Idaho in the Fall: My sista's house

To begin, I just want everyone to know I'm back!!!!.........maybe. I've been on strike from blogging life for too long and hopefully I can get back into the swing of things. I really have missed being in the "know" with my friends and family.

October 25th weekend, I flew up to see my sister Kristin near Boise Idaho. It was the weekend of my grandmas 90th birthday party, and my sister was having her little girl blessed on that Sunday. The funnest part (if funnest is a word) I didn't tell her I was coming, and I came without my kids (Thanks Mark for all the hassle, and Dave). I just showed up at her house Friday morning. I think her initial reaction was shock, but once that was out of the way, we had so much fun. Then I held my new niece for the first time. She is so cute. I forgot how little babies are. So sad. Anyway, so those sibling of mine who haven't seen Elise, here is a picture of her.

I really enjoyed playing with my nieces and nephews. I wished we lived closer together so that seeing each others families about 3-4 times a year wasn't the norm. Of course we started out with a Costco run...actually I had a Mt. Dew run before that, but really what is life without Costco? Anyway, when we triumphed over Costco, I took lil' grumpy Clara to get her ears checked out. It was fun for me to have one on one time with her. I may have been some martian aunt to her but I really cherished that time she and I spent together. She had ear infections in both ears which explains the grumps. By the time I had to go, she was so cute and happy and smoozing eveyone...mostly the kitties.

That night we went to Maddisons play and then we met Dad and Brenda after for a late evening snack at Red Robin.

Saturday morning, Randon decided to show his "holy" face.

It was really fun to see him. We missed him at our reunion so it had been a while. Saturday morning Dad, Brenda, Ran, Cache and Lauren went golfing with the McKee clan while Kris and I went shopping (which is always fun when your with your sister). When we came back we headed up to Grandma's party (about an hour north west of Boise)....fashionably late of course.

My Grandma and her grandkids.

I really enjoyed talking with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course Grandma. For being 90, she sure has more mental faculties going than I do. But the best part about the party was the heart-to-heart I had with Randon on our way back to Kris's place. Ran and I have had these talks through out the years, probably since high school and I always feel so understood and I feel like I get to know Ran so much better. Thanks Ran.

What's Saturday night without "Apples to Apples"


Sunday was the baby blessing and of course good food afterward.

Maddi and baby Elise


Lauren and baby sis


Best of Friends vs. Worst Enemies


Dearest Hannah


Dad and Brenda


Baby Elise and her wonderful Mom and Dad


The Whole Family

The trip went by too quickly but it was so worth it!

Movin on...

Not sure if anyone cares, or knows.... but Mark is no longer employed at Merrill Lynch.  He and a group of 9 resigned from the firm a week ago Friday and is now working at Morgan Stanley in Palm Desert.  It has been a crazy week, strangest market in 75 years and allot of raw emotion out there right now.  Last night, I was talking to Mark and I asked him if he thought it was worth all the work and effort and his response was simple and to the point....  "My only wish is that we would have done it sooner".      Mark loves a good cause and a challenge he feels that Morgan Stanley gives him a shot at both.   He is working long hours and he comes home with stories that are fun for me and the boys to listen to...    They seem to be doing better then what they or Morgan Stanley expected so that is always good.   I know that all of the guys liked their boss over at Merrill quite a bit, but in they end they all chose to do what they thought was right for the people they care most about.  Thought and prayer went into everyones decision so that is comforting. 

Mark warned me that it would be 3-4 months before things are back to "normal", but that is OK, it is fun to see Mark and all the guys enjoy themselves so much.  

Summer Mancatoin 2008 SPEARFISHING

Anyone who knows us, knows of our Winter Mancation.... We now have new annual trip..... SUMMER MANCATION! 

Lets start with who came..... 

Russ Jackson 

Mike DDD onld SON

Rizzz 

Davie T 

JJ

Shattuck Lammmm

Mark T

This is the first place we went.  There is a 300 foot cliff below that we had to scale down on ropes with all our gear.  It was alot of fun.   

 

 This is Riz and Shad getting food in their bellies before the hike.  They both love to eat... I think Shad is a 40 C and Riz is a 42 D cup? 

