December 19, 2016

Christmas 2016

Christmas 2016



Hello Everyone!
It is time again for you all to suffer through another one of those annual updates from me!  We have had a not very interesting and not really very busy, but at the same time, very eventful year!
On Keith’s health front, his Parkinson’s is doing great. His neurologist is totally happy with the “lack of” progress that this disease has made.  Such a good thing!  I credit that with his absolute dedication to maintaining as much independence as he can and taking pretty good care of himself.  On the other hand, … this blasted arthritis is kicking our collective butts…  Last fall, Keith suffered a couple partial dislocations of his left shoulder.  In March, problems with that shoulder caused a reverse shoulder replacement surgery, a second surgery to remove the prosthesis a month later, and a collective two month stay in rehabilitation center after the surgeries.   That took us up to middle of May before he was released from the rehab the second time.  Thankfully, he is still recovering his strength and is faithful in going to physical therapy twice a week to maintain and try to improve balance issues.  God is good!
Concentrix (where I was working) closed their doors in February, so I was not working for the time period when Keith was going through the surgeries and initial recoveries and was able to stay close and entertain him when he was unable to get around at all.  I went to work at Lowes during the spring and was there until August, when Keith began having issues with his right arm and shoulder which made me feel as though I was needed more at home J and they seemed unwilling to work with me on scheduling.  So I again became Keith’s major pain in the hiney  haha!  

In family tradition:  In April, our granddaughter Brayana left for the Army!  She has decided that she wants to be a Combat Medic and we are so very proud of her.  Our hearts break at the thought of this precious baby being out in COMBAT, but at the same time are so proud that her heart is leading her to wanting to help others and stand for our Country.   She is currently at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX.  In November, Grandson Jay (Jaleel) also headed out for Army life.  He is currently in Ft. Benning, GA.  It will be a quiet Christmas getting used to both of these two being on their new life journeys.


































In May, son in law Rod retired from the Navy after serving for 22 years.  It was great to be able to host Rod’s parents and brother when they came to visit and attend a most beautiful  and moving ceremony.  It was great that all 4 generations of his family is so photogenic!   Bray was missed greatly and one of these days I will figure out how to put her into this picture….  I know… where there is a will …. Hahaa!!  

We were able to take a short trip down to visit Dad and Evie during Labor Day.  It was a short visit and I was so glad to be able to go down and visit for a bit!  Then in October they unexpectedly sold their winter place in Arizona, and S’te volunteered to “Papa sit” (LOL) so I flew down to AZ, met them and Tanya, and we packed them up for them to move all the rest of their worldly goods (hahaha) together in Oregon.  So dad is once again, an Oregon resident!!!  Another clue to the “never say never” adage…. And I got to spend a bit more time with Dad!  He is doing pretty well.  He is now 84 and gets around much better than many his age.  He still cannot hear much… even with his hearing aids – which he does wear these days… and he still likes to tell the same stories… but still enjoy spending what time I get to with him!


It has been a blessing for April to have been able to bring Logan out and visit twice this year!  Due to the extended recovery we have not been able to get back to the mid-west and visit with Mom Beatty and the rest of the family.  It has been really great to be able to be host to Keith’s nephew Jason and his buddy Cotton also!!!  Keith had an absolutely, the most awesome 75th Birthday with them here!  It was wonderful!  Wish I had gotten a photo of everyone!  We had a houseful with great fun and good food!  It was a great day!  Logan is growing so fast and furious… he is a joy to see – each and every time we are blessed to get to.


Elizabeth’s fantastic volleyball talents have earned her the offer and she has committed with Marquette Golden Eagles at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We are so very proud of her, her hard work, and how well she uses her talents and abilities. Brennan worked another whole summer in baseball. Traveling all over with tournaments and doing so very well! He is loving his first year in High School, playing basketball, and just being 15! They are all just growing up way to fast!

We were absolutely blessed with the ability to do a family cruise to Alaska during August!  I hunted for the photo that was taken when we boarded – but didn’t find it …. But here is the back half of the van when we got underway!  It was a great trip.  Glacier Bay was in it’s glory being midsummer and we could do the train to White Pass as it has handicap availability.  Makk connected with a group his age and really did the teen party trip… he seemed to have a blast and the rest… well… everyone seemed to have a great time!  I was so happy and content seeing my chickies being busy and enjoying themselves.  It was quite different from the family trip of 9 years ago … where swimsuits and horserides were the thing… beings at it was a Mexican cruise…  LOL  What a wonderful world we live in! 
So, enough is enough… all in all, we are well, healthy and ready for a wonderful 2017!!! 
Merry Christmas to All!!!  And a Happy and Prosperous 2017 to everyone!!!  

