It's been nearly 2 months and people probably skip over my blog all together by now. Lots have happened. Andy and Jessica visited the end of April and we were so happy to see them. Lucas turned one and we had a great time with his party.

Our saddest news is Andy was deployed on June 6. He is in Kuwait for a month of training and then will be in Iraq after that. Jessica is sad and misses him dreadfully and vice versa. Please keep them both in your prayers.

The kitchen transformation was great and it looks pretty good. We are pleased. I love the wall color.

Our next venture is off to SD.

Here is a view from the Miller's home in Hollister. It's so amazing to look out from the top of their hill. We also got a 4 generation picture with Bev's mom, Bev, Daniel and Lucas. While we were with Sarah and Daniel over Easter I gave Lucas a bath in the kitchen. He loved it and splashed a lot and made a big watery mess. He also figured out how to turn the water on and pulled the sprayer in and out. Giving him a bath this way is easier on Grammy's back.















Below is a picture of my cupboard transformation. It takes a little time but easier than stripping and having all that mess. So far, I've been told it looks really nice. It's been scarey for me painting oak cabinets. Goes against my "grain." ha ha

Last Sunday, on a whim, we decided to head up to Monterey and go to the Aquarium there. We wanted to do something fun and enjoyable before Doug left for Colorado in the morning. It turned out to be one of our best outings! We asked Sarah and Daniel if they would mind bringing Lucas to play with us there. We sure had a blast with him. There he is sitting in a "clam" and also touching the barnacles in the "touch and feel" aquarium. He also touched the sea cucumber. He had so much fun and couldn't get enough of playing in the water. Later, we all went to Bubba Gumps for dinner. It was pretty fun. We headed home about 7 pm. We can't stop talking about what a great day it was!

We had some film from last fall finally developed. It ran through the xray at the airport when we went to NC and I wasn't sure it would develop correctly. It did. Here's a picture of Emma and Becky all dolled up for the Homecoming Banquet at VCA.A picture of Lucas making his funny face. Becky and Ashley in their costume for Halloween as two baskets of laundry.

This Blog is dedicated to Steve!

We had fun with Lucas these past 6 days. He's very much on the go now. He just wants to get down on the floor and go, go, go!

He sure is a happy little boy!











It was a great week for us.

Nathan Patrick was born Monday. Here is a picture. We met him today!

I caught Becky on camera doing her homework today. I guess those early morning practices are
tough on little girls like her. My question is how long did she "pose" as doing her homework before I realized she wasn't. She looked too precious to disturb, though.

We just got back from San Jose. We forgot to get pictures but these are from Sarah's last visit about 2+ weeks ago. Lucas is amazing and pulling himself up and walking around furniture. He'll be walking soon, I think.

Tullia and Macha have been removed from their parents' presence. They had been upsetting the nesting process. I think Belle and Chester are greatful. Thanks for the loan of a cage, Terry Lynn!! They seem to be settling in and comfortable right now.

Macha and Tullia, about 11 days old. Macha, Chester, Tullia, and Belle.

Macha and Tullia are ready to grow up. They are pecking seeds on their own but still beg from Chester and Belle for food. Becky thinks Belle is a true mom and ignores them. Chester is an old softy and feeds them more often. By the way, Macha means "plain" in Irish.

Family Room, Before




This weekend I had a big painting project, the family room. It turned out nicely.














After

The baby doves are about 1 week old now. We've named them "Tullia" and "Macha." I can't remember what "Macha" means but "Tullia" is Irish for "peaceful". I think that is an appropriate name for a dove. We're thinking of keeping these.

That white round thing in front is not another egg. Just part of bird "leave-behinds". Birds are not necessarily the cleanest of nestkeepers.

We had a great weekend with Sarah and Lucas. Lucas is fun to hang out with.

The New Year is off to a good start! Chester and Belle have been busy. We have two new babies again. They are about 4 days old. I know these blogs aren't any fun without pictures so I'll try to find one.
Here's Lucas when we visited them in December.Andy's dog, Charlie.
Timothy in a Santa hat.Last November when Lucas came to visit. He looks pretty good
in Grammy's turbo towel.And, there you have it! It's time to download some more pictures. I will let you know the progress of our new hatchlings. Belle and Chester are good parents. They have more experience now and are keeping house better. This time they threw the egg shells out after the birds hatched. Last time they just made the shells a part of the nest decor.

I am going to make it my goal next year to have Christmas shopping done by July 25th. I think it loses out on the spirit of Christmas to drag in on the 23rd or the 24th like a steam engine late to a major stop or something.

We are actually done. I could run to the store for something...I can't remember what. So, I won't. I went today and it wasn't horrifically bad at Wal-Mart, believe it or not. I just needed some buttons. I ended up with an armload of stuff (I refuse to push a cart through Wal-Mart; the last time I did a wheel fell off). I got to the register and tossed my arm load down at the self-check out and Becky called asking for one more thing. I gathered it all up again and picked out the thing she asked for. I came back, tossed it all again and checked out. When I got home something was missing and it wasn't on the receipt so I must have dropped it somewhere in between tossing, gathering and tossing again.

I would like to ask Jesus to forgive me for letting things get too hectic for His birthday!

I made little donkey cookies today to give out to people with the story of the Legend of the Little Donkey. It's a story about the donkey that carried Mary when Jesus was being born in Bethlehem which was also ascendant to the donkey that carried Jesus for his Triumphant Entry. It's just a story. I thought it would be a good way to proclaim the wonderful News of His birth.

We made cookies with Melanie and Timothy. Timothy had so much fun putting "sprinkles" on the cookies. I think he called Doug "grandpa" when we arrived. Their new puppy, Ginger, piddled when we got there, or had just piddled.

Have a wonderful Christmas Celebration! Try not to let things get confusing and think of Jesus and how wonderful it was when the Angels came to proclaim His birth! I know how exciting it was when my grandson arrived but the angels were thrilled to know that God's plan of salvation was beginning when Jesus was born!

We spent this past weekend up in San Jose. Here is Lucas in his Christmas stocking I knitted for him. He's a great stocking stuffer! Below is Sarah and Lucas and the gingerbread house Sarah and Becky designed. They are so talented. I thought they did such a good job on the roof.


Yesterday we celebrated Timothy's 2nd birthday. He liked the cake I made with whipped cream. He even said, "Good cake." What a compliment! He blew out the candles all by himself.

We said good-bye to the baby birds on Sunday. Our neighbor, Terri Lynn and Hannah came and got them. They are happy in their new home and the lighter bird seems to be a special friend to Hannah and likes to be held by her. It's back to normal for Chester and Belle and have resumed nest making and egg making again.

Well, we're home again from North Carolina. We had a great time seeing Andy and Jessica and spending a little time with Doug's family for Thanksgiving. Here we are at the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC. We had a great time while touring it. I love the Blue Ridge Mountains; it is so pretty up there.

















Here's a picture of Lucas watching the bubbles.
It was fun having a baby in the house again for a whole week before we went to NC. Also, the baby birds were just clumps in the nest before we left and when we got home, you can see how much they have grown.

That is Belle sitting on the perch and the babies sitting on Chester in the nest. They get a little nervous and run to mom and dad when I approach them.
Here is a picture of Andy and Jessica's home and our attempt at burning leaves. We eventually got brave and burned them in an open pile after we discovered the trash can idea didn't work too well. There were just too many leaves.