Some Summer Fun

So I have been out of work since June 10.  I took on a project that has taken me close to two months to do.  I started in one corner of  the house and moved to the opposite corner - cleaning and throwing out or putting in the "yard sale" pile.  I did both the up stairs and basement  of the house and then moved to the shop.  I took 4 pick-up loads to the dump and we donated 4 pick-up loads to the boy scout yard sale.  I have lots of room now for more Junk.  :) 

But that is really not FUN now is it?  Satisfying but not fun. 

My fun was with Grayam and Georgey.  I took them to Triple Play. The videos from my phone won't download to this so you have to put up with these snap shots.

I took them one at a time.  First Grayam - we  did Lazer Tag, Grayam beat me - then he climbed the wall, a little panning for Gold or rather pretty rocks, and bowling.  Now it has been 10 years at least since I have bowled and I still got a score of 132 - I about pulled my arm out of my socket and talk about sore but I did it.  We had fun.   Then Georgey and I did about the same except we did 18 holes of miniture golf instead of bowling.  And Georgey panned for arrow heads instead of rocks.  We were going to drive the go-carts but Georgey was 1/4 inch too short.  Totally unfair but next year we are going to drive.  Back to Mandy's for some Gibby time and dinner.  Was a fun day.

Then Matt and I took a really long trip.  All the way to Wallace, Idaho.  We didn't want to be in the car all day and we only had Friday night to Sunday night.  We toured the silver mines, went up the Gondola in Kellog and hiked around.  Been a long time since we have been able to get away for a week-end.

 Learned a lot on this tour.

 Only critters we saw.

 One view

 Another view

And still another.

I do like the view from on top of the mountain but sometimes I don't like the trip to the top.

Was a fun few days - tomorrow is surgery on the knee - not so much fun.

Why did they talk me into this?

I drive a bus for Athol Elementary.  At the end of the year the school has a talent show - I wouldn't call this talent but the kids laughed.....

Darren Darren Darren

What can I say except that my baby has gotten married.  It wasn't as hard to accept as Darren graduation high school or going off on his mission to Hong Kong.  I figure because he hasn't lived at home in 8 years.  The only child that didn't get married here at the Spokane temple.  We went to Denver.  One very crazy fast weekend.  The best part was of course being there to witness the wedding but a close second was to see all my kids together.  My only regret was that there wasn't a late night card game.  Some of the highlights.....

 Learning the new camera - should have used the flash - oh well

 The day before the wedding

 All my favorite children

 Just out of the Temple into the cold snowy weather.  Only married for about half an hour.

 The "parents" picture

 On the stairs at the chapel.

 "I remember having to put up with all these pictures - so glad I never have to do that again"

 All the brother and sisters.

 Cake - yum!!!!

 Girls never get silly - well, not like boys.

Me and Lucas - Troy kept telling me to "go away" - The joys of living to far away.

Wish I had passed the camera around a bit more.  I wish Darren and Laura all the happiness they can stand and then a little bit more. 

Jack frost came for a week

I'm having fun with my toy.  If you can enlarge these - do so - much better.

Outside of the snow on the ground - what is on the trees is frost.

Up close and personal.

So I have discovered two kinds of frost - first the prickley kind - it looks like little thorns - like it would hurt if you touched it.

Then there is the softer kind.  More like balls of cotton - poofy.

I have been enjoying finding the beauty in all this cold. 

New Toy

So for Christmas/birthday I got a new toy.  A camera - a Nikon - I'm learning and I am very thankful we don't have film any more.  It is so easy to delete.   Went to lake Coeur d'Alene and this is my first time playing with my new toy.

 I like the zoom on this camera -

 Lake Coeur d'Alene on a cold December afternoon

 Looking for fish - or ?

 Roots of a tree on the beach - looked like a snake to me

 Dead fish all over the beach - Eagles like them alive

This is for Nathanial

 Two - one on the left stands on one foot

 Had to take a picture of this duck.  He was way far away but I liked the reflection on the lake.

Such a nice pose.

Not bad for my first play.