April 16, 2015

New Job Announcement

Our church - Crossroads Neighborhood Church - has just posted the announcement for it's search for a Church Administrator.  We are going through a big transition and this is a huge step for our church as a whole.  If you know anyone that would fit this bill!!!  Please pass it on!

Crossroads Church Administrator Posting

Thanks to all!

April 11, 2014

San Diego in April - Mexicoach

Happy 10th Anniversary to us!!  We actually spent most of our Anniversary in Tijuana - visiting with Dra. Ruth!  She is the bestest!! :)  Yay!!!
It was a beautiful day!  We found our way across from the new and un-marked revised border crossing!  Don't know why the streets are almost empty - could it be that someone that does not have a predetermined reason for visiting TJ cannot find their way across any more?  I get teased because I absolutely refuse to drive over there - but jeez.... I have been going to the same address for over 15 years - and still don't recognize my way around in a cab or bus!  OH and the BUS ! ! ! !  Hahahahahaha!!!  3 times in 7 days, after Keith spent the day at Dra. Ruth's, we walked down to the station to catch the Mexicoach (or whatever it is that they call it these days) and 3 times we were told... "No Service Today"...  The coach was at the parking lot when we went in - but... on Friday the 4th - we had to take a cab from the station to the border and walk across because "last bus left at 3"... So when we went back on Monday I asked the attendant specifically - what time is last bus today... She said 5, every hour until 5... We got to the station at 1:30 - no bus this afternoon... said the pharmacist next door... no attendant... On the next Friday - again I asked the attendant on the US side... she said 'every 1 hour until 3... we got there at 2:30... no attendant, no service, no bus.  So on both of those occasions we again took a cab for $6 ($5 +$1 tip) to the border, walked across, and since Keith couldn't do the bridge walk again, we took a pedicab back across the bridge to the parking lot - for another $8... the $7 for the parking... SO I'm thinking that maybe the Border Station parking lot is no longer the best place to park... It used to be - but here I am again... living in history!  Oh, the pedicab ride was great!!  I would have loved to have had the option to take a longer ride... those guys sure earn their money!!  I asked the one fellow if he was sure he could get us across the bridge and he just laughed at me bwahahaha!!  They were so very nice!


 On Monday, while Dra. Ruth was taking care of Keith, I went over next door and got the most amazing facial EVER!!  For 2 hours I laid back in the chair with the sweetest tech working on my face... she massaged, oiled, creamed, electrocuted, zapped... oh MAN it was awesome!!!  and when my time was over my face was soooo soft... so sweet!!!  She did a pretty good massage on my neck and shoulders too...  oooohhhhh I could've just stayed there all day!!!!  and for ...... wait for it.... less than $50 INCLUDING TIP!!!


We had awesome weather for our whole stay.  The 'coldest' days were the weekend that the Padres were back in town - so our plans to attend a game were put on hold... I remember how cool the stadium downtown can be.... We've been there, done that, and have the blanket to prove it! :)

I <3 diego="" p="" san="">












I had a much better Monday than Keith did!!

April 2, 2014

Saga of our planned San Diego Trip . . .

Oh the joys of online shopping.... and for what???

Back in February Keith decided that he wanted to go to Denver, CO to see Elizabeth play volleyball in the Regional's.  She is quite a talented player and Keith really, really enjoys seeing her play.  I have only seen her play once - and since I am not 'up' on all the rules of volleyball... don't know for sure just exactly what I was watching... but Elizabeth did great .... but I digress.... again....

So anyway, we looked at airfare between Vegas and Denver... found what looked like a fairly good deal on SPIRIT AIRlines... and while booking our trip - what looked like a decent price for a rental vehicle popped up there, so Keith said go ahead and do that - since we would still need to travel between the hotel and the volleyball venue and airport.  THEN we had to choose if we were going to have a carryon (the computer bag)  - for $$$ .. then (we are getting used to having to pay for checked luggage) our checked suitcases- more $$$$... and then for OUR SEATS!!!  Now, I've not had to pay in advance for our seats before... BUT I didn't think we would actually be allowed to stand in the aisle for the trip.... so more $$$..   at the end of it... the beginning price was $444 for the flight and car (not bad!) BUT-   the NET price was $787!!!  and then another $450+ for the hotel ... all righty then... THEN, the weather changed to terribly nasty and I'm thinking there must've been something else happen - but Keith decided not to go...  So, expecting a hefty cancellation fee - I cancelled the hotel (whoa - no fee since I cancelled over 30 days before) - and then I called Spirit... $ 125.OO EACH cancellation fee... so ok... I will lose $250 of the $787.. so sad to see it go... and then find out NO REFUNDS - NOT EVEN ON THE CAR RENTAL...
and I only had 60 days to use the credits of $537... What a circle jerk -

