Avery and Douglas, Jr. - Two cute cousins!

Douglas and Ashley and Douglas, Jr. -'DC' - came to visit us for a week and it was so wonderful seeing them! This was my very first visit with this grandson! Dad went back for his blessing when he was born. It was early December and cold and not conducive for Kirsten to travel so we stayed home.

Grandpa and DC 'hanging out' while his mom and dad were at a Mariner's game. Ashley says that Doug can hardly wait until DC is old enough to play baseball!

I drove Douglas and Ashley and DC down to Oregon to visit DC's great grandma Valdine. This was on the way back and Kirsten and DC were sleeping.

Great Grandma Valdine and DC checking out DC's heart on her heart board.

DC at our house in the walker watching his mom and I cook dinner.

DC playing with the toys. His mom would sit on the ball and softly bounce him to sleep at night.

We went to David and Angela's on June 12th to bless Avery. This sweet dress was made by my friend Jan Taylor.

Angela and I dressed Avery to get ready for her blessing. Avery was hungry and was letting her mommy know it! She did get fed before her blessing. Her grandpa Neil gave her a beautiful blessing. Douglas and David's bishop, Bishop Kimball, were in the circle.
Avery was blessed at home.

Ashley and Angela holding the other's baby. Avery is 1 month old and DC is 6 months old.

Two brothers, Douglas and David, holding the other's baby, Avery and DC.

Douglas and Ashley holding the little cousins, DC and Avery.

I took this picture of DC the first Sunday Douglas and Ashley were here. He reminds me a lot of Bob and Julie's little boy Braxton.

DC loves getting up close to Kirsten.

Kirsten was toying with DC and hanging onto her slinky. She played with it for 5 minutes and then gave it to DC.

DC really enjoyed playing with Kirsten and her toys. Kirsten enjoyed having DC with us! We really enjoyed their visit and now they have left and in a few hours will be back in Georgia! We sure will miss them! ♥

T.D.A.D.??? Do I have it? YES!!!

Yesterday I went to visit David and Angel to see this little cutie pie, Avery. What a doll! She's so tiny and so cute!

My own terminology... T.D.A.D. ... Traffic Driving Anxiety Disorder - or anxiety with heavy traffic on freeways and on and off ramps merging with crazy aggressive drivers!

I grew up in a small town. I've lived in much bigger towns. Driving in and out of big cities, a little unnerving. What makes it worse is today's aggressive drivers who bob in and out of traffic like they were a flea hopping from dog to dog! They are the reason people have accidents. They drive like they are on a speedway and the road belongs to them without any personal regard to other drivers obeying the law.

I read maps great and driving instructions. I just don't like driving in congestion. I am constantly watching for cars all around me. I allow room for merging cars, cars who want to change lanes.

Why am I writing this? So my family will understand why I don't like to drive to the Salt Lake airport, drive through or by Seattle. I went to visit David and Angela in Bothell yesterday. Bothell is north of Seattle. It's 55 miles from our house and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get there. This was my very first 'solo drive' without dad. I left at 10:00a.m. so it was 'after' work traffic. I got there 1-1/2 hours later. The trafffic was smooth and great. Half way there was a bit of a slow up from an earlier accident. We had a great visit and little Avery was so precious! David and Angela do a wonderful job taking care of their sweet little daughter. Nala, their dog, is adorable with Avery. Whenever Angela is holding Avery, Nala has to be in her lap and is very content with the 'family' situation. Nala is always happy to see me and I love her!

The drive home was also smooth. I left 'before' heavy work traffic. Face it, when you get around Auburn on 167 that traffic is 's-l-o-w' moving from 3:00p.m. on. I made it back in 1 hour 10 minutes. I felt victorious that I made the trip! However after being home half an hour my neck and jaw was tight, I had the beginning of a migraine and my stomach was in knots so I took some B-complex and a couple of Ibuprofen. An hour later I felt fine. Hmmm, I think the next time I make that drive I will 'pre-medicate' myself with B-Complex and Ibuprofen 'before' I leave! :o) Was it worth the drive? Absolutely! What a sweet little baby! :o)

Fantastic Book!!!

