3 weeks from today! June 8th

That's when Marin arrives! 2 days later JR comes and the day after that Mandy, Jon, and the kids arrive! So, believe it or not, I got up at 6:45 (that's AM) this morning and took the playpen out of the small guest bedroom and cleared out the closet and put out the small table with lamp on it and made the bed up. (You can't be too prepared or too early) Then I went in the bigger bedroom and took out the table with the TV on it and moved the TV to the computer desk and took away the stereo/cd/tape player and speakers. Then I moved the clock to the smaller room and took out the exercise bike and put it on the deck. I also changed the plastic 7-drawer set from the smaller room to the larger one since the smaller room already has a dresser in it. Then I cleared out most of the closet space in each room so there's plenty of room for clothes in the closets and drawers since the week after Cherry Hill the 3 girls and I are going on our annual shopping spree/ overnighter to the Park City Outlets for 2 days and nights and they'll need room for all those new clothes for the kids and spouses and US! OK, now I'm almost ready for the reunion. I got all the prizes but one for the guessing jar and I still have to pack the motor home and buy the food but that has to be done closer to the day. Anyone who knows me knows I like to pack for a trip weeks in advance just in case I might forget something. Well, all this was done by 9am so I decided to vacumn a bit. Since Garn and I got all the windows and screens washed inside and out yesterday we feel anxious to have everyone come. When the rest of the family arrives in 3 weeks then I will feel complete again...yeah :p

Summer is finally here!

I promise not to complain about the heat!! I've waited sooo long for this warm weather that I don't want to jinx it with complaints. I actually can take the heat better than I can the cold but as I get older I find that I can't take extreme temps very well. I love summer because that means I can sleep in and PLAY! I'm worried that summer will go by too fast and then it's back to school too soon. I do, however, want my girls and their families to hurry up and get here. Today I'm washing all the windows inside and then Garn and I are doing the screens and outside windows with a new window cleaning kit that Misty and Dan gave Garn for Father's Day. It has an extended pole and all sorts of brushes and nozzles. Should be just what we need to do the job which REALLY needs to be done after that looong winter. I found some more letterboxes in Murray Park and Wheeler Farm. Austin and Devan and I have done the Murray Park one and we'll wait for the rest of the grandkids to do the others. Well, better get back to the windows...Out darn spot! Mandy's blog reminded me of that Shakespeare phrase. Later... Pat

Guess what Garn bought me today?

A chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. You see, while we had Misty and Dan and Mandy and Jon and Marin and JR on a group web camera conference call someone came to Misty's house and gave them a chocolate chocolate cake and she proceeded to eat it ON CAMERA in front of us. Well, I made such a big deal out of it that Garn went out and bought one for me! Cute, huh? It wasn't just me, Austin and Devan were staying over and Austin said it looked good too. Wish I could show you all a picture but I haven't learned how to incorporate pictures into my blog yet.... It was GOOD. I'll make sure to share it with whomever would like a piece...come and get it!!

Twice in one month?

It's because I forgot to mention that JR got us the coolest seats to a Mariners and Red Socks baseball game and Garn just brought the pictures from our trip and I saw the great ones of the game. Wish I knew how to post pictures but I've made a scrapbook of the trip so you'll just have to see it! Marin, when are you going to post? What is your web site? I'm anxious to hear from you! Have a great time at the temple tomorrow. Later....Pat

If I'm posting then it must be a new month....

