Giving of Thanks for 2008

Once a year our country officially has a day set aside when a Frozen Turkey is bought, and thawed and cooked and all the family comes to Gramma's house to eat, take naps and watch football or Thanksgiving day parade on TV.

Well, this year is a bit different for me. I am away from most of my extended family. I do have the priviledge of spending this day with my husband and daughter, but my son is still in Arizona and my parents as well. Its just too far to travel to Grammas house, and duties keep us on the Eastcoast, when our hearts are in the Southwest, via the Northwest...!

My first Thanksgiving so near to where it all started. North Carolina being so close to the upper states of Virginia, Maryland..
This certainly is a new experience, one of many I have seem to have accumulated this past year.
Yet, despite the homesickness of being so far from my family, I have thought of a few things to be Thankful for.....


My daughter is in college, and safe from that ugly war (so far.)

My husband has a decent job, is doing good, and is adjusting to the USA.

My husband is speaking better English (Whewwwwwwwwww....)

My son writes me letters!!! I live for those letters from him, and miss him so much.

My car runs good!

Our Jack Russell, Chivas is healthy and funny to watch. (Cheap entertainment)

My computer has not frozen up..... and my printer has ink!

I got to see most of the family this past summer in Washington, and my sister in Idaho....

I was priviledged to attend a dedication of my niece's son; Braydon James...



I hope you enjoy the pictures of the family I took on our trip up north, leaving behind Arizona, and heading up to Washington and Idaho this past summer of 2008.

We said our final Goodbye's to Ernesto Mosso, Chuys father in Mexico, and with our car loaded to the hilt, we headed north to Washington.







Chuy drove and drove......and finally we got to Mount Shasta...... a welcome sight to see..... and finally some green tree's.

FINALLY arriving in Seattle, Chuy located a oldies music store..... and finally found "Alan Parsons Project"?????? I guess its been a 25 year long search?

(Never heard of him.... )

And, of course Chuy's first"Starbucks Latte" in SEATTLE!

The Usual landmarks........ Farmers Market, The Famous Fish vendors...

The Flowers....




And the ART and famous Totem Pole.

There is NOTHING like Seattle on a sunny warm day!

Local Graffiti.....

Finally left Seattle and drove further up Washington to the Stanwood/Lake Goodwin area.

...Staying at our Aunt Christies House...

Chuy, meeting my Uncle Delbert...

Pretending to play pool.

Christy playing us a song...

Chuy seeing first hand how we fish and catch crab at Kayak Point...

Chuy dives for lobster in Acapulco, but its not off a handy pier like this! They just jump off the cliffs and rocks and hold their breathe and dive.....

The Full Moon rising over Lake Goodwin

Meeting Uncle Pat.... The "No Comprende Man"

Chuy gifting Uncle Pat with a real Mexican Bullwhip.

John Sygitowicz, Sherrill Noble, Christy VanNatta, Bob Noble and Chuy.

Chuy and his most beloved Mother-in-law.......

The two BULLS...... out of their bullpen!

Chuy....with mom....again!

Chuy en la frisbee

Cousin Carly (VanNatta), and 'Auntie Tia Juana.... (Chuys nickname for my Aunt Joan!)

Chuy meets "No comprende man", my uncle Pat Sygitowicz!

Tiajuana with Chuy......

Cousin Lynn Prudnick, husband Dan, Aunt Tiajuana...and Lynns boys in background?

Christopher VanNatta with fiance and his son, Christian...

Carly and her mom..Christy VanNatta

(My aunt)

Carly (VanNatta) Chuy and Steve....

A Memorial for my late Grandparents. Hazel and Elmer Afseth. This memorial is set up at Christy Van Natta's house....

IDAHO

Chuy and I got to meet the latest addition, Braydon James...... the son of Jessica Bartlett and Grandson of Nancy Noble (my sister)

Nancy and Braydon in her house in Idaho.

Chuy and Nancy having fun.... spending our wedding anniversary at Nancys..... yaaahoooo!

Baby Dedication for Braydon James.

Jessica and Ray and Chuy looking on...

An Aztecan Indian sitting in the middle of Buffalo country? hmmmm....

Chuy at a reststop...always reading the history of the surrounding area... he was intrigued to see what he had only previously learned about in his Mexican history classes.

And finally...... at last.......





I can hear him now..."Are we there yet?" (After hours and hours and days travelling cross country...

From Arizona to Washington, to Idaho, across the plains and all the way to the Eastcoast. Finally, this photo was taken at the first reststop past the Smokey Mountain Range, and on the final stretch home....to Fayetteville, North Carolina.....

Whewwwwwwww........... I am staying put for a while after that drive.

~ Happy Holidays to everyone, and a Blessed New Year 2009. ~