I'm doing it without help!

I'm at work and it's slow, so I decided to see if I could actually add things without help. Hopefully it works. Yesterday we had a huge wind and rain storm. Our internet here at work went down about 3:30 and at 4:30 we lost power and phones. So i closed the office. The power was off all over and I didn't expect to have power at home, but we did. AMAZING since we lost power twice this summer for no apparent reason. There were trees and branches down all over. As I turned to go up the hill a big branch was half way over the hill. I was sure glad it didn't cover the complete road or I would have had to walk up the hill. It wasn't far from where Dad parks his truck. He was lucky it didn't hit the truck. Today it's been pouring down rain and thundering and lightening. Right now it's just dark and cloudy. Winter weather is already here.

Spring

Spring

Jen, Spring and I went shopping and Spring choose to get a little tea set. So we had to have a tea party. One morning I was getting ready and was using electric curlers, she was very interested in them and had to try them out. This morning she asked me if I was done doing my face. She is sure interested in make-up.

Smiling Sammy

sammy

Sammy woke up to early one morning and was having a hard time. Jen had put him back in his crib. It wasn't long before Grandpa had gotten him up and had him on his lap. Sammy just laid in Grandpa's lap for the longest time. When he was ready he got off and started to play. It's amazing how a little one on one attention in a quiet place helps calms them down.
Since his birthday is close and we won't be here for it we gave him his birthday present. We got him a little train and a truck. Him and Thomas had fun playing with it together.

Mary

mary

Mary is such a sweet little girl. She is very calm and easy going. Spring had gotten some new panties and had put them on over Mary's diaper. She said it was to hide Mary's diaper. Mary is beginning to crawl and scoot. She is content to play on the floor but loves it when the other kids come and play with her.

Baskin Robbins

The kids were excited to take us to dollar scoops at Baskin Robbins. Mary loved getting tastes from everyone's ice cream. After ward Gary took the boys home and they played. Jen and I took Spring and Mary to the Taste of Home demonstration. Joel had a service project for YM's. Everyone had a fun but busy night.

Baskin Robbins

Grandpa teaching Thomas to play the piano

Thomas really wants to learn to play the piano. Tuesday night Grandpa helped Thomas learn some finger exercises and about the different kinds of notes. Thomas was so excited to show us all he learned the next morning.

thomas and piano

Fun Times in California

Here are some pictures while we were in California. While we were in Petaluma we went to the Nature Park for a walk. Thomas and Spring saw a pond and wanted to skip rocks. So, Grandpa and Great Grandpa went ahead while we stayed to play at the pond. Spring was going back up to get another rock and ran into the mud which is adobe. Her shoes stuck in the mud and her feet were covered to her ankles in the muck. I went to get her shoes and almost got stuck myself. I carried her up wondering how I was going to get her cleaned up. Thomas found a bathroom so I took her in, sat her on the sink, washed her feet, and cleaned her shoes. We decided it wasn't fun to play in the muck. So we went on a walk on the path and saw birds, kyackers, and just talked hoping to catch up to the grandpas. After about an hour we decided to head back to the car to meet them there and they were already there. They had come back the other way. Thomas and Spring both wore Great-grandma's sweatshirts because we didn't bring jackets.

ca trip

Walk to the Park

Friday morning we went for a walk and Spring rode her bike. We went to the park so the kids could play on the swings. Spring and I collected leaves for a wreath.

Weekend get away

Last weekend we decided we needed to get away for the weekend. We stayed in the small town of Arlington. On Sat. we drove to Darrington and Granite Pass. We saw parts of WA. we had never seen before and enjoyed driving around. Sat. afternoon we decided to head to Levenworth. As we drove through Steven's Pass we enjoyed seeing the colored leaves. We hadn't thought about it being a 3 day weekend and couldn't find a place to stay in Levenworth. So we ended up driving to Wenatchee and staying there. Sunday morning we went back into Levenworth and looked through the shops and spent the better part of the morning there. Then we drove back to Edmonds and caught the ferry back home.

Just for you, Alanna

Dad found this cup in Levenworth and thought of you.

Extreme Home Make Over

On Sat. Sept. 22 we were invited by Keith Cash (one of my clients) to go to Kirkland to watch them build a home for the show "Extreme Make Over - Home Edition". He owns Abacus Home Furnishings and was going to be working on the home. Since he was doing that he had VIP passes to give. He called and invited us to go so Dad and I decided we'd go. We got to Kirkland about 8:30 and stayed until about 11:30. We got a ride from the home base to the actual building site. They had a tent for the VIP's with chips, apples and drinks available for us. It was fun and interesting to see all the workers and volunteers working in such a small area. We saw Ty a couple of times. He was actually pretty calm and very personable to everyone there. Dad was in hopes to see his hero Paige (the one who wears the pink tool belt). No such luck!

Ty running by as he is checking up on things.




Plans for the finished grounds

Dad's first homemade pie

One Sunday Gary decided that he wanted to make a homemade pie. I helped him peal and slice the apples. I also had pie dough in the freezer that he rolled out and lined the pie tin with. Other than that he did it himself. It's quite an accomplishment for someone who doesn't know how to cook. It turned out delicious and ready to share with Ron Miller, when he came to home teach later that day.

Girls Week in Utah

Mom, Karen, Kim, Alanna, Jen, Mary, and I all met together in Utah in July for a week. We stayed in Draper for a few nights and then headed to Grandma's house for a couple nights. We went to the Joseph Smith Building to watch the new Joseph Smith movie and had lunch there; went to the Peppermint Factory, Gardner's Village, shopping at IKEA (and of course, lunch there too), made cards and bracelets, and just enjoyed being together. Mom had her walker at IKEA and wore us all out because she just kept going and didn't need a rest. Jen found a rocking chair at IKEA to try out as she nursed Mary and took a short nap.

Vettes for Vets

The GOCC, Tacoma and Seattle Corvette Clubs, met at Retsil Veterans Home to give the veterans rides in their corvettes. We also gave gifts and money to the veterans.

vettes for vets

We are starting

We are moving into the 21st century. We will see how long we stay here!