Christmas Girls' Night

Karen hosted a Christmas get-together at her house. We had such a great time laughing and catching up and had lots of good "eats!" Thanks, Karen, for such a fun party -- it was so nice!

The Dinkins Family Annual Christmas Party 12/20/08

Every Saturday before Christmas my Daddy's Family Christmas Party is held. We look so forward to this each year and seeing cousins, aunts, and uncles we haven't seen in a while and enjoying this special time together. This year was especially special for my daddy -- he had ALL SEVEN siblings together! For one reason or another this hasn't happened in a few years but they were all here this year. They are my daddy (Oree Dinkins), Mickey, Garrett, Timmy, Ronella, Jane, and Teresa. What a wonderful family!

It's a WONDERFUL life in December...

December has arrived and everywhere you look Christmas is in the air -- isn't it a wonderful feeling! I absoulutely LOVE this time of the year. We've had a great week and these are a few of the happenings of our first week of December:

I was not feeling well the first couple days of the week but glad to say I'm feeling much better now. Ethan is finishing up with exams (yay!) and doing pretty well. He's working hard but had a little accident at work cutting his thumb pretty bad while slicing lemons (whew--that lemon juice had to hurt!) landing him in the ER in Florence. Luckily he didn't have to have stitches and he said the nurse was really cute that took care of him so maybe it wasn't too bad an experience for him...Erika and Jack are staying busy in Idaho working and Jack is getting ready for a new semester in school in the winter. Erika is now 17 weeks pregnant -- ALMOST HALF WAY!!! The end of the week Joey and I had a day to spend together shopping and browsing all over Columbia. He's such a great sport with shopping and we have such a good time together. Joey and I had my KCMC Christmas Party Friday night at the Health Resource Center and we had a great time. Saturday was Addison's special day as she was chosen for the Miss LE Pageant (see Slide Show in next blog entry) and she was absolutely gorgeous! We were all so proud of her and especially for her choice in wearing a modest gown -- she really is great girl if I say so myself! :) I hope it was a very special day for her getting her hair and makeup and all that girl stuff done! She and her friend, Kelsey, had fun getting ready together and Kelsey is also such a sweetheart as well as an awesome softball player! Thanks also to Jenny who helped Addison pick out an outfit for her casual wear -- sometimes it's easier for our daughters to shop with someone else and Jenny is such an awesome shopper! Love you, Jenny!!! It was also so wonderful to have Addison's extended family there for support - Grandmother and Grandaddy, Abby, Aunt Tiawanna, Ginger, Darla, Jody, Wesley and his mom (Karen), Grammy, her dad and step-mom, Ivy, and cousins Susan-Marie and Claire. This really meant alot to Addi -- thanks, ya'll!

Tonight was a very special night as we went to my parents' house to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional Broadcast. Wow -- how wonderful that was because my parents had all three of their children with them watching the devotional together. It was such a neat experience and I know they were so happy for this experience. We'd been at their house earlier in the day for lunch as we do so many Sundays and had a great day even enjoying a family movie together (Nanny McPhee - not sure if I spelled it right). It was a very good Sunday and going back tonight to watch the Christmas devotional and enjoying the beautiful messages by our beloved prophet and his counselors and the wonderful music by the Tabernacle Choir was just the perfect night with family. Yes, I love December and it's entrance into our family has been a grand one!

Miss LE Pageant 12/6/08

#40 - Addison Valana Chandler - a representative of the senior class - One word she uses to describe herself is "BENEVOLENT"
We are so proud of you, Addison! You are beautiful - inside and out!

A VERY thankful Thanksgiving Week...

The week began in a great way with the Young Women's Program for Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. It was a wonderful program and the girls did a great job. I was very proud of Addison with her talk and the song she and Sharon sang called "Walk Tall." It was especially touching for me since it is Addison's senior year and knowing this was her last year in the Young Women's program. Below is a photo of Addison with Michelle - better known to the young women as "Fabulous" who was just released from Young Women's President. The girls will really miss her and she has been such an inspiration and an awesome example to Addi.

Addison and Sharon sang so well together! And this is Sister Price, the new Young Women's President and she is so sweet! Addison and Brenda ("Sister B" as the girls call her) have fun horseback riding together and she is also a great example and friend to Addi.

Ethan was able to come home for Addison's program and he and Chloe enjoyed an evening nap on Saturday night before he and Mom had a date out to dinner. Addison was glad he came home for the program to see her and it was nice to have him as well as Joey, Abby, Alex, Grandmother, and Aunt Tiawanna come to church with us for the program

For Thanksgiving Day we had lunch at my brother and sister-in-law's home. (Thanks, Byron and Susan for your hospitality!) It was a very fun-filled day for all spent with family -- except for Joseph who had to work a 12-hour shift. We missed you, honey!

Mom and Daddy (Grandmother and Grandaddy)

They are the BEST!!!

Brandon & Jenny

Holding my newest nephew, Cole. He is Marshall and Lindsay's baby and is now one month old. He's so sweet!

The trail riding on golf carts was truly an adventure!


It was such a fun week. I missed my Erika and Jack but hope to see them over the next holiday??? Last night we had Joey's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hornsby over for dinner for delicious taco soup and a homemade mandarin orange/pineapple cake for dessert. We had a fun visit and Chloe got really spoiled by Grandma Mildred! Ha!


I am so very thankful for so many things. I am grateful for a loving family - for parents who are healthy and strong and love all us children and grandchildren so much. I am thankful for my husband who is so good to me and our family. He treats me like a queen and I love him so much! I'm so thankful for my precious children and for the example and the strength they give me. They are what I live for and I thank my Father in Heaven for lending them to me and for the love and joy they bring to our family. I am thankful for my health and for being able to get up everyday and do the things we're able to do each day -- that is a true blessing. I could go on and on about what means the most to me--friends, our home, etc. because there are so many things but I'll stop here. Most of all I'm thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who has blessed me in so many, many ways.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
P.S. See Ginger and Jenny's blogs for more of our family trail-riding adventures on Thanksgiving! It was a blast!

SANTA CAME EARLY!

What a fun day! Santa came early to both Tiawanna and me -- and on the same day!

My wonderful husband bought me an early Christmas present and it's beautiful --

a Mazda RX-8! I LOVE it!!!

Tiawanna also got a new car today, too -- a Lexus and it looks just like her! She's so pretty and sweet and it's a beautiful vehicle.
Tiawanna came by tonight so we could take pictures of this momentous day. (Our brother, Byron, who is in the automobile and Harley-Davidson business is so thankful we've both found a vehicle we like from him and now we'll stop bugging him -- at least for a couple years! Ha!)

Wesley's 18th Birthday...

Happy 18th Birthday, Wesley! Hope it's a good one and a great year! Wesley is always such a great sport and is fun to have around. Spencer, Andrew, and Carson enjoy his company and love to wrestle around with Wesley and I believe he and Addison have just as much fun playing with them, too. Wesley also loves his hunting and fishing so the camo attire for prom this past spring suited him to a tee! Happy Birthday, Wesley, from Addi's family!