HAPPY BIRTHDAY SATURDAY TO OUR SWEET LAUREN

HEY LITTLE GIRL, I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY TOMORROW. I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD CUPCAKES AT SCHOOL. I BET ALL THE KIDS LIKED THEM. EAT A BIG PIECE OF CAKE FOR ME, OKAY? I LOVE YOU, JODY

News from the Boda Bunch...

Well, we've had some excitement here. Two days ago, Buster fell on some ice and hurt his hand. We thought he might have just jammed it. BUT, we went to the doctor the following day and he broke his wrist in two places. The doc sent us to a Ortho today and he did more x rays and it's broken with little fragments. So, they were worried that he'd have to have surgery with plates and pins. They put him in a rather scary contraption to set his hand....(see photos below) His bicep strapped and being pulled down, his thumb and forefinger are in things that look like finger traps and they pull his hand up...needless to say, he was in some major pain. He jumped almost off of the table, broke out into a cold sweat and turned white as a sheet. I almost threw up.

Below is after the first cast...he got x rayed again and they added over-the-elbow casting and now he's really miserable. He's off work for at least the rest of this week, but might get to go back for light and modified duty next week. The over-the-elbow thing stays on for two weeks, then he'll get just the arm cast. After that, it's 6 weeks (maybe more) in the cast, a month or two of therapy and even then he might not get the whole use of his wrist back.
His computer is broken, but if you have any funny cards or anything to entertain, please send! He is one miserable guy right now.
He goes to the doctor Friday and I'll update more then. Til then, I'd love to sleep, but neither one of us have slept since it happened. UGH.

Owen Daniel, You're 2!

Happy Birthday to the sweetest 2 year old in the clan. Owen, have a great day and take a long nap for your mommy.
I love you.
Mimi

Pictures to follow after I get back home.
Candy

Before Brady turns two, I thought I'd better post a picture of his first birthday party. He was not a bit shy about getting into the cake at all. Of course, this grandmother thinks he's precious whether he's covered in cake or helping Amanda and Lance's doggies find their food. He relished the cake, which was served outside, with the older kids being able to decorate their own cupcakes. That was a great idea, Amanda! His Nana and Papa (Lance's parents) got him the coolest John Deere tractor thingy and that boy was instantly all over it. He probably won't be able to really ride or drive it for a while yet, but he is all about anything with wheels. Do we have another gear-head here? His Uncle Michael will have him helping out at the shop before long - hahaha! Caden and her friends and all the older kids (um, like Sherami and Michael and Amanda and Lance and Beth and several others) enjoyed the blow up, bouncy slide thing they rented. Kids' birthday parties are not like pin the tail on the donkey any more, it's a whole new era of specialty places or equipment. And no, this grandma did not even try it - ok, call me a chicken, but you love me any way. Ha!

THE NEW GHS

Hey Graham Grad Cousins!!! I went with Suzy & Boyd to the open house of the new GHS. WOW, it is something else. All the building was gutted but they kept the stately facade that faces Virginia St. It' s huge!! The new cafeteria is where the old auditorium (or study hall to my group) was. It is lovely and the kitchen has so much equipment. The tables in the dining room are round. The new auditorium is facing on the Calaveras St side and has the arch facade like the front of the building. It is so grand and I'm sorry the Eden never got a chance to act on that huge stage. The new gym is on the Calaveras side but faces Kentucky St. It is very nice and Suzy says it looks like some college gyms. Lots of seating, especially for the home team. We looked into some of the classrooms and they were nice and large. Now let me tell you about the Library. It is 2 stories high with lots & lots of windows - you can be upstairs in the hall and look into it. It takes your breath away. At the door of the library are portraits of Mrs. Howell and Mrs. Jones. They have tables with chairs but also nice easy chairs for relaxed reading and also 10 computers with desks. We saw so many people we knew - old classmates, old teachers, etc. Oh, at the front of the auditorium there are two portraits, one of Jack Cody and the other of Alawana Vaughan. We had a great time. Whenever you come to Graham, come by and see it. It's worth the trip.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYD

Hey, there!! Hope you really have a great day and you feeling well. Love ya, Jody

Our Holiday

This is the way the weather started at our house for the Christmas holidays. Since all of our children have so many places to be and people to see, we always have what I call "drive-by Christmas" that began this year on the 18th. Jennifer and her husband Reed Townsend arrived on Thursday night the 17th and stayed through the weekend. Tommy Tucker arrived on Saturday afternoon and stayed till the next Saturday. Rachel, Matt and Owen arrived on Monday the 21st and stayed till Saturday. Nathan and Randi arrived on Wednesday evening and stayed till Saturday. Notice the trend on "stayed till Saturday"? That was the day that we successfully dug out the driveway and sent kids on their way to non-slick destinations.

We didn't begin wearing coats outside until Christmas Eve when the early morning rain turned to sleet and then snow. The view from the dining room windows was beautiful! We could barely see the house across the street. What did we care? We had our family, food, heat and (thankfully) plenty of beds. We were eating lunch when Susan called from a birthday party to tell me she wasn't coming. She COULDN'T FIND MY STREET!!! All landmarks were covered in white stuff and it was slicker than snot out there. My adult boys - Matt, Tommy and Nathan - mounted a rescue and took Matt's SUV to deliver her to my house. I was so happy to have her with us.

After we opened our presents and played with our stuff, we noticed that there were four foot drifts against my garage door and that we really couldn't tell where the street was. No step for a stepper!

Susan put on all the clothes I own (long underwear, hat, scarf, gloves) and she and Steve set out the back gate to her house! She left her presents behind (bwa-ha-ha!). They arrived safe but cold at her house after about 45 minutes. Steve warmed up then struck out for his mother's house to get night clothes and personal items...and to check on the dog!... He finally got there, called us, then set back out toward home. All round, the trip took him about 2.5 hours and it was dark by the time he got home. My hero!

Tommy gave up his bed and Carol spent the night with us. The next morning, Carol was ready bright and early to go home. Mind you, the weather is no better. It's still slicker than snot and she's over 80 years old. So, once again Steve dresses up and heads for the back gate. It needs to be noted right here that mid-way through the trip, his mother acknowledged that Steve was right and that it was too slick to be walking! She got home safely and Steve made it back to our house. He called to ask if we needed anything from the store since he was out! Comedian.

All of the kids managed to get gone on Saturday. Rachel and Matt had no trouble once they left Texas. Apparently Oklahoma knows how to treat snow. Randi and Nathan were fine once they got to the turn-off to Graham heading to Jacksboro. Tommy had some difficulty in Decatur and got a hotel room to be safe. The next day he made it to his mother's house in Tyler. Whew!

We have already taken Christmas decorations down since the tree was a health hazzard. The house is clean and strangly empty. The quiet is unbroken except for the theme song to Super Mario that I keep playing. My thumbs hurt.

I hope your Christmas was as joyful as mine and I wish you a Happy New Year.

Love to you all,
Candy