The Lewis Corner

Good thing we are not farmers...

2010-09-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

...we would starve! (oh yeah, we are Realtors, same dif!) Yes, this little gem of a tomato is the only one that is ripe (we have 2 huge bushes). As you can see, it is the whopping size of a dime! We are cutting it up into three equal pieces for dinner tonight!

2010-09-09T15:33:00.001-07:00

Eighth Grade and CONTACTS!! Look...no glasses!!

2010-09-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah, the day has finally arrived when Courtney could shed the glasses and sport the contacts! She is so happy to be able to wear sunglasses! She has been learning how to put the contacts in and remove them. We were almost late to school this morning! It takes a bit of doing the first few days until you get the hang of it. Back-to-school was more exciting this year, the last year of middle school and just feeling more sure and confident about it all. I offered to accompany her into school the first day to pick up her schedule, but was turned down. "No thanks, Mom. I am all right. I do not need you to come in with me." One part of me was sad, the other part was happy that she is ready to launch herself without me by her side!

The Science Fair Project

2010-08-08T19:30:00.000-07:00

2 months of growing 6 pea plants in the kitchen window, (3 were left in the window day and night and 3 were put in the garage at night with a tone generator left on) to see what effect a tone being played for 8 hours had on plant growth. In case you are wondering, the plants with the tone generator did not grow as well or as fast. Conclusion: plants like peace and quiet at night just like humans! In the end a ribbon for participating was awarded and the project was a success.

Spring Piano Recital at Lairmont Manor

2010-08-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

Once again Courtney did an amazing job of memorizing and performing a beautiful piece of music and once again, she received her repertoire award for memorizing and performing pieces of music from four different periods of music history. She earned herself a movie pass!

Courtney and her wonderful and patient piano teacher, Renee Crandall.

Grandpa time and sidewalk chalk...

2010-08-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

You can have a lot of fun with a box of chalk!

Rylee drew a giant heart and put the names of all the people that she loves inside it!

It took a long time, it was hard, she asked how to spell all the names and wrote them herself.

And Nana did one for Grandpa, too! :)

The perfect day for a pony ride!

2010-08-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, these two little ladies are just a few months apart in age...but the difference in their height is astonishing!

P.K. joined in the fun...

And Courtney is our trail guide.

Saddle Up Cowboys and Cowgirls!

2010-08-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

This is how you carry a cat, Nana

2010-08-08T19:05:00.000-07:00

And he puts up with it...

Nana's house and baking brownies

2010-08-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

has turned into a tradition for Rylee and I. "Open wide!" says Grandpa as they lick the spatula clean.

The joy of grandparenting...

2010-08-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

You get to go play with the kids at their house, with their toys, use the car with the DVD player and GPS so you can't get lost or bored, stay up late watching movies, drive from soccer to ballet, to cubs, and enjoy a glimpse of what life used to look like when your own little ones were young. (And you wonder how you survived!) Thanks for the fun time!

Courtney's fruit plate dinner creation...

2010-08-08T18:31:00.000-07:00

The budding cook strikes again! This time she has prepared a pasta, alfredo sauce dish with steam broccoli and mushrooms and a fruit plate. She set the table and everything!

Fairy Hut

2010-08-08T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon...what do you do? You make a Fairy Hut for your flower fairy out of twigs, leaves, pebbles, moss, and anything else you can find to emelish your fairy's little home. Just a cardboard base and a glue gun and you can build a fairy dream home!

Cooking lessons begin now!

2010-08-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

She is in the kitchen! She has the meat thawed, she is making meatballs! And into the sauce they go! We sit down to eat...it smells and looks amazing! Then she says, "I don't really like spaghetti and meatballs, I just wanted to make them." The cook watches us eat.

The New Willow Tree doll Courtney chose for her Birthday...

2010-08-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

This is one of the new models for this year...she is called 'Surrounded By Love'

Our little girl turns 13!

2010-08-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

Don't you wish you had a bowling pin cut in half (with the wrong year written on it) for all your friends to sign as a memento of your bowling birthday party? Of course you do! And that is what Courtney is the proud owner of! She had a party during Spring Break at our local bowling alley and, as a party venue, it is pretty slick! All the pop they could drink, shoes, and two games of bowling - perfect! No mess, no fuss!

A quick trip to the cabin...

