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.  

Rudy the red nosed school bus

First you get Santa to come and help.    He is sitting with his legs hanging down one of the roof hatches.

We have decorated the bus for the past four or five years.  Lights covering both sides of the bus, antlers - all lit up, lashes on the headlights (eyes) .  Rudy is pulling Santa.

Even a red nose.  Even made ears next to the antlers.  

This year the Parade was canceled.  Not a good thing  - so my boss decided we would get Rudy out and go around and collect food for the food bank.  It was very cold - got down to 24 - but Matt and I volunteered to be a walker.  We got to hand out candy canes and collect the food.  I didn't get pictures of us doing that - but we had a blast.  We got a lot more food then we thought we would - and that was way cool.

I love North Idaho

Had a relaxing Saturday on a train ride in Ion.  Just a few pictures - of home - for those who are missing it.

Heaven

It is a good three weeks when you get to see.....

Georgey  

Maddie  

Sadie  

Grayam 

Jack 

Hallie 

Troy 

Gibson 

Kevin  

Ezra 

Lucas 

....all your grand children.
And all your children too.
More in a few days

Wild adventures

Summer is here.  In case you haven't noticed - just thought I would bring that to your attention.  In my case this means I am out of work for two and a half months.  A very nice thing for the most part.  

So far not a whole lot going on.  Pulling weeds out of my raspberry patch.  Enough weeds to fill six garbage bags.  That is how we do things here in the west.  We measure yard work by the garbage bags.  " I cut the lawn and got 16 garbage bags full of grass.  It was high."  This is helpful if you ever get a chance to talk to my father about his yard.   Anyway - the raspberry plants are weeded and now to the rest of the yard.  

I have been taking my parents to the doctors.  That is our social life.  Doctors and their office staff.  Dad's eye is all better - Mom is going to physical therepy for a while to try and help the pain in her hip.  Mom lost half a tooth.  Dad's diabetes is under control for now - working in the yard is helping that.  I even had my blood work done and all is well.

For fun Matt and I have been trying to use our bicycles.  We got new helmets and Costco.  Printed out a map of the Coeur d'Alene bike trail and off we have gone.  This trail is like 72 miles long.  Going from Plummer to Mullan.  We are presently doing the section by Cataldo.  There is this (maybe) ten mile stretch that goes through a wet land reserve.  It is so cool to ride along and see all these birds.  Cranes - Bullock Oriole - Mallards - and another Duck that I have tried to identify but so far no luck - need a better book - then half a frog and a pile of white feathers - wonder what killed this large bird?  We also saw an Osprey - I was thinking Eagle but I do believe they are gone this time of year.

Then Matt and I came face to face with Fred.  That is what I named him

Matt saw him first - my phone took the first picture.  I think he is saying "cheese".  Looks like it anyway!!

Well, we road eleven and a half miles this trip.  Not bad for two old people!!!