Slight change of plans

It's still going to be the trip of a lifetime, just a little closer to home! With Matt getting married in Arizona instead of England, we're planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Four Corners, Zion's National Park and a couple of other national parks that I can't think of right now. Oh yeah, one of them is Arches. We visited it very briefly 2 years ago but it was *very* brief and I would like to go back.
Oh, and we'll go to the wedding, too! Now if we just knew when he's getting married. . . . . . . . . .

Happy Birthday to me!!!!

Well, I'm another year older. It has been a quiet day. Brian is out of town and they boys didn't realize it's my birthday until late morning. I wasn't expecting anything so there was no disappointment. :-) Brandon did make me a cake and after a suggestion from my sister, Judy, we had it for dinner!!! Can you hear them singing "Mom is great, gave us the chocolate cake!"? (sorry, a Bill Cosby routine reference)

Mini vacation!

Brian is working on a big project in Big Sky, MT. He took the company's 5th wheel up to a campground and parked it for the 10 weeks that it will take to do the rough in. Brandon went up with him this week and worked hard. He's very excited about the paycheck he's getting. Being the good boy he is, he has mentally taken out tithing and missionary fund money first and still has a good amount to play with.
I took the other 3 kids up on Wednesday for a mini vacation. The campground has a swimming pool that they loved!!! I enjoyed sitting on the sidelines reading a book. On Thursday, Ronan and Isabeau played on the steps into the pool and Jonah was out in the deeper water. I suddenly looked up in the middle of reading a sentance. At first I didn't realize what I was seeing but that lasted about 1/2 a second. Isabeau was floating/flailing out in the pool!!! I yelled something (I don't know what) and started for her. There was another Mom in the pool who was closer and got to Isabeau first. She handed Isabeau to me on the side of the pool. Isabeau coughed for a minute and looked a bit surprized but other than that, she seemed to be fine. I'm the one who had a slight heart attack!!! After I made sure she was all right and held on to her for several minutes, Isabeau went right back to the pool and played in the water. No permenant damage done. Thank heaven for the protection she had!! I didn't go back to my book and didn't even bring it to the pool on Friday! Once was enough for me!!
Other than that excitement, we had a quiet few days. It was boring and wonderfully so!! Brian was ready to come home for the weekend so instead of staying through Saturday, we came home Friday evening. Everyone is a bit sunburned despite the slathering of sunscreen they all got but not so much that it hurts.
We're looking forward to heading back up there several times in the next couple of months. I'll remember to bring a few board games and other things next time. And I'll remember to bring my shampoo, conditioner and soap home so I don't have to go buy more the next day!!!

Owwwwie!!

Brandon had a float trip with the youth yesterday. He used sunscreen but forgot that it washes off in water! His legs are sooooo red! Having been through numerous sunburns myself over the years, I know exactly how much it hurts! He couldn't even put long pants on. Thank heaven for that lotion stuff that has lidocaine in it!!!

Trip of a lifetime!

WAHOO!!!!!!! My youngest brother is engaged!! His fiancee, Ruth, is from England. They are getting married in England in September. I've always wanted to go to England (and Ireland and Scotland). Guess where we'll be in September??!!!!!! Of course, we're just going for the wedding.

Our Family

Our family portraits. Taken December 22, 2006.

Isabeau and Jane

Jonah, Brandon, Brian and Ronan.

Our beginning

We have finally succumed to the peer pressure of posting on a blog. We don't talk to family and friends on the phone often enough so I thought this might help keep everyone up to date.

Life is as busy as ever. Brian is in town for now, the boys are out of school for the summer, I'm busy sewing, knitting, washing laundry, and all the other day-to-day things a Mom has to do!

Brian thought of the title. He wondered why I was setting up the blog. He decided it was peer pressure after talking to our brother-in-law David about the blog he and Melissa write.

We'll see how long it lasts.