2010-08-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

We headed over to one of our favorite quiet spots near Leavenworth. The infamous cabin on the creek near lake Wenatchee. We celebrated Courtney's 13th birthday there. A special cousin along made the trip extra fun! Courtney spent a good hour in one of the stores trying to decide which of the lovely Willow Tree figurines to buy!

Grandma Bunting and Nana in Chicago...

2010-08-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

...playing tag-team babysitting. Good weather, great kids, late nights, early mornings, lot of giggles, hugs, and legos!

Afton Turns 7!

2010-08-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

Lucky me...Courtney and I were able to head to Chicago in May to do some serious fun babysitting for Paul and Missy! And a bonus was that we were able to help celebrate Afton's birthday. Both of her Grandmas were there. Val and I overlapped for a day. What a great time we had!

Fragrance Lake Hike

2010-03-21T17:37:00.001-07:00

What do you do with a lovely Saturday in March? You pack up a bunch of energetic kids and take them on a hike!! S, Courtney, Lauren, Tanner, Partker and I headed up to Fragrance Lake It is a good 1.9 mile steady climb. We were hungry and ready to eat when we arrived at our destination along the banks of the lake. Many hikers out yesterday made our journey more interesting. It is amazing how many people bring their dogs along. The way back down took half the time as we ran, raced, sprinted, slid, and carreened our way down the windy path. The only mishap was a little interaction with stinging nettles by P.K. (aka Parker). But we discovered that 'baby moss' helps take the sting out. (?) If you think it will, it will! :) Every good hiker knows the first thing you do is find yourself a good walking stick...right?

Announcing the addition of OTIS, the cat, to our household...

2010-03-21T17:27:00.001-07:00

So, apparently it is not enough that we have a resident guinea pig, named Rosette. We must have pets, more pets...hence, the search for a cat was begun by Miss Courtney. We made bi-weeky trips to the Humane Society to check out the felines and scope out the options. We also took home an application to fill out, checked out books from the library and read up on cats, we priced all the cat necessities at Wal-mart and PetSmart. We did our research and our homework. Courtney even checked on line at the local newspaper website. Then, one fateful day, she googled cats here locally and, what do you know, there was a beautiful male cat right here in Conway!! His owner had rescued him from an abandoned farmhouse she used to own. She had taken him to be 'fixed' and receive his shots. She was asking about 1/4 what the Humane Society wanted for their cats. He is beautiful, soft, affectionate, does not shed, and litter-box trained!! What more could we hope for? He is adjusting to us and we to him. He has been with us since last Tuesday and, so far, so good. Welcome, OTIS. May the hunt for a pet be satisfied in you.

Cheryl and Doug = cutest couple

2010-03-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

We had such a great time with Cheryl and Doug when they came to town for a few days. Sorry this picture did not turn out better, but they are such a darling couple. Thanks for spending time with us!!

Just hangin' out at the beach...

2010-03-12T21:19:00.000-08:00

We took Courtney and Rylee out to the beach to take pictures. It was a warm and sunny day. Low tide made for all kinds of interesting exploring.

Bayview State Park

2010-03-12T21:14:00.000-08:00

Just playing around with the camera...we took lots of picture and played in the muck of low tide, exploring tide pools and finding tiny crabs that fascinated Rylee.

Beach day

2010-03-12T21:09:00.000-08:00

We had an amazingly warm day in February and took a trip to Bayview State Park for a little photo shoot...our little girl turns 13 the end of March and I can see she is growing up all too quickly.

Pat turns 62

2010-03-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa Johannesen, Kelsey, Courtney, Rylee and I all helped him celebrate another birthday. 62 and still young at heart!

Claire came to play...

2010-03-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

The dress-up clothes have really come in handy over the years!! These two put together their own stunning outfits!

Rylee, Jordan, and Claire

2010-03-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

These three beauties are a lot of fun and always up for a party! Thanks to Aunt Melissa for hosting a game night for all of us to hang out and spend time together.

Rylee on the scooter

2010-03-12T21:00:00.000-08:00

Round and round the garage she went!

Cookies...which ones did Pat make???

