Donna & Stu

Family assembles in CA

2011-07-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Everyone rode an airplane to CA! Ivy is checking out what's out the window with Tyler. It is Tyler's first flight.

Everyone assembles at our house on the back deck overlooking Glendora. Larry hates to fly, but he made it just fine. Don & Pati flew into Vegas and drove to Glendora afterwards. Sean Thurston came in from Hawaii to meet up with the Thurstons. We're so glad everyone could come to Glendora.

The Burke girls went down the hill to pick oranges, lemons and grapes. The oranges and lemons are ready. The grapes are green, tiny and hard.

Erin & Ivy, Ollie, Tyler and Jen try out the hot tub. The pool is heated and ready for the big day.

Batman's February visit

2011-06-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

Batman came up to California in February to check on Robin and Batdog. He was very pleased that they were doing a good job.

While he was here he decided to take a little vacation, so a trip to the beach was in order.

Another trip to Pretend City was lots of fun. Batman pretended to be a cowboy, a mailman, a fisherman, a plumber and a patient with a broken leg just like maw-maw's.

Now we are looking forward to a summer visit!

2nd Anniversary at the "del"

2011-01-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

Getting a headstart on our anniversary we checked into the Hotel del Coronado for their New Year's Eve celebration.

The oceanside ballroom was an awesome setting and we danced the night away (broken arm and all).

This is an 1880's hotel on Coronado island off the coast of San Diego. With temps in the 50's, it was a little too cool to swim, but I loved it.

A Granddaughter

2010-09-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

I kept Ivy daytime while her mama worked during the month of August...

we swang,

we napped,

I fed her her first cereal, and

we bonded.

What a little sweeheart!

A Fire on Our Hill

2010-07-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

Just a teeny one. I never saw the fire. But when I came home from Joann's Fabrics there was a Fire truck and fire dept. car on the street. I was worried but not too much. Then I turned into the shared driveway and there was another fire truck IN MY DRIVEWAY !!! yikes. I could not get out of the car fast enough and nearly got out without turning it off. It rolled and I had to jump back in and turn it off before it backed off the hill!!!

I actually thought Stu might have had a heart attack and they were paramedics. But then he came ambling out of the garage looking perfectly healthy. Two more vehicles came and our neighbor John came home and the driveway was a parking lot. But the firemen stayed long enough to be absolutely sure the fire was out.

Kite Festival

2010-05-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday. There was a Kite Festival at Woodlands Park. Tyler flew Ollie's Batman kite as high as it would go. What a trooper.

Ollie's mom built and flew a kite higher than anyone. Aunt Erin and Ivy just hung out. When Aunt Erin gave Ollie $1 for chips the concession stand gave him a hotdog a Sprite AND the cheese curls he wanted. He told his mom he got anything he wanted! :) He decided the thing to do was sit on a water plate and have a picnic while everyone else flew his kites.

Later tonight (after a sword fight with Blackbeard the pirate)I went over to Ivy's house to give her a bath and babysit for a couple hours. Is that the cutest little cherry you ever did see? :)

Overnight at Maw Maw's

2010-05-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night Ivy came to Maw-maw's house. She got a bath and then we played for a while and by 10:30 she was asleep. She must like it here she slept until 4 am!

Maw-maw's nursery.

Cousins' Concert in the Park

2010-05-06T19:35:00.001-07:00

Thurs, May 6. The first concert in the park for the year was tonight. The whole family turned out. Aunt Erin brought Twizzlers and Ollie was in charge of handing them out.

Everyone turn turns holding Baby Cousin. Everyone except Ollie. He was more into wrestling with Uncle Kevin and rolling down the grassy hill.

Everyday is an adventure for Ivy

2010-05-05T16:03:00.000-07:00

May 3, Monday, Erin and I took Ivy to the pediatrician. She did great. Then she made her first trip to a fast food restaurant. We went to Wendy's for lunch to meet Kevin and Aunt Jen.

After that Erin and Kevin wanted to go to the mall for a while and left baby Ivy with me !!! We had a great time just rocking in my nursery. Isn't she sweet !

I also took the opportunity to photograph her with some of the nursery 'friends.'

May 4, Tuesday. Aunt Barb & Uncle Larry came for a visit. They are old pro's with baby girls--having 3 granddaughters of their own.

Aunt Barb loves little toes...

May 5, Wednesday. Ivy gets in her bathtub for the first time! She pretty much slept through the whole event. But she seemed to be soothed by the warm water.

Ivy meets the Big O

2010-04-28T19:24:00.000-07:00

Ollie O loves this baby! He says she's like a "baby sister."

He is checking out the bandaid on her leg. Poor Ivy got a shot. He knows about those. And why does she have that thing on her tummy?

He was excited that he got a big present with a blue bow on it.

And Ivy got a little present with a pink bow on it. Which, of course, he had to help her open.

They got matching T-shirts! He wanted them to put them on right away.

His says big Cousin.

Hers says baby Cousin.

Welcome little granddaughter

2010-04-28T18:41:00.001-07:00

The Thurston Family

Ivy Elizabeth Thurston
9 lb 5 oz, 21 inches long

April 28, 2010. The day we got a little granddaughter. Erin and I hung out all day (Apr 27th) and about 3pm we started logging contractions. The result was a 9 lb, 5 oz granddaughter, Ivy. No scrawny little legs on this gal. She is adorable.

