JELLY BELLY FACTORY, FAIRFIELD, CA

On Tuesday, we went to the Jelly Belly Factory. It is about 1 1/2 hours from Crystal's house.

Their tree had Jelly Belly lights.

Beside Jelly Bellys, they made gummy worms and other candy, plus Jim's FAVORITE--candy corn. He loves candy corn!

We stood in line for about 40 minutes for a tour. The factory is on the 1st floor and then the tour in on the second floor. There are walls 1/2 way up and then glass walls the rest of the way, with an opening near the ceiling. You can look down onto the factory. There's a short video at each stop. It was very informative and smelled delicious. On one of the stops it shows how the outer shell is put on the jelly bean. The Jelly Bellys roll around in what looks like a cement mixer. Unfortunetly, they don't allow pictures to be taken during the tour, so you'll just have to go for yourself and be amazed.

This is a Jelly Belly moziac of "the Duke". They have Princess Di, Martin Luther King and many more.

Jelly Bellys were doing a good business before Pres. Reagen took office, but he really got the publicity and popularity of the jelly belly in the spotlight. He loved them. There were often deliveries to the White House. A special jar was made for Air Force One, so the jelly bellys wouldn't fall out during turbulence.

My favorite Jelly Belly is buttered popcorn. On the tour, we learned it is # 2 in popularity. Berry Cherry is # 1. I rubbed it in my family's face, because none of them like buttered popcorn, and they tease me that it is gross. So I was happy for that piece of trivia. The good news is that I never have to share my favorite Jelly Belly.

You have to wear hats on the tour. Check out the Jelly Belly wall behind us.

At the end of the tour there is a free sample bar. Plus tons of Jelly Bellys to buy. They even make the "prank flavors" of Jelly Bellys, like vomit flavor and other gross things.

ORNAMENT GAME

Every year it is a tradition to play the ornament game. We all buy 1 ornament per person and wrap it. Then we roll the dice. Roll a one and get an ornament. Roll a 6 and you can steal. The ornament can pass through 3 players before it can't be stolen any more.
Payton got Ballet shoes and no one had the heart to "steal" them from her.

Sophia LOVES the hmmm . . . "more interesting" type ornaments. (Its a bird with peacock feathers)

The good thing about this game, is that when the kids are old enough to leave home, they will have 15 or so years of ornaments to put on their first tree.

BALLERINA REINDEER & SOCCER CHAMP

We left for CA on Dec. 18. We had good road conditions most the way. We went to Kelly's house for about an hour and then we all left to go to Payton's ballet recital. Her group were dancing reindeers (you can see the antlers in her hair). She is holding a bouquet of flowers from her Grandpa Mike.


This was taken before the performance. Payton looks happy, but the little girl behind her has that "reindeer in the headlights" look. Pre-performance jitters I suppose.

Then we went back to Crystal's for an hour and left to go to Alex's indoor soccer game. He is #6 in a yellow shirt. He is loving indoor soccer. It was fun to watch. I loose him for a short while on the video, check out how short the referee's shorts are--yikes!

We went back to Chris and Kelly's house for some rest to the end of a busy day. We stayed at their house for 1/2 the week and Ryan and Crystal's house the rest of the week.

A THANKSGIVING TO BE THANKFUL FOR

This was a great Thanksgiving because we were surrounded by something we are most thankful for -- FAMILY.
Our girls and their kids came up to visit the whole week of Thanksgiving. The husbands joined them on Thanksgiving Day.

They had quite a snow storm to go through to get here up I-5-the road was closed for 2 hours North of Redding. We were so glad they finally got through that. Here's Payton with some snow at our place on Monday. She loved it, as did the other grandkids.

Owen and Dylan are getting really cute about playing with each other. They are playing baseball on the Wii.

Alex our oldest grandson, is really a nice boy.

Sophia, a happy good girl.

Addy with our newest "grandson", Max. She got her braces off the Monday after Thanksgiving. She was one excited teenager.

Here's my first attempt at stuffing a turkey. I always bake them unstuffed, but Chris wanted stuffing, so I broadened my cooking horizons and stuffed it. It came out OK.

Dylan's shirt says, "My grandma makes the #1 best turkey." (We hope that's true)

Payton helped decorate the table by making names on paper and attaching them to a pumpkin for all 20 people. We had fun doing it.

The feast.

After-dinner activities. A tradition-shotgun turkey shoot. Actually they shoot clay pigeons.

The shotgun gang.

Grandpa says "Pull!" to Alex.

Kelly tried her hand at the shotgun this year. She's been shooting other guns at the range with Chris, when he goes with the CHP guys. She shot an AR-15 last month. She said a moving target is a little more challenging.

Some played air hockey. Alex beat me twice.

Some chose to jump on the trampoline and bounce their Thanksgiving dinner around.(not me)

Some chose rest and relaxation.Including Max on Chris' chest.

Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful, full of food, family and fun. jim and kathy

GRANDMA TIME WAS A GREAT TIME

I was gone to CA from Oct. 21st to Oct 24th. Ryan and Crystal flew me to CA because Ryan was gone and Crystal wanted some company. This is the baggage claim area at Sacramento, suitcases stacked to the ceiling, unique, but I like it.
The first night I got there, we went to Kelly's neighbor across the street. He is trying to sell his 4 puppies. Both Crystal and Kelly liked this one the most. Both girls REALLY wanted a new puppy, but they both managed to restrain themselves. The rest of us loved holding the puppies.

Too cute-"He's mine and I'm NOT giving him back."

"If one is good, 2 are better, right?"

"Awww, look at those 2 adorable faces."

"2 sweet sisters and 1 adorable pup."

The next day as we were driving around, Owen kept asking for "papa". So we called and let Owen talk to "papa". Owen was my "shadow" all weekend. He was giving me lots of love.

The next morning I went to Payton's preschool. She really likes it. She goes 3 mornings a week.

After we got Payton from school, Kelly met us at Chili's for lunch, mmmm good.

That afternoon, Payton and I went shopping at Claire's because I needed some Halloween earrings and Payton helped me pick some out.

This is "hereditary"-Grandpa Jim can't pass up these candy/gumball machines without putting in a quarter either.

Payton and I got matching spider earrings and I got a batty Halloween headdress.

On Friday evening we went to Alex's Fall Festival at his school.

There was a fun game, where the kids threw a baseball at a target and someone else was holding a radar gun and it told how fast the kids were throwing the baseball. I thought that was neat. Alex threw the ball at 33 mph.

What would a Fall Festival be without "fishing" for goodies.

And waiting in anticipation for mmmmmm cotton candy.

Sophie spent Friday night with us and we watched "How to Train Your Dragon", cute movie. Payton took this picture of Sophie and me.

Next morning, we went to watch Sophie and Alex's soccer games. Can you see Sophie (she's a tad taller than the rest of the girls)

Soccer kids and

Soccer moms. Sophie made her first goal. I saw it, but missed filming it, so here is the "interview" after the goal.

Kelly is the soccer mom in charge of Sophie's team this year. At the end of the season the coach and her assistants get a gift from the team. Usually it is a gift card to a restaurant, but Kelly made this quilt and the girls will sign their names on the white part. The green part has soccer balls on it. Good job Kelly (expect to have the head soccer mom job for all the rest of the years that Sophie plays soccer)

After soccer, Kelly came over and we watched the movie "Killers" (comedy/action). It was rather silly. Later that night, Kelly's whole family came for dinner. We watched San Francisco beat the Phillies and they will be going to play in the World Series. That was neat.

Sunday, I headed back home. I'll miss you guys!!! Thanks for everything.

Kevin was my chauffeur, going to and from the airport. Back home again.