2010-03-12T20:54:00.000-08:00

So, on Tuesday nights 'the ladies' , as Courtney calls them,(my Relief Society Counselors and Secretary) come over for a presidency meeting at our home. That is the night that Courtney and Pat fend for themselves for a couple of hours (sometimes longer). They usually find a movie to watch at home, hang out, and sometimes bake cookies. Courtney really likes her dad's idea of a cookie! :) Courtney likes it when the ladies come, she says it sounds like we are having a party. (We do laugh a lot.) And she love haning out with her dad.

The Dollhouse

2010-03-12T20:45:00.000-08:00

The dollhouse is an interesting story. We acquired it from a woman who had recently moved into our ward. She was moving to a smaller house and did not want this dollhouse her father had made her anymore. "Are you sure you want to give it away?" I asked. ( Courtney and I had wanted to try to build one. ) But this was too good to be true! Bear in mind, it was in need of repair and painting. (I wish I had taken a 'before' picture - imagine a cream house with rose trim). Courtney had no idea we had it, hidden away at the office in a vacant room where I could go in and work on it the weeks before Christmas. Pat carefully cut and nailed replacement roof shingles out of cedar shims. We painted it the same color as the exterior of our home. We hauled it home and quietly brought it into the living room after Courtney had fallen asleep on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day found her occupied in decorating and arranging the pieces of furniture and knick knacks that came to us from this generous lady.

Christmas 2009...

2010-03-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

We had an amazing and memorable Christmas this past year. Spencer and Brittany really added to our holiday cheer and the festivities! From the Christmas Eve Seafood dinner and the fragrant hot wassail to the DEE-licious Peruvian Turkey Spencer prepared, it was a special and wonderul holiday!

Krum Kake....A Family Tradition Continues

2010-03-12T20:22:00.000-08:00

So, the art of making a Krum Kake...I must say that with the modern convenience of the electric double iron, it takes a lot of the 'work' out of it! And the result is these golden, delicate cones of sweet goodness!

February 6, 2010..Adjudications in Bellingham

2010-03-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

Courtney and three of her fellow band students worked very hard to prepare for and be selected to go to adjudications in Bellingham. Part of their band grade is a requirement to prepare either a solo or ensemble number to present to a music teacher at their school here locally. From that group of students who performed, there were a few chosen to go on to adjudications in Bellingham at a middle school where there were masters of music who teach at the college level doing the adjudicating. What that means is the group is given a ten minute time slot. During that time they perform and the adjudicator listens, makes notes, and then works with them for a few minutes. She or he gives lots of praise since this is often difficult and stressful for the students to do. They want to promote continuing the students' involvement in music. The adjudicator also gives helpful advice and useful technique changes that will improve the students' performance. We, as parents, got to go and watch. It was a great experience. (Courtney also has piano adjudications every spring.) These girls played a 3-part flute piece. They chose to dress in black and white. They were magnificent, poised, and polished. (And they had to prepare all by themselves, the band teacher gives them time, but no assistance with this project. This is a time to see what they have learned and what they can do on their own.)

Courtney made a blanket

2010-03-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

We had some polar fleece and some cute frog-print fabric...Courtney decided she wanted to make herself a blanket. so she cute and sewed squares of frog onto the four corners of the blanket and I helped her with the letter "C" for the center of it. She fringed and tied knots along the edges. She loves her blanket and tackled a bit of sewing, too.

Rosette, the Guinea Pig

2010-03-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

Rosette has grown quite a bit over the past few months. She knows Courtney's voice and loves to be held and fed. She loves carrots, lettuce, cabbage, and some fruits. Rylee is not so much interested in holding her as she is feeding her and watching those little teeth crunch and munch on that carrot.

Garage/Roller Rink

2010-03-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

"I can do it myself, Nana." And so she did! Shoes and skates. Ta-Da! What a great way to begin a day...roller skating in your pajamas!

Playing Hide and Seek

2010-03-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

This is a favorite game with Rylee. She runs and hides while we count, of course. She has that part down. Then begins the 'seeking' part of the game while the 'seekee' remains absolutely quiet so as not to let the 'seeker' know her wherabouts. This is where the process breaksdown with Rylee. When you get close to discovering her hiding place, she cannot help but give a little nervous giggle. And of course, Grandpa cannot resist growling and flinging the door open to expose a very excited and a little scared girl who jumps into his arms and says, "Again, again!" And so the cycle repeats itself...