So we decide to use the $537 for hotel and go to San Diego for our Anniversary - and go see Dr. Ruth (our dentista)... NOT... We cannot use the credit unless we book a package that includes airfare... and if we have airfare, we have to have a vehicle, and the hotel charges us per day PER PERSON...  So we are trying to decide what we want to do ... meanwhile Keith talks to Jackson and he says - oh great, will be so glad to see you guys, you are going to stay here with me again... Keith says that sounds really good... so we firm up our plans... We book our airfare and a car... and the website won't let me use the credit because I have to have the exact amount booked or more... a glitch (hahahahaha) they say... so I call them... To book via a person is a different price than booking online (and way more than the credits we have coming)  but I can contact tech support to see why it won't take the credit... lol... by now I am ready to literally pull my hair out..........

So tech support gives me the workaround - and we should still have $40+ in credits left over to use on the NEW seat purchase... which I was to go back into the website and redo that part... BUT wa-la!!! no credits... So I call them back again and find out the credits are a ONE TIME DEAL AND CANNOT BE SPLIT BETWEEN BOOKINGS.... EVEN THO' IT IS 1 TRIP - IT IS 2 'BOOKINGS'......  So... I ask about seats... and they said since we are not purchasing seats in advance - we will be assigned random (not necessarily together) seats when we check in.... well it's only a 1 hour flight... I can deal....  Dad and Evie will watch the granddogs - and we are all set...

In my dreams...

Then Jackson's son called Keith - Jackson has fallen again (oh so sorry to hear that... he hasn't been doing all that great and we were really looking forward to seeing him again) and he is now in Reno - his house is all closed up - sorry if there is inconvenience - but - even tho' we've been there many times before and the fact that I used to housesit often for them when they went on their trips - due to liability - we cannot stay there.  He can arrange for someone to meet us to get the things we've left there but that is all.  So.... I hunt up a hotel... we hope it is decent - but it IS BOOKED... We have a place to stay from 4/3 to 4/14... the dates of our very expensive Spirit deal...

and then on April 1 Evie got a very scary phone call regarding her mom.  Not good news...  Ever feel like you are trying to plan a trip to hell????  So . . . Evie is trying to decide how fast she can get North and just how.  We aren't leaving until Thursday and the only airline that has straight in flights to Eugene flies on Thursday (good) at 9 am (not so good) - our flight isn't until 1:30 and we don't have parking until 11 am... Keith suggests that maybe they should just drive... Dad hops on that (trying to help Evie who is almost a basket case trying to figure the best way for everyone) and gets things arranged with the office and Mike (the summer caretaker) and they pack the car - and they are taking the boyz... with them... until we head north ourselves (when depends on if we have people in our house or not) to stop by and pick them up.  So I pack the boyz up too... Tuesday morning comes and Dad and Evie are both on tenderhooks... waiting for hospice to call back and not wanting to hear from them... then just giving up and taking off... SO I promise Evie that I will clean up, empty the fridge and freezer, and take care of all that stuff... before we leave Thurs.  AND I GOT IT DONE! :)

Wednesday noon, Evie calls and they made it up there in time :) she was able to hold her Mom's hand and get a squeeze on hers.  She said Dad and the boyz made the trip find - and she was going to take a nap.  Now for her it is the sad waiting game... I pray that her Mom rallies and gets better... selfish of me to wish for this for Evie... I know the pain of losing Mom... don't wish that on anyone . . .

So today I get an email... Check in online (it is an additional fee to check in and get a boarding pass at the airport) - so I do that and get....ERROR again and again...  after about 3 hours I finally get online and print the boarding passes - seeing a note that the bag sizes and weights for the Vegas airport are listed under help on the homepage.... so I go back in and try to find out what this is talking about... haven't made it yet... more error messages...  I hope I find out before we finish packing...

So that is my SAGA for today!!!!  All will be better tomorrow as we head for our meeting spot...
We plan to
have a Coldstone Ice Cream on Coronado
go to a Padre game
see Dra. Ruth
stop by several times and see the gang at 
CHANNEL 1
AND 
have an awesome vaca!!!!