Batman toys for Maw-maw's house

2010-04-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

I pick Ollie up from daycare most days. He always wants to go to the park with the rock or play Batman. His bat cave at his house is pretty large so I decided he needed a smaller version at my house. So I recycled a barn I had that he really never played with. I called it a Batman house but Ollie said "no It's a bat cave." He loved it and insisted on taking it to his house.

It was so warm Thursday that I inflated his little pool and put water on it on my deck. When I went to look for pool toys, I got the bright idea to turn an old plastic boat into a Batman boat. Now Batman can fight the pirates in his pool.

Cruising

2010-03-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

Stu and I took our first cruise along the western Mexican coast on the Carnival Splendor. It was warm and sunny. We sat in the sun (and burnt), went to dinner (and stuffed ourselves on the seafood), wandered the ports of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo (and took pictures) and just chilled (drinking margaritas and smoking Cuban cigars). It was a great break. Poor Dora had to stay home and bond with the neighbor boy.

Creek Walking

2009-05-27T01:06:00.000-07:00

Jen brought Ollie over and we all went for a walk in the creek behind my house. Ollie sailed his boat and then fished with a net. At first when walking in the water he said he saw fish poop. Later he even found some sand poop! Apparently, he doesn't like the silt in his shoes.

Still Picking Him Up :)

2009-05-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

The wedding tasks are slowing down but there still seems to be much to do. It's a good thing, even at just 2 1/2, Ollie is usually happy to watch ScoobyDoo on Maw-maw's antiquated VHS "T." Only once has he decided to try out the lipstick he found in the sewing/computer room (while the groom's pants were hanging in there ready to be hemmed!!!)--giving maw-maw quite a fright!

The Zoo

2009-05-15T20:05:00.001-07:00

This grandma thing is pretty spiffy. Jen and I took Ollie to the Zoo on a whim. The weather was great. He absolutely loved the train. But he liked the animals too. He saw Diego's baby jaquar (it's amazing I actually know who that is).

Mother's Day

2009-05-15T19:52:00.001-07:00

Quite possibly my best Mother's Day ever. Erin gave me my favorite 10 things. Can't go wrong with a gift like that. She knows me pretty well. A few are: Batman Snacks (with Ollie's face in place of Batman's) to give away, Ruffles (have ridges), Cow Tales, Cheerios, Diet Coke and a book about moms (personalized with Jen and Erin pictures). AND, of course, fireworks!!! Yes, and we set some of them off in Jen's backyard to the consternation of the neighbors and the puzzlement (thank goodness) of the local police patrol. Quite a memorable Mother's Day.

Jen decided it was time to update my 40 year old Fiesta dishes. They are so bright and cheerful ! Also note the card with ScoobyDoo stickers in the faces of the bumble bees. I would never have guessed I would ever get a M-day card with ScoobyDoo on it!

A Shower !

2009-05-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

Jen gave Erin a shower in her backyard. The weather was perfect. Everything was bright a cheerful.

The cake was bright too and I (for one) got a sugar high. The 3 little girls there each got a champagne glass of M&Ms and all the diamonds they could wish for :) .

lots of jobs

2009-04-18T19:57:00.001-07:00

In addition to working on Erin's wedding gown, covering gift card boxes, and creating shower cake toppers, I sometimes get roped into other crafts like making 9 H.S. teacher t-shirts in support of the English Dept's end of year standardized tests.

playing in the waterfall

2009-04-18T19:56:00.001-07:00

"You Pick Me Up?"

2009-04-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

Since arriving in St. Peters, I've been picking Ollie up from 'school.' We take a walk or play in the park until mommy comes home. Ollie loves the ducks at the city center.

Forklifts !!!

2009-03-18T21:24:00.001-07:00

Driving the LANS forklift was one of the highlights of the vacation for Ollie.

The happiest place on earth--Disneyland

2009-03-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

Ollie has a wonderful time at Disneyland with six adults making it all come true. Of course, he is the one who made it fun for us big kids.

2009-03-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

Ollie makes it all so fun!

2009-03-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

Ollie and MawMaw work on a sandcastle. Thanks for the bucket Aunt Erin!

Sunday at Newport Beach

2009-03-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

Why is this sand sticking to my feet?

Visitors!!!

2009-03-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

Jen, Chris and Ollie and Erin and Kevin came for a visit to Glendora. It was love at first sight for Ollie and Dora (the dog). Saturday we went to Griffith Park and climbed and rode trains. Ollie got to ride a horse ALL BY HIMSELF !!!

2009-02-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

Jan. 26: One day I'm playing in the snow with Ollie in his backyard in St. Peters. He loved sliding down the hill to the neighbor's yard.

Jan 28: Next thing I know, I'm at home in sunny southern California with 'Dora the Dog' (as Ollie calls her).

We Did It !!!

2009-01-13T17:13:00.000-08:00

In a candlelight ceremony on January 1st Stu and I officially became a couple. This is the beginning. There will be more fun (and probably not so fun) times to come. Stay posted.