THE DUCK POND

2010-03-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

We save our bread crusts and old bread in the freezer until some little person or people visit us. Then we head to the duck pond, which is actually more accurately a slough between two rows of homes that a walking path has been created alongside of. The ducks are quite used to humans now and readily respond to our donations of food. The slough has gradually filled with reeds the ducks can hide in, nest in, escape to. We love the beautiful colors of the ducks and, in the spring, there will be babies following their mamas around.

Rylee arrives tomorrow!

2010-01-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

Rylee has been counting the days until she flys to Nana's house. She has been carefully removing a link from her paper chain each day. Rylee and Nana have A LOT of things to do while she is here. We will be very busy and she may not have a lot of time to spend with her Mom. Hope Kelsey does not mind the break...:)

Ward Christmas Party

2009-12-13T17:41:00.000-08:00

We attended our Ward Christmas Party last night where they had set up an area in the foyer to take family pictures. This is the result of our efforts! We are in full holiday swing around here and anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spencer and Brittany on the 22nd!

Murder Mystery Dinner...Rylee and Kelsey visit

2009-12-13T17:24:00.000-08:00

In November Courtney's band director hosted a fund raiser in the form of a Murder Mystery Dinner. Since it coincided with Kelsey's visit, we got her to go in on the fun. She played the part of Nadia Seymore, the swimsuit model. Pat was Les Baggs, the tourist, I was Holly Day, the wife of a very wealthy businessman, and Dad and Mum were Chief some hawiian name I can't pronounce or spell and Birdie Putts. It was a very fun evening. We also enjoyed a pre-Thanksgiving Dinner at the Knoblich's home everyone.

Mount Baker Middle School

2009-12-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

Courtney is in the band playing the flute again this year. And also auditioned for the Concert Choir. The choir meets after school two days a week. She has a lovely soprano voice. She was really nervous to try out, but bravely did it. Our fear can so often hold us back. She is very musical and thinks it would be fun to be an elementary school music teacher. One of many career paths she is considering.

Halloween fun

2009-12-13T17:13:00.000-08:00

We have Lauren over to spend the night and hang out to play every few weeks. This time it was the pumpkin carving weekend. They did a great job on their pumpkins.

Girl's Camp 2009!

2009-12-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

Here is our favorite Beehive all packed up and ready for a fun week at Girl's Camp! The weather hit 100 degrees and higher during the week they were there! Luckily there was a river on the property to cool off in. Pat and I did not know what to do with all our peace and quiet!

Courtney goes to work...

2009-12-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

Well, it had to happen eventually. Courtney turned 12 this past March, which made her old enough to volunteer out at Lang's Horse and Pony Farm this summer. She has spent a lot of time there over the past several years attending pony camp and then horse camp and taking riding lessons. Now, she can spend the day helping other little campers with their ponies! She had a great time. She loves animals and children, so this was a perfect fit.

August Brought More Sunshine, Kelsey and Rylee, & a Trip to Leavenworth!

2009-12-13T16:59:00.000-08:00

We played in the sun, did some illegal fishing (we did not know it was against the law to fish the creek in August) Luckily a neighbor set us straight. We ate at the 59er Diner, swam at the city pool, played on the shores of Lake Wenatchee, stayed up too late and ate too much junk!

2009-12-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

2009-12-13T16:51:00.000-08:00

Our new furry friend....meet Rosette, the guinea pig

2009-12-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

She joined our family a couple of months ago after Courtney did her 'homework' and researched the proper care and feeding of guinea pigs. She is named Rosette because she is a 'Rosette' guinea pig, meaning those little cowlicks are called rosettes. She talks to us, 'popcorns' (jumps) when she is happy and is a low-maintenance, and user-friendly pet. She has a crate she lives in and Courtney keeps her in her bedroom. I think of all the pets we have had (I will not bore you with the list!), the is my favorite. Courtney even paid for her with her own money...which is always the ultimate test of desire to own. If she is willing to part with her own cash, she is sincere. So far, we are enjoying this little furry lady and since her life span is 6-7 years, this should be the last pet we have to accomodate!

Josh having some fun!

2009-07-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

Here is the sweetest little guy! He had such a fun time in the pool and with Grandpa Lewis. He was all grins and giggles. We had a lot of fun for the short time they were here. We were sorry to see them go so soon...but it turned out to be a very wise decision for Sarah and Josh to leave earlier than they had planned. Thank you for making the effort, Sarah! We appreciated getting a chance to hang with Josh-man if only for a day.