March 10, 2014

2014 Arizona Time

Today finds us in Arizona {)  Nice and warm 85 with just a tad bit of light breeze wafting through!  Yes, it is really nice out.

We got here in Feb - we left Bremerton the day after the Seahawks totally kicked butt in the SUPERBOWL!!!  Not to sure why the score was so totally one-sided - but glad to be rooting for a winning team :)  This was at Church the morning of Superbowl... Even had Bronco's fans right up on stage with the Seahawks  fans... It was so cute :)

Bray's Varsity Basketball team made it clear through to the next to last game before a hard, hard loss.  It's doubly hard for the girls since so many got injured by the other team and the ref's didn't seem to be at all on the ball.

but -

we got here and got the sheets off the furniture, got the boys used to having to walk on a leash a couple times each day - annoyed our crappy neighbors again (hehee)  and got the flower beds cleaned out!  Looks really great and the days are down to what am I gonna eat, am I going to the pool, or do I even get outta my chair today....  but anyhow... pictures of the 'park model hy-line' that we bought last year:




It's really nice and plenty of room for us for a few months at a time.

We hadn't been here for very long before Keith started talking about missing "home" and wanting to put this on the market... So we shall see what the season brings.

Sunday's we've been going over to the Aquarius (in Laughlin) for brunch and on Monday's we (Evvie and I) go over and play Domino's - so I've finally learned how to play the Mexican Train game LOL



 The 'closest' neighbors that are trying so hard to annoy Keith into packing his suitcase and walking out.  They park their noisy diesel as close to our front door as they possibly can.  It wouldn't be so bad if they HAD to be this close...  One more reason to just hang it up... hehee....



We got our satellite dish installed but cannot park directly in front of it - or it won't work... hmmmmm

AND since our 'closest' neighbors have a 5th wheel and their bedroom is right next to the tv - we put up plywood to insulate.... and Mike and Keith got the screen door installed too... so now we have a sun AND wind protected area to watch tv  without bothering anyone else :)

I think we need a covered deck up North too!!



Jaleel is all dressed up for the TOGO dance at school - His date also wore black and white - so they matched!  It was a looonngggg process finding just the right things for his 1st high school dance :)

And here is the Annual Daddy Daughter Dance photo of Rod and the girls!


They are all getting so tall and growing up so fast!  

"Love of family is life's
greatest treasure"

January 1, 2014

2013 Christmas in Washington

Add caption








 Our pretty tree in the front window of our new house.  Not to bad for 9 days after unloading our storage unit!  LOL  Bray and Jay helped me by putting up the outside lights :)  They scared me to death up there laying around and hanging over the roofline!  I think they had fun arranging and rearranging the lights so they looked the best.  Next year we will have more of an idea of how they are going to look - so it WILL be better :)  but I love how they strung these :)


 







and we went to Cavelle's 1st grade Christmas Program... As you can see - it was a tad bit long for him ~ but he actually did really really well!!!!  It was a great program!










And to several of Desi's JB and  Bray's Varsity Basketball Games :)











and  to Makkiah's band concert :)












 He is playing a mean trombone!!!




 And to Jay's band concert :) He actually plays in 3 band so we got to watch him more than most!!









And a really nice lady came barreling out of the Church parking lot and tried real hard to take my bumper off...  S'te came right out and checked on us ~ and took Papa on to the YMCA for his group - Did $6,000+ worth of damage - she hit hard enough to even break the bumper mounts...  Absolutely no problem though.  Uptown Auto Body did an awesome job in getting it all repaired - good as new - made sure we had a rental car - it was almost a painless process!


    
 And on the 20th I had surgery on both hands :(  I had a trigger finger release on my right hand and carpal tunnel release on my left...  I was pretty well no-handed for several days
 and somewhere along the lines - we went to the Elk's (BPOE) Family Christmas party and the kids got to do the Limbo, Musical Chairs, and, of course, See SANTA!!!!  Keith ended up joining the Elk's Lodge so it will be a new place to see people - and it's nice and close too!
 And we strung popcorn for a whole afternoon!  and then hung it out on the bushes :)

 Makkiah in his winter attire LOL  He made an arrow out of his as he decorated part of the front yard :)
AND THEN IT WAS CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!


























and I think a good morning was had by all!  

I fixed breakfast and Rod and S'te prepared a huge dinner.  We had all sorts of goodies!  Ladaria and her boyfriend made it over and spend the afternoon - so the kids had all their kids together again for Christmas :)  I am so glad they now how special that is!

Today is the 1st Day of the 
Rest of Your Life 
What you do with it is up to you!