Our Grands

Sunday afternoon we went to the kids' to celebrate Rich's birthday. When we pulled up, Shelby and Dexter were sitting in the back of their car, waiting to greet us.

We got to see Shelby's and Jackson's newly arranged rooms but then we all hung out in Dylan's room chatting and watching Dylan and Jackson play "football."

Sandee grilled chicken and we had brought pasta salad and Rich's special homemade salsa. After dinner it was time for presents!

Sandee had baked brownies in a sheet pan so they could be decorated and we also had Cheesecake Factory cheesecake...both were so yummy!

Dylan got to light the candles on his Gpa's brownie cake. It still amazes me when something like this occurs...Dylan handling matches...he shouldn't be old enough, yet he is.

The kids all came home with us to spend the night. They raced through the house checking out all that we have done in the last week; there have been a lot of changes. They all love their rooms, especially now that they have beds! I had bought glow sticks at the dollar store, we turned out the lights in Shelby's room, and for nearly an hour it was total bedlam with them leaping on and over the bed sword fighting in total darkness with the glow sticks. I sat on the window seat with my camera and here are a few of my favorite shots. They've all been cropped, some of them have been brightened...I love them all!

While I uploaded photos, Rich and the kids played a fun new train board game called TransAmerica, which he got for his birthday; we all played it again today.

After Rich went to bed, the kids and I stayed up until nearly 12:30 a.m. playing that great new Monopoly game we got; we played it again today too!

I don't have any photos of the boys here on Monday. They slept late, had breakfast and then Sandee came. She and I went to that restaurant supply store so she could check it out and I could pick up a few more things. We barely got back in time for the boys to load up and her drive Jackson to football practice at 2:00; Shelby stayed with us, then I drove her home that night.

While we were shopping, Rich and the kids assembled the new yard cart, filled it with rip rap from the dog run demo and dumped it in the shallow ravine where rain water runs through our property. They also hauled concrete blocks and bricks up to the road end of our property and constructed this statue of King JJ (a running joke among the four of them about King Julian from the Madagascar movies)!

Shelby and King JJ

Jose finished clearing and loading all the brush Monday morning which has been quite a job for the past several weeks. I love it now that we can walk all over and be able to see if anything is slithering nearby...haha That is the peaked roof of our house behind Shelby.

Rich took the motorhome to get propane filled for our trip to CA and Shelby and I completed a little craft project for her room.

After we hung the framed flowers, she posed in front of the opposite wall so that it would look like butterflies were landing on her arms...

...and in her hands.

Speaking of Shelby's room, Bella seems to think it is hers. After finding her napping on the bed in there, I covered the bedspread and pillows with a sheet. Then, the other night when I told The Girls it was time for bed, they both started down the hall in front of me but Bella turned right into that bedroom until I called her back to go to our room! Apparently the kids aren't the only ones who are happy to see beds in those rooms!

Lovin' Life ~~ Every Day!

Rich's 70th Birthday

Rich is waiting for me so that we can watch The Great Gatsby but I want to post a few pics of Rich's 70th Birthday...since his special birthday was yesterday!

He started the day riding his bike eighteen miles! He loves riding and hiking out here which is one of the top reasons on the list of why we bought a second home here.

Riding down our driveway toward our street.

Just after turning onto our street...yes, that dirt road is our street!

He had only been back home a few minutes when UPS delivered this great cookie bouquet from Marianne. He still hasn't sampled any of the cookies because he wants to wait until the kids come out. We will celebrate his birthday with them after Shawn's parents and sister leave tomorrow.

He picked The Keg for his birthday dinner. I took this selfie in the hall mirror before we left and I was glad that I did. That restaurant is much darker than I remembered so I didn't get any good photos of him there.

If you are ever in the neighborhood of one of The Keg restaurants, they are among the best places for steak we have ever visited. Amazing beef!

Lovin' Life ~~ Celebrating Another Incredible Year

Perry Frosh Football

Yesterday, Wednesday, I shopped for bedding and whatever in the morning; there is always a list of things we still want to get for the house. Our neighbor, Bob, brought his truck and trailer over to load all the materials from the dog run demolition so that project is complete already! And, for the first time since we arrived, Rich went bike riding this morning. He rode 14 miles; not bad for a first ride, huh?

But the best part of the day came that evening at Jackson's football game. He got to play more than the previous games. Here are a few shots. Reminder: Jackson is #33.

In this shot, Jackson is behind the QB who passes the ball to him.

Jackson is carrying the ball in this shot.

Not only did we get to see him on the field several times in a couple different positions but so did his other grandparents! Shawn's parents and sister flew in from Louisiana yesterday afternoon. Shawn, Sandee, Dylan, & Shelby picked them up at the airport, took them to dinner, and then brought them straight to the game. I enjoyed visiting with his mom and sister while we watched the game. The only time we had all been together before was the weekend of their wedding, eighteen years ago.

