My Favorite Christmas Movies!

Christmas Movies

1) Christmas in Connecticut - 1945, Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sidney Greenstreet

2) White Christmas - 1954, a fabulous musical Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen

3) It's a Wonderful Life - 1946, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Gloria Graham, Lionel Barrymore

4) A Christmas Carol and Scrooge - 1984, George C. Scott and 1951, Scrooge with Alister Sims 1951

5) The Bishops Wife - 1947, Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven

6) Miracle on 34th Street - 1947, Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, Edmund Gwenn (the perfect Kris Kringle), John Payne

7) Prancer - 1989, Sam Elliot, Cloris Leachman

8) Little Women - 1994, Wynoma Rider, Gabriel Bryne, Christian Bale, Kirsten Dunst. I love two other versions 1933 and 1949 but surprising to say, the newest version is my favorite I think...very close with the Kate Hepburn version.

9) While You Were Sleeping - 1989, Sandra Bullock, Peter Boyle, Bill Pullman

10) Merry Christmas also titled Joyeux Noel -Inspired by a true story, this heartwarming tale unfolds on Christmas Eve, 1914, in the midst of World War I. As the French, Scottish and German soldiers prepare to open their presents, a momentous event occurs that changes the destinies of four people: an Anglican priest, a French lieutenant, a world-class tenor and his soprano lover. 2005 PG13)

11) The Holiday - 2006, Kate Winslet, Jude Law

12) The Nativity Story- 2006, Ciaran Hinds, Keisha Castle Hughes, Oscar Isaacs

13) Silent Night - 2002, Linda Hamilton, Mark Anthony Krupa

14) All I Want For Christmas - 1991, Lauren Bacall, Harley Kozak, Thora Birch

15) Home Alone - 1990, Joe Pesci, Catharine O'Hara, Macaulay Culkin

16) A Christmas Story - 1983, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillion

17) Santa Claus: The Movie - 1985, Dudley Moore, John Lithgrow

18) The Little Princess
- (1995, Liesel Matthews and Sarah Bron - I love this and I also enjoy the 1939 Shirley Temple version)

19) Little Women - 1933, Katharine Hepburn, Frances Dee, Spring Byington

20) Miracle on 34th Street (Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott 1994)

21) Christmas Eve - 1947, George Raft, George Brent, Ann Harding, 1986, Loretta Young

22) Donovan's Reef - 1963, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Jack Warden, Dorothy Lamour

23) Christmas With the Kranks - 2005, Tim Allen, Jaime Lee Curtis

24) The Santa Clause - 1994, Tim Allen, David Krumholtz

25) Christmas Mountain - 1981, Slim Pickens, Mark Miller

26) Christmas in My Hometown aka Holiday for Love - 1996, Tim Matheson, Melissa Gilbert, Travis Tritt

27) Snow Day - 2000, Jean Smart, Chris Elliot, Mark Weber, Chevy Chase)

28) The Christmas Card - 2006, Edward Asner, John Newton, Alice Evans

29) A Christmas Visitor - 2002, William Devne, Dean McDermott, Meredith Baxter

30) Love Actually - 2003, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightly, Colin Firth

31) Christmas Child - 2003, William R. Moses, Teresa Browning, Grant James

32) Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus - 1991, Charles Bronson, Ed Asner, Richard Thomas

Family Christmas Cartoons

1) Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer - 1964, Burl Ives

2) Charlie Brown Christmas - 1965, Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea

3) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966, Boris Karloff )

4) The Very First Noel - 2006, Andy Griffith, Steve Twitchell, Catharine Gilbert

5) Santa Claus is Coming to Town - 1970, voice of Fred Astaire

6) Frosty the Snowman - 1969, Jimmy Durante, Jackie Vernon

7) A Christmas Carol, 2009, Jim Carey, Hugh Grant, Robin Wright-Penn, Gary Oldman

8) Polar Express - 2004, Tom Hanks

9) It's a Very Muppet Christmas Movie - Joan Cusack, Kelly Ripa, David Arquette

10) The Country Mouse and the City Mouse : A Christmas Tale - 1993, John Lithgrow, Crystal Gayle

11) Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol - 1962, Jm Backus, Morey Amsterdam, Jack Cassidy

12) The Little Drummer Boy - 1968, Jose Ferrer, Greer Garson

13) Beauty and the Beast: Enchanted Christmas - 1998, Robbie Benson, Paige O'Hara, Jerry Orbach

14) Ice Age - 2002, Ray Romano, Denise Leary (not a Christmas movie but a winter fun movie)

Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Hayley Westenra - Pie Jesu (live)

A Crazy Smooth Summer

Joey putting a new roof on the Golden Hills Resort, which will very soon be golden

Our summer is winding down and it has been crazy, exciting, fun, exhausting, smooth, wet, tiring, busy... You get the picture. All our camps broke attendance records! Our largest was the AG Senior High at 324. It was also the most fun, the most well organized, the most well managed according to our staff. All the camps, retreats, family reunions were pretty awesome.

