Scrapbook "Retreat"

Allyson, the "Queen of the Crop," wearing the birthday tiara Sydney was playing with...

For the first time in ten-and-a-half years there was no Pine Valley retreat this fall. My dear friend, Kimberly, who organizes it all broke her ankle severely, which required surgery and a LONG recuperation period. She is also busy building a house in Utah which is taking all her family's spare time at the moment (it is SOOO close to done! Very exciting!) (And, luckily for us, it's a SECOND home. They won't be moving there permanently for quite a while yet...)

So! When Dad, Maddie, Brian, Susan, Tyler and Aubrey went to Fairview this past weekend, I decided to stay home "alone," watch General Conference, and SCRAPBOOK.
Allyson, Sydney, Little Ally, and Loretta joined me and we had a great time. Even David came and hung out with us a little. (He worked on my laptop. We couldn't convince him OR Loretta to actually scrapbook...)

I scrapped from 5pm Thurday to 6pm Sunday, only breaking to go to dinner Friday night and to walk around Art in the Park for two hours Saturday afternoon. It was a LOT of relaxing enjoyment...Little Ally took the record-she scrapbooked 24 pages. Allyson made a darling calendar and some cute cards, Loretta read one-and-a-half homework books and I came QUITE CLOSE to finishing Amy's scrapbooks, made some cards, and started my Disneyland book with some cute layouts. Julie was there for the last three hours after a camping weekend with her friend and she did some scrapping too.It was ALMOST as good as Pine Valley. At least I don't miss it quite so much now...

A Real Man

(In order to remove myself from Julie's scathing "need to update" list I have set a goal to post every day for a week. It's a busy week, so we'll see what happens...)

So I've been thinking a lot about my husband. I know a lot of people think he is a grumpy old man sometimes, but don't you agree that it takes a REAL MAN to go out in public like this?? I'm so glad he is a worthy priesthood holder who isn't ashamed of the values and commitment it takes to be a Boy Scout leader. And of the uniform...

And don't you agree it takes a REAL MAN to immediately come home from work early to hand dig a grave big enough for a 14-year-old deceased cat when you call and tell him you are dealing with a houseful of upset children? (I may be in trouble with Maddie for posting this photo. She didn't think it was respectful to take a picture during the "service." I felt I needed a record.) (And shhh...Please don't tell Boulder City zoning what we have buried in our backyard...) I'm so glad I'm married to a man who takes fatherhood seriously and takes the time to meet his children's needs.

And look at this cutie. Doesn't it take a REAL MAN to look just as good in his working clothes...


as he does in his pajamas...?

... or as he does all dressed up for a wedding??

I'm so glad I'M MARRIED TO A REAL MAN!

The Great Pumpkin

Jeff insists I must post this picture on my blog. He took the picture and he laughs uproariously whenever he sees it. I didn't want to post it because I look old and fat, but...if the shoe fits...

So! This is the one that got away! This is the pumpkin I WANTED to bring home from Francisco's Fruit Stand in Fillmore, California last week on our beach trip, but alas, even I could see the wisdom in not spending $65 on a pumpkin, so I got the slightly smaller version instead!



You'll have to admit, this is a pretty good pumpkin too-all 123lbs. of it! (That darling little Sydney in her Halloween clothes is pretty darn cute too!)

Goodbye, Cleo

Last week, our crazy fluffy cat, Cleo (aka: Mon Kitte Le Bouf)(aka: My Little Kitty Poof-head) passed away at the age of 14. We rescued her from the pound when she was just a little kitten. We couldn't resist when we walked by her cage and she reached her little paw out to us through the bars. As you can see from her picture, she was long-haired and very fluffy. She looked much fatter than she actually was, because of all that fur. She started out a very friendly cat, but due to an overabundance of torment from the BOYS in the family, she ended up being kind of a skittish cat who preferred the great outdoors to the comforts of home. After both David and Brian moved out, she would occasionally deign to reward us with her presence, but her affections were few and far between. She loved Amy and Maddie though, and liked to sneak in every night to sleep with Amy. (She was a little confused when Amy traded her bed in for a hammock last year. Cleo was forced to sleep on the floor underneath during her sleepovers!) My favorite thing about Cleo was the funny positions she would get herself in when she came to visit. She would walk regally into the family room in that nose-in-the-air, tail-straight-up cat position that seemed to shout, "Hello everybody. I'm HERE!" Then, she would promptly throw her self on her back, relax totally, and splay her legs in all directions. It looked so funny I always wondered how she could possibly be comfortable.

