Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Improving the Blog

Ok, so I am finally improving our family blog! You have to go on facebook to view the photo now. I haven't learned how to put them back on this site yet....Sadie helped me add some music hope you like John Rich, Diamond Rio and Barbra Streisand (wierd combo but that is just me wierd). Sadie is so darn smart. She has moved in with her grandmother till the end of June and has begun working on her senior project, first by installing her printer and ordering her digital player and both are having its issues things are so exciting in Orderville! Well they are now that Sadie lives there.....



Josh and Chiu-yi had a wonderful exhausting and uplifting week as Josh was Elder Bednars translater for 5 days while he held meetings in Taiwan, Chiu-yi was able to be part of it and shared some of her feelings. We are excited Luke begain his new job this week and seems so happy and excited about the change. Janna and the baby are doing well and expecting he/she birth in 6 or so weeks. Benji is moving back to Pasadena from Stevenson Ranch and will be able to move forward on his movie distributing. Sarah and fam are great, we didn't see them for over a week and both babies grew, honest I could tell. We measured Scott and Dan R and Scott grew since they were here last YES taller than Dan now! Just imagine Stone Rusty and Van when we see them next. Danny's college in Mexico is shut down for a week due to the Swine flu he is suppose to come home in just a couple weeks we hope the boarders or airports aren't shut down and he is still able to head home the scare with the swine flu seems to be overboard but it did start in Mexico. Scott is planning on driving to school tomorrow for his first time now that dad got the Caddy working again and got oil added to the engine that some how leaked out without a leak. He smoked two wild Turkeys for Uncle Steves family last week and they turned out wonderful other than he ran out of propane in the middle of the process, then the smoker didn't heat up enough and he was up all night watching and getting it up to speed so it would turn out perfect for Uncle Steve which it did. He got first place in the CDA Bow Club he and his dad are part of. One of the youngest or probably is the youngest. He is Mr Deadeye. Sam is down to only 2 track meets left, his season is very short. His last meet was so cold I thot I'd freeze plum to death. Two blankets, and 3 layers of jackets wasn't enough. But I said last post I wouldn't complain......hummmmm he did the 4x2, hurdles and long jump. When he does the hurdles he looks just like Luke perfect form, just like a gazelle.

Dr Dad/Robin Hood is good, busy sacrificing for his family and dreaming of going turkey hunting on the weekends. He got the fruit trees prunned this weekend. The lawn needs mowing if it would quit hailing/snowing. This yard is a very sorry sight. I have worked for hours and you can hardly tell. Thanks to those precious deer I didn't have to thin out the ivy on the house just trim it down. All deer should really be in freezers, they are back feasting on the Lees buffet and doing just outside our bedroom windows......stupid 4 letter I mean 4 legged animals....

Bucky continues to be a dog, new name Buckless. He still won't let me out of his sight as he does his outside chores. He does love his walks each morning and sleeps a good couple hours afterwards but continues whinning the minute Jim walks thru the door. They both are such whinners, cute whinners but still whinners...

I am headed to St George/Toquerville to my great niece Teryns wedding the middle of May. When she has her first child. I will be a a very young great great aunt and mom will be a very young great great grandmother in her 70's. It will be great seeing all of my blood relatives and getting caught up on their lives. Hard to be so very far away.

I am planning my next trip to Ireland a year from July just told my sweetheart and hoping he is supportive and counts this as my hunting trip for 2010. For you interested in going to this Ireland reunion let me know, we need a number of those going soon .....so start saving up the bucks. This is a reunion of Gma Blackburns Blackburn family and seats are limited. We fly into Dublin, spend a night and day there then head to Belfast where we stay and do day trips. We went a few years ago and it was such a wonderful experience.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Yep,it is!

Yep, I believe it is spring! Here is Booboo wearing her Easter dress day and night....Spring is so welcomed, we all are so sick of the snow and rain and wind and whinny people! Oh yes I am one I admit it no more whinning on this issue.

We have been home from Hawaii 2 weeks and it now seems as if we never went. It was a great time, finally downloaded my pictures today to remind me . Planning our next spring break the day after we got home.

I hope today we can remember those that lost their lives 10 years ago in Columbine High school. We need to remember their families and friends that are still dealing with that horrible day.