Well, we returned (reluctantly) from Seattle after driving up with Marin and JR. They live in an area north of Seattle called Kirkland which is famous for being the first one to have a Costco, thus the store name of Kirkland on many of Costco's products. It's beautiful and where they live overlooks Lake Washington which is famous for where Bill Gates grew up,(very rich) and still lives today(even richer). We toured the underground tunnels which still exist after the city of Seattle built up over them. We visited Pike's Place Market which is huge and has hundreds of stores in an open market style and over the Memorial Day week-end had even more open markets. I got wonderful scented candles, creams and lotions, a sweatshirt and t-shirt that say,what else, Seattle on them. We ate at Ivars, a great fish and chips place on the water front. Garn and JR had clam chowder and I had fish and chips and Marin played it safe with chicken. Her order took the longest to cook cuz I think they had to go out and find a chicken! (I mean, who goes to a fish place on the water front and orders CHICKEN??) Ah, I can't believe my kids don't eat fish.The Aquarium was great and we were under the aquarium and saw the fish being fed. They had all kinds from sturgeon to stingrays to all of the other varieties. We saw sea lions perform and I even petted some starfish and sea anemonies. We also ate at the Cheesecake Factory which was a first for Garn and me. The food there is terrific! ........ I also am so amazed with how well JR got around the city and even how well he got TO the city! The freeway systems are so numerous and confusing and he breezed right through. What amazes me more is how brave Marin was to navigate the freeways too. It was her first time driving there and she took the wheel often. We also went to beautiful waterfalls which are 100 ft. higher than Niagra Falls and stood on the deck overlooking Snoqualmie Falls. I felt like I was in that commercial for wood treatment that shows people on the deck looking at Niagra. These Falls are 25 mi. east of Seattle and are one of Wash. most popular scenic attractions. Because of the constant moisture in Seattle it is dubbed the Emerald City and it lives up to its name. Everything is green and lush and the pine trees even at sea level make you think you are high in the mountains. I sort of harbored (there are lots of harbors, too!) the idea that Marin and JR would consider coming back to Utah some day but after experiencing Seattle and its surrounding countryside I cannot envision them leaving such an idealic setting. I realize there is a tradeoff for the scenery and that is lots of rain. However, spending winter in the rain as opposed to snow is a no-brainer for me. The Washingtonians merely go about their activities rain or shine. All in all it was a wonderful visit and it was very hard to leave them when it was time for us to go home. Between Texas and Wash. we'll be saving our dollars for travelling!! Love to all, the Referee

We're off to Seattle! May 22

Today we leave. I'm excited for the vacation but sad to have to say goodby to Marin and JR in 10 days. I was playing racquetball yesterday and the gal I was playing with went to hit the ball just as I was going to pick it up to serve. Well she slammed my hand instead of the ball and smashed my knuckle. It hurts sooo bad and I slept lousy last night because of the pain and swelling. At least it's my left hand and not my racquetball hand,although it'll make lifting things and unloading boxes a little harder. Ah, the pains of moving! I'll post again after I return with all the news of our trip to Seattle....

May's Post

Even though it is May, the weather here is COLD! Garn and I are gearing up to move Marin and JR to Seattle the end of the month. JR, bless his heart, has been busy graduating from BYU and installing a new laptop computer for me, (which I absolutely love) and also installing a new computer system for Garn. Now both of us have moved into the 21st century. My early morning Espanol is over and I only have a week left of tutoring ESL at Riverview JR High. The only job left is umpiring Tue. and Thurs. til about the middle of June. Then my income dries up til Fall but my freedom increases! Hopefully I have saved enough to let me have the fun I want. I'm still playing racquetball most days and I took 2nd in the State Singles tournament in the womens B division. Garn is still swimming twice a week at the Park Center and is planning on competing in some tri-athelons this summer. I'm still RS secretary and Garn and I are still a shepherding couple for the Young Single Adults in the ward. We try to watch Misty's boys play baseball in Herriman when we can. On any given evening one or more of her 4 boys are playing. She works in the snack shack from 10:30 to 2:30 on Sat. mornings to offset their fees. Mcky also works there and does a great job. Everyone else is in the midst of trying to get through their days as best they can. With tornados in McKinney, Texas and everything new and different Mandy and fam are adjusting and Jon is recovering from an appendectomy. We'll see what Seattle brings to our youngest kids, who will be celebrating their 2 yr. wedding anniversary this Sun. (which happens to be my RS lesson). Happy birthday to Ali this month on Sun the 25th. Love you all, Pat Mom and Gr.Ma