“How did it get so late so soon?” -Dr. Seuss

I missed one of the highlights of the summer on my last blog post.  Scott, Patti, Brad and I not just raced, but FINISHED, a half-marathon.  It was a great experience even though I couldn't bend down to sit on the toilet for three days after.  Scott and I hope to do another one.

 On September 13, 2013, beautiful Adelaide Jean Gessell entered the world.  We were able to go back on September 25th and spend 10 glorious days.  She is so cute!  We had such a good time.

 Bryce and Alicia blessed Addy while we were there.  What a treat!

 We made one outing to Mt. Auburn cemetery.  Huge!  Could walk for miles.  This was at the tower looking out over Boston.

 Started and finished a quilt in just a couple of months.  It was for Kathy Jacobson because she left Vernal and moved to Glendive, Montana, which is much more out of the way than even Vernal is.  We will miss her and her family.  I obviously work much better when I have a deadline!

 Brock came and spent a month with us, hoping to work while he was here but not doing a lot of that.  He drove to Vernal and then a week later we drove back to Mesquite for Thanksgiving.  It was a very nice weekend, even though  Dayton's death made the mood a little somber. Glad that Dave was able to come down also.  Just had to get the picture of Brock actually doing some house work.

 Then everyone came back for Christmas.  We had them all for a week.  After we picked up Brock from the airport on Christmas Eve, we went to dinner and then walked around Temple Square.  Back to the airport at 10 for Bryce and Alicia.  We were so lucky that everyone's flights were on time.  After a quick stop at Denny's, we headed home.  Made it about 2 a.m.  Adelaide was the perfect guest while she was here.  She likes some people better than others.

 The Burts drove out here for the Christmas party . Alicia spent the day before they came making a birthday cake for Halli.  It is from Monsters High.  The cake was so cute and more importantly was delicious!

 This is how a lot of the time together was spent.  A puzzle - with a wager.

The girls at the hotel - loved having everyone here.  I hope that my next house has a little larger family room.  Now I know why we do everything at Patti's house.  

 Got an early start on Christmas gifts in 2013.  Finished this afghan for Alicia probably in the spring.

 Finished this one for Bryce on probably December 23rd.  Loved doing them.

Didn't do much for this little girl for Christmas this year.  But already have ideas for next year - this is going to be fun!!  Making plans to go back and see her again hopefully in the spring.  Grateful for technology that allows me to look at videos over and over again and see pictures of all the cute things she is doing.

THE SUMMER IS DONE

Could be a long post - beware.

Had a great month of June.  Got together with the cousins at Lynne's home near Tremonton.  Bonnie and Margie came up for this - how great is that!  We ate and visited, played some shuffleboard and tried to play some tennis and visited some more.  Poor mom, she took the brunt of the teasing - we joked that now she knows how Tandi feels. 

Vicki and Bonnie

Chris and Bobbie

Lynne and Patti

Margie and Bobbie

 

I got a picture of everyone except Mom!  Hope that we can do it again.  Would love to have us all go to Austin!

 

The next week I came in to see Alicia while she was in Provo.  We had a baby shower for her and I took no pictures!  She had us laughing so hard about her skinned up knees and her bumping down the stairs on her rear end.  Then we were off to St. George for our Tuacahn trip.  Took no pictures!  We saw Mary Poppins.  It was okay.  Kind of long.  But the trip was a lot of fun.  We missed having Alicia with us.  And someday we hope to get Tracie and Mackenzie there. 

 

The month of July was spent hovering over Scott while he worked upstairs CONSTANTLY!  But we have a beautiful bathroom and carpeting now.  I love going up there.  Have some finish work in the bathroom and then we can start something else on the list.

 

Then it was off to Denver to see Brock!  to see the Rams!  to have some time away! 
Stayed with Troy and Tracie and had a scrumptious dinner of spaghetti and bread salad.  She can make the mundane wonderful.  (Saturday breakfast was pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes, Sunday morning was breakfast sandwich bagels and cinnamon rolls!)  They were very good hosts.  Those kids are so much fun to be around.  Picked up Brock from the airport - loved seeing him in his cowboy hat and boots.  Went to Denver Biscuit Company for lunch - highly recommend.  Then off to the science and nature museum.  Then on to the game.  Beautiful stadium, great company, great football, beautiful downpour, nice opposing fans, I loved every minute of it.  I hope I can go to the Rams' stadium sometime. 

 

 

 

I hope my next post has baby pictures!

