Our trip to North Carolina in March was so much fun.  It's hard to believe that Addy has changed so much already.  We read, and we read some more.  We went shopping at the outlets, and we went to Duke Gardens.

He was a very willing reader.

She had her moments, but not very often.

Duke Gardens

Duke Gardens

I decided I needed to hurry and do this post before next week when she comes because this four months has made a lot of difference.  She was just starting to talk while we were there.

The kitchen cabinets were finished.

 The fence was finished, although this picture does not show that.

And now it seems we have come to a screeching halt on the house projects.

Brad came out one weekend and we went to Fantasy Canyon.  I think it was over Easter.  

Then we hit the camp mode.  

Scott's work had a camp at Red Canyon around June 12th.  We tried out our new tent that was still in the box from a year ago.  An 8-man tent is plenty big enough for the two of us. I have missed camping.  I enjoyed the pond while Scott rowed us around in a canoe.  We saw turkey vultures and a crane.  

Helaman's Camp was on June 25-27 and Scott was over that.

Girls' Camp was June 29-July 3 and I was lucky enough to be Stake Camp Director.  I was also very lucky to have an artist for a neighbor.  Wendy painted the ship.   It looked really good and was worth all the work.

  

I was so grateful that no one else from the ward (other than the bishopric) volunteered to come up (every ward was to have one brother there all week, they came in shifts) and so Scott felt obligated to come.  He spent that first morning setting up the ship, I would never have been able to do it without him there.  We put him to work teaching water purification.  

Girls always gotta dance.

We quilt, even at camp.  Four quilts will be donated to the local Women's Shelter.

We did a really great service project while we were there, Days for Girls.  We are very fortunate where we live and what we have available to us.

During the month of June I was trying to finish up the quilt I was working on for the Lindsay Family Reunion.  It will be donated for a raffle.  I had some help with the blocks and some help with the quilting.  I got it off the frames just in time for camp.  

And last but not least, last week Scott was asked to speak at High Uinta Scout Camp so I went along for the ride.  I have never been to scout camp and it is probably good I didn't go while the boys were going. It was Thursday evening and it had been raining Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  There were some families up there with small kids, which surprised me, and they were running around, riding bikes down the dirt road not caring in the least that there were cars around.  One little kid was so cute, he stopped just in front of me on his bike and I looked at his feet.  He had ziploc baggies over his feet inside his shoes.  I'm sure dry shoes never smelled or felt so good when they got home.  There was a scout walking down the road to the amphitheater barefoot.  It appeared to me as if the dads were in charge, but maybe that is an unfair generalization - or maybe not.  A stark contrast to my week spent at girls' camp, especially with it being Heber Valley Camp where the rules are so strict about long pants and always having shoes on.  

This is dad speaking as the boys would head out for the honor trail.  

That is the last few months in a nutshell.  

I have never worked so hard on anything before as camp.  And I really enjoyed it.  It was good to be busy.  And I'm glad that Scott was busy at the same time and still able to help me as much as he did. He never questioned all the things that I was doing - he'd just go with it.

Now if we could just find the time (maybe it's the energy) to work in the yard....

Tales from the Webb

I'm excited that I finally got a blog post done in Tales From The Webb.  Hope it gets faster or I'll be right there with my ancestors before I get a handful of stories done.

Work is going well on the kitchen.  Almost half done.  Taking a break this week to see that cute Addy.  Can't wait to listen to her talk.  Pictures to come.

New Year 2015

We had a great visit to Durham in November.  Brad met me there after he attended a conference in Baltimore.  Thank heavens Alicia took some pictures while we were there because it doesn't appear as if I got the camera out much.  We did go take family pictures for Bryce and Alicia at the Duke Gardens.  We were on Addy time and it had been raining so it was muddy.  We tried to take as many as we could in a short time.  Brad would run around behind me trying to get her to smile.  As you go through the pictures fast, you can see her moving her head following Brad.  Luckily, she is so cute, we were able to get a few for them to choose from.

Alicia took me to a plantation not far from home - the oldest one in North Carolina.  Not large but still has original buildings including original slave quarters.  It was a fun place to visit.

We ate at the Cheesecake Factory but Addy wasn't at her best that evening.  She was hungry, we had to wait, she was just starting to learn to drop her food onto the floor.  They put us in a corner of the restaurant, it was probably a good thing.  Bryce says that was her worst outing.  I love being able to just laugh about it and look forward to taking her again.

Christmas was fun and pretty quiet.  So glad that Brock was able to come for a few weeks.  Brad made it a couple days before Christmas.  We have all become Duke fans by default.

Then it was on to the Burts for the Christmas bowling bash and party afterwards.  The kids are all getting so old and fun to watch them play together, even with those who came a long way to visit.  Mom and Dad should be very proud of their great family.

NEW YEAR - NEW PROJECTS

A monthly embroidery project for a full quilt at the end of the year.  January - DONE.

Needed a house project during the long dark nights of winter.  So we're experimenting with painting cabinets.  Starting on the laundry room.  If we like it, it's on to the whole kitchen.  I have to be done by April because the yard will be calling.  Here's the before --

Got to see Brett as the final missionary grandson returns.  What great young men all of these grandsons are.  (The granddaughters ain't so bad either!)

Could it really have been this many years ago? (May 2001)

It was turned the right way when I loaded it!

1/3 OF A CENTURY

Got the quilt off the frames.  A sense of accomplishment after four months!!