On another happy note Kinship Mountain Ministries Kamp and Retreat Center received the 2009 Best of Deadwood from the US Chamber of Commerce. I have no idea who nominated us? Is that what you do? Happy News Regardless.

Summer never really showed up. I mean, it may have stopped by for a day or two, maybe three but we never hit the 90's in temperature as far as I recall, at least not up here. I miss summer, laying out on the lake or beach, sunning it up but I was too busy to really dwell on it much.

AG Junior High Camp

Alexys turned three, Luke moved back home for awhile, My Mom and sister Kelly stopped by on their way to Santa Clara, CA where Kelly will be starting law school - next week I think! And my sister Shannon and her girls are stopping by today on their way to Eugene, Oregon where my niece will start college. We plan to visit Mt. Rushmore, which is about 35 minutes from my home.

Joey starts his senior year at the beginning of the month. Football practice starts the 17th. He'll be the quarterback. This year will be so busy for him and us.

In eight (8) days Larry and I are leaving on a jet plane (most likely an airbus) to Seattle. We will then rent a car, visit friends and family, go through the Redwood Forest, visit the beaches and head on down to San Francisco, spend time with our daughter and then head home. I am super, super, super excited.

I did take some time to pamper myself - pedicure and manicure do wonders for the disposition and I got my hair hi-lighted. Fun! I looks more summery.

Bikers in Deadwood

This week has been the Sturgis Bike Rally. Tara is working double shifts so I have had the baby 0r rather a three year old toddler for the week. Now that is tiring! But a lot of fun.

Well, you all take care.... See you in September! Hugs!

I've missed you guys!

She's three!

I knew I wouldn't be writing much this summer but I never thought it would be a month between posts. Life does have it's little eccentricities that seem to throw curve balls into a persons plans for what they think life will be like during certain times.

I have been busy but not so much this past week. This past week I had a summer cold - sinus infection - cough that was not at all planned. Such is life. I'm doing better. 'God's in his Heaven, All's well with the world' so what do I have to complain or worry about?

I also took an unexpected trip to Nebraska in June to help complete all the details of my late Father's estate. It was nice to see my Mom and sister Shannon. I really miss my family at times.

I spied a herd of horses on my way home from Nebraska

Our little granddaughter Alexys also turned three - yes 3 on July 17th and it is adorable how she'll throw up her tiny fingers, make the sign for three and say, "I'm thrrreeeeee" and flash you a big smile. I have had her quite a bit this summer, which has been a pure somewhat exhausting joy.

Our camps have been huge - no numbers down here - so that has been wonderful! Busy and exciting and it seems overall things are moving very smoothly. We made a few changes at the camp this year. We added a weekend cook, Mike who is just awesome. He and his son Jesse (who is the weekend dishwasher - cooks helper - a trick biker extraordinaire) make a great team. This really helps give staff the proper amount of time off. Last year we were all fried by the end of summer and it wasn't because of the sun.

Water balloon 4-sided volleyball - a blast!

We also have two super hard working, fun loving young ladies working and living at the camp. They are sisters and we have simply taken them in. They are awesome. We pray they come back next year but we will see what happens.

Our summer help, Jessica and Justus with Pirate Brandon

We also hired a helper for Larry, Pastor Joey and he has been a super blessing. He also helps me in many areas such as the snack shack as has his wife Mallory.

So, things are running hard and smooth. God is good.

Joey has also had a busy and varied summer... Working construction, working at the camp, basketball, two football, church and another fitness camp have all kept him busy. He's also been camping with friends, jet skiing (his new love) and to the Hills Alive concert this past weekend. Larry and I passed on the concert this year.

Joey - Almost 18 and official a senior!

Joey at camp, exhausted and sunburnt

As for the rest of life... I'm still taking pictures, still dappling in a bit of writing, still reading and have flowers all over my deck plus two tomato plants. The deer still roam about my yard, I haven't seen a mountain lion in quite sometime and the squirrels and chipmunks are just as chatty as ever.

I recently finished the sci-fi thriller The Enclave by Karen Hancock. It was a great read and I highly recommend it. My daughter Timoni bought me a Kindle 2 for my birthday and I have been uploading several books I plan to read on there but am also still reading my paper books. The Kindle is so amazing for any kind of travel - even to the doctors office - and slips easily into my purse... Love it!

My nieces and nephew in Nebraska - love those smiles!

Larry and I celebrated out 25th wedding anniversary in June. We renewed our vows and he bought me a white gold mothers ring with a diamond in the center. I am blessed! I also became a year older and better ☺

Larry - 25 years of happiness, many more to come!

We have purchased our tickets to the West coast for our "2nd Honeymoon" - Seattle down to San Francisco. We plan to rent a car, visit friends and family and as a mother I can't wait to see my eldest daughter Timoni. We also plan to drive through the Redwoods, see a play at the Oregon Shakespeare festival, go to the beach, etc... Larry use to live out there so has a lot of things he wants me to see. I am so excited!

Our puppy didn't work out so she is now in a much better home but I still have my kitty Sea-Jay. I am simply a cat person. Life moves on. Life is good. We've had a few days of summer like weather, other than that, it is still spring.

Keep in touch! I'll be back in September.