A Romeril Christmas

Our family Christmas party was so much fun, noisy, wild, great food, lots of presents for little ones to open and fun, fun, fun!! At one time there were 43 of us there. We had rolls, honey baked ham, turkey, dips and chips, salad, yummy potatoes, all kinds of goodies and soda. We missed Brennan, Kris and family, Ryan and family, and Danny and family, but we thought about them and had fun anyway!! The kids loved opening their gifts even though it is always a little chaotic. Family is the best most important thing, other than the birth of our Savior, at Christmas time! LOVE IT!!

A Romeril Christmas

Hurray for Christmas!!

I love Christmas!! My most memorable Christmas was when I was 5 or 6 years old. My parents didn't have much then but I didn't know that! They had an old radio with a record player (only played one record at at time) repaired and Santa brought it with record of Christmas music. I received a beloved baby doll from Santa too. I remember playing It Came Upon A Midnight Clear over and over again as I played with my doll all day long! That was the BEST Christmas, even better than when I got a car! I am so looking forward to Christmas this year. We will have all but three sons and their families here... and I love family!! There will be 42 of us on Christmas Eve at Janalee's home! Today we are picking up Angela and Ben and The baby at the airport. I love what Christmas is about - the birth of our Savior and the gift of eternal life that he gave everyone ever born or yet to be born! I am a child of God - such sweet and simple words!! Merry Christmas and I hope an especially good year follows it for all!!

Oh! Those shots are for the birds!!

After a few days of rain and cold it is time for me to blog again! I had stopped the shots for my osteoarthritis thinking they caused my health problems. Last week I received a new batch of shots on Tuesday - which was the first day since October that I finally felt good - and had a shot that night feeling sure that my problems were not caused by the shots! I had a racing heart right after the shot but then at Midnight (had the shot at 6p.m.) I awoke feeling dizzy, nauseous, racing heart, unable to sleep, weak, and the next day with aching muscles. I didn't have a shot again until Friday night and had the same problems! I went to my family physician on Tuesday and he says not to take anymore shots!! That's exactly what I thought! I emailed Dr. Fan and he concurred that I should not take anymore Forteo shots because I could have an even more violent reaction!! I think my sinus infection is due to an allergic reaction to the medicine too! I will have some other medication in February after the Dr. gets permission from my insurance. It is administered once a year by IV that takes about 15 minutes! Just hope this will make me well...

Thanksgiving Trip Pictures

Thanksgiving in Misery!!

We arrived home from Missouri this afternoon. The warm California air was delightful after the wind, cold air and even a few skiffs of snow while visiting Angela, Ben and Elizabeth in O'Fallon. I only called it Misery in my title because it is bone-chilling cold for us southern Californians! We went downtown to the arch in St. Louis on a cool day - not freezing yet! The museum was really interesting. I really enjoyed it. We all really enjoyed the salt water taffy that Dad bought in it's variety of fruit flavors. We went to Nauvoo - loved that even though I was feeling quite sick that day! We went to the records center where you put a family name that you think might have lived in Nauvoo into the computer and find out if they did. We put the Wixom name, my Dad's family, in and found them. They gave me a map that showed the plot of land where they lived with an X on it. It was a 4 acre plot and at least two of my Wixom relatives lived on that land. they made a CD for me with the information on it - you can't get that information any place else. I can make copies of that for my kids. I couldn't check my maternal side that Wixom was married to as I couldn't remember her last name so someone else in the family can check it out when they visit there. It really gets cold in that part of the country and I couldn't help but think of my relatives and the others who lived there not having the comforts of life we enjoy today. I thank them for their sacrifices although they probably didn't realize how uncomfortable their circumstances were since that is the way they lived always! I am so glad I was born in these days, I would have made a lousy pioneer! I know we have our own set of problems to deal with today, but I want mine, not theirs! It was great spending time with family. Little Elizabeth got to know us quite well since we stayed so long. She would even come to us and put her arms up for us to pick her up! Thanksgiving was great with all the turkey and goodies with it. We also went to Old Town St. Charles and it was a neat little town on the edge of the river. We just drove sown the street without getting out of the car. On Tuesday morning, the day before we left, an interesting situation arose. Angela said don't tell anyone, but then she said I should because it was funny! Angela had her bills out to pay them. She had one for her water that she had mentioned was a lot of $ until she realized she hadn't paid it the month before. I looked at the bill and saw a little sentence that said if it wasn't paid by Nov 28 their water could be turned off. I mentioned that to her and she said they wouldn't do that and she was paying it right then - that would be Dec. 2!!! Dad was in the kitchen making some hot chocolate, not paying any attention to our conversation when he turned on the water at the sink and said "Is something wrong with the water?" Angela and I looked at each other in shock realizing as he tried to get water from the faucet that it had indeed been turned off! We figured they were turning it off as we were having our conversation about it since I had used water just before then and there was water. One of life's little lessons - don't put your bills in a place where you won't see them and then miss a payment. She called them and paid the bill but it cost an extra 35$ for them to come back and turn it on that afternoon!! We all got a good laugh! It truly is COLD in St. Louis - I was freezing when we went out in it. We had a great time and are happy that we could spend that time and have those experiences with them. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Pain!!!