(I need to figure out how to change the direction of pictures and remember to turn off my flash when I am taking a picture of a picture!)

In 33 years, we have gone from this...

 to this ....

to this...

To this - 

Pure awesomeness.  Can't wait for another 1/3 century.

Might be overload on the pictures

Just getting started painting the house - May 2014

This was the second section we did.  The scaffolding was great.

This was after I couldn't stand watching Scott on the ladder on the roof any longer.  We rented the cherry picker.  I felt better.  Before we had rented it, we had added an extension onto the brush and were trying to reach the top of the trim above the window.  It was comical and didn't look very good.  This made it look good.

The ladder on the roof was used to paint the side of the second story eave.  It would lay on the roof which was too steep to step on and he would just use it for footing.  The scaffolding was up one more story than when we painted the garage.   It seemed pretty dangerous to me.

The after picture.  It looks beautiful.  Probably hard to tell but Scott really did a good job on it.  And we can tell a huge difference.  Never again.  I have learned that I don't want another two story house that requires painting or a house with a lot of trim.

Vicki and Lynn came out for a weekend and helped us get started on the yard.  Lynn and Scott worked on the stop and waste valve, finding it and fixing it while Vicki and I had fun planning.  Sorry to say this is where the yard work has stopped.  We haven't had time to get back to it.  

In May I went back and did some grandma time in Boston.  No sightseeing other than in Harvard Square and some good food and walking around Harvard and visiting Walden Pond.  Just got to play with Addy.

We got to have everyone in Vernal in July.  Had a great time.  Red Fleet Reservoir.  Loved the paddleboarding, especially Brock in his levis.  Addy loved the water.  Hard to believe in May when I was in Boston she wouldn't even sit down in the bathtub.  She screamed. 

Family fun with the Burts on July 5th.  Brad built a large Kerplunk game.  Didn't get played much but we'll use it some time.  Took a family picture that turned out pretty good.  We're a casual crew, no matching outfits or anything here.  This was even taken after the kids had been swimming.  We missed Jeremy and Mackenzie and family and Brett but were grateful for all the others that made such an effort to get there.  We have an awesome family.  Celebrated a little early Mom and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary.  They've done good.

Gettysburg

Wright Memorial Park

Flew to Boston for our 6th and maybe final time.  We got to move Bryce and Alicia to North Carolina.  Scott and Bryce worked their tails off and probably 5 pounds of water (sweat and humidity) loading the truck.  Had a great drive the first day.  Got in a traffic jam just before the George Washington Bridge in New York - 40 minute for 5 miles.  I loved it!  Went on to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to spend the night.  Scott and I did a quick tour of the battlefield.  Hard to believe so many lives were lost in this one area.  Shoved Addy in the bathroom in her pack 'n play to get her to sleep for the evening because we were all sharing one room.  She fell asleep well and had to bring her out a little later when we were all ready for bed.  I think she had a long night.  The next day it felt like a quick drive to Durham.  Scott and Bryce again worked hard to unload the truck and then we spent a day trying to get a few things unpacked.  Scott and I headed off to see some new country.  Went to Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks and saw the Wright Brothers memorial. Went to the beach and did some swimming in very warm water.  Gorgeous beach.  Then to Currituck Lighthouse and climbed to the top. 

On to Bodie Island Lighthouse.  This is a national park and the ranger did an good tour.  Again climbed to the top.  That same day we decided to head south on the Outer Banks and take a ferry to Ocracoke Island for another light house.  We waited for about an hour and a half for the ferry to take about 36 cars for a 40 minute ferry ride.  

Ocracoke Lighthouse.  The National Park Service owns the island except for Ocracoke Village.  Lots of shops, restaurants.  Had some great food at Jason's and then got back in line for the ferry back.  Not a very long wait for the return trip.Ocracoke Beach.  Miles and miles of it...

The next morning we made a stop at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  I never thought I would make it to this lighthouse, never thought there would be a reason to be in NC.  It is a very massive, impressive lighthouse.  You can see me at the bottom.  Another hike to the top.  Three lighthouse hikes in three days.  My legs were doing pretty good by the last one.  

On the way back to Bryce's we hit Roanoke Marshes Light in Manteo.  That was a beautiful little town.  Then as I'm driving and just as Scott is falling asleep I see a sight for another lighthouse in Plymouth.  Quick detour and we saw the Roanoke River Lighthouse.  It was closed.  I would have liked more information.  It looks like it was moved across the sound onto private land at some point.  

 This was our new best way to travel.  Hope we can do it again!  I think Scott's new career could be hiring him out as a traveling babysitter.  He would climb in the back whenever Addy needed entertaining and keep them both entertained.

We made it to the Durham and stretched our legs while they went and got keys to the apartment.  

Bryce took us on a tour of Duke.  Duke Chapel.  It is a beautiful campus and city.  Can't wait to see more.

Our last night was spent at the Durham Bulls Ball Park.  We took turns taking Addy for walks.  It is a beautiful ball park and only a few minutes from their place.  

 We were glad to be back home but I'm already thinking of planning another trip out.
Scott's workload at work has increased dramatically for the next few months and some of our outdoor projects are going to take longer than we had hoped.  We've started painting the shed.  I'm hoping and hoping that we can make some progress on the yard.  I'm ready for a place to go sit and enjoy.

What a great summer!  Hope to pack a few more fun things in before it is done.

Simba's annual bath.

Bryce's preschool video