Water woes.....

I really love a good rain storm [thunder and lightning are a plus] but NOT when it is soaking the ground at the corner of my house; seeping into the downstairs bedroom and saturating the carpet and padding. We discovered this 3 rain storms ago. We figured out that the gutters and rain spouts are worn, bent and broken...so, during the 2nd rain storm [ago] Steve rigged up a funnel system with a tarp and bricks that worked well...at least we didn't get water in the basement:) We eventually had to move the tarp and bricks to mow the grass that was really high due to all the extra water in that spot. So, yesterday, we were running errands and got home when it was pouring down rain again. We had to rebuild the system during the rain storm....we were drenched to the skin....but, again, not basement water:):) Notice the rain pouring off the roof??

The overall solution to the problem is to replace the gutters and rain spouts [a mere $1000 is the current bid] AFTER we pay to remove the neighbor's cottonwood tree that is responsible for the gutter damage in the first place! [ a topic for another blog...]See the Peggy-made river I've created on the side of my house??
To reaffirm...I love well placed water such as this: just not water in my basement:)

Hello, hello, could you speak up, I can't hear you very well..........

What's that? you want to speak to my Grammy?

....well, she's really busy taking pictures of me right now, it's her favorite hobby of late....

Here, let me shout at her to talk to you.....BYE BYE NOW!

Jack's 1st Birthday

What a fun day!
Amazing how 1 little kid can make so many adults act so silly...
It was a FUN day
Too bad Jack was so tired....he really didn't appreciate the "cake" part
but it was profitable for him in the toy and pants department!

Well, at least somebody loves the winter!

So this is Fisher chewing a toy, in the snow, in our backyard. This was taken during the Christmas holidays. He was in his harness and had just pulled Keralyn around the yard on a sled.
Fisher LOVES the snow. I am glad it pleases someone because I am getting tired of it. It's not so much the snow.....I love pretty white snow [when I don't have to be out in it].....it's the dreary, cloudy, lack of sunshine that I am ready to be done with. I have felt sick more this winter then I remember from other winters and I am sick and tired of being sick and tired! There!
Hurry up spring!

Christmas at Grandma's and Grandpa's

Merry Christmas 2008. Due to the weather, we decided not to go up to Ogden on Christmas Day but, instead, made the trek on Sunday Dec 28th. We had a superb dinner [which Grandma kept apologizing for b/c it was leftovers, but we loved it!] The kids played extensive xBox and Grandma and Peggy even tried their hands at golf! Afterwards we went into the living room and sang Christmas songs and took pictures. A good time was had by all. We love you, grandma and grandpa.....thanks for being such wonderful grandparents!

Blessings at Christmastime!

I know, I know....update your blog already! I could try to convince you all how busy I am, but I know you are all busy at this time of year, so I won't sport with that idea.
The idea of this post is to share some precious photos with you. As many of you know, Justin, Tabitha and Jackson came to live in my basement on Dec 3rd. This is Tabby and Jack's 1st Winter in Utah and we seized the opportunity yesterday to expose Jack to 'snow'.
He wasn't too keen on the wind...or other aspects of Utah weather as you will tell by the photos.
Justin built him a snowman with a 'snow-hawk'. Jack did not help with this endeavor b/c he refused to touch the dreaded white stuff and making the sound 'oooooo'

He was only outside a few minutes....let's hope he gets used to this stuff and learns to like it in the future b/c they plan to live here a very long time!






Last Saturday was a special day...Stephanie went thru the temple for her own endowments.
It was a bitterly cold day but warm on the inside. We are SO excited the she will be part of our family and we are excited about THIS Saturday as well!



We decorated our tree and front room for Christmas. It was fun to have so many helping hands. it went so smoothly with Jack and Steph [newest members of the family] putting the star on the tree.
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year everyone. Hug all your family and friends and be grateful for the abundance of blessings....I know I am grateful!

oh, the knee!

This is what happens when you get "old". You realize you have enjoyed way too many rich meals without the proper amount of exercise to balance the caloric intake/caloric expenditure ratio. You join the local recreation center so you can spend your evenings exercising instead of watching TV and during a 2nd round of leg presses.....rip.....there goes the meniscus in the right knee! It hurts to just walk....much less to exercise. So, now I am having surgery on Nov 10th. It is a scope and I will be off work for 3 weeks....coming back just in time for Thanksgiving:) Don't plan on my playing ball that day.....I'll just be content being fashionable and smelling good!