Hello again!

Finally, Hello again,
It has been so long since I wrote I had forgotten how to even get on my blog!
Needless to say the "kiddos" are growing up! Rori is 13 years old, Kayleigh is 11, Connor and Ryan are 10, Joshua is 9, and Elly is 6 years old! They all are the delight of my life!
We didn't go to Arizona this year as I was diagnosed with bladder cancer which began a new journey of Faith with God. I am presently having chemo and will have surgery sometime this summer. I already have seen God's hand at work in my life and others.

I almost forgot I had this blog so I think it is time I wrote a note on it. My grandchildren are really growing up fast and are still as enjoyable as ever. Rori is 12 and will turn 13 this year. She is becoming a beautiful young lady and is a delight! Kayleigh is almost 11 and also is a delightful young lady. Connor and Ryan are now 9 years old and Joshua is 8. Elly is now 5. Wow, they grow up so fast! We look forward to each time we can be together with each of them. They keep our minds active and I must say keep us younger! They all have a great time coming to our house and being in the forest. They love building forts out of the bushes and trees and this summer we are planning to build a "little house" with them, with real wood, windows, a door, and who knows what else. They can each be so very creative! We spent Feb, March, April and part of May in our motorhome on our trip to Arizona. It was a lot of fun as we took about three weeks to go, time there, and another three weeks to come home. During the summer we really enjoy staying around our home here in Washington as the summers are very pleasant and we feel like we are camping, being in the woods etc. All is well with us and we are looking forward to this coming summer spending time with family and friends.

Summer 2010

WOW, where did summer go? I blinked and it was over. We started out the summer by a GREAT camping trip to McIver Park in Clackamas, Oregon on the Clackamas River with Peggy, Ryan, Elly, Jerry and myself and our motor home along with Peg's two room tent. Ryan caught his first fish, then 5 more and we cooked and ate them. He was so excited! Have had the grandchildren out to our house several times and that is always so much fun. Ryan has made a hideout in our woods, Jerry put up our TP and riding the little ATV we have is always fun for them. The end of July Jerry had a bike accident involving a dog nipping at his heels which caused him to swerve and lose control of the bike and he went over the handle bars and onto the road. He shattered his elbow, injured his arm, had to have surgery with screws and a wire and is still recovering with physical therapy. That put an end to any traveling to the lakes nearby with the motor home. And that is where we are presently. He is better and is able to drive the motor home some, so we are planning a trip to the Oregon Coast next weekend with our neighborhood friends with motor homes.
The grandchildren are growing like little weeds and are such a joy to us. Seems like we never can see them enough, but school and life in general does get in the way!! So glad they are all nearby and we take the opportunities as they come.

Hello from Sunny Arizona

Here we are in AZ in our motor home on our lot in Happy Trails, Surprise AZ. We have had a good time here in the southwest. Did some touring in the Tucson,AZ area which was quite spectacular! Spent time in Quartzsite AZ visiting friends and exploring the desert in their ATV which was one of the highlights of our trip. We enjoy going to various lakes here in this area. Lake Pleasant, Bartlett Lake, Saguaro Lake, and along the Apache Trail out of Apache Junction east of Phoenix. There are several lakes on this road. One of our favorites is Canyon Lake. We will be leaving here around April 22, 2010 and heading northeast to Moab, Utah for about a week, then on to Zion Nat. Park to meet our neighbors, Mary Jo and Rick from home. We plan to spend 4 days with them looking over that area, then head northwest toward home. Should arrive near the end of the first week of May. I am certainly missing my grandchildren!! I am thankful that we can Skype with Elly, Ryan, and Peggy, but that is just not the same as giving them all big hugs. It has been a great trip so far and wonderful seeing all the many friends we have here in Happy Trails.

A new year means a new post! WINTER!

Wow, time sure goes by fast! Here we are in 2010 already. The grandchildren are growing up so very fast. It is such a pleasure to spend time with each one of them. They are each so special in their individual ways. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to have all six of them close by at the present time. Jerry and I also have some changes in our lives. Jerry is now the young age of 70. We had a family party for his birthday and his sisters came from Kennewick, Wa, and Eugene, Or. as well as all the family here in the area. It meant a lot to him. I finally retired from my job as Community Pregnancy Clinic Director in December. They had a dinner for me and it REALLY did mean so much to me. It was a very special sendoff. I still do some volunteering on occasion if needed and still teach the childbirth education classes. So, we are both really retired now. Soon we will be heading south to Arizona for a couple of months in our motor home. I always miss the grandchildren so much I am more than ready to get home. Our winter only consisted of one snowfall so far. I'm getting ready for spring already. It won't be long now. Will try to post again in the spring when we get home from Arizona.

Summer 2009

Finally, here I am and ready to post again. It is the end of July and it seems like much has been going on this summer. I can't believe it is the end of July already. The biggest event this summer is my daughter, Kathleen and her family moving back to Vancouver, Wash. So now I have all six of my grandchildren in the area. I am now working on getting a new and updated picture of Grandma in the Trees and all six grandchildren. I am soooo happy they are here. We also spent five or so days camping at Swift Lake with Peggy, Ryan and Elly. We took our motor home and Peggy had her two room tent. A great time was had by all. Lately we have been trying to keep cool in the latest heat wave of 107 degrees, and it has lasted about 4 days above 100 and now is starting to "cool" into the 90's. I never thought I would look forward to 90 degree temps here in the Northwest. I continue to work part time as director of the Community Pregnancy Center in Camas. Really do enjoy my job!! Someday I am going to have to think about retiring. Tomorrow I am looking forward to spending time with my two granddaughters, Rori and Connor. I may be a bit prejudice, but I sure have wonderful grandchildren, each one is so different, yet so very special to me.

Time Flys By

Wow, it has been a long time since I have written--March seems like eons ago!! We had a great time in Arizona, left there the end of April and drove to Iowa via Denver where we stayed with Tom and Diane Buckner. Tom was the best man in our wedding and we have known them for years and years. It was a great visit, but it never seems long enough. We then drove through Nebraska, and on to Iowa to visit Jerry's aunt who turned 100 in April. Mom was also there and we had a really fantastic time with the family there. We then headed across country through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington and finally reached home. As the saying goes "there is no place like home" and it has been so good being here. Travel is wonderful, but home is home! We were able to see the two grandchildren(and their parents)in California and now we are anticipating a move for them to Vancouver in early August. That will sure be a blessing to have them all closer. Now I am back into the "swing" of things, back to work at the pregnancy clinic, and doing the day by day routine things. At present I am getting use to a new computer since my old one is really tired and oh, so slow. Since I am not very techy this is a challenge for me. Elly, Ryan, Rori and Connor have all grown since we left in February. They are all individually special to me and it is good to be with them again.