Brotherly Bonding, Sisters Smiling and Cousins Counting Down...

2009-07-14T16:34:00.000-07:00

The guys played 'Oh, Heck' as introduced by Mark. The cousins had chairs set up and ready to watch the fireworks long before the sun set! So nice to share our fun and games with Lori, Marv, Taylor, Kristen, Mark, Cooper, and Porter this year! We blew through a lot of fireworks, the show lasted well over an hour! Thanks, guys!

Lauren, Courtney and Claire on the 4th

2009-07-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

Courtney chose the matching shirts for she and Lauren. Note the green grass and landscaping at the Knoblichs! They have been working hard on their yard this year!

Doin' the 'Mall Shuffle'

2009-07-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

Cousins at the mall...these tweenagers are all about shopping now! We spent easily an hour in Areopostle picking out a shirt! I just let them take all the time they wanted. In the end they chose cute T-shirts and one for Lauren, too. Fourth of July festivities followed at the Knoblichs.

A day at Lake Samish

2009-07-14T16:26:00.000-07:00

Fun and games for all...thank you to the Knoblichs for the generous use of their boat and fun floatie! Jordan is sporting her bug bite under her eye! Grandpa was tuckered out. A little siesta in the shade was just the ticket for him.

Aren't they a good lookin' bunch!?

2009-07-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jamie and Billy for hosting a fun evening of food and games at their home. Here are 6 of us girls together at one time! A rare and delightful occasion!

End-of-the-Year Piano Recital

2009-07-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

This year's finale recital was held at Lairmont Manor in south Bellingham. It is a lovely mansion used primarily as a reception and small concert hall. Renee Crandall, Courtney's piano teacher, did another amazing job of orgainizing a lovely recital. Courtney earned her Repertoire Award by memorizing a piece of music from each of four different eras of music. This earned her a movie pass! Renee really knows how to motivate and reward her students. Here is Courtney with Renee and on her own next to the grand piano she performed on. Recital was June 16th.

End of an ERA...

2009-06-25T23:56:00.000-07:00

Sixth Grade Graduation! This officially brings to a close my days as the parent of an elementary student! It has taken a while to get here...longer than most! Mr. Ballew was an amazing teacher. This was his first year teaching. (It is a shock when you realize that you have 5 children OLDER than your child's teacher!) He did a fabulous job with a difficult class. Courtney earned straight A's (she is her mother's daughter at least in academics, if little else!) She also completed her second year of band on the flute. She is ready and excited to be heading on to Mount Baker Middle School in the fall! Am I ready??

Night of Weddings...

2009-06-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

The Young Women of our ward provided an activity for the girls and women...Night of Weddings. They gathered wedding dresses from sisters in the ward who let the girls model them and share the story behind the dress. It was a sweet night! Courtney had an up-do! She wore two gowns...one was Aunt Karen's and the other a sister in our ward. She had a little 'help' in the form of a pair of socks to 'enhance' her bustline to better fit the dresses. The girls had decorated the gym as if it were an actual wedding reception, and one of the leaders had made a wedding cake for the dessert. There was a red 'carpet' (red plastic) lined with christmas lights taped to the floor that the girls walked down, modeling their dress as a leader read about the couple behind the dress. The lights were dimmed and a spotlight followed the girls as they each modeled their gowns. This is the culminating event of a recent focus on Temple Marriage in our Young Women's Program. Thank you to great leaders!!

Camp Orkila, Orcas Island, Washington...

2009-06-25T23:40:00.000-07:00

Our cabin was literally on the beach! Primitive as it was, you could not ask for a more beautiful setting. The door faced west...the sunset was stunning. The deer were plentiful, tame, and bravely wandered among the students, sniffing at backpacks for food. We had a cabin of 10 girls and 2 of us moms. Our first night there Courtney threw up at 11 pm. She and I ended up returning home the next evening, a day early, due to her stomach flu. Thankfully the pricipal had come over to spend the day at camp and was kind enough to take us home. The weather was perfect, the food marginal, the company great and the accomodations adequate. I still cannot get over that sunset!

Backyard Football Practice

2009-06-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

Pat maintains he always hoped for a daughter so he would not have to be throwing a football around in his older years...well, he got one of his wishes at least!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-06-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

What a treat to have Ryan and Ruth Ann and their family here for Mother's Day this year! We celebrated with a nice dinner at the Knoblich's.

