Fall is here I Think

Where is the fall weather we are having 80* heat, don't want rain but a little cooler would be nice.

Short Summer

We where able to fit in a family vacation went to Arizona and visited with your daughter Margaret in Lake Powell Resort She is working there as a pastry chef.

Here is the rainbow bridge we took a tour boat and this is the view we saw when getting off the boat and walking up the path a ways around the corner of the boat dock.

Horse shoe bend

Mother Daughter and Father

Above horse shoe bend

Matthew and Christopher

Friday November 12th took Matthew and two friends to the Winchester Mystery house.
Had forgotten that Mrs Winchester had a favorite number, and it just happen to be number 13 and this was Matthew's thirteen birthday.

After the tour of the house and grounds we went across the street to Chevy's.
A perfect way to celebrated

I can finely show a picture of Christopher all in uniform

front right as if you couldn't tell.

We have the last compaction this weekend local @ Fairfield High
TOC this is the big one.

Rodriquez Marching band

Christopher keeping me busy and tired

For the last three weekends Christopher and I have been traveling.
Him on the school bus and me carpooling with friends.

First in Cupertino down by San Jose then in Lumis above Sacramento and last weekend we where in Pleasanton down in the east bay.

Band competitions go all day long we can be gone from the house by as early as six in the morning and not back until after midnight or late as 1:30 AM the next morning.

Rodriguez High school Marching band competes in street and field. Street is parade and field is just what is on the football field marching and playing in formation .

We do Street in the late morning hours around 11 or 11:30 then go back to the high school that is hosting. and the students are fed lunch and have down time to do what ever home work they may have for the weekend.

We parents help with preparing lunch and dinner , and making sure they are in tip top looking shape in their uniforms. I am sure you can tell which is Christopher the second on the right.

School Starts

Just a little update on the family. Busy summer, didn't really go anywhere but the mountains and the condo. I did spend a week at Girls Camp but forgot my camera so no pictures of the new camp up north of Santa Rosa.

Boys went to scout camp in July and David and I took a few days to your self's and relaxed at the condo in the mountains.

In one more week the boys start school and I head back working two hours at the school working lunch duty not at either one of their schools back at the elementary at Nelda Mundy.

Busy week coming up with two school orientations one for high school. Christopher starts at Rodriguez High as a freshmen. He also will begin seminary in the early morning hours before school begins.
Matthew will be at a new school for him Green Valley Middle seventh grade.

They are both excited to start school at a new campus.

David is having his fourth hernia surgery tomorrow morning, hope all goes well and all can handle the new schedule happening in the family.

Trip to Utah

Didn't think we would be getting out to see my mother because of the weather forecast in the mountain passes.

Stayed at my sister Cristines home for two nights enjoyed the visit. The boys enjoyed the time with cousin Caleb and Kylie.

Matthew loved their dog Rodeo and he loved Matthew because Matthew would give him a good rub down.

Kylie love having her picture taken I had Christopher get in the shot, not to happy look.

Matthew 's strawberry tower at breakfast.

Sunday after noon right after the first session of general conference we packed the car and headed out it was said the roads were clear and no storm forecast in sight.
the roads were dry and clear and we had not problem and where at my mothers in about two and half hours.

Boys hanging on the clothes line pole in Moms back yard.
Seeing who could hang the longest even though they could touch the ground easily .

Picture for family history book.

Was able to see a most of the family in the Roosevelt area and catch up on the family.

Returned back to my sisters home Thursday after noon and had a good time with my brother in-law taking the children to the park and enjoyed a warm sunny day. sister came home from work and we had a fun evening with the family. Good night sleep up in the morning and off to the airport. Christopher was my navigator and a very good one getting us where we needed to go along our trip.

Family Life Back to Normal

Almost three months has come and gone scents I have been on my blog. David's Father passed away back on March 11th. Sad to see him go but his is no longer in pain and discomfort.

We did get to see your oldest daughter her husband and the three grandchildren. they were here for about two and a half weeks.




Tried Children after great grandfathers service

Went to lunch with grandmother, Mom and Great grandmother

Cute little Zachery

Jennifer and I left California at the same time she heading back home to Virginia and I and the boys went out to Utah for Spring break to see family.

Had a great time seeing my sisters and brothers there in Utah only didn't see Lorna and Neldon.
Got to see my two Aunts Fern and Bertha my mothers two older sisters. Their not in to good of health.

Update on the Family 2/10

The family is doing well, but still have a lot of stress and worry for Jim is still in Hospital
in San Francisco. His strength is building but slow, They hope to go back in an correct the backup in his system , but we don't know when that with happen.

David is busy with the start of tax season.

The boys are keeping us busy with school and being 12 and 13 year old boys.

Have not heard any update from Margaret she may be getting a new job out of the State.

Jonhathan is being a great help at home and taking grandmother to the city once and awhile.
What a good son.

Christmas Day 2009

Son and Mother Christmas day, Was a hard day to not have Dad sharing it with us.

He is in hospital not doing well.

Boys loved the gift from Santa

Christmas tree 2009

Merry Christmas to All

We wish one and all a Merry Christmas.