I just finished reading this book. It was awesome! I gleaned a lot from it! It's like a commentary on the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts 1&2) in the New Testament. There were some many golden nuggets of information in there! I copied and (made them small) pasted many into my scriptures as footnotes! :o)

I highly recommend reading it! I'm working on Talmage's next book 'The Articles of Faith' and that is a good read also. My 3rd read by Talmage after I finish the Articles of Faith will be The Great Apostasy. I hope to finish those two by the first of September. I'm also working on other books at the same time. I love increasing my testimony and studying the scriptures. I'm so grateful for the gospel and the scriptures and for our church leaders!

Rethinking bath time...Kirsten's new chair

A few weeks ago Kirsten got really sick and after throwing up needed a bath. She has a bath bench she sits on and this time it was not practical to use. Kirsten had '0' balance for 5 days. It's awkward holding onto her and bathing her at the same time while I'm straddling the side of the tub. (Can you just imagine a cartoon image of that!) We had an interesting bath time that day! For the past few months it has been on my mind that she needs a bath chair. Well, that day arrived sooner than expected! So I hoped on line and below is what we came up with. It was $300+ dollars! Yikes! Any time you need 'special equipment for special needs' they feel it's necessary to jack up the prices! Oh well, not much you can do about it.

This little beauty can lie flat like a bed or straight up like a chair or reclined. It's wonderful!

This is a funny picture but Kirsten didn't want her picture taken. She lets her feet down in the tub but she felt like keeping them up when I took this picture. How does she like her new bath chair? GREAT! At first she wasn't sure about leaning back in it. By the way, I removed the headpiece as she did NOT like it there. She relaxed and thoroughly enjoyed her chair! I don't use it every time because she does like her bath bench too, but when she's not feeling well or not up to sitting up she now has a chair to relax in while bathing. It is a plus for my back too! :o)

Under the Thoughtful Tree...

Sometimes I feel like the child in this swing. In my mind I can 'escape' and just let my mind unwind and empty out the thoughts in my head. I decided I would do this. Sometimes we like to 'share' seeds of wisdom or stories that may be helpful to our self or to others. I decided I need to have my own 'sharing corner' to look back on and see what was in my head to help myself (or others). I'm infamous for talking to myself. No, I'm not crazy, I just think 'out loud'!

1-What's been on my mind lately?
That would have to be Kirsten's health. That is like a yo-yo; it's up and down and up and down. She had a wonderful '21st' birthday! What a blessing and joy that was to celebrate! Kirsten was so happy on her birthday! ♫ ♫

Well it's a few weeks past her birthday and she just went through another 'hit' on her health. One of those yo-yo 'downs'. She was much better yesterday and even much better today! Hooray! Even at this moment she is 'singing'. It's one note and one pitch, ♫, but I love it! ♥

She got 'whacked' with a bug that flattened her like a pancake! She even had some strange side effects. At the same time she has started a new medicine for her seizures. That's another whole story in itself. The increase in seizures. Between her being sick and the new medication things are still trying to settle down to some even keel. In a few more days that story will be more revealing... I hope for the better. She has spent the past 2 nights practically sleepless but singing the whole while through! I have to say I 'enjoy sleep' as well as the next person! Hmm... going to have to see what can help her sleep. It's either she sleeps all the time... or now...not sleep! Life with Kirsten is an adventure! It's always something new!

Bath time! I have a bath bench she sits on when she gets a bath. Well with this last illness she was left 'unbalanced', yep...'0' balance! That made things interesting at bath time. I could not use the bench this time! We got through the bath. I hopped online and ordered a special reclining bath chair. Hopefully that will be here in a week or two. It will be nicer for her and 'save my back'!

2-Reading... I made myself a goal that this year I would try and prepare myself to become more 'spiritually minded' than the routine world day to day thoughts. I've really been 'deeply immersing' myself into the scriptures and church magazines. I am so impressed with the wonderful articles that I've been reading in the Ensign this year. It's a magazine we get that sits on the shelf month after month. Not this year! It will be read cover to cover! Where have I been? 'Out to lunch' mentally when I should be reading! I loved the articles in April's issue and I'm only half way through!