Not much new happening at the house. Bucky is doing good until Jim comes home. I am walking him 40 to 45 min each morning sometimes at night. (not Jim but Bucky) He is jealous of Jim and whines when he is around. Still peeing on the boys shoes/socks when they take him out, not sure how to work on that one any ideas? Sadie is headed to Orderville to work on her paper/project and living with her grandmother for a time. Danny will be headed home from Mexico if he doesn't get employment there for the summer. Josh and Chiu-yi will be here in June for a short time. Janna and Luke are due with baby number 4 the first of June. Luke quit his job and is now training for his new one but still living in CO. Scott takes the driving test today and hunting for Turkey Toms that don't fly away. Sam is doing track and had his first track meet last Thurs. Benji is in CA working on his projects, he found out they did show his Christmas movie 12 times on PBS last Christmas season. They weren't going to till this Christmas. He sells them on his blog. Sarah had a birthday and loved her gifts! Pink Nano and my cousin Bryon made her a violin, yes a violin to keep in the family for hundreds of years. It is just incrediable. Brought some tears to a few of us when she opened it up and began playing it. I have been looking for one at a garage sales that people didn't know was precious and worth alot, never found one but this is better than I ever could of found. Yes my girls are spoiled. But so are the brothers in different ways. Hope I updated all the kids, I have so many I sometimes forget someone. Oh Jim is good, turkey tom looking with Scott ALL FRI and SAT.... working hard and thinking of doing yard work one of these days. Paula, (me) is great, I judged a Jr Miss on Sat. so hard but a blast, great way to keep Alzhimers away! Enjoying reading again with my Kindle!

Time to get the yard into shape and it will take many weeks, fertilizer and blood sweat and tears today is a beginning.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Home again Home again

We made it back to Spokane at 8:00 AM this morning, the only thing lost was sleep, that red eye is a killer but no luggage lost, no delays (hardly anyway) no airplane crashes no sicknesses, no ER visits this year and the sunburns were slight and gone by day two. The weather wasn't hot but nice, wet, sunny, and windy, changed about every 2 minutes. It did seem to rain chickens tho where ever we went, not cat or dogs. I yet again marked off another bucket list entry this one was "Doing a Zipline" not only one zipline but 7 that day. It did get easier but wow that first walk off was a killer, it took me several minutes of deep breathing to let it loose but this old lady DID IT! What have I got to loose but my life? Tomorrow with some help we should upload some phone video of the big day! Well 10 days actually. Now it is time to try and get caught up on those missed hours of sleep.

I am thankful for many things tonight. My husband and our children, our parents, siblings and grandchildren. For Dusty and Angies wonderful news. For Kyla that missed her Bamma and told me over and over again, for our home that didn't burn up tonight (ask Jim about this one he has issues with pyramainia) for the Savior and the Atonement, for his birth (happens to be His birthday today). For Sarah turning 27 tomorrow and how exciting that birth was. For Conference we were able to see and hear at the strangest hour and wearing the strangest clothes in the church but we heard it, for good friends and good neighbors. For the warm sun that shone its face on Dalton Gardens today after it has been gone for months it seemed. I told ya all I'd bring it back from Hawaii even tho I sent it back a day earlier than we returned. Just a few of the things I am thankful for tonight.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

The Bucket List

Wow, what is that white stuff in the photo? We haven't seen it for a week and forgot the name oh SNOW! I remember now....we are suffering in Kauai HI on spring break without that white stuff, I know someone has to be on vacation. I don't quite understand while the rest of you aren't here but I am glad you're not! Well I do miss Booboo and Carson and Stone Rusty and Van would make this trip a hoot but maybe someday they can join us and maybe even their parents....

I have been marking off some of my bucket list this trip. I actually went scuba diving with the boys. Well I think I made the instructor nervous so he didn't leave my sight. We saw lots of fish and turtles and I lived. One you get the breathing pattern down things are enjoyable. We kayaked 2 miles up the river yesterday with Landon Cox then walked/hiked and slipped 1 mile to a "Secret Falls" we swam in the cold pool and went under the falls. On the way back we kayaked to "The Fern Grotto" after the Hurricane 17 yrs ago it took all the ferns so now there are only a few left in the grotto but it was still beautiful....wished I'd gotten to see it 17 yrs ago...hummmmmmm Today or tomorrow is the "Zip line" if I can let go and take the first step. At least "Chicken Paula" is willing to try rather or not I let go. We saw a Monk Seal on Poipu beach, not many of them left. We see millions of chickens and roasters so sick of them, after the Hurricane 17 yrs ago they went wild and multiplied and replenished. Even at church one old prideful roaster went walking by the outside doors thinking he owned the place. I don't think you could go hungry on this island. We met up with our friends the "Bob and Darla Cox's" that live here. Bob hooked us up with Kayaks yesterday and lent his son Landon for the day. We have missed them allot after they moved. We met their little girl, she is beautiful and looks like her mom and dad with curly blonde hair. The boys are all grown up. They are grandparents now, Chris has a beautiful little girl.

Well off the PC, back into the condo for pineapple and juice, have been sitting out on the huge desk listening to the birds and smelling the smells and catching ya all up on the Lee happenings! Hope you appreciate the sacrifice.