Green Valley Middle School had their winter concert last Thursday we
took David's mother with us, She very much enjoyed it.
My battery died so like a dummy didn't bring the back-up so got no
pictures or sound of advance band or Jazz band with Christopher.

Tonight is one of Matthew's band performance he plays in Advance band for
Nelda Mundy Elementary. tonight they play for the rotatory club at the Hilton Garden Hotel for their Christmas party. Then tomorrow The Holiday concert at the school. May have picture of Matthew can send later.

Update on David's father back in hospital but here in Fairfield may be out today or in the week.

Update on the Family

Busy season and not just the Holidays.
David's father has been in the hospital for over a month.
He is not doing well one set back after the other.
For those who didn't hear he had cancer of the stomach and
had to have his stomach reconstructed and it is taking a toll on his health.
David takes his mother in to the city very weekend Sundays and Saturdays.
Carol Johns wife take her very day on the week days.
Lois is back staying at their house so David pick her up in the morning and
I and the boys get to see her at night when David and her share dinner with us.
the boys don't get to see their Dad to much but, what is family for
but to love and care for when times or hard.

Creepy Halloween Food

We had a Ward Halloween potluck Friday evening.
I had been looking at dishes to make all the week before. Was going to make Jennifer's annual Halloween pumpkin dinner, when I heard on the radio when driving Christopher to school of a Halloween meat made as a cut off hand.





The meat loaf is surrounded with mash potatoes. They had a contest for the most creepy and spooky, I won for the meat category and the over all prize. I had a lot of fun making this dish.

Update on the Family

David had his surgery on August 25th , he has bounced back very well and is slowly going back to work for a half day of work four days a week.

Matthew just had his first soccer game of the season yesterday. They lost 3 to 5 to the Lions.

Jennifer and her family are living in Virginia and loving the new adventure.

Margaret and Johnathan are still working in Vacaville her at Raley's and him at Wal-Mart.

Margaret is living in an apartment in Vacaville and Johnathan resides at home.

Christopher is working hard in eighth grade and has given up any sports activities for the first quarter of school.

I'm back working at the elementary school two hours a day for lunch and yard duty. It's a nice break in the day but sometimes hard to fine the hours in the day to get the work done at home . don't see how mothers work full time with children in school.

Day Trip Free Weekend

Last weekend we took a day trip with the boys and a neighborhood friend.

Christopher is going to a baseball camp all this week up at Sonoma State. So David decide we should take a ride up to the Collage to see where is is so if by any chance I might have to drive him up there during the week.

While up north we had heard of a Petrified Forest near Calistoga. We went to check it out.

Matthew kicks to see if hard has rock.

Matthew ouch! looks like wood but it is hard as stone.

This is the petrified wood before cleaning process.

David saw this from around the turn in the path and almost freaked out thought is was a real miner and his mule.

Great shot of the area and the beautiful scenery of the petrified wood.

Queen of the forest California Coastal Redwood. Matthew and friend left of tree.

Boys where getting bored so David gave them something to do.

Hear, see and speak on evil.

Carvings can be seen trough out the trail this was one of my favorites.

This is Old Faithful of California , David almost missed the first shot of water Matthew going to find him.

Not as huge has Old Faithful in Yellowstone but nice to see, it goes

off more often, every ten or fifteen minutes.

Time to go boys tried and ready to go home.

Surprise visitors

Sunday I had a surprise when I arrived at church, Jennifer and the family came in for Idaho.

They surprised the whole family yours and Jared's. Sorry but David and the two younger boys where up enjoying the condo in the mountains, poor Grand- dad has not seen the new grandson.

But for these pictures and birth week shots.

Was a fun weekend saw Jennifer and family and had a nice lunch with Margaret and spent Monday with Johnathan and took him to the movies for an early birthday, he turned twenty six yesterday May 26th. We had only the time to take him for a late birthday dinner that night for Christopher's team is in the play off games. Christopher played his best game last night made two good hits and scored twice for his team. They won the game last night against the Cubs 10 to 9. He got the game ball for his two hits and many good stops at second base. We play them this Saturday again and hope to go on to win for a chance to play for the championship game.

Happy 13th Christopher

We have a teenager in the house

Christopher had his 13th birthday this last weekend. We decided to have a big out door party with barbecue and out door games of badminton, crochet, boccie ball and when end with Volley ball. The weather turn warm the temperature was in the low 90's. We kept with the plans and the guest enjoyed them self's even with the heat.

David cooked hamburger's and hot dogs and we had fresh watermelon, strawberries, veggies and all the chips and soda you might want.

Out came the water balloons to keep them cool.

Blowing out the candle after have a time getting them lite.

Christopher's favorite ice cream cake, mint chocolate chip with white cake.

What would a birthday be with out gifts and sports wear and poster

for the the sport fan fanatic.

Celebrations with Family

Mother Days was a great time spent with the family. In the morning we went to church and then in the after noon we went to Jim and Lois's for a barbecue John cooked some tri tip and we each filled in with the side dishes.
Margaret brought the cake a nice fruit filled cake with strawberries and bananas. She helped decorate this cake at the store. I know the pink rose is one of hers.

Grandmother, Daughter and Mother

After dinner and before eatting dessert we all decided to take a walk around the block. All but Johnathan and Margaret.

This is what Johnathan was doing while we where walking.