I loved reading the Four Gospels and more dearly the atonement of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. I cannot even fathom the suffering Jesus Christ went though for all mankind. I certainly look at the sacrament differently when I partake of it. Back to Kirsten and her health issues, she rarely, and I do mean 'rarely' complains when she is sick. Even with this last bout, nope, not a word of complaint! It rips my heart out to see her go through what she goes through. No, I don't complain to God that she goes through what she does. I think of His atonement and I know He suffered even for her. I know He sends messengers from the other side to comfort her from time to time or else how would she endure it all. She's still here and she's still hanging in there. My trial...learning patience and taking more time to become spiritually stronger and try to understand more each time.

Good bye tree, good bye swing...I'll be back sometime soon! :o)

Fingerprints on my heart! Grandchildren...

They come, little and big, with their giggles and wiggles.

They fill the house with laughter, requests, and sometimes...

there may be a few tears along with little tempers.

They are so sweet! Their eyes wide with enthusiasm,

inquisitiveness and even a little 'mischief' here and there.

I love the 'positive and enthusiasm' these little ones have!

'Can't do' or 'No' isn't acceptable to them. 'Yes, I can!'

'I will!' 'I have to!' Their little bodies come with Tigger springs!

They have GIANT spirits cramped in those little wriggly bodies

just waiting to come out!

Then our home is quiet.

What evidence is left when those little ones disappear?

Little hand prints and little fingerprints

and little kiss impressions left on windows and furniture.

Little sayings, crayon drawing and colorings on the

door of the refrigerator.

How soon will those get washed away

and fine art put away?

Oh, in a month or two!

I'm a long distance Grandma and

seeing those little 'reminders'

warms my heart! ♥

Family Time!

Julie and Zachary (age 6) and Braxton (age 3) came to visit us this past weekend. Bob was at a national volleyball tournament and didn't come and Quintin and Brynnly were still in school. So Julie came with her two little boys as it was her school spring break. It was fun having them here and we did miss having Bob, Quintin and Brynnly here too. :o(

While they were here I took them to our wonderful little bakery in our little town. It has the yummiest goodies in there!

Zachary loved his chocolate doughnut bar! I love his expression!

Braxton is down to serious business with his chocolate doughnut!

Julie is taking a bite out of her carmel frosted apple fritter! Oh, those are so yummy!

Yesterday I took Julie and the boys and Kirsten to the 'Fishin' Hole! Julie and I helped Zachary and Braxton catch two fish! I don't have any pictures because they are on Julie's cell phone camera memory card. I thought I brought my camera along and when we got there I dug in my purse to no avail. However, when we got back home and I took Kirsten's coat off, there was the camera in her coat hood! Bahhh! I forgot I put it there so it would be handy to grab to take pictures. The boys had a great time and caught two fish! We also fed fish food pellets to the fish. We saw peacocks, ducks, chickens, a goat and lots of fish!

Two years ago Kirsten's class went to this same fishery and had a ball.

Zachary riding down the hall on the push motorcycle. That toy was quite a hit!

Braxton loved playing with Kirsten's therapy ball!

Just sitting and watching some t.v.! :o)

Zachary and Braxton loved to play 'accident' and call for am ambulance. Here is Braxton as an accident victim! I'd check his body over for injuries, each time he was 'A-okay!'

Zachary liked the motorcycle and it got to be competitive at times to take turns!

We went to David and Angela's on Monday and took dinner over. This was taken after dinner. Time to settle back and let dinner settle in our tummies!

David painted their nursery lavender with a white ceiling and it's so pretty! They have everything all set up. Angela's mom, Barbara, cross-stitched this picture for her daughters, she has 3, and had it in their bedroom. Now Angela has it in their nursery! It's such a cute picture!

Angela has a zoo theme going on. This is a cute plate cover for the light switch.

Here is an elephant night light.

A glimpse of the top curtain panel with white blinds.

A cute lamp. Goofy the dog needs his nose glued back on. It had a little accident when it fell and the nose came off. Angela said it's been glued on several times from when she grew up with it at her house.

They have the rocker all set up. She has a cute diaper bag.

This dresser is full already!

The crib all set up! David grew up with the poster picture. He's going to frame it.

Nala all cozy on her mom's shoulder.

It was great visiting with David and Angela and Nala. Angela only has 2-1/2 weeks to go before baby Avery is due!

It was fun having Julie, Zachary and Braxton visit. I hope they have fun at Grandma's and Lisa's! Have a safe trip back to Utah Julie! :o)