I Love Summer!!

Thanks to the great advice of a friend I love the flowers around my house this summer. All you need is a bucket, a round drill to make holes, trailing petunias, soil, miracle grow, root and bloom, epson salt, water, water and more water and great lessons from a master grower!

Salmon, Idaho

Everyone has childhood school day memories. One of mine was loving Idaho History in the 4th Grade with Mrs. Catmull. That same year our family went on vacation to Oregon and my dad stopped at every historical sight along the way so I could read about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Sacajawea became a fasination. Probably the first "thick" book I read was Sacajawea. It's one of the only books I've ever read more than once.
Several years ago Salmon, Idaho opened the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural and Educational Center. It took me a few years but yesterday my friend Susan and I took a drive and enjoyed visiting the center and a great visit for the day. It was well worth the drive and also helped me check off one more thing on my summer bucket list. Thanks Susan for going on my little adventure with me. True friends are those who you may not see everyday but when you are together it's just like it was yesterday and you pick it right back up. A day very well spent!

Relay for Life

At 6:00 pm Friday, June 25th we started participating in our local Relay for Life. What an experience! We want to give a heartfelt thanks to the family and friends who joined us in walking around the tract and also those who participated in our #33 Jace's Blog Auction on line. It was a fun time and I can't believe we made it all night until the closing ceremonies at 6:00 am Saturday morning. Cancer is such a ugly mean creature and I found it hard to really believe how many families there were there with their survivors and also paying tribute to loved ones who weren't there. I truly am thankful for the research and strides in the medical field that have helped us be there for Jace and the success he has had in his treatment.

Thanks family and friends!

Happy Easter and Spring!

A new twist to an old idea. I've made these carrots before using orange slices but saw this new idea of using Cheetos. Kind of a cute new twist to the old idea. The blog I found these on is called sistersstuff.blogspot.com and is so full of cute ideas.
I'm so looking forward to spring. Having gone to Boise a couple of times in the last little while and then to Utah with the tulips and daffodils up and blooming I really really want spring. We've already been to baseball games and even saw a fun donkey basketball game. We've had some fun family outings going to Keegan and Hayden's basketball games, State Basketball Tournament and we are looking forward to baseball and horseback rides and sun, sun, sun, soon, soon, soon! I'm also looking forward to listening to general conference this weekend. It so seems to renew my resolve to try to do better. Oh!! I have a new love...wonderful (non clothes eating) beautiful white Maytags!

Yeah for "girls" weekends!

Last weekend my sister, Tamra, her daughter Brittany and my grandaughter( the favorite one) headed to Utah to meet Tamra's daughter Nichole and my daughter Megan for a "girls" weekend out. We went to a scrapbook expo, shopped, saw a movie, ate at a number of different places but loved PF Changs and talked and talked and had so so much fun. We missed the girls who couldn't make it and plan on doing another outing soon. Oh, we also took along a new friend named Tomisina and really quite liked the directions she gave!

The Shoot Out Barn

During the month of January our family highlight was an overnight stay at the Shoot Out Barn near Ashton, Idaho. Our friends the Wadholms invited our family to have a family night. We played games until the early morning hours and ate and then ate again. It was such an enjoyable time and we thank our friends for the special time!

New Year, New Resolve and Hopes

Here I sit trying to catch up on the blog I have so long ignored. My guilt is not so much for not sharing all that has gone on in our lives the last couple of months but that I haven't expressed my thanks for the many blessings in our lives. We have a wonderful family, great friends and neighbors that watch out and care for us. Kortney calls everyday to check on us. She is our "glue" that keeps us all knowing what each other is doing. Each of our family has their own special little place in my heart. All of us have been so blessed by the many acts of kindness that has been shown to us especially since September. We appreciate good doctors, medicine and above all prayers and love. As I sat in the funeral recently of a friend and listened to a little grandaughter "belt out" a song about families I am so very thankful for eternal families and that I truly know I can be with mine forever.
What a year this has been! I really can't believe what an old age I became this year. I thought people were pretty well washed up at my age. Somedays I do feel a bit washed but I do believe there is still a little kick in this old lady. I've had new experiences I wished I hadn't had and lots that I'm glad I did. Thanks to everyone for what you do and what you mean to me. This holiday season has been filled with seeing my family show the true spirit of giving and the love and hope it brings to them as well as those they have given too. I enjoyed a little trip with my sister and lots of fun family gatherings. My wish for the new year is health and happiness for each of my family and our friends. Thanks for the love you have shown me this past year!

The Past and Present Letterman Jackets

We weren't too sure who was the proudest guy on Christmas. Paul was pretty proud that the blue jacket arrived on time. Kyler was so proud of his letterman jacket, the football and bar pin and Matt was just plain proud that he knew where his was and that he could still wear it! I have such handsome guys!

We always find helpers working on shoveling snow for us. It was a special day when Jace was the one outside with the smile shoveling away! We won't tell how you got to our house okay!!! Thanks boys for being grandpa's helpers.

What a fun surprise I had when I went to pick up a helper to deliver Christmas gifts for me and I was greeted by a happy cute elf. He was such a hit. Everyone wanted to know how I got him to dress up...but he just came that way! Thanks for helping me Hayden, it was special to see the smile on that cute face as you did service for me.

Grandma loves the special time she gets to share with Jace. He beats me at Uno and Sorry, but we come pretty close on the Six Number Writing dice game. He is finishing his 3rd month of treatment and we're thankful for the good doctors, medicine (even if it is ruff) and the success he's had. He's a special spirit with a special brother, dad and mom, aunts, uncles and cousins.