Atta Boy John!!!

I received this letter (Dad said "He has only one parent?) about John's promotion. Way to go John.

6 hours of slave labor

On Saturday dad and I completely changed the furnace room/storage room around. I needed more shelf space so I could really use the small room more effectively. I started moving all the stuff out of the room while Dad did the dishes (yes, without being asked he did the dishes). He then helped me move out the old shelves and put in the new. He moved the lights that John had put in so they were in more convenient places and gave good suggestions on the shelves. My room is now much better and it also made it possible for me to move all the cans out of the cupboard by the bathroom and just use it for crackers, chips, snacks and such. We were both pretty beat by the time we were through and dad's comment was "I suppose you want to do this cleaning and organizing in every room in the house" (He saw my list).

I am so grateful for dad's help. He certainly makes it easier.

It's Finally Done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My project that was going to take four days and dad wasn't going to know about until it was all done is finally done--well almost. I need to clean the carpet and get a black garbage can but that will come. Notice doors on all the cupboards.

The new refrigerator that Kimber and LeRoy got us. I love it and it was Kimber's idea for the black to complement the colors.

After my neighbor Willie Lish got involved it became a more professional job but took more time because it became his schedule we worked around. It is so totally worth it as you can see from the pictures. I must admit that under the sink was all my idea and my work. Dad cut the boards but I did the rest including stuffing insulation in every possible place I could under there to maybe keep the pipes from freezing.

Of course, this now makes the rest of my house really need a make over but maybe just a good cleaning will suffice.

More of the Story

While Kells and Shawn took the kids to lunch and to show off to his co-workers I had about 2 hours to see Colonial Williamsburg. I just took off and walked down Duke of Glouchester Street--otherwise known as Dog street and saw what I could see. I enjoyed the atmosphere and even though I couldn't go into the original buildings because I didn't pay the exorbitant fee of $37 I was able to get some good pictues. My favorite part was the drum and fife corp of young people. I somehow didn't get pictures of the church except the sign and it was another favorite because there was a cemetary behind it. The sign is from the church. The capital building is the next one with the arched doorways. The next one is the original guardhouse and then the Govenors mansion. My favorite is the kids. After Kellie and Shawn picked me up we took the kids to a really cool hands on museum. There were all kinds of animals, fish and birds and many thinks they could do. It was rainy and cold so the outside exhibits were done in a real hurry but we still enjoyed them. We really saw some awesome things. This turtle had a deformed flipper. Eagles that had been hurt so couldn't fly. We also saw wolves, deer, beaver, foxes, and lots of sealife. There were areas where we could look at skeletons of animals, tracks, learn how different shells were formed and other hands on thinks to do. Brendan really seemed to enjoy that part. The kids liked the playroom about the best though. There was a cave that they took all the foxes and fish into and had a whole story going about the animals and needing to eat. I love the imagination of children.
We then went to Applebees for dinner and then to our hotel. Because it was early when Shawn and Kells dropped us off because they had the reception at 7:00 I let the kids watch cartoons for awhile before putting them to bed. They decided to sleep in the beds instead of on the floor this time and were very good to go to sleep. I watched tv but I was probably asleep by 10:00. I guess I am getting too old to stay up and watch tv just because it is there. It was a good day with lots of fun things to do and see.

The rest of the story tomorrow--or at least more of the story.

To Virginia and back

I spent the best week in a long time (I think since staying with Kates boys) just relaxing and having fun. I first rode the shuttle from Pocatello to SLC and was just a bit nervous because we were supposed to get to Salt Lake at 3:30 and it was 4:20 when we finally got there and my flight was at 4:50. All because the driver waited for over a half hour for a guy to show up for the shuttle. I got to the gate just as the last call for boarding but then we sat in the plane for about 45 minutes before we actually took off. I flew to Virginia which is about a 3 and 1/2 hour flight which I love. I had a book and because the flight wasn't full I had a whole row to myself right behind first class so there was more leg room. I got to Virginia at about 11:15 but by the time we actually got off the plane and I got my luggage it was midnight so about 12:30 when we got to Kellies. We stayed up and talked until 2:00 and then decided to keep Brendan home from school and go to a park that Kellie knew of that is past the temple so that we could come back and see the temple as it appears in front of you as you are going down the freeway.

There was a great climbing wall at the park that Andie was determined she was going to climb. She would get to the top but wouldn't go over and let Kellie help her. We then went for ice cream and found this great carousel so took the kids for a ride

We then headed back home in time to avoid the 5:00 traffic and all of a sudden the temple is right in front. John was right and it is awesome to see. It would be great to see at night

It was a very fun day just playing with the kids and visiting. We stayed up and watched the "Cutting Edge 2" movie and I can tell you to not waste your time with it.

Friday morning we got all packed up and ready to go to Williamsburg. I am so thankful for mapquest that tells us exactly how to get places. It took us about 4 hours to drive down there with a nice break for a picnic lunch. When we got to Williamsburg we went to the visitors center but decided it was too much walking with 3 kids and too expensive for our time frame. We went and drove around the town and saw some of the buildings and then just ended up in the modern part of town where we waited for Shawn. There is no place better than a bookstore to wait for someone and Kells was lucky enough to find a copy of Celia Garth which she wants to do for a book group. We then went to Chili's for dinner (with a minor stop to get Brendan a cheeseburger from Wendy's). Then on to the hotel where we got the kids set up in their pillow pit for bed. We had a nice big suite with two double beds and also a couch but they wanted to sleep on the floor. We played "Bang" with the kids before bed and then after getting them into their beds Shawn and Kellie left. I can't stay in a hotel room without watching tv so found some trading spaces to watch but fell asleep before I saw how they finished up.Saturday I got the kids up(or rather they got me up) and after getting ready we went for our continental breakfast which the kids really seemed to enjoy. There were two old ladies there who were getting such a kick out of Andie as she chattered away. Shawn got there before long and we took the kids to a park to play while we waited for time for him to take the kids to lunch where they were meeting Kellie. There was a merry go round of sorts that Shawn got going very fast and the kids loved.

To be continued...

A new back or same back no problems.

After seeing the chiropractor for several appointments both in Rexburg and Pocatello my back is finally feeling good. I even went to a place while I was in Salt Lake and used their Migun massage bed which also seemed to help. I went to the chiro in Rexburg on Thursday the 3rd and felt completely normal again. Of course then I helped Kimber and the kids with a very big moving project and was a bit sore after that but still not bad. I saw the chiro in Pocatello on the 9th just before I flew to Kells so my back was in great shape when I got there. I found that walking all the places we did didn't hurt my back but standing really did. The day we went to D.C. to the Archives was the hardest day because we took about an hour reading all the documents. It is so good to feel normal again and not hurt all the time. I am going to keep up with appointments on a more regular basis and not let it get so bad. Life is much better when you don't hurt.

This has been a very busy month. I was able to be there when Hyrum was born on March 23 which was such a beautiful experience. I know Kimber doesn't think it went fast enough but it sure seemed to me that it did. He came so fast and is so darn adorable. I loved the whole atmosphere of a home birth. Rilda is such a kindred spirit and just brings a calming influence with her. She has such a love and admiration for Kimber and it all came through in her taking care of Kim and the baby.

I was also able to go to Salt Lake and spend a few days with Kara, James and Max the next week. Kara is a natural mother and Max is so adorable. I loved seeing James being a daddy. He even told Kara she was a sloppy swaddler because they taught him how to do it in the hospital and he is very good at it. Max is such a calm baby but coming from such calm parents what else could he be.