I save old bread for the grandkids to feed the ducks when they come. This is always a fun activity!

Jacob is amazing on the voilin!

2009-06-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

Jacob and Ryan have been hard at work learning the violin together. Here is Jacob playing a piece of classical music, just one of many he has memorized!

To The Park!

2009-06-25T23:07:00.000-07:00

Not the warmest or nicest of days, but the park is always a welcome diversion!

Yeah!! Jacob, Grace, and Jeffery arrive!!

2009-06-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Ryan, Ruth Ann and the family came to visit us for a few days. And what a treat that was!! We even got to have Jacob, Grace, and Jeffery here all to ourselves for 3 days! We had all kinds of fun. Don't you just love Grace's hair thanks to the static in the air!?? I can't believe I captured such a fun picture of her. And that smile on Jeffery's face, well, he just looks like that all the time. He is the happiest little guy ever! Jacob is getting grown up and independent. He put on the helmet and off he went around the neighborhood on the bike. They were just as good as could be and we hope they end up back hear us when Ryan has completed his schooling next June. By then there will be another little Walker baby to love!

Beehives Rock!

2009-06-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

So, here is Courtney on her way to her first Mutual Activity with a plate of sugar cookies cut and decorated to look like car tires -some are white-walls and others say 'TOYO' on them. (it was shorter than B F Goodrich!) We made the frosting so black it turned everyone's teeth and tongue gray! The activity was car care...they learned how to change the oil, change a tire, and basic maintenance. You gotta go with the theme when you can!

I love this drawing...

2009-06-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my all-time favorite drawings. It hangs on the wall of Paul's home office/guest room. He drew this in Kindergarten just as the school year was ending. The teacher asked them to draw a picture of what they were planning to do over the summer. On his picture she wrote for him "This summer I want to play golf." And the rest, as they say, is history. Every time I see this it brings back so many memories...he even colored his hair red!

Welcome Nora Heather!

2009-06-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

I was excited and delighted to meet little Nora! There is something so amazingly magical and special about a newborn baby. I love the way they smell, the way they cuddle, their little cry, their sweet innocence and complete dependence. She's a beauty and a 'keeper'!

We LOVE the Children's Museum

2009-06-25T22:38:00.000-07:00

Hoping to give Missy a break and a much-needed nap, the kids and I headed to the Children's Museum for the afternoon. We had such a great time! Wandering from one activity to the next, following Miss Halle around while she explored, keeping tabs on the older kids. A little face painting here, a little water play and 'shopping' the the 'grocery store' and tending the animals in the Vet Clinic kept everyone very busy for 3 hours!

Doin'' the Bead Thing...

2009-06-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

Even Matt jumped in on our beading activity...we made bracelets, bookmarks, things like that. And Courtney is just the most fun playmate! She and I had such a great time at Paul and Missy's!

Halle and Nana Hangin' Out In The Car

2009-06-25T22:31:00.000-07:00

Halle and I retreated to the car to get warm during our trip to the park...we are not as tough as the others!

A Little Trip To The Park...

2009-06-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

Oh, the wind in your face, the squeals of delight from happy children, the joy of playing with your grandchildren. Halle kept her hands on her hood at all times. That wind was not going to blow it off!

Happy Twelfth Birthday, Courtney!

2009-06-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

We have a new phase of life beginning...Mutual, Personal Progress, Girl's Camp, and Beehives. Bring it on!

Courtney Turns 12!!

2009-06-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it had to happen eventually...our little girl is officially 12 and you know what that means...Beehives!!! She is loving Young Women and all the new social opportunities is brings. She is also playing the piano for Opening Exercises...some of that time and $$$ finally paying off...this year her birthday fell during Spring Break. So, a Bowling Party was just the perfect activity. Yes, that is a boy at her party. He was the only boy, but he was okay with that. And check out Claire in a pair of my reading glasses. I keep two or three pair with me all the time now! Sad, very sad.

Nana's Little Helper...

2009-06-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

Ry and I have a deal...she helps me work and I let her help me make brownies and lick the spatula! Unfortunately, this usually takes place AFTER her mom has bathed her, brushed her teeth and put nice clean jammies on her. Sorry Mom! (I did put an apron on her, though.)

