Our Beautiful Grand Girlies!!

 In September Jake and Nicole finally got their bundle of joy. Claire Elise is such a joy to her parents. Chet, Melissa and I got to go and see her in November. Chet and I stayed ten days. This picture was taken the day we got there..she was so sweet and tiny. We fell in love at first sight!

   This is nine days later, and she just keeps on growing! She has a really good mommy that takes really good care of her. We are so blessed to have her and Nicole in our lives!!!

 Bailey is six now and loving first grade! She is one of the nicest little girls I've ever been around, she has a fun personality and so kind to her little sister. Bailey is learning to play the piano and is a really good student in school. Bailey loves to help around the house as well as in the garden, especially when there are fruits and vegies to eat.

  Madison is 4 and loving having one on one time with her mom and dad, while Bailey is at school. She is in preschool and has a super good memory. She can hear a song once and then later, sing almost every word perfectly such as Nephi's courage. Like her big sister, Madi loves to help with chores, especially when it comes to anything in the kitchen, dishes, cooking and cleaning. I hope that keeps up...:)

  That is it for now. I am really behind when it comes to posting things, I hope I can do better now that I am out of school. Now, if only I could find a job!!!


                                                                                   

 This is my final project for my Cadd class. We had to design a bridge, figure the stresses and forces of each member of the bridge. We then submitted the design to our teacher, who cut the bridge out using a computerized laser cutter. After that we had to assemble the bridge and paint it.

 Then we all brought our bridges to class to see who's bridge could hold the most weight without going over a 1000 lbs. (we all designed them to hold that much weight)

Guess who won? (me)... I was shocked! :) I won a Nook Tablet! I also won the most economical because of the ratio of how much my bridge held to how much it weighted itself. I just think it was fun to beat the guys in the class. Some of them were talking to engineers and getting pointers that I didn't have access to.

Christmas 2011

This year for Christmas we decided to make some fun memories by renting a cabin in Island Park. All the kids made it home this year and it is hard to take presents back on the plane so this fit our family well this year. And it even made the shopping a whole lot easier too.
This is Kamille and Trav catching up in the hot tub. It was after dark so it is a little blurry.

Bailey and Madi went for a walk with me one evening. We had a lot of fun listening to the snow crunch under our feet and getting some fresh air.

Where did my six week summer break go?

I was contemplating that very question as I rode the bus home today. And here is what I remembered.
-I cleaned out Kamille's room and made room to move the office in there as well as my sewing stuff
- I then moved the office out of bedroom number two and moved my bedroom into it temporally
- I dunged out my room, stripped the wallpaper off and painted, and oh how I love it!!!
-Then we moved Travis up to the number two bedroom
- Cleaned out Travis's old room, stripped the wallpaper boarder off and painted that room
-Painted our old bunk beds
- Moved my two granddaughters into that room
- Helped paint number four bedroom for Melissa and Paul.
-Cleaned one cupboard and and two drawers
-Read two books
- Went school shopping for Travis and I
- Went to the temple
- Worked two weeks in the grain harvest
- Took a few naps too!
Phew, now that I wrote it all down, I guess I was pretty busy and that is why it went so fast! I want summer to start over so I can have some fun now!!!:)

The Harley Ride 2011

Our friends, Dayle and Cheri Allen
We went on a little weekend excursion on motorcycles through Yellowstone and up through Virginia City, in Montana. I have to say we are so lucky to live so close to such beauty!! The flowers were still blooming and everything was still really green. It was a little cold, but I loved every minute of it!!!!! It was good to get away for a few days, we haven't had time to do much this year, not even a camping trip! Now back to the grindstone and books, yes, one more year and I will be done!!!! I have really enjoyed going back to school, but I am also glad that I will graduate next May!:)

State baseball here we come!!

For the first time in 15 years Snake River Baseball won the district championship. Way to go guys!!! These guys play as a team. They don't get down on each other and I think that had a lot to do with them winning. Granted they do have some really good talent, but these guys cheer each other on and keep each other going when it gets tough. That is a lesson I think everyone can learn from.

This is Travis and the winning pitcher, Shane Parkinson, who has played with Travis all the way through the years. Shane has really developed into an awesome arm.

Here is the team. They have eight senior this year and I am sure that contributed to their win as well, although they are small in stature for the most part. Most of the big guys are sophomores.
We play in Ontario next week. (as in Oregon that is) ;).

Love you Dad!!!

Exactly four weeks from today my Dad went to live with our Heavenly Father. He has left us with a very big void that seems to grow as the days go by. I was looking through my pictures on my camera today and ran across this picture. It is such a great picture of him because it capture his sparkly eyes. It was taken a week before Christmas and we were all together enjoying the season, something I know he especially loved, being together. I know he is in a better place now, and is no longer suffering. We are trying to move on, and we will never forget you Dad. You left big shoes to fill, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to follow your example and fill your shoes.

Love you, Dad!!!!