This is the spot of our camp site the second and third night.  It is called the secret spot and we are sworn to secrecy as to its location.   Shad will not give up the location for anything less the $2.00.

Russss loves to strike a pose.... he said that it "proves his manhood"?

Who needs tie downs?  I do not understand why Mexico is still considered 3rd world?

What do you call 7 guys in a SUV?

Russ was looking for something 

The next few pictures were a special moment for our trip.   It  started off with Mike D (AKA Gob) going into the Mexican outhouse.... This outhouse has to be in the top 5 dirtiest places on earth.   Shad thought it would be funny to keep in there for as long as possible.   So we all started throwing rocks..... 

One of the Rocks went through the wall of the outhouse.... they just dont build them like they used to.     

Mike decided to take offense to being hit by a 5 inch rock.  I though the picture below was uncalled for.  

Zoom in and you can see Mike  have a change of attitude once he understood that Shad was only trying to add ventilation to the maggot infested john. 

This was our sunset view...  

In the end there were only minor injuries and that means it was a great trip!!

Wanting to believe, but.........

McKee is a great kid. He wants to believe in Santa, the Tooth fairy and Leprechauns. He wants to believe for two reasons, the first reason is the benefit that he gets out of this "game" his parents play with him. The other reason is how much fun he has doing it. We found the bag with his tooth under his pillow with hard hitting questions for this "fairy".

The questions McKee has for the Tooth Fairy are....

• What is your name?
• What do you do with the Teeth?
• Are there other Fairies?
• Where do you get the money (to give to the kids)?
  

Mark had answers... I wonder if he will still wants to believe? (on a side note, who has better penmanship and spelling)?

When Mckee found this note in the morning, he knew when he read the word "hippo" that his dad wrote the note. He now knew for sure that his dad was the tooth fairy (never thought of Mark as much of a fairy). After a few minutes of deliberation I broke down and told him the dirty secrets all of us parents keep from our kids..... He smiled, walked out of the room and said to his dad, "Mom just took all the fun out of the holidays". Mark asked Mck if he even believed in Santa and he said "I knew it wasnt logical, but I wanted to believe".
I feel like a mean mom...

Lukie

I just returned home last night from Idaho and Utah. Mark flew up to help me drive home and help with the kids during the long drive. As with any family trip, a little bit of bribery goes a long way in keeping kids under control. We stopped at Flying J on the way home, and McKee found what he "has been looking for, forever". He used up his money and the bribery funds, and purchased a fake Letherman $10 pocket knife. Luke knew of the rule that he could not have a pocket knife until he was 8 years old, but decided that he wanted one as well. Mark told him that he would have to wait for 3 years before he could have the "responsibility" of he tool. He looked at if for a minute and then presented his plan. He would not open the plastic package until his 8th birthday. Mark thought it was so funny he let Luke get it. Later that night, Luke woke up and said. "I am so excited" we asked him why and he said. "Dad, its only 3 more years till my birthday".

I think it is safe to say that Luke is a patient optimist.

Memories

1. As a comment on our blog, leave one memory that you and I (or you and Mark, McKee, Luke or Logan) had together. It doesn't matter if you knew us a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.  Responses might be delayed because I am traveling.

Brothers

Summers are great!! It is lots of fun to see our boys become good friends (not to say they cant become bitter rivals in the blink of an eye). McK and Luke have been good pals for a while, but now Logan is wanting to get in on their little gang. There are a number of years between Logan and Luke, but dont tell Logan, he thinks he is one of the boys.

I put in some older picutres of McK and Luke. It makes you wonder how many things they will see together growing up....

Three little monkeys!! Just have to Love em!

Obi-Wan vs. Superman and the strongest super Hero is..... The oldest of course

They both were hoping that a shark would eat one of the other fish....

I cant dance like Shad Lamm, but who can??

This is Logan pretending to be one of the Big Boys

Luke loving his role as a big brother

Mckee told Luke that "I will protect you if they turn this plane on"

Mark is standing behind McK

Mck is always proud of how fearless Luke is holding bugs and lizards..

This is their favorite hobby.... except maybe catching lizards

The Boys love a big Joshua Tree

Mck and Luke at the Grand Canyon... Logan was almost in the picutre