Looking for a little relief...or at least some sympathy!

2009-03-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here it is, March 9th, and we have more snow!! My little bulbs are trying to come up, but they are staggering under the weight of this white stuff that has been in our lives entirely too much this winter! Oh, it was fun and exciting at first, but now we are all really done with it!! Yet another thing I have no control over! GRRRR....Mother Nature has the last word again.

I Double Dare You (only if you want to play)

2009-02-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

I ran across this tag challenge my cute daughter decided to participate in. It sounded like a ton of fun and it made me want to join. I think perhaps 5 people read this blog, occasionally. I double dare you to accept this challenge.This game involves a few of my favorite things: handmade goods, creativity, and gift-giving. Here are the tagging instructions: The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year. (might be a little while)
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange. The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog.The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

Christmas Eve at home...

2009-01-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

We celebrated a quiet Christmas Eve at home with a simple dinner, a short program and gift exchange. Courtney surprised us with a gift of music. She had learned 'Angels We Have Heard On High' all by herself out of the hymnal and had wrapped a note in a special gift box with the words, "Sit back and enjoy the music, my gift to you." Just brought a tear to our eye and a lump to our throat. She is sporting the new hat Grandpa made her and Pat also has his new 'Husky' hat on. I play 'Mrs. Claus' in my special apron. Quite festive!

We packed up the next morning and flew out on the 3:45 p.m. plane to Utah, leaving Pat to fend for himself for 6 days! Between mixed nuts, a beef stick and 19 James Bond movies, he survivied quite well, thank you very much!

BUILD-A-BEAR...introducing 'Fluffy' the Bear

2009-01-04T19:45:00.000-08:00

Courtney received gift cards to Build A Bear and so, the day after Christmas (the WORST day to go out!) found us at Fashion Place Mall in Utah at the Build A Bear store. We wrestled the crowds and chose items from the picked-over inventory to find the perfect bear, clothes and accessories. Then a phone call to Dad at home in Washington to share our good news.

Joshua's Sealing...

2009-01-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

The day was bitterly cold, the sky blue, the snow deep, the temple crowded with holiday weddings. What a perfect anniversary gift-sealing your precious son to you as an eternal family. Such was our delightful experience on December 27th at 3 p.m. in the Salt Lake Temple with the same sealer who had performed the sealing for Sarah and Andrew exactly 5 years ago. The Lord is indeed mindful of us - aware and involved in the details of our lives. What a special and sacred event I was priviledged to be a part of. Thank you, Sarah and Andrew, for allowing me the opportunity to play a small part in your special occasion. It is forever imprinted in my mind and on my heart.

Some of the people we saw and love....

2009-01-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

Of course, I am terrible at taking lots of photos. My camera and I are rarely in the same place at the same time...so here is a smattering of photos of loved ones we saw while in Utah over Christmas-New Year. Josh has the most beautiful blue eyes and the most gentle and happy disposition! Rylee was my shadow - which I happily enjoy! The 'four on the couch' bunch was just a casual afternoon together.

December 23rd...Christmas Adam

2008-12-24T16:35:00.000-08:00

Season's Greetings from all of us! Thanks to Guy and Melissa for hosting this year's celebration. We had a fabulous dinner, program, gift-giving, and Bunco Tournament! What a night it was! We missed all of you! Scroll down and watch our video...

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

We gathered at Melissa and Guy's for the Big December 23rd Festivities! We missed you not being with us...so, we sang to you!! You will notice the person holding the camera (that would be yours truly) is not seen on this video, but DEFINITELY heard! Youch! Sorry, I did not realize that I was singing that enthusiastically. We had a lovely evening and wanted you to know we were thinking of each of you and wishing you were here to share what has turned out to be a very WHITE Christmas here in Washington!

Saturday night....more snow

2008-12-20T23:14:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing for 4 hours now and the snow is really piling up!!! These were taken with my night setting on the camera...the tree is out back on top of our rock wall. The wall stand about 4 feet high and is nearly covered with snow. Unbelievable!! I like how the light shines through the snow piled on our light post.

And more and more snow...

2008-12-20T23:10:00.000-08:00

I took these last night with the night setting on with my camera

Winter Wonderland in Mount Vernon

2008-12-17T14:29:00.000-08:00

Actual live footage of our blizzard! What an amazing thing technology is!! And now, for your viewing please...