I will miss her rubbing against my legs and letting me scratch behind her ears. I'll miss her purring and her quiet presence. I'll miss her big black eyes and her sweet pyramid-marked face. I'll miss you, Cleo.

Where, oh where can our Jimmy be???

Jimmy at his birthday celebration at Grandma D.'s in July.

Two long months ago Jimmy, Ally, and Sydney left on their road trip to New Jersey for a working vacation. After a series of road adventures they made it to Jimmy's brother Michael's house and settled in. Ally enjoyed visiting with Michael, his wife, Rhonda, and their daughter Alexa for three weeks. We enjoyed her blog posts about their experiences "back east." Then Ally and Sydney came home, while Jimmy stayed to keep working with Michael. He's STILL there!

We miss him!! While on a trip these past three days, I had trouble getting to sleep one night. I lay in bed thinking about all the things I miss about Jimmy. Here's my partial list. The "Top Ten Things I Miss about Jimmy" (in no particular order.)

1. His smile and contagious laugh.
2. His conspiracy theory conversations (I never thought I'd say THAT!)
3. The way he holds and rocks Sydney.
4. His standard answer when you ask him what he's up to. ("Oh, just relaxin'.")
5. His hugs whenever he greets me or says goodbye.
6. The way he takes such good care of Ally and Sydney.
7. The sparkle in his pretty green eyes.
8. His friendliness with the guys in the family.
9. His willingness to come to boring family parties and do the things we want to do.
10. Just having him around and knowing we can see him whenever we want to.

I miss you, Jimmy. When are you coming home???

Fall is here!

Proof positive that perhaps I will never "grow up..."

Do I have a good sport for a husband or what??? How many men would let their wives change bedspreads and sheets to match the season? And how many men would sleep easy at night covered with witches and pumpkins?

I just love fall, and this ensemble goes on at the first hint of autumn. The sheets and pillowcases have witches flying on broomsticks on them and it just makes me happy to see the bed like this...

Summer used to be my favorite season. I love having the kids home, going out on the lake, taking trips to Disneyland and the beach, and having a much more relaxed schedule. But since we moved to the desert 18 years ago, fall became my favorite season...

Fall means the kids are back in school - for long enough that I am used to having them gone again. Fall means the hot summer weather is ALMOST over. Fall means the three seasons that make summer bearable here are just beginning. Fall means the season of fun, fun holidays is starting...Fall means there will be piles of leaves to jump in, gardens that MIGHT actually produce something, flowers in my pot that might actually stay alive for more than a week. Fall means we can drive to Utah and see the leaves changing color. I can burn my favorite Salt City candles and feel cozy. I can make stew and cornbread for dinner. I get to wear socks inside the house. I can think about putting flannel sheets on the beds soon. I can put my Halloween, November, and Christmas bedspreads on! Fall is definitely my favorite time of year.

Father-Daughter/Granddaughter Campout

I am sitting here, home all alone, listening to the rain pound down...wondering how Jeff, Maddie, and Julie are doing up on Mt. Charleston. It hasn't rained all summer (seems like, anyway!) and tonight, for the Father-Daughter campout it pours! I'm hoping an hour away and that high up it is NOT RAINING! (Or snowing...) I was looking for pictures of previous Father Daughter campouts, but I have no digital ones. Pictures from the stake Daddy-Daughter Date (September 2006) were as close as I could come.


The theme was "50's" and these guys looked the part.


Maddie and Julie give Daddy/Grandpa Jeff a "shave" and a new "hairdo."


Some serious "swing dancing." Note the slicked back hair on Dad.


The traditional "on the Harley" photo. After seven years, we have progressed here to the point where Dad actually lets the stake do the pictures on his OWN Harley instead of renting one for them to use...He's so funny. He even laughs about it himself now.