.

Oh My Gosh

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

THANK YOU,

No, really I mean it,

T.H.A.N.K. Y.O.U. !!!

Things went beautifully and we felt the love and prayers.

Utah Is Cold

I know you said, No DUH!

It was beautiful as we were flying in to the airport

and the snow covered mountains just so

bright from the sun shining off the snow.

We had wonderful flights today.

I know it's from your prayers.

Thank you.

This is a hard thing.

Funeral Info

For those asking about arrangements: Visitation at 11:00 AM and Funeral at 12:00, Wednesday Jan. 5th. Salt Lake Valley Deaf 1st Ward, 760 E 700 S. SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84102

Cemetary: Holladay Memorial Park

4900 S. Memory Lane

Holladay, Ut. 84117

Services 1/5/11

Aunt Sissy and Amelia

This picture was taken last summer in Utah.

Amelia is my brother's daughter.

She is 13 years old and she will be going with us to Utah for the funeral.

She wrote the following on her facebook and it

was so simple and beautiful I wanted to share it

with yall, my friends.

One Of The Best Aunts I Could Ever Have

"Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see".
Hellen Keller
Helen Keller said this quote some time ago. It makes me feel like life is better now for Aunt Claire. Aunt Claire said to me a couple years ago that she thought that I didn't love her as much as my other aunts. She had that so wrong. I loved her just as much and maybe even more. What I didn't love was that I couldn't communicate with her like my other aunts. But that's life. And I got use to it. I put myself through the learning how to finger spell just so I could communicate with her. And I was happy to do it.

Now when I think of her death, I just think "God needed her more than we did". That makes me feel a lot better just like the quote. We didn't lose Claire "Sissy" Leigh Crenshaw Anderton. She was just a couple of steps ahead of us. Now everyone else has to catch up with her.

We love you Aunt Claire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Claire "Sissy" Leigh Crenshaw Anderton

January 20, 1959 ~ December 31, 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Funeral Services will be on Wednesday Jan. 5th

Visitation at 11:00 AM and Funeral at 12:00, .

Salt Lake Valley Deaf 1st Ward - 760 E 700 S. SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84102

Family & Friends will gather after services for informal visit at the church.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My parents, Sister Carla, Amelia and myself will be making the trip to Utah. My brother got there on Saturday and joined my sister Jill and Nord, Sissy's husband.

Thank you for all your sweet thoughts and prayers.

I think it's gonna be a long week.

My Sister Sissy

Lola Jill, Gigi Arlene, Billy Sanford Jr., Carla Elaine, and Claire Leigh (Sissy) Crenshaw

Sissy is on the far right.

Such a precious picture of her and my siblings.

I am the oldest and she is #2 in our family.

Claire Leigh Crenshaw Anderton

January 20, 1959 ~ December 31, 2010

Sissy passed away this last day and last hour of 2010 at 11:42 p.m.

The following is and email my parents wrote to our family and friends.

It's easier to just share that with you.

It has been a crazy week and I have been so sad

and my heart has ached and I've been so full of emotions.

But I have a lot of fun and happy memories too.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

Sissy was born Deaf and with heart defects.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We have felt your prayers and been uplifted by them and appreciate them more than we could ever tell you. Thank you, and please keep our family in your thoughts & prayers. Your emails, phone calls and visits have been so appreciated, You all truly bless our lives.

Sissy has lost her battle and will probably be beyond the bounds of earth soon. Her organs are not sustaining her , they have failed. She has not responded since Wednesday and before that she was sedated so as not to respond.

Our hearts are so heavy, yet we have definitely been buoyed up by the prayers we have received. We have had our crying time and prayers for the Lord's will be done and feel that He indeed is in control.

We are joyful in the knowledge that Sissy Claire is one of God's choice spirits sent to us to bless our lives and she excelled in doing just that. We feel gratitude to have been chose to be her earthly parents. She has fought long & hard in her 51 - almost 52 years. Enduring multiple heart surgeries - three open-heart surgeries.

It is so great to know that she will hear.

She has made so many friends in her lifetime. She was home in November and we had a great visit with her. She came home to go to the 100 plus years reunion for alumni of the Florida State School for the Deaf. She saw all the newest equipment of communication for the deaf and returned home and was able to get some of the latest things to be able to communicate with longtime school friends here in Florida.

( When Sissy came for that School reunion Harry was in the hospital with the ecoli. Mama and daddy picked Sissy up from the Jacksonville airport and they drove straight to Brunswick and came and saw Harry and me in the hospital. It was a quick but fun visit and I am so grateful to have had that last visit with her.)

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Our Christmas was somewhat unusual as Jan fell on Wed The 22nd and went to ER bleeding profusely with head wound. Tests showed she have a concussion and bleeding on brain and it took six staples to close the wound. Needless to say she is stove up and never knew there were so many places to hurt when you make the least little move. Our Carla came down from Kingsland to go with Jan to her private physician in St. Aug. on Christmas eve. Since they had no records or reports they just got her sign for release of the ER's - Xrays & cat scan. When we returned home Billy had to take some nitro glycerin and Carla took him to urgent care, who after 3 hours sent him to the ER, so Carla, Billy and I spent Christmas Eve in the ER and finally admitted Billy for atrial fib - heart out of rhythm where he stayed until Monday afternoon. Tuesday Claire had her stint procedure and that's our life for the past week & half in a nutshell.

Again thank you all, God Bless you and may see fit to bless us all with a great new Year 2011.

Our love
B & J

Billy is my daddy and Jan is my mama.

We are planning on trying to get to Utah for her funeral this week.

Harry has had the flu but is getting better so I will try and have one of our boys stay with him so that I may go. It will be a fast trip out and back.

Again, thank you for your friendship, love and prayers.

Looking Forward

May you all have a very blessed and happy new year!