What do you do on a snowy day??? Bake bread!!

2008-12-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

And I have finally found a receipe for 100% whole wheat bread that I like!! Here it is in case you want to give it a try. The recipe makes 2 large loaves. Combine 4 C lukewarm water and 3 T of yeast. Let yeast dissolve and add 1/2 C sugar, 1/2 C potato flakes, 1/3 C oil and 6 C. wheat flour. Beat this mixture with cookie beater in bread mixer for 5 minutes. Add 1 T salt and 2 1/2 to 3 more cups wheat flour. Let rise (it rises quickly!) Punch down and form into loaves. Place in greased pans and let rise again. Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes. Brush with butter for a soft crust. Fabulous with butter and honey! I use hard white wheat. But red works also.

Yup, that's Courtney under there somewhere!

2008-12-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

Courtney loves the snow and when she and Pat took a walk today she decided to walk under any tree branch that could give her a good dusting of snow...hence the snow-laddened head and grin!

Winter Wonderland....

2008-12-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here is what we awoke to this morning!!!

I just love these two little girls!

2008-12-13T22:09:00.000-08:00

These two little cherubs are too adorable and fun! Rylee towers over Claire, but they seem to get along fine. The only trouble is there is only one of me and sometimes that caused a little competition! Claire often refers to me as "my Gail" and Rylee is definitely Nana's girl. Lucky me!!

Courtney's Band Concert

2008-12-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

Courtney's skills at playing the flute continue to improve and expand. She participated in her band concert this past week and it was wonderful! She now jumps back and forth between the piano and the flute at home. It is fun to see her stretching herself and letting her creative side explore new styles of music. How nice to be able to play two instruments...

Ready or not, here comes 52!

2008-12-13T21:38:00.000-08:00

So, it had to happen....another birthday. This time we combined my birthday with our family caroling outing to Retirement Homes...I maintain I was secretly scoping them out for future reference. You know, checking out the food, the quality of the help, the cleanliness of the surroundings, etc. We had to negotiate our way through the 'parking lot' of walkers outside the dining room doorway! They come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Some with four wheels, some with only two. Again, I am checking out all of this equipment now in the event that there arises a need later. Always good to plan ahead! The residents smiled, sang along and enjoyed looking at the children singing. It was very fun!!

Claire and Rylee, again

2008-12-13T21:35:00.000-08:00

Here are our adorable two year olds together and playing in the play house. Rylee (Miss 'I'm the Boss') was in charge and Claire was her willing helper. They were so cute together!

Brother and Sister....Pat and Linda

2008-12-13T21:33:00.000-08:00

Pat's sister, Linda, joined us on our excursion to Retirement homes to sing Christmas Carols on my birthday...we were so glad to have her! She is an excellent soprano. She even joined us for dinner afterward. It was a very fun evening.

Katy and Kelsey unite

2008-12-13T21:29:00.000-08:00

Two beautiful women...
When did they get to be such beauties
When did they grow to be so tall
Wasn't it yesterday that they were small?
Paraphrasing Fiddler on the Roof...
They are lovely!

Mom and Daughter...

2008-12-13T21:26:00.000-08:00

Kelsey and I on my birthday

Ahhhh...warm sheets!

2008-12-13T21:25:00.000-08:00

Rylee bundled into sheets fresh from the dryer after a morning bath...

Gingerbread houses 2008!

2008-12-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

So, here we go again!! Another successful Gingerbread House party! Each year the numbers increase, but as the children grow older, the task is more enjoyable and less daunting to the adults! They created masterpieces with candy and frosting. Each different, each darling...

Rylee loved to play with the one remaining hamster, Princess. And Courtney accomodates her with horsey rides around the house.

Daddy-Daughter Date!

2008-11-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

What fun we all had at our recent annual Activity Day Girls Daddy-Daughter Date. We had dads doing girls hair and nails. That was interesting. Pat needed a little help from a father-of-five-girls dad to put the ponytail in Courtney's hair! I served up a 'gourmet' meal of sloppy joes, tater tot, corn and brownie sundaes. The girls shaving dads (brothers) was a riot! (they left the plastic blade covers ON!) Everyone had a lot of fun and there was a lot of laughing going on! The men were so cute with their daughters.

2008-11-08T14:42:00.000-08:00