This is Cameron.   He plays soccer, and he's also a great basketball player.  He has a great interest in dinosaurs, and has quite the collection.  He just found out that he's getting a new little brother soon.   YEA!!!  We miss you Cameron!  Love you too!    

I love this picture of Lyndsey.  We sure miss having them around.  She is Ryan and Alyse's oldest daughter.  She is 6 years old, and will turn 7 this year.  She loves to dance and as you can see she is very photogenic!  We love you Lyndsey!

This is an earlier picture of Lyndsey, and a picture of me when I was much younger.  Does anyone see the resemblance?

Since I have a passion for collecting Barbie Dolls, and this is Barbie's 50th year, I am going to completely bore my family and showcase my collection of Barbie dolls throughout 2009.

This was my first Barbie.  I got it when I was 9 years old.  I still remember going with my mother to pick it out.  It always took me a long time to select outfits for her.  I was very particular about what I wanted her to wear.

The outfit she is wearing, is called "Busy Gal" and cost $2.50 when I purchased it.  I am missing the belt and hat, but have the rest of the accessories.  She is a 1960 Barbie, and I still have the original swimsuit and accessories that came with her. 

This is my favorite Birthday Barbie.  It's the dress.  It's always the dress.

This is a collector edition, first in a series 1998.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBIE!

Barbie fun fact:

Every second at least 3 Barbies are sold, bringing $3.6 billion annually in retail sales.

How Barbie Began

In 1938 Mattel was formed by two life long friends, Harold Matson and Elliot Handler.  When Mattel was originally formed, they were not a toy maker.  Mattel began as a picture frame manufacturer.  Later, they began to make doll furniture.

Elliot Handler was married and had a daughter Barbara that enjoyed playing with adult dolls, but there were no dolls like that on the market.  On a visit to Europe, Mrs. Handler found a German doll named "Lilli" in a store.  When Mrs. Handler returned back home, Lilli was a hit with Barbara.  That gave Mattel an idea.  They bought the marketing rights to Lilli, and changed her name to Barbie, named after their daughter Barbara.  Barbie was introduced to the world at the New York International Toy Fair in March, 1959.  Actually, March 9, 1959 is Barbie's official birthdate.

At Grandma dixie's you can be whoever you want!

I now have my Heritage Makers blog up and working.    Please take a look!

www.dixieswindow.blogspot.com    This is a great company. We all need to be preserving our memories.  Do it with Heritage Makers!  :) 

Very cute Ryan

First day of school photo. Ryan was feeling left out because I had not yet spotlighted him on my blog. Love that first day of school outfit Ryan!

    Today while I was cleaning out a closet, I found a box in which I had some old memorabilia that my Father gave to me a few years ago.  When I was growing up we were in the Santa Barbara Stake.  In November of 1962 the Mormon Choir of Southern California (which I don't remember existed) came to perform  at the Ventura High School auditorium.  It had been sponsored by the Santa Barbara Stake building fund.  On the back of the program was this poem.  I thought I would share it with you all.

"For the common things of everyday

 God gave men speech in the common way

 For deeper things men think and feel

 God gave poets words to reveal

 For the heights and depths no words can reach

 God gave men music; the souls own speech."     -Anon

Lance

Grandpa and Jared

It's fun to look back on warmer days.

I found a more recent picture of Richard and KaraLyn. I thought it might be fun to see a "now" and "then" comparison. I think I'm having too much fun with this blogging thing. Most of you know that Richard and KaraLyn play in the community orchestra. On March 4th, at 7:30, at the Rexburg Tabernacle, they are having another concert. Richard is the featured soloist, and will be playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (3 movements) that evening. It's really long, so if you think you are going to fall asleep, please bring any snacks, caffeine drinks, toothpicks, whatever works. It would be especially good for your older children to attend. I'll bring my supply of certs. We would really like all of you to come if you can, so please put this on your calendar now. You will need to be there at least 1/2 hour before it starts. It's hard to save seats because there are many senior citizens that come (I guess that includes me) and they come early, with their chair pads and all. Love you! mom & grandma dixie