Well, I started having these shots every night and was supposed to have them for two years - to build my bones due to the osteoarthritis. I began having deep back and hip pain, so bad I couldn't lay anywhere in my bed!! I emailed my Dr. and he sent me a prescription for physical therapy. It wasn't helping, in fact I was getting worse and now feeling like I had the flu really badly and a headache too. I also noticed depression setting in! I talked to my physical therapist and during the conversation it dawned on me that this started two weeks after starting the shots. I emailed my Dr. again who told me to stop the shots for two weeks and if I didn't feel better it wasn't the Forteo shots. After missing just two shots the deep pain was gone! I am not having the shots again!!! I still don't feel really good but I know I have 8 more days before the two weeks are up. I figure when we get back from St. Louis after Thanksgiving I should be okay, if not, off to the Dr. I go to see what is up! I believe it is still side effects! Gotta BELIEVE!!

Our Ancestors

I have had a great time since signing into the new Family Search program last Friday. Most interesting has been to see that my father, who is a convert to the church through my mother has more pioneer heritage than my mother did. My father's Grandma had the maiden name Wixom. the work has been done so I could follow it and figure some things out.My great grandmother was born in San Bernardino and both her parents were born in Jackson County Missouri - Independence. His parents were born in upstate New York and apparently joined the church not long after it was established and followed the prophet to Missouri. All of these people came to California by ship and then went to Salt Lake City and were then sent to San Bernardino. They didn't leave when most of the Saints left and the church pretty much disappeared for some years. So my grandma never knew about her mother being a Mormon. I am glad her work is done! Then, yesterday as I followed the family back I found that the Wixoms were in Plymouth in the 1600's. I'd like to know which ship they came on - that makes our family one of the first to settle in America. From there it goes back to England. I am thankful for family that chose to come to this land, probably for religious freedom, all those years ago. And look what happened after that! Some of the first members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - pioneer heritage. Isn't that great stuff?

glad it's over!

Today has finally come and it makes me very happy! The election will be done with, over, kupute! 3 years of campaigning, YES! Hillary started 3 years ago, is just too much! I am so tired of the negativity on both sides of everything. So, the election is today - and over. No more sick chicken and cows on my TV, no more Gay rights and who should and shouldn't be married, no more I am smarter and better than you , but I won't tell you how or what makes me that way! It's over - for what , one year, one day, one week? Those regular TV ads and an empty mailbox sound pretty good to me!

Halloween in Hemet 2008

Well, another Halloween celebration at Kim and Gary's home in Hemet, CA. We had chips and dip, hotdogs, tortilla soup, chili, good old sugar cookies, cake, soda and lots of FUN!!! The kids were all dressed so cute and hundreds of trick or treaters came for treats given out by Grandpa and Grandma and a few other little helpers while the kids were out trick or treating. The guys - the normal sports and politics talk. A good time had by all!!

Hemet Halloween 2008

Fun!

It is fun to see and hear and keep up on all the family's various activities this way! By the way, just in case you find a picture of Elizabeth saying she is my favorite grandchild know that I didn't do it! Angela says since she can get on my blog page she is going to put that on there! Each and every one is my favorite!

Boring!

I need some more things on my blog! When Angela comes at Christmas she will have to teach me how to do more stuff! Of course, my life is a little boring anyway! This morning I left the house at 6:10 for my walk and as I was a block away from home I saw my husband in his red truck - then a quick u-turn. When I got home I asked if he thought I disappeared. He was grumpy and told me I had been gone over 2 hours! he is just jealous cause he can't walk that long. I told him I had my phone with me and he said but I don't have a phone out here. I told him he was supposed to have it with him otherwise if I fall I would have to call 911! Besides, driving to look for me when all he has to do is get on the phone and go the name Karole and push a button to call my cell phone!! I don't think he will ever, in this life, understand technology! I did walk 4 and one half miles - that's a long way for an old lady with two lousy artificial knees and a useless arm.

Back Online

Angela jsut fixed my blog page up for me so I need to start a new post! I am sure a little typing on the computer is good exercise for my hand, fingers and wrist. Seems like all i do is try to get this arm healthy or at least better! Saw a lawyer last week to make sure the County doesn't rip me off when the Dr. sets this as permanent and stationary. We are flying to St Louis to visit Angela, Ben and the baby for Thanksgiving - 11 days. When we get home we will drive to Utah for Nicholas' baptism. Plenty to do!

Changes

Last year I had a new job and was excited about it. Two months into my training I fell and broke my wrist and was soon terminated. It's a long story that I won't get into other than I didn't have a good Dr. and had to get a second opinion and had two surgeries. I am still recovering and being paid by the County. My wrist and hand will never be the same...... but that seems to be what makes my life interesting. i get to adapt to using my left hand for many, many things!