Here is the whole group after the game. Since it was an away game, Jackson had to stay with the team and head for the bus so we couldn't catch him for this photo.

By the way, we had strong winds (read dust storm) from 11:00 a.m. on through the evening so we all had cold, dusty wind blowing into our faces at the game. Also, even though we were treated to a great football game, our Perry team lost. But, none of that dampened our spirits or took away from a delightful, fun evening!

Lovin' Life ~~ Visiting With Shawn's Family

Beds & Dishes & Kitchen Island Today

We were the first delivery of the day from American Furniture in Gilbert. We had shopped there again on Sunday and selected some beds. Previously we had purchased my night stand and desk there. This is a brand new store in our area and their first store outside of Colorado. Beds are beds, until they're covered, so I'm not posting pictures but we now have beds in the guest rooms...yahootey!

Later we went to Standard Restaurant Supply in Mesa because Rich had found it online as a possible source for a kitchen island. We walked into the store and saw this...dishes as far as the eye could see, which was exciting for me because I was getting frustrated in my unsuccessful search for dishes. Rich checked out the stainless steel tables and they had exactly what we had hoped to find for a kitchen island. I wandered up and down the aisles of dishes.

Not only did I find dishes that I love, but we also bought flatware and quite a few other serving and snack dishes that weren't in the cart yet when I took this photo.

We bought so many dishes that it took two full loads in the dishwasher to wash them all. Yes, those who know me well, you read that right. Now that we have dishes I intend to use the dishwasher in this house on a regular basis. I've always read that it uses less water than washing by hand and since we are on a well it seems like the prudent thing to do.

At the end of the day we had a perfect kitchen island, cabinets filled with new dishes, and beds in the guest rooms!

Lovin' Life ~~ And Successful Shopping Days

First Week in October

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

I think Bella wanted to be on the top of this human tower!

Shelby and Dylan were having a blast that morning. We took Dylan to hockey practice that evening and he went on home with his mom.

October 2, 2013

Shelby loves getting a pedicure and I was ready for one too so we relaxed and enjoyed our time together being pampered.

By 4:00 we were at Jackson's high school to watch his team play the rival school that's located the closest to them. Jackson is #33!

Shawn, Sandee, and Dylan arriving.

There he is...#33!

They were victorious...33 to 20!

Jackson and Sandee after the game.

October 3, 2013

Shelby and I had shopped and run errands so on Thursday we took the morning off to relax on my newly cushioned chaise lounges and read our Kindles.

Yes Sandee B, like you, I do love my new Paperwhite!

We had some scraps of the solar cover so are floating large pieces of it to warm the pool which works pretty well and is much easier to handle than the fitted, whole pool cover. Shelby is moving pieces to the most effective part of the pool.

October 4, 2013

Late Friday morning, Shelby and I picked the boys up at home and we all went to the Superstition Springs Mall. Here is Shelby in her favorite clothing store. She's in line to pay for that darling lime green jacket.

Then the boys had their turn at shopping in a team logo clothing store. Before we went to Justice, they had both bought new socks and had put them on immediately...aren't they cool? Who would ever have guessed that boys would spend their allowance on $15 pairs of socks? They are very cool socks though!

On the way out, they all played this game and each won a ball...

...well, Dylan won three!

Dylan's hockey coach owns a small farm in Mesa and they have dry land practice there on Friday evenings. While we were waiting for everyone else to arrive, the kids were playing with balls in the parking lot. They all came running back and jumped in the car because that rooster was staring at them...too funny!

The sunset reflected on this palm across the parking lot was absolutely gorgeous!

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Shelby practiced her flute. This is her first year and she is pretty good already!

Gpa and she put up some wall art in "her" room.

Here is a before picture of the large dog run before demolition. Our neighbor, Ken, and his nephew, Jake, helped Rich take it down on Saturday.

All of the posts were set in concrete so it took the work of a pick-ax, shovel, and Ken's 4x4 truck to remove them. Here goes the last post!

Shelby packed her bags and we all met the rest of her family at hockey. I'm going to miss her being with us. Here are a couple shots of Dylan #16 in action.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Shockingly, we were here a week and two days before we made it to Cantina Laredo. My how we love their Margaritas, the food, and the apple pie dessert! And after all the shopping we did that day, we certainly deserved a treat.

October 7, 2013

Today it has been three weeks since Bella's surgery and she is doing great! I took a couple pics of her this morning to send to her surgeon along with an update.

Just look at this sunset! Rich had just left to run errands so I was standing at the end of our driveway watching my neighbor, Linda, coming to pick me up for Bunco.

It has been a busy week. We are constantly doing stuff to make the house feel more homelike. Jose is working on the rest of the brush removal. Our realtor is getting us an appointment with an architect to work up plans for some of the projects we would like to do over the next couple of years. Tomorrow the beds for the guest rooms will be delivered so I'll be shopping for linens. And on and on and on...

Lovin' Life ~~ So Stay Tuned