More Stuff

A trip to Key West

We also have a couple of new GRAND babes. They are adorable, of course!

Oh, they are soooo sweet! Just love them to pieces!!

When The National Park's Were Open

This was another summer trip when the park's were actually open! Did they seriously cover up this national monument with TARPS so people could not see it from the road??! I find that rather shocking. And seriously sickening for some reason, if it's true.

I would think that this one pictured below (Crazy Horse) should still be open, since it's privately owned. But it's got to be disappointing to many traveler's right now to not be able to see all the Autumn beauty just beginning in many national parks across the country.

We loved our trip to South Dakota/Badlands! It was really fun.

We enjoy visits to museums and we like history, so it's all good.

Devil's Tower was interesting. Some of these places are quite the tourist trap, but needed the experience.

Tennessee Tmes

Terry and I attended a convention for work (we being the supplier of pallets for their company) and it was a lot of fun. Somehow very exhausting too. I don't know how that happened, since we didn't even do the driving and we just sat around most of the time :)
I personally spent more time at the super nice mall nearby.We didn't have time to see a show at the Grand Ole Opry. Maybe next trip. We did go on a dinner cruise, which was really nice. The food was simply wonderful.

View from our balcony to gardens

A little better view of one of many gardens

South side of Grand Ole Opry

Front of Grand Ole Opry

A Camping We Will Go

When we are in Idaho we try to go on at least 1-2 camping trips. For some reason I usually forget my camera. I remembered it on the last trip. I saw a Wolverine in the mountains near Star Valley, WY, which was super cool. The hubby won't forgive me for not showing it to him (we were together on a hiking trail), but I was in shock when I saw it, thinking it was a bear! So by the time I got his attention, it was gone. Apparently the sighting of a Wolverine is quite a rare occurrence.

We hiked and just had a good, relaxing time.

A cute new tent--because somehow we forgot part of ours. Who does that?!

Good times! This is definitely NOT something I enjoy doing in the Midwest where it it hot, hot, hot and humid and so many ticks and chiggers. Maybe some day we will purchase an RV and can experience some new adventures together.

Wow

The 'wow' in the title of this post is meant to imply sarcasm.  I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted!  Vacation, work, family craziness (or is that crazy family?), and only a little sewing project or two.  We traveled to Utah:

This is Kolob Canyon.  Such a beautiful place.  Saw lots of breathtaking country in Southern Utah, then went on to Arizona, New Mexico, then Rockwall, TX where our oldest daughter had a baby boy!  She has three girls, now one cutie pie little boy.  I don't even have a picture on my camera of little Jonathan.  So pitiful.  I will have her send me some, so I can post his cute little mug on my blog.  I am just terrible about taking pictures.  My girls (including daughter-in-laws) are just wonderful photographers, so I usually leave that up to them.
However, I did get a snap of us joining grand-daughter, Audrey, at her school on Grandparents' Day in September.  Gotta love those elementary school lunches, right?

The Christmas stocking is for new baby Jon.  We are expecting at least one more grand-baby in the year 2013 (hopefully more!), so I have to stay on top of making these stockings.
Hopefully the month of November will be a more productive one when it comes to sewing.  I have to make a couple of little quilts.  Not too many homemade Christmas gifts this year, since I have to spend a lot of time on projects at work :p 

A Camping We Will Go

(photo by Kassie Groll)

 So, here's a couple of good quotes from that funny guy again.  We went camping with most of our kids this week and it was a hoot.  We really did have a good time.  I really do prefer my own bed :)

“Camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business. ”
― Dave Barry

 “It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.”
― Dave Barry

Mesa Falls

I keep forgetting to post these pictures of one of our many trips to the mountains, lakes, rivers, etc. this summer!  I don't spend all of my time in front of this computer!  Would much rather be outside.  Now, if only we had an ocean less than two hours away like we did when I was growing up in Oregon...

Such beautiful country here in Idaho! 

Crystal and family and Jessica and family were on this trip also, but I figured if they wanted to have their family pictures posted, they will do that on their own blogs.  What fun times!                              

Alaska Trip

More proof of our trip to Alaska.  Behind us in the clouds is Mt. McKinley!  Talkeetna is at the end of one road that veers off and away from the main highway that goes into Danali National Park.  It's a very long drive to get anywhere in Alaska, so we made this side-trip.  We had all experienced the whole Mt. McKinley close-up, so didn't go there.  Anywhere you go in Alaska this time of year is green and beautiful.  Some of the locals will tell you it doesn't rain "much", but in my experience, it rains ALOT there in the summer!  Just that constant Seattle kind of drizzle, but still very pretty.  A nice place to go if you want to get away from the extreme heat in the lower 48!

Model A Ford

This is my brother, Duane's Model A Ford that he has parked in his yard in Wasilla, AK.  It's really cool.  It was raining too much while we were there, so couldn't take it for a drive.  We would have rode in the rumble seat!

30 Year Reunion Picture

I should really find a few more to post, but will do that later when I find the time.  Since I had camera issues, I have to depend on friends and family to send me more pictures of our trip. (hint, hint)

We're Baaaack

We returned from our trips to Alaska and Idaho on Monday night 7/5.  What a great time we had!  Here are a couple of shots from Alaska.

I will have to post more pictures later once I've figured out how to save them.  Have to receive a few from friends also, since my camera was acting up on this trip!

Trip to Dallas and New Quilt Tops

We had a fun visit with Crystal, Dave and girls in Dallas, TX Feb. 18th - 22nd.  The main purpose in going (besides the visiting part) was to put together two twin-size quilt tops for Audrey and Jane.  Crystal did most of the sewing and she and I spent many hours shopping for just the right fabrics.  We came up with these most awesome shabby chic style quilt tops:

Sigh.  What a weekend!  It would have been much better had I not been sick.  This story to be continued, since now I'm going to find the time to machine quilt these tops and put special touches on the backs of them.

Our Trip to Dallas

We went to Dallas to visit Crystal and family and help them to get a little settled into their new apartment. Dave passed the Bar Exam---yippeeeee!!!--we're all celebrating that one. We knew he would pass the first time!
We had fun with Audrey and Jane and just enjoyed our visit very much. I am so happy that they live less than 10 hours away now, so it makes for an easy 1 day drive. We may fly down for our next trip in the spring though because Terry doesn't much care for driving in the city.
We went to a cool IKEA store and I was able to purchase several of those awesome 100% cotton flat sheets to use in my quilts. I am washing them up right now and will start on a new project today. Updates later this week. I should be able to get a lot done because Terry is heading back to Idaho again on Wednesday and will be gone a week. At least I am not home alone with Jacob and Kassie close by.

More vacation pictures

This area North of Cody is sooo beautiful. I thought I had pics of Lily Lake where we went that day, but must have been too busy swatting mosquitoes to remember to take pictures! They just about ate us alive up there. Great reminder of why I don't go camping. Oh, the top picture is taken in Yellowstone Park when we had to stop during construction.

Vacation

This chipmunk was VERY friendly. Jess thought it would crawl right up her leg! It was just the funniest thing.
I meant to show this to Audrey when we were in Rexburg. Crystal, if you're reading this....show Audrey! I thought she'd get a kick out of it.