 



Funny story

Scott goes to the temple early Friday mornings and refuses to drive the Sundance.  I forgot and made appointments to visit later in the morning (I refuse to take someone else in the Sundance) and needed the car.  I asked if he would take the Honda and then I would come down and switch the cars and he would only have to drive the Sundance home.  He agreed but said I had to park the Sundance in the other parking lot away from the temple.  I did and parked it as far from any other car that I could.  He got out of the temple and found the car in the middle of the parking lot in a weird spot and wondered why I would park it there.  He got home and here is a message that was on his phone:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bmbnf0qupdnwurb/Voice%20001.mp3

We got a good laugh.

(okay, my phone is weird.  When I open that link, it comes up with Saturday morning general conference as a background but plays the correct mp3.  I have deleted Saturday morning conference download from my phone because it would start playing just randomly at any time.  Even after I deleted it, it still just starts playing randomly on my phone.  And now it is showing up on that mp3 download.  Kind of weird.  And yes I want you to be impressed that I was able to use that link.)

Must be Spring!  Our neighbors are back!

We've gone from this (studs), to this, new shower fixtures, sheetrock and orange paint.  I love to paint!  I just hate the prep work.  Hopefully, a couple more coats today and that part is done.  And then we get to tile!

And this is what I enjoy doing most right now!

Think in your mind the song from Phantom of the Opera, "Point of No Return"

That's where we're at now.  It's not as exciting as it used to be - I think because we are older and I more realize how much work there is ahead of us - and the front yard is calling to us.  We were going to keep the vanity but after pulling it out, it is cheap and would not look good were we to put it back in with everything new.

 These are carrots that Reta Allred gave to Scott that she dug up a couple weeks ago.  We have a 5 gallon bucket full of them and a box full of them.  These two were more than we could eat for three meals.  I put the peeler there so you could see the size.  This isn't even the largest one.  She is amazing.

The garage door is in.  It is wonderful to drive up in a rainstorm and push a button and pull into the dry garage.   It has been years since it broke.  I can't remember it even working.

Lots of crocheting and even lots of sewing.  Can't show pictures yet.
Spring is here and it is gorgeous!

Spring has sprung!

The weather is absolutely beautiful.  The snow is about gone.  The yard is in shambles.  Scott is completely dejunking the garage and things are all over the driveway.  Spring is on its way.

Had a fun day with all the girls at Gardner Village.  Definitely helped the winter doldrums.  I'm good for a few more weeks.  

 Block 2 completed.  Learned to make yo-yos and use freezer paper.

Got a good start on the quilt.  The fabric is beautiful.  Looking forward to using the circle rulers.  Looking forward to the reason I am making the quilt!!!!

A little late, but finally got the quilt done for the Halling baby.  We got it quilted in a couple hours at Cousins' Day.  Love those ladies.  

 Windows are in.  Love, love, love them.  They look great with only grid on the top half.  Between not having the grid on the bottom and having clean windows and screens, it looks like a new world out there.  Can't wait till spring to just easily slllliiiiiddddde open those windows.

 Block 1 done of the Halloween Block of the Month.  Did some paper piecing for the first time.  This is going to be a lot of fun.

 (The pictures are chronologically backwards from how they used to log into the blog.  Just when I thought I was figuring stuff out ....)  This is the one lighthouse, supposedly, that we saw when we went to see Brock.  You can't get to it and the light is on the other side.  Brock also has one right there on base but we didn't ever find out where it was.  Next time.

We spent one afternoon in Santa Barbara, a walk along the beach, and rented some bikes and rode down the beach trail.  It was a beautiful trip, leaving the deep freeze behind and being able to see Brock just before he left.  In Port Hueneme where Brock is stationed the beaches are incredible.  Didn't get many pictures, the wind was blowing so hard we had to keep our backs to the wind because of the blowing sand.  He is right near the Channel Islands Harbor or something.  Can't wait to go back again and spend more time there.

We stayed on base at a hotel that used to be barracks.  There were two adjoining bedrooms and one long bathroom with a metal stall.  It was old but you get what you pay for.  It worked out good for Brad and me because we had a t.v. in each bedroom so he could watch ESPN as much as he wanted.

I didn't keep a picture of the ruffled scarf with the Sashay yarn that I knitted with Jodi's help.  I gave it to Elle, hope it doesn't fall apart.  I also am making progress on my crocheting skills, but can't show what I'm doing.

I just remembered where my other pictures were - how could I forget this!  We hitched a ride with Vicki and Bret and did California Adventure with Jer and Kenz and the kids.  It was so much fun.  They are such great kids - and I include Jer and Kenz in that.

 Waiting . . . and waiting. . . and waiting . . . for the Cars ride.  Grandma Vicki was waiting patiently with the two little ones.  After that great day, Brad and I rented a car (a VERY small Fiat) (did you know that some cars have either a manual or automatic transmission? I didn't know that until we got on the freeway and it wasn't shifting, thank heavens Brad was there.)

 This is the beach five minutes from Brock's base.  You can't tell how windy it was.